Coronavirus: 2 chains limit meat purchases, evictions resume, Idaho cases top 1,900
Limits on buying toilet paper, paper towels and hand sanitizer have spread to meat purchases at some Treasure Valley stores.
Fred Meyer and Costco have restricted the amount of fresh chicken, pork and beef that customers can buy at one time.
Last week, Fred Meyer began limiting customers to two packages each of chicken, pork and ground beef.
“We want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to help ensure that our customers and everyone in the community has access to these products,” Fred Meyer spokesman Jeffery Temple said by phone.
Meat supplies for the Portland-based company, owned by Kroger, the nation’s largest grocery chain, have been good, Temple said. Fred Meyer has not been affected by tightening supply in other parts of the country.
On Monday, when Costco started requiring customers to wear face masks, the Issaquah, Washington, company imposed its own meat limits. Costco customers may buy only three packages total of beef, pork and poultry.
An Albertsons spokeswoman could not be immediately reached Monday afternoon. Although the Boise company, the nation’s second-largest food chain, instituted limits in San Diego, it does not appear limits have been placed on Boise-area stores. Placing meat items in an online shopping cart at a Boise store did not trigger a limit.
The limits came as the coronavirus forced the closure of more than a dozen meat processing plants across the country.
Evictions to begin again
The Idaho Supreme Court has lifted its order that limited many court services, making it possible once again for eviction proceedings to take place.
Previously, only “drug-related” evictions were taking place. An April 22 order from the court says many court proceedings are to be held remotely using video conferencing.
It was not immediately clear how many Treasure Valley households were set to be evicted as the moratorium lifted. Jesse Tree, an organization that provides rental assistance to help keep people in their homes, reported calls for assistance more than tripled in April as people were out of work and unable to pay their rent.
For Canyon County residents who need to make a visit to the DMV, you’re in luck.
The county reopened its DMV location in Caldwell on Monday, and the office will still practice social distancing guidelines and limit the number of people allowed inside at a time, according to a news release from the county.
People waiting to go in will also be asked to keep their distance between each other. If you go to the DMV, you are encouraged to wear face coverings.
The hours of operations for the driver’s license and motor vehicle offices will be from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Canyon County DMV office is located at 6107 Graye Lane in Caldwell.
Written testing ends at 3 p.m., so to take the test, you must have your number called before then.
In light of the coronavirus outbreak, the Idaho Transportation Department extended all registrations that expired between March 1 and May 30, as they are now valid until June 30. ITD has also expanded online services for those looking to renew their driver’s license or ID, and the renewal can be done online by visiting ITD’s website.
Idaho residents no longer need a Real ID Star Card before October, as that deadline was moved back a year, to October 2021.
As of Monday, Ada County’s DMV offices are closed and have not been reopened.
Gas prices fall again in Boise
Gasoline prices in Boise fell for the eighth straight week, GasBuddy reported Monday.
Citing its daily survey of 216 stations, GasBuddy said Boise prices averaged $1.73 a gallon on Monday, down 5 cents in one week and down 89 cents from $2.62 on March 9, when the coronavirus pandemic began to crimp demand.
The national average has begun creeping up as coronavirus lockdown restrictions ease and driving increases. The national average rose 1.5 cents to $1.75, Gas Buddy said.
The cheapest station in Boise was $1.55 per gallon on Monday, and the most expensive was $2.19, GasBuddy said. Neighboring Oregon’s statewide average is $2.30.
Idaho passes 1,900 cases
On Saturday, Idaho surpassed 1,900 cases of the coronavirus, which causes COVID-19 respiratory disease.
Health officials reported 23 new cases Saturday, with Ada County being the location for 13 of those positive cases. Counties with newly reported cases Friday include Twin Falls, Elmore and Jerome, among others.
In addition to the newly added cases, Ada County’s 17th coronavirus-related death was reported Friday, according to Central District Health. The deceased was a man in his 80s, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
As of Friday, coronavirus cases have been confirmed in 33 of Idaho’s 44 counties: Ada 664, Adams 3, Bannock 7, Bingham 4, Blaine 487, Bonner 4, Bonneville 17, Camas 1, Canyon 243, Caribou 1, Cassia 13, Custer 2, Elmore 29, Fremont 2, Gem 11, Gooding 10, Idaho 3, Jefferson 4, Jerome 45, Kootenai 62, Latah 5, Lemhi 1, Lincoln 26, Madison 7, Minidoka 8, Nez Perce 51, Owyhee 8, Payette 14, Power 2, Teton 8, Twin Falls 164, Valley 2 and Washington 1.
Community spread has been identified in 17 counties: Ada, Bannock, Bingham, Blaine, Bonneville, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Lemhi, Owyhee, Madison, Payette, Teton and Twin Falls.
Chobani grant allows food bank to buy refrigerated truck
The Idaho Foodbank will be able to pick up refrigerated donations in the Magic Valley after Chobani, which makes yogurt in Twin Falls, provided a grant to pay for a refrigerated truck.
The grant will also allow the food bank to hire a part-time driver to deliver donations to people throughout south-central Idaho.
“This refrigerated truck will allow us to deliver essential dairy and perishable protein products to partners, churches, shelters and schools throughout the region,” Karen Vauk, Idaho Foodbank CEO, said in a news release.
The food bank is headquartered in Boise and has warehouses in Boise, Pocatello and Lewiston. It provides food to 400 agencies across the state that distribute it to those in need. Last year, The Idaho Foodbank distributed 20.3 million pounds of food, according to its annual report.
With increased demand because of the coronavirus pandemic, the food bank says its partner network is reporting up to a 50% increase in demand. Before the pandemic, food insecurity affected 210,00 Idahoans.
Boise to hold virtual meetings
Boise city officials are preparing to resume public commission and board hearings.
Many meetings were on hold after the city shut down many public-facing operations to protect employees and residents from the spread of COVID-19. The Boise City Council has met via teleconference, and now several commissions will begin to do that, too.
Commissions including Planning and Zoning, Historic Preservation, and Design Review will all begin to meet virtually in May and take public testimony via Zoom. The hearings will be moderated by an emcee, Boise Mayor Lauren McLean said in a news release.
The city is considering “hybrid hearings” in the future where some commissioners, city staff members and members of the public are physically present. McLean has also said it is likely that remote testimony could continue after the city fully reopens.
Business Editor David Staats contributed.
This story was originally published May 4, 2020 at 9:39 AM.
