Spokane-area building-permit values surpassed $900 million in 2005, easily shattering records set the previous year. Paced by an increase in home construction and a few big-ticket projects, the city of Spokane, Spokane County, and the city of a

Traditional risk-factor scoring fails to identify approximately one-third of women likely to develop coronary heart disease (CHD), the leading cause of death of women in the U.S., according to a pair of reports from cardiologists at the Johns of in

Surgeons here have begun using a new, less invasive form of cosmetic plastic surgery, called a Contour ThreadLift, on eligible patients, mostly women, who are seeking a more youthful appearance.The procedure was approved by the U.S. Food and a

Health-care providers in the Spokane area have started offering digital mammography services, and say the technology detects breast cancer better than film-based mammography in some instances.Clinical studies, including one published recently a

The number of bankruptcy filings in Eastern Washington hit record levels in 2005 after an unprecedented surge last fall, when debtors rushed to submit their petitions before new bankruptcy laws went into effect on Oct. 17.Businesses and filed a

Spokane Teachers Credit Union plans to enter North Idaho with its first branch there, to be located in Post Falls.Steve Dahlstrom, STCUs president and CEO, says the organization has bought 1.25 acres of land in Post Falls, near the southwest

ElkRidge Development Group, of Spokane, has agreed to buy 98 acres in the Spokane Valley from Spokane entrepreneur Bernard Daines and wants to develop an upscale, 240-home subdivision there. Jim Maki, a Spokane-based partner in the development

Backers of a proposed new bank here, called RiverBank, have applied to the Washington state Department of Financial Institutions for a commercial bank charter.Longtime Spokane banking executive Duane Brandenburg, who is heading the effort to up

Spokane Public Schools has selected Garco Construction Inc. as general contractor and construction manager for the planned $59 million modernization of Shadle Park High School, on Spokanes North Side. Mark Anderson, the districts associate

Health-plan costs for Spokane-area businesses are rising this year mostly in the single-digit to low double-digit percentage range, which is slightly lower than the rate hikes businesses experienced in 2005.Representatives of several of the say