Government

Neighborhood commercial buildings to be revived

West Central, Manito areas among those to benefit

October 12, 2017

Kelly Chadwick, owner of Spokane-based Spirit Pruners, says he's eager to begin the process of working with city planners as he prepares to establish a permanent home for his tree pruning business in a West Central neighborhood. Chadwick's effort to

Median household income increase in Spokane County outpaces U.S., state

Analyst says gain is due to increase in jobs, not wages

October 12, 2017

LeAnn Bjerken

Household income in Spokane County has increased at a faster pace than statewide and national incomes, data compiled by the Community Indicators of Spokane Initiative show. Countywide annual median household income rose 9.3 percent last year, according t

A new approach to Riverfront Park

Board eyes enterprise fund, but proposal has its critics

October 12, 2017

As some long-envisioned improvements to downtown Spokane's Riverfront Park start to become reality, the city's Parks and Recreations Department is grappling with a looming challenge: How does it create a financial sustainability plan for the city's

Ignite cda issues request for Midtown development proposals

New development ideas sought for half-acre site

October 12, 2017

Samantha Peone

Coeur d'Alene's urban renewal agency, which operates as ignite cda, has issued a request for development proposals for land it owns in the city's Midtown corridor. Located at 813 to 823 N. Fourth, the property totals 23,000 square feet-or a half-

Startup efforts in Whitman, Asotin counties to grow

Liberty Lake's INW Partners to hire program manager

October 12, 2017

LeAnn Bjerken

Inland Northwest Partners, a community economic development and educational nonprofit based in Liberty Lake, has won a two-year, $142,000 contract with the Washington state Department of Commerce for business startup assistance in Whitman and Asotin count

Unfair labor practice filings in Spokane buck trend

Complaints decline here while rising at state, national levels

September 28, 2017

Not long after returning to his hometown of Spokane six months ago, Chris Foster, a labor law attorney at Randall Danskin PS, wanted to know how many unfair labor practice filings have been submitted here in the last few years. Through the Washington, D.

Greater Spokane Incorporated revises approach to strategic plan

Organization focuses on five key initiatives

September 28, 2017

LeAnn Bjerken

Greater Spokane Incorporated is restructuring its strategic plan for improving the Spokane area's business climate, with the goal of prioritizing those items that can be implemented soonest, says GSI CEO Todd Mielke. 'The previous plan was divided i

Spokane Valley's centerpiece

Building intended to bolster sense of identity for town

August 31, 2017

Mike McLean

Government offices of the city of Spokane Valley will move into the new City Hall building in the former University City mall site by the end of next month, says Carolbelle Branch, a city spokeswoman. Branch says city officials are hopeful the new home f

Research pilot explores industrial hemp

Questions on production, processing still linger

August 31, 2017

LeAnn Bjerken

Last year, the passage of state Senate Bill 6206 made it possible for licensees to plant the first industrial hemp crop Washington state has seen in 90 years, through a research pilot program managed by the state's Department of Agriculture called the I

Rail facility project likely to relocate to new airport PDA

Long-planned transload site deemed too close to Fairchild

August 31, 2017

Mike McLean

One of the first infrastructure projects under consideration for the recently formed West Plains Public Development Authority might be the long-envisioned transload facility, says Spokane County Commissioner Al French. The facility won't be located, ho