March 11 / County's growth boundary expanded

Spokane County commissioners voted unanimously to expand the county's urban growth boundary, adding about 6,000 acres of land for residential development and 1,000 acres for commercial and industrial use. One of the largest areas added for eventual urban expansion lies between Spokane International Airport and Fairchild Air Force Base, where there's a push to attract new industry. Spokane Mayor David Condon and three Spokane City Council members had opposed the expansion.

March 7 / New call center to employ 60

The Washington Health Benefit Exchange, which will operate the Washington Healthplanfinder being formed as part of the Affordable Care Act, said a new call center employing 60 people will open in Spokane this September to field calls to the exchange. A spokeswoman for the exchange said it has contracted with Hampton, Va.-based Faneuil Inc. to operate the call center, which in October will begin enrolling state residents for health-care coverage that takes effect Jan. 1, 2014. The spokeswoman said the exchange hasn't selected a location yet for the call center, which initially will be the only one of its kind in the state.

March 6 / Clearwater Paper to close Georgia plant

Clearwater Paper Corp., of Spokane, said it plans to close a tissue converting and distribution facility in Thomaston, Ga., a small city located about 60 miles south of Atlanta. The company said it plans to move most of the equipment used at the Thomaston facility to Clearwater plants in Shelby, N.C., and Oklahoma City. A total of 150 currently work at the Thomaston plant, but displaced workers will be able to apply for jobs at other Clearwater facilities.

March 4 / Hecla to acquire Canadian mining company

Hecla Mining Co., of Coeur d'Alene, said it has agreed to acquire Vancouver, British Columbia-based Aurizon Mines Ltd. In a transaction valued at $796 million. Aurizon operates the Casa Berardi gold mine in Quebec and expects that property to produce between 125,000 and 130,000 ounces of gold this year. The acquisition announcement came two weeks after another Coeur d'Alene mining concern, Coeur d'Alene Mines Corp., announced that it had entered into an agreement to acquire Vancouver-based Orko Silver Corp. in a transaction valued at $350 million.

March 1 / INB parent returns to profitability

Northwest Bancorporation Inc., the Spokane-based parent of Inland Northwest Bank, reported 2012 fourth-quarter net income of $182,000, or 6 cents a diluted share, compared with a net loss of $777,000, or 25 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. For all of 2012, the company reported net income of $687,000, or 22 cents a share, up from a loss of $1.4 million, or 46 cents a share, in 2011.

March 1 / City opens development services center

The city of Spokane held a grand opening for its new My Spokane Development Services Center on the third floor of City Hall, at 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. The center's opening is part of an ongoing push by Mayor David Condon to enhance customer service and make it easier to do business with the city. The center is intended to serve as a streamlined one-stop shop for permitting, inspections, and related services.

Feb. 28 / Red Lion posts loss for quarter, year

Red Lion Hotels Corp., of Spokane, reported a 2012 fourth-quarter net loss of $3.6 million, or 19 cents a diluted share, compared with a loss of $20.9 million, or $1.09 a share, in the year-earlier quarter. For all of 2012, the company posted a net loss of $14.7 million, or 76 cents a share, compared with a loss of $7.1 million, or 38 cents a share, in 2011. Jon Eliassen, Red Lion's president and CEO, said the company has better defined its product offering, increased the size of its hotel network through franchising, and is using money from asset sales to pay down debt.