Nov. 19 / Itron names new CEO

Itron Inc., the Liberty Lake-based maker of automated utility meter-reading technology, said Philip Mezey will succeed LeRoy Nosbaum as the company's president and CEO, effective Jan. 1. Mezey currently serves as president and chief operating officer of Itron's global energy segment and has been with the company since 2003. Nosbaum came out of retirement to succeed Malcolm Unsworth as Itron's president and CEO when Unsworth left the company in August 2011. Nosbaum will return to retirement effective Dec. 31, but he will act in a consulting capacity for at least the next six months.

Nov. 19 / Hecla to acquire stake in Canadian concern

Hecla Mining Co., of Coeur d'Alene, announced it has agreed to acquire a 15 percent stake in Canada-based exploration company Canamex Resources Corp. Under the agreement, Hecla plans to acquire 14 million Canamex shares for about $2.5 million. Canamex currently is focused on the exploration of two properties, the Bruner gold project in Nevada and the Aranka North gold project in Guyana.

Nov. 15 / Med education pledges top $1 million

Proponents of medical education funding here said a private-sector effort to raise money to bring second-year medical education to Spokane is nearing completion, with $1.16 million being pledged to date. That money, committed by a group of 11 regional corporate donors named the Founders Circle, is just short of a $1.45 million goal that was established to supplement state money allocated for the Second-Year WWAMI Pilot Program. The program will enable all four years of medical education to be offered in Spokane, a critical component of the vision to create the Academic Health Science Center at the Riverpoint Campus, just east of downtown Spokane.

Nov. 14 / State takes over weights, measures

The Washington state Department of Agriculture said it has begun regulating weights and measures in the city of Spokane, inspecting everything from gas station pumps to truck scales, after the city eliminated its own program earlier this month as a cost-cutting measure. The state agency said its Weights and Measures Program protects consumers and ensures that businesses compete fairly by inspecting weighing and measuring devices, testing motor fuel, and investigating consumer complaints. With the closure of Spokane's program, Seattle is the only city in the state with its own weights and measures program.

Nov. 8 / Red Lion reports bigger loss

Red Lion Hotels Corp., of Spokane, reported a third-quarter net loss of $906,000, or five cents a share, compared with a loss of $122,000, or 1 cent a share, in the 2011 third quarter. Through the first nine months of this year, the company has reported losses of a little over $11 million, or 57 cents a share, down from net income of $13.9 million, or 72 cents a share, in the first three quarters of last years. The company said, however, it saw increases in its latest quarter in total revenue from continuing operations, in franchise revenue, and in the key industry yardstick of revenue per available room, known as RevPAR.

Nov. 7 / Voters back gay marriage, marijuana

Washington state voters approved historic same-sex marriage and marijuana legalization measures in the general election, also authorizing publicly funded charter schools and picking former U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee over Republican Attorney General Rob McKenna in the governor's race. In other races, U.S. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D) easily fended off challengers to keep their seats, and incumbent Todd Mielke and Shelly O'Quinn were victors in Spokane County Commission races. In closely watched legislative races, state Rep. Andy Billig (D) defeated Republican Spokane City Councilwoman Nancy McLaughlin in a 3rd Legislative District senatorial race, and Democrats Marcus Riccelli and incumbent Rep. Timm Ormsby easily won state House seats.