David Cole

Specialty hospital starts big expansion

Physician-owned operation in Post Falls wants to grow in case restrictions pass

October 1, 2009

Motivated partly by the fear that national health-care reform could limit its ability to grow, Post Falls-based Northwest Specialty Hospital is spending $7 million to expand its facilities, says CEO Ron Rock.The physician-owned surgical which in

Hotel stats look good, in context

Visitors Bureau sees Spokane faring better than comparable areas

October 1, 2009

David Cole

The hotel industry, slammed by the recession, is faring better in Spokane County than in other Northwest urban counties in some categories, the Spokane Regional Convention & Visitors Bureau says, citing statistics compiled by Smith Travel Research

Western United curbs annuity sales until economy improves

Repositioned concern hopes to grow once market for main product revives

September 17, 2009

David Cole

Western United Life Assurance Co., a former subsidiary of now-defunct Metropolitan Mortgage & Securities Co., says its assets are growing and it's expanding its network of agents, but for now is strategically slowing the sale of its sole the U.S. a

William Powell: 53 years as a lawyer, and still counting

First-ever Superior Court case ended in Washington Supreme Court, in victory

September 17, 2009

David Cole

William J. Powell enrolled in law school just to see if he liked being a lawyer. It turned out he did. Now, Powell, who graduated from the University of Washington's law school in 1956, has been practicing for 53 years, and continues today at &

Star Label sticks contract with Costco for food labels

Three-year agreement expected to be worth $9 million to $11 million

September 17, 2009

David Cole

Star Label Co., a Spokane Valley label manufacturer, says retail giant Costco Wholesale Corp., of Issaquah, Wash., has given it a three-year contract to continue making labels for the chain's meat, bakery, and deli departments nationwide.Diana a

Motorsports store expands its service area

September 17, 2009

David Cole

KDR Powersports LLC, a motorcycle, all-terrain vehicle, and snowmobile sales and service business, is expanding and remodeling its showroom and plans to move its service department to larger quarters in an adjacent building.Co-owner Dexter says

Contineo opens office in Texas

Spokane company says 30 percent of 2008 sales came from that region

September 17, 2009

David Cole

Contineo Technologies Inc., a Spokane technology company, has opened an office in Fort Worth, Texas, in response to what it sees as a growth opportunity in that region of the U.S.The nine-year-old company, which employs 13 people here, in data a

Appliance rebates spark mixed views

Anticipated arrival of $300 million might be hurting demand now

September 17, 2009

David Cole

Appliance dealers here say an anticipated federal program that will provide rebates to consumers who buy qualified energy-efficient home appliances should boost sales, but for now might be dampening demand as buyers wait for details of the program

Taking steps to 'go green'

More than just saving energy, businesses here are finding ways to be more eco-friendly

September 3, 2009

David Cole

While it's become common for businesses to seek energy efficiency by upgrading lighting, windows, and air systems, what's less known are the other, often innovative, efforts they're making to "go green." And they say those things aren't just the to

Photo courtesy of Paula Davenport, Kootenai Health

Kootenai Health purchases brain-monitoring machine

Device works to help identify patients with hard-to-spot seizures

September 3, 2009

David Cole

Kootenai Health, of Coeur d'Alene, has purchased a brain-monitoring machine that tracks the brain's electrical activity in critically ill, sometimes comatose patients, warning caregivers of neurological deterioration before it becomes new device is