Zak Designs Inc., the Airway Heights-based dinnerware designer and manufacturer, says its expanding its operations in Europe and is eyeing Latin America for future growth opportunities.The company, which already has several offices across for

Jim Schoenleber, a former cop who built a security-guard business here into a 2,000-employee regional powerhouse before selling it to retire to a fishing lodge, has come out of retirement to launch a dot-com venture that helps consumers know if is

Bankruptcy filings in Eastern Washington and North Idaho are rising again following historic drops in 2006.Filings in the Northern Division of the U.S. Courts, District of Idaho nearly doubled to 414 cases last year, up from 219 cases the prior

Two companies are spending an estimated $1 million each on competitive proposals to win the right to design and construct Spokane Countys planned $115 million waste-water treatment plant, then operate the facility under a contract that could be a

While the boost that the falling dollar has given to U.S. exports has been chronicled widely, the greenbacks slide has affected other types of businesses besides exporters of manufactured goods. Thats especially being felt in Spokane, which

The Kalispel Tribe of Indians says it is considering revising the construction phases for a big planned resort and casino on the West Plains so it can open at least a portion of the projectnow expected to have a total cost of more than $500 a now

Experts expect agricultural commodity prices to remain strong in the coming year, though perhaps not on par with the nearly $12 a bushel the soft white wheat industry is experiencing right now, as world supplies begin to rebound and the benefits of

The lumber industry has endured a dismal year, and expects little improvement in 2008, with demand for its products perhaps softening even a bit more as fallout continues from a sharp downturn in the new-housing market.We are basically in the

Roughly 1,800 people attended the Northwest Mining Associations annual convention here this month and there wasnt an unhappy face in the joint, says Laura Skaer, the groups executive director.It was very, very upbeat, Skaer says.

The Spokane-Coeur dAlene area is expected to reap some benefits from the weakening U.S. dollar by attracting additional foreign tourists, industry leaders here say. Spokane might not, however, surpass the banner year it has had this year, when it