Mullen, S3R3 sign letter

Public development authority S3R3 Solutions extended a letter of intent with electric car maker Mullen Technologies Inc. for an envisioned 1.3 million-square-foot manufacturing plant on the West Plains. Mullen’s CEO said construction of the plant could start as soon as September, though others say the company won’t break ground on the project until next spring.

County jobless rate ebbs

The unemployment rate in Spokane County receded to 9.9% in June, according to preliminary data from the Washington state Employment Security department. The June jobless rate is down from 15.1% in May, but nearly double the 5.2% rate for June 2019.

EWU installs new turf

Eastern Washington University is installing a high-performance red AstroTurf as part of the Roos Field Renovation Project on the university's Cheney campus. The new field is made with Trionic fibers developed by AstroTurf. The Inferno design will include the Eagle at the 50-yard line and the words “Eastern Eagles” in the end zones. Spokane-based Coast to Coast Turf is installing the new field. Work is expected to be completed this summer.

Safe Start applications kicked back

The Washington state secretary of health's office returned all seven COVID-19 Safe Start applications from counties whose applications were either put on pause or pending review. Clark, Cowlitz, Jefferson, Kitsap, Klickitat, San Juan, and Walla Walla counties had their applications sent back.

Clearwater launches new product

Clearwater Paper Corp. is launching a new carton paperboard stock it has branded as ReMagine. The Spokane-based company is making the new product with up to 30% post-consumer recycled fiber and has it available to customers now.

PotlatchDeltic posts gain

PotlatchDeltic Corp., Spokane-based timber products maker, reported second-quarter net income of $2.6 million, or 4 cents a diluted share. That's up compared with a net loss of $16.8 million in the first quarter but down compared with income of $17.1 million in the second quarter of 2019.

Ignite Northwest secures funds

Ignite Northwest, a Spokane-based business accelerator, received a $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce to support innovation economic sectors in Eastern Washington and northern Idaho. Ignite's money is a portion of a total of $8.6 million in grant funds distributed to organizations in Washington state.

Farm Credit plans early dividend

The board of Spokane-based agricultural lending cooperative Northwest Farm Credit Services has voted to pay a one-time, mid-year cash patronage dividend of $43 million, equating to 0.50% of a customer-member's eligible average daily loan balance for the first six months of 2020. Cash patronage is usually paid in the first quarter of a year, based on the co-op's financial performance during the previous calendar year. The cooperative says the early distribution was approved in order to enhance the well-being of Northwest FCS customers.