Current News Coverage
IDL detects spongy moth in Sandpoint for second consecutive year
Bonner County Daily Bee, 11-25-25
SANDPOINT — The Idaho Department of Lands said it found three male spongy moths in Sandpoint, marking the second year in a row the invasive species has been found in the city.
The IDL undertook expanded trapping efforts in the area after a lone spongy moth was captured for the first time in 30 years at the intersection of Oak Street and Division Avenue. Department officials said the captures reflect the first time that a potential spongy moth population has been detected in the region since 1991.
After follow-up work on the ground, the IDL said it did not find any evidence of spongy moth eggs or damage visible. Erika Eidson, head of the IDL’s spongy moth trapping efforts, said the IDL’s entomologists currently estimate the population to be very small, if any.
Read the Bonner County Daily Bee spongy moth article
Idaho Capital Sun, 11-26-25
Those of us who love Priest Lake cannot help but notice the increased intensity of logging activity on the east side.
Driving along the east side road, we encounter clear cuts down to the road. Streams such as Cougar Creek and Bear Creek have had extensive logging and road building throughout their watersheds. To explain the changes, I think it is useful to explore how the endowment lands came to be as well as their intended and current use.
With westward expansion after the American Revolution, Congress sought to regulate the acquisition of land in the old Northwest Territories (consisting of lands west of the Appalachians, north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi). Townships were established as 6×6 miles with 36 one by one mile (640 acres) sections.
Read the Idaho Capital Sun Opinion
State Commission votes to auction Driggs 160 land parcel
Teton Valley News, 11-24-25
On Nov. 18, the State Board of Land Commissioners voted to proceed with the disposition of the Driggs 160 parcel of land through public auction. The parcel, located near Tetonia, is owned by the Idaho Department of Lands (IDL), and is currently leased to rancher Nick Beard and his family, generating approximately $900 annual income for IDL. The property is an endowment property and goes towards the charitable institutions fund, and the revenue generated from endowment properties goes towards Idaho State University, State Juvenile Corrections Center, School for the Deaf and Blind, Idaho Veterans Home, and the State Hospital North.
This summer, representatives for IDL appeared before the Teton County (ID) Board of Commissioners and stated that the property was identified as not performing economically within the department’s model. The parcel is under a 20-year lease, with seven years remaining before the property would go out for bid again. The state board determined that selling the parcel with its development rights would be a better use of the land.
Read the Teton Valley News article
Idaho Business Review, 11-24-25
A 50-year-old building that once served as a National Guard location is going up for auction next month, and interested parties have a chance to review it beforehand.
At a Glance:
- Former National Guard Readiness Center up for auction Dec. 13
- 10,662-square-foot building on 4.04 acres in Payette
- Two open houses scheduled Dec. 6 and Dec. 12
- Property offers offices, classrooms, storage and redevelopment potential
The Payette Readiness Center, at 1921 Center Avenue in Payette, will be auctioned off on Dec. 13 at the site. Bidding will start at $810,000.
Idaho Department of Lands is selling the property as surplus and it will be sold “as is.” The building is 10,662 square feet and it sits on 4.04 acres.
Read Idaho Business Review article
Legislature talks housing, budget before session's start
Bonner County Daily Bee, 11-23-25
by SEN. JIM WOODWARD / Contributing Writer
It has been a busy summer and fall. The Housing Study Committee that I co-chaired with Rep. Jordan Redman met five times in different locations throughout the state. The meetings are available for viewing on the legislative website. We are working on a report for the Legislature that will provide a list of best practices and ideas for local government to help provide more affordable housing in the state. I anticipate we will also see a few ideas proposed as legislation during the upcoming legislative session.
Speaking of the legislative session, I was back on the road to Boise recently for a week of meetings in our Natural Resources Interim Committee and the Joint Finance and Appropriations Committee. Idaho is full of beautiful locations. Let me know if you recognize this one:
Our Natural Resources Interim Committee agenda included presentations from the Idaho Department of Water Resources, the Department of Lands, Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Fish and Game.
