Technology

Itron invests in STEM education curriculum

Course details relationship between energy and water

July 14, 2016

Throughout its history, Liberty Lake-based Itron Inc. has encouraged utilities to invest in automated meter-reading equipment and other technologies that improve efficiency and conservation. Now, the company also is encouraging students to invest in STE

Farm microbe producer to move to new building

Tainio Technology to put its operations under one roof

June 30, 2016

Mike McLean

Tainio Technology & Technique Inc., a Cheney-based pioneer of biological agricultural and farm products, has broken ground on a new $1.5 million headquarters building, says Amy Becker, the company's vice president of marketing. The 15,000-square-foot b

E-payment center plans move to larger Valley space

Merchant e-Solutions now employs 90 people here

June 30, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

Merchant e-Solutions Inc. plans to move its Spokane Valley operations center to a larger, more open office space this summer. Nearing the end of its lease at 920 N. Argonne Road, the Atlanta-based electronic payment acceptance and management company, pl

Sterling International debuts clip-on repellent

Wearable device releases anti-mosquito fragrance

June 30, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

Spokane Valley-based Sterling International Inc. has debuted its latest product, a clip-on mosquito repellent. Called the GoClip, the device is designed to fend off insects while attached to a shirt collar, waistband, shorts pocket, hat, or lanyard. S

Developer Ron Wells expects two-year delay for Ridpath project

Redevelopment awaits bankruptcy resolution

June 30, 2016

Mike McLean

Spokane developer Ron Wells says he has fresh financing and strong local and state support to convert the shuttered Ridpath Hotel into a downtown housing complex, but he's bracing for another two-year delay in getting the project started. 'We have a

Tech innovation booster buys Coeur d'Alene Elks Building

New owner plans to add space, renovate structure

June 16, 2016

Mike McLean

A group led by Innovation Collective LLC owner Nick Smoot has bought the long-vacant Elks Building in downtown Coeur d'Alene. Smoot says the building will be home to Coeur d'Alene-based Innovation Collective activities, including teaching, mentoring,

Inland Northwest aerospace hiring expected to cool

Sector is slowing to 'catch its breath,' economist says

June 16, 2016

Inland Northwest aerospace manufacturers and industry observers expect hiring within the sector to slow in the next few years. Doug Tweedy, Spokane-based regional economist for the Washington state Employment Security Department, says hiring in aerospace

Powering drones at Vertical Partners Northwest

Commercial battery sales expected to overtake hobby sector

June 16, 2016

Mike McLean

Though Rathdrum-based Vertical Partners West LLC has become a major supplier of batteries and chargers to remote-controlled model hobbyists during the last 15 years, commercial sales driven by the surging drone market could overtake the hobby sales this y

LightSpeed Networks to extend fiber optics to Spokane

Portland company also targets Tri-Cities, Yakima

June 2, 2016

A privately owned Portland-based fiber optic company plans to expand into Eastern Washington and rural locations across the state. LightSpeed Networks Inc. says it will bring LS Networks to more businesses and residential customers in Spokane, Tri-Cities

Spokane Valley manufacturer CXT begins partnership with hydroponics company

Containers set up to grow produce in harsh climates

May 19, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

Spokane Valley-based CXT Inc. has begun a new manufacturing partnership with Vertical Harvest Hydroponics LLC, an Anchorage, Alaska-based company that designs and builds what are called containerized growing systems. Containerized growing systems are co