Cavalcade 2014 by APG-West (Idaho Press)

Idaho Press-Tribune

CAVALCADE

2014

S ' Y T N U O C N O Y N CA C I M O ECON K O O L OUT

AT NNU, WE VALUE PEOPLE Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach Elpidia Allen didn’t graduate from Northwest Nazarene University, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t appreciate the value of an NNU education. “At NNU, I know that the people here truly care about students, what they are doing and their successes. I love that all of us in the NNU community share the common goal of transforming the whole person. The investment in students is so much greater here than the state school I graduated from.”

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INTRODUCTION

Cavalcade 2014 showcases our focus in the community

e are proud to present to you this year’s Cavalcade magazine, featuring the state of our local economy, including agriculture, retail, technology, health care, construction, tourism and unemployment. This year’s Cavalcade is the culmination of months of planning and the kickoff to a major new initiative for us at the Idaho Press-Tribune. In the coming weeks and months, you will see more stories and data-driven journalism focused on what we’re calling “Money Matters.” Last year, the Idaho Press-Tribune partnered with the American Press Institute on an indepth study of what our readers like and don’t like, what they want to see more of in the paper and what they want to see less of. An analysis of those results led to four “pillars” of coverage. In addition to Money Matters, the other pillars of coverage include: civic engagement, outdoor spaces and local sports. Civic engagement will include a whole host of coverage, including our already

stellar local government coverage with the addition of more watchdog journalism and stories about how government affects you more directly, whether it’s taxes and supplemental levies or road construction and new commercial and residential developments. Outdoor spaces will focus on family and the environment. Yes, hunting and fishing are a big part of our culture, and we’ll continue to cover that. But the outdoor spaces pillar will include stories about day trips, biking, cities’ efforts to create walking trails, boating, four-wheeling and more. When it comes to local sports, we have already heard from many readers that our local sports coverage is among the best in the valley, especially local high school sports. In the coming months, we plan on expanding our definition of “local sports” to include a wide range of potential stories focused on families, whether it’s youth sports or adult recreation leagues. As for Money Matters, we will be focusing on the local economy and family finances. You’ve probably already seen

some examples of what we have in mind, such as a recent Sunday story we wrote on filing your taxes, whether to file late or early, whether to withhold a little or a lot and what to do with your refund, if you’re getting one. The idea is to provide news you can use, news that makes a difference in your life after you’ve read the story and gained valuable information that helps you make an informed decision about taxes, financial aid for college, saving for retirement or your credit score. We’re also going to be focusing on ways to update you regularly on how our local economy is doing, using tangible and real data to illustrate whether we’re doing well or doing worse in a variety of sectors, such as agriculture, technology, education, transportation and health. We’ll have more details on that in the weeks to come. In the meantime, we hope you’ll enjoy this year’s issue of Cavalcade and that it will give you a good snapshot of where we are economically — and where we’re headed. — Scott McIntosh, Idaho Press-Tribune editor

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S ' Y T N U O C N O CANY C I M O N O C E K O O L OUT AGRICULTURE

DEEP ROOTS, STRONG FUTURE: Canyon ag has long history, bright outlook............................. 8

RETAIL

REVIVAL: Nampa retail spaces showing signs of growth after recession................................ 14

MANUFACTURING

A RESURGENCE: With roots in agriculture, Canyon manufacturing sector expands................. 20

HOUSING

EXCITING TIME TO BUY: After years of low, prices, sales up for Canyon real estate.................. 26

TECHNOLOGY

HIGH TECH GROWTH: Technology jobs power a bright future for Idaho................................. 32

HEALTH CARE

MEDICAL EXPANSION: Canyon County sees health care expand............................................. 40

CONSTRUCTION

REBOUND: Construction jobs are making a comeback.......................................................... 48

TOURISM

SHARING OUR CULTURE: Canyon County has many unique features for outsiders to visit....... 52

UNEMPLOYMENT

RATE HEADED DOWN: Jobless rate has gone from 10.7 percent to 6 percent since 2010........... 58

WHY CANYON COUNTY

WHY?: State ranked high for business friendliness............................................................... 60 6

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

CAVALCADE IS AN ANNUAL MAGAZINE PRODUCED BY THE IDAHO PRESS-TRIBUNE Coordinated by Editor Scott McIntosh Designed by News and Design Editor Randy Lavorante and Northwest Nazarene University design intern Sara Oliver n Photographed by Multimedia Editor Greg Kreller and photographer Adam Eschbach Cavalcade costs $4.95 Copyright 2014, Idaho Press-Tribune

n n

Now Then

Forever

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Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

AGRICULTURE

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

DEEP ROOTS, STRONG FUTURE

Russ Shroll has continued the family tradition as a fourth-generation farmer in the Treasure Valley.

Canyon ag has long history, bright outlook By JUSTIN DALME

jdalme@idahopress.com

he house that Russ Shroll's great-grandparents homesteaded at the turn of the 20th century still lies on his property. The fourth-generation Nampan, who farms about 1,500 acres, has been farming since 1991 in a partnership with his father. Farming gives him the satisfaction of working the land and physically seeing the results of his hard work, Shroll said. “Even though there are some trouble times economically and good times, it's still a good way of life,” Shroll said. While most sectors back-slid with the economy a few years ago, agriculture was able to push through. “Production agriculture and processing went, 'What recession?'” said Garth Taylor, University of Idaho agriculture economist. Over the last 10 years, Idaho agriculture cash receipts have a growth rate of 4.3 percent, including three straight years of record cash receipts, according to U of I. Receipts in 2013 topped $7.8 billion. Agribusiness also contributes to Idaho's economy more than any other industry, with 20 percent of sales in the state related directly or indirectly to agriculture. That makes Idaho the thirdlargest agriculture state in the West, behind California and Washington, according to U of I. “Agriculture is bigger than it ever has been. Ever,” Taylor said.

 Full report, page 10

“

“Agriculture is bigger than it ever has been. Ever.” GARTH TAYLOR, University of Idaho agriculture economist

Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

AGRIBUSINESS IN IDAHO’S ECONOMY 2010 $24 billion in sales 123,000 jobs $8 billion of gross state product 20 percent of total economic output 14 percent of state employment 14 percent of gross state product SOURCE: University of Idaho report “The Financial Condition of Idaho Agriculture: 2012”

950 900

Cattle and calves $1.5 billion

Potatoes $965 million

Sugar beets $251 million Wheat $732 million

Total Jobs

850 800

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

Farm Jobs

750 20

700 650

600 550 500

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Food manufacturing jobs

WHAT IS AG BUSINESS?

Revenue from cattle and calves is estimated at $1.5 billion, up 8 percent from 2012. Prices throughout the year averaged the same as in 2012. The January 1 inventory of beef cows was 510,000 in 2013, up 9 percent from 2012

Ag business is anything relating to farming. Farms are only the middle link, with farm suppliers and processors being a part of the chain.

Potatoes remain Idaho's largest source of crop revenue, with 2013 revenues estimated to be $965 million in 2013, 1 percent higher than in 2012. Potato production is estimated to be 133 million cwt, down 6 percent from 2012. Yields averaged 421 cwt per acre in 2013, up 9 cwt per acre from the previous year and the average price is estimated to be up 1 percent to $7.80 per cwt.

SOURCE: University of Idaho

Sugarbeet revenues are estimated at $251 million, down 23 percent from 2012. Sugarbeet production is projected to be 6.28 million tons, down 2 percent from 2012. Growers harvested 8,000 fewer acres than in 2012. Idaho's projected 2013 beet price of $40 per ton is 21 percent lower than the previous year’s average price. Wheat was Idaho's second largest crop by revenue in 2013. Revenues are expected to be $732 million, down 8 percent from 2012's record high. Projected at 102 million bushels, 2013 production was up 4 percent from 2012. Wheat prices fell 1 percent, with the average price estimated to be $7.40 per bushel in 2013.

SOURCE: University of Idaho report “The Financial Condition of Idaho Agriculture: 2013”

Idaho Jobs 2002-2012

IDAHO LIVESTOCK AND CROP REVENUE

TOP INTERNATIONAL EXPORTS IN 2012 Semiconductors and industrial: $6,113,365,391 Food and agriculture: $947,972,361 Transportation equipment: $667,876,231 Mining products: $572,251,196 SOURCE: Idaho Department of Commerce

1,000 Jobs, Farming & Food Manufacturing

Technology has always had a vast impact on farming, whether it was the tractor or the cotton gin. Today, bigger machines allow for bigger yields and a changing labor market in agriculture. Take a look at potatoes over the last 32 years and one can see how technology is improving efficiency in farming. During that time period, there has been an 8 percent growth in acres grown in Idaho with a 41 percent increase in potato yields, according to U of I. Over the last few years, Shroll's revenues have gone up, allowing him to upgrade equipment in an industry that is always evolving. “Our biggest technology in my time has been GPS,” Shroll said. “Really, I don't have a single tractor here that isn't GPS capable. It's a little boring to tell you the truth, but it's a lot more efficient.” And that technological change has started to become a challenge. Over

1,000

1,000 Jobs, All Industry Total

AgriTech

the last 20 years, Taylor said farm employment has flat-lined due to efficiency increases, and the composition of the labor force is changing. Farming jobs in Idaho have hovered around 40,000 since 1990, and food manufacturing jobs have stayed around 15,000, according to U of I. Just look at the closure of the J.R. Simplot Company's Nampa plant while Materne North America is coming in to set up a plant in Nampa. Another new company has come to town, but no growth will occur, as Materne will help absorb job losses created by Simplot. Also, more engineers, machinists and high-tech maintenance personnel are needed to run technology found on farms today, Taylor said. “A student can adjust his irrigation on a central pivot from a phone in his office,” Taylor said. It's an issue Shroll says will become a bigger issue in the future. Taylor agrees. A person almost has to have a four-year degree to keep up today. They're almost handicapped if they don't, he said.

Contributions to the economy are measured in sales, jobs and gross state product.

FOOD PROCESSORS IN CANYON COUNTY Amalgamated Sugar Sorrento Lactalis J.R. Simplot Company Materne North America Darigold Great American Appetizers Armour Foods Dakota Buckaroo Marinating Land O'Lakes *not a complete list of all food processors.

