Government

Costco environmental decision appealed

Planner says finding not likely to be overturned

July 20, 2017

A resident of the Camelot neighborhood, located across the Newport Highway from the planned Costco site north of Spokane, wants a more thorough environmental review of the project. Tom Cooney, a retired attorney, has appealed the county's findings-ca

Spokane Tribe preps for industrial push

Spokanes envision 155-acre 'green' business park, solar farm next to STEP site

July 20, 2017

The Spokane Tribe of Indians is laying the ground for its next ambitious step on the West Plains-developing a 155-acre 'greenâ€ industrial park to support its goal of creating its own utility company that would generate and distribute solar energy.

Spokane International Airport passenger counts, revenues outpace 2016

Increases through April exceed budget forecast

July 6, 2017

LeAnn Bjerken

A preliminary financial report released last month shows revenue and passenger counts at Spokane International Airport are on the rise, with data showing consolidated revenues of nearly $11.5 million through April, about 7.1 percent above budget. Todd W

Film industry back from the dead as Z Nation enters fourth season

Eleventh-hour renewal of state incentive program draws cheers

July 6, 2017

LeAnn Bjerken

The future of the film industry here looks bright, and the dead are still very much alive in the Spokane area, as crews begin shooting the fourth season of Z Nation, a show on the Syfy television network. The show, which began production for the new sea

Combating elder fraud

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

June 22, 2017

LeAnn Bjerken

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