City saves green by going green

Phil Castle, The Business Times Terry Franklin envisions a day when solar panels fully power the wastewater treatment plant that serves much of the Grand Valley. What’s more, natural gas created at the plant will become a source of energy as well. That day hasn’t yet arrived. In the meantime, the City of Grand Junction […]

Mesa County jobless rate edges up

Phil Castle, The Business Times The monthly unemployment rate in Mesa County has increased even as payrolls and the overall labor force have decreased. Employers seem a little more hesitant to hire and some of those looking for work have given up on job hunts for now, said Suzie Miller, business services manager at the […]

Incubation period: Business center passes 25-year milestone

Incubation period: Business center passes 25-year milestone

Phil Castle, The Business Times When Jon Maraschin envisions what the Business Incubator Center in Grand Junction might look like 25 years from now, he talks about the possibilities for a research park or perhaps additional facilities in nearby communities. That’s not to mention the addition of a space port, he jokes. But what Maraschin […]

BLM plan scheduled for review

Phil Castle, The Business Times  A preliminary version of a plan that will guide the management of nearly 1 million acres of federal land in Mesa County is expected to soon be ready for public review. Meanwhile, though, work continues on a separate environmental analysis of a proposed coal mine north of Mack.  A 90-day […]

Inventive entrepreneur developing livestock feeder

Phil Castle, The Business Times A Palisade woman hopes to bring to market a product she long needed when she was raising and showing horses: a device that makes it easier to feed livestock. Mary Leonard has dubbed her invention the Cranky Feeder. A metal bin holds up to 100 pounds of so-called sweet feeds. […]

Local tax collections rebound

Phil Castle, The Business Times Marcia Arnhold can count more than 2 million reasons she feels more confident about her projections for sales tax collections in Mesa County. In fact, the county reported collecting a total of $2.14 million in sales taxes for its capital improvement and general funds in November. That number represents a […]

HR professional lauded for award-winning efforts

Phil Castle, The Business Times   Donna Smith always looks for ways to build relationships and improve people’s lives, whether it’s working with other organizations to recruit employees or working with individuals to help them land a job. It’s an ongoing effort that’s earned Smith recognition as the Western Colorado Human Resource Association Professional of […]

No business like snow business: Powderhorn prepares for ski season

No business like snow business: Powderhorn prepares for ski season

Phil Castle, The Business Times   It was quiet enough on a recent weekday morning at Powderhorn Mountain Resort to hear snow crunch beneath boots and birds sing in distant trees. The chairlifts were motionless, the seats dangling like bulbs along a gigantic string of Christmas lights that stretched to the top of the Grand Mesa. […]

Mesa County real state sales rebound to four-year high

Phil Castle, The Business Times:  Thanks in part to gains in November, real estate sales in Mesa County have rebounded to their highest level since 2008. With a month left to go in 2012, real estate transactions already exceed year-end totals for the past three years. Moreover, the combined dollar volume of sales so far […]

Oil shale outlook: Challenges hamper commercial development

Phil Castle, The Business Times Glenn Vawter recalls a college field trip to Western Colorado during which a professor pointed out a rock formation and said oil shale development could solve the nation’s energy problems. More than 50 years later, Vawter remains convinced it’ll happen. “I’m still optimistic we’ll use this large resource someday.” The […]