Sharon Fisher

OpenClaw and Moltbook looked like a sci-fi breakthrough. Security researchers saw something else.

As DEI programs disappear and AI regulations are rolled back, experts warn that bias in AI systems could worsen — with fewer safeguards left to stop it.

Editor's note: Today's story is by Sharon Fisher. It explores the life of Mary Hallock Foote, an American author and artist who is known for her illustrated short stories portraying life in mining communities out west at the turn-of-the-century. She…

by Sharon Fisher Some companies talk about being bi-coastal. Team Procure is bi-continental. “My co-founder originally founded it in Turkey in 2016,” said Joe Wolin, CEO of the Boise-based company. “The person who founded the company used to work for…

by Sharon Fisher We’ve likely all heard of “digital transformation,” or the concept of converting former paper-based processes into electronic ones to streamline them, saving time, money, and headcount. Blake Bianchi thinks it’s time to do that for…

Debt covenants are restrictions that lenders such as banks and other creditors include in their lending agreements to limit the borrower’s actions.

Bank of Idaho also becomes bank of Washington with purchase For Bank of Idaho President and CEO Jeff Newgard, buying five eastern Washington branches of Seattle-based HomeStreet Inc. wasn’t just an acquisition, but coming home. At 32, Newgard was CEO…

Unemployment insurance benefits provided a valuable lifeline to Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. “As many as 46 million individuals received unemployment payments in 2020, representing 1 out of every 4 workers,” notes the Center for Budget and…

You may remember, early last year, when stock in several companies – notably GameStop, but also AMC – suddenly boomed due to discussions on social media. A Boise startup, ChatterQuant, is working to capture such movements as they happen. The company…

In an attempt to help thwart unemployment fraud – estimated to have been as much as $87.3 billion nationwide — California assemblyman Jordan Cunningham (R-Templeton) has put forth AB 2781, which is intended to instruct California’s Office of Digital…

When you studied physics in high school or college, you may remember getting homework assignments asking you to calculate the force of two objects on each other, but to “ignore friction.” Typically, that’s because the small amount of force attributed…

Not everyone who loses their job is eligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits, but several states have been taking steps to address that. Generally, these workers are referred to as “excluded workers,” because they are typically excluded…

Interested in cryptocurrency but prefer the security of a traditional financial institution? Now you can get both. Idaho Central Credit Union (ICCU) is partnering with two other companies to enable its customers to buy and sell Bitcoin within its…

Some states are turning to tigers to improve their unemployment insurance systems. Tiger Teams, that is. The U.S. Department of Labor announced on August 21, 2021, that it was creating a “tiger team” program to help states deal with problems that…

There have always been some people who worked remotely for companies in other states, but that number exploded during COVID-19. First, many employees started working at home – often because they were required to due to quarantine restrictions and…

*This isn’t tax advice, consult a tax professional if you have any questions.* What are the Consequences of Filing Taxes Late? After the last two years of extended tax deadlines – May 17 in 2021, and July 15 in 2020 – you might be forgiven if you…

During the recession caused by COVID-19, a number of states had to borrow money, in the form of unemployment loans, from the federal government to be able to continue paying out unemployment benefits to their workers. Now the states that did that are…

President Joe Biden announced on Tuesday, March 1st during his State of the Union address that he intended to appoint a chief prosecutor to investigate cases of unemployment insurance fraud. But what does that mean? What the Chief Prosecutor Could Do…

What’s this 1099-G Form I Just Got? If you received unemployment benefits last year, chances are you may have received something new in the mail: a 1099-G form. Hang onto it. It’s something you’re going to need for your taxes. What is a 1099-G Form?…

Unemployment Insurance fraud was one of the biggest problems in the unemployment insurance benefits world during the economic downturn associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s estimated by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General…