Bankruptcy filings in Eastern Washington rose last year to a record high, and some observers say the increase will continue.During 2000, businesses and individuals filed 8,357 petitions seeking protection from creditors in the U.S. Bankruptcy in

Deaconess Medical Center and Shriners Hospital for Children-Spokane are studying the idea of creating a joint childrens hospital, although little is being said publicly about what such a venture would entail.We have been in preliminary with

Crows Nest Entertainment Inc., of Spokane, has signed a pact with San Diego-based MP3.com Inc. through which it will begin selling and installing a new Web-based business music and advertising delivery service nationwide.Pat Stimpson, executive

Metropolitan Mortgage & Securities Co., the big Spokane-based financial-services company, has posted a loss applicable to common shareholders of about $12.2 million for its 2000 fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.The loss represented a sharp from a

Costco Wholesale Corp., the big Issaquah, Wash.-based membership warehouse chain, is attempting to buy the building near downtown Spokane that it will vacate next month after it opens a new, bigger outlet in the Spokane Valley.Kyle BrinJones, at

Shorewood Homes Inc., of Hayden Lake, Idaho, is asking the nearby city of Hayden to annex 115 acres of undeveloped property upon which it wants to build a $40 million residential subdivision.The construction and development company plans to 310

Lotions & Potions, it might be argued, is part of the lasting progeny of Spokanes environmentally themed Expo 74 worlds fair.Owner Lara Hollingshead started the skin-care-and-bath-products business in a tiny space in the rejuvenated Flour

Sandpoint-based retailer Coldwater Creek Inc. expects to open a dozen stores in its next fiscal year, which starts in March.The planned outlets will more than double the number of retail stores operated by the big mail-order and e-commerce which

Spokanes apartment market has weathered stormy conditions for several years, but finally, observers say, theres a break in the clouds.A recent survey conducted by Washington State University says apartment vacancy rates in the Spokane area 5

Jerry Hagood, co-founder of Kiemle & Hagood Co., one of the Inland Northwests largest commercial real estate and property-management concerns, has sold his remaining interest in the company to three other executives there.Tom Quigley, who had