Government

SBA touts 504 financing tool

Overlooked loan program promotes job growth, retention here

August 13, 2015

A U.S. Small Business Administration financing program is helping businesses expand and better position themselves for the economic turnaround, and Ted Schinzel, the SBA's Spokane branch administrator, says more businesses here could benefit from SBA 50

Spokane-area parks departments foresee jump in ACA costs

City of Spokane reports larger surge than county

July 30, 2015

The city of Spokane Parks and Recreation Department estimates it faces a $60,000 per month increase in costs due to the Affordable Care Act. The ACA requires employers with more than 200 employees to enroll their employees automatically into the organiza

Railroad projects to receive $32.9 million in improvements

Funds earmarked for short-line upgrades

July 30, 2015

Mike McLean

Three Eastern Washington rail infrastructure and economic development projects have been awarded a total of $32.9 million in funding in the Washington state transportation package that was approved recently by the Legislature. One of the projects, the $1

PacifiClean Environmental looks to resolve green waste tiff

Ag department suspended treatment at Quincy facility

July 30, 2015

The Washington state Department of Agriculture recently stopped Spokane-based PacifiClean Environmental LLC from transporting yard and food waste from Western Washington to its Quincy, Wash., composting facility after discovering apple maggot larva in com

Spokane Transit Authority's Central City Line looks for traction

Street-car inspired route on federal project list

July 30, 2015

Mike McLean

The $15 million state portion of funding for the planned $72 million Central City Line is looking secure again, says Susan Meyer, CEO of the Spokane Transit Authority. The recently enacted $16 billion state transportation bill that would provide local fu

Halme, Ginno start work on new fire stations in Spokane County

Two projects have overall value of about $3.4 million

July 16, 2015

Construction crews have started work on two new fire stations, one of which will replace a nearly 50-year-old station at Newman Lake.

Rightsizing WorkSource in an improving economy

State agency shrinks, shifts as the job market improves

July 16, 2015

Linn Parish

Unemployment rate and total employment are two of WorkSource Spokane's common gauges of economic health, but another number also is telling: 43.

Court upholds ruling that Spokane County violated Growth Management Act rules

Decision states that public should have been notified

July 2, 2015

A state appellate court panel has ruled Spokane County failed to notify the public about a change made to population projections, resulting in a violation of the Growth Management Act. The decision upheld an earlier ruling made by the Eastern Washington

Spokane Transit Authority rolls toward launch of plaza upgrade project

Transit agency also plans sizable bus garage retrofit

June 4, 2015

Judith Spitzer

Spokane Transit Authority says it will begin work by early winter on a $4.9 million upgrade of the STA Plaza at 701 W. Riverside downtown.

Work starts on Spokane International Airport's parking operations building

$2 million project expected to be finished in November

June 4, 2015

Building crews have started work on a $2.1 million facility at Spokane International Airport that will serve as the new home for parking operations staff members.