Author: Lisa Grigg

Regional news

North Central Idaho

• Effective Jan. 1, 2025, St. Mary’s Health (Cottonwood) and Clearwater Valley Health (Orofino) hospitals will terminate their contracts with Regence BlueShield. Regence BlueShield enrollees will be able to receive “in-network” care at both hospitals during the 12-month grace period throughout all of 2025 but will be considered out of network Jan. 1, 2026. Source: Clearwater Valley Health, St. Mary’s Health

• The Nez Perce Tribe finalized adoption of a Tribal Uniform Commercial Code Secured Transaction Act to increase economic opportunities and improve access to capital for tribal businesses. Source: Nez Perce Tribe

Nez Perce County

• All of Lewiston’s CCI/Speer employees have been transferred to new owner Czechoslovak Group, effective with the sale by Vista Outdoor that closed Nov. 27. CCI/Speer is one of the top three employers by employee count in both Nez Perce County and within the north central region. Along with Lewiston, the transaction includes Vista Outdoor’s sporting products manufacturing operations (renamed The Kinetic Group) in Minnesota (Anoka), Arkansas (Lonoke) and Oregon (Sweet Home). No new local job opportunities have been posted since the change of company ownership occurred. Source: Vista Outdoor, Idaho Department of Labor

Comparison of U.S. operations of Czechoslovak Group and The Kinetic Group:

Figure 1.

U.S. operations only	The Kinetic Group	Czechoslovak Group
Annual sales	$1.5 billion	$250 million (group global sales total is $3.3 billion)
U.S. employees	3,800 (one-third in Lewiston)	300
Locations	Idaho (Lewiston), Minnesota (Anoka), Arkansas (Lonoke) and Oregon (Sweet Home).	Arkansas (Little Rock) and Missouri (Ozark). Imports/distributes Perazzi shotguns in Azusa, California.
Brands	Federal, Remington, CCI, HEVI-Shot and Speer.	Fiocchi (acquired in 2022)
Ammo sales breakdown	No. 1 in the U.S. for sales of commercial and law enforcement ammunition.	80% civilian and 20% defense and law enforcement.
Operating profit	$.4 billion
Transaction profit	$2.2 billion

• Lewis-Clark State College reported 18% growth in fall 2024 of career technical education program enrollments compared to one year ago. Top programs include diesel (38 students), graphic communications (25 students), auto mechanics (25 students), welding, fire service and industrial electronics. Source: Lewis-Clark State College

• The Lapwai School District has announced plans to build a new Career Technical Education Center facility to expand its carpentry and fabrication programs. The new building will be adjacent to the current career technical building and funding for the $1.3 million project will come from grants, private donations and local education program funds. Source: Lewiston Tribune

• EC Motorsports has begun construction of a sprint boat racing track with plans to host two racing events in 2025. Source: Big Country News

• St. Joseph Regional Medical Center was one of three Idaho hospitals recognized as high performing in maternity care by U.S. News and World Report. This is the third consecutive year the medical center has been recognized for this achievement. Source: St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, U.S. News and World Report

• United Airlines will discontinue flights between the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Airport and Denver, effective Jan. 31, 2025. This daily service began in October 2021 and is the only flight United Airlines offers from the regional airport. Source: Lewiston-Nez Perce County Airport

• Avista Utilities will be rebuilding eight miles of transmission lines along Stagecoach Road (south of Lewiston). The wood poles will be replaced with new steel poles and the conductor will be upgraded. Due to a combination of poor road conditions and planned utility work, the road will be closed for public access through the end of February 2025. Avista plans to begin work at the beginning of February through the end of May 2025. Source: Big Country News

• Freedom Tires was selected as one of seven Idaho Local Gems by U.S. Senator Jim Risch. The mobile tire service company serves customers from Lewiston to Moscow. Source: Big Country News

• Big Lots announced that all U.S. retail stores are in the process of closing. Current Idaho locations include Lewiston, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Falls and Meridian. Source: Big Lots

Idaho County

• The City of Grangeville was awarded a $65,000 wastewater planning study grant by the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality. Total project cost is estimated at $256,000. Source: Idaho Department of Environmental Quality

• The Nez Perce Tribe has been awarded a $1.9 million America the Beautiful Challenge grant to restore 22 acres of an abandoned hydraulic mine in Leggett Creek near Elk City. The project will focus on reducing excess sediment and reducing erosion. Source: Lewiston Tribune

• Sidney Resources has secured $8 million in funding to build a 12,000 square foot milling and processing facility in Warren, Idaho. Construction will begin in Spring 2025 with completion expected by the end of 2025. The company recently announced a 1,900 acre expansion in the Warren District Project that brings total company land holdings to 3,174 acres. Source: Sidney Resources

• The Idaho State Board of Education approved Mountain View School District’s request to have Idaho County voters decide in May 2025 whether to split the school district into two separate districts. The school district covers the largest square area of any district in Idaho. If a simple majority vote occurs in favor, the split is scheduled to happen in the fall of 2026. The last time a school district deconsolidated was in 2006 when the Mountain View School District spun off the Salmon River Joint School District in Riggins. Source: Idaho Board of Education, Idaho Ed News

