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Wife and myself left Wisconsin 10 years ago and currently live in Tampa Bay with stops in Muskogee and Baton Rouge in between.
Both in our early 40's and looking to live in a place with a good "quality of life" (low crime, lack of traffic, decent economy). I have an engineering/sales background and wife has computer programming background. However; we are looking at changing careers--education, public service, volunteer, etc.
Do not have any kids and have invested well----do not need high paying jobs. Looking for a place to "set some roots". Willing to endure winter again and nightlife is not important anymore.
Notice that Idaho Falls has the lowest unemployment rate in the country (1.8%). Are there opportunities available (part time if necessary) that involve "helping the community"? Wife and I both interested in sports and I have been officiating both basketball and football.
We have always been apartment dwellers so housing prices are not an immediate concern. May look @ condo's in the future.
Idaho Falls sounds too good to be true. What are the qualities of Idaho Falls that are undesirable. Noticed that a new minor league ball park just opened. That is a very strong selling point.
In closing, we are looking for a slower paced lifestyle but still willing/able to work. Please provide opinions.
Wife and myself left Wisconsin 10 years ago and currently live in Tampa Bay with stops in Muskogee and Baton Rouge in between.
Both in our early 40's and looking to live in a place with a good "quality of life" (low crime, lack of traffic, decent economy). I have an engineering/sales background and wife has computer programming background. However; we are looking at changing careers--education, public service, volunteer, etc.
Do not have any kids and have invested well----do not need high paying jobs. Looking for a place to "set some roots". Willing to endure winter again and nightlife is not important anymore.
Notice that Idaho Falls has the lowest unemployment rate in the country (1.8%). Are there opportunities available (part time if necessary) that involve "helping the community"? Wife and I both interested in sports and I have been officiating both basketball and football.
We have always been apartment dwellers so housing prices are not an immediate concern. May look @ condo's in the future.
Idaho Falls sounds too good to be true. What are the qualities of Idaho Falls that are undesirable. Noticed that a new minor league ball park just opened. That is a very strong selling point.
In closing, we are looking for a slower paced lifestyle but still willing/able to work. Please provide opinions.
Hi Badgers81,
The minor league ballpark, home of the Chukars Idaho Falls Chukars: Home has been a very pleasant addition this year.
If you have a background in engineering, then you may not like Idaho Falls as INL employs so many engineers. I'm not sure what that would be like having worked in a field where so many presently do.
Would either you or your wife be going back to college to get additional degrees? Teachers and people oriented in community service are greatly needed in the area. The schools are growing - I guess the first shock will come in less than a week when District #93 goes back to school and we'll see how many extra hundreds of kids they have this year. They are adding a new elementary school/year, on the average, so growth in school and sports will not stop. District #91 is starting to grow again, but may see a bump this year with new private schools, charter schools etc.
Sports for both boys and girls is strongly encouraged in Idaho Falls. I don't know how to refer you to the right office about being involved as a ref, as I'm not sure who handles that. Football is probably all filled as I think the high schools play their first games tonight or next week. Sorry.
There can be traffic jams in Idaho Falls at the wrong hours of the day. Rapid growth has left some of the infrastructure (roads) needing many more lanes.
Would you be wanting to work more part-time in a service-oriented job, or full-time? Are there specific age groups with whom either of you don't enjoy working? You might want to look specifically at two places to see what is or may become available.
The local newspaper is called the Post Register. You can actually register to see all of it for free, for two weeks. But, even without registering, if you go to their website, Postregister.com - Friday, August 17, 2007 - Idaho Falls, Idaho and look on the left hand side links of the home page, you will see two categories that will probably interest you. One is the classifieds. Read what opportunities for community service are available in the classifieds, as well as what jobs.
Also, on the left hand side of the Post Register Home Page, is a link called "Datebook," I believe. Or something close to it. It's basically a community calendar showing what types of activities are available and need volunteers/helpers.
The other good online source to learn more about service opportunities and those in need are at Idaho Falls Magazine: Idaho Falls Magazine - The Magazine for Eastern Idaho's Way of Living. You can contact them and ask for a complimentary copy, if you wish. However, in your case, the website may be more useful.
