Got health care questions? Agencies provide answers

Phil Castle, The Business Times Small business owners and managers who have questions about the new federal health care law and health care exchange can get answers from the state agency that regulates the insurance industry. Meanwhile, assistance is available to consumers from “guides” working out of new offices Hilltop Community Resources has set up […]

California offset program bolsters business for Grand Junction firm

Phil Castle, The Business Times A Grand Junction company has completed only the second offset verification conducted under a greenhouse gas cap-and-trade program in California. Ruby Canyon Engineering is in the process of completing verifications for seven other offset projects that either destroy such ozone-depleting substances as refrigerants or capture and destroy methane from livestock […]

Alpine Bank offers interest-free loans to furloughed federal employees

Phil Castle, The Business Times:  A Western Colorado bank offers no-interest loans to furloughed federal employees to help them get through the government shutdown. Alpine Bank has earmarked $13 million for the program, said Clay Tufly, regional president for Mesa and Delta counties. “We want to help in any way we can,” Tufly said. Alpine […]

Companies invited to join in Colorado branding campaign

Phil Castle, The Business Times:  Companies can join in a new branding program designed to promote not only Colorado, but also the products made in the state. In fact, Aaron Kennedy hopes to enlist 100 companies by the end of the year. The goal in part, he said, is to help customers realize “a lot […]

Mesa County real estate numbers add up to recovery

Phil Castle, The Business Times The latest numbers continue to add up to recovery in the Mesa County real estate market. Even as transactions and dollar volume increase, property foreclosure filings and sales decrease. “I think we’ll have another good year in the real estate market,” said Robert Bray, president of Bray Real Estate in […]

Small business group poll: Members oppose school finance measure

Phil Castle, The Business Times Members of a small business advocacy group responding to a poll nearly unanimously oppose a ballot initiative that would increase state income taxes to raise additional funding for public schools in Colorado. “I don’t think there’s much doubt about it,” said Tony Gagliardi, state director of the National Association of […]

Chef plans to spice things up for flash restaurant

Phil Castle, The Business Times A chef who’s literally made it his business to create decadent cheesecakes expects to spice things up for what he believes will be the first flash restaurant in Western Colorado. The menu will feature, among other things, hamburgers, fries and chili made with peppers and plenty of them. “I’m talking […]

Federal Reserve economists: Mesa County lags behind state and national recovery

Phil Castle,The Business Times   Even as the state and national economies recover at a modest pace, Mesa County lags behind with higher jobless rates, slower home construction activity and lower housing prices, according to two economists and executives with the Federal Reserve. “It probably doesn’t feel like a recovery has taken hold yet,” said […]

For fast-growing solar firm, outlook remains bright under new ownership

Phil Castle, The Business Times A fast-growing solar development company founded in Grand Junction has been sold to what’s considered a pioneering firm in the solar industry. While the name will change from Syndicated Solar to RGS Energy, the Grand Junction office and its staff of 12 will remain in operation, said Harold Warth, regional […]