Business leaders urged to attend suicide awareness presentation

Phil Castle, The Business Times Dr. Brian Davidson believes it’s important to not only have a conversation about suicide awareness in the workplace, but also for business owners and managers to lead that conversation. As president of St. Mary’s Medical Center in Grand Junction, Davidson has led a series of such presentations. He plans to […]

Grand opening scheduled for coworking space

An event is planned to celebrate the grand opening of the Factory, a coworking  space in downtown Grand Junction. The event is scheduled for 4 to 7 p.m. Feb. 24 at the Factory, 750 Main St., and will include tours, food, drinks and music. For more information, visit the website located at www.launchwestco.com. The Factory […]

Regional group opposes severance tax increase

An organization of city and county governments in Northwest Colorado has launched a campaign against any proposed increases in severance taxes the group warms could harm a recovery in the energy sector in the region. “For the first time in years, we are seeing a return of energy related activities on the West Slope. This […]

Downtown board supports events center plan

The board of directors that oversees a downtown Grand Junction organization has voted to support a plan to construct an events center downtown and renovate the nearby convention center. The Grand Junction Downtown Development Authority board of directors voted unanimously to support the City of Grand Junction in its efforts to build the center, including […]

State officials sign off on acquisition of Rocky Mountain Health Plans

UnitedHealthCare has received state approval to acquire Rocky Mountain Health Plans, converting what was a nonprofit operation into a for-profit insurance business. Attorney General Cynthia Coffman and Insurance Commissioner Marguerite Salazar both approved the transaction. “This deal will allow Rocky to continue to serve Coloradans, particularly on the Western Slope,” Salazar said. Based in Grand […]

Latest sales tax numbers mixed

Phil Castle, The Business Times After a year in which sales tax collections lagged, Jodi Romero expects the trend to go the other way in 2017. “I’m fairly comfortable in saying we’re moving in the right direction,” said Romero, financial operations director for the City of Grand Junction. The new year got off to a […]

Official: Regulatory concerns could spur relief

The results of a national survey quantifying growing concerns among small business owners over government regulation could help in enacting legislative relief in Colorado, an official says. Tony Gagliardi,  state director of the National Federation of Independent Business in Colorado, said the results of the survey conducted by the small business advocacy group could aid […]

Prescription for change: Health summit planned

Prescription for change: Health summit planned

Phil Castle, The Business Times Diane Schwenke says health insurance comes up in almost every conversation she has with business owners and managers, whether it’s at networking events, committee meetings or other functions of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce. While employers want to provide insurance, many can’t afford the rising premiums. Meanwhile, plans […]

Leading index signals continued growth

An index forecasting economic performance in the United States has increased, signaling what could be accelerating growth in the months ahead. The Conference Board reported that its Leading Economic Index rose six-tenths of a percent to 125.5 in January. Separate measures of current and past economic conditions also increased. “The U.S. Leading Economic Index increased […]