Week in review
Tuesday
A grassroots movement hopes to foster investment in area “green” businesses.
The Sustainable Local Investments Partnership would seek to set up investment accounts at banks that would help bankroll loans for “environmentally sustainable and socially responsible” businesses.
“A flurry of recalls of Chinese-made toys this summer has raised parents’ awareness about the kinds of things that are in their kids’ toy boxes.
For companies that can still stamp “Made in U.S.A.” on their products — at a time when 80 percent of toys are made in China — that spells opportunity.
Wednesday
The number of foreclosure filings reported in the United States last month jumped 93 percent from July 2006 and rose 9 percent from June, the latest sign that homeowners are having trouble making payments.
“While home sales have tanked in some parts of the country, causing Realtors to leave the business, the Spokane Association of Realtors is having its biggest year for membership. Since 2004, the number of local real estate professionals has increased by about 150 per year.
The association has 2,300 members, which make up the bulk of the people selling residential real estate in Spokane County.
Thursday
The Better Business Bureau in Spokane is warning consumers about what it calls an advance-fee loan scam by a company claiming to operate in Nine Mile Falls. The bureau received complaints about callers purporting to represent Cornerstone Investment who offer loans to applicants who will wire an advance fee of $3,200, according to the BBB.
Friday
North By Northwest Productions is finalizing plans for its new studio at 1209 W. First Ave. The company, which produces feature movies, commercials and other projects, is building an 18,000-square-foot production studio with an editing room and offices on land that it purchased recently for $750,000.
“For people addicted to prescription medications like the painkiller hydrocodone — sold mostly as Vicodin — the days of “doctor shopping” are over, as long as they have Internet access. With the help of unscrupulous doctors and pharmacists, hundreds of Web sites dispense prescription narcotics to customers in exchange for nothing more than a credit card number.