Government

Federal budget quietly cuts Social Security provision

File-and-suspend strategy to be eliminated in phases

December 3, 2015

The new federal budget contains a cut to Social Security benefits that could limit options for baby boomers close to retirement-and everybody who follows them. Hidden in the budget bill is a change to Social Security that eliminates file-and-suspend ru

Post Falls improves wastewater plant

$14.5 million in upgrades to aid biological treatment

December 3, 2015

Mike McLean

The City of Post Falls has started work on a $14.8 million upgrade project at its wastewater treatment plant, says Andrew Arbini, the city's utilities project manager. The project includes constructing a new headworks facility, two equalization tanks,

Larry Krauter: Piloting airport ops

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December 3, 2015

Linn Parish

Larry Krauter came to Spokane nearly five years ago to lead Spokane Airports, which includes Spokane International Airport, Felts Field, and the Spokane International Airport Business Park. Since then, Krauter has become a key figure in the Spokane busine

Spokane Public Facilities District is on pace for record net income

December 3, 2015

Through the first nine months of 2015, the three facilities owned and operated by the Spokane Public Facilities District generated more net income than in all of 2010, one of the district's most profitable years ever. The Spokane Convention Center, Spo

Crescent Court owner erred in tenant eviction, appeals court says

Ruling overturned against ex-Daiquiri Factory owner

November 19, 2015

A Washington state appellate court panel here has reversed a Spokane County Superior Court ruling that had favored the owner of the Crescent Building in downtown Spokane in a dispute with the tenant owner of the former Daiquiri Factory bar.

Sex shop violated Spokane Valley city code, court rules

Citizen complaint started inquiry at Erotic Boutique

November 19, 2015

The Washington State Court of Appeals has unanimously upheld a lower court ruling that viewing rooms in a sex shop don't conform to Spokane Valley municipal regulations.

The city of Spokane's mobile home debate

Councilman contends measure limits park owners; proponent disagrees

November 19, 2015

Outgoing Spokane City Councilman Mike Allen thinks the city violated its Comprehensive Plan when council members recently changed language in the plan in a way that he believes limits the ability of manufactured and mobile home parks to sell their propert

City of Coeur d'Alene considers moving ahead with Seltice Way project without federal funds

Grant constraints would slow work, add to costs

November 19, 2015

Mike McLean

The city of Coeur d'Alene is seeking $3.5 million from its urban renewal agency to reconstruct a 1.5-mile portion of Seltice Way in the west section of the city by 2017, rather than wait for federal funding, says Tony Berns, the agency's executive dir

Fairchild Air Force Base begins updating tanker instruments

Upgrades to give aircraft more modern avionics

November 19, 2015

LeAnn Bjerken

The first KC-135 Stratotanker has returned to the Fairchild Air Force Base after receiving what is known as the Block 45 upgrade, which includes cockpit instrument panel improvements and other changes intended to update the aircraft. A base spokeswoman w

Largest county taxpayers see rise in their annual bills

Avista holds top ranking among property owners

November 5, 2015

Tax bills levied on the top 50 property owners in Spokane County for 2015 totaled $49.5 million, up 6.4 percent from last year, county records show. That compares with a 4.4 percent increase in 2014, compared with the prior year's total tax bill for th