Latest News

State Bank Northwest expands into more rural communities

Rockford office is second of three branches planned in farming communities

December 16, 2021

State Bank Northwest has opened a new loan production center in downtown Rockford, about 15 miles south of Spokane Valley. The new office, located at the southwest corner of Emma Street and First Street in Rockford, opened on Dec. 1 within a building

AllWest Engineering appoints new leaders

Engineering company names new CEO, COO

December 16, 2021

Erica Bullock

AllWest Testing & Engineering LLC, a Hayden-based engineering, environmental, and construction materials testing company, has promoted two employees, James Thomasson and Taryn Perry, to C-suite leadership roles. Thomasson, 42, is becoming AllWest's

Cancer Care Northwest expands services in Lewiston

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December 16, 2021

Karina Elias

Spokane Valley-based Cancer Care Northwest has partnered with St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, in Lewiston, Idaho, to offer radiation oncology physician services to patients in the Lewis-Clark Valley and surrounding area. The partnership brings

Air cargo volumes increase at Spokane International

Inbound freight outpaces outbound activity at airport

December 16, 2021

Erica Bullock

Air cargo transported in and out of Spokane International Airport has increased through the first nine months of this year, according to data provided by the airport. Airport data for the year through September, the most recent month available, shows

Slower retail growth likely in post-stimulus economy

Federal assistance helped sales soar in early 2021

December 16, 2021

Karina Elias

Retail sales for Spokane County and the state of Washington soared this year, but slower growth is expected in 2022, says Patrick Jones, executive director at the Institute of Public Policy and Economic Analysis at Eastern Washington University.

Health care systems brace for unknowns in new year

Lessons learned early in pandemic reducing ongoing fiscal impact

December 16, 2021

Karina Elias

It has been another financially volatile year for the health care industry in Spokane. With the discovery of the omicron variant, there are still too many unknowns to forecast what is in store for hospitals in 2022, say health care officials.

INW job growth expected to build upon 2021's gains

National, international factors threaten to slow employment demand, though, some here say

December 16, 2021

Linn Parish

Inland Northwest employers regained the jobs they shed during the pandemic-induced recession and are likely to build upon those gains in 2022, Spokane economists say. The Spokane-Spokane Valley metropolitan area had 260,000 jobs in October, the most

Cyberattack threats likely to increase in new year

Focus on digital security anticipated in tech sector

December 16, 2021

Erica Bullock

Cyberattacks and data breaches likely will increase in 2022, warns Heather Stratford, CEO of Stronger International Inc. 'Cybersecurity remains one of the hottest and most important issues for any executive team to tackle in 2021, and 2022 will see

Busy construction season projected for new year

Scarcity of some materials, workforce challenges could slow activity, observers say

December 16, 2021

Erica Bullock

The commercial construction sector had a strong start in 2021, and the 2022 construction season will bring continued growth of warehouses, manufacturing, and distribution centers, industry observers here say. Cheryl Stewart, executive director of the

RiverBank names new CEO

Wilson promoted from chief banking officer at bank in U District

December 16, 2021

Staff Report

Spokane-based RiverBank Holding Co., the parent company of RiverBank, has named Michael F. Wilson as its new CEO. Wilson succeeds Mark Dresback, who died unexpectedly on Nov. 4. Wilson, who most recently served as chief banking officer at RiverBank