Holiday shopping forecast looks merry

Consumers gifting more services, experiences than goods this year

A fresh green Vanhoff's Garden Center wreath with a buffalo plaid bow will adorn Chrisdee Imthurn’s front door this holiday season, thanks to Girl Scout Troop 4923, which had friendly, festive Scouts on hand during Black Friday at the Silver Lake Mall. “It's so easy to buy online, but you want to support the local community,” said Imthurn, of Hauser.

Marty and Max: How To Ensure You Are Insured

Home values and building costs are rising. How can I ensure my home is protected so if my home burned to the ground I can afford to rebuild?

Nonresident deer and elk tags go on sale Dec. 1

Hunters should expect high demand for tags and long waits

Home sellers are cutting list prices as spring buying season starts with higher mortgage rates

The pickup in the share of home listings with price cuts is a sign the housing market is shifting back toward a more balanced dynamic between buyers and sellers

Attendance the root of box office woes

Writer and actor strikes justifiably take a hefty portion of oxygen in the Hollywood-centric news cycle, but entertainment writers across the country also love talking about box office bombs.

Kootenai County median home price rises

Study: Idaho most expensive state to own a home

Home prices inch up

Marty and Max: Discussing housing shortages and potential solutions

Estimates for housing supply shortage range from 4-6 million homes. Other data suggests that only 23% of listings were affordable to households earning a median income of $75k or lower.

Report: Housing crisis remains

Connect Kootenai director says ADUs could be part of the answer

Gissel said that in 2016, 75 percent of people who lived in Kootenai County could afford to buy a home here. Today, it’s less than 20%

The average long-term US mortgage rate reaches highest point in nearly 23 years, hitting 7.31%

The combination of elevated rates and low home inventory has worsened the affordability crunch by keeping home prices near all-time highs

Marty and Max: Rawhide real estate marketing

When preparing your home do it the rawhide way. Remember the old country song from many Western movies including City Slickers? It goes something like… “Rollin, Rollin Rollin, Keep those dogies rollin', Head 'em up, Move ‘em out.”

The Exhausted Dad: Saying yes to the dress and no to everything else

Shopping with my oldest daughter is a danger to my bank account.

Remembering overdose victims

The North Idaho Alliance of Care gave out NARCAN, key chains and information during an International Overdose Awareness Day memorial, where 381 pairs of shoes represented each of the 381 overdose deaths in Idaho in 2022.

'That's our house'

Family chosen for Rathdrum home through First Story

Instead of being greeted by more home applications or a housing interview, the Reesers were instead met with a celebration when they found out they had been selected as the homeowners for a house being built in Rathdrum.

POVERTY: Here are roots of problem

Referring to Sholeh Patrick’s article “Poverty Closer Than it Used to Be” — Sholeh suggests doubling the minimum wage. I don’t agree. It’ll drive all goods and services much higher, destroying huge numbers of businesses.

OPINION: Risch breaks with Trump on Ukraine

Don’t get Idaho Sen. Jim Risch started on Ukraine. On second thought, do. That is, if you want to see energy, passion and a dose of common sense. Risch, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, turned a breakout session of the recent Aspen Security Forum into quite a show, and received some generous applause from global leaders in the audience.

Lower auto prices are finally giving Americans a break after years of inflationary increases

The price spikes that followed the 2020 pandemic were caused mainly by a worldwide shortage of computer chips

14 GOP-led states have turned down federal money to feed low-income kids in the summer. Here's why

The remaining holdouts include Idaho

14 GOP-led states have turned down federal money to feed low-income kids in the summer. Here's why

The remaining holdouts include Idaho

Reputation celebration

Many years ago, there was a famous general known for his cunning strategy. At the end of one conflict, he stopped with a small battalion of soldiers to rest. One of his enemies heard of his refuge and marched his entire army toward the general's encampment.

Applications for spring black bear controlled hunts open Monday

There are several ways to apply for a controlled black bear hunt this spring