Latest News

Froyo mojo hits Inland Northwest

At least four frozen-yogurt stores open within nine months

March 24, 2011

Frozen yogurt is making a comeback in the Inland Northwest.While a number of frozen yogurt—also referred to as froyo—shops faded away from the area in the late 1990s and early 2000s, at least four new frozen yogurt shops have popped up

Sirti metamorphosis in works

Proposal would combine it with Seattle counterpart

March 24, 2011

Kim Crompton

Sirti, the Spokane-based Washington state economic development agency that's focused on accelerating the development and growth of innovative technology companies, now is taking steps aimed at ensuring its own long-term presence here—though in

Elephant-sized mutual funds are slow to adapt, but steady

Although behemoth funds lack agility, strong ones are reliable, easy to track

March 24, 2011

Personal Investing

Would you rather follow an elephant or a jackrabbit into the stock market?Elephant-sized stock mutual funds trumpet loudly and leave big footprints but often trail the more agile smaller funds that can hop around swiftly with the these behemoths

In the News: March 24, 2011

March 24, 2011

March 16 / Command Center reports smaller loss Command Center Inc., the Post Falls-based temporary staffing company, reported a net loss of $1.6 million, or 3 cents a diluted share, for all of 2010, compared with a loss of $6.0 or 16

Calendar: March 24, 2011

March 24 - April 7, 2011

March 24, 2011

Meetings & Events The Gonzaga University School of Business will host a LaunchPad Inland Northwest networking event titled Networking Madness on Thursday, March 24, from 5 to 8 p.m., at the McCarthey Athletic Center on the Gonzaga The

Anastasi & Moore has grown faster than it accounted for

8-year-old accounting firm has ramped up to14 CPAs; more are likely to be added

March 10, 2011

Linn Parish

When Spokane accounting firm Anastasi & Moore PLLC moved into its current office space on the periphery of downtown, the principals put a pool table, dart board, and a few other recreational items in a big room in the back. After all, if their were

IRS steps up its regulation of tax-return preparer industry

Anyone paid to prepare return now must be registered, use ID number

March 10, 2011

Gaylene Lewin

While the hundreds of tax-law changes have been duly noted at this stage, little attention has been given to new rules governing paid tax-return preparers by the Internal Revenue Service.Early in 2010, the Internal Revenue Service made findings

Experts: Don't delay estate planning

Directives should include contingencies for disability that could occur at any age, advisers say

March 10, 2011

Mike McLean

Estate planning isn't just for the ailing and elderly.It should start as soon as someone has responsibilities in life, says Paul Viren, managing principal at Viren & Associates Inc., a Spokane financial planning firm.An estate plan ensures be

Spokane rises in donation rankings

In 2010, city came in 64th out of 273 communities, outpacing Tacoma, Boise

March 10, 2011

Spokane moved up markedly in the third annual ranking of Most Generous Online Cities, outpacing similar-sized cities in the Northwest in the 2010 survey conducted by Austin, Texas-based Convio Inc.With about $4,900 in donations per 1,000 people

Offering more ways to give back

More nonprofits set up funds; group now manages $61 million in assets

March 10, 2011

Chey Scott

Inland Northwest Community Foundation, the Spokane-based nonprofit that manages assets for charitable organizations and donors in 20 counties throughout Eastern Washington and North Idaho, says it has seen recent growth in some types of funds it as