Special Report

HUD to close Spokane office in consolidation

Seattle bureau to provide federal agency's services to Inland Northwest clients

June 6, 2013

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development plans to close its Spokane field office as the federal agency restructures its programs to reduce costs, says Lee Jones, a Seattle-based spokesman for the federal agency.HUD will offer options

Shamrock garners project to repave stretch of SR 291

Crews will work at night to avoid lane restrictions during days, DOT says

June 6, 2013

Jessica Valencia

The Washington state Department of Transportation has awarded Shamrock Paving Inc., of Spokane, a $3.8 million project to repave an 11-mile stretch of state Route 291, says DOT spokesman Al Gilson.The project will extend between Division Street

â€”Rendering courtesy of Architects West Inc.

Coeur d'Alene school district awards $9.2 million in project

T.W. Clark, Ginno awarded construction projects scheduled for Canfield, Sorensen schools

June 6, 2013

Mike McLean

The Coeur d'Alene School District has awarded two contracts totaling $9.2 million to Spokane and Coeur d'Alene contractors for construction projects planned at Canfield Middle School and Sorensen Magnet School, says Laura Rumpler, spokeswoman for a

Construction jobs increase in Spokane

Growth here keeps pace with state; employment drops in Coeur d'Alene

June 6, 2013

Construction employment increased in 170 out of 339 metropolitan areas, including Spokane and Seattle, in April compared with the year-earlier month, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released late last month by the Associated

Price-point diversity drives momentum at Lewis Construction

Lewis Construction sees strong demand for both affordable, custom homes

June 6, 2013

Mike McLean

Spokane homebuilder Tim Lewis, president and founder of Lewis Construction & Development Inc., says the ability to construct homes at multiple price points has carried his company through the recession and sputtering recovery.Lewis, a former in

Cheaper U.S. energy said helping manufacturers compete

Increase in natural gas production contributing to favorable price trend

May 23, 2013

Market Wired

The U.S. manufacturing industry is competing globally again, thanks to lower natural gas prices and a renaissance in the oil and gas energy sector, said panelists at a recent "Perspectives on the Energy Industry" forum sponsored by Houston-based of

Conveyor maker here views acquisition as springboard

Concern handles equipment for parcel distribution sites of UPS, FedEx in five states

May 23, 2013

Treva Lind

Opportunity Industries Inc., a Spokane Valley-based company that installs, maintains, and repairs conveyor systems for companies such as United Parcel Service and FedEx Corp., among others, is hoping a recent acquisition will help it broaden its at

Freight manager here rolls toward double-digit growth

Increasing demand said contributing to Fast Way division's strong upswing

May 23, 2013

Jessica Valencia

Compass Distributing LLC, a division of Fast Way Freight System Inc. that's doing business as Compass Freight Management, is on track to see a 60 percent increase in revenue for 2013 compared with last year, says Fast Way co-owner Mark handles its

Manufacturing job gains lag targeted pace, group says

Also, alliance-sponsored report asserts military too reliant on foreign suppliers

May 23, 2013

The latest monthly U.S.jobs reportshows America's manufacturing sectordidn't gain a single jobin April 2013, a setback in the effort to create 1 million new manufacturing jobs in the president's second term, says the Alliance for American Paul,

Manufacturer index shows large gains

Small businesses said making most investment in industrial machinery, equipment sector

May 23, 2013

U.S. small business manufacturingisgrowing again by inventing new industries and business processes, says PayNet, a small-business analytics and risk-management company. The PayNet Manufacturing Index, which measures the amount of investment &