April 17 / Governor signs car fee increase bill
Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law a bill that will allow new and used car dealers in Washington state to increase by $100, to a maximum of $150, the negotiable fees they charge for administrative costs associated with vehicle purchases. The law says the fees can be added to the price of a car to cover costs for collecting motor vehicle excise taxes; licensing, registration, and other agency fees; verifying and clearing titles; and perfecting, releasing, or satisfying liens or other security interests. The law takes effect July 26.

April 16 / Mall owner files Chapter 11
General Growth Properties Inc., the Chicago-based owner of more than 200 shopping malls, including three of the largest malls in the Spokane-Coeur d'Alene area, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as it sought more time to restructure its $27 billion in debt. Of the three General Growth malls here, the NorthTown Mall, on Spokane's North Side, and the Silver Lake Mall, in Coeur d'Alene, also filed separately for bankruptcy protection, while the Spokane Valley Mall did not. General Growth said that all of its malls remain fully open for business.

April 15 / Providence hospitals here cutting 19 managers
Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children's Hospital and Providence Holy Family Hospital announced they are cutting the full-time equivalent of 19 management positions this month due to anticipated state budget cuts, decreasing reimbursement for services, and a rise in uncompensated care due to a growing number of uninsured patients. The hospital said additional layoffs might be necessary to weather the recession.

April 14 / Deaconess announces layoffs, strategic plan
Deaconess Medical Center announced it will lay off about 90 employees as part of a strategic initiative designed to address a recession-related decline in patient volume for elective procedures and an increase in uninsured patients seeking treatment. The initiative includes plans for additional capital investments of $10 million for advanced medical technology and equipment, efforts to recruit medical specialists, enhancement of key services, and expense controls in areas unrelated to direct medical care.

April 14 / Employment falls, unemployment rate soars
Nonagricultural wage and salary employment in the Spokane metropolitan area fell to 211,300 in March, down 7,700 jobs from the March 2008 level, according to preliminary Washington state Employment Security Department figures. Preliminary figures from another survey put the unemployment rate at 10.6 percent in March, up sharply from 5.6 percent in the year-earlier month.

April 11 / Average home sales price rebounds slightly
The Spokane Association of Realtors reported that in March, the average sales price for homes sold in Spokane County rose above the year-earlier month's level for the first time since July 2008. The average sales price was $200,229 in March, up 2 percent from $196,456 in March 2008. In July 2008, the average sales price was $221,658, up 2 percent from $216,454 in the year-earlier month.

April 10 / Kalispels, Pend Oreille PUD settle licensing appeal
The Kalispel Tribe of Indians and the Pend Oreille County Public Utility District said they signed a final agreement that settles the Kalispels' appeal of conditions of a 50-year license granted to the Box Canyon Hydroelectric Dam in 2005. The agreement calls for the PUD to provide a safe, non-turbine fish passage facility; restore and maintain native trout habitat over the term of the license; and provide funds for the Kalispels to use for construction of recreation facilities on tribal lands along the Pend Oreille River. The settlement must be approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.