Latest from The Spokesman-Review

• EWU economist headed to Avista; Barcus retiring

  May 14, 2012 in Business, City Two of the Inland Northwest’s most well-known economists are shifting responsibilities, with Eastern Washington University professor Grant Forsyth becoming chief economist at Avista Corp., and Randy Barcus, who has held …

• Avista economist sees the good amid the gloom

    October 1, 2011 on Page E1 Randy Barcus, chief economist for Avista, is a repeat visitor in this Wise Words interview space. The reason? More than a year ago, Barcus, 64, predicted with uncanny accuracy what … 11

• Retail sales rise slightly, with fuel the biggest factor

  May 17, 2011 in City on Page A8 Retail sales in Spokane County inched up slightly in the first quarter of 2011, mostly due to increased costs for fuel, area economists said. Retail sales for Spokane County grew …

• First baby boomers set to turn 65 in January

  December 26, 2010 in Features on Page D1 The first baby boomers will turn 65 on Saturday. Every day, for the next 19 years, about 10,000 boomers “will cross that threshold,” as the Pew Research Center puts it. 11

• Plenty to chew on about economy, but hard to swallow

  November 28, 2010 in Business on Page E1 The Inland Northwest’s 2011 economic prospects have all the appeal of leftover green bean casserole. That’s pretty much the dish from local economists who see the near future in the …

• Real estate forecast dim locally and nationally

  November 11, 2010 in Business on Page A8 Real estate values may be nearing or at the bottom, but recovery to pre-recession prices is years away, national and local industry officials said in Coeur d’Alene Wednesday. Job losses, …

• For street and water projects, downturn has an upside

    September 28, 2010 in City on Page A1 In the midst of the Great Depression, Spokane won federal money to upgrade the Upriver Dam to generate more power and construction jobs. Nearly 75 years later and in the … 1

• Forecasting better times

    August 7, 2010 in Features on Page E1 Randy Barcus, chief economist for Avista, is known for delivering economic forecasts in language everyone can understand. He’s worked for Avista since 1979, studying the economy’s booms and busts and … 1

• Wise Words with Randy Barcus

  August 7, 2010 in News, Features Randy Barcus, chief economist for Avista, is known for delivering economic forecasts in language everyone can understand. He did just that in a Wise Words interview with Rebecca Nappi of … 7

• Regional experts wary about trend in unemployment rate

  August 8, 2009 in Business on Page A1 Although some economists said slippage in the national July unemployment rate to 9.4 percent might be a sign the recession may have reached bottom, state and local economists were more …

• For region, upshot of stimulus funds uncertain

  February 18, 2009 in Business on Page A1 White House officials are predicting the massive $787 billion stimulus bill signed by President Barack Obama on Tuesday will create or save 8,000 jobs in Eastern Washington and another 9,000 …

• economists say designation can be fluid

  December 2, 2008 in Business on Page A1 Not the what, but the when surprised two local economists reacting to a conclusion the United States is in a recession that began last December. Avista Corp. economist Randy Barcus …

• Economists give region pat on back

  May 10, 2008 in Business on Page A12 If the economy looks a little soft in the Inland Northwest, remember how far the region has come, two economists said Friday. Employment registered a normal winter downturn, said Washington …

• Area economists hopeful

  January 11, 2008 in Business on Page A1 Two Spokane economists have joined the camp predicting a recession this year in the U.S. economy. But Eastern Washington University’s Grant Forsyth and Avista Corp.’s Randy Barcus also said they …

• Poll finds Spokane happy to grow

  October 23, 2007 in Business on Page A8 Growth is good. Just ask Spokane County residents, who are evidently very happy about the economic development of recent years. And, according to a survey done last month, they want …