Office Hours, this blog, is The Spokesman-Review's newest effort at ongoing daily business news coverage. But it's not the only way to get your business news.You can still, if you choose, receive a daily dose of local business news in your e-mail inbox, or on…
Sterling Financial Corp. has extended the expiration date for its effort to buy back $238 million in trust-preferred securities.The deadline was today. April 12 is the new date.The Spokane-based parent of Sterling Savings Bank and Golf Savings Bank is offering 20 cents on the dollar…
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, through the site www.whenworksworks.com, is seeking company applications for its Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility awards.Even the White House is on the bandwagon. The executive department is hosting a live session today on the topic of helping workers and companies…
The newly launched blog you're reading now, Office Hours, will try to keep you connected to what's happening in the region's business environment.We welcome suggestions, comments and ideas. Just post them here or e-mail messages to Tom Sowa toms@spokesman.com or Scott Maben scottm@spokesman.com or Bert…
Three northeast Washington companies have been awarded stimulus grants and loans worth $3.2 million.Demand Energy Networks of Spokane will receive a $1.5 million grant to commercialize its electricity storage and network management software. The money will help the company retain or create 93 jobs, according…
Spokane-based Pearson Packaging Systems has signed a co-marketing agreement with global service provider CT Pack. Pearson will be the supplier of CT Pack's Vortex Systems Multipacking equipment in North America and will sell the system as part of a complete end-of-line solution for customers. "Multipacking"…
North Idaho Family Physicians and Kootenai Health have entered into a partnership to provide urgent care services to Kootenai County residents.The family physicians group represents 28 independent board-certified family doctors with Kootenai County practices. It also operates two After Hours Urgent Care Clinics in Coeur…
The Today Show on Monday featured Spokane among five "most affordable cities" during its real estate roundup. Spokane was ranked No. 5.Also named were Great Falls (No. 3) and Pocatello, No. 2.Barbara Corcoran, the real estate expert who compiled the list, also blew the pronunciation,…
Spokane homes are the cheapest among major Northwest cities, according to the Center for Housing Policy.Of the 208 cities surveyed, Spokane ranked 93rd during the 4th quarter of 2009, with a median home price of $159,000.Seattle, ranked 20th nationally, was the most expensive city in…
Washington state leaders feel they're back in the data center game.Last week Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a bill that could help data centers expand or set up shop in Washington rural counties. The law allows tax breaks for data centers in any county other than…
Hergen Eilers, the first senior research scientist at WSU's Applied Sciences Laboratory, in Spokane, gave a 40-minute recap of three key projects he's heading, all involving advanced work in physics and optics.His remarks came during a recent yearly meeting explaining the ASL's progress, now starting…
A hotel and convention center could be built on the Washington State University campus in Pullman, if negotiations between a California developer and the university are successful. WSU’s board of regents approved a plan Friday to begin negotiations with Sonnenblick-Del Rio Development for the sale…
Jeanne Bock, who has directed the Panhandle Health District since 2001, will retire this fall after 24 years of public health service in Idaho's five northern counties.The Board of Health accepted her retirement notice Thursday and plans to hire her successor by August.Bock led the…
Spokane is among 600-plus communities and cities who are begging (shamelessly in some cases) that Google provide their burg with an experimental, ultra high-speed broadband network. Google announced the idea back in February and set a deadline for this week for cities wanting to be…
The Spokane Regional Sports Commission says last week's 1st and 2nd round NCAA basketball championships had an economic impact on the region of about $4.6 million. About 12,000 of the 32,000 tickets sold were to out-of-town fans who traveled here to see the games, the…
Marketing Associates of Spokane is hosting a discussion by Brandon Betty, project coordinator for the Spokane University District, on April 8 from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel at the Park.Betty took the job as project coordinatory last summer. The meeting, which…
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc. (SEL to those who know what it does) announces its participation in the 12th annual Washington State University Western Power Delivery Automation Conference (WPDAC), at Spokane's Davenport Hotel, Washington on April 13-15. In conjunction with WPDAC, SEL will host an Automation…
Two free fair housing trainings will be offered in April in Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint.The trainings, sponsored by the Disability Action Center-NW, Intermountain Fair Housing Council and the city of Coeur d'Alene, will cover fair housing basics, disability rights and responsibilities, reasonable accommodations and legal…
The Spokane Valley Fire Department took another step Wednesday in its multi-year program to improve fire protection in Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake. Fire commissioners and other district officials gathered for a ground-breaking for construction of a new Station No. 10 at 17217 E. Sprague…
Lumber mills are starting to emerge from the worst downturn in the industry’s history, according to the Western Wood Products Association.The Portland-based trade association predicts a 7 percent gain in Western lumber output in 2010, based on a strengthening national housing market.
Someone suggested Bill Alles name his new steakhouse in Spokane, The "Prime Minister."The pun was less than accurate for a business that cooked more than prime rib.But owner Bill Alles liked the idea and eventually the moniker evolved into Churchill's Steakhouse.Starting this evening, the downtown…
The number of people moving out of rural Idaho increased between mid-2008 and mid-2009 as the recession reached into every corner of the state.
Wine Press Northwest makes annual selections for best winery of the year, for the states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho.This year's Idaho winery is Coeur d'Alene Cellars, at 3890 N. Schreiber Way.That's a nice honor. To read the full Wine Press announcement, go here.
The top two former Washington Mutual executives are being forced to testify publicly for the first time next month as part of a congressional investigation into the largest bank failure in U.S. history. Kerry Killinger and Steve Rotella will join five other former WaMu executives…
Questionnaire Assistance Centers have begun opening across the country and in the Inland Northwest for people who need help filling out the 2010 census form.Coeur d'Alene locations include the St. Vincent de Paul HELP Center, 201 E. Harrison Ave., and the Idaho Department of Labor,…
The Spokesman-Review business team follows economic development in Spokane and the Inland Northwest.
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