"Seven Habits" author Stephen Covey dies at EIRMC

Stephen R. Covey

Stephen R. Covey, author of "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" as well as three other books that have all sold more than a million copies, died early Monday at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls.

According to a statement issued by the family, Covey, 80, died from complications that followed a bicycle accident he had in April. Though he had been wearing a helmet, he was hospitalized after being knocked unconscious on a steep road in the foothills of Provo, Utah, about 45 miles south of Salt Lake City. At the time, his publicist, Debra Lund, said doctors had not found any signs of long-term damage to his head. Catherine Sagers, Covey's daughter, told The Salt Lake Tribune in April that her father had suffered some bleeding on his brain after the bicycle accident.

Covey had a connection to this area through a cabin the family owns at Hebgen Lake in Montana, about 20 miles from West Yellowstone. In his book "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Families," Covey wrote that his grandfather first went there to recuperate from a heart attack. "That area was the best medicine for him. ... The word 'Hebgen' has become something of an intergenerational family mission statement. It means family love, unity, service, and joy to each of us in the family."

In addition to his books, Covey was co-founder of the Utah-based professional services company Franklin Covey.

Here is the text of the family's statement:

Our beloved husband and father, Stephen R. Covey, passed away peacefully in the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center at 2:15 this morning, due to the residual effects of a bike accident he suffered this past April. He was in his 80th year. In his final hours, he was surrounded by his loving wife and each one of his children and their spouses,  as we sang him his favorite hymns, just as he always wanted. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for all of the love and prayers that have been showered upon Stephen and our family from all around the globe over the past several months.

All our love,

The Stephen R. Covey Family

Moffatt Thomas law firm to have ribbon cutting at new location Thursday

Moffatt Thomas has moved into new offices at 900 Pier View Drive.

The Idaho Falls office of Moffatt, Thomas, Barrett, Rock & Fields has moved into new offices at Snake River Landing, at 900 Pier View Drive, Suite 206.

The law firm is occupying 5,600 square feet on the second floor of a building built by G.L. Voigt Development, which is also home to First American Title, Stifel Nicolaus and the University of Phoenix.

This Thursday there will be a ribbon cutting there at 4:45 p.m., followed by a Chamber Business After Hours from 5 to 7 p.m. The public is welcome to attend both events.

Moffatt Thomas was founded over 50 years ago and has offices in Boise, Pocatello and Idaho Falls.  The Idaho Falls office of Moffatt Thomas represents many of the area's leading enterprises, including employment, agriculture, health care, banking, water, finance, business, tax, construction, environment and government affairs.

Statewide, Moffatt Thomas employs more than 85 people, 40 of whom are attorneys. Eleven of those employees are in the Idaho Falls Office. Attorneys include Brad Williams, Kimberly Evans Ross, Jon Stenquist, Ed Cather, Ben Ritchie, and Lee Radford.

Bill's Bike Shop breaks ground on new building Friday at Snake River Landing

An architect's drawing of the new Bill's Bike Shop building at Snake River Landing.

Bill's Bike Shop will be breaking ground Friday on its new 10,000-square-foot building at Snake River Landing, which owner Gary Wight hopes to see finished as early as late December.

Bill's was established in 1947 on Idaho Falls' south side by Bill and Alice Murdoch, and has put at least four generations on two wheels. They've been on Holmes Avenue since the mid-1980s, but Wight, who bought the business in 2010, announced earlier this year they would be moving to Snake River Landing. He said he plans to keep the Holmes Avenue store open in some capacity, but the new building will be a full-service bicycle shop from the ground up, with rooms for meetings and classes and a service department that will help them keep up with the massive amount of repair work they do (roughly 600 bikes a month.)

When it came to finding a bike-friendly location, Snake River Landing, with its miles of paved trails and incorporation of the Idaho Falls Greenbelt, presented itself as an ideal place for test rides and rentals. A 400-acre, master planned community on the west bank of the Snake River between Pancheri Drive and Sunnyside Road, it is laid out to incorporate retail, office, restaurant space, along with homes, all in a development that includes parks, trails and water features.

"I wanted to be where it was bicycle friendly," Wight said.

Before buying Bill's Bike Shop in December 2010, Gary Wight had 30 years of experience in the car business in eastern Idaho. "Aside from two extra wheels and two extra zeros, there isn't much difference between selling bikes and selling cars," he said. (Photo by Melissa Bristol)

KidMojo Idaho: Battle of the Bands applications being taken

KidMojo Idaho: Battle of the Bands applications being taken: Here's the scene from a few years ago, with a combo from Ririe called C.O.V. (according to their MySpace page, now abandoned). Did these y...

City to alter John Adams Parkway, considering speed limit increase

The city of Idaho Falls plans to begin work soon on converting John Adams Parkway from four to three lanes, and is considering raising the speed limit from 25 to 30 miles per hour. The roadway will be restriped with a center two-way left turn lane, one lane eastbound, one lane westbound, bicycle lanes and on-street parking (where roadway width permits).

In order to accommodate the change, on-street parking will be removed between Holbrook Drive and Delbert Drive with minor exceptions.

Two separate roadway projects are scheduled. Starting July 15, the first involves a pavement seal coat that will be placed between Holmes Avenue and John Adams Court. The second, in August, will involve a pavement overlay of John Adams Parkway between Woodruff Avenue and Croft Drive.

If you have questions, contact the city engineering office at 612-8250 or click http://www.idahofallsidaho.gov/city/city-departments/public-works/engineering/john-adams-restriping.html or http://www.idahofallsidaho.gov. For PDF images and maps of this and other project, go to http://www.idahofallsidaho.gov/city/city-departments/public-works/