While national analysts and trade groups say many big retail chains are facing a tough holiday-sales environment this year, some local retailers here are forecasting a jollierin some cases, a much jollierseason. One wouldnt think that a a

Kim Hotstart Manufacturing Co., a longtime Spokane maker of electric pre-heaters for diesel engines, says that thanks to a series of big breaks this summer, a relatively new product it developed for railroad locomotives is on track to bring in $1 a

A dollar might not buy as much as it once did, but a flood of new dollar-retail outlets will be peddling more stuff for a buck in the Spokane market soon. Three dollar-store chains have solid plans to expand their presence here in the next six

Many of the workers whove been set adrift by the regions recessionary economy are washing up at community colleges here, and the schools are scrambling to address the needs of that group. Some vocational and technical training programs in a

Around five times a week, Sally Nowak puts on training seminars for fellow Agilent Technologies Inc. employees in Australia, Germany, Singapore, and numerous other locations around the world.Dont get carried away dreaming about how youd her

Spokane businessman Rick Woodbury believes hes come up with a product that will revolutionize the automotive industry. Theres just one obstacle: He needs $20 million to begin mass-producing it.The product is an all-electric commuter car, to

Competition in the automotive sport-utility market continues to rev up, as at least 11 new SUVs will drive onto the playing field for the 2003 model year, along with a host of new midsize sedans and high-performance sports cars.From the sporty

A coalition of alternative-fuel advocates that last year proposed constructing a biodiesel-fuel manufacturing complex here now is envisioning a larger facility and is launching an effort to find ways to make the development feasible.The which a

Lifestream Technologies Inc.s auditing firm recently expressed substantial doubt as to the Post Falls companys ability to continue as a going concern, based on its operating losses and slim revenues. The auditor, BDO Seidman LLPs says

Kaiser Aluminum Corp. faces a Feb. 1 deadline to begin paying early-retirement benefits to up to 300 members of the United Steelworks union here, but a union official says hes not holding his breath thatll happen. Jan. 31st is three or it