Latest News

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

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

Drug-testing lab fills growing niche

Coeur d'Alene business aims for $6 million in sales, up to five new locations in 2009

February 12, 2009

Jeanne Gustafson

Global Drug Testing Labs Inc. is growing quickly, increasing its sales dramatically over the last four years in what it says is a "recession-proof" niche. Drug use bucks economic trends, increasing in both good times and bad, says Ken Smith, the

Photo courtesy of Spokane Public Schools

Education stimulus scope said not likely to match hope

GSI compiles inventory of 297 possible projects proposed here

February 12, 2009

Jeanne Gustafson

As Congress edges closer to passing a federal stimulus package that could send as much as $250 million to Washington state for K-12 and higher education, school districts and others have been guessing at the parameters of the final disbursements no

Low-cost heart screenings offered in Cd'A

February 12, 2009

Kootenai Heart Center, in Coeur d'Alene, is providing low-cost screenings this month to measure patients' risk factors for heart disease.The screenings are open to everyone, but the main focus is to encourage women to be more aware of their many

Health-care benefit survival tactics for employers to mull

Taking some basic steps can help corral expenses, keep employees engaged

February 12, 2009

Nancy Kokenge

Health-care benefits can make up nearly one-third of a company's total payroll expense. As employers face challenging economic times, there are ways they can get a handle on this ever-growing cost while still keeping employees engaged and despite a