Canyon County A fish jumps out of a river running through farmland. A red tractor sits on the left bank, cattle on the right bank. This is the seal of Canyon County. Why? The county enjoys more farms than any other in the state with about 84 percent of land in agricultural use. These farms help make Canyon County the most diverse in crops and also part of the seed capital of the world. Nearly a quarter of all jobs in the county are agriculture-related and 32 percent of base sales for the county come from the industry and each acre of cultivated farmland in the county is worth $15,834 in base sales, up from $8,534 in 2002, according to U of I. “I don't think people understand how farming in this area is important for the whole world even,” Shroll said. Idaho's seed industry ships to every continent besides Antarctica, according to the Idaho-Eastern Oregon Seed Association. The home to that seed industry is right here in Canyon County and the Treasure Valley. George Crookham is the fourth-generation owner of the 102-year-old Crookham Company. He has been to Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, South Africa, Hungary, France, Japan, Australia, India and China to look for climates

similar to Canyon County. Nowhere in the world offers the same cool nights, warm days, low humidity and cold winters that make this county the best area on the globe to grow seeds, he said. “Every major vegetable seed company in the world...every one of them has a presence in this valley,” Crookham said. And lately, business has been good. Crookham was able to grow his business through the recession, adding personnel and making investments into facilities. But besides being the seed-growing capital of the world, Canyon County also offers a vast variety of crops that are grown, including: corn, alfalfa, sorghum, mint, barley, wheat, rye, oats, mustard, sugarbeets, onions, various fruits and more. “There is no other county in the state that has the diversity of crops,” Taylor said. Agribusinesses are the number one contributor to the base economy of Canyon County. Canyon County ranks fourth in the state for agricultural receipts and has the second largest population despite being one of the smallest counties in the state, according to an economic report by U of I. The report also stated Canyon County is a paradox, with its economy consisting of both rural and urban worlds. Two areas that work together to create an economy, but have also butted heads.

MAJOR CROP ACTIVITY AND WAGES FOR SOUTHWEST IDAHO IN 2013

TOTAL PAYROLL FOR CANYON COUNTY AGRIBUSINESS JOBS 2012*

CROP ACTIVITY DATES HOURLY WAGES All hay Irrigation May to September $7.25-$9 Harvest May to October $8-$10 Beans Irrigation May to August $7.25-$9 Harvest End of August to mid-September $9-$10 All corn Irrigation June to September $7.25-$10 Topping July $8-$10 Apples and Harvest August to September $7.25-$9.25 other fruits Pruning and thinning January to March $7.25-$10 Cherries Harvest June to early July $7.25-$9.25 All grain Irrigation mid-April to September $7.25-$10 Harvest August to September $7.25-$10 All mint Irrigation May to September $7.25-$10 Onions Irrigation mid-April to July $7.25-$10 Hoeing May to July $7.25-$10 Topping August to September $7.25-$10 Potatoes Hoeing June and July $7.25-$10 Irrigation mid-May to October $7.25-$10 Harvest mid-August to October $7.25-$10 Sugar beets Irrigation May to October $7.25-$10 Harvest September to October $7.25-$9 SOURCE: Idaho Department of Labor

JOB Animal production Support activities for crop production Support activities for animal production Animal food manufacturing Grain and oilseed milling Sugar and confectionery product manufacturing Fruit and vegetable preserving and specialty food manufacturing Dairy product manufacturing Animal slaughtering and processing Bakery and tortilla manufacturing Beverage manufacturing Textile product mills Leather and hide tanning and finishing *Jobs covered by unemployment insurance SOURCE: Idaho Department of Labor

“

TOTAL PAYROLL $2,139,781 $12,030,854 $1,212,471 $5,169,433 $216,666 $27,126,823

EMPLOYERS 10 38 4 5 1 1

AVERAGE EMPLOYMENT 76 466 28 70 4 553

$63,024,955 $26,722,110 $14,161,991 $3,768,783 $8,044,423 $213,914 $577,870

5 4 5 5 10 2 1

1,350 662 508 129 206 9 22

Every major vegetable seed company in the world... every one of them has a presence in this valley.” GEORGE CROOKHAM, fourth-generation owner of Crookham Company

Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

The good fight With urban sprawl come subdivisions into lands that don't seem rural any more. The latest Ag Census in 2007 (new census comes out in May 2014) showed an increase in the amount of farms in Canyon County, but a decrease of about 11,000 acres in farming with 260,000 acres total. The average farm size also dropped from 122 acres to 110. Compare those numbers to the 1997 Ag Census when Canyon County had 355,000 acres of land in farming. Canyon County has also fallen from being first in the state for gross agricultural receipts to fourth over the last couple of decades, according to a report from U of I. The Coalition for Agriculture's Future states that from 1997 to 2002, about 25 percent of agricultural land in Canyon County was lost to development. But with the recession, valuable agriculture land may have been saved from urban sprawl. “Right now we would still be making the same mistakes we made in the last 10 years, 15 years if the economy would not have crashed,” Caldwellarea farmer Sid Freeman said. Years ago, all a developer needed was a conditional-use permit to have a subdivision in a county agricultural zone. Back in 2011, that conditional-use permit was blocked due to an amendment, but the effects are still being felt. In December, a group known as Citizens Opposed to Lake Hazel Estates filed a complaint against Canyon County Commissioners over a subdivision approved on a conditional-use permit from 2008. “I think this is a messy plat. I don't think that it was ideal at all,” Canyon County Commission

Chairman Steve Rule said during the Nov. 22 meeting that approved the final plat of the subdivision. Today, the subdivision would not have been approved without a rezone, since the land in dispute was zoned by Canyon County as agricultural. But the commission had to honor the old conditional-use permit process. Commissioner Kathy Alder has seen the conflict over land slow with the recession, but she believes a plan should be in place if development skyrockets again. “If things change and you have a boom and people can make this ridiculous amount of money (with development), then you have to have a program and it has to be put in effect before that time gets here,” Alder said. “It's got to be the people coming together and saying, 'This is what we really want to see.' ” Shroll doesn't mind urban growth, and knows it is inevitable. That said, he would like to see it come from city centers outward so infrastructure can follow. “If it grows out, it grows out. That is kind of part of life,” Shroll said. Besides battling housing development, farms also have to deal with high land prices. Shroll rents most of the 1,500 acres he farms, owning only 40 acres of that. With the cost of land prices, it isn't feasible to own the land you farm on and make a profit, he said. According to Northwest Farm Credit Services, the average price per acre for properties 40 acres or larger is at $4,000 — even more expensive than before the economic downturn. Land prices may be high, but land sales are way down. From 2012 to 2013 about 1,000 fewer land sales transactions occurred in the Northwest. Only about 400 transactions took place in 2013.

beef cows and calves

CANYON COUNTY AGRIBUSINESS

23 32 84 3,718 35,000 115,000

milk cows

cropland and irrigated farms

percent of all jobs in the county

percent of base sales

percent of Canyon County’s land that is in agricultural use

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

Growth in Dairy Value of Production: Idaho, 1980 to 2012 Real Dollars

200% 150%

142%

125%

100% 58%

50%

-43%

0% -50%

Cows

Price

Value of Production

Growth in Potato Cash Receipts: Idaho, 1980 to 2012 Real Dollars

60%

41%

40% 20%

Production

25%

-28%

0% -20% -40%

Acres

Yield

Price

Value of Production

The future While many things from urban sprawl and high land prices to technology and volatile markets can have impacts on agriculture, one thing trumps them all — Mother Nature. While possibly all of those factors can't be tamed, farming and agriculture have been a part of Canyon County's past, present, and with the major impact it has on the county's economy, it will inevitably be part of its future.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT CANYON COUNTY AG 2,386 farms puts Canyon County with more farms than any other county. Canyon County enjoys a greater diversity of crops than any other county. n Most female operators. n Most Hispanic operators. n Greatest number of cattle operations. n n

SOURCE: 2007 USDA Census of Agriculture (new figures to be released in May 2014)

Average dollar per acre land value and number of sales 40 acres in size and greater ID, Average dollar per acre land value and in number MT,40 OR,acres and in WAsize from of sales and2003-2013 greater in ID,

Joe Watterson of Star, was out of the farming business for 20 years. In 2011, he bought 200 acres of land in Star for raising cattle for beef, and planting organic produce.

MT, OR, and WA from 2003-2013

DollarDollar per acre per acre

$4,000 $4,500 $3,500 $4,000

Number of Sales

Average $/Acre

Number of Sales

2,500 2,500 2,000 2,000 1,500

$3,000 $3,500 $2,500 $3,000

1,500 1.000

$2,000 $2,500 $1,500 $2,000

1.000 500

$1,000 $1,500 $500 $1,000 $0 $500 $0

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

SOURCE: University2003 of Idaho

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

500 0

Number Number of sale oftransactions sale transactions

$4,500

Average $/Acre

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RETAIL

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

RETAIL REVIVAL

Nampa retail spaces showing signs of growth after recession By KELCIE MOSELEY

kmoseley@idahopress.com

hen the Nampa Gateway Center opened in 2007 on Garrity Boulevard, hopes were high that it would thrive and fill to capacity. Even when it was built on the heels of the Treasure Valley Marketplace, thenMayor Tom Dale was confident it would bring in retailers and growth to the valley. And it did — until the full effects of the Great Recession kicked in. Though Gateway built up its space with a new movie theater, Macy's, JC Penney, Sports Authority and a new Idaho Athletic Club branch, it stalled out in recent years — partly because of competition with Treasure Valley Marketplace. Much of the space still sits empty, waiting for new life. The Marketplace, just off the freeway near the Karcher interchange, is showing new signs of growth. The 600,000-square-foot center is anchored by Costco, Kohl's and Target, and has grown more than 39 percent since 2000. It now hosts 35 stores and seven restaurants. It started rebounding in 2010, when CenterCal Properties CEO Fred Bruning announced they would add two stores to the space left empty by Office Max.

 Full report, page 16

“

(Outdoor Living is in) a good spot for people who don't want to go deal with the craziness in Boise and Meridian.”

SHANE MCCONNELL Outdoor Living owner Left: Shane and Amanda McConnell have owned the backyard and patio store Outdoor Living for three months. Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