Click on the forums and see the different categories about life. Service is listed as are agencies and other interests.
There are many opportunities to serve others in Idaho Falls. I'm sure someone will mention that Idaho Falls is about 50% LDS (Mormon). That may or may not be an issue for you.
If you haven't looked yet, please check out some of our more recent (last 2-3 months) Idaho Falls threads. However, from your knowledge of the Chukars it sounds like you've been reading some of them.
Perhaps if you can tell us a little bit more about your interests, besides football and baseball officiating (and there are baseball games for many months at Melaleuca Field with the high schoolers playing various tournaments, let alone the city league and the corporate-sponsored teams etc.), we might be able to better direct you to information.
Glad you've declared you are willing to bundle up for cold weather again. Those who like to discourage anyone from locating in Idaho Falls will not be able to rely upon the cold temperature excuse for you.
I'm not sure what aprtments are costing these days. It probably depends on what you want and where you want it. They can be expensive in some areas.
Please feel free to leave more questions here or on other Idaho Falls-focused threads. I know that besides me, others will be happy to answer them the best that we can. Yours is not the typical request, so I will have to think about it a bit longer.
Looking forward to hearing more about what you hope to do and what kind of a schedule you would like to have.
Here is One Example of Life in Idaho Falls and How You May Help
Dear Badgers81,
If you are serious about potentially wanting to get involved in education, you should find this story interesting. And this is School District #91, that covers children living within the city boundaries for Idaho Falls.
From Television Station, KIDK, and reporter, Danielle Leigh, we were updated about Idaho Falls School District undercalculating their students this year.
School District, #93, which has students from Ammon, Unincoorporated Bonneville County, Iona, Lincoln etc. may be ok this year, since they added 2 new elementary schools last year and 2 more will be finished next year for the anticipated growth. But, let's see what the District Reports about their enrollment for this year too.
The Idaho Falls area absolutely needs more educators and those who want to work with youth, given the growing number of young residents. I hope this information is helpful.
I can't say there's anything undesireable about I.F. The biggest culture shock for me was the rural-ness of the town. We relocated from north of Denver in a community not as large as the Idaho Falls/Ammon area but because we were still near a major city, there was just a more urban/suburban feel to our community. I.F. is 3 hours away from the nearest big city, Salt Lake City, so it predominately feels like a small town.
The way I'd describe it is we felt as if we'd stepped back in time when in some parts of town, almost into the 50's. Can't say I was alive in the 50's but it was a neat nostalgic kind of feeling. It's a very nice town overall and we were impressed with how well neighborhoods are kept up, especially given the lack of HOAs. There are the seedier parts of town, we passed through them once or twice in our wandering, but overall, the majority of the town is just well kept. And clean. What a clean town.
Oh, and there's no Starbucks (well there's one hiding in a hardware store somewhere - I have yet to find it) or coffee shops. Granted, I'm used to a coffee shop being in every shopping center, grocery store, every corner and there are just so very few in I.F.
A New Starbucks and Other Java Fast Tracks, and REAL Coffee Shops in Town
Quote:
Originally Posted by cwallace
I can't say there's anything undesireable about I.F. The biggest culture shock for me was the rural-ness of the town. We relocated from north of Denver in a community not as large as the Idaho Falls/Ammon area but because we were still near a major city, there was just a more urban/suburban feel to our community. I.F. is 3 hours away from the nearest big city, Salt Lake City, so it predominately feels like a small town.
The way I'd describe it is we felt as if we'd stepped back in time when in some parts of town, almost into the 50's. Can't say I was alive in the 50's but it was a neat nostalgic kind of feeling. It's a very nice town overall and we were impressed with how well neighborhoods are kept up, especially given the lack of HOAs. There are the seedier parts of town, we passed through them once or twice in our wandering, but overall, the majority of the town is just well kept. And clean. What a clean town.
Oh, and there's no Starbucks (well there's one hiding in a hardware store somewhere - I have yet to find it) or coffee shops. Granted, I'm used to a coffee shop being in every shopping center, grocery store, every corner and there are just so very few in I.F.
CWallace,
It sounds like you got moved. I hope everything worked out ok.
