Phil Castle, The Business Times Comprehensive planning and significant investments in infrastructure will pay off in promoting economic development in the Grand Valley, local government officials say. Challenges persist, though, among them the availability of affordable housing. And imposing a heavier state regulatory burden to usurp local controls won’t help. “That one size fits all […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times If Tony Gagliardi were to assign a letter grade to the latest session of the Colorado Legislature, it would be a D. His marks would be even lower for the partisanship he said has replaced statesmanship. “There’s no respect left,” said Gagliardi, state director of the National Federation of Independent […]
Mesa County commissioners have vowed to work with local entities to ease property taxes in the midst of rising home prices. “Forty-four taxing entities in Mesa County have the ability to reduce their mill levies and help aid in the reduction of taxes owed. We will be coordinating with all of them and encouraging them […]
An electric cooperative serving Mesa County has announced an agreement to purchase power from a Denver-based supplier. Grand Valley Power selected Guzman Energy to provide electricity under a 15-year agreement scheduled to begin June 1, 2028. Until then, Grand Valley Power will continue to purchase electricity from Xcel Energy. “After navigating several years of volatile […]
The deadline for submitting proposals for presentations and speakers at the upcoming West Slope Startup Week has been extended to June 16. The free regional business conference is scheduled for Aug. 21 to 25 in Durango. The event will be held both in-person and virtually, offering participants the option to choose between the two. “We […]
Business, community and human service agency leaders have been invited to participate in an event intended to help them better understand the experiences of living in poverty. United Way of Mesa County has scheduled the event for June 9 using its community action poverty simulation kit. “This program helps people understand the complexities and frustrations […]
The Mesa County School District 51 Foundation donated $35,000 for training to create student wellness and belonging systems and structures. The money will fund Engaging Schools Training planned for the 2023-2024 school year. The training is intended to improve academic achievement while also promoting social and emotional development among middle and high school students and […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Real estate sales continue to lag in Mesa County, but activity could increase in coming months. “I really do anticipate we’ll see some interesting movement in the marketplace in the second half,” said Robert Bray, chief executive officer of Bray & Co. Real Estate in Grand Junction. While higher interest […]
Payrolls continue to grow in the United States, but the unemployment rate also has climbed from a 50-year low. Nonfarm payrolls increased 339,000 and the jobless rate rose three-tenths of a point to 3.7 percent in May, according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Initial estimates for payroll gains for […]
A measure of consumer confidence continues to retreat on less optimistic assessments of business and labor conditions in the United States. The Conference Board reported its Consumer Confidence Index fell 1.4 points to 102.3 in May. Components of the index tracking current conditions and short-term expectations both decreased. “Consumer confidence declined in May as consumers’ […]