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Fruci firm buys former Keller Williams building

Move from longtime site downtown planned in fall

April 7, 2016

Spokane accounting firm Fruci & Associates PS has bought for $1.9 million the 14,300-square-foot, single-story office building at 802 N. Washington that formerly was occupied by Keller Williams Realty Spokane. The firm plans to move there from the Fruci B

Heeding transgender restroom, workplace rules

Establish clear policies to minimize legal risk

April 7, 2016

Guest Commentary

Many companies in the Inland Northwest may be unaware that it may be illegal under civil rights laws to prohibit transgender individuals from using gender-specific restrooms that don't match their gender identity. Just over a year ago, the federal Equa

Gonzaga's entrepreneurial offers evolve, grow

Professor sees demand grow for field of study

April 7, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

Gonzaga University professor Todd Finkle describes entrepreneurship as a field of study that's constantly changing, evolving to focus on the ideas and passions of its students. The concentration in entrepreneurship and innovation, which he created in 20

Connecting on STEM

Concepts now introduced as early as kindergarten

April 7, 2016

Spokane-area educators and business leaders say they're gaining more traction as they create more STEM-science, technology, engineering, and math-opportunities for students as young as kindergarten age. Lisa White, director of Spokane Public School

Providing workers conduit to careers in construction

West Plains facility seeks to replenish laborer ranks

April 7, 2016

Mike McLean

The Construction Industry Training Council of Washington is helping more than 100 mostly Spokane-area workers start careers in construction trades with classroom and lab courses at its new Eastern Washington Region facility on the West Plains. CITC, the

CenterPlace Regional Event Center aims for record number of events

Valley venue attracts many outdoor functions

March 24, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

CenterPlace Regional Event Center, in Spokane Valley, celebrated its 10th year of operations last year by hosting a record 920 events, and the busy facility hopes to exceed that number by at least 5 percent this year. Owned by the city of Spokane Valley

Proposed Coeur d'Alene hotel to anchor $20 million complex

Fairfield Inn would fuel entrepreneurial center

March 24, 2016

Mike McLean

Coeur d'Alene businessman Ron Ayers says the hotel he's planning would be the engine that drives an economic development campus, in addition to increasing lodging capacity near downtown Coeur d'Alene. Ayers proposes to develop a $10 million, 112-ro

Spokane Convention Center is off to strong start this year

Activity so far this year on pace to best a banner 2015

March 24, 2016

Though the year is still young, the Spokane Convention Center already has generated $61.9 million in estimated economic impact for Spokane-area businesses, says Spokane Public Facilities District CEO Kevin Twohig. That's far ahead of the 2015 pace in w

SNAP Financial Access expects loan volume to hit $700K this year

Total volume increased, defaults declined in '15

February 25, 2016

LeAnn Bjerken

SNAP Financial Access, a community development financial institution here, saw a 26 percent increase in loan volume last year and hopes to continue its goal of providing small business development resources through new programs and partnerships, a program

SBA small-business loan incentives help more borrowers

Programs boost cash flow for business starts, growth

February 25, 2016

Mike McLean

U.S. Small Business Administration loan incentives are helping a growing number of businesses start up or expand, some lenders here say. In 2015, lenders in the Spokane branch of SBA's Seattle district issued 522 SBA-backed loans totaling $183 million,