Latest News

Ambassadors Group trims 40 more people from payroll

Recent cutbacks part of 'rightsizing' that lopped off 69

February 26, 2009

Ambassadors Group Inc., of Spokane, completed a downsizing last month when it reduced its payroll by about 40 people.Their departure meant the company had cut its employment rolls by a net of 69 workers since the end of 2007, leaving Ambassadors

Startup seeks to put 'touch' into touch screens

HapticTouch technology provides tactile response akin to keyboards

February 26, 2009

David Cole

Pacinian Corp., a Spokane startup, believes it's at the cusp of a breakthrough that users of cell phones and other computing devices will love to get their fingers on. "It's like black magic," says Jim Schlosser, Pacinian's CEO. "We're tricking

Construction loans available, but not readily

Lenders requiring tenant agreements, bigger cash stake on developer's part

February 26, 2009

Mike McLean

Is there really any financing available right now for commercial projects?That question seems to be rising these days more often than scaffolding. The answer, say both developers and financial institutions, is yes—but with a far more eye on

Apartments stay afloat in recession

Market considered tight despite slight rise in vacancy rates

February 26, 2009

Mike McLean

Daren Kelly, who with his wife, Lisa, owns and manages a modest collection of small apartment buildings through a company called Noble Mansions, says he's having no trouble keeping the units occupied so far amid the lingering recession.In fact,

Courtesy of Conventional Wisdom Corp. and ALSC Architects PS.

PFD unveils a new master plan

Long-term expansion ideas emerge for downtown facilities

February 26, 2009

Richard Ripley

The Spokane Public Facilities District has released a new master plan that includes several potential scenarios for expansion of convention facilities here, green ideas on how to tie its facilities to the Spokane River and Riverfront Park, and a or

Thanks for Lighthouse support

Guest Commentary

February 12, 2009

Kirk Adams

Last September, I participated in the dedication of the Inland Northwest Lighthouse (INL), in Spokane. What previously had been a rundown grocery store was transformed into a new manufacturing operation, offering the promise of much-needed jobs for

Professionals here learn about sustainable building

Experts teach design, construction, operations with bias toward green

February 12, 2009

David Cole

Engineers, architects, real estate developers, building contractors, and other professionals are enrolling in a young program offered through the Institute for Extended Learning here that prepares students to advise their employers and clients on a

UI professors to study how ethnicity affects business sector in Macedonia

February 12, 2009

Kim Crompton

Two University of Idaho professors, Harley Johansen and Michele O'Neill, have landed a $20,000 U.S. State Department grant to investigate how ethnicity plays into the development of businesses in the southeastern European and former communist of is

Graham builds data center for WSU's supercomputer

$1.4 million renovation under way in Riverpoint classroom building here

February 12, 2009

Mike McLean

Washington State University says it plans to open a data center on the Riverpoint Campus here that will house the supercomputer it uses to do contract research.It already has begun work on the center, which will be located in the Phase I that's

Lots of layoffs at restaurants seen coming

Number of workers who could lose their jobs said well into the thousands

February 12, 2009

Thousands of restaurant workers could face layoffs in coming months, according to a recent survey of restaurant owners.More than half of restaurant owners and managers who responded to a recent Washington Restaurant Association member survey to