Idaho Gov. Jim Risch has just announced he’ll close Idaho’s office in Washington, D.C. – which the state has had since May of 1999 – and instead open a constituent-service office in Coeur d’Alene and a similar one in Idaho Falls.

Luke Malek, a Post Falls native and former chief development and communications officer for the Dirne Community Health Clinic in Coeur d’Alene, will staff the new Coeur d’Alene office. (Incidentally, Luke has been working on constituent service in Boise for the initial days of Risch’s administration, and this reporter’s repeated queries as to whether he’d soon be posted to North Idaho went unanswered for the past two weeks.)

Risch said, “Opening an office in northern Idaho is a big step in achieving my goal of increasing constituent service for Idahoans. I want to provide easier access to my office for citizens who are not in the Boise area.”

Risch said Malek’s role will be to “work on constituent service issues and serve as a liaison to area communities and organizations for the Governor.”

Luke is a 2004 graduate of Albertson College of Idaho, where he served as student body president while earning his degree in politics and economics. He also previously worked as a health care intern in Sen. Larry Craig’s office in Washington, D.C.

“I am excited and humbled to be part of the extraordinary team that Gov. Risch has pulled together. I look forward to being a resource to the people of North Idaho where they can voice their comments, concerns and questions to the governor in a timely and personal manner,” Malek said. The new office is located in the Harbor Center at 1000 W. Hubbard Avenue, the site of the old Osprey restaurant.

Risch said he plans to open a similar state office in Idaho Falls “in the near future.”

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