July 12 / WSU, SIA, others partner on jet biofuel project
Washington State University said it and several partners, including Boeing Co., Alaska Airlines, the ports of Seattle and Portland, and Spokane International Airport, are beginning a six-month regional analysis of the potential for turning biomass into jet fuel. The Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest project, as the effort has been dubbed, kicks off July 27. The partners have hired nonprofit research organization Climate Solutions to prepare a report detailing the group's findings, and that report is expected to be completed in early January.

July 10 / Wells Fargo Financial outlets here closing
Wells Fargo & Co. said it will close three Wells Fargo Financial outlets in Spokane and one in Coeur d'Alene in September as part of a restructuring of that division. It said it will close all 638 of its financial outlets across the country and end the origination of nonprime portfolio mortgage loans. The remaining consumer and commercial loan products offered through Wells Fargo Financial will be realigned with those offered by other Wells Fargo business units and will be available through Wells Fargo's expanded network of banking and mortgage locations, the company said.

July 8 / Spokane CVB picks new top exec
The Spokane Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau named Cheryl Kilday, a tourism promoter from Loudoun County, Va., as its president and CEO effective Aug. 23. She succeeds Harry Sladich, who resigned in April to become executive vice president of sales and marketing for Spokane-based Red Lion Hotels Corp. Under Kilday's leadership, Visit Loudoun, the destination marketing organization for Virginia wine country, won a number of awards, including a 2008 Emmy for a series of videos.

July 7 / Group Health to drop small North Idaho groups
Group Health Cooperative, the Seattle-based nonprofit health-care provider, said it won't renew insurance coverage for groups of 50 or fewer people in North Idaho, effective Jan. 1, because it couldn't make small-group coverage viable from a business standpoint. The cooperative will discontinue coverage for 450 people in 40 businesses in an area that includes Coeur d'Alene and Moscow, Group Health said.

July 3 / Skipper Bill's boat dealership closes
Skipper Bill's Inc., a longtime Hewescraft, Starcraft, and Alumacraft recreational fishing boat retailer, closed its Spokane Valley store at 7915 E. Sprague. The dealership's phone was out of service, it removed its home page from the World Wide Web, and a sign on the showroom doors at 7915 E. Sprague said, "Thank you for 32 years. Skipper Bill has retired and we are closed."

July 2 / Airport director to resign
Neil Sealock, director of Spokane Airports since December 2005, announced plans to resign effective July 21. He said he plans to address family matters and pursue further education. The Spokane Airport Board will discuss the transition at its July 21 meeting.

July1 / Downtown wireless network to relaunch
The city of Spokane announced plans to relaunch the free wireless downtown network called the Spokane HotZone. Ptera Wireless Inc. will redesign and maintain the wireless system and Tierpoint LLC will provide Internet bandwidth. Both Liberty Lake companies predicted the upgraded network will benefit Spokane business activities and tourism development.

June 30 / Commissioners approve raceway improvements
Spokane County commissioners approved spending $588,500 to realign Spokane County Raceway's tracks to improve pedestrian safety and to separate the road course from the drag strip. Earlier this year, commissioners approved $445,000 for other safety-related improvements there.