Week in Review

Skiing-related businesses said they’re feeling the bite of one of the most dismal ski seasons in years. Ski shops said they’re putting their ski gear on sale much earlier than usual. Hotels said they’ve noticed the impact and several of the region’s ski resorts closed for part of the week due to lack of snow, resulting in some temporary layoffs of part-time workers.

Tuesday

A former Chicago police officer and airport manager was named the new federal security director at Spokane International Airport. Dereck Starks oversees about 145 workers at the Spokane airport.

Wednesday

Eastern Washington residents and businesses shook off a decade-long pattern of rising bankruptcy filings, pulling the total number of cases below 10,000 for the first time since 2000.

Thursday

Davenport Hotel owner Walt Worthy said he’s buying the eight-story Wells Fargo bank building on the northeast corner of Riverside and Howard. Wells Fargo has agreed to become the anchor tenant in the 17-story former Metropolitan Financial Center building, which Worthy bought last summer.

Friday

Gold Reserve Inc. said its board of directors had approved ambitious plans to build one of Venezuela’s largest gold mines, Brisas Mine, an open-pit copper and gold operation.