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Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Current weather:
59° F cloudy

Business news

Published Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Vacancy at Ridpath as hotel closes doors

In a move to stop financial losses at one of Spokane's oldest hotels, owners of the Ridpath have shuttered the downtown business for at least four months and laid off most of the staff.

Frozen yogurt vendors target hip audience

NEW YORK – Leonardo DiCaprio has a Red Mango yogurt machine in his office. Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan have been photographed clutching Pinkberry yogurt cups while ducking the paparazzi.

Whitley Fuel gets OK to rebuild warehouse

Whitley Fuel can rebuild a warehouse at its central depot that an arson fire destroyed last year, Spokane's hearing examiner ruled Tuesday.

Wholesale prices jump 1.2 percent

WASHINGTON – Wholesale inflation surged in July, leaving prices for the past year rising at the fastest pace in 27 years, according to government data released Tuesday.

Wednesday focus: The workplace

Four in five American workers are worried about something when it comes to their job, with high gas prices being the top concern, the latest Adecco USA Workplace Insights survey found.

Business in brief: Key Tronic reports weaker fourth quarter

Spokane-based Key Tronic Corp., a contract manufacturer, reported slightly lower earnings in its fourth quarter. Earnings were $2.6 million compared with $2.7 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007. Earnings per share were 25 cents in 2008 compared with 26 cents a year earlier.

