Otter, Allred square off in governor forum

Event is second of four planned debates

BOISE - Republican Gov. Butch Otter and his Democratic rival Keith Allred couldn't quite bring themselves to compliment each other at Wednesday's debate in Boise. Asked to say something nice about the other, both seemed so deeply embroiled in their 2010 race that there was no room for heartfelt pleasantries, at least not in public.

Interest rates rise again

Those who have been thinking of buying real estate take note. Last week marked the third consecutive week of rate increases for mortgage loans. As investors exchange their investments in bonds to invest in the recovering stock market, interest rates are rising. Some say this is a trend that is likely to continue as long as the stock market improvement seen this year sustains. Should the market falter however, as some predict, investors are likely to seek the safety offered by mortgage and Treasury bonds which would stabilize rates once again.

Finding the best child care for your budget

Choosing child care can be daunting. You want the best quality and care for your children, but that care has to fit into your budget. It's similar to buying a car: you may want a Mercedes-Benz but you buy a Honda Accord because it fits into your budget and still offers high quality, but at a lower cost.

Affordable health care

This has been quite a year when it comes to health care for all of us. With the presidential election days away and everyone trying to decide who is best for our country, this "little thing" called the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or better known as Obamacare, keeps coming up for those of us in the midst of health care.

Keeping a lid on inflation

Plunging gas costs lower U.S. producer prices in November

Q&A about this week's market turmoil in China and beyond

Home sales up at end of year

Finish a sign for optimism in 2012

Gas prices decline

Banking instability, recession fears reportedly drive down crude cost

Monday, the average price for a gallon of regular in the Gem State was $3.62

Spirit Lake Community Center begins relief effort

Spirit Lake is working to provide “to go” meals for those in need.

Mardi Gras comes marching in Feb. 29

The Coeur d'Alene Arts & Culture Alliance is hosting its fifth annual Mardi Gras celebration Feb. 29 from 5:30 to 10 p.m. in the ballroom at the Coeur d'Alene Eagles, 209 E. Sherman Ave.

Hawaiian Host buys Mauna Loa in macadamia nut consolidation

HONOLULU (AP) - Hawaiian Host, maker of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts, said it's buying macadamia nut processor Mauna Loa from The Hershey Co.

Bought and paid for

New tech is changing the restaurant reservations game

At noon on a recent Wednesday in May, San Francisco's Lazy Bear restaurant began taking reservations for June. Just 45 minutes later, nearly every seat for the entire month was sold out.

A Sanders Beach mystery

While searching online for new home listings in the downtown Coeur d’Alene area, I was excited to see a couple new properties pop up in the Sanders Beach area… houses not quite on the water but close enough to be a tempting find for more budget-conscious buyers.

How to make the best purchase offer in a seller’s market

You’ve worked with a Realtor® to watch for listings hitting the market, toured what

Writers back anti-Amazon letter

NEW YORK - Stephen King, Nora Roberts and Donna Tartt are among the hundreds of authors who have added their names to an online letter criticizing Amazon.com for restricting access to works published by Hachette Book Group.

Annual US inflation falls to 3-year low, clearing the way for the Fed to begin cutting rates

“It’s a comforting report, both because it is going in the right direction and because it is not doing anything too dramatic,” Sinclair said. “It is exactly what we wanted to see.”

Stocks edge lower after weeks of gains

NEW YORK — Stocks took a pause Monday from their big September rally as worries about the financial sector offset excitement over a fresh round of corporate dealmaking.

TAXES: Question of calculation

My property tax assessment increased 22 percent while taxing district budgets increase a max of 3 percent; something is wrong with the formula.

Oil price goes negative as demand collapses; stocks dip

Oil prices plunged below zero on Monday, the latest never-before-seen number to come out of the economic coma caused by the coronavirus pandemic

Friend request denied

Facebook hits new low as IPO lock-up ends