Becky Kramer

All Stories

News >  Business

UI grads develop safety device to reduce electrocution risk for utility workers

UPDATED: Fri., Oct. 20, 2017

Start-up companies, venture capitalists and local business leaders talked about how the region can support entrepreneurs Thursday at the second annual Triangle Venture Expo in Spokane.

News >  Spokane

Former Providence Health Care executive Ryland “Skip” Davis remembered for compassion, leadership

Tue., Oct. 17, 2017

Ryland “Skip” Davis, a former Providence Heath Care executive, has died.

News >  Business

Hospitals accused of billing the poor instead of offering state-mandated charity care

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 17, 2017

Washington’s attorney general has filed lawsuits against hospitals in Tacoma and Olympia, accusing them of withholding charity care from thousands of low-income patients. The litigation follows a similar lawsuit filed in June against the former owner of two Spokane-area hospitals.

News >  Business

STCU names Spokane native Ezra Eckhardt as its next president

Mon., Oct. 16, 2017

Spokane native Ezra Eckhardt has been chosen as STCU’s next president and CEO.

News >  Business

Coeur d’Alene manufacturer honored for waste reduction efforts

UPDATED: Mon., Oct. 16, 2017

Advanced Input Systems of Coeur d’Alene was honored Monday for reducing water consumption and lead waste at its Coeur d’Alene facility.

News >  Business

Lucky Friday’s silver production falls by 90 percent during 3Q

UPDATED: Fri., Oct. 13, 2017

Even though the union workers at the Lucky Friday Mine are on strike, the mine is still producing a limited amount of silver.

News >  Spokane

Reaction to Trump health care order divided across region

UPDATED: Thu., Oct. 12, 2017

Reaction to President Donald Trump’s executive order on federal health care reform Thursday was swift and divided across the region.

News >  Spokane

GSI sees value in Amazon headquarters bid despite exec’s comments about Pacific Northwest’s chances

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 11, 2017

Hours after a top executive said Amazon isn’t likely to build its second headquarters in the Pacific Northwest, the company issued a statement backing away from his statement.

News >  Business

Dodson’s Jewelers finds adaptation, service key to 130 years in business

UPDATED: Thu., Oct. 12, 2017

Dodson’s Jewelers survived the Spokane fire of 1889 and went on to become a retail fixture for generations of local residents. The family owned company is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year.

News >  Spokane

Local volunteers Dave and Mari Clack to be honored by Spokane’s University District

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 10, 2017

Community volunteers Dave and Mari Clack will be honored Wednesday evening for their role in helping establish Spokane’s University District and their ongoing support for higher education.

News >  Business

Amazon wants 100 acres. Where could a development that large go?

UPDATED: Mon., Oct. 9, 2017

As Greater Spokane Incorporated crafts a pitch for Amazon’s second North American headquarters, real estate is an important consideration. The company wants 100 acres to accommodate rapid growth.

News >  Business

Spokane encouraged to think big in Amazon HQ2 bid

Sun., Oct. 8, 2017

Greater Spokane Incorporated is honing its pitch to Amazon for the e-commerce giant’s second headquarters, with input from local business and community leaders.

News >  Business

Ignite Cda seeking building proposals for midtown neighborhood

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 4, 2017

Ignite Cda, the city’s urban renewal agency, is accepting proposals for a 1/2 acre vacant lot on North Fourth Street, with the goal of increasing the neighborhood’s business activity.

News >  Business

Red Lion finalizes sale of TicketsWest and WestCoast Entertainment

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 3, 2017

Red Lion Hotels Corp. has finalized the sale of TicketsWest and WestCoast Entertainment to Paciolan of Irvine, California.

News >  Spokane

Local center ships units of blood to Las Vegas following Sunday night’s shooting

Mon., Oct. 2, 2017

Inland Northwest Blood Center sent 55 units of blood to Las Vegas following Sunday night’s mass shooting at a country music concert.

News >  Business

Google teaches small business how to boost their online presence at Coeur d’Alene seminar

UPDATED: Mon., Oct. 2, 2017

Google put on a seminar in Coeur d’Alene on Monday to help small businesses optimize search results for their companies. Many of the tips are available online at

News >  Spokane

Holden Village finds new beginning after test of fire, massive mine cleanup

UPDATED: Mon., Oct. 2, 2017

A wildfire and a massive mine cleanup tested Holden Village, a Lutheran retreat center in the North Cascades. About 4,000 people visit the village each year, which operates in a former mining town.

News >  Business

Umpqua Bank sells downtown Spokane building

UPDATED: Wed., Sept. 27, 2017

Redevelopment plans in works for recently sold Umpqua Bank building.

News >  Spokane

Five reasons Spokane can tout in bid as site for Amazon’s second North American headquarters

Wed., Sept. 27, 2017

Tech giant Amazon’s Seattle campus occupies 8.1 million square feet of office space, employs more than 40,000 and is running out of room. The company is now looking to build a second North American headquarters.

News >  Spokane

Hey Amazon, what about us? Spokane-area joins competition for retail giant’s second headquarters

Wed., Sept. 27, 2017

Spokane is joining the stampede of cities competing to become Amazon’s second headquarters. The e-commerce giant will announce its selection next year.

News >  Business

Wood products to bring 150 jobs to Spokane Valley

UPDATED: Tue., Sept. 26, 2017

A new factory planned for Spokane Valley is part of a California company’s efforts to streamline the U.S. building industry, making construction faster and cheaper.

News >  Business

Avista seeks to lower natural gas bills in Idaho

Tue., Sept. 26, 2017

Avista is proposing to lower natural gas bills for Idaho customers by just over $1 per month, effective Nov. 1. Natural gas prices are adjusted each fall to take fluctuations in wholesale prices into account.

News >  Spokane

Logan residents like vitality of higher ed

Sun., Sept. 24, 2017

About 10,000 students attend classes at a variety of colleges and universities in Spokane’s Logan/University District neighborhood. Local residents enjoy the energy that students bring to the neighborhood, but investors’ demand for rental properties makes it harder for families to buy homes in the neighborhood.

News >  Spokane

Providence executive criticizes Graham-Cassidy bill as ‘same dangerous policy’

UPDATED: Fri., Sept. 22, 2017

Providence Health Care’s chief executive used blunt language to describe the Graham-Cassidy health care proposal on Friday. “It’s a bad bill,” said Elaine Couture.

News >  Spokane

Gun holster manufacturer is finalist for Idaho innovation awards

UPDATED: Wed., Sept. 27, 2017

Tedder Industries LLC, which makes gun holsters in Post Falls, is a finalist in two categories for the 2017 Idaho Innovation Awards.