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Washington must work to keep edge in aerospace

Innovation, skilled workers are among high priorities

June 19, 2014

As more people take to the skies for business and pleasure, airlines around the globe will purchase nearly 30,000 jets during the next 20 years to accommodate world travel and to replace aging and less fuel-efficient aircraft. In order to meet this increa

Many tax incentives serve growing aviation industry

Environment favorable for 100-plus companies here

June 19, 2014

Jason Munn, Tom Sanger, and Marke Greene

Over the last several years, the aerospace industry has remained robust-and Spokane is no exception. Commercial airline orders are experiencing a multiyear backlog, production rates are increasing, and the combination of low interest rates and a high de

Aerostar Aircraft takes long, slow journey to make fast jet

Hayden concern seeks $50 million for domestic manufacturing of aircraft

June 19, 2014

Mike McLean

Three decades after the last new Aerostar airplane was manufactured, the current owners of Aerostar Aircraft Corp. still are working to carry out the vision of the plane's designer-to produce with the same basic airframe small jets for business and pe

Aerospace industry searches for skilled workers

Labor gap looms as many workers near retirement

June 19, 2014

Katie Ross

As demand for aerospace products rises worldwide, the industry here and across the state is experiencing a shortage of skilled workers, and the gap could continue to widen, industry leaders here say. Mike Marzetta, president of Liberty Lake-based Altek

Mammography bus expands capabilities, reach

Five-year-old vehicle here adds portable defibrillator

June 5, 2014

Kim Crompton

Providence Health Care's five-year-old mammography coach, which has seen recent growth in the number of mammograms it performs and is extending its reach into additional rural areas, soon also will be equipped with a portable defibrillator, giving it th

Ballet-inspired barre workout trend grows

Movements said to boost injury recovery, mental well-being

June 5, 2014

Katie Ross

The ballet-inspired barre workout, a recent craze in women's fitness, has made a home and grown in Spokane during the last several years with both franchised and independent studios. Barre workouts, Spokane Barre studio co-owner Courtney Wick says, mo

Combating county's high maternal smoking rate

Low income, other stressors contribute to gap, officials say

June 5, 2014

Judith Spitzer

Despite the well-known dangers of smoking cigarettes during pregnancy, the percentage of expectant women who smoked in Spokane County is almost twice the rate of pregnant smokers in Washington state as a whole, say Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD)

WSU students recognized for hydrogen-fuel station

Team's concept said to cut construction costs

May 22, 2014

Washington State University

A group of Washington State University students has designed a plan for an innovative and economical fueling station that it believes could help make environmentally friendly, hydrogen-powered cars a viable option for future transportation. The idea took

Firms here using European travel to promote design fields

Firms here join to launch scholarship for trip abroad

May 22, 2014

Katie Ross

The Spokane office of Seattle-based engineering firm DCI Engineers and Spokane architectural design concern Hurtado|Hissong Design Group LLC have teamed up to develop a scholarship that enables the recipient to travel Europe and blog about engineering and

Canadian design company agrees to acquire USKH

Acquisition strengthens Stantec in Northwest

May 22, 2014

Mike McLean

Canada-based design company Stantec has agreed to acquire Anchorage, Alaska-based architectural and engineering firm USKH Inc., which has a Spokane office. Bob Gomes, Stantec's CEO and president, said in a press release that USKH's prominence in Al