West Slope businesses eligible for disaster loans

Small businesses in four Western Colorado counties, including Mesa County, are eligible for a federal loans to help offset losses related to drought conditions. Alfred Judd, director of the U.S. Small Business Administration disaster field operations center in  the West, announced the availability of loans to businesses in Delta County as well as Gunnison, Mesa […]

Selling to the government: Program offers help

Selling to the government: Program offers help

Phil Castle, The Business Times As if a $20 billion market isn’t tempting enough for business owners and managers looking for new customers for their products and services, how about a $500 billion market? The first number is the total dollar volume of state government contracts awarded each year in Colorado. The second number is […]

Despite June jobless jump, labor demand strong in Mesa County

Phil Castle, The Business Times:  The monthly unemployment rate in Mesa County has spiked once again on a seasonal influx of people searching for summer jobs. Labor demand remains strong, however, with increases in posted job openings. According to estimates from the Colorado Department of Labor, the seasonally unadjusted jobless rate in Mesa County jumped […]

Leading index signals slowing growth

An index forecasting economic performance in the United States has dropped for a second time in three months, a signal the laggard pace of growth could slow even more. The Conference Board reported that its Leading Economic Index (LEI) fell three-tenths of a point to 95.6 in June as building permits and factory orders fell […]

Latest sales tax gain small, but upward trend continues

Phil Castle, The Business Times:  While sales tax collections in Mesa County continue to outpace last year, the latest report reflects the smallest monthly gain since November. The City of Grand Junction reported strong sales tax collections for the month, but a sharp drop in use tax collections. Overall, sales tax collections continue to exceed […]

For businesses, clock ticking on health care choices

Phil Castle, The Business Times:  Business owners and managers face difficult decisions about health care coverage for their employees under sweeping federal legislation even as the clock starts ticking on implementing many provisions of the law. “Now’s the time to get educated,” said Ross Manson, a principal with an accounting and consulting firm that’s developed […]

Economist expects Grand Junction to outperform rest of Colorado

Phil Castle, The Business Times After experiencing the largest proportional, year-over-year gains among metropolitan areas in Colorado in payrolls and housing prices, Grand Junction is poised to continue to outperform other areas of the state, according to an economist with Wells Fargo. The overall outlook for the state is less upbeat, however, with the prospect […]

CEO survey: View from the top less optimistic

A measure of confidence among business executives dropped during the second quarter on less upbeat assessments for current economic conditions as well as expectations for the next six months. The Conference Board reported that its Measure of CEO Confidence fell to 47, down 16 points from the first quarter. A reading below 50 reflects more […]