Dec. 26—More than 120 gift cards good at many Moscow businesses have sold less than three weeks after they debuted.
"Known as the Fest City for its lively celebrations and charming hometown vibe, the Moscow Gift Card is designed to showcase the city's unique offering and keep more dollars local," according to a news release from the Moscow Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center, the organization that introduced the cards.
As of last week, the cards could be redeemed at a total of 26 businesses with more being added, according to the chamber's website.
Among them were some of the community's most iconic, locally owned stores and restaurants. The Breakfast Club, Moscow Food Co-op, Moscow & Pullman Building Supply, Nectar, Hyperspud Sports, One World Cafe, Stax, Book People of Moscow, Maialina, Hunga Dunga, Patty's Mexican Kitchen, Humble Burger, Tie Die Everything and Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre are some of the places where the cards can be used.
"Through the gift card, we can build the sense of community in Moscow and help our businesses grow," said Samantha Martinet, executive director of the chamber and visitor center.
The cards can be purchased on the chamber's website, Moscowchamber.com, under a green button on the upper-right-hand side of the page that says "Moscow Gift Card."
They can also be bought in person at the chamber office at 411 Main St. The office is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
UI Extension offers help keeping those resolutions
Support for a pair of common New Year resolutions will be available starting in January through challenges being coordinated by the University of Idaho Extension, Latah County.
One is "Broke January" and the other is called "Declutter Your Life."
Those who join "Broke January" limit spending to necessities such as housing, utilities, transportation, food, insurance and child care for a month.
"The great thing about this 'reset' is that you will find in February that it really wasn't as hard as you thought," according to a news release about the programs. "You have a ton of cash left over because you weren't spending it on all the 'little' things and you will feel a lot less 'broke.' "
Participants will meet every Friday at noon in January to discuss their experiences on Zoom.
The decluttering challenge lasts all year or longer with participants receiving weekly prompts about a part of their home or life to streamline.
"We all have too much 'stuff' that we aren't sure what to do with," according to the news release. "If you are feeling the weight of having too many things and not enough space, this is a great challenge for you."
This year more than 260 individuals joined the declutter challenge and some of them plan to continue.
Amanda DeBaun has been promoted to manager of Zions Bank's Moscow branch at 105 S. Main St.
In her new role, she is responsible for business development, customer service and community outreach as well as management of the branch and its staff.
Certified by the American Bankers Association in management and small business, she previously was the branch's service manager and has almost 20 years of experience in sales, business development and human resources.
DeBraun volunteers with the Moscow Chamber of Commerce, Moscow School District and Christmas for Kids of Latah County.
Zions Bank has 25 branches in Idaho, including one in Lewiston, and 96 in Utah and Wyoming.
Sahlberg hired as communications manager at Clearwater Paper
LEWISTON — A former Lewis-Clark State College employee known for his involvement in the Lewis Clark Valley Chamber of Commerce has taken a job at Clearwater Paper.
Bert Sahlberg is a site communications manager at the pulp, tissue and paperboard mill in Lewiston. The plant is one of the biggest employers in Lewiston.
"In addition to supporting internal mill communications, he will also function as a mill communication liaison to the local community," according to a Clearwater Paper post on LinkedIn.
Sahlberg is chairperson of the Idaho government affairs committee at the Lewis Clark Valley Chamber of Commerce.
He most recently was a public information specialist at LCSC where he worked for 20 years. His previous jobs have included director of marketing at St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Lewiston, editorial writer at the Lewiston Tribune and sports editor at the Lewiston Tribune from 1989 to 2002.
TSA Precheck enrollment will be available at Lewiston airport in January
LEWISTON — A Transportation Security Administration Precheck enrollment event will be held from Jan. 22-26 at the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport, 406 Burrell Ave., in Lewiston.
U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents can go through a process that streamlines security checks by signing up for appointments from 9 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m. on those days.
The cost to enroll in the IDEMIA program is $78 for five years. Applicants need to bring proof of identity such as a valid U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate and a driver's license. Fingerprints and digital photos will be collected at the event for background checks.
Those who pay the fees and clear the background checks will be allowed to use dedicated screening lanes at U.S. airports where they will not be required to remove shoes, laptops, certain liquids, belts or light jackets.
Additional information is available at bit.ly/4ayIV94.