There is a BRAND NEW STARBUCKS just being finished that should be open within a month. It's on Broadway, over by the Olive Garden and Ruby River. It's at the north end of the strip mall so people can either go in and enjoy their goodies and good friends, or drive through.
There are about 10-13 local Coffee Drive Throughs, they just aren't national chains (to the best of my knowledge). One has 3-4 locations of the same shop. Some locals are in a serious debate right now about whether they support their local java businesses with their specialties 100%, or get Starbucks 1/2 of the time or just get what they feel like when they feel like it. Some people are really struggling with the exact placement of the W. Broadway Starbucks across from a favorite Java Joint across Broadway.
Also, if you haven't seen it yet, check out The Villa Coffeehouse downtown. It's a real sit down coffee shop that is very, very popular. The Villa Coffeehouse.
Interestingly enough, The Villa was originally started by a couple who moved from the midwest to Idaho Falls and saw the need so they started the business about 3 years ago. It has since been sold to other owners, but just one of those FYIs to include as a lot of time people don't realize the things they may take for granted in some cities aren't necessarily as available in a new city.
Besides, a very, very trusted source told me about another new coffee shop, similar to the Villa, which will also be downtown and redeveloped from a previous building, isn't far away from opening.. And FWIW, Starbucks was suppose to build a shop on Hitt Road. We've all been surprised when that hasn't happened.
Hopefully, this info helps. I believe the Starbucks Counter is in Fred Meyers, which in some ways is like a Target, but a regional chain from the northwest. Fred Meyers is a grocery store, pharmacy, then all those extras you only find in the medium-big box stores, like home accessories and improvements, linens, electrical, gardening, tools etc. I think that Fred Meyers' also has a stand up Sushi Bar in it as well.
It's worth visiting, if you have the chance, C. Wallace, just to see how much I can't remember correctly. Fred Meyers is close to Office Max on the Northgate Mile - across (to the west) of the Golf Course. If you are at the Intersection of N. Yellowstone and Anderson, the shopping center is to your southwest. I believe there is a McDonald's that got moved there too. McDonald's use to be in another location about a block away, but moved when Fred Meyers moved. But, not being a big McD fan, I can't say for sure.
Maybe we should add "Looking for Starbucks Coffee in Idaho Falls," to the top 10 activities.
Badgers81, I believe C. Wallace has given you an accurate description of Idaho Falls/Ammon. Since she just moved, she will see and know things others of us won't, just because we are more use to some things and not use to others. We don't have good hurricane supplies and the boat shops don't specialize in sail boats. But, we do have a lot of the same things FL does, I just wish we could get a "Houston's" and a few other of my favorite FL restaurants in the area.
There are major streets you won't find grocery stores at every stop light. Of course, part of that may have to do with different names - I'd never heard of WinCo previously and only knew about Fred Meyer from my college days elsewhere. I think like many other businesses, a lot of the grocery stores are in a 5 mile area.
However, especially on the west side of town, you do have to drive farther to get to more shopping currently, although that will be changing in the next 1-2 years with the new outlet mall and shopping center - Sunnyside Crossroads Regional Center. Plus everything Snake River Landing and the last developments in Renaissance are anticipated to add. Some believe the majority of shopping will be west of Yellowstone and closer to the Snake River than Hitt Road in a couple of years.
Good to hear from you again C Wallace. Hope all is well.
And I hope this helped some, badgers81.
Last edited by Mtn. States Resident; 08-18-2007 at 10:39 AM..
Hopefully, this will give you a better feel for what some dedicated residents in Idaho Falls, who want to make a difference for kids with varying abilities are doing. Let us know what you think and if this seems like a good fit for what you want for you future.
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Really Interesting Questions!
Here is One Example of Life in Idaho Falls and How You May Help
Small Culture Shock
A New Starbucks and Other Java Fast Tracks, and REAL Coffee Shops in Town
One has 3-4 locations of the same shop. Some locals are in a serious debate right now about whether they support their local java businesses with their specialties 100%, or get Starbucks 1/2 of the time or just get what they feel like when they feel like it.
. And FWIW, Starbucks was suppose to build a shop on Hitt Road. We've all been surprised when that hasn't happened.
