Phil Castle, The Business Times A company plans exploratory drilling in the summer as part of efforts that could lead to the opening of a large underground coal mine that extends production in the North Fork Valley of Western Colorado. A nearby mining company has similar plans to modify federal leases and explore for additional reserves […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times: Monthly sales tax collections dropped more than 7 percent in Mesa County for November, ending a 14-month string of year-over-year increases. Sales and use tax collections also fell for the City of Grand Junction, although the decline was smaller. Still, year-to-date tax collections in the county and city remain well […]
A measure of confidence among small business owners has advanced for a third straight month on growing expectations for improving conditions and sales. The latest reading remains below the level reported in February, though, as well as average readings before the recession. “We should be encouraged, but cautiously so,” said Bill Dunkelberg, chief economist of […]
Mesa County will continue to cut spending for operations in 2012 to accommodate an expected decline in property tax revenues. Spending for capital projects will increase, however, along with an anticipated gain in sales tax revenues. The Mesa County commissioners approved general fund and capital budgets that total nearly $90.5 million for the coming year. […]
While creeping along in holiday traffic on the way to grandma’s house for the holidays, take comfort that despite detours and fender benders, you’ll eventually get there. For millions of American small business owners, arrival at their final destination — success — is not assured. The way is often blocked by complex federal regulations and […]
Four people have joined a new management team assembled to operate Powderhorn Mountain Resort in its first season under new ownership. Sam Williams has been hired as mountain operations manager, while Dave Smith has been hired as slope operations manager. Tricia Tittle is the new sales and communications manager and Steve Gould the new food […]
A monthly measure of economic conditions for small businesses in Colorado has slipped, although job growth has accelerated and financing costs remain low. The Vectra Bank Colorado Small Business Index (SBI) fell to 114.2 in November, down four-tenths from a revised 114.6 in October. With losses in six out of the last eight months, the […]
You might have read or heard that you need to replace about 80 percent of your preretirement income to maintain your standard of living in retirement. Although some research validates this guideline, consider that half of today’s retirees say their spending is higher or about the same as it was when they were working. The […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Harry Weiss recalls two immediate impressions of downtown Grand Junction. The first was the design and construction of recently completed renovations. The second was the long-term presence of many of the businesses operating there. “Those two things were really quite impressive,” says Weiss, who as the new executive director of the […]
A “Harvard education,” no matter how small, is benefitting Habitat for Humanity of Mesa County in meeting its mission of changing lives. When Amy Rogers went in front of Habitat for Humanity of Mesa County’s (Habitat) executive committee for her annual review in early 2011, she knew better than to ask for […]