• Rocky Mountain HVAC installed new propane heaters in the Cottonwood High School shop building and will be updating thermostats in all high school classrooms. The high school will begin accepting bids to replace the windows in January 2025. Source: Cottonwood Chronicle

Latah County

• The City of Moscow will build a new 18,000 square foot city shop building to store its fleet of city vehicles and equipment. Construction will begin in spring 2025 with plans for completion before 2026. Source: Lewiston Tribune

• The University of Idaho was awarded a nearly $600,000 IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence grant towards tendon tissue research among three laboratories on the Moscow campus. Source: Big Country News

• Family Promise of the Palouse is seeking a new location in Moscow by spring 2025 for its daytime homeless shelter as the current building has significant underlying issues. Family Promise opened its shelter in 2013 and helps an average of 15 families per year. Source: Lewiston Tribune

Clearwater County

• Starting in January 2025, the Clearwater Progress and the Idaho County Free Press newspapers will combine under the Idaho County Free Press publication. Klement Enterprises has owned both newspapers since acquiring the Clearwater Progress in 2020. Source: Clearwater Progress

Lewis County

• Highway 64 between Nezperce and Kamiah has been reopened after closing in April 2024 due to washouts and structural issues. Source: Lewiston Tribune

• A propane leak at Hearthstone Bakery resulted in a temporary evacuation and shut down of Main Street in Kamiah. Source: Idaho County Free Press

Openings

• Retro Vibes & Vintage Sounds, Moscow
• Champions Edge Training, Lewiston
• Idaho County Dermatology, Grangeville
• Jackson’s fuel pumps and convenience store, Riggins
• The Establishment has reopened its bar and is hiring staff for its upcoming kitchen opening, Grangeville

Closings

• Marsh’s Trading Post, Lewiston (to close Dec. 31)
• Zip’s Drive-In will be closing one of its two Lewiston locations
• Orofino Flower Shop, Orofino (to close Dec. 31)
• Rove Fitness, Lewiston
• LaRe Boutique, Lewiston

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This Idaho Department of Labor project is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor for SFY25 as part of the Workforce Information grant (40%) and state/nonfederal funds (60%) totaling $885,703.

This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.

Regional news

North Central Idaho

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded $6.4 million in Regional Conservation Partnership Program funds to improve fish and wildlife habitat for the lower south fork Clearwater River watershed. Funds will be used for floodplain connection and large wood and boulder placement for habitat diversity. It will also create both water and land-based habitats utilizing native vegetation. Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Nez Perce County

• Sofidel America completed its acquisition of Clearwater Paper’s private label tissue production plant in Lewiston along with three other production plants in Nevada, North Carolina and Illinois. Clearwater Paper has retained ownership of its paperboard and pulp divisions. The company will sell pulp to Sofidel for tissue production. The new ownership structure will see almost 500 local Lewiston employees transferred from Clearwater Paper to Sofidel. With the acquisition, Sofidel America now operates 12 plants in 11 states and is the fourth largest tissue paper manufacturer in the U.S. with 7% market share (No. 1 being Georgia Pacific at 27%, No. 2 being Procter and Gamble at 15%, No. 3 being Kimberly-Clark at 14% and No. 5 being Essity at 6%). Clearwater Paper will lease land and facilities to Sofidel as well as provide a services and use agreement. Source: Clearwater Paper, Sofidel America
• Lewis-Clark State College’s Industrial Maintenance and Millwright Technology program was awarded a $17,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the purchase of two gas tungsten arc welders. The welders were scheduled to arrive in November 2024. Source: Lewis-Clark State College
• The City of Lewiston will be hiring an engineering firm to assess the condition of six of its eight drinking water reservoirs, plans to build a new sidewalk near Orchards Elementary School and will install additional playground equipment at Pioneer Park. Source: Lewiston Tribune
• Following the PACS Group Inc. acquisition of 53 of Prestige Care’s skilled nursing and assisted living facilities in mid-2024, Prestige Care and Rehabilitation – The Orchards has now been renamed Orchard View Post Acute. Source: PAC Group
• The Mango Tree, an Indian kitchen and tap house, has announced plans to open in downtown Lewiston and is currently hiring staff. The restaurant currently has four locations in Spokane, one in Coeur d’Alene and another in Wichita, Kansas. Source: The Mango Tree
• Marsh’s Trading Post has announced plans to close at the end of 2024. Source: Big Country News
• Denny’s has applied for a building permit in the former Shari’s restaurant location in Lewiston. Denny’s recently opened up a location in Moscow in November 2023. Source: Lewiston Tribune

