Coronavirus: Nearly 6,000 Idahoans filed for unemployment last week, Labor Department says
Last week, 5,800 new unemployment claims were filed in the state, according to the Idaho Department of Labor.
After six weeks of steady declines in new unemployment claims, last week was the first week where new claims basically held steady. The number of people requesting a benefit payment is now 60,121 — a decrease of just 8% from last week.
Ada County residents filed the most unemployment claims last week, with 810. Nearly a quarter of last week’s new claims came from people between the ages of 25-34, according to the latest statistics from the labor department.
Claims in Idaho spiked at the end of March, with nearly 33,000 residents filing for unemployment in a week. The economic downturn due to the coronavirus outbreak has been a main focus for Gov. Brad Little in recent months.
Earlier this week, Idaho began to release the names of businesses that have received money from the state as part of Little’s decision to dedicate $300 million in federal CARES Act funds to small businesses.
Only 15 new coronavirus cases Wednesday in Idaho
There was a noticeable dip in new virus cases Wednesday, with Idaho health officials reporting just 15 new ones. Ada County had the largest number, adding five to its state-leading total. Minidoka added four, Nez Perce and Twin Falls added two cases each, and Cassia and Washington added one case each.
The state’s total case count for the coronavirus, which causes the COVID-19 respiratory disease, sat at 2,281 as of Wednesday. No deaths were reported Wednesday, and Idaho’s death count remains at 77.
As of Wednesday, coronavirus cases have been reported in 33 of Idaho’s 44 counties: Ada 738, Adams 3, Bannock 12, Bingham 6, Blaine 498, Bonner 4, Bonneville 18, Camas 1, Canyon 260, Caribou 1, Cassia 19, Custer 2, Elmore 30, Fremont 2, Gem 12, Gooding 24, Idaho 3, Jefferson 5, Jerome 91, Kootenai 66, Latah 5, Lemhi 1, Lincoln 27, Madison 12, Minidoka 19, Nez Perce 72, Owyhee 8, Payette 18, Power 3, Teton 10, Twin Falls 278, Valley 2 and Washington 31.
Community spread has been detected in 18 Idaho counties: Ada, Bannock, Bingham, Blaine, Bonneville, Canyon, Elmore, Gem, Jefferson, Jerome, Kootenai, Lemhi, Owyhee, Madison, Minidoka, Payette, Teton and Twin Falls.
Boise Ice Cream Festival canceled
Organizers of the Boise Ice Cream Festival, a two-week celebration that debuted last summer with seminars and tastings, have canceled their 2020 event.
“We know how difficult this year has been on everyone, both personally and professionally, with the current pandemic,” organizer Scott Wink wrote in an email. “We have decided that in light of the constant state of business disruption that we will be canceling the Boise Ice Cream Festival for 2020 and focus on a bigger and better festival in 2021.”
The 2021 festival will be held June 4-19 at JUMP (Jack’s Urban Meeting Place) in downtown Boise.
This story was originally published May 21, 2020 at 1:07 PM.
