Idaho Tourism hosting online ‘coffee talks’
DEVIN WEEKS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 years, 4 months AGO
Matt Borud, marketing and innovation administrator for the Idaho Department of Commerce, discusses COVID-19 impacts on Idaho commerce and tourism during the Idaho Tourism Virtual Coffee Talk on Thursday. The sessions are planned for 9:30 a.m. each Thursday through at least April 30.
Screengrab via GoToWebinar
Participants take their first pedals at the start of the second Twilight Criterium bike race in downtown Coeur d'Alene in 2015. For those dreaming about Idaho events and traveling once the COVID-19 shut-downs end, or who simply want updates on the local travel industry, Idaho Tourism is hosting weekly "Virtual Coffee Talk" webinars on Thursday mornings. (JAKE PARRISH/Press File)
Devin Weeks is a third-generation North Idaho resident. She holds an associate degree in journalism from North Idaho College and a bachelor's in communication arts from Lewis-Clark State College Coeur d'Alene. Devin embarked on her journalism career at the Coeur d'Alene Press in 2013. She worked weekends for several years, covering a wide variety of events and issues throughout Kootenai County. Devin now mainly covers K-12 education and the city of Post Falls. She enjoys delivering daily chuckles through the Ghastly Groaner and loves highlighting local people in the Fast Five segment that runs in CoeurVoice. Devin lives in Post Falls with her husband and their three eccentric and very needy cats. | April 10, 2020 1:13 AM
Catch up on Idaho business, travel each Thursday morning
For those daydreaming about traveling, or for those concerned about how Idaho commerce and travel are being impacted by COVID-19, Idaho Tourism Virtual Coffee Talks are happening every Thursday at 9:30 a.m.
The informal 45-minute sessions feature different speakers on a number of tourism and business topics. This week's webinar was hosted by Matt Borud, marketing and innovation administrator for the Idaho Department of Commerce,
"Everybody has been feeling the pain, to a degree," Borud said Thursday. "We felt like it would be a good thing to do to get everybody together once a week."
This week's guests were Idaho Lodging and Restaurant Association executive director Pam Eaton and Idaho Department of Commerce economic development specialist Jerry Miller, who discussed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and provisions that affect tourism businesses. About 90 people tuned in.
"(Thursday) morning, the Federal Reserve took action to produce another $2.3 trillion in loans," Eaton said. This action "will actually get money to the lenders so they can get money out to folks faster."
Tourism is Idaho's third-largest industry and is responsible for generating more than $1 billion in annual wages. As of 2017, nearly 46,000 Idaho jobs were in tourism. That's one in every 18 adults.
"There’s a lot of struggle right now," Borud said. "It’s a very different situation for all businesses across all industries, but travel and tourism are going to get hit harder."
He said he recently attended a Tripadvisor webinar and learned that roughly 62 percent of people have plans to go to a restaurant as soon as closures end, and the first thing nearly half of those polled can't wait to do is travel.
"Public health and public safety come first," Borud said. "Travel is going to be very different. But we're looking at some trends that benefit Idaho.
"The sooner we get over this, everybody, whether Idaho or Utah or Oregon or Montana or Wyoming, we're ready to get back out there and have folks travel safely and travel to our great destinations like Coeur d'Alene."
Attend a webinar: bit.ly/2RqADcg
ARTICLES BY DEVIN WEEKS
Roving Chef, Eat Smart Idaho introduce kids to new foods
Roving Chef, Eat Smart Idaho introduce kids to new foods
Lunch was all about trying new corn-based foods Wednesday at Northwest Expedition Academy — baby corn, corn muffins, popcorn, corn chips and corn salsa. "I like it, it's kind of spicy," incoming Hayden Meadows Elementary fourth grader Isabella Bak said after trying a nibble of the corn salsa on a blue corn tortilla chip. Wyatt Foulk, who will be in second grade at Dalton Elementary this fall, was a big fan of the muffins. "But the mini corn, I don't really like it," he said. While it was a super corny afternoon, it was also enlightening and entertaining for School PLUS students as well as families that stepped in for a free summer meal.
The sacrifice of Purple Hearts
In Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 889 Commander Bob Martin's opinion, the Purple Heart is an honor that absolutely should be awarded to those who have earned it. "The Purple Heart is given to people who paid the ultimate price," he said Thursday. "Those who got it and didn’t make that ultimate price, they were in lockstep. They almost paid the ultimate price. The guy who got it, he gave the government a check and told them to cash it with his life."
Support flows for local youth, causes on Lemonade Day
Support flows for local youth, causes on Lemonade Day
Several local youths squeezed the most out of summer during 2025 Lemonade Day Kootenai County. Stands bubbled up across North Idaho on July 26, when wee ones to teens demonstrated their business acumen and served refreshing beverages, treats and more to delighted guests who included everyone from local firefighters and the county sheriff to motorcycle enthusiasts. "I really personally enjoyed Lemonade Day because I knew it was supporting all the young entrepreneurs in our community," incoming Coeur d'Alene High School junior Haggen Walker said Thursday.