Idaho County

• The Mountain View School District 244 school board voted to deconsolidate in early November. The process would break up Mountain View into two school districts – Clearwater Valley school district 245 and Grangeville school district 246. The next step is to receive approval from both the Idaho State Board of Education and by public vote in May 2025. Source: Idaho Education News
  • Mountain View School District considerations:
    • Idaho County covers over 8,400 square land miles and is Idaho’s largest county by area (No. 2 is Owyhee County at 7,600 square miles and No. 3 is Custer County at 4,900 square miles). Idaho County ranks as the 18th largest county by square land area in the continental U.S. Idaho County had a 2023 population of just under 18,000, a population density of just over two people per square mile (Idaho’s statewide average density of people per square mile is 23) and just over one housing unit per square mile. The Mountain View School district is the largest in Idaho and covers over 7,400 square miles (No. 2 being Bruneau-Grand View at 5,100 square miles) versus the median Idaho school district area of 386 square miles. Mountain View School district is the 8th largest school district in the continental U.S. by square land area.
    • The U.S. Census Bureau five-year 2022 American Community Survey estimates 32% of Idaho County households had related children under the age of 18 residing with them, compared to 44% for Idaho statewide.

• Syringa Hospital will be launching a new surgical service line for the treatment of acid reflux. Syringa will be the first critical access hospital nationally to offer the procedure. Source: Idaho County Free Press
• The Idaho County assessor reported 98 new homes were added throughout the county the past year, compared to an average addition of 74 per year over the last five years. This is the largest increase in 22 years. The 98 new homes have added $16 million in tax revenue, but the assessor highlighted that county appraisers have a difficult time accessing the properties in order to complete appraisals. Source: Idaho County Free Press
• Elk City was selected as an Innovia Foundation Community Heart and Soul initiative grant recipient for $30,000 towards community-based projects over the next two years. Residents will identify what is most important to them in their community and what they prioritize. Some successful outcomes from other program participants have included increased economic development, additional volunteerism, more active community engagement in decision making and community-supported programs. Source: Idaho County Free Press
• St. John Bosco Academy completed construction on the Angelus Center. The new facility includes a 26,000 square foot gymnasium and theater along with classrooms and a commercial kitchen. Source: Idaho County Free Press

Latah County

• University of Idaho was awarded a $7.8 million grant for its ECLIPSE program to promote employment training resources for college-age students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. These students will attend on-campus inclusive education programs within Idaho. Source: University of Idaho
• Through a financial gift from the J.R. Simplot Family Foundation, the University of Idaho has established its first endowed deanship of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences that will receive financial support for pursuing and investing in forward looking agribusiness advancement opportunities. Source: University of Idaho
• The Latah County Library District has purchased a commercial building in Kendrick for a future library site projected to open in Fall 2025. The current Juliaetta location will close once the new site in Kendrick is up and running. The library district currently operates seven branch locations throughout Latah County. Source: Latah County Library District
• The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) has halted further construction on completing the six new miles of Highway 95 south of Moscow for the upcoming winter months. ITD generally forecasts construction season on this project to last between April and October. The project was initially expected to be open in fall of 2024 but has now been moved back to the last part of 2025. Source: Idaho Transportation Department

Clearwater County

• Orofino’s Dining on the Edge restaurant will change ownership by the end of 2024. Source: Clearwater Tribune

Openings

• STB Boutique has moved to a new location, Lewiston
• The Habit Coffee Shop has moved to a new location, Cottonwood
• Edge of Heaven Wedding and Event Barn, Deary
• Stephanie’s Biz Services, Lewiston
• Family Hospice St. Joseph Regional Medical Center is now Heart ‘n Home Hospice, Lewiston
• Deno’s Curbside Kitchen food truck, Lewiston
• Hickory Farms seasonal store in the Lewiston Center Mall
• Backwoods Brew coffee opened a new permanent location in Lewiston along with the existing mobile trailer
• Jackman Tire, Lewiston
• Reclaimed West, Lewiston
• Valentine, Olofson, and Stoffer Law Office, Lewiston

Closings

• Bait Shop Grill and Restaurant closed but is expected to be reopened under new ownership, Lewiston

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This Idaho Department of Labor project is funded by the U.S. Department of Labor for SFY25 as part of the Workforce Information grant (40%) and state/nonfederal funds (60%) totaling $885,703.

This workforce product was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The product was created by the recipient and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This product is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner.

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North Central

• The Nez Perce Tribe was awarded a $37 million Climate Pollution Reduction Grant by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to install solar power infrastructure, improve residential weatherization, complete wood stove replacements and electric vehicle networks. Source: KOZE, EPA, Lewiston Tribune
• Gwen Fire Summary: The U.S. Forest Service reported a lightning bust on July 24th with over 3,000 lightning strikes that ignited 69 known wildfires throughout north central Idaho. 30-40 miles per hour wind gusts on July 25th resulted in the Gwen Fire quickly raging through nearly 29,000 acres of Nez Perce and Latah counties. Over 160 structures, including 38 primary residences, were destroyed. The fire closed parts of both Highway 3 and Highway 12 for over three days and resulted in an evacuation order for the entire City of Juliaetta.

Continue reading “Around North Central Idaho: Economic activity, August 2024” →