Called Money & Markets, the page will contain more than 100 stocks our readers follow, along with a selection of business news briefs, T-bill and bond rates, commodities prices and a roundup of global markets and foreign currency rates. In addition, our Sunday business section will contain mutual fund listings only.

The changes are being made to address rising print production costs and in conjunction with the launch of The Columbian’s BusinessTODAY, a new free daily local business news e-mail product and The Columbian’s B2B magazine, a monthly publication geared to people in business. To subscribe to either of these new products or to check for up-to-the-minute stock information, go to www.columbian.com. To read Lou Brancaccio’s Saturday Press Talk column on this topic, go to www.columbian.com/news.

WinCo update

A reader named Alan wanted to know last week what’s going on with the soon-to-be-vacated WinCo space at Vancouver Plaza. Here’s what Columbian business writer Jonathan Nelson learned. The retail center’s owner is negotiating a lease for the space, but declined to disclose the tenant. An announcement could come in about six weeks. Meanwhile, the grand opening for the new, larger WinCo on Andresen Road south of Fourth Plain Boulevard is April 14.

Mall moves ahead

Westfield Vancouver mall’s owners are moving forward with demolition and expansion of the 940,234-square-foot shopping center. Plans calls for removing 98,233 square feet of buildings, then building 251,095 square feet of new space, for a total of 1,093,096 square feet on completion. That’s a big space.

Coupon confusion?

Vancouver resident Kevin Ritchey recently learned that it doesn’t pay to be too quick to pursue the federal discount coupons for purchasing a digital TV converter box.

If you have an older television and no cable or satellite reception, you’ll need the box to continue receiving signals over the air after Feb. 17, 2009. The box will work as soon as you buy it — digital signals already are out there. But when Ritchey, who talked with Columbian business writer Courtney Sherwood, received his two $40 coupons on March 11, he was surprised to learn that he only has until May 28 to use them. He had hoped for more time to shop. Coupons expire three months after they are mailed, according the U.S. Department of Commerce.

If you don’t want to buy the converter now, Ritchey, a retired TV salesman, suggests you wait to request your coupon. Coupons are available to every U.S. household upon request by calling 888-388-2009 or visiting
www.ntia.doc.gov/dtvcoupon.

Famous quote of the week

“Banking establishments are more dangerous than standing armies.” — Thomas Jefferson,  American president (1743-1826)

JULIA ANDERSON is The Columbian’s business editor. Reach her at 360-759-8071, or
julia.anderson@columbian.com.