Latest News

The pension-401(k) hybrid

New retirement tool will combine benefits of both types, is geared for small business

September 17, 2009

A hybrid retirement funding option that melds an employer-funded pension and an employee-funded tax-deferred account into a single plan will be available to small businesses starting Jan. 1, 2010, but it's getting lukewarm advance reviews from some

Western United curbs annuity sales until economy improves

Repositioned concern hopes to grow once market for main product revives

September 17, 2009

David Cole

Western United Life Assurance Co., a former subsidiary of now-defunct Metropolitan Mortgage & Securities Co., says its assets are growing and it's expanding its network of agents, but for now is strategically slowing the sale of its sole the U.S. a

Real Estate Roundup

September 17, 2009

Mike McLean

Express Locations LLC, a Wenatchee, Wash.-based franchise of T-Mobile, has leased 2,500 square feet of space for a new outlet in the Sportsman's Plaza II, at 3500 N. Government Way, in Coeur d'Alene. Mac Whiteford and Jim Quigley, both of Kiemle &

SHBA Festival of Homes set to kick off this month

Free scattered-site event to feature 36 new houses constructed by 21 builders

September 17, 2009

Mike McLean

The Spokane Home Builders Association's fifth annual Fall Festival of Homes is slated the last weekend of this month and the first weekend of next month.The event features new homes constructed this year in the Spokane area and highlights the 5

Shamrock Paving wins two projects here worth a combined $1 million

September 17, 2009

Jeanne Gustafson

Shamrock Paving Co., of Spokane, has won contracts for two paving projects here with a combined value of just under $1 million. One of the projects is a paving job for Spokane International Airport, for which Shamrock bid $568,000. The other is

Real Life Ministries adds third building to campus

$1.9 million Post Falls project to include thrift store, classroom space

September 17, 2009

Mike McLean

Real Life Ministries, a fast-growing Post Falls church, has started work on a $1.9 million construction project on its main campus.The project includes erecting a 16,000-square-foot building, most of which will be occupied by the church's thrift

Law schools launch Legal Planet blog

September 17, 2009

The University of California, Berkeley, School of Law and UCLA School of Law said earlier this year that they've launched a blog called Legal Planet that provides insight and analysis on climate change, energy, and environmental law and policy. The

State's high court upholds firings here

Sharply divided justices rule 5-4 against former Nova Services employees

September 17, 2009

Kim Crompton

The Washington state Supreme Court has upheld, on a 5-4 ruling, a Spokane County Superior Court judge's dismissal of a wrongful termination lawsuit brought against Nova Services, of Spokane, by a number of its former employees.The ruling a 2-1 a

William Powell: 53 years as a lawyer, and still counting

First-ever Superior Court case ended in Washington Supreme Court, in victory

September 17, 2009

David Cole

William J. Powell enrolled in law school just to see if he liked being a lawyer. It turned out he did. Now, Powell, who graduated from the University of Washington's law school in 1956, has been practicing for 53 years, and continues today at &

E-discovery curbs pretrial paper work, not data

Amount of information, complexity of searches create work for specialists

September 17, 2009

Mike McLean

In a growing number of legal disputes, opposing parties are now sharing relevant information—a pretrial phase called discovery—in the form of computer files. While some forms of electronic discovery have become routine, others involving &