Robert Welk, licensed insurance broker and owner of Mead-based Welk Security & Trust, says it's no longer enough for employers to choose health insurance plans perfunctorily.

When Patricia Munts, small farms and agriculture coordinator at Washington State University Spokane County Extension, began working with gardens in the city in 2008, there were at least eight community gardens, she recalls.

With technology enabling people to complete their work from just about anywhere, a growing number of workers are turning to 'gig work,” or income-earning activities outside of traditional long-term employment.

Plans are underway for a $3 million transit station at Spokane Falls Community College, says Spokane Transit Authority spokesman Brandon Rapez-Betty.

Spokane-based Avista Corp. has partnered with more than 50 Washington businesses to install 136 electric vehicle charging stations throughout the state as part of a pilot program.

Retailers throughout Washington state soon could be banned from offering customers single-use plastic bags, in an effort to reduce plastic waste and better protect the environment.

Spokane Valley-based illustrator Colin Hayes prides himself on his aversion to sappy greeting cards. He demonstrates this through his new venture, a line of quirky and witty cards called Cobenali Creations, soon to be available in gift shops nationally.

With several Inland Northwest banks in the area becoming acquisition targets in recent years, Spokane-based Wheatland Bank is steadfast to remain independent, asserts Susan Horton, CEO and president of the bank.

Costco Wholesale Corp. has completed the sale of its former 134,000-square-foot warehouse store building on Spokane's North Side to San Pedro, Calif.-based Rich Development Enterprises LLC.

Offering various amenities for members, a handful of coworking spaces operate in the city's core, and some say the trend is gaining traction here.