Kim Crompton

URM to move forward with Peirone project

Construction of planned building on West Plains could begin next spring

December 18, 2008

URM Stores Inc., the Spokane-based grocery distribution cooperative, is moving forward with plans to construct a multimillion-dollar building on the West Plains for Peirone Produce Co., which it owns. It's holding off for now, though, on separate a

SimMan: Readying nurses for real world

Electronic mannequin at Holy Family provides safe treatment simulation

December 4, 2008

Kim Crompton

The figure lying motionless in a patient room on the fourth floor at Holy Family Hospital draws considerable attention from nursing students and hospital staff, yet still suffers regularly from a variety of rapidly intensifying health ailments.He

Health plan hikes show little letup

Best many employers here can hope for is rate increase in single digits

December 4, 2008

Kim Crompton

Spokane-area employers can't expect that the nation's economic strife will translate into slower-rising health-plan costs next year. To the contrary, one of the big questions is to what extent the recession will cause those costs to soar even the a

URM mulls new building for Peirone

Grocery supplier's board to consider that project, big expansion next month

December 4, 2008

Kim Crompton

URM Stores Inc., the Spokane-based grocery distribution cooperative, is considering moving ahead with construction of a long-postponed, multimillion-dollar building on the West Plains for Peirone Produce Co., which it owns.Dean Sonnenberg, URM's

Key Tronic's new clients create buffer

Contract manufacturer says diversification push starts to pay dividends

November 20, 2008

Kim Crompton

Key Tronic Corp., the Spokane Valley-based contract manufacturer, expects its revenue this quarter to be lower than projected earlier, but company executives say the forecast could have been much gloomier if not for the addition of 18 new customers

AmericanWest scraps acquirer role

Amid losses, bank seeks to shed costs, raise capital

November 20, 2008

Kim Crompton

AmericanWest Bancorp says it expects to reduce its overall work force by up to 10 percent and to secure private equity funding, regardless of any federal bailout money it might receive, as part of a broad effort to stem losses and get back on says

Sterling moves past WTB in local deposit market share

Washington Trust has led category for years; overall deposits climb 6.7 percent

November 6, 2008

Kim Crompton

Sterling Savings Bank moved ahead of perennial leader Washington Trust Bank in bank deposits in Spokane County over the last year, according to an annual market share report released last month by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.Executives of

Greening up indoor spaces

November 6, 2008

Kim Crompton

Moving indoors as winter weather approaches doesn't mean you have to give up being surrounded by the warm plant life that helps make summertime so pleasurable, Karen L. Goldberg submits. Rather, it might just mean that you need some help in picking

Mall owner looks to trim big debt load

Parent of NorthTown, Valley, and Silver Lake ousts CEO, to sell assets

November 6, 2008

Kim Crompton

General Growth Properties Inc., the Chicago-based owner of three of the Spokane-Coeur d'Alene area's largest shopping malls, has taken dramatic steps in the last couple of weeks to try to ease a massive debt burden that analysts say is threatening

Hospitals start talks on INHS operations

Empire Health's new owner anticipates long relationship with Providence Health Care

October 23, 2008

Kim Crompton

Community Health Systems Inc., the new owner of Deaconess Medical Center and Valley Hospital & Medical Center, says it has entered into discussions with Providence Health Care, of Spokane, to clarify the transfer of assets and future operation of a