Retail

RETAIL ADDITIONS BREAKDOWN For 2013, across the

Treasure Valley Crossing, the shopping area across Treasure Valley: from the Marketplace, will soon grow with the addi- n New to the Valley: 19% tion of Hobby Lobby, Dick's Sporting Goods, PetSmart n Moving location: 19% and Cracker Barrel. Nampa is also expecting a new n Local start-up: 22% Walmart Neighborhood Market on Middleton Road. n Expansion: 40% According to data from CenterCal, Nampa's population grew from about 43,000 in 1990 to 100,177 in 2010. It is projected to hit close to 138,000 by 2020. Along with that has come a rising number of retirees, a demographic that is expected to grow with the booming population of the Treasure Valley. The Idaho Department of Labor has reported more young people leaving the state and more people choosing Idaho for retirement. The 65-and-older population has risen from 11.3 percent in 2000 to 13.3 percent in 2013. “With the changing of our economics and with the aging of our population, we're starting to see more retirees come into the area, and they consume more services,” said Andrew Townsend, the Department of Labor's southwest Idaho regional economist. “So if there's not the need now, we'll have the need even more in the future, and being able to meet that need is important.” Shane McConnell, 42, opened a new retail space in Nampa in December: Outdoor Living, a backyard and patio store on Karcher Road. McConnell is one Above: The of a relatively few locally owned retailers in the area, but he said the market is Treasure Valley underserved, and he believes there is more disposable income in the area than Marketplace some might think. and Treasure “It's a good spot for people who don't want to go deal with the craziness in Boise and Meridian,” McConnell said. “And I know a lot of people in Ada Coun- Valley Crossing on the west side ty who come over here to shop just because it's a lot easier to get in and out.” Though it's just McConnell and his wife running Outdoor Living at the mo- of Nampa have ment, he hopes the store will start to take off in the coming warm months and attracted many he can start to hire more workers. retailers. “I'll hire half the state if that's what's needed,” McConnell said. Right: The For cities and the state as a whole, retail is particularly desirable for the tax Gateway Center revenue. In 2013, the Idaho State Tax Commission reported about $1.3 billion on the east side in sales and use tax revenue, up 7.9 percent from 2012. With that came an inof Nampa still crease in corporate income and property taxes, as well. has a number of McLean Russell, a sales tax policy specialist for the Idaho State Tax Comavailable retail mission, said the sales taxes are taken from each county and lumped into one spaces. total, then distributed throughout the state. “A big chunk of it ends up in the general fund, but 11.5 percent of this big total is distributed to the cities and counties through a formula,” Russell said. “It's based partially on population and partially on value of property.” Though retail jobs aren't exactly the type of jobs that lead to high growth for a community or long-term careers, Townsend said they do provide a good foundation for workers. “They are low scale, they are low wage, but they're also entry level, so it's a good place for people to start to get their basic job skills,” Townsend said. “Like showing up on time and wearing the proper attire, just basic things like that.” Part of what draws retail companies is also the average wage, by his guess. According to the Idaho Department of Labor, the average hourly wage for customer service representatives in southwest Idaho is $13.68, and $9.89 for cashiers. “When these companies come into the area, they pay what the market in this area is paying rather than what they're paying from a national perspective,” he said. “Some companies of course break the mold, they want to be employers of choice and they pay that higher wage.” Bruning said the success of stores at Treasure Valley Marketplace — which brings in about $250 million in annual sales — will only help draw more retailers in the future. “Retailers are kind of like lemmings,” Bruning said. “... Those (stories of success), they echo around the retail community.”

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

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SHOPPING CENTER TIMELINE GATEWAY CENTER 921,000 square feet of space n 6 occupied spaces n Added Idaho Athletic Club location in 2009 n Anchor stores: Macy's, J.C. Penney, Sports Authority n

Groundbreaking 2005

2006

Groundbreaking late 2005/early 2006

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TREASURE VALLEY MARKETPLACE 600,000 square feet of space 35 stores, 7 restaurants n 39 percent growth since 2000 n Anchor stores: Costco, Kohl's, Target n n

TREASURE VALLEY CROSSING Sportsman's Warehouse – August 2012 Discount Tire – November 2012 Cracker Barrel – 2014 Dick's Sporting Goods – TBA PetSmart – TBA Hobby Lobby – TBA

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MANUFACTURING

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

President of Top Air Inc. Duane Kido leads the Parma-based company that specializes in manufacturing onion and garlic harvesting equipment.

With roots in ag, Canyon manufacturing sector expands By JOHN FUNK

jfunk@idahopress.com

anufacturing in the modern sense — large-scale, industrial production of goods — came to Canyon County a little more than a century ago. The first manufacturing operations in the area likely created bricks for the newly established, growing communities of homesteads and farms, according to local historian Joe Bell. That's the way it was in the early days — local industry existed to support local agriculture. But agriculture, even in those early days, required four things, Bell said: transportation, water reclamation and storage, electricity and an educated workforce. And once railroad, irrigation, hydroelectric power generators and local academia were in place, Bell said, Canyon County found itself well-poised for meeting the needs of non-agricultural manufacturing. Today, local communities host manufacturing in a variety of industries, including food, textiles, wood and high-tech products — and more is on the way.

MANUFACTURING A RESURGENCE “

 Full report, page 22

I think that Idaho as a whole is a very business-friendly atmosphere.”

DUANE KIDO Top Air

Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

A growing market Over the course of the past several months, several companies have announced plans to move or expand into Canyon County, bringing new jobs with them. Materne North America, makers of fruit-in-apouch product GoGo squeeZ, announced in February that it’s moving into the old MPC facility on Karcher Road, bringing about 230 jobs with it. The operation is expected to go into production in 2015, Nampa Economic Development Director Beth Ineck said. The building, previously owned by Micron, has sat vacant since 2007. Once it's up and running, Ineck said, it will manufacture about 60 percent of the GoGo squeeZ pouches distributed in North America. Governments at the local, county and state

level helped draw Materne to Nampa with financial incentives — the city covered the company's building and planning permit fees while the county granted the facility a five-year property tax exemption. The Idaho Department of Commerce contributed $350,000 via the Idaho Opportunity Fund, and the Department of Labor will pay $6,000 per job created for workforce training. Gayle Manufacturing, a California-based structural steel fabricator, already has a presence in Canyon County. Its facility on Kings Road near the Nampa airport employs about 30 people, and they'll keep doing what they're doing, company founder Jim DeBlasio said. Soon, Gayle Manufacturing will employ many more in southwestern Idaho. The company will move its headquarters — and its entire California operation — from California to the 9300 block of Cherry Lane. That will bring about 70 new jobs to Canyon County, DeBlasio said, but they won't necessarily

be available to local residents right away — DeBlasio said the company's existing employees in California will be offered an opportunity to relocate. But there's plenty of room for growth, he said, and he expects the company to create more jobs in future years. Even technology giant Apple Inc. expressed interest in Canyon County recently, Ineck said. Operating under the code name “Project Cascade,” an Apple site selector worked with the Boise Valley Economic Partnership to evaluate two sites in Nampa. Ultimately, the power infrastructure didn't meet the tech juggernaut's needs. Instead, it chose Mesa, Ariz., for its new facility, which the Arizona Commerce Authority said will create 1,300 construction jobs and 700 manufacturing jobs. But, Nampa City Council member Pam White said, it's a sign that Nampa is on the map for major employers — and that means good things for the community's future.

1884:

1990:

1901:

1903:

Railroad becomes operational in what will become Nampa

Locals begin manufacturing bricks out of local materials for farms and homesteads

Swan Falls Dam completed, providing ample electrical power to Canyon County

First beet processing facility established in Nampa

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

Workforce made to order So what makes Canyon County such a great place for manufacturing? A few things, according to Duane Kido of Parma-based firm Top Air, which has built onion and garlic harvesters in the western end of the valley for over two decades. It's a business-friendly environment where local governments do what they can to attract, retain and grow local companies, he said, and its people have a strong work ethic and the right academic background. “I think that Idaho as a whole is a very business-friendly atmosphere,” said Kido, whose operation employs about 20 locally-hired workers. A successful manufacturing operation needs smart, skilled employees who know how to work with their hands, and local educators have geared in recent years to meet that demand. The faculty and staff of COSSA Academy, he

said, has worked closely with local industry to train students in skilled crafts that manufacturers need. In a society that tends to push young people toward universities after they leave high school, Canyon County still values those who want to work with their hands. “Something that I've thought about is that college really isn't for everybody, and trying to send everyone to college is setting a lot of kids up for failure because they're not cut out for it,” Kido said. “And those who choose to work hands-on — or who are better at that — they're probably better served in Canyon County because they have the opportunity to be educated in other things.” So what kinds of skills does the manufacturing industry need? In the case of Top Air, which does most of its own fabrication and assembly, Kido said, it's welders, sawyers and those with knowledge of hydraulics and electrical systems. Specific skills may vary from industry to industry, but this isn't menial labor. Manufacturing firms need intelligent, hard-working, well-trained people to ensure a quality product.

“

And those who choose to work hands-on (instead of college) ... they're probably better served in Canyon County because they have the opportunity to be educated in other things.”

DUANE KIDO Top Air

1925-26:

1942:

1971:

1990:

2013-2014:

Local industry manufactures ice in support of Pacific Fruit Express, which shipped produce nationwide

Amalgamated Sugar Company's Nampa processing facility — still among the largest in the world — becomes operational.

High-tech manufacturing firms such as Micron, MPC, and Plexus set up shop in Canyon County

Top Air, Inc., one of the world's leading makers of onion and garlic harvesters, established in Parma

New manufacturers, such as Materne and Gayle Manufacturing, announce plans to move or expand into Canyon County

Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

TEN-YEAR TREND IN MANUFACTURING JOBS IN CANYON COUNTY

MANUFACTURING JOBS IN CANYON COUNTY IN 2013

SOURCE: Idaho Department of Labor

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

10,000

9,571

9,324

9,183

9,500 Number of employees

Food manufacturing: n About 3,300 total jobs n $26,144 - $92,447 in wages and salaries Wood products: n 70 total jobs n $29,882 average wages and salaries Chemical product and manufacturing: n About 420 total jobs n $31,838 - $53,745 in wages and salaries Nonmetalic mineral product manufacturing: n About 400 total jobs n $18,668 - $43,360 in wages and salaries Fabricated metal product manufacturing: n About 840 total jobs n $28,597 - $40,385 General purpose machinery manufacturing: n About 260 total jobs n $32,900 - $38,159 Electrical equipment and component manufacturing: n About 870 total jobs n $33,304 - $66,634

9,000 8,500

7,897

8,102

8,000 7,422

7,500 7,000

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

7,473

2010

7,280

7,163

2011

2012

7,361 Q1

2013

*Data based off yearly average SOURCE: United States Census Quarterly Workforce Indicators

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HOUSING

EXCITING TIME TO BUY

Emily and Jacobe Wood with their 18-month old son Maddox stand outside a model home similar to a home they recently purchased from CBH Homes.

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

After years of low prices, sales up for Canyon real estate By TORRIE COPE

tcope@idahopress.com

ost people are familiar with the rise and fall of the local real estate market over the past few years. After years of growth, the market in Canyon County took a steep tumble. In 2007, total home sales in the county dropped about 40 percent from 2006, according to the Intermountain Multiple Listing Service. Home sales dropped again about 34 percent in 2008, and the average price went down about 13 percent. That decline continued through 2011. The average price of homes sold in Canyon County was $179,905 in 2007. In 2011, it was down to $97,402. The total dollar volume of new construction was at more than $204 million in 2007. By 2011, it dropped to $19.4 million. On top of all that, the Boise metro area was one of three hardest-hit in the nation for foreclosures from 2009 to 2010, with approximately 1 in 21 homes in foreclosure, according to a report from the Idaho Attorney General's Office. Andi Ryan with Silvercreek Realty Group has been in real estate since 1993, mostly in Canyon County where she focuses on new construction. Ryan said the market was pretty steady from when she began until about 2005. That's when the decline started and things remained low for years. “It definitely impacted a lot of lives in the industry,” she said. “Focusing on new construction, it was heartbreaking to see all the jobs lost and people losing all of the equity in their homes. It was a big deal.” Ryan said she got through the tough years thanks to a good referral base. Despite the challenge, she said real estate is her passion and she wanted to stick with it. “I really felt strong that real estate would come back eventually and I kept enough of a pace to keep myself afloat,” she said.

