This is Part 2 in a three-part series on Covid-19's impact on the economy, nationally and locally. Part 1, "Covid-19's Economic Impact on the United States and Idaho", can be found here. Part 3, "How Covid-19 has Impacted the Skilled Trades Industry", can be found here.

There is perhaps no industry more affected by Covid-19 than healthcare.

This is Part 1 in a three-part series on Covid-19's impact on the economy, nationally and locally. Part 2, "How Covid-19 has Impacted Idaho's Healthcare System", can be found here. Part 3, "How Covid-19 has Impacted the Skilled Trades Industry", can be found here.

Our lives came screeching to a halt over a year ago. Many of us lost jobs, delayed education, and struggled financially. In addition to our health, Covid-19—and the subsequent lock downs and quarantines—affected the US economy. Those effects were felt both on a personal and national level.

Covid-19 continues to change the way all of us interact with each other. While we may no longer be in lockdown, we are still forced to find new ways to accomplish our jobs and education, interact with each other socially, and even look after ourselves.

In 2005, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck Kashmir in Pakistan, killing approximately 90,000 people and leaving 3.5 million more homeless. To this day, it is still considered the deadliest earthquake to have hit not just Pakistan, but all of South Asia.

At the time, Dr. Meesha Iqbal was a medical student in Pakistan. She witnessed the rebuilding of hospitals and healthcare systems in the aftermath of the quake. Her father led the rescue teams and the military hospital of the area as the commanding officer. Throughout the chaos she came to an important realization: while the medical professionals might be prepared for disaster, the system itself was not.

Summer is quickly coming to an end. As school starts back up and vacations come to a close, Idaho State University’s Continuing Education and Workforce Training (CEWT) invites you this fall to learn a new skill, develop a lifelong passion, or further your education.

July 19th has become a significant day for Dr. Henry Oh.

Working right here at our local Idaho State University, Dr. Henry Oh is one of the most accomplished people you could ever meet. He is the Department Chair and Clinical Professor of Health Occupations in the College of Technology, a lifelong learner and teacher, and now, a world-record holder.

If you’ve ever had a houseplant before, you’ve probably heard the advice to talk to the plant, or let it listen to music. This idea has been around so long that it can seem natural to do so. But if you stop and think about it, can plants ‘listen’ to us? And is there any evidence backing this long-standing claim?

There has long been a debate surrounding books and audiobooks. On one hand, there are those who will claim you only get an authentic experience with reading. Audiobook enthusiasts will counter by saying they are able to listen to far more books than they could read.

And on and on the argument goes.

We here at CEWT hope you are having a wonderful Independence Day weekend. While parades, fireworks and backyard grilling may now be the norm, the history of this weekend goes way back to even before the founding of this country.

Independence Day weekend is quickly approaching. With the end of the pandemic in sight, communities across Southeast Idaho are preparing to celebrate in person once again. So whether you are looking for activities and events in your town or want to travel a bit, here is everything you can look forward to this 4th of July weekend.