Jan. 31 / Potlatch posts $1.5 million loss

Potlatch Corp., of Spokane, reported a fourth-quarter net loss of $1.5 million, or 4 cents a diluted common share, down from net income of $9.4 million, or 22 cents a share, in the year-earlier quarter. The 2010 fourth-quarter figures, though, included a 16 cents-a-share gain from a nonrecurring sale of timberland. For all of 2011, the company reported net income of $40.3 million, or $1 a share, comparable to 2010, when it had earnings of $40.4 million, or $1.01 a share, in 2010.


Jan. 31 / Key Tronic's net income rises

Key Tronic Corp., the Spokane Valley-based electronic manufacturing services company, reported net income of $3.2 million, or 30 cents a diluted share, for its fiscal year 2012 second quarter ended Dec. 31. That was up from net income of $1.7 million, or 17 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. The company's total revenue for the latest quarter was $84.5 million, up 38 percent from $61 million in the year-earlier period.


Jan. 27 / Liquor retail chain to enter Spokane market

Total Wine & More, a Potomac, Md.-based retail chain that calls itself "America's Wine Superstore," said it plans to enter the Spokane market, though it hasn't disclosed any store locations. The chain, which operates nearly 80 stores across the country, also was reported to be planning stores in Seattle, Tacoma, and Vancouver, all as a direct result of Washington state voters passing Initiative 1183, which ended the state's monopoly on liquor sales. Total Wine's website says each of its stories carries about 8,000 different types of wine, 3,000 spirits where allowed by law, and 2,500 kinds of beers, as well as gifts and accessories.


Jan. 26 / Council to vote on police reforms

The Spokane City Council said it will consider at its regular legislative meeting on Monday, Feb. 6, a resolution outlining a set of broad-based reforms designed to help restore public trust and confidence in the city's police department. The Council resolution urges the city administration to take action on police oversight, community involvement, police training, and enhanced service delivery. Specific examples of reforms in the resolution include rapidly publishing internal affairs reports, instituting a body camera program, and restoring the power of the ombudsman.


Jan. 25 / Sterling's earnings climb

Sterling Financial Corp., the Spokane-based holding company for Sterling Savings Bank, reported fourth-quarter net income available to common shareholders of $14.8 million, or 24 cents a diluted share, up from earnings of $11.3 million, or 18 cents a share, in the previous quarter and from a net loss of $642.7 million, or $12.79 a share, in the year-earlier quarter. For all of 2011, the company posted net income of $31.9 million, or 63 cents a share, compared with a net loss of $756.1 million, or $53.05 a share, in the year-earlier period. The company said it has had four straight quarters of earnings growth and asset quality improvement.


Jan. 24 / Employment here falls

About 201,600 people held nonagricultural wage and salary jobs in the Spokane area in December, down by 2,200 from the December 2010 level and down by 1,600 from November of last year, preliminary state figures said. Preliminary results from another state survey put the Spokane-area unemployment rate at 9 percent during December, down slightly from 9.1 percent in the year-earlier month.



Corrections & Amplifications

Hanson Worldwide LLC, of Spokane, is the current name of the former RAHCO International Inc. manufacturing and fabrications operations. The company's name was reported incorrectly in the Journal's Jan. 19 edition.