Read the Bonner County Bee article
Invasive spongy moths detected again in Sandpoint
KHQ, 11-22-25
SANDPOINT, Idaho – The Idaho Department of Lands (IDL) confirmed the invasive spongy moth's presence in Sandpoint for the second year in a row. This marks the first potential population detection in the area since 1991.
Spongy moth caterpillars, which feed on a variety of trees, are not established in Idaho. However, new introductions can occur through accidental transport on firewood, RVs, or outdoor gear.
In 2024, a male European spongy moth was found in a monitoring trap near Oak Street and Division Avenue. In 2025, follow-up trapping led to the capture of three more moths near Monroe and Poplar and the confluence of Syringa Creek and Chuck Slough. DNA analysis confirmed these as male European spongy moths.
Read the KHQ article
Invasive European spongy moths detected in Sandpoint for second year in a row
KXLY, 11-22-25
SANDPOINT, Idaho -- The Idaho Department of Lands says the invasive spongy moth has been detected in Sandpoint for the second year in a row.
Last year, one male European spongy moth was detected in Sandpoint near Oak Street and Division Avenue. So far this year, three more moths have been captured in two delimitation traps.
Spongy moth caterpillars feed on a broad range of trees. The European spongy moth causes millions of dollars of damage in the eastern United States during outbreaks.
IDL says when the three European spongy moths were captured, the relevant authorities were notified immediately. The response planning was delayed, however, due to the federal government shutdown.
Read the KXLY article
Invasive Spongy Moth Detected Again in Northern Idaho
Dailyfly, 11-21-25
SANDPOINT, ID — The Idaho Department of Lands has confirmed that invasive spongy moths have been detected in Sandpoint for the second year in a row, marking the first indication of a possible reproducing population there since 1991.
Three male European spongy moths were trapped in 2025 during intensive follow-up monitoring near Oak Street, Division Avenue, Monroe and Poplar, and the Syringa Creek–Chuck Slough area. The moths were confirmed through USDA APHIS DNA analysis. One moth was captured in the same area in 2024.
IDL says the repeated detections are unusual. More than 20 initial catches have occurred statewide since the 1990s, but none resulted in additional moths being found in delimitation traps. Ground surveys this fall did not uncover egg masses or feeding damage, but IDL estimates that if a population exists, it is very small.
Read the Dailyfly article
State to auction former Payette armory; County tried to buy in 2024 to ease crowding at courthouse
Argus Observer, 11-21-25
PAYETTE COUNTY — A building that Payette County officials tried to purchase in late 2024 in order to ease crowded office space at the courthouse is going up for auction on Dec. 13.
The Payette armory, formally known as the Payette Readiness Center, will be auctioned off by the Idaho Department of Lands.
About a year ago, the county had put in an offer to purchase the armory, which is at 1921 Center Ave., for $425,000. The building was appraised at about $810,000, but the zoning of the facility and lack of access to a major traffic corridor were reasons the county had offered half the price. Officials had hoped that it could be a possible substation for the Payette County Ambulance as well as help with more office space.
...
Idaho Dept. of Lands on Nov. 21 announced the auction of the surplus property. According to a news release, the building was built in 1975 and is a 10,662 square foot “municipal-style building on approximately 4.04 acres in the heart of Payette.” It comprises offices, classrooms, restrooms, a large assembly hall/gymnasium and plenty of parking, according to the release. It states that there is a large yard with some covered storage and a separate grass area currently being used as a dog park.
Read the Argus Observer article
Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners to reconsider Driggs 160 sale
Jackson Hole News & Guide, 11-18-25
The Idaho State Board of Land Commissioners on Tuesday will reconsider their decision to dispose of a 160-acre parcel of state trust land in Tetonia.
The meeting comes after almost four months of community discussion of the sale and a grueling back-and-forth among Teton County, Idaho, commissioners on whether or not to take a position on the sale.
The commissioners ultimately voted to oppose the sale, though meeting materials for Tuesday’s meeting reveal that Commissioner Ron James never signed the letter and instead submitted his own letter with the position that the sale was “appropriately decided at the state level.”
Read Jackson Hole article
|
