Latest News

Sales weaken for high-tech manufacturers

Companies combat lull with job cutback, efforts to broaden customer base

July 2, 2009

High-tech manufacturers here have seen sales decline in 2009, causing them to cut jobs, seek new markets, and mine current accounts for new opportunities.Meanwhile, the sales outlook for the rest of the year is hard to read, but looks like more a

Wanted: your children

Day cares here face lagging demand in down economy

July 2, 2009

Jeanne Gustafson

Day-care services here are struggling with falling demand, as people pull their children from centers and services located in homes because they are out of work."We've had a massive amount of calls from child cares starting about a month ago a &

Economy puts brakes on exec pay

Overall compensation falls 3.6 percent; base pay drops sharply

July 2, 2009

Paul Read and Paul Read

Executive pay at publicly traded companies here fell last year for the first time since 2000, as the beleaguered economy caused corporate performance—now a bigger factor in how execs are paid—to swoon.Many public companies now base pay

In The News: July 2, 2009

July 2, 2009

June 23 / City Council votes to buy YMCA The Spokane City Council voted to approve the purchase of the YMCA, at 507 N. Howard, next to Spokane's Riverfront Park. The council approved an interfund loan of up to $4.4 million from the to

Emerging markets boom so far this year, but remain risky

They're up more than 50 percent, but still well down from a year ago

July 2, 2009

Personal Investing

ices of double-mud chocolate-brownie cake offered to you by restaurant servers at the end of your meal.You run the risk of a severe stomachache later, but they sound so good it's hard to resist.In 2009, emerging markets mutual funds are up an

Red Diamond wins 37th Avenue project

July 2, 2009

Jeanne Gustafson

Red Diamond Construction Inc., of Spokane Valley, has been awarded a $2 million contract by the city of Spokane to reconstruct 37th Avenue between Regal and Perry streets on Spokane's South Hill.The project along that well-traveled 1-mile of is

Ask the right questions when picking a property manager

Investment real estate owners will be happier if they do this analysis

July 2, 2009

Colin C. Conway

The two primary goals of investment real estate owners should be to protect their assets and increase net operating income. If you plan to select a property-management company to help you achieve those goals, and to handle the day-to-day oversight

Inland wins $5.7 million in DOT stimulus projects

About 12 miles of U.S. 2 to be repaved, along with 2.3 miles of state Route 206

July 2, 2009

Jeanne Gustafson

Inland Asphalt Co., of Spokane, has landed two Washington state Department of Transportation paving contracts worth a combined $5.7 million, to repave about 14 miles of two roadways north of Spokane, including a stretch of U.S. 2. Both projects

Cd'A tribe plans to expand resort - Art Only

July 2, 2009

The Coeur d'Alene Tribe plans a $75 million expansion of its Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort Hotel, in Worley, Idaho, in a project that includes the addition of 105 hotel rooms in two wings overlooking Circling Raven Golf Club, as illustrated here. of

Real Estate Roundup

July 2, 2009

Mike McLean

Intermountain Fabricators Inc., a Spokane Valley metal fabricator, has bought a 12,000-square-foot parcel at 2206 N. Fancher, west of its current location at 6014 E. Knox, for potential future expansion. Anne Betow, of NAI Black, and Sam Morse, of