The Institute in the News

Media features regarding the Institute will be posted here routinely.

Current Articles

Participation in local labor force has declined but has now stabilized
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

By Dr. Patrick Jones
November 2022

Tri-Cities’ greenhouse gas footprint better than most metro areas
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

By Dr. Patrick Jones
May 2022

Visitor spending continues its recovery but will still be below 2019 levels
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

By Dr. Patrick Jones
March 2022

Area incomes rose dramatically, but for some more than others
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

By Dr. Patrick Jones
October 2022

Tri-City area STEM sector is both rich and poor
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

By Dr. Patrick Jones
July 2022

Pandemic deals different economic hands to the Tri-City workforce
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

By Dr. Patrick Jones
April 2022

The pandemic was not kind to student learning
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

By Dr. Patrick Jones
September 2022

Spokane County’s population grows faster than expected
Spokane Journal of Business

By Dr. Patrick Jones
July 2022

A bachelor’s degree still matters
The Spokesman Review

By Dr. Patrick Jones
April 2022

Tri-City health care has grown fast. Can the workforce keep up?
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

By Dr. Patrick Jones
February 2022

Local hospitality has recovered by sales and wages, but not by jobs
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

By Dr. Patrick Jones
August 2022

Tri-City manufacturing sector has a distinct flavor
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

By Dr. Patrick Jones
June 2022

Tri-Cities boasts more engineers than state average
Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business

By Dr. Patrick Jones
January 2022

As we say farewell to 2021, let’s mark return to longer-term trends – Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Slower retail growth likely in post-stimulus economy – Spokane Journal of Business
Boomers best younger generations in battle for houses much of the time – Spokane Journal of Business
Wenatchee Valley renters struggle to meet rising prices – The Wenatchee World
Tri-City students step one foot forward, one foot back – Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
STEM jobs have grown, but largely due to health care sector – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Tri-City population continues to outpace the state – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Manufacturing in the greater Tri-Cities is solid but hardly diversified – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Commuting in the Tri-Cities: It’s about the car – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Tri-Cities’ diverse population continues to grow but not its income – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Tri-City retail sales grew last summer, fall – but not at restaurants – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
The Tri-Cities’ graying population will grow over next decade – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
As we say farewell to 2021, let’s mark return to longer-term trends – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Report: Spokane County underbuilt by 32,000 housing units – Spokane Journal of Business

2020

Robust Tri-City population trends expected to continue – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Retail sales face decline but likely less than elsewhere – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Walla Walla’s 2020 Taxable Retail Sales: Not escaping the pandemic but likely better than we thought in May – The Union Bulletin, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Food, agriculture sectors fortify Tri-City economy
– Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Tri-City preschool attendance lags compared to state, U.S. – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Will tech-heavy labor force lead to technology economy? – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Covid-19 hits tourism hard in the Tri-Cities – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
$760 million in labor income lost in Spokane County, analysis shows – Spokane Journal of Business
Tri-City manufacturing fares well in era of Covid-19 – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
COVID-19 brings daunting challenge to Tri-City economy – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Tri-City construction pulse beat strong, but what now? – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Hospitality sector carving out bigger chunk of greater Tri-City economy – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Access to Tri-City health care could stand to improve – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Professional, technical services disproportionately large here – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Economic models show bump in retail activity next year – Spokane Journal of Business

2019

2020 wish list should include making progress on Tri-Cities’ early learning gap – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Retail sector ranks as fourth largest employer in Tri-Cities – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Finding young professionals in the Tri-Cities – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Tri-Cities boasts numerous science and tech workers but few firms – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Tri-City finance sector rooted in supportive economy – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Arts are vibrant in Tri-Cities, but not the payroll – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Agricultural processing seeing rapid growth – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Pulse of Tri-City travel and tourism industry beats strong – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Tri-Citians are big consumers of green electricity – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Tri-City health care sector ranks as region’s second largest work force – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Tri-City area women not (yet) holding up half of the business sky – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
More education needed to foster a Tri-City knowledge economy – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Analysis: Spokane economy is good, but needs more gazelles – Spokane Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Variety of factors could affect Spokane retail sales in 2020 – Spokane Journal of Business
Analysis: Exports matter to North Central WashingtonWenatchee World, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Opinion: On graduations and the labor market
– Wenatchee World, By Dr. Patrick Jones

2018

Tri-City retailers may rejoice this holiday shopping season – Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Tri-City entrepreneurship, labor market show mixed signals
– Tri-Cities Journal of Business, By Dr. Patrick Jones
Spokane retail sales predicted to slow in 2019 – Spokane Journal of Business
Apartment rents rise in Spokane area – Spokane Journal of Business
Nursing to be most in-demand profession in Spokane, forecast says – Spokane Journal of Business