Lending levels reflect ongoing uncertainty

The declining level of financing activity backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration in Mesa County reflects the ongoing uncertainty business owners face in running their ventures. Even with fee waivers and increased guarantee levels, the dollar volume of SBA-backed loans fell in Mesa County during the 2010 fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30. The […]

Wellness program training planned for Grand Junction

Upcoming training sessions in Grand Junction will help employers develop and implement worksite wellness programs. A session titled “Build a Foundation of Wellness” is set for 1:30 Nov. 9 at the Commons of Hilltop, 625 27 1/2 Road. Representatives from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) will teach participating employers how to […]

Consumer confidence rises, but index signals little change

A monthly measure of consumer confidence has increased, but continued concerns about the economy and jobs reflect no big changes in sentiment. The Conference Board reported that its Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) advanced 1.6 points to 50.2 in October on slightly more upbeat assessments of current conditions and the short-term outlook. “Consumer confidence, while slightly […]

Leading economic index forecasts slow growth, but little momentum

A monthly measure of future economic activity in the United States continues to forecast growth, but at its slowest pace in more than a year. The Conference Board reported that its Leading Economic Indicator (LEI) rose three-tenths of  percent in September. A separate measure of past performance also increased, while a measure of current activity […]

SBA-backed lending levels fall in Mesa County

The dollar volume of loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration continued to declined in Mesa County during the 2010 fiscal year even as lending activity elsewhere in Colorado rebounded. Some business owners took advantage of fee waivers and higher loan guarantee levels to obtain SBA-backed financing — benefits extended under recently enacted federal […]

Tax revenues up in September, but still lag behind 2009

For the first time in nearly two years, Mesa County has reported a year-to-year increase in sales tax collections. Meanwhile, the City of Grand Junction reported its largest proportional year-to-year increase in sales and use tax collections. According to its September report, Mesa County collected $3.03 million in sales taxes, a 6.72 percent increase over […]

Home price index: Grand Junction market down 14 percent

Home prices in Grand Junction have declined more than 14 percent over the past year, according to the latest results of a monthly analysis by a California-based firm. CoreLogic reported that its Home Price Index (HPI) for Grand Junction, including distressed sales, was down 14.41 percent in August compared to the same month last year. […]

Commissioners narrow search for administrator

Mesa County commissioners are expected to narrow their search for a new county administrator from five candidates to two or three finalists. The commissioners recently interviewed five candidates and are expected to soon select two or three finalists. The latest steps in the process follow a national search that began shortly after Jon Peacock resigned […]

Thrifty no more: Car rental office closes in Grand Junction

Thrifty Car Rental has closed its office in Grand Junction even as local car rental operations report declining revenue. Thrifty Car Rental closed its office on Horizon Drive in October. A telephone message confirmed the closure, but also indicated the company still was accepting rental car returns as of late October. The Grand Valley Business […]