Wal-Mart Stores Inc. employees in Spokane and North Idaho are signing up for additional work hours through a corporate program called Open Shifts, which enables many to move from part-time to full-time employment, the Bentonville, Ark.-based company says.

Even in the best of times, millions of Americans are unemployed. And tens of millions more are just one bit of bad news away.

With a record number of entering freshmen expected this fall, Eastern Washington University will close the application for admission to new freshmen on Aug. 1.

Age: 30 Job title/company: Director of community and neighborhood services, City of Spokane Education: BA in political science from Gonzaga University

Age: 34 Job title/company: Owner of Simply Northwest Education: BA from Eastern Washington University in social work and AA in business management and marketing

Age: 31 Job title/company: Founder and owner, Indaba Coffee Education: BA in finance and an MBA, both from Washington State University

Age: 34 Job title/company: Owner, managing broker, Prime Real Estate Group and One Property Management Education: Bachelor's degree, Gonzaga University, MBA, Gonzaga University