Becky Kramer

All Stories

News >  Spokane

Northport residents renew calls for air monitoring after state modeling says a Canadian smelter is polluting their town

UPDATED: Sat., March 17, 2018

Northport residents want air quality monitors installed after state modeling suggested a Canadian smelter could be blanketing their town with heavy metals.

News >  Business

Spokane County’s unemployment rises to 6.7 percent in January, with weather influencing hiring

Tue., March 13, 2018

Unemployment rates rose to 6.7 percent in Spokane County during January, but much of the increase from December 5.7 percent rate was weather-related.

News >  Business

Silverwood Theme Park raises starting wage by $1 per hour

UPDATED: Tue., March 13, 2018

Silverwood Theme Park is raising its starting wage by $1 per hour this summer, to $9.75.

News >  Business

Settlement could lead to Bunker Hill reopening, new mining jobs in the Silver Valley

UPDATED: Mon., March 12, 2018

In a move that could allow the storied Bunker Hill Mine in Kellogg to reopen, the federal government has settled a longstanding Superfund lawsuit against its owner.

News >  Business

Higher Ed, housing and medical push Spokane to near-record permit levels

Fri., March 9, 2018

The city of Spokane issued a near-record $516 million in building permits in 2017. Higher education, the medical industry and affordable housing were big drivers of construction.

News >  Business

Steelworkers union says arbitration carried too many risks for Lucky Friday miners

UPDATED: Thu., March 8, 2018

Steelworkers’ Wednesday night vote against using binding arbitration to end a year-long strike at the Lucky Friday Mine hinged on workers’ fears about potential changes to pay and a long-established job bidding system at the mine.

News >  Business

LabCorp will layoff 195 workers in Spokane

Thu., March 8, 2018

LabCorp will layoff 195 workers in Spokane in the next several months as the company shifts work to its other locations.

News >  Spokane

Lucky Friday miners vote against arbitration to end strike

UPDATED: Wed., March 7, 2018

Miners at the Lucky Friday Mine overwhelmingly voted against arbitration to end a strike that has dragged on for nearly a year.

News >  Business

WSU to close downtown Spokane store

UPDATED: Fri., March 9, 2018

Washington State University will close its WSU Connections store in downtown Spokane by May 19, saying the decision was based on changes in how people shop.

News >  Business

My Fresh Basket wins industry award for innovation

UPDATED: Tue., March 6, 2018

My Fresh Basket, the Kendall Yards grocery store, has won a national industry award for innovation.

News >  Business

Spokane Rock Products purchased by Oldcastle Materials

UPDATED: Mon., March 5, 2018

Spokane Rock Products has been purchased by Oldcastle Materials, a large U.S. supplier of asphalt, concrete, rock products and construction and paving services.

News >  Business

Local ski areas say they’re blessed with snow, but are planning ahead for changes in climate

Sun., March 4, 2018

Nationally, the ski industry has been proactive in preparing for climate change, which expected to shorten the winter recreation season. Local ski areas are also engaged.

Sports >  Outdoors

Warming trends: Climate change to shorten Mt. Spokane’s season

UPDATED: Sun., March 4, 2018

Today’s young skiers could see significant changes in snowpack at Mt. Spokane Ski and Snowboard Park by the time they reach middle age. And by the end of this century, temperatures above freezing could cost the local ski hill an entire month of snow.

News >  Business

Itron reports $57 million in income, anticipates revenue growth for 2018

UPDATED: Thu., March 1, 2018

Liberty Lake-based Itron Inc. reported $57.3 million in income last year, despite a $30 million charge associated with federal tax reform.

News >  Washington

Washington 6th, Idaho 12th in U.S. News ‘best states’ ranking

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 27, 2018

Washington is ranked No. 6 on U.S. News & World Report’s

News >  Spokane

Washington and other states should wait for federal action on net neutrality, advocate says

UPDATED: Fri., Feb. 23, 2018

Washington and Oregon should hold off on passing net neutrality laws for their states and wait for Congress to act on national legislation, an advocate for open internet says.

News >  Business

Avista customers expected to reap savings on rates from federal tax reform

Wed., Feb. 21, 2018

Avista customers could see a $50 million to $60 million benefit annually from federal tax reform, utility officials said Wednesday. Savings on individual customers’ bills won’t be known until later this year.

News >  Idaho

Getting the zinc out: Major cleanup project will improve health of the Coeur d’Alene River

Wed., Feb. 21, 2018

A $48 million federal project to keep heavy metals out of the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River gets underway this spring. The work will be visible from Interstate 90.

News >  Business

Timber companies Potlatch and Deltic complete merger

Tue., Feb. 20, 2018

Potlatch Corp. has completed its merger with a smaller rival, Deltic Timber Corp., in an all-stock deal that creates a company with 2 million acres of private timber holdings.

News >  Business

Black Business Expo showcases contributions of Spokane’s African-American entrepreneurs

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 20, 2018

As part of Black History Month, the contributions of African-American entrepreneurs to the Spokane-area economy will be showcased at Sunday’s Black Business Expo.

News >  Idaho

The elegant life: Historic Coeur d’Alene home on market for $8 million

Sun., Feb. 18, 2018

Stanly Easton, chairman of the Bunker Hill Mining Co., built a 14,000-square-foot house in Coeur d’Alene’s Sanders Beach neighborhood in 1922. The historic home is on the market for about $8 million.

News >  Business

Officials ponder protections for ponderosa pines, Spokane’s official tree

Sat., Feb. 17, 2018

Rapid development throughout Spokane County is galvanizing advocates of ponderosa pines. They want to find ways to preserve and replant urban forests as the region grows.

News >  Business

Arbitration possible in ongoing strike at the Lucky Friday Mine

UPDATED: Thu., Feb. 15, 2018

Hecla Mining Co. has agreed to binding, third-party arbitration to solve the strike at the Lucky Friday Mine. Union members will vote in March on whether to invoke arbitration.

News >  Business

Vandervert Construction statement says $14 million in losses on hotel projects led to its closure

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 14, 2018

Vandervert Construction lost more than $14 million on a string of hotel projects across the Northwest, which pushed the Spokane-based general contractor into receivership, company officials said.

News >  Business

Efforts to save Ponderay Newsprint plant lead to lawsuit settlement

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 12, 2018

With the goal of keeping its largest customer afloat, the Pend Oreille Public Utility District has settled a 2-year-old lawsuit with Ponderay Newsprint Co. The plant employs 139 people in one of the most economically depressed corners of the state.