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Businesses on the Way in West Plains

Spokane County may see some new companies set up shop on the West Plains soon. As Steve Jackson reports, that’s the word from County Commissioner Al French. In Commissioner Al French’s recent state of the county address, he talked about the importance of expanding aerospace businesses on the West Plains.

French says he has had discussions with the Boeing company, touting the regions highly trained workforce and quick commute times in comparison to the Seattle area. While French says Boeing has not committed to any projects in the Spokane area, he says he has heard promising words from a company called Aviation Technical Services, which does aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul.

French: “They have already announced that they are looking at Spokane, and we are working aggressively with them to create a business proposition that will bring them here to Spokane. And so they are talking about the fist of three hangars, each one of these hangars can accommodate 3 77’s.” 

French says the company is indicating that if it does proceed with plans for Spokane, it would hire 250 employees at an average salary of 50 thousand dollars. French says besides that discussion, there is one confirmed business that plans to set up shop near the airport.

French: “The SIAS board is the final stages of sale of about sixty acres to a steel manufacturing company, and like I said I'm hoping in the next two to three weeks you’ll hear a press release on that announcing who the company is.”

French says that company is also related to aerospace work.

Steve was part of the Spokane Public Radio family for many years before he came on air in 1999. His wife, Laurie, produced Radio Ethiopia in the late 1980s through the '90s, and Steve used to “lurk in the shadowy world” of Weekend SPR. Steve has done various on air shifts at the station, including nearly 15 years as the local Morning Edition host. Currently, he is the voice of local weather and news during All Things Considerd, writing, editing, producing and/or delivering newscasts and features for both KPBX and KSFC. Aside from SPR, Steve ,who lives in the country, enjoys gardening, chickens, playing and listening to music, astronomy, photography, sports cars and camping.