A year that brought big swings in unemployment in Mesa County ended with an increase as the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and seasonal layoffs combined to push the jobless rate higher. The year ahead could be different, though, if vaccines and proactive business measures prove effective, said Curtis Englehart, director of the Mesa County […]
And now for something completely different … . Those familiar with “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” will recognize the line from the old British TV show. The line served as the frequent transition between one absurd situation and something not only completely different, but also more absurd. A dead parrot and murderous cars. A cross-dressing lumberjack […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times A federal loan program established to help businesses endure the effects of the coronavirus pandemic has reopened to applications. In addition, the deadline to apply for a second loan program has been extended to the end of 2021. Vance Wagner, regional president of ANB Bank, said the programs offer needed financing […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times A Mesa County real estate market described as a roller coaster ride with the ups of increased sales and downs of pandemic restrictions ultimately climbed in 2020 to new heights. At more than $1.75 billion, the total dollar volume of real estate transactions in the county last year topped the […]
I’m haunted by the ghosts of Christmas. It’s an experience that’s delightful, not frightful — one of fond memories, grateful appreciation and optimistic expectation. To plagiarize a bit more, I’d like to imagine I’m like Ebenezer Scrooge, the protagonist of the famous Charles Dickens tale. Not the miserly recluse, mind you, but the benevolent extrovert […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Katie Powell foresees a challenging year ahead for Grand Valley businesses in recovering from the effects of a pandemic. But Powell believes the world can be changed by those who show up and care enough to act. And the incoming chairwoman of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce board […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Both tailwinds and headwinds are forecast for Mesa County in the year ahead, according to the latest verson of an annual economic outlook report. Mesa County has fared well in the midst of a pandemic in terms of rising wages, construction activity and bank deposits. The leisure and hospitality and […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times The results of a survey once again reflect the varied effects of the coronavirus pandemic on Grand Valley businesses. “It’s a real mixed bag,” said Diane Schwenke, president and chief executive officer of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce. A total of 24 percent of the business owners and […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times People remain no less resolved at the beginning of a new year to lose weight, get fit and make other changes in their lives. What will be different, Jim Ettenger and Nikki Wilke expect, is the ways people will keep their resolutions in the midst of a pandemic. “We’re here […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times The monthly unemployment rate has increased in Mesa County as a pandemic and winter weather affect businesses and their staffing. “It’s definitely a combination of things,” said Celina Kirnberger, employment services supervisor at the Mesa County Workforce Center in Grand Junction. The trend could continue for several months, although vaccines […]