I.F. Power to upgrade equipment in Eastview subdivision

Idaho Falls Power plans to start maintenance work Monday on its underground distribution system in the Eastview subdivision.

The five-week project will involve burying new electrical conduit within existing easements and is expected to greatly reduce power outages in the area. No interruptions in service are anticipated while the work is being completed, but if an interruption becomes necessary it will be short and affected residents will be notified in advance.

Crews expect to finish one block per week, and will need access to customers' property. Individual customers will be notified in advance of crews working in their yard.

Customers with questions can call 612-8430 for more information.

Best Buy releases store closure list; Idaho Falls store to remain open (for now)

Looks like the Best Buy store in Idaho Falls is safe from the axe, at least for now. The big box electronics retailer has released a list of the stores it plans to close, and none of them are in Idaho.

Seven of the stores are in California, six in Illinois and six in the company's home state of Minnesota. The chain said it is also cutting 400 corporate jobs, trimming $800 million in costs and looking for a new CEO.

Best Buy plans to open 100 smaller, more profitable Best Buy Mobile stores, like the one that just opened in the Grand Teton Mall.

The company is trying to avoid the fate of Circuit City, which went out of business in 2009. It faces slower sales of expensive items like TVs, plus increased competition from Amazon.com and discount stores like Target.

Best Buy has about 1,400 locations in the United States. It has already closed two stores this year, one in Missouri and one in Arizona. Most of the rest of the 50 will close May 12.

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/04/14/2075188/best-buy-announces-locations-for.html#storylink=cpy

For a complete list and the company's statement, follow this link: http://pr.bby.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=244152&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1683036&highlight=

If you're interested in Best Buy's long-term prospects, here's an interesting blog post from last week: http://contrarianedge.com/2012/04/10/not-buying-best-buy/

Moffatt Thomas relocating to Snake River Landing

The Idaho Falls office of Moffatt Thomas will be relocating to Snake River Landing in June, occupying more than 5,600 square feet on the second floor of 900 Pier View Drive. Other tenants include First American Title Co., Wells Fargo Advisors, Stifel Nicolas, G.L. Voigt Development and the University of Phoenix.
An Idaho law firm with offices in Boise, Pocatello and Idaho Falls, Moffatt Thomas been providing legal services to Idaho businesses and individuals for more than 50 years. Its partners and associates have achieved the highest leadership positions in national, state, and local legal and civic organizations.

The firm offers a wide variety of legal services and expertise, including agricultural law, health care, banking, finance, business law, tax law, environmental and government affairs. Statewide, Moffatt Thomas employs over 100 Idahoans, 40 of whom are attorneys. Eleven of those employees are located in the Idaho Falls office.

Snake River Landing is a master-planned community encompassing more than 400 acres of property on the west bank of the Snake River between Pancheri Drive and Sunnyside Road. The developer, Ball Ventures, has envisioned a project that will include retail, office, restaurant and residential space along with several parks, trails and water features.

For more information, visit the Web site, www.SnakeRiverLanding.com.

Snow Eagle Brewing ribbon cutting today at noon

Snow Eagle Brewmaster Andy Shaw

There will be a ribbon cutting today at noon at Snow Eagle Brewing and Grill, 455 River Parkway. The restaurant, which for years operated as the Brownstone, is operated by Jerry Mitchell, who also runs the nearby Whitewater Grill and Wasabi Sushi Bar

Menu items range from a simple salad to filet mignon. They carry domestic beers as well as their own brews: Black Canyon Scorpion American Pale Ale, Beaver Dick Brown Pelt American Style Brown Ale, Mangy Wolf Blonde Ale and of course Snow Eagle Pale Ale (not that we'd encourage anyone to drink at lunchtime on a Friday.)


For more information, call 557-0455 or visit the Web page http://www.snoweaglebrewing.com/

I.F. commercial building up dramatically in first quarter

Visiting the city of Idaho Falls Building Department office for another story Wednesday, I was struck by the building permit numbers for the first quarter of this year.
Last year, the total valuation for commercial construction through March 31 was a measly $6,500. This year, it was $855,000, a jump so big that that I don't even want to try to guess the percentage.

With the new elementary school projects due to start in June -- $53 million in bonds -- and the Idaho National Laboratory's new $30 million research center in the starting blocks, it's safe to say that we're looking at some big numbers for the year. Likewise, in unincorporated Bonneville County, Meleleuca is planning a multi-million headquarters near Interstate 15 Exit 113.

Other standouts for this year included an warehouse expansion for Northwest Cosmetics Laboratory on Boge Drive, more than doubling its space.

We are also trying to run down information on what might be happening on the southeast corner of West Broadway and Skyline Drive. Never want to get ahead of ourselves, but there are rumblings of commercial activity (though not Costco).