IDAHO

Ignite Boise brings together an inspiring and unexpected blend of thinkers from business, art, technology, government and academia. All with ideas. And all willing to share them.

“It sounds like a de-emphasis of the rural programs through your department,” said Post Falls Republican Rep. Frank Henderson. “I hope that’s not true.”

A bill last year to help turn Idaho into tinsel town was more smoke and mirrors than lights, camera, action because it didn’t include any money for tax breaks.

"With the U.S. economy being as weak as it currently is, it is exciting to be working with a company that is defying the odds and thriving in this current economic climate," said Andy Barrett, president and co-owner of Berg Companies.

Developing a statewide tech transfer process is one of the projects the Idaho Department of Commerce is working on as part of Project 60.

“inappropriate to hire an out-of-state vendor”

Over $560,000 in one-year Workforce Investment Act grants will be awarded on a regional basis by the council, which oversees Idaho’s work force development activities.

ESTech Chairman Lloyd Mahaffey, who worked for Apple Computers and is now a developer for Dynamic Group, said Idaho is well positioned to compete for technology companies.

"We have some built in advantages," Mahaffey said. "Our taxes are lower, our traffic is less, our schools are much better, our housing is less expensive,and we have pad-ready sites to build. So, all things being equal, I can go head-to-head against any proposal in California and we win."

The Idaho Education Network is designed to go beyond existing online courses, such as the Idaho Digital Learning Academy, to deliver a broader range of courses to newly wired Idaho classrooms.

The class, Entrepreneurial Economics, is an alternative to the required senior course in economics, and it teaches students to apply economic concepts to their own business ideas.