The Washington State Legislature has allocated $2 million to Maddie’s Place, a Spokane-based nonprofit.

The Spokane Valley Event Center, located at 10514 E. Sprague, has been rebranded to The Venue by Red Rock Events.

Tacoma, Washington-based Columbia Banking System Inc., the parent company of Umpqua Bank, has agreed to acquire Irvine, California-based Pacific Premier Bancorp Inc. in a $2 billion transaction.

The Spokane City Council passed the "Ban the Address" ordinance during its legislative session this week.

The city of Spokane has been awarded $2.8 million from the Washington State Department of Commerce for solar, battery backup, and electric vehicle charging stations at the Spokane Water Department.

Total employment in the Spokane-Spokane Valley Metropolitan Statistical Area decreased by 500 jobs for the 12 months ending in March, according to preliminary data from the Washington state Employment Security Department.

Visit Spokane will host the Washington Education Association Representative Assembly this week, from April 24-26, at the Spokane Convention Center.

W.T.B. Financial Corp. has reported first-quarter net income of about $17.1 million, an increase of about $5.7 million over the year-earlier quarter, but a decrease of about $3.8 million from Q4 last year.