Tax collections, an indicator of sales activity, constituted something of a mixed bag for the City of Grand Junction and Mesa County in June. While city sales tax collections dropped 8.3 percent compared to June 2019, county collections rose 5.3 percent on a year-over-year basis. Grand Junction lodging tax collections, a measure of hotel and […]
A measure of optimism among small business owners has rebounded on more upbeat expectations for sales and hiring, even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. The National Federation of Independent Business reported its Small Business Optimism Index rose 6.2 points to 100.6 in June. “Small businesses are navigating the various federal and state policies […]
A federal agency has authorized liquefied natural gas exports from a proposed terminal that could connect Western Colorado supplies with Asian markets. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said the Department of Energy issued a final long-term order allowing exports from the Jordan Cove project in Oregon. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission voted in March to approved […]
A new division of Mesa County Public Works has assumed management of stormwater in the county. The Mesa County Stormwater Division took on the role when a collaborative agency down as the 521 Drainage District dissolved. The federal Clean Water Act as well as the Colorado Department of Health and Environment require stormwater oversight to […]
A total of more than 70 presentations, panel discussions and other online events are scheduled to continue through July as part of Techstars Startup Week West Slope. The virtual regional conference is set for Tuesdays and Thursdays through July 30. There’s no charge for the sessions or deadline to register. Techstars Startup Week West Slope […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Kirstin Guptill cites a number of benefits to joining the Western Colorado Human Resource Association. That includes the information and other resources offered at meetings and conferences as well as the networking and sense of community. It’s a combination of professional and personal development Guptill values most. “It’s probably what […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Colorado employers still expect to increase wages in 2021, although less in the aftermath of a pandemic than before coronavirus hit. Meanwhile, more employees will continue to work remotely, according to the latest results of surveys conducted by the Employers Council. Those trends likely will occur on the Western Slope […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Declan McLaughlin looks back and sees some silver linings in the cloud of a pandemic. For one thing, sudden demand for protective barriers bolstered sales of the clear acrylic panels Reynolds Polymer Technology manufactures. For another, employees overcame remote work, travel restrictions and other challenges to serve customers. “I’m so […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times While the effects of the coronavirus pandemic continue to show up in sales numbers for Mesa County real estate, executives say they’re encouraged nonetheless by what they see. The overall number of transactions and dollar volume for June nearly matched the same month a year ago. The numbers for residential […]
Payrolls swelled and the unemployment rate dropped in June as more businesses shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic reopened and more employees returned to work. Nonfarm payrolls grew 4.8 million and the jobless rate fell 2.2 points to 11.1 percent, according to the latest Labor Department estimates. The initial estimate for job gains in May was […]