Real estate activity slows, but outlook upbeat

Phil Castle, The Business Times While the new year is off to a slightly slower start for real estate activity in Mesa County, the outlook for continued improvement in the local market remains upbeat. “It was a slow start, but I don’t think that’s going to detour our progress,” said Annette Miller, senior vice president of […]

Investment manager: 2015 forecast optimistic

Phil Castle, The Business Times Economic growth should continue through 2015 in the United States with rising consumer spending and corporate profits and falling unemployment rates. But a strong dollar and slumping oil prices likely will bring both gains and pains in the coming year, said Doug May, regional manager for Avant-Garde Advisors in Grand Junction. […]

Study: Drilling setbacks could come with costs

Kelly Sloan, The Business Times Increased setbacks for oil and natural gas wells could cost jobs and led to economic losses in Colorado, a study concludes. The Business Research Division of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado at Boulder conducted the study on  behalf of  the Common Sense Policy Roundtable, an economic […]

Public comment sought on proposed ozone rules

Kelly Sloan, The Business Times Comments will be accepted through March 17 for proposed ozone rules supporters say are needed to improve air quality, but opponents counter could needlessly cost the economy billions of dollars and thousands of jobs. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced plans to tighten its national ambient air quality standards for […]

Proposed capital gains tax height raises concerns

Kelly Sloan, The Business Times A proposed increase in federal capital gains taxes could dampen business investment if implemented, a Grand Junction accountant believes. “In effect, it would dampen the desire of entrepreneurs and business owners to invest their capital,” said Chris West, a tax accounting principal at Dalby, Wendland and Co. President Barack Obama proposed […]

Ski resort lodge acquired in part as training facility

Phil Castle, The Business Times A Western Slope telecommunications company has acquired a hotel and restaurant on the Grand Mesa that will be used in part to train military veterans to work in the industry. Teltech Communications has entered into a lease-to-own agreement for SlopeSide Hotel at Powderhorn Mountain Resort. The facility will continue to operate […]

Proposed severance tax funding shift draws fire

Kelly Sloan, The Business Times Two Western Colorado groups have joined with local government officials in opposing a plan to use severance tax revenues to offset state refunds that could be required under constitutional limits. “It is a bad idea to take that money away from communities which need it to help with their own economies. […]

Promoting oil shale: Big role foreseen for big resource

Promoting oil shale: Big role foreseen for big resource

Phil Castle, The Business Times         While the promise of commercial oil shale production has yet to be fully realized in Western Colorado, Brad McCloud believes there’s an upside to slow development. As technology to extract oil from shale improves, so do the prospects of doing so in economically and environmentally sustainable ways, […]

Consumer Confidence Index jumps to seven-year high

A monthly measure of consumer confidence has surged to its highest level in more than seven years on more upbeat assessments of business and labor conditions in the United States. The Conference Board reported that its Consumer Confidence Index jumped nearly 10 points to 102.9 in January. The latest reading is the highest since the […]

Mesa County jobless rate edging up

Phil Castle, The Business Times The Mesa County unemployment rate has edged up for a second straight month as seasonal layoffs and slowing in the energy industry affect the local labor market. While the jobless rate remains far lower than this time last year and other indicators signal improvement, the outlook has turned more guarded, said […]