NEW THIS MORNING: Wednesday, September 18

1. Idaho economist: Strong labor market propping up economy

The Federal Reserve is expected to begin announcing rate cuts today for the first time in five years.

“This is a really big deal because interest rates have been abnormally high by our recent standards,” said Sam Wolkenhauer, the Idaho Department of Labor's North Idaho economist.

“We’re essentially in the late process of trying to bring about the soft landing where we can bring inflation down without triggering a recession, so it’s kind of like this nice, controlled deceleration of the economy," he said.

Whether rates are cut by a quarter of a percentage point or a half of a percentage point will determine much in terms of how happy the market is, he said.

2. Coeur d'Alene grand jury indicts federal inmate for sexual exploitation of a child

A federal grand jury in Coeur d’Alene returned an indictment Tuesday charging a federal inmate housed in Arkansas with sexually exploiting an Idaho child, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho.

Hamza L. Nijmeh, 39, is charged with sexual exploitation of a child. 

Prosecutors allege that Nijmeh used multiple cellphones to sexually exploit a child in Idaho between August 2023 and October 2023, while Nijmeh was in federal prison in Forrest City, Ark. 

3. PF teen gets prison time for role in shooting

An 18-year-old Post Falls man was sentenced to prison Monday for his role in a shooting that left another man injured.

District Judge Barry McHugh sentenced Ashlan Taylor Hjelmstrom to a 10-year prison sentence with parole eligibility after three years for aggravated battery and a 10-year prison sentence with parole eligibility after three years for unlawful discharge of an occupied vehicle, according to a press release from the Kootenai County Prosecutor's Office. 

4. Coeur d'Alene student suspended after threatening to 'shoot up the school'

For the second time this month, a Lakes Middle School student has been suspended for allegedly threatening to “shoot up the school,” according to the Coeur d’Alene Police Department.

In an email to families obtained by The Press, Lakes administrators said multiple students heard a “concerning comment” from a seventh-grader Monday and reported the information to the school resource officer near the end of the school day. 

“This initiated an immediate investigation by the Lakes administrative team and the Coeur d’Alene Police Department,” administrators said in the letter. “Police and school administrators made contact with the student and the family. After speaking with the student, the Coeur d’Alene Police Department and Lakes administrators each took appropriate action to ensure the safety of our students and staff at Lakes.” 

5. Man pleads guilty to secretly recording nude videos

A man is in jail after pleading guilty to secretly recording nude videos of children and adults.

Michael S. Wall, 51, of Coeur d’Alene, pleaded guilty Monday to four counts of sexual exploitation of a child by possession of sexually exploitative material and four counts of video voyeurism by use of a device, all felonies. 

Wall pleaded guilty in accordance with Alford to the first count of sexual exploitation of a child, specifically regarding possession of “approximately 390 photos and/or videos” depicting child sexual abuse. By entering an Alford plea, Wall did not admit guilt but acknowledged there was enough evidence to convict him at trial.