August 19

United will discontinue direct flights to Chicago

Fiscally responsible are taking it on the chin

Phelps: He's everywhere advertisers want to be

Liar loans loom for mortgage industry

Tuesday focus: Gadgets

Business in brief: Bailout fears clobber Fannie, Freddie shares

August 17

Opinions mixed on digital TV conversion

Old favorites could find new life in digital TV

Homebuyers turn to Web for research

Conversion Q&A

Jan Quintrall: Take steps before closing up shop

Ongoing events

Business Beat: New faces

Cell development

Cart Shark: Charities tap into online shopping

Set your price, then let Watcher buy

Internet focus

August 16

Investors holding

Splitting up banks draws questions

In tough market, value still possible

Spot-market natural gas prices dip

Washington Photo ends 52-year run

Studies highlight investment mistakes

County hotel occupancy flat, and that's good

SATURDAY FOCUS: SHOPPING LIFE

In brief: Netflix shipments back to normal

August 15

Economic news unsettling

Here's the Dirt: Storage condominiums planned

GM says Volt is right on track

Netflix hit by shipping problem

Friday focus: Personal finance

Businessin brief: Avista increases stock dividend

August 14

5 years after nation's worst blackout...new energy woes

Microsoft's new touch-screen Surface gains popularity

Thursday focus: The economy

Business in brief: Officials offer millworkers help

August 13

Combining jobs, cutting salary: Companies adjust

Higher yields, lower prices: Harvest estimates grow

Jobless numbers up a bit for July

Red Lion teams with Expedia in bid to expand online presence

Wednesday focus: The workplace

August 12

WSU to study Iraq toxins' effect

Tuesday focus: Gadgets

August 10

Cafe cause

Office space with a twist

Christmas tree farmers say Mexico acting like Scrooge

Debt becoming fierce foe for soldiers

Hard lesson for retailers

Business Beat

Week ahead

Weighty issue

The Motley Fool: Winds of change are helping new fund

Meeting from afar

.etc: YouTube gets exclusive Olympics access

.ZIP FILE

August 9

China's stock falling

Cleansing banks helps Wall Street

Avista to trim Idaho price hikes

Many complications in housing tax credit

U.S. productivity growth slows

Good investments during retirement

Fannie Mae cuts dividend after losing $2.3 billion

SATURDAY FOCUS: SHOPPING LIFE

Software service sets up office

August 8

World champion soybean farmer reveals growing secrets

Medical center designing facility for women, children

Dorian relocates main operation

Friday focus: Personal finance

In brief: New layoffs hit six-year high

August 7

Booming Chinese economy feels effect of weak U.S. market

More money available for region's jobless

Potlatch workers support strike

Thursday focus: The economy

Business in brief: Airline says credit cards misused

August 6

West Plains housing won't go to poor

Shared communities offer some protection from hardship

11 charged in identity theft case

Weyerhaeuser to chop 1,500 jobs

Hecla Mining blames loss on several one-time expenses

Wednesday focus: The workplace

Private company to run Fairchild housing

August 5

Higher prices sap consumers

Damaged cell phone? No problem

Diner chains hope to regain breakfast customers

Oil prices hit three-month low; relief at gas pump predicted

Tuesday focus: Gadgets

In business: Icahn company seeks bankruptcy protection

August 3

Bargain hunters

Recent fires prompt look at importance of data backup

Night lights, too bright

Customers should be civil if they want to be heard

ONGOING EVENTS

Business Beat

Broadband in Beijing

Scrabulous gets a new name, other tweaks

No shortage of political Web zingers

INTERNET FOCUS

August 2

Mutual Funds: Investing abroad

Foreign investors fuel more M&As

Important indicators to economic recovery

Best funds weather bull, bear markets

Credit union reaches out to workers

Unemployment rates rise sharply

Mortgage rates dip after bill's passage

Mack to host hour-long S-R radio program

Boat makers lay off employees

SATURDAY FOCUS: SHOPPING LIFE

August 1

Here's the Dirt: Work on North Y to begin Saturday

Silverwood raises admission prices

Exxon Mobil posts record quarterly profit of $11.7 billion

Washington rated No. 3 for doing business

Friday focus: Personal finance

July 31

Housing loans bite regional banks

High demand helps Itron post record revenue

Thursday focus: The economy

July 30

California developers envision resort on land near Cabela's

AmericanWest CEO steps down

Starbucks to trim 1,000 jobs

Venezuela pulls gold concession

Failed talks good, bad for farmers

Wednesday focus: The workplace

Mervyns files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

July 29

Columbia Lighting to shut down

Televisions at gas pumps distract from fueling pain

Mortgage aid plan benefits all sides

Avista asks to boost surcharge

Community Health posts lower profits

Tuesday focus: Gadgets

July 28

Wellpinit Presbyterian closes its doors

Rabid bats found in two counties

July 27

Lighthouse offers jobs for blind, partially blind

Web pics being used to convict defendants

New space race is all about tourism

U.S. economic woes raise free-market doubts

Web patrol

Week ahead

Business Beat

New bargains on old furniture

Google tools help geneaologist track roots

Japanese version of iPhone has anti-peeping function

.ZIP FILE

McCain team uses technology to track Obama's Web site

July 26

Funds look to cash

No new shares is good for banks

Businesses had troubles before fire, from unpaid taxes to toxic gas

Be careful investing in real estate market

Banks aren't only insured institutions

Home foreclosure filings double

Struggling students head to food banks

Telect cuts jobs ahead of slowdown

SATURDAY FOCUS: SHOPPING LIFE

In brief: AmericanWest suspends dividends

Students on stamps

July 25

New jobless filings skyrocket

Home sales down sharply

Ford posts $8.67 billion loss for second quarter

Potlatch quarterly earnings drop

Friday focus: Personal finance

July 24

Charging into the future

Weather, economy help drop prices

Thursday focus: The economy

Sirius stocks soar as radio merger nears

July 23

Ford's T Party

Sterling reports earnings rise

INB parent reports income drop

WaMu quarterly losses top $3 billion

Wednesday focus: The workplace

July 22

Oil giants yet to boost exploration

Higher prices feeding conservation movement

Economic indicators still in retreat

Tuesday focus: Gadgets

Bank of America down, but beats estimates

July 20

Bidding for a bigger share (ePier vs. Ebay)

Hawaii's next big export: municipal trash

Big steel makes coal play; U.S. companies absent

Alternative moon rocket being built in secrecy

Week ahead

Business Beat

Gas-saving promises often costly, too good to be true

Automakers being slammed into reverse

Some believe the Internet is preventing deep thought

Historical images are online

Internet focus

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