IDAHO

A similar research and development expansion at Micron in 2011-12 added about 200 jobs. Micron employs more than 6,000 people in Idaho.

Micron Technology Inc. is on an innovation roll.

"Creating this endowed chair is a great way for us to help educate the next generation of power systems professionals."

Increasing the minimum wage would mean less worker turnover, less training, more loyalty and more productivity from workers, according to backers of the initiative.

Three months ago, Price, a 31-year-old Idaho native, announced that he was setting a new minimum salary of $70,000 at his Seattle credit card processing firm, Gravity Payments, and slashing his own million-dollar pay package to do it.

Beer brewing supports 278 jobs in Idaho, totaling about $10 million in wages, the report said.

Fair or not, some Boiseans still believe their elected leaders care more about Downtown and its next-door neighborhoods than the city’s outlying areas.

"You know, it’s all good things," Kurek says, referring to the Telic shoe, a rubbery shoe in flip-flop, clog-style or slip-on designs. "They’re a great price … they’re a recycled product, they’re made in the U.S., and they’re comfortable."

"It is our hope that this school will help create real value in the Treasure Valley as we will begin to fill the many job openings for capable developers."

Two U.S. analysts say the acquisition is a long shot based on a lowball offer, possible security concerns and a pile of regulations the company would have to navigate.