An interim Mesa County administrator has recommended that the commissioners hire a permanent administrator, but also change their involvement with county departments. “I believe the county administrator position is a vital link in the county’s current structure. But I also recommend developing a mechanism to create a more direct link between the county’s elected officials […]
Efforts are under way to draft an economic development plan for Mesa County based in large part on what business owners and managers see as opportunities and challenges. In addition to answering questions on an online survey, business people and others interested in business are encouraged to attend a two-hour planning session set for Feb. […]
While the latest results of an ongoing analysis confirm the growing role of Mesa State College in the Western Colorado economy, another statistic could have potential long-term effects on the regional economy as well. In addition to announcing the direct and indirect effects of the college contribute more than $300 million a year to the […]
An historic building in downtown Grand Junction will serve as a model for refitting old structures with new technologies to make them more energy efficient. A project to renovate the 92-year-old Wayne Aspinall Federal Building and Courthouse not only will preserve the historic features of the building, but also install geothermal and solar systems that […]
A Grand Junction solar power sales and installation company has completed the installation of a new solar system at its office and warehouse complex. Simplicity Solar completed the 15.58 kilowatt photovoltaic solar system at its facility at 747 W. White Ave. The system is expected to generate 23,555 kilowatts of electricity a year. Alan Deslongchamp, […]
A trade group representing oil and natural gas drillers in Colorado has announced it’s dropping a lawsuit over newly enacted state drilling regulations. The Colorado Oil and Gas Association (COGA) filed suit against the state of Colorado in May 2009 after then-Gov. Bill Ritter signed House Bill 1292 into law. The law directed the Colorado […]
It might be occasionally swept under the rug in the midst of discussions about natural gas and alternative forms of energy, but coal still constitutes the major source of fuel for electrical generation in the United States. And the worldwide appetite for coal will likely ensure that mines in Colorado continue to operate during the […]
The energy industry is a heavy hitter when it comes to economic impact in Western Colorado, but industry representatives aren’t always easily accessible to the general public. That scenario changes during the annual Energy Forum and Expo, set for Feb. 25 at Two Rivers Convention Center in Grand Junction. The event, which mixes seminars conducted […]
A monthly index tracking labor trends has advanced for a fourth straight month, signalling accelerating job growth. The Conference Board reported that its Employment Trends Index (ETI) rose two-tenths to 100.5. The index has climbed 7 percent over the last year. “We expect larger numbers of jobs to be added back into the economy in […]
The U.S. unemployment rate has dropped again, but payroll gains remain modest. According to the latest Labor Department estimates, the national jobless rate dropped four-tenths to 9 percent in January, but nonfarm payrolls grew only 36,000. While the unemployment rate has retreated eight-tenths of a percent since hitting 9.8 percent in November, the decrease is […]