School bells ring and students return to classrooms. While some elements of the curriculum made headlines during the spring and summer, there’s been no mention of the need for economic education. But who needs economic education? Right? Consider some of the numbers. According to the Experian Consumer Credit Review, consumer debt as of November 2020 […]
I’ve long admired farmers, ranchers and others who work in the agriculture industry. I worked on a hog farm a couple of months the summer before I started college. And I occasionally accompanied my best friend and his father, a veterinarian, on some of his house calls. Make that barn and corral calls. But that’s […]
At least that’s my take on the every four years spectacle we call the Olympics. Well, except the new COVID calendar has it in a five-year (and who knows what’s next) cycle this time around. I’m just glad I get the chance to take a political, social activist break from the craziness in the world […]
COVID-19 vaccines have been available for months. While many in our community have been vaccinated, others haven’t yet decided on vaccinations and could want more information as they evaluate their options. Choosing to get a vaccine is a decision we all have to make for ourselves. It’s natural to have questions and want to know […]
Commercial real estate brokers are hired to handle a variety of responsibilities. And some brokers are willing to offer more after-transaction services for owners and landlords as sales and leasing activities lead to property management, tax protesting, speculative construction ideas and other non-transactional needs. One responsibility I haven’t seen any broker take on, though, is […]
Workforce centers in Colorado — including the Mesa County Workforce Center in Grand Junction — offer a range of free services to employers and employees. Here’s an overview courtesy of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. Among other things, centers provide: Job listings, generally for a local county and surrounding areas. Computer and internet […]
In my column in a June issue of the Business Times, I reviewed the basics of Colorado’s new Equal Pay for Equal Work Act (EPEW). EPEW is split into two parts. The first part prohibits employers from paying different wages on the basis of sex or sex plus another protected status to employees who perform […]
A measure of optimism among small business owners has retreated on less upbeat expectations for the economy, sales and earnings as well as concerns about labor availability. The National Federation of Independent Business reported its Small Business Optimism Index fell 2.8 points to 99.7 in July. The decrease nearly erased a 2.9-point increase in June, […]
Tax collections, a measure of sales activity, continue to increase in Mesa County. Mesa County reported collecting more than $4 million in sales tax in July, a 20.4 percent increase over the same month last year. The county also collected nearly $401,000 in use taxes — almost all of it on automobiles purchased outside the […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Real estate sales slowed in Mesa County in July, but overall activity so far this year remains well ahead of last year. Robert Bray, chief executive officer of Bray Real Estate in Grand Junction, remains optimistic. “I still think it’s going to be a very good year.” Annette Miller, administrator […]