The Spokane Colleges Foundation has named Paul Read, publisher of the Spokane Journal of Business and Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, as the 2026 Distinguished Alumni of the Year.

A handful of companies across Eastern Washington and North Idaho have raised millions of dollars in recent months, with the majority of funding falling outside the traditional angel- or venture-backed technology, health care, and consumer industries.

An 87,000-square-foot industrial multitenant warehouse building is under construction at Spokane Valley-based Crown West Realty’s Barker Logistics Center project in Spokane Valley.