Colorado chain, Natural Grocers, could be looking at store in Idaho Falls

Last year, while this blog was in its carefree youth, we sparked a bit of speculation by reporting on a conversation with Assistant City Planner Brad Cramer, who told us he'd been getting cryptic inquiries from a company interested in building a specialty grocery store about 15,000 square feet in size.

Trader Joe's? Whole Foods? If not them, then who?

This is the difference between writing a column (or blog) and writing a news story. I cannot report with absolute certainty that Natural Grocers, a Colorado-based chain, will be building a store on the 3.87 acres south of 17th Street where Andrew Well Drilling used to be.

What leads me to surmise that it is Natural Grocers that is interested in Idaho Falls is the fact that the city has been in communication with Leadership Circle, LLC, a company in Montrose, Colo., that  consults on planning and zoning for Natural Grocers. Here is a link to minutes from  Missoula Board of Adjustments meeting in January: ftp://www.co.missoula.mt.us/opgftp/Minutes/CiBOA/2012/120125CiBOAMinutes.pdf.

If they seek to build in Idaho Falls, they will have to submit a site plan, get the land rezoned and receive a special use permit. The deadline for the January Planning and Zoning Commission meeting is the first week in December. So this is something to stay on top of.

Natural Grocers has stores in 12 states. Earlier this year it opened stores in Boise and Missoula. Here is a link to its Web site: http://www.naturalgrocers.com/. And here is a link to the story that ran in the Idaho Statesman when it became official they were opening in Boise: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/01/26/1968611/natural-foods-grocery-to-open.html

As a footnote, I find it interesting that Whole Foods opened in Boise this week.

Mountain River Ranch plans season kickoff

Snow or no snow, the horses are ready at Mountain River Ranch

Mountain River Ranch near Ririe will have its fifth annual Lights On celebration Nov. 23.

In exchange for three cans of food, the owners will be sleigh or wagon rides and cider and cookies. Partners in the event are Farmer Brothers Co., Love at First Bite and Heise Hot Springs. Donations will go to the Idaho Food Bank.

For more information, call 538-7337 or visit www.mountainriver.com.

Downtown bakery owner eyes Jan. 15 opening

Napoleons will be among the European-style baked goods served at La Vanilla Bean Patisserie on Park Avenue

Work is due to start the Monday after Thanksgiving on a new European-style bakery at the corner of Park Avenue and B Street.

Kay Lynn Broadhead, owner of La Vanilla Bean Patisserie, said she is shooting for a Jan. 15, 2013 opening. The business, in the old A Street Games location, will focus on European style pastries (tarts, torts, Napoleons, eclairs, scones), and will also provide specialty cakes and lunch.

Broadhead was a communications professor at Idaho State University for 20 years before she took early retirement in 2010 to attend the New England Culinary Institute in Montpelier, Vt. When she returned to Idaho she had her eye on Boise, and even had a storefront lined up. But the deal fell through, and when she started looking at other places she was approached by the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Development Corp.

"I've got a very good feeling about what's happening with the downtown here," she said. Broadhead will be assisted in the business by Jessica Carson.

Sandy-damaged cars in Idaho? Be on the lookout

Idaho used-car buyers should be aware that vehicles damaged by Hurricane Sandy "will likely end up on local car lots to be sold by unaware care dealers to unsuspecting buyers," said the Northwest Insurance Council, funded in part by Idaho insurers, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

People who buy a used vehicle and later discover it was water damaged will likely find their insurance policy does not cover the cost of repairs, the groups said.

"Unscrupulous people buy the vehicles, clean them up to hide the flood damage, then ship them to states unaffected by flooding to be sold as normal used cars," said Frank Scafidi, public affairs director for the bureau.

The groups recommend that Idaho car buyers:

• Choose a car dealer vetted by the Better Business Bureau or local Chamber of Commerce.
• Check the car's VIN number and search the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System for online access to vehicle history information.
• Look and/or smell for mildew, mold or an intense smell of deodorizer, debris and silt in unusual places such as under the carpet in the trunk or around the engine compartment.
• Look for rust on screws and other metal parts.
• Look for water stains, faded upholstery, discolored seat belts and door panels.
• Look for dampness in the floor and carpet and moisture inside the instrument panel

Here's an interesting link if you want to read more: http://www.cartalk.com/content/how-not-buy-storm-damaged-used-car

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/11/08/2338810/insurers-warn-idaho-car-buyers.html#storylink=cpy

Nuclear Society sponsors high school essay contest

The Idaho Section of the American Nuclear Society is inviting high school students to research and write about next generation nuclear design research, offering two $1,500 scholarships to the winners.

One scholarship will be awarded for the best essay at the 9th-10th grade level and another scholarship for the winner at the 11th-12th grade level. The student writing the winning essay in each category will receive a check, which will be given Feb. 28, 2013, at a dinner and scholarship presentation at the Shilo Inn Convention Center in Idaho Falls. Only first place in each category will be announced.

Any area high school student is eligible to enter an essay, which should focus on one next generation of nuclear reactor designs and should discuss the design in detail. The essay must be between 1,500 and 2,500 words and must include at least three references, one of which must be from a journal.

All entries must be submitted or postmarked by Dec. 10, and submitted to Danielle Perez (Danielle.Perez@inl.gov) or mailed to Idaho Section of the American Nuclear Society, P.O. Box 51635, Idaho Falls, ID 83405-1635.

Here is a link to the entry form and more information: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=13ade0c683dfced6&mt=application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document&url=https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui%3D2%26ik%3Dfe0b2e3f21%26view%3Datt%26th%3D13ade0c683dfced6%26attid%3D0.1%26disp%3Dsafe%26zw&sig=AHIEtbQaP0-mEfU19McRV2o2IAPn4yNinw