 Full report, page 28

“

It seemed with all the economic downturn, people were not able to get into homes, or they were holding on because of fear. That does not seem to be the case so much anymore.” Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

Canyon County home sales 2007

2008

2009

2010

Total single-family homes sold: Average price: $178,874 Days on market: 65 Existing homes sold: 2,270 New homes sold: 950 Average existing home price: $164,148 Average new home price: $212,652

Total single-family homes sold: 2,131 Average price: $155,614 Days on market: 83 Existing homes sold: 1,469 New homes sold: 661 Average existing home price: $146,643 Average new home price: $175,580

Total single-family homes sold: 2,502 Average price: $122,288 Days on market: 94 Existing homes sold: 2,142 New homes sold: 368 Average existing home price: $118,184 Average new home price: $146,485

Total single-family homes sold: 2,920 Average price: $110,137 Days on market: 88 Existing homes sold: 2,680 New homes sold: 242 Average existing home price: $107,679 Average new home price: $135,935

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2011

2012

Total single-family homes sold: 3,130 Average price: $98,335 Days on market: 85 Existing homes sold: 2,994 New homes sold: 136 Average existing home price: $96,150 Average new home price: $146,438

Total single-family homes sold: 2,895 Average price: $115,912 Days on market: 74 Existing homes sold: 2,586 New homes sold: 309 Average existing home price: $111,712 Average new home price: $151,066

2013 Total single-family homes sold: 3,119 Average price: $143,192 Days on market: 55 Existing homes sold: 2,669 New homes sold: 450 Average existing home price: $136,591 Average new home price: $182,342

SOURCE: Intermountain Multiple Listing Service

Zach Chittenden is a realtor with Silvercreek Realty Group.

Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

Better times

HOW MANY HOMES WERE IN FORECLOSURE? 1 in 21 homes in the Boise-Nampa area was in foreclosure from 2009 to 2010.

By 2012, change began to happen. While home sales were still down, prices began to go up again. The average price rose about 17 percent over 2011. The number of new homes sold was up 125 percent over 2011, according to Intermountain MLS. Ryan said that in 2012 she started to see more people coming into the market from out of state, and buying power seemed to improve at that time. “It seemed with all the economic downturn, people were not able to get into homes, or they were holding on because of fear,” she said. “That does not seem to be the case so much anymore.” Ryan said it was difficult to reflect back on the years when things were low, but she's optimistic about the SOURCE: Idaho Attorney General's 2011 Housing Crisis Report current situation. She said it's an exciting time to be in real estate in Canyon County and she's also starting to see more TOTAL NEW CONSTRUCTION DOLLAR VOLUME people getting into real estate again. Jacobe and Emily Wood decided in July 2013 they were ready to buy a new home together. Jacobe already owned a home, but he said he and his wife wanted to choose a home to buy together. He put his south Nampa home on the market and accepted an offer on it within a month, he said. 2013 2008 That process went quickly, but the buying process $82,053,879 $116,058,404 has taken longer. 2007 The Woods decided to buy in Star, because they $204,190,413 liked the small, tight-knit community. They were looking for a home with a three-car garage and a de2012 2009 cent sized lot, Jacobe said. $46,327,761 “When we started looking, there were things we $53,906,630 liked and things we didn't like,” he said. 2010 To get the features they wanted, the Woods decided $31,297,453 2011 to build a home. $19,368,884 “We're planning on staying in this house a good long while,” Jacobe said. “We wanted to make sure we had pretty much everything architecturally that we SOURCE: Intermountain MLS wanted.” He said building a home is an arduous process that requires patience and a lot of time on the phone. The Woods picked up the keys to their new home March 17.

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Technology jobs power a bright future for Idaho By BOBBY ATKINSON

HIGH TECH GROWTH

batkinson@idahopress.com

ince the “dot com boom” of the late '90s and into the early 2000s, jobs in the technology field, specifically computerrelated jobs, have been growing — even during the Great Recession. Just about every business these days has a website, and you'd be hard pressed to find any small business not doing 99 percent of the paperwork on a computer. Most homes have at least one computer, and that's not including the smart phone in the pockets of 58 percent of American adults, according to a Pew Research report. With so much modern technology pervading nearly every aspect of our lives, it shouldn't come as a surprise that jobs in computer science are particularly in high demand. According to the Idaho Department of Labor, there are over 800 software companies in Idaho. There was nearly an 83 percent growth in technology jobs in the state between 2008 and 2011.

 Full report, page 34 Skyler Braddock is a senior majoring in computer science at Northwest Nazarene University.

“

I've heard a number of companies say it: You want to nail them (students) down with an internship, or someone else is going to grab them up.”

DALE HAMILTON Northwest Nazarene computer science professor Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

Technology Northwest Nazarene computer science professor Dale Hamilton said there are more jobs than there are potential employees. Hamilton said a number of local companies have approached the computer science department to find interns, and those internships are a gateway to getting a job right out of college. “I've heard a number of companies say it: You want to nail them (students) down with an internship, or someone else is going to grab them up,” Hamilton said. Skyler Braddock is one of the computer science students at NNU. At just 19 years old, he's on track to graduate in May, after just two years of college. Braddock is on his second internship, working for BuildingDesigns and putting his coding skills to use for a major online company. Braddock taught himself to code when he was being homeschooled back in Washington state where he was raised. After working with NNU advisers and his teachers to take an accelerated route to graduation, he'll be out in the workforce with a degree in software development at 19 years old. “For me, I'd be happy on a lot of different projects,” Braddock said. “... I feel like there are a lot of opportunities (in the Treasure Valley).”

And there are plenty of opportunities, Hamilton said. In fact, he said there's such a demand that companies are competing for graduates. It's a stark comparison to the highly competitive job market in most fields in this recovering economy. “Universities are putting out half of the number of graduates that the industry needs,” Hamilton said. And the job placement rate for students graduating with a computer science degree of some sort from NNU is perfect: 100 percent of graduates get jobs in the field. Those wanting to further their education in graduate school are in good shape too, with a 100 percent rate of acceptance. But graduating in the field is more challenging. Braddock said while it's a fun subject for him, it isn't for everyone. “I would recommend computer science to people I think could do it,” Braddock said For those getting jobs, there's certainly a payoff after the years of challenging classes. The average entry wage in the Boise-Nampa area for someone with a degree like Braddock's is around $24 an hour, according to the Idaho Department of Labor. The median salary is $36.73 an hour, with a middle range of $27.41 to $44.57 an hour. Software developing is on the high end of wages for computer science degrees, but across the board, it can be a lucrative career. The Depart-

ment of Labor reports the average entry wage for all computer science jobs at $17.56 an hour and a median wage of $31.71 an hour — a middle range of $21.74 to $40.30 an hour. NNU computer science graduates have attained jobs at major companies like Sony, CBS, Boeing, Hewlett Packard, Adobe and other Fortune 500 companies. One graduate even works as rendering technical director at Pixar, the animation company behind hits like "Toy Story," "Finding Nemo" and "Up." But computer science students really don't have to look far for a job, as Hamilton said. The Treasure Valley has a booming technology industry. Those technology occupations aren't going to die down anytime soon in the area, according to the Department of Labor's Long-Term Occupations Projections. Nearly all of the jobs in the field are considered “Hot Jobs” and are expected to see a growth of over 17 percent. The growth is already obvious at some companies right here in Canyon County. Plexus Corp. is an international electronics manufacturer that recently announced a $3 million expansion to its microelectronics division in Nampa. According to an Idaho Press-Tribune story from Feb. 25, the company decided microelectronics was worth investing more in and a field the company can compete in.

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It's already one of the largest employers in the county with around 700 to 900 employees. While large companies like Plexus, Micron and Hewlett Packard have a presence here in the Treasure Valley, small start-ups are also thriving. Boise State's TECenter in Nampa is a resource for new companies to get off the ground. It provides tools to new companies — such as office space, training, expert panels — to help jump start business and facilitate success. Program and marketing manager Will Fowler said TECenter is an “accelerator and incubator for new businesses.” And while not all of the businesses are in the technology field or web-based, Fowler said around 50 to 60 percent are. Currently, Fowler said there are several webbased companies starting in the area. One Fowler singled out was Stemfinity. It's a company that provides thousands of academic enrichment kits through its website, stemfinity.com, to help teach preK through 12th-graders science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The company says it focuses on modern skills, Common Core and “Next Generation Science Standards.” Many of the web-based companies have really taken off. MetaGeek was one of the early alums of the TECenter. MetaGeek is a software company that makes tools to troubleshoot and optimize wireless networks, and Fowler said the company has been very successful. Other successful alums from TECenter include website design and online marketing firm Valitics, service provider search engine Locate Express and many more that can be found on the TECenter website at tecaccelerator.com/our-culture/ alumni/.

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN DIFFERENT COMPUTERRELATED FIELDS IN THE BOISE-NAMPA METRO AREA

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION IN IDAHO 4,830 establishments 49,322 jobs n $88,547 average yearly earnings n 4.72 jobs multiplier n 13.7% 10-year projected growth rate n 60% growth of high-tech companies in last decade n n

SOURCE: Idaho Department of Commerce

AVERAGE WAGES FOR TECHNOLOGY JOBS IN THE BOISE-NAMPA METRO AREA Occupation Title Computer and Mathematical Occupations Computer Systems Analysts Information Security Analysts Computer Programmers Computer Software Engineers, Applications Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software Web Developers Database Administrators Network and Computer Systems Administrators Computer Network Architects Computer Support Specialists Computer Network Support Specialists Computer Occupations, All Other Operations Research Analysts Statisticians

Occupation Title Employment Computer and Mathematical Occupations 7,889 Computer Systems Analysts 524 Information Security Analysts 95 Computer Programmers 859 Computer Software Engineers, Applications 876 Web Developers 252 Database Administrators 148 Network and Computer Systems Administrators 768 Computer Network Architects 205 Computer Support Specialists 1,256 Computer Network Support Specialists 391 Computer Occupations, All Other 239 Operations Research Analysts 259 Statisticians 43

Occupation Title Total Computer Systems Analysts Information Security Analysts Computer Programmers Software Developers, Applications Database Administrators Network and Computer Systems Administrators Information Security Analysts, Web Developers and Computer Network Architects 95 Computer Support Specialists

SOURCE: Idaho Department of Labor

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

Entry Wage $17.56 $23.85 $21.12 $20.58 $24.79 $32.48 $15.31 $19.78 $17.10 $23.06 $9.89 $14.85 $23.93 $22.42 $21.88

Midpoint (Median) $31.71 $32.02 $30.86 $30.73 $36.73 $39.22 $23.40 $32.77 $24.18 $29.25 $14.79 $20.79 $34.23 $35.89 $25.73

Average (Mean) $31.32 $34.59 $32.51 $32.99 $36.97 $38.83 $24.98 $33.35 $27.12 $33.64 $17.46 $23.64 $34.25 $34.52 $29.33

Middle Range $21.74 $40.30 $26.72 $38.52 $23.39 $41.36 $23.68 $39.26 $27.41 $44.57 $34.47 $43.63 $17.98 $32.64 $22.29 $43.95 $19.44 $33.92 $24.88 $34.18 $10.76 $22.43 $16.54 $29.64 $28.58 $40.79 $25.28 $43.85 $23.57 $34.95

