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FDIC costs hammer banks here

Premium hikes, special assessment propel bills higher
Richard Ripley
Soaring Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. premiums have delivered a body slam to Spokane-area banks, which already were grappling with the costs of dealing with problem loans.The FDIC hiked its deposit-insurance premium rates in 2008 and again as
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—Staff photo by Mike McLean

Farm management firm here upbeat despite down market

Sharp & Hatley handles more than 100,000 acres for 140 property owners
Mike McLean
When the region has a big wheat crop, and prices are high, John Sharp and Allen Hatley naturally are happy, they say. This year, though, an average crop is expected, and they're merely upbeat.The farm-bred executives of Sharp & Hatley Inc., of I
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Washington's wheat farm ranks dwindle

Their numbers plummeted by 40 percent between 1997 and 2007, census data show
Scott Yates
The 2007 Census of Agriculture, which was released in early February, was reported by the mainstream media as a good day for farming. Like most news stories, however, the numbers depended upon the spin given to them.The headlines on the news the
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—Staff photo by Jeanne Gustafson

Car dealer, wife, friends take food online

Smith Preferred offers specialty Northwest-made products, currently adding wines
Jeanne Gustafson
From cars and trucks to mortgages—and now gourmet foods—one never knows what the Dave Smith family will sell online next. The newest venture is a company inspired by Dave Smith Motors CEO Ken Smith's wife, Debbie, who also is the front an
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—Staff photo by David Cole

Northern Quest offers lots to eat for gamblers, guests

Kalispel Tribe of Indians buys $1.5 million in food per month
David Cole
Gaming chips aren't the only things that can stack up at Northern Quest Resort & Casino. Every month, the West Plains tribal casino buys about 560 gallons of milk, 800 pounds of hot dogs, 1,600 pounds of salmon, and 100 cases of bacon, just to a
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Small Business Watch: July 30, 2009

Trio to open spa, salon downtown Three Spokane women with more than three decades of combined experience in the cosmetology and massage therapy fields plan to open their own business, Green Salon & Day Spa, downtown next month.The
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Some home-related stocks edge up, but most still wobbly

Analyst says outlook not likely to turn truly positive for another quarter or two
Personal Investing
Home is where the heart is, but it hasn't been much of a profit center lately.Recession and declining property values have hit home owners hard, which is bad news for investments tied to homes and property. Home builders, home improvement and to
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In the News: July 30, 2009

July 28 / Potlatch posts lower net Potlatch Corp., of Spokane, reported second-quarter net income of $3.7 million, or 9 cents a share, from continuing operations, down from $18.9 million, or 48 cents a share, in the year-earlier The a
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Calendar: July 30, 2009

July 30 - Aug. 16, 2009
Meetings & Events JBI Properties LLC, of Spokane Valley, is holding a free open house and seminar on Thursday, July 30, on How Universal Design Concepts picks up where ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act) compliance leaves off, from
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Preserve your capital by avoiding common financial gaffes

Don't chase industries that have rallied or jump in and out of the market
Personal Investing
"Never write a book about mistakes," an editor at a major publishing house once advised me. "People want to read about how to make money, not how to avoid losing money."The depth of this recession, however, makes capital preservation every bit a
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