March 12 / Federal Reserve lifts Sterling restrictions

Spokane-based Sterling Financial Corp., parent company of Sterling Bank, said a written agreement between it and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco that placed certain regulatory restrictions on its operation has been terminated. The Reserve Bank determined that Sterling was in full compliance with the agreement, which had been in place since Dec. 24,2009.As a result, Sterling no longer is required to obtain Federal Reserve bank approvalbefore paying dividends, incurring debt, ormaking anumber of other business decisions.

March 12 / HSSA awards $1.7 million in research grants

The Health Sciences& Services Authority of Spokane County announced it awarded about $1.7 millionfor local health sciences research. The awards involvefour grants for about $1.2 million to Washington State University Spokane and a $500,000 grant to Iasis Molecular Sciences LLC, of Spokane. HSSA said the grants will help WSU hire two nationally-renowned health sciences researchers and fundcore laboratory equipment at the Spokane campus. The grant to Iasis is expected to fund research to expedite commercialization of a product intended to prevent or minimize health care-acquired infections.

March 7 / Coldwater Creek posts losses for quarter, year

Sandpoint-based Coldwater Creek Inc. reported a net loss of $12.8 million, or 11 cents a share, for its fiscal fourth quarter ended Jan. 28, up from a loss of $37 million, or 40 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. For its entire 2011 fiscal year, the company reported a net loss of $99.7 million, or 99 cents a share, compared with a loss of $44.1 million, or 48 cents a share, in the prior year. Company Chairman and CEO Dennis Pence said he expects "meaningful improvement in our overall operating performance" this quarter, based on a favorable reaction to the company's spring retail offerings and a sharp reduction in sales, general, and administrative expenses.

March 2 / PAML to acquire Oregon lab

Spokane-based Pathology Associates Medical Laboratories announced plans to acquire Medford, Ore.-based Rogue Clinical Laboratories, which specializes in endocrine and hormone testing. PAML said in a news release the acquisition will allow it to expand its product portfolio and strengthen its presence in Oregon.Terms of the transaction weren'tdisclosed.

March 2 / Casino site report released, debated

The Spokane Tribe of Indians announced the release of the draft environmental impact statement for the Spokane Tribe Economic Project, a proposed 145-acre multiuse development that wouldbe centered around a casino. Tribal Chairman Greg Abrahamson said in a news release that thestudy found the development wouldn't have any impact on current or foreseeable operations atnearby Fairchild Air Force Base. However, opposition group CitizensAgainst Casino Expansion released a statement disputing that claim and complaining that some impacts weren't addressed.

March 1 / Holy Family ER docs, Premera end dispute

Providence Health Systems and Premera Blue Cross said emergency room physicians at Providence Holy Family Hospital have rejoined Premera's provider network. Their physician group, Emergency Physician Services PS, left the Premera network last October. The new agreement will result in lower out-of-pocket costs for Premera members and their dependents when receiving emergency services at the hospital, a joint Providence-Premera news release said.

Corrections & Amplifications

Lauren Allen, one of several people elected recently to the nonprofit Inland Northwest Land Trust's board, works at Northwest Farm Credit Services. Information supplied to the Journal for a news item published March 1 misidentified Allen's employer.