Phil Castle, The Business Times The monthly unemployment rate decreased and labor force increased in Mesa County in August, diverging trends that reflect improving conditions. “Those are really good signs to see,” said Curtis Englehart, director of the Mesa County Workforce Center in Grand Junction. Englehart said he expects the jobless rate to continue to edge […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times It’s a coffee shop. It’s a frozen yogurt place. It’s a breakfast and lunch restaurant. It’s all of the above and more, according to Savannah Tompkins, who’s combined in one Grand Junction location two businesses that serve a variety of beverages and foods. It’s a merger born out of the necessity […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Ken Scissors sees what he considers the conspicuous signs of a growing clean technology industry in the Grand Valley. There’s the increased use of solar energy and decreased costs of installations. There are the energy efficient residential and commercial developments that have been constructed or are planned. And there’s the […]
Phil Castle The Business Times Jarad Usher used to live in Beijing, so he knows from personal experience the effects of poor air quality. His eyes burned, he donned a face mask — well before the coronavirus pandemic made them de rigueur — and had to carefully consider whether or not to venture outside. Fast […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times An investment management firm is accepting applications for a microloan program offering Western Colorado businesses up to $50,000 at low interest rates. The program is intended to assist businesses struggling in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and related restrictions, but also builds on broader efforts to provide capital to […]
I learned two things over the course of a week-long road trip with my father to the Pacific Northwest. First, a good portion of nearly every highway between here and there is under construction. Second, trophy salmon fishing is hard. Both experiences renewed my respect for business owners and managers given the challenges they face […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times The unemployment rate has dropped in Mesa County, but so has the labor force. While the latest estimates constitute what Curtis Englehart deemed a “mixed bag,” the director of the Mesa County Workforce Center in Grand Junction said labor conditions are improving. “It feels like we’re slowly getting back on […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times While overall real estate activity continues to pick up in Mesa County, low inventories hamper residential sales. “The inventory is the big, big challenge,” said Robert Bray, chief executive officer of Bray Real Estate in Grand Junction. With low interest rates and persistent demand, activity in 2020 still could top […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Three years of development and testing — as well as some national recognition along the way — have led to this point. A network designed to more efficiently connect people with organizations providing medical, behavioral and social services is operational. “It’s exciting,” said Jackie Sievers, director of implementation for the […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times About 10,000 cloth face masks will be delivered to Mesa County businesses in what’s described as a show of support for both safety and Colorado Mesa University students. Diane Schwenke, president and chief executive officer of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce, said it’s important for businesses to keep […]