Phil Castle Business Times One of the busiest lecture halls for nursing students at Mesa State College now bears the name of a Grand Junction-based organization that long has supported the college and its nursing programs. A new plaque designates the large classroom in the Maverick Center as the Rocky Mountain Health Plans Lecture Hall. […]
A monthly index tracking business conditions in Colorado has slumped to its lowest level in nearly a year, yet continues to forecast growth in the months ahead. The Business Conditions Index fell more than three points to 53. That’s the lowest level since the index stood at 48.7 in September 2009. Still, the latest reading […]
Phil Castle Business Times Monty Haltiner stocks the shelves of the Grand Junction liquor store he manages with more than 1,000 wines from around the world. But right next to vintages from far-flung European and California producers sit products bottled at wineries mere miles from the store. Haltiner believes Grand Valley and Colorado wines deserve […]
Business owners and managers realize that having difficult conversations with employees sometimes comes with the job. So owners and managers attend training and listen to webinars that outline what difficult conversations sound like. They gain an understanding of what’s expected and plan on how they’re finally going to talk to “that” employee. Only the conversation […]
A monthly measure of consumer confidence advanced in August on more optimistic expectations for improving business and labor conditions. Consumers remain less upbeat about present conditions, though, especially employment. The Conference Board reported that its Consumer Confidence Index rose 2.5 points to 53.5. The gain erases some of the declines over the past two months. […]
TheHill.com recently reported that House Democrats are focusing on the party’s small business agenda as a way to regain ground among voters. But considering the policies that a Democratic White House and Democrat-led Congress have been pushing for the past 20 months, is that really a smart strategy? Consider, for example, federal spending and taxes. […]
Apartment vacancy rates continue to decline in Grand Junction as hiring in the energy and health care sectors as well as home foreclosures bring more people to the rental market. According to the latest results of a quarterly survey conducted for the Colorado Division of Housing, the average apartment vacancy rate for the Grand Junction […]
Ever wonder how much electricity that aging refrigerator consumes? What about the computer? And how much savings could be realized by replacing old appliances with new, more efficient models? A program offered through the Mesa County Libraries encourages people to literally check out a meter to find out the answers to those and other questions. […]
The monthly unemployment rate in Mesa County held steady in July with only slight changes in the overall work force and the number of those counted as unsuccessfully looking for jobs. According to the latest estimates from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), the unadjusted jobless rate remained unchanged at 9.5 percent. That […]
Exports of agricultural products from Colorado continue to grow with increased shipments of beef leading the way. The value of agricultural exports from the state totaled $508.9 million through the first half of 2010, a 27 percent increase over the same span last year, according to statistics reported by the Colorado Department of Agriculture. For […]