Government

Combating elder fraud

Edward D. Jones group focuses on seniors, retirement issues in D.C. trip

June 22, 2017

With cases of elder financial fraud on the rise, Edward D. Jones & Co., one of the nation's leading suppliers of financial services for individual investors, sent 85 employee volunteers to Washington, D.C., last month to meet with legislators to discuss

Tekoa touts rail trail

Small town sees economic hope in former railroad line

June 22, 2017

Mike McLean

A small group of Tekoa-based boosters of the John Wayne Pioneer Trail hope a tentative agreement they've reached with owners of farmland between their town and the North Idaho town of Plummer will connect a three-state network of rail trails. The group

Douglass family members request five comprehensive plan amendments

Changes seek to increase levels of land development

June 22, 2017

Mike McLean

Prominent Spokane developers Harlan Douglass and his sons, Harley and Lanzce, are seeking a total of five amendments to the Spokane County comprehensive land-use plan. One request seeks to tweak language to clarify that development of access from major m

City explores housing quality action

Next public meeting will be held June 30

June 22, 2017

City of Spokane officials are reaching out to community organizations and residents this month to gather input about housing quality in the city. Three public meetings have been held in June to review recommendations offered by Mayor David Condon's Hou

Coeur d'Alene begins City Hall renovations

$1.9 million project slated to be completed by late fall

June 8, 2017

Mike McLean

The City of Coeur d'Alene has launched a $1.9 million remodel project of its City Hall building, at 710 E. Mullan, at the east end of the city's central business district. The intent of the project is to prolong the life of the City Hall building in

Appraiser shortage hits both private, public sectors

Profession has been losing workforce in recent years

June 8, 2017

Mike McLean

Filling a national shortage of real estate appraisers comes down to a matter of compensation catching up with demand, says Michael Robinson, owner of Hearthstone Appraisal PLLC, of Spokane. He adds, however, that some forces within the industry don't

Spokane County preps for $19 million in Bigelow Gulch projects

Official says projects will improve, widen roadway

June 8, 2017

LeAnn Bjerken

The Spokane County Public Works Department plans to start two projects worth a combined total of $19 million as part of its continuing work on Bigelow Gulch and Forker roads. Martha Lou Wheatley-Billeter, Spokane County's public works information and o

Work on Riverfront Park projects hits full stride

Ice ribbon, structure set for November completion

June 8, 2017

The city of Spokane parks department says it plans to open the new Riverfront Park ice rink-and ticket office for the rink and Skyride facility-in November. 'The desire is to make the ice ribbon a destination place as the holidays approach,â€ says

Spokane's road work backlog: Year of the big fix

Extreme wet winter, spring compound annual breakup

June 8, 2017

Mike McLean

Although a number of long-planned transportation system improvements are underway, it likely will take much of this road construction season-if not longer-for street crews to complete urgent repairs of winter and spring water damage. In Spokane, the

City, Brown Building Materials prepare to meet in court

Eminent domain meant to clear hurdle for MLK Way

May 25, 2017

An eminent domain case involving the city of Spokane and B-ONE LLC, which operates Brown Building Materials, and pertaining to key property next to the Spokane River near downtown, now is scheduled to go to trial on Oct. 9. The petition, filed by the cit