Latest News

Ruling on big attorney fee award here partly reversed

High court finding stems from employment-related suit

October 21, 2010

A sizable contingency fee owed to a Spokane attorney who represented a woman here who obtained a $5 million settlement in an employment-discrimination lawsuit should be based on that amount rather than a larger satisfaction-of-judgment sum, the has

Staff photo by Mike McLean, inset photo by Zac Crawford

Another iron in the fire

October 21, 2010

Mike McLean

Steve McGrew, an inventor and entrepreneur known here for his involvement in companies pursuing new technologies, also is grounded firmly in the ancient art of metal working.McGrew is just as likely to be found using a forge in his blacksmith a

DOT secures $2 million for U.S. 195 project

$10.5 million interchange job begins with design, right-of-way purchases

October 21, 2010

Kim Frlan

The Washington state Department of Transportation has received about $2 million in grants to begin design work and right-of-way acquisitions for a planned $10.5 million interchange at U.S. 195 and Cheney-Spokane Road, in southwest Spokane.The be

Five-story building proposed downtown

Kofmehl Inc.'s structure on Second would include office condos, residences

October 21, 2010

Mike McLean

A Spokane developer and contractor is proposing to build a five-story, 64,000-square-foot building downtown that would include a mix of residential, office, and retail space, as well as covered parking, preliminary documents on file with the city

Clearwater set to raise $375 million

Spokane-based concern to use funds to finance announced acquisition

October 21, 2010

Chey Scott

Clearwater Paper Corp., the big Spokane-based maker of tissue and paperboard products, says it plans to raise $375 million in a private placement of senior notes, to help pay for its planned acquisition of Georgia-based Cellu Tissue Holdings Inc. .

Avista sets energy summit

Oct. 28 session to delve into sweeping issues affecting utilities today

October 21, 2010

Richard Ripley

Avista Corp., dealing with widespread change that's affecting the utility industry but isn't always unique to it, will hold an interactive summit, titled Powering Our Future, with hundreds of community leaders and customers here Oct. 28.Major as

WTB leads in market share again

Sterling tumbles to third in annual FDIC report; deposits slide 15 percent

October 21, 2010

Kim Crompton

After a two-year absence, Washington Trust Bank has moved back into its customary position as the leader in bank deposits in Spokane County, says an annual market share report released earlier this month by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.The

Retailers hopeful for the holidays

Seasonal sales expected to rise 2.3 percent over last year

October 21, 2010

Chey Scott

Retailers say they're bullish about this year's holiday shopping season, despite lingering fears some consumers might still have over the nation's economic struggles."We aren't pessimistic about the economy. We think sales for us will be double

Palouse wind-turbine farm eyed

Boston company plans $170 million project near Oakesdale

October 21, 2010

Richard Ripley

A Boston company says it expects to receive a conditional-use permit from Whitman County in the second quarter of 2011 to construct a $170 million wind-turbine farm about seven miles west of Oakesdale, Wash.The company, First Wind LLC, says it a

Truly socially responsible investments are hard to find

Underlying beliefs vary; no-nos broader than just no alcohol, tobacco, guns

October 21, 2010

Personal Investing

No one said socially responsible investing was perfect.Just as a number of funds with ethical goals made the mistake of holding Enron stock a few years back, many this year owned BP Plc stock when the company's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as