Bert Caldwell

A settlement agreement will give Washington customers of Smith's Home Furnishings who bought warranties on purchases from the defunct chain most of their money back. General Electric Credit Corp., which underwrote Smith's revolving credit plan, agreed last week to provide repair services or coupons good for purchases from other stores.

Napier

Last November's ice storm was a cruel teacher, but lessons learned during that 13-day period may be just an introductory class for local officials. Dave Byrnes, director of Spokane city-county Emergency Operations Center, is preparing an application for a federal emergency management course.

Tim Re is among several victims of a fugitive named Tony Napier, who is charged with equity skimming. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

Efforts to regulate the travel industry in Washington have encountered turbulence barely a year after legislation intended to curb abuses took effect. While officials pursue civil and criminal charges against businesses accused of defrauding consumers, the industry is preparing a bill representatives say will fine-tune existing statutes.

One of the top stock market strategists for Smith Barney Inc. expects bonds to outperform stocks this year. John Connallon, whose was in Spokane to meet with investors, said 1997 will be difficult for stocks, although the first quarter should continue to be strong.

Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound will receive a cash infusion of as much as $35 million if members approve a joint-venture agreement with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest. The money, according to a Group Health summary of the pact, would help the cooperative meet its needs for short-term capital.

Ice storm '96 put a chill on what might otherwise have been Washington Water Power Co.'s best year ever. The Spokane utility Tuesday reported record revenues, but earnings receded because of expenses associated with the November storm and a merger aborted in June.

Pete Mayer believes the device being handed to him is becoming obsolete. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review

Overextended Washington and Idaho consumers surrendered to bankruptcy last year in record numbers despite healthy economic growth in both states. Statistics from U.S. Bankruptcy courts in Spokane, Seattle and Boise show filings jumped by one-third over 1995, with the overwhelming share of the increase due to filings by individuals.

John Klobucher Judge of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

Washington and Idaho regulators have extended for three years a Washington Water Power Co. conservation program that could become a model for the region and country. The company finances home and business conservation efforts with a "tariff rider" that costs the average customer about 80 cents per month.

Loletta Ward

Counterfeiting is good business for New Light Industries Ltd. Not that the West Plains company runs off its own $20 bills.

Olivetti North America technicians in 200 offices around the U.S. will provide hardware installation and maintenance for hundreds of hospitality outlets under a contract announced Thursday by the Spokane-based company. The pact with Remanco International covers such outlets as Renaissance Hotels and California Pizza Kitchens.

Proposed legislation aimed at telecommunications industriy issues is nearly as complex as the maze of phone lines that U S West technician John Phelps works on underneath Spokane streets. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Jalan Inc. Monday reported the first-ever $1 million sale of its justice system software. Coupled with the release of a fiscal 1996 financial statement showing $1.5 million in revenues and $267,000 in net income, the report gave encouragement to shareholders whose holdings have dwindled in value almost from the time the Spokane company went public in 1988.

A simmering battle over the future of telephone service in Washington surfaced Friday in Seattle with the filing of a GTE Corp. lawsuit against the Utilities and Transportation Commission. The suit in U.S. District Court challenges the findings of a commission arbitrator who, according to GTE, would let AT&T; Corp. lease its lines, switches and other equipment at prices below cost.

The collapse of a Spokane Valley company may cost investors millions, and federal officials have been called in to investigate. D.L. Ward & Associates Inc. filed bankruptcy last Tuesday. A telephone recording at the company's East Broadway offices says the business has been shut down and its records given to officials of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Spokane.

Jon Mummy examines a new PCS digital phone at Sprint's service store at Sprague and Progress on Monday. Spring is using Spokane as one of two markets where the company is launching its local PCS service. Photo by Associated Press

Ric Odegard has been appointed executive vice president and chief operating officer of Farmers & Merchants Bank. He replaces Duane Brandenburg, who left Farmers & Merchants last month to join United Security Bank. Odegard, who retired as divisional manager for Seafirst Bank in August 1995, said he has been filling the position on a temporary basis. After talking over the bank's options with President Jerry Lehman, he said, "I just decided to work a little more." Odegard said he committed to his new post for at least two years.

A ruling Monday by a judge in Washington, D.C., could deprive the Washington Water Power Co. of some of the cheapest electricity in the country, but give four North Idaho cooperatives a share for the first time.

A vote in Seattle Wednesday night moved Group Health in Seattle and Spokane a step closer to merging with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Inc. of Portland. The joint venture would serve more than 1 million Northwest residents. Discussions toward a possible merger were announced in September.

1. Gov. Mike Lowry, right, joined other Northwest governors in Spokane Thursday to review a plan that will become the guide book for the region's power system. Photo by Associated Press (Photo ran only in Spokane) 2. Idaho's Phil Batt, far left, joined other Northwest governors in Spokane Thursday to review a plan that will become the guidebook for the region's power system. Photo by Associated Press (Photo ran only in Idaho)