Saving Center to be torn down, parking lot closed

Saving Center in downtown Idaho Falls is going to be town down and about 40 paid parking spaces will no longer be available after the end of the month.

Saving Center, on Memorial Drive between Broadway and A Street, is going to be demolished this winter.

The Idaho Falls Downtown Development Corp. sent an e-mail this morning to downtown businesses informing them that the parking lot at the old grocery store will be closed at the end of October.

About 40 people pay $15 a month to use the lot, said Bob Everhart, Downtown Development's executive director.

The building is owned by Vern Kelsch, who operated the independent grocery store for years. Everhart said work is scheduled to begin inside the building next week. He said the property ought to be more appealing without the building on it. "People can look at an open lot and get a better idea of what they might want to do with it," he said.

Meanwhile, the challenge is to find new parking places for the people who've been using the Saving Center lot.

There is free, all-day parking at the following locations:

• E Street and North Capital Avenue
• D Street and North Park Avenue
• Constitution Way between Yellowstone and Shoup Avenue
• Between Shoup and Park south of Chesbro Music
• North Eastern Avenue between Birch Street and Broadway

"We appreciate the opportunity we have had to provide parking for you at such a reasonable price for several years, knowing this day would come sooner or later," said Mala Lyon, Downtown Development's parking administrator.

Tacoma Screw erecting walls to Idaho Falls store

It's been a busy week at the North Yellowstone site where Tacoma Screw Products is building its new 10,000-square-foot store. Sixteen of these concrete panels, the heaviest weighing 36.5 tons, are due to be erected before the roof goes on. John Wolfe, the company's former CEO and current executive adviser, said the store will be much like the ones the 66-year-old company built in Boise and Twin Falls. The company typically employs three or four people to work in a store and three or four people to handle outside sales.

Home sales, prices up in Bonneville County

Looking at the Snake River Multiple Listing Service's numbers through the end of September, one would surmise that the comeback in the Bonneville County real estate market is not only carrying on, it is picking up steam.

Sales in the first three quarters of 2013 were up 16.5 percent over 2012. Homes were on the market an average of 16 fewer days.

More strikingly, the median price jumped up by 19.1 percent while the number of new listings jumped by 13.5 percent.

Guitar auction at Museum of Idaho set for Oct. 24

Riverbend Communications and Chesbro Music are hosting the 105.5 The Hawk Star Guitar Charity Auction Oct. 24 at the Museum of Idaho, 200 N. Eastern Avenue.

Those who attend will have the opportunity to bid on acoustic guitars hand-signed by country music stars including Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, Alan Jackson, Trace Adkins, Chris Young and Luke Bryan. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a pink guitar signed by George Strait, Blake Shelton, Toby Keith, Thompson Square, The Band Perry, Martina McBride and Justin Moore will also be auctioned.

Proceeds from the auction will benefit several local charities: Family Crisis Center; East Idaho Public Health District; Help, Inc., United Way of Idaho Falls and Bonneville County; U.S. Marine/Toys for Tots; District 91 Education Foundation; District 93 Autism Program; and the Idaho Falls Arts Council.

The event begins at 6 p.m. and is open to the public, but RSVPs are required. Contact andrea@eiradio for an invitation. Or follow this link: http://www.1055thehawk.com/star-guitar-charity-auction/.


Here's a link 105.5 The Hawk's Facebook page, where you can read more: https://www.facebook.com/1055thehawk.

Last of all, here's video of Taylor Swift and Luke Bryan, neither playing guitar but singing Luke's mega-smash hit "I Don't Want This Night to End." By the way, this goes out to my former guitar student Courtney Marsh, a huge fan of both Taylor and Luke:

New executive director named for EITC Foundation

Natalie Hebard

Eastern Idaho Technical College Foundation has selected Natalie Hebard as its new executive director. Hebard has been working as a labor relations administrator for the Idaho National Laboratory.

With a passion for community service, Hebard is active in several non-profit organizations, including the Good Samaritan Society, Young Professionals Network of the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce and the Idaho Falls Civitan Club.

“Natalie’s enthusiasm for higher education and helping others in the community is contagious,” said foundation chairwoman  Bobbe Crapo. “We are excited to see her utilize her relationship-building skills for the good of our organization.”

For more information about the Eastern Idaho Technical College Foundation please visit www.eitcfoundation.org.

Advertising Federation to host Lunch and Learn Thursday

Travis Powell

Travis Powell, sales manager of AlphaGraphics in Idaho Falls and Rexburg, will be the speaker Thursday at the Idaho Falls Advertising Federation's monthly "Lunch and Learn."

In an industry hit hard by the recession, online competition and increasing reliance on digital communications, AlphaGraphics has enjoyed consistent yearly double-digit growth since opening in April 2010, increasing its workforce 300 percent in that time.

There is research to show that consumers will spend up to 15 percent more to do business with someone they trust. With simple small steps, a business can make itself the vendor of choice for its clients. Powell will talk about techniques that can be used to add value to the customer experience, eliminating the all-too-easy crutch of being the lowest price in town.

Powell serves on the Board of Directors of Help Inc. and the Idaho Falls Advertising Federation, and was a recent winner of a Distinguished Under 40 Award from the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce.

The luncheon will be Dixie's Diner, 2150 Channing Way. Sign-in is at 11:30 a.m.

For more information, contact Lisa Fischbach at lisa@mightymcs.com.

Montana company buys Exit 116 Sleep Inn

The Sleep Inn at Idaho Falls Exit 116 has been bought by Town Pump, a company in Butte, Mont., that has been in business since 1953.

This is one of Town Pump's first ventures outside Montana, where it owns hotels, franchise restaurants and casinos.

The company was founded by Tom Kenneally Sr. According to the company's Web site, www.townpump.com, Kenneally was known for handing customers his wristwatch to time his oil change. If it took him more than three minutes, the oil change was free.

In the '60s, the company brought self-service to Montana, viewing it as an opportunity to sell more gas at a lower price to make up for lower margins. It was a controversial decision, the history on the Web site says: "Many were convinced that there would be explosions due to untrained individuals handling this combustible product."

Business diversification came in the '90s, including truck stops, car washes, laundromats, motels, quick serves, delis and gaming establishments.

The company started a charitable foundation in 1999, with a goal of supporting or helping education and 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. Some of the organizations the foundation has assisted include the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, CASA of Montana, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Montana Food Banks, the American Red Cross, Montana Special Olympics and Newspapers in Education programs.