SOURCE: Idaho Department of Labor

LONG TERM GROWTH PROJECTIONS FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE JOBS IN IDAHO FROM 2010 - 2020 Net change 1456 111 95% 119 180 37 185

Percent Change 17.9% 19.24% 14.10 19.24% 23.44% 33.04% 28.59%

Annual Growth 146 11 10 11 18 4 18

Annualized Growth 1.66% 1.78% 1.33% 1.78% 2.13% 2.90% 2.55%

14.10% 478

10 21.07%

1.33% 48

1.93%

Above: Zach Curry, of Meridian, is working as a quality assurance intern at MetaGeek while working toward his degree in computer science. The Boise software company seeks to hire college interns as early as their sophomore year. Promising computer science graduates are in high demand nationwide. MetaGeek was one of the early alums of the TECenter in Nampa. Top right: Plexus General Manager William E. Smith gives a tour of the Plexus Electronic Assembly plant on N. Franklin Road. One of Nampa's largest employers, Plexus is increasing its microelectronics capabilities with a $3 million expansion. Andy Edgin, microelectronics business director at Plexus, said the company decided microelectronics is a good market for Plexus and something it can compete in well. Bottom right: Bill Albert, owner of Stemfinity, sells STEM education kits like this tow truck from Simple Mechanics. Albert moved into the Nampa BSU TECenter last September after working out of his home for more than two years. Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

HEALTH CARE Lindsay Wood, a registered nurse, and Dr. Randall Black, an anesthesiologist, stand inside a room at the Saint Alphonsus Birkeland Maternity Center in Nampa.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

County sees health care expand By TORRIE COPE

tcope@idahopress.com

MEDICAL EXPANSION

ospitals and clinics have invested millions of dollars to expand care in Canyon County in recent years, adding services that previously required a trip to Ada County. Nampa gained two new emergency departments — one from Saint Alphonsus and one from St. Luke's, and Caldwell's new tallest building is the West Valley Medical Complex. Saint Alphonsus also opened Canyon County's first neonatal intensive care unit earlier this year and Terry Reilly Health Services is building a new health clinic in Nampa. “One of the most important things about health care is keeping it accessible and close to home, and the easier it is for people to access the more likely they will be to use it,” former West Valley Medical Center CEO Julie Taylor said.

 Full report, page 42

“

One of the most important things about health care is keeping it accessible and close to home, and the easier it is for people to access the more likely they will be to use it.”

JULIE TAYLOR Former West Valley Medical Center CEO

Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

May

July

August

Fall

May

March

Treasure Valley Surgery Center built at Saint Alphonsus Nampa Health Plaza. The 15,000-square-foot facility is a joint venture with Surgical Care Affiliates

West Valley Medical Center expanded and renovated Intensive Care Unit.

July St. Luke's Nampa Medical Plaza opens at the corner of Midland Boulevard and Cherry Lane.

August

November

West Valley opened dedicated Ortho-Spine Unit with 11 additional rooms.

August Primary Health Medical Group opens second Nampa clinic, 1115 12th Ave. Road.

November West Valley opened dedicated Ortho-Spine Unit with 11 additional rooms.

West Valley opens new, larger and renovated Nuclear Medicine Suite offering the GE Discovery 630

Wound and Hyperbarics Clinic opens at Saint Alphonsus Nampa Health Plaza. The clinic is Nampa’s first and only one for hyperbaric services

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August

November

December

January

November West Valley begins Partial Hospitalization Program, a department of Behavioral Health Services, in the newly remodeled facility at 229 East Logan St. West Valley expands Wilder clinic, 124 15th St.

January Saint Alphonsus opened Birkeland Maternity Center and Heart Care Center at Nampa Health Plaza

Terry Reilly Health Services will open its new, 30,000-square-foot clinic at 207 1st St. S. in Nampa

December West Valley Expands Behavioral Health Unit from 16 to 19 beds West Valley opens West Valley Medical Complex, 1906 Fairview Ave., a 91,500-square-foot facility.

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ST. LUKE'S

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Before St. Luke's Health System opened a full-service emergency department at Nampa Health Plaza in July 2012, about a third of the ER patients at its Meridian hospital were Canyon County residents. St. Luke's spokesman Ken Dey said the health system saw a need for emergency room services in Nampa and decided the demand was enough to open an emergency department at the corner of Midland Boulevard and Cherry Lane, north of Treasure Valley Marketplace. “We've been meeting all our expectations,” he said. “The growth and the visitations have kept up, so we know we're meeting that demand.” Dey said the share of Canyon County residents who visit the Meridian ER has dropped 10 percent since the Nampa ER opened. The health system added 60 employees at the new Nampa facility. It also invested $3 million to finish and equip the facility. The building, developed by Gardner Company, cost $25 million, but St. Luke's leases its portion — 40,000 square feet of the 120,000-square-foot building — Dey said. St. Luke's finalized its purchase of Saltzer Medical Group in Nampa in January 2013, but the deal became the subject of an antitrust case filed by Saint Alphonsus Health System, Treasure Valley Hospital, the Idaho Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission. Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill ruled against Saltzer and St. Luke's and ordered the two providers to dissolve their partnership. Saltzer representatives told the Press-Tribune they are working closely with St. Luke's to see if there are grounds for an appeal.

Construction crews have been a steady presence at the Saint Alphonsus Nampa Health Plaza off Garrity Boulevard since work began on a $35.5 million, 62,000-square-foot expansion in 2012. It's part of Saint Alphonsus' Nampa Vision 2020 Investment, with a goal of keeping care close to home. According to Saint Alphonsus, the expansion created approximately 500 construction jobs and 85 new full-time staff positions. The expansion includes the Fredric Birkeland Maternity Center, named after a physician who delivered more than 5,000 babies in his career in Canyon County. It has the county’s first and only neonatal intensive care unit. The center also has eight labor and delivery rooms and 12 postpartum suites. The Heart Care Center, another part of the expansion, has 10 critical care inpatient beds and a full catheterization lab. “It's also the closest catheterization lab to I-84, providing an important service even easier to access to help save lives,” Saint Alphonsus spokesman Joshua Schlaich said. Construction is underway on a new medical office building in front of the Health Plaza. Saint Alphonsus plans to lease space in the new building. The 65,000-square-foot structure is expected to be complete in August or September.

WEST VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER West Valley Medical Complex in Caldwell became the city's tallest building when it was built last year. The building stands four stories tall and is 91,500 square feet. Each floor is occupied with medical services ranging from optometry to urology. It also houses services from West Valley Medical Group, St. Luke's and Saint Alphonsus. Former West Valley CEO Julie Taylor said the hospital's goal is to be the front door for health care in Caldwell and to keep health care local. Not only does that keep health care accessible for people, she said, it also helps the community grow. “I love being a partner of Caldwell in growing the community, as well,”

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

she said. “Every time a patient leaves our community to have something done in another community they're also buying gas there, they're shopping there, they're having lunch there and we are purposely trying to support the Caldwell economy and help us grow here, as well.” West Valley has completed a number of upgrades and expansions at the hospital in the past few years. In 2012, the intensive care unit was expanded and completely renovated. The rooms doubled in size, and the hospital added workplace efficiency upgrades. The hospital opened an 11-room, dedicated Ortho-Spine Unit and upgraded its surgical suite and operating room in 2012. “We transitioned to an integrated surgical suite that expanded our operating room space by 200 square feet, which allows the OR team to perform larger more complex cases at WVMC, thus keeping patients within the community for surgical needs,” Shawn Lindsay, director of Perioperative Services, said. This year, in addition to the new Medical Complex, West Valley also revealed a larger space for its Nuclear Medicine Suite, with new technology — the county's only GE Discovery 630 imaging machine. West Valley also expanded its Wilder clinic, doubling the amount of exam rooms and expanding its square footage from about 1,500 to 3,045 square feet. This was necessary, according to West Valley, to accommodate the growing health care needs in Wilder. West Valley Medical Center added more than 60 health care providers in the past three years, and its staff has grown by about 7 percent.

E. Logan St.

$25 million building developed by Gardner Company 120,000 square feet total 40,000 square feet leased by St. Luke's 60 employees added by St. Luke's

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WEST VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER $15 million medical complex developed by Gardner Company 91,500 square feet 60 health care providers added is past three years 7 percent growth in staff

St. Luke’s Nampa

St. Luke’s Dr. TERRY REILLY HEALTH SERVICES $5 million clinic 30,000 square feet

Saint Alphonsus Nampa Health Plaza

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New clinics Terry Reilly Health Services announced it will open a new, $5 million Nampa clinic. The 30,000-square-foot clinic will be located at 207 1st St. S. and is expected to open in 2015. Executive Director Heidi Traylor said the new clinic will provide more space and modern features to serve Terry Reilly patients. The existing Nampa clinic on 16th Avenue serves more than 8,700 patients each year, she said. The new clinic is funded by a federal grant and a Community Development Block Grant from the city of Nampa for land acquisition. Terry Reilly operates seven clinics in Nampa, Caldwell, Homedale, Marsing, Middleton, Meridian and Boise. Primary Health Medical Group opened its second clinic in Nampa in August 2013. The 5,500-square-foot clinic at 1115 12th Ave. Road provides urgent care, family medicine and occupational health services. It complements Primary Health’s other Nampa location on NampaCaldwell Boulevard. “This south Nampa clinic is designed to better serve the community by providing a new, convenient location for our patients that live in south Nampa and the outlying areas of Canyon County,” Dr. David Peterman, president of Primary Health Medical Group, said in a statement. Primary Health Medical Group has 13 clinics in Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Nampa and Caldwell and sees more than 250,000 patient visits per year.

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Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

Saint Alphonsus cath lab technician Don Tullock stands inside the cath lab at the Birkeland Maternity Center in Nampa.

