After sustaining deep financial wounds in 2001, Avista Corp. is aiming to take some important steps in the first quarter toward recovery.First, though, the Spokane company, hurt over the last two years by precipitous wholesale energy prices and

Entry-level workers here saw more of an increase in their starting pay last year than did their mid-career counterparts, an annual compensation survey says.Thats what we call salary compression, says Bill Sweigert, director of consulting a

An interest in a four-store chain of Mattress Outlet stores, including two stores here and stores in Coeur d Alene and Kennewick, is being bought by a former regional vice president of the Southern California franchise of Serta Mattress Co.Ken

Itronix Corp., the Spokane maker of rugged wireless computers, is considering whether to consolidate its Spokane offices and manufacturing operations into one facility.The company currently leases the 30,000-square-foot former IBM complex, at S.

The group thats investigating building a biodiesel-processing plant here says it expects to have completed a draft business plan for the project in 90 days and hopes construction will start on the facility in early 2003.While the group has no

Two retail chains have leased new sites in neighboring buildings at the southeast corner of Sprague Avenue and Sullivan Road in the Spokane Valley.Hancock Fabrics Inc., a Tupelo, Miss.-based sewing and home-decorations retailer, has leased the &

Spokane-based Yokes Washington Foods Inc. plans to add the remodeling of a Spokane Valley supermarket to a multimillion-dollar, five-store construction-and remodeling-plan announced in pieces earlier this year.Denny York, senior vice president

Avista Corp. has quietly mothballed its Avista Power subsidiary, citing changes in the power-plant development business and the parent companys financial troubles.The subsidiarys mission was to develop so-called merchant power plants, which

John A. Osbornes ears perked up earlier this year when he heard that the boyhood home of late guitar legend Jimi Hendrix might be demolished to make way for a Seattle condominium project.The Spokane woodworker didnt have strains of Purple

As they watch the gathering clouds of a $1 billion state revenue deficit, Spokane-area business leaders and state higher-education institutions, allied in many economic-development efforts here, are hoping to keep a likely difficult 2002 session or