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Whether it’s agriculture, tourism or energy, a look at the industries that shape Idaho’s economy and how they are affected by state policies.

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February 3, 2012

Micron CEO Steve Appleton Dies in Small Plane Crash in Boise

The Associated Press confirms Micron’s chief executive officer Steve Appleton has died in a small plane crash in Boise.  He was 51. Micron spokesman Dan Francisco confirmed Appleton’s death Friday. Trading in Micron stocks has been halted.  Appleton, an avid pilot, was the only one in the experimental fixed-wing plane when it crashed at the […]

January 30, 2012
January 25, 2012

Idaho Miners are in High Demand, Despite Lucky Friday Closure

They say the days when you could go from high school to a high-paying, blue collar job are long gone. But there are places in the Northwest where those days still exist — that is, if you’re willing to work a mile underground. For gold and silver miners, it looks like boom times right now. […]

January 20, 2012

Scentsy Launches Fondue Product Line, Could Create More Jobs

Scentsy, the Meridian, Idaho-based wickless candle company, launched into the world of fondue today.  The company announced its first food product line, called Velata.  The chocolate fondue kit will be available in May.  It comes with a microwaveable pouch of chocolate, a silicone dish and an electric warmer. Scentsy has made some new hires in […]

January 19, 2012

Boise Housing Market Ended 2011 with Fewer Homes, Higher Prices

One indicator of an improving housing market is declining inventory, and Idaho appears to be faring well on that score.  According to analysis by Realtor.com, Boise’s number of total listings fell by just over 39 percent from the end of 2010 until the end of 2011.  That’s greater than the national decrease of just over […]

January 13, 2012

Idaho Foreclosures Fall, but Improvement May Not Be Lasting

Real estate data provider RealtyTrac has released its year-end report, and the news is mixed.  The numbers show Idaho’s foreclosure rate dropped to tenth in the nation, an improvement from last year’s eighth place ranking.  The total number of housing units with at least one foreclosure filing over the course of 2011 was 11,482, a […]

Boise Subdivisions “Dressed Up to Look Occupied” as Housing Market Faltered

Boise’s housing market gains a bit of unwelcome and retroactive notoriety, thanks to a New York Times article published this week. Using newly released Fed transcripts, the article details Federal Reserve officials’ apparent lack of concern about the housing bubble and its potential effects on the broader economy, even as the housing market showed signs […]

January 5, 2012

Idaho’s Farm Income Growth Dwarfs National Gains

This is a boom time for agriculture, and Idaho’s upswing far outpaces national growth.  While total U.S. net farm income soared from 2010 to 2011, rising by 28 percent, a report released today shows the state’s net farm income rose by 88 percent in the same period. Report co-author Paul Patterson, an agricultural economist, says […]

December 22, 2011

As Farmland Prices Soar, It’s Not Just Farmers Buying

Across the U.S., the price of good quality cropland is soaring, and it’s not just farmers who are driving demand.  In an unsteady economy, investors are looking to farm ground as a safe haven.  Prices have been highest in the Midwest Corn Belt.  Here in Idaho, demand is centered in the Snake River Plain, where […]

December 15, 2011

Idaho Foreclosure Rate Posts Big Decrease

Idaho saw a more than 40 percent drop in foreclosure filings from October to November, according to numbers from RealtyTrac, released today.  The report shows that one in every 770 housing units in Idaho had a foreclosure filing last month, compared to one in every 432 in October. Idaho’s 40 percent drop in foreclosure activity […]

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