Bonneville County home sales numbers remarkably consistent

I did one of my semi-regular examinations of Bonneville County home sales statistics today, looking at the first five months for the last five years, and the one thing that jumped out at me is how remarkably consistent the numbers have been for the most part.

The Snake River Regional Multiple Listing Service puts these numbers out every month using four criteria: Units (homes) sold, average days on market, median price and new listings. Considering where our economy has been since 2008, what surprises me is how these numbers stayed pretty steady except for the two numbers I've change to red: the number of new listings in the first five months of 2010 (really up) and the median price in 2012 (down somewhat).

I'm not sure what it means, but here's something to think about. Early 2010 was when the stimulus bill was probably having its greatest effect on local economies. Although a lot of people have dismissed it as ineffective, in Bonneville County it was anything but. Why? Because there was a lot of shovel-ready work on the desert with the Idaho Cleanup Project, and the sudden infusion of federal dollars was all it took to get things rolling.

If you'd care to offer any observations of your own, feel free.

Teton Volkswagen holds ribbon cutting

Ein ... zwei ... drei ... and the ribbon is cut at Teton Volkswagen on Sunnyside Road. The new dealership has 15,000 square feet, including a service department with at laser-guided alignment rack. It has been more than a year since Teton VW went into business, first on Outlet Boulevard, then on Anderson Street. In that time, they have sold 360 new Volkswagens and more than 600 used cars. At the new permanent, high-visibility location they are hoping to do even better.

Teton Volkswagen plans to open in early June

Teton Volkswagen will be opening on Sunnyside Road, next door to Teton Toyota, the first week of June. This was announced Saturday night at the Idaho Falls Symphony's "From Russia With Love" concert. Being active in the community, dealership owner Mario Hernandez is a strong supporter of the Symphony. The dealership moved at the end of February from its location on Outlet Boulevard to Anderson Avenue, not far from where the Toyota Dealership was before it moved in 2008.

"Looking Back" preview; check out tomorrow's paper

Corey Feldman and Corey Haim in the '80s.

Some of you may be aware that I've begun writing the "Looking Back" column that runs in the Post Register every Thursday. It's a feature I did between 1996 and 2008, and one that gave me a lot of pleasure.

Because the Post Register is protective of its copy, I am not going to reprint the column on my blog. Once I file the story it's theirs, and I don't want to mess up the arrangement I have with them or engender any ill will.

Here's a preview of what's coming tomorrow. If you subscribe, cool. If not, maybe you should, or get an online subscription. Pick up a newsstand copy, at least. I still own stock in the company, but even if I didn't I am a big believer in newspapers and their importance to our democracy.

Here's the rundown:
1914: Downtown, especially Park Avenue, was looking forward to another busy building season.
1939: Did you know there used to be party tickets in city elections? Not Republican or Democratic, but "Peoples" and "Citizens."
1964: Despite everything you read and hear today, bullying in schools is nothing new.
1989: Corey Feldman and Corey Haim perform benefit at Bonneville High School.

I remember the Coreys' visit, and seem to recall the managers of the newly built Shilo Inn were not impressed with their behavior.

New Japanese restaurant planned for Woodruff Avenue

The sign for Ninja's Lunch Box, on Woodruff Avenue near Gandolfo's Deli.

A new Japanese restaurant, Ninja's Lunch Box, is going in at 1635 S. Woodruff Avenue. Annie McMurtrey of ROI Brokers, said the business owner, Micky Lin, still needs a building permit before remodeling work begins, but that the plan is for the restaurant to open sometime in July.

Lin was a chef at Evergreen China Buffet. Ninja's Lunchbox will offer sushi as well as teppanyaki, a style of Japanese cuisine that uses an iron griddle to cook food.