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CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

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CONSTRUCTION

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

CONSTRUCTION REBOUND

Jobs are making a comeback By JUSTIN DALME

jdalme@idahopress.com

eing able to creatively build something from nothing has always been appealing to Mike Mussell. His father was a carpenter, and growing up, Mussell learned to hang doors, trim and do other finishing work. The mold fit for Mussell who has owned his own construction business for the last 20 years. His business of 10 people works with about 20 subcontractors and being able to work with other construction members in the community is another appealing aspect. “When we do one project here, it affects 15 different families. And we're all local... and it's nice to be able to keep everybody working,” Mussell said. At the height of the building frenzy, business was good for Mussell Construction. “It just skyrocketed about as much as you could possibly do,” Mussell said. While some may have felt the squeeze, Mussell Construction was able to weather the storm from 2007 to 2011. The company stayed busy with projects such as the Canyon County Paramedics general office, Harvest Life Church, an addition to Idaho Arts Charter School and the AFI Packaging plant, Mussell said. “I'm not saying it was a perfect world, I'm just saying we had work. We never had a day off,” Mussell said. The biggest difference was the profit margin during those years. During the peak, profit margins were around 15 to 18 percent and during the recession, the margin dropped as low as 8 percent. The biggest squeeze they felt was in real estate holdings. During 2007-12, businesses were coming and going in rental properties held by Mussell Construction, with some vacancies. But now all the sites are full and property values are coming back up. The Masonic Temple building, which houses Mussell Construction offices and Brick 29 Bistro, has risen in value by 17 percent over the last six months, Mussell said. The competition for construction jobs has started to even out as the market starts to climb back out of the hole. Mussell said there used to

“

be 10-20 people bidding for a single job. Now the numbers have gone back to a rate of 5-8 people bidding. Paul Kovach, owner of Global Construction, says a portion of that may be because people aren't in the business anymore, including some people he used to work with, or they have gone to the North Dakota oil fields. “When you need to get stuff done, it's hard to find people,” Kovach said. He also noted that business has started to pick up, estimating he is twice as busy as he was in 2011. And the outlook for this year looks to be good for his construction business, Kovach said. From December 2013 to January 2014, Idaho added 1,900 construction jobs, the highest percentage in the nation for that time period. Over the last year, Idaho had a 5.8 percent increase in jobs, ranking it 11 nationally, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. Construction jobs for the Boise-Nampa metro area peaked in 2006, hitting lows in 2011 when about 11,000 people were in the field. Numbers have gradually increased, returning to about 15,000 people in construction, natural resources and mining employment, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Also, construction jobs remain above average at $11.12 for entry level wages; average wages are $17.44. Current job ads for construction jobs have seen a gradual increase since a low of 63 in January of 2009, with the biggest increase last year when 672 were posted in June. Compared to last year, February construction job ads are down, but only by seven job listings. While the construction market is on the rebound, so are costs. In about six months, prices have risen by about 8-12 percent, Mussell estimates. “Roofing, sheetrock, you name it... it's $4.15 or something just for diesel right now, so the delivery costs are a little bit more,” Mussell said. Not only has interest in commercial construction come back, so has residential. “The residential side seems to have a shortage of people finding what they want, so if they can't find it, they're forced into building it,” Mussell said. He says his company will build six custom homes in Nampa in the near future.

 Full report, page 50

When we do one project here, it affects 15 different families. And we're all local... and it's nice to be able to keep everybody working.” MIKE MUSSELL, owner of Mussell Construction Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

Residential The very peak of the housing boom came in 2005 for Corey Barton Homes. In that year, the company closed on 1,650 properties. Then the balloon popped and started sputtering air for the next six years. “There was just a ton of foreclosures,” Corey Barton said. Canyon County also peaked in 2005 for new construction home sales. A total of 1,899 homes were built and sold for a dollar volume of $360 million. While dollar volume went up in 2006, the number of new homes constructed began to fall. The free-fall lasted until 2011 when only 132 homes were built. In 2013, more than 400 homes were built for the first time since 2009. CBH Homes hit its bottom in 2011, closing on 300 homes. “That's not even a fraction of how tough it was during the first three years [of business],” said Barton, who emerged into the new home construction market in 1992. But the hardest part for the developer was having to lay off 50 percent of his staff, Barton said. With the market rebounding, he has been able to hire back about half the amount he laid off. Barton acknowledges the Nampa/ Caldwell area may be a little bit behind on home sales because it is not as close to the hub of downtown Boise. But that doesn't mean there aren't some advantages to building in Canyon County. “We know that those are good areas where homes can be a little bit more affordable than Boise and Meridian,” Barton said. While housing construction may be a roller coaster ride, that is also what makes it an exciting challenge for Barton. “The market is ever changing, so that is one of the things that we love about what we do,” Barton said.

CBH HOME CLOSINGS 1,650 in 2005 300 in 2011 550 in 2012 775 in 2013 SOURCE: CBH Homes

CANYON COUNTY NEWLY CONSTRUCTED HOMES Homes Sold..............Dollar Volume *rounded 2005 .............. 1,899 .............................$295 million 2006.............. 1,805 .............................$360 million 2007 .............. 953 ................................$202 million 2008.............. 661 ................................$116 million 2009.............. 368 ................................$54 million 2010 .............. 237 ................................$31 million 2011 .............. 132 ................................$19 million 2012 .............. 306 ................................$47 million 2013 .............. 450.................................$82 million 2014 .............. year to date 64...............$12 million SOURCE: Intermountain MLS ***Median property value number for single family homes.

JOB ADS BY OCCUPATION Structural Iron and Steel Workers 4 n Glaziers 4 n Pipelayers 3 n Insulation Workers, Floor, Ceiling, and Wall 3 n Helpers — Painters, Paperhangers, Plasterers and Stucco n Mason 2 n Stonemasons 2 n Tapers 2 n Others 18 Total: 38 n

*Numbers from mid January to mid February SOURCE: The Conference Board Help Wanted OnLine

Projects in Canyon County The building was designed by Meridian-based Crews broke ground on the 3,422-square-foot Not only is residential construction on the rebound, but commercial is as well. Canyon County Engineered Structures, Inc., and was funded with building in November 2012. a bond against future Caldwell East Urban Renewal The new museum is located at Celebration Park, started three new projects last year: revenue. Idaho’s first and only archeological park. It will aim to educate children about the Park’s Native AmeriCANYON COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING SOUTHWEST IDAHO JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER can habitation sites, petroglyphs and relics, as well Construction on the new Canyon County adA courtroom addition is also more than halfway as the travels of fur traders, cattle drives and wagon ministration building is about one-third completcompleted at the Southwest Idaho Juvenile Deten- trains. ed, with completion scheduled for this summer. The museum will also have an indoor classroom, Ground broke on the $6.5 million building in tion Center. helping to house field trips in winter months, for the The new addition will improve efficiency and September. The three-story, 50,000-square-foot fapopular destination the has a waiting list for trips. cility will house the assessor’s office, clerk’s office, cut down on man hours needed to transport juveThe Crossroads Museum will also have an extreasurer’s office, development services depart- niles to court, Alder said. hibit hall with rotating attractions and be the home The new addition will house two courtrooms, ment, indigent services department and the public base of Boise State University students and profestwo judge’s chambers, a waiting area, attorney visdefender’s office. sors who study the area’s archeological and natural Once completed, it will help relieve pressure on iting rooms and clerk space. history. Funding for the $1.1 million project came from the existing courthouse. Plus, people won't have The museum will include dormitories, a kitchen to go through security they now encounter at the state lottery revenue and a combination of court fa- and outdoor solar-powered showers for the stucility and county funds. courthouse. dents to complete five-day college credit classes. “Security’s not going to be an issue” with the The project, a joint effort between Boise State new building, Commissioner Kathy Alder said at CROSSROADS MUSEUM University and Canyon County, is being completed the groundbreaking ceremony. “This will be more The Canyon Crossroads Transportation Mu- by Wright Brothers Construction of Eagle using a open to the public.” seum is also expected to be completed this year. $1.1 million grant.

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

Other construction projects in Canyon LIBRARY SQUARE The new library has been in the works since 2005 as a part of the plan to revitalize downtown. Crews broke ground at the construction site in May and the library is set to be completed in early 2015. The 62,000-squarefoot building will nearly triple the size of the old existing building. Along with the library, the new Library Square will feature a parking garage, plaza and business and retail spaces. While digging the foundations at Nampa’s Library Square construction project, crews ran into unforeseen expenses which drained the project’s $300,000 contingency budget — specifically set aside for expenses the original plan couldn’t predict — and began to cut into the furniture budget. The facility will need about $1.5 million beyond Nampa Development Corporation's contribution for furniture, fixture and equipment. The foundation has raised about onethird of that with the biggest contribution coming from a $380,000 Micron Foundation donation.

NNU LIBRARY Ground broke on the Leah Peterson Learning Commons in March 2013. The $11 million facility will add on to the old John E. Riley library to make a two-story, 56,600-square-foot building. The university received a $6 million donation from alumna Leah Peterson for the construction, as well as a $4 million grant from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation. Additional funding from the Albertson Foundation will be used to develop a Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, which will be housed in the Commons. Construction was slightly behind due to winter weather, but is still expected to be done by August.

THE COLLEGE OF IDAHO ATHLETIC FACILITY

Ken Fisher, a construction representative for the City of Nampa, gives a tour of the construction progress of the new library in downtown Nampa.

The Marty Holly Athletics Center, now under construction on the C of I campus, is slated to open late this summer and will be the first new building constructed since the Village Apartments were completed in 2002. The new $4 million athletic facility was named after former basketball coach and current athletic director Marty Holly, The center will provide training and support facilities for the College’s student-athletes, including the reinstated football team. A second phase of the project will add a $1.2 million Outdoor Education Center to the facility and bolster the College’s programs for all students to enjoy the outdoors and develop an appreciation for nature. Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

TOURISM

Jim Jeffries, president of the Fort Boise Historical Society, runs the museum at Old Fort Boise in Parma.

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

SHARING OUR CULTURE

County has many unique features for outsiders to visit By JOHN FUNK

jfunk@idahopress.com

anyon County isn't a resort community like McCall or Coeur d'Alene. It doesn't have Ada County's major airport, entertainment scene or tourist attractions. But, Nampa Chamber of Commerce director Debbie Kling said, it has a unique blend of tourism options that no other community can match: an active, visitor-friendly winemaking community, a wealth of historically significant buildings, neighborhoods and sights and a slower, more relaxed pace of life that makes it a perfect getaway for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the daily grind. Nampa makes for a great home base for visitors who want to see everything the valley has to offer, Kling said: It offers top-notch restaurant and guest accommodations and easy access to a huge variety of activities. Want to go boating? The Snake River and Lake Lowell are right here. Experience country living? Visitors come from as far away as China to get a taste of the Western lifestyle at 3K Ranch's Cowboy Boot Camp program. There are mountains, deserts, lakes, rivers and woodlands — all within no more than an hour drive. Canyon County has a lot to offer — and it's different from what tourists would find anywhere else. And that's a good thing, Kling said, because tourism is very important to a local economy. Not only do visitors bring in money from outside the community, they also create employment opportunities for those who live here. “The Chamber of Commerce is about business and trying to support our local businesses, and one way to do that is through tourism,” she said. “The strength of what we have is heritage tourism, we've got the wineries, we've got the Warhawk Air Museum, we've got a quaint, beautiful downtown.” So the area has things out-of-towners would like to see. But how do we let them know we're here? That's what both Nampa and Caldwell's chambers are currently working on, Kling said, and exciting things are afoot. Soon, travelers will see ads extolling the wonders of Canyon County in the pages of Horizon Travel Magazine and on the JumboTron screen in Times Square, New York City. “We get 120 five-second spots in Times Square over seven days,” she said. “Those are on the ABC Good Morning America screen from April 1-7.”

 Full report, page 54

“

The strength of what we have is heritage tourism, we've got the wineries, we've got the Warhawk Air Museum, we've got a quaint, beautiful downtown.” DEBBIE KLING, Nampa Chamber of Commerce director Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

Above: Native American artifacts are on display at the museum inside the Old Fort Boise replica. Right: Jessica Stotts, of Notus, enjoys a glass of merlot with friends and family, at Bitner Vineyards at Sunnyslope.

