Business in brief: Council approves airport settlement
The Spokane City Council on Monday unanimously approved a $1.8 million settlement with the operators of a Spokane International Airport business ousted from six of its buildings when a new control tower was completed three years ago.
RMA Inc., corporate parent of Spokane Airways, had filed a $14 million claim against the airport, city and county in January. Washington courts had consistently ruled for the company in a March 2007 lawsuit alleging improper condemnation of its buildings.
The settlement, reached with the help of a mediator, was announced last week.
The council voted to suspend its rules in order to avoid delaying a vote for another week.
Assistant City Attorney Rocky Treppiedi said the city, which co-owns the airport with the county, had no reason to interfere with final resolution of the dispute. The settlement will be covered by the Spokane Airport Board and its insurers.
Approval authorizes council President Joe Shogan, the city’s representative on the airport board of directors, to vote in favor of the settlement, which does not include any admission of fault. Shogan called the dispute “a bitter struggle,” but praised the mediation that resulted in the deal.
Bert Caldwell
Online classes free for unemployed
North Idaho College is offering a series of free online classes to the unemployed this summer.
The classes, from the NIC Workforce Training Center and Growth Strategies Inc., will cover topics such as confronting financial fear; women and money; telecommuting; and buying a business.
Each class is offered in 12 sessions and is free to anyone collecting unemployment compensation.
Each course runs six weeks, and students work at their own pace. Various start times are offered, and late enrollment is accepted.
To enroll, call the NIC Workforce Training Center at (208) 769-3333 or visit www.gsinet.org/cedemo/ classes.htm to view the catalog.
Scott Maben
Mortgage aid plan shows little success
WASHINGTON – The Obama administration’s flagship effort to help people in danger of losing their homes is falling flat.
More than a third of the 1.24 million borrowers who have enrolled in the $75billion mortgage modification program have dropped out. That exceeds the number of people who have managed to have their loan payments reduced to help them keep their homes.
About 340,000 homeowners have received permanent loan modifications and are making payments on time.
Associated Press
Briefcase
From wire reports
•Amazon.com Inc. slashed the price of its Kindle e-reader by $70 to $189 Monday, just hours after Barnes & Noble Inc. cut its competing Nook e-reader by $60 to $199. Both devices can wirelessly download books; the Nook also has Wi-Fi access. Bookseller Barnes & Noble also said it started selling a Wi-Fi-only Nook online that will also be in stores later this week.
•CNN said Monday that it’s no longer using Associated Press content after the two sides could not agree on a contract extension. •Food maker Ralcorp Holdings Inc. said Monday it has agreed to buy American Italian Pasta Co. for about $1.2 billion and has acquired two cracker makers.