Aug. 8 / Hecla reports $25 million loss

Hecla Mining Co., of Coeur d'Alene, reported a second-quarter net loss of $25 million, or 8 cents a diluted share, compared with net income of $2.4 million, or 1 cent a share, in the 2012 second quarter. The loss included $20.3 million in expenses related to Hecla's acquisition of Vancouver, British Columbia-based Aurizon Mines Ltd., which was completed June 1 and valued at $796 million. Hecla produced 2.2 million ounces of silver during the second quarter, a 64 percent increase compared with silver production in the year-earlier period.

Aug. 8 / Eliassen retires; Red Lion posts loss

Red Lion Hotels Corp., of Spokane, said Jon E. Eliassen planned to step down as company president and CEO on Aug. 12, and James P. Evans, a director on the company's board, will serve as interim president and CEO while it conducts a search for a successor. Eliassen will leave the company's board Sept. 30, Red Lion said. Separately, the company reported a second-quarter net loss of $1.3 million, or 6 cents a diluted share, compared with a net loss of $3 million, or 15 cents a share, in the year-earlier period.

Aug. 7 / Avista's earnings rise

Avista Corp., of Spokane, reported second-quarter net income of $25.7 million, or 43 cents a diluted share, up from earnings of $18.1 million, or 31 cents a share, in the 2012 second quarter. Scott Morris, Avista's chairman, president, and CEO, said in a press release that both the utility and the company's energy-management subsidiary Ecova performed above expectations. Utility earnings benefited from lower operating costs due to timing of expenses and warm weather during the latest quarter, among other factors, Morris said.

Aug. 6 / Condon issues budget proposal

Spokane Mayor David Condon released a nearly $600 million program budget proposal for 2014 that would add 25 police officers, redirect resources to maintain the current level of fire service, and set aside money for long-term investments in streets. The proposal calls for increasing property taxes 2 percent, allowed under state law without voter approval since the city didn't use an authorized 1 percent maximum increase this year, and using a mix of police administration and criminal justice overhead reductions, debt restructuring, and other methods to cover some of the additional costs.

July 31 / Foundation buys Civic Building

The Spokane Club said it has sold the Civic Building, located at 1020 W. Riverside downtown, to the Empire Health Foundation for $775,000, culminating a two-year effort to find a buyer for the 82-year-old, 20,000-square-foot structure. Antony Chiang, foundation president, said the foundation plans to remodel the interior of the three-floor building with the intent of turning it into a philanthropy center. The Spokane Club originally had asked $1.3 million for the building, which is located next to its main facility at 1002 W. Riverside and for many years housed the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce.

July 31 / Itron's net income falls

Itron Inc., the Liberty Lake-based maker of automated meter-reading technology, reported second-quarter net income of $12.4 million, 31 cents a diluted share, down from earnings of $31.6 million, or 79 cents a share, in the 2012 second quarter. The company attributed the decline to lower revenues, partly offset by lower operating and tax expenses. Philip Mezey, Itron's president and CEO, said, "We were encouraged by the revenue growth in our core electricity business and improved total gross margin. In addition, our bookings increased 15 percent year over year to the highest level in six quarters."