Becky Kramer

After decades as Spokane’s low-profile neighbor, the West Plains is suddenly in the spotlight for employment, population growth and commercial development. Rapid development, bringing at least 2,000 new jobs, will transform the area in the next 24 months.

The company responsible for cleaning up the Midnite Mine on the Spokane Indian Reservation has asked the federal government to relax cleanup standards for radiation at the defunct uranium mine.

Housing markets have cooled off in parts of the West Coast, but home prices continue to rise in Spokane County, where inventory remains tight.

Dennis E. Wheeler, former chairman of Coeur d’Alene Mines Corp., died Tuesday at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston where he had been receiving treatment for leukemia. He was 76.

Avista begins a $165 million smart-meter rollout in Spokane on Friday. More than 400,000 electric and natural gas customers in Washington will receive the smart meters over the next 20 months.

Despite early business challenges, Jo Ann Kauffman went on to build a company with a national reputation. Spokane-based Kauffman & Associates works with tribal and undeserved communities, foundations and nonprofits, providing an array of management consulting services.