History enshrined Parma's Old Fort Boise was never a real fort — it served as a trading post along the Oregon Trail in the earliest days of America's westward migration — and the building that now stands on the site is a relatively recent addition to the Canyon County town. But the spirit of history is alive and well in the fort's many rooms — each with its own specific theme — which house a diverse collection of artifacts ranging from Native American tools and artwork to machinery built and used in the 1970s. Jim Jeffries, who runs the Old Fort Boise museum along with his wife, said he's had visitors from as far away as Germany and Italy. “Every year, we put a letter out, and we state the different places people come from,” Jeffries said. “We get them from all over, really.” And the facility recently got a boost from the city of Parma — a sign just off the highway now directs those passing through to the fort. That helps, Jeffries said, because otherwise even locals might

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

never have known it was there. On exhibit in the fort are a collection of “Tarzan” and “John Carter of Mars” books, a reminder of one of the site's oldest, most fascinating cultural connections — early science fiction and fantasy author Edgar Rice Burroughs, who wrote in the mid- to late-1800s, spent time in southwestern Idaho while helping his brother with a mining operation. But the area's heritage goes back much further than the pioneer days of the 1800s. At Canyon County's Celebration Park, history lies undiscovered for visitors to find for themselves. As Idaho's first archaeological park — founded in 1989 — travelers can hunt for paleo-Indian carvings that date back as far as 12,000 years. Those ancient people used a tool called an atlatl — a projectile weapon that used leverage to hurl a spear farther than an unaided human arm — and modern visitors can try their hand at hitting a target at various ranges. More recent history is on display as well. Tourists can walk the Guffey railroad bridge — Idaho's largest historical artifact at 500 feet across and 70 feet tall — abandoned since 1947 and saved from demolition in the 1970s.

A community's heritage Renee Taylor of the Notus Community Museum suspects there are two kinds of people: History buffs, and those who don't yet know they're history buffs. Those who learn about what happened in the past — and how it shaped the present in real, tangible ways — have a hard time not being fascinated. And sites throughout the county provide plenty of opportunities to make history real — not just something you read about in the pages of a book. “I think it would be well worth, on a beautiful day, to be able to get in your car and discover what's already here that you didn't know was here,” Taylor said. “If you're a history buff, it's really wonderful.” And that's exactly the kind of thing, Kling said, that travelers — especially international travelers — want to see. Some communities make an industry out of resorts and theme parks, but there's no magic in that. When you've seen one, you've seen them all. But every community has its own unique heritage, and Canyon County is just beginning to capitalize on its history and culture.

10-YEAR TREND OF ACCOMMODATION AND FOOD SERVICE JOBS IN CANYON 2004 Q1: 2713 jobs, $886 average monthly income Q2: 2930 jobs, $928 average monthly income Q3: 2954 jobs, $975 average monthly income Q4: 2890 jobs, $966 average monthly income 2005 Q1: 2965 jobs, $920 average monthly income Q2: 3070 jobs, $974 average monthly income Q3: 3105 jobs, $1042 average monthly income Q4: 3035 jobs, $1053 average monthly income 2006 Q1: 2952 jobs, $969 average monthly income Q2: 3109 jobs, $1062 average monthly income Q3: 3150 jobs, $1053 average monthly income Q4: 3111 jobs, $1045 average monthly income 2007 Q1: 3094 jobs, $976 average monthly income Q2: 3359 jobs, $1069 average monthly income Q3: 3422 jobs, $1067 average monthly income Q4: 3337 jobs, $1071 average monthly income 2008 Q1: 3232 jobs, $996 average monthly income Q2: 3390 jobs, $1093 average monthly income Q3: 3379 jobs, $1071 average monthly income Q4: 3098 jobs, $1065 average monthly income 2009 Q1: 2979 jobs, $986 average monthly income Q2: 3066 jobs, $1055 average monthly income Q3: 3107 jobs, $1048 average monthly income Q4: 2972 jobs, $1098 average monthly income 2010 Q1: 2903 jobs, $1017 average monthly income Q2: 2980 jobs, $1118 average monthly income Q3: 2988 jobs, $1092 average monthly income Q4: 3042 jobs, $1133 average monthly income 2011 Q1: 2946 jobs, $1032 average monthly income Q2: 3153 jobs, $1124 average monthly income Q3: 3086 jobs, $1129 average monthly income Q4: 3024 jobs, $1087 average monthly income 2012 Q1: 3030 jobs, $1118 average monthly income Q2: 3184 jobs, $1127 average monthly income Q3: 3202 jobs, $1183 average monthly income Q4: 3115 jobs, $1154 average monthly income 2013 (Most recent data available) Q1: 3065 jobs, no income data available Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

Snake River Valley AVA Wine Region Idaho’s agricultural heritage goes back to the days of its earliest settlers. But in the past several years, local growers have discovered a whole new way to make money — agritourism. Visitors come to sample one of Idaho’s newest agricultural industries: wine making. While the Idaho wine making industry remains small compared to other western states, it’s growing. And it’s attracting wine connoisseurs from throughout the nation. That brings money not only to wineries and vineyards, but to hotels, restaurants and rental car companies.

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

Celebration Park The earliest remnants of history in Canyon County can be found in Celebration Park â&#x20AC;&#x201D; petroglyphs on rocks from Paleo-Indians that date back to between 5,000 and 10,000 years ago. Canyon County Parks and Recreation Director Tom Bicak said there are more drawings from Archaic cultures of 5,000 to 1,000 years ago, and finally tribal cultures from as early as 100 years ago. The park along the banks of the Snake River is also known for its atlatl throwing range, scenic fishing spots, educational walking tours, access to hiking trails and the historic Guffey Railroad Bridge.

Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

UNEMPLOYMENT

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

UNEMPLOYMENT HEADED DOWN

Canyon County’s jobless rate has gone from 10.7 percent to 6 percent since 2010

ou'd be hard pressed to find a region of the country that wasn’t hit hard by the recent Great Recession, and Canyon County is no exception. At the peak of the southwest Idaho county's troubles, the unemployment rate reached 10.7 percent in 2010, with 9,119 residents without a job. That's even higher than the 10.2 percent peak nationwide at the end of 2009. But like the rest of America, Canyon County has slowly recovered. The rate has dropped to 6 percent, according to the latest statistics from the Idaho Department of Labor. Canyon County's unemployment rate is lower than the nationwide average of 6.7 percent but higher than Idaho's overall unemployment rate of 5.4 percent. And Canyon County is still a long way removed from 2006, when the unemployment rate was 3.3 percent. For the 5,261 unemployed residents in the county, there are more resources than ever to get people in the workforce. Fifty years ago, if someone were looking for a job, the process was a little more complicated and took much more time. Computers have streamlined the process. The Canyon County Department of Labor has more than 40 computers on site for job searchers to use in their job searches. And employment services supervisor Bob Vetter said the Department of Labor uses a program that helps get people working. Someone hunting for a job can stop by the office and take 20 minutes to register and upload a resume and cover letter, and once registered, he or she can search through the system for all of the available jobs in the area. Registering also puts prospective employees in a database where employers can see their resumes and decide if they're right for the job. Vetter said the office is really more than a series of computers and a databank. It also helps teach people how to get a job and guide them into a compatible career field. “People can get stuck in a rut, and we try to help them realize what they can do to get out of it,” Vetter said. Vetter said the office holds several workshops each month to help Canyon County's unemployed find work — free resume building classes, re-employment classes, interview training and classes to teach people to use their age to their advantage. Vetter said the local Department of Labor office also coordinates with businesses to hold job fairs, and in the most recent one this year, one company hired five employees from the job fair. In addition to helping out those looking for work, the office also helps the soon-to-be unemployed members of the community. When a business is closing, the Department of Labor has a “rapid response” team that goes to the business in its final days to meet with employees and help them prepare for their job search. “The job market has picked up, so that helps with the search,” Vetter said. “Some people are more willing to move … People will do whatever they have to feed their family.”

“

People can get stuck in a rut, and we try to help them realize what they can do to get out of it." BOB VETTER, employment services supervisor at the Idaho Department of Labor

CANYON COUNTY OCCUPATIONAL EMPLOYMENT IN 2012

Manufacturing: 7,499

Agriculture: 2,800

Information: 620

Leisure and Hospitality: 3,452

Professional and Business Services: 3,631

Government: 8,531

Mining: 22

Construction: 2,811

Financial Activities: 1,541

Trade, Utilities & Transportation: 11,043

Educational and Health Services: 7,460

Other Services: 1,451

CANYON COUNTY UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE PAST DECADE

CANYON COUNTY EMPLOYMENT IN THE PAST DECADE

2003: 6 percent (4,404) 2004: 5.3 percent (3,945) 2005: 4.1 percent (3,190) 2006: 3.3 percent (2,724) 2007: 3.5 percent (2,894) 2008: 6 percent (5,078) 2009: 9.9 percent (8,324) 2010: 10.7 percent (9,119) 2011: 10.3 percent (8,853) 2012: 8 percent (7,191) 2013: 6 percent (5,750)

2003: 68,631 2004: 70,531 2005: 74,550 2006: 78,907 2007: 80,195 2008: 79,303 2009: 75,900 2010: 75,938 2011: 76,964 2012: 79,769 2013: 81,047

SOURCE: Idaho Department of Labor

CURRENT UNEMPLOYMENT RATES Canyon County: 6 percent Ada County: 4.4 percent Southwestern Region: 5.3 percent Idaho: 5.7 percent America: 6.7 percent SOURCE: Idaho Department of Labor

Photo at left: Neils Tidwell, a workforce consultant, helps Ray Herod with his resume at the Idaho Department of Labor in Caldwell. Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

WHY CANYON COUNTY

Beth Ineck, economic development director for the City of Nampa, stands in the construction zone of downtown Nampa's Library Square.

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

WHY CANYON COUNTY?

State ranked high for business friendliness By KELCIE MOSELEY

kmoseley@idahopress.com

hen economic development directors like Nampa’s Beth Ineck sit down with potential businesses, one of the first questions she has to answer is, “So, where is Idaho?” Once that's out of the way, Ineck's job is to sell the city of Nampa as a prime location for business — whether it's incentives, cost comparisons or ease of transportation routes. Area economic development directors also work closely with partners in Boise. In December, one of those companies eyeing Nampa was Apple. Though the company chose Mesa, Ariz., for its readily available 1.3 millionsquare-foot facility (along with an $11 million incentive from the city), Nampa was a top contender. So what makes it attractive to companies of Apple's caliber? One of the biggest components is costs. According to Moody's, Idaho is among 10 states with the lowest overall cost of doing business and No. 1 for lowest energy costs. Idaho also has a low cost of living, making real estate more affordable for businesses and home ownership more feasible for employees. There is also plenty of real estate available in the state, which Ineck said helps. As of the end of 2013, Canyon County had a 12.7 percent vacancy rate, according to the market watch from Thornton Oliver Keller Commercial Real Estate. Nampa and Caldwell had 17.8 percent and 7 percent vacancy rates, respectively. More than 1 million square feet of space is available in Nampa, making it higher than Ada County's vacancy. “When we get a call from a company, the first thing they have their eye on is inventory and what’s available,” Ineck said.

