Government

Research pilot explores industrial hemp

Questions on production, processing still linger

August 31, 2017

Last year, the passage of state Senate Bill 6206 made it possible for licensees to plant the first industrial hemp crop Washington state has seen in 90 years, through a research pilot program managed by the state's Department of Agriculture called the I

Rail facility project likely to relocate to new airport PDA

Long-planned transload site deemed too close to Fairchild

August 31, 2017

Mike McLean

One of the first infrastructure projects under consideration for the recently formed West Plains Public Development Authority might be the long-envisioned transload facility, says Spokane County Commissioner Al French. The facility won't be located, ho

Business license amnesty program nets 1,000 businesses

About 2K still noncompliant with need to register in city

August 31, 2017

The city of Spokane says the business registration amnesty program it set up has reduced by 1,000 the number of unregistered businesses that are located in the city or do business here. City taxes and license specialist Margaret Redd says there now are r

Truck driver electronic log deadline nears

Federal mandate scheduled to become effective Dec. 17

August 17, 2017

Kim Crompton

Spokane-area trucking company executives say they expect to be in compliance with a new electronic logging device mandate by its Dec. 18 effective date, although some have mixed feelings about the controversial federal requirement. The new rule requires

HiTest Sand shifts gears in site search

Edmonton company looks at location near Newport

August 17, 2017

Mike McLean

Edmonton, Alberta-based HiTest Sand Inc. is working on Plan C in its search for a site to develop a $300 million silicon smelter in northeastern Washington HiTest Sand now is looking at a site south of Newport, says Colin Willenbrock, general manager of

Marijuana sales in Spokane County jumped in fiscal 2017

Growth rate was far less than prior year's surge

August 3, 2017

LeAnn Bjerken

Marijuana retail sales in Spokane County increased by 57 percent during the 2017 Washington state fiscal year, which ended June 30. While sales continued to climb quickly in the latest 12-month period, the growth rate was down sharply from the 2016 fisca

Condon names city business development manager

Charlie Wolff to target new investment, job growth

August 3, 2017

Mike McLean

Spokane Mayor David Condon has appointed commercial real estate broker Charlie Wolff to be the city's business development manager. The position has been created as part of a strategic plan by the city to encourage new investment and job growth, says B

Study explores seniors' transportation challenges in Spokane

Nonprofit seeks to identify number of elderly in need

August 3, 2017

The Spokane office of nonprofit Special Mobility Services Inc. is in the early stages of using a $160,000 grant to study what it suspects are widespread, unmet transportation needs of senior residents living in Spokane County. The grant, which will go to

Summer job market hot for some Spokane-area youth

Age can be factor in rejections

August 3, 2017

What a difference a year makes, says Anna Charlton, especially when she thinks about the employment outcomes of her sons, Khanian and Ashton Charlton, this summer. Khanian, 18, just graduated from North Central High School and found summer work immediate

$12 million jail addition set in Kootenai County

Budget surplus to be used to fund 114-bed expansion

July 20, 2017

Mike McLean

Construction has started on a $12 million expansion for the Kootenai County Jail, in Coeur d'Alene. The expansion will add 114 beds in a 20,000-square-foot expansion to the jail at 5500 N. Government Way, bringing the total to 441 beds, says Kootenai C