Latest News

An experiment in living

Agent to stay in different retirement facilities for one week each month during 2011

January 27, 2011

Spokane Realtor Kathy Bryant markets herself as a real estate specialist for seniors—one who helps people explore their options when looking to move from a house to a retirement facility. Now, Bryant wants to become an expert on living in a

Ag Expo and Farm Forum slated for Feb. 1-3

January 27, 2011

The annual Ag Expo and Pacific Northwest Farm Forum will be held Feb. 1-3 in the Spokane Convention Center's Group Health Exhibit Hall and is expected to attract about 5,000 visitors, with an estimated $3 million economic impact here, says Myrna

Groups team up to improve cybersecurity

Public-private partnership wants to get innovations to financial sector faster

January 27, 2011

News Wise

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has joined in a new public-private partnership to spur cybersecurity innovation in the financial-services sector.Through a memorandum of understanding signed last month, NIST, the Department of

New laws about credit reports, identity theft take effect

Red Flags rule requires credit grantors to put safeguards into place

January 27, 2011

Financial Planning Association

On Jan. 1, new federal consumer protections went into effect on issues ranging from transparency on credit reports to safeguards against identity theft. The provisions affecting credit reporting actually are the result of a law passed seven Fair

Emerging-market investments expected to grow in '11

Mutual funds representing that segment grew briskly in '10; diversification vital

January 27, 2011

Andrew Leckey

DELHI, INDIA—Traffic in India's capital city is intense. Modestly powered three-wheel "tuk-tuk" taxis compete daily for space on streets crowded with trucks crammed full of passengers, motorcycles with small children sandwiched between their a

Credit unions said bouncing back from losses in lending

Local execs say the 20 here all are doing well, despite a closure last year

January 27, 2011

Chey Scott

Despite the mandated closure of The Union Credit Union here last fall, which was the first credit union failure in 15 years in Washington state, industry executives here and state regulators say the 20 credit unions continuing to operate in the are

Avista's Scott Morris appointed to Seattle Federal Reserve board

January 27, 2011

The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco has appointed Avista Corp. Chairman, President, and CEO Scott L. Morris to its Seattle branch board of directors. The three-year term started Jan. 1. An employee of Spokane-based Avista since 1981 and

M&A outlook for Spokane area looks positive for 2011

Despite shaky economy, resurgence in activity is expected here, nationally

January 27, 2011

Christian Schiller

My latest trip to Spokane in December was enlightening. I tried to get together with a couple of deal attorney friends, but they were too busy.One was working on closing a handful of transactions, a sharp contrast to his slow December of 2009. a

SBA lending activity skyrockets here

Infusion of federal stimulus money, expansion of eligibility requirements lead to surge to start fiscal year '11

January 27, 2011

Linn Parish

The U.S. Small Business Administration's lending program started strong here in the fiscal year that began in October, with an 81 percent jump in loan volume in the first quarter, compared with the year-earlier period. That increase occurred of

Construction loan cautious

Banks ask project owners to put up more funding, secure higher occupancy

January 27, 2011

Mike McLean

Banks have money to lend for commercial projects, but tough loan requirements are making it harder for developers and project owners to get them off the ground, finance and development market insiders here say.The lending environment is much it