 Full report, page 63

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Power sources Mike Ybarguen, community relations coordinator for the western region of Idaho Power, said the 17 hydroelectric facilities throughout the state are also an advantage. “That is a huge reason why Idaho Power is able to maintain our low rates compared to the rest of the U.S., is because of that hydroelectric base,” Ybarguen said. That rate as of 2012 was 6.54 cents per kilowatthour, which is second-lowest in the country. That's compared to 13.01 cents in California and 7.56 cents in Oregon, and far lower than the 9.83 cents that is the national average. The 17 hydroelectric facilities combine with the coal, natural gas, geothermal, wind and solar sources to create a power grid that extends beyond the Idaho border into Oregon. “We work very hard at tapping into our leastcost resources, the ones that are most efficient, and financially, we look at how much it costs to run those resources or gain the power from them,” he said. “We try to go with the least-cost resource, and that benefits Idaho Power and our rate payers very much.” Where it’s sometimes difficult to compete is in existing infrastructure businesses often seek. In the case of Apple, Ybarguen said the company wanted enough power supply for 300 megawatts. For comparison, a large Walmart facility usually requires about 1 megawatt of power. “They may ask for large amounts of electricity, we might not have it at that location in that time, but we told them we would serve their load,” he said. “But it would take time to engineer and install the new transmission lines and substations to serve it.” Idaho Power is working on a new 500,000-volt transmission line between Boardman, Ore., and the Melba area called the Hemingway Line. That project is still a few years away from completion because of some natural resource and placement issues, but once it's in place, it could be a big added resource for the area. “We are constantly working with Idaho and Oregon to find the best routing and the one that will pass muster with the agencies involved,” Ybarguen said. In addition, Idaho Power is working on another 500,000-volt transmission line, the Gateway West project from Wyoming to Melba.

TRANSPORTATION When it comes to transportation, Ineck pointed out the four interchanges along I-84 throughout the state as well as the railroad access, particularly through Nampa. Interstate I-84, which runs through Boise, Meridian, Nampa and Caldwell, makes daily commuting easy, with federal highways 20, 26, and 30 and state highways 21, 44 and 55 providing access.

Ryan Adelman, the project manager for the Langley Gulch Power Plant, stands at the operational facility in New Plymouth.

the college had an 88 percent positive placement of professional-technical students, and a 33 percent increase in degrees or certificates awarded. Northwest Nazarene University: The private nonprofit Christian university has been in Nampa for more than 100 years, with programs in several areas of southern Idaho, including Boise. It is known for its engineering and education programs. It offers 60 areas of study, 19 master's degrees and also serves continuing education and concurrent credit students. The College of Idaho: Caldwell's liberal arts college is the state's oldest private college, with 26 majors and a distinctive program that allows students to choose one major and three minor areas of study. Business, political economy and physical sciences are among C of I's most popular programs. COSSA: In Weiser, the Canyon-Owyhee School Service Agency also has welding programs for students that are helping many find employment before they have even graduated. The agency also offers courses for adults who want extra training — they recently trained workers who have been laid off by Simplot so they might have an easier time reentering the workforce.

ACTIVITIES AND RECREATION

There are 50 motor freight companies traveling five interstates, 20 U.S. highways and 30 state highways that serve the Valley. More than 1,600 miles of rail line through Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe provide connection points to Canada, Mexico and the U.S. — aided by the state’s regional line and six short line railroads. The rail system transports over 11 million tons of freight, according to city officials.

EDUCATION Education is another important piece, not only for an up-and-coming workforce but for the families of business owners who locate their business in the area. While Nampa School District has struggled with this piece of the formula, its financial situation is starting to look up, and Ineck said it's a good sign that the community has shown a willingness to invest in education. College of Western Idaho: One of the newest and fastest growing community colleges in the state, CWI works with companies to create custom training programs like its truck driving school. Enrollment has grown to 10,000 students per year on average since 2009, and the college opened a new facility that provides professional-technical training opportunities. There are also programs available for drafting, electronics, machine tooling, technology, welding and metals fabrication. As of fall 2013,

Nampa is home to the Idaho Center, a venue that hosts multiple large-scale concerts, festivals and other events throughout the year. The Snake River Stampede rodeo is the center's biggest event, which draws competitors from across the country. It also hosts Professional Bull Riding, another popular event. The area also has plenty of parks to choose from, including a dog park in Nampa and Memorial Park in Caldwell. Celebration Park is a historical site that's a short road trip away. Canyon County also has plenty of family oriented organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club and the Treasure Valley YMCA. Nampa has been named among the Top 100 Communities for Youth in the past two years. Greenbelt walking and biking paths are also easily accessible, and Deer Flat Wildlife Refuge — an area popular for swimming, boating, fishing and bird watching — is only a few miles away from the city center. Of course, for ski bums, there is also Bogus Basin Ski Resort. And for hunters and other outdoor recreation enthusiasts, the foothills and nearby mountainous areas offer hiking trails and camping spots.

FOREIGN TRADE ZONE A Foreign Trade Zone was approved in Caldwell in May 2012, designating areas around Caldwell Airport and the Sky Ranch Business Center as those outside the U.S. Customs territory. That allows companies to eliminate, reduce or postpone paying import tax on foreign materials, which saves manufacturers and suppliers money and hopefully spurs local job growth. No homes or retail stores can be located within the zone. Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

Resource map BROWNLEE DAM: Idaho Power's largest project, with five generators rated at 585,400 kilowatts. The dam was completed in 1959 and is the most upstream of the three dams in the Hells Canyon Complex. The three-dam complex supplies power, provides flood control, and provides recreation opportunities to the region. Most likely named after the Brownlee family, who settled the area in 1862 and operated a ferry across the Snake during the late 1800s.

Hells Canyon Dam

Oxbow Dam

Langley Gulch

Brownlee Dam

SOURCE: Idaho Power

LAKE LOWELL: Located near Nampa, this is the site of the 11,000-acre Deer Flat Wildlife Refuge. Lake Lowell is a great birding spot, with over 200 recorded species and many birds on the lake during peak migration periods. The Snake River Islands sector contains about 800 acres on 101 islands from the Canyon-Ada County line in Idaho to Farewell Bend in Oregon.

Boise River

Caldwell Nampa Nam

pa R

ailro

er e Riv Snak

LANGLEY GULCH: This resource was added to Idaho Power's inventory in July 2012. The Langley Gulch Power Plant is a clean, quiet, highly-efficient, combined-cycle combustion turbine. It uses two turbines to generate electricity â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one with natural gas, the other steam. The exhaust heat from the combustion of natural gas is used to make steam, which drives the steam turbine. The plant's generating capacity ranges from 300 megawatts in the summer and 330 megawatts in winter. The plant is located on 137 acres in rural Payette County.

Boise River

Lake Lowell

SOURCE: VisitIdaho.org

Snake River

Owyhee Mountains

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

N McCall

MCCALL AREA: This region of Idaho offers recreational opportunities year-round, from the Winter Carnival and high-quality skiing in the winter, to whitewater rafting, jet skiing, fishing, camping and hiking trails in the summer. McCall is also famous for its dining and lodging options, including Shore Lodge on Payette Lake.

Boise Mountains

Hwy. 55

Boise Foothills Lucky Peak Reservoir

Boise R

Boise

iver

BOGUS BASIN: This recreation area is 16.5 miles north of Boise, and operates with a special use permit in the Boise National Forest under the USDA. It is best known for its skiing and snowboarding opportunities, but also for hiking and biking trails and a disc golf course in the summer. The skiable terrain includes 2,600 acres for day skiing, 165 acres for night skiing and abundant Nordic trails. It is open for an average of 140 days between Thanksgiving and early April. The area is also host to several youth camps in the summer through Boise Parks and Recreation. LUCKY PEAK STATE PARK: This area is well-known for its outdoor opportunities, including swimming, picnics, fishing, boating or biking. The park is a 10-minute car ride from downtown Boise, or a 30-minute bike ride on the Boise River Greenbelt. Spring Shores offers boat ramps, ample parking, a full-service marina, onsite watercraft rentals and a convenience store.

Lucky Peak Dam

SOURCE: Idaho Parks and Recreation

Boise Airport

Sun Valley

SUN VALLEY: A haven for celebrities nationwide, Sun Valley offers abundant opportunities for winter sports, dining, shopping and entertainment. It is also known for luxury spa services and lodging. Sun Valley Resort hosts the country's largest free outdoor symphony series and outdoor concerts in the summer. The area has been called home or frequently visited by celebrities such as Ernest Hemingway, Bruce Willis, Tom Hanks and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Snake River Swan Falls Dam

C.J. Strike Dam

Saturday, March 29, 2014 | CAVALCADE

The College of Western Idaho is a public, openaccess, and comprehensive community college committed to providing affordable access to quality teaching and learning opportunities to the residents of its service area in western Idaho. Founded in 2007, this community college is one of the fastest growing nationwide.

Lake Lowell & Deer Flat National Wildlife Refuge offer numerous recreational opportunities and wildlife viewing 5 miles southwest of Nampa.

CAVALCADE | Saturday, March 29, 2014

NATIONAL RANKINGS Idaho named No. 6 Most Inventive State by CNN Money Idaho ranked No. 3 by KPMG's Competitive Alternatives for lowest business costs n No. 5 state for lowest crime rate in the country by CQ Press n Named Friendliest State for Small Business by CNN in 2012 n Ranked No. 1 state for training and networking programs and ease of starting a business n Overall business costs nearly 1/3 lower than in California and Washington n n

Right: Bogus Basin Mountain Recreation Area offers numerous, year-round activities, including skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking and hiking. Below: Abby McHenry plays with her puppy Mordue near Indian Creek in downtown Caldwell.

TAX RATES Sales and use: 6% Corporate income: 7.4% (Compared to 8.8% in California, 6.6% in Oregon) Workers' compensation: 1.98% Federal Unemployment Insurance: 6.2% Inventory: None State Unemployment Insurance: 3.36%

MAJOR COMPANIES Amalgamated Sugar Plexus Corporation n Micron Technology, Inc. n J.R. Simplot Company

Fleetwood Homes Union Pacific Systems n Sorrento Lactalis n Materne North America

INCENTIVES Property tax exemptions for qualifying companies Up to $20 million in tax-free Industrial Revenue Bonding n Production sales tax exemption n Research income tax credit n $2,000 per new job created for companies hiring employees making $12 an hour or more with benefits n n

Average cost of a home in 2012 was 84% of national average

Revitalized downtown Nampa, with addition of new library

Access to Bogus Basin Ski Resort, Deer Flag National Wildlife Refuge, Sun Valley, Brundage Mountain and other recreation areas.

QUALITY OF LIFE

Treasure Valley is No. 2 Best Place to Raise A Family (Forbes)

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