The Downtown Spokane Partnership applauds a ruling issued Friday by the U.S. Supreme Court that allows cities to ban camping in public places, while Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown calls for further investment in programs and services.

Third-quarter taxable retail sales in Spokane County increased to $3.9 billion, up 1.1% from the year-earlier period.

Home Depot takes steps to construct a long-anticipated home improvement retail store on the South Hill.

Alliant Insurance Services, an Irvine, California-based company with a presence in Spokane, has acquired Coeur d'Alene-based employee-benefits agency Advanced Benefits.