Oil shale development in Western Colorado has posed a challenging puzzle to say the least. Even after investing millions upon millions of dollars and decades of research into various methods of extracting kerogen from shale formations without having to simply mine and process the rock, the efforts have yet to result in commercial-shale production. Shell […]
Statistics continue to tell what could be called a tale of two cities in contrasting the differences between Denver and Grand Junction. It would be a stretch to say it’s the best of times or the worst of times. That’s certainly not the case. Nonetheless, there’s little doubt Grand Junction and Mesa County lag behind […]
There’s nothing better than an entrepreneurial success story. Such stories serve not only to affirm the realization of the American dream, but also offer inspiration and instruction to those who pursue their own accomplishments. Here in Western Colorado, one of the best entrepreneurial success stories of all recounts the exploits of four brothers who founded […]
There’s growing interest in Congress in decreasing the corporate tax rate to increase the competitiveness of U.S. businesses strapped with highest tax rate among developed countries. That’s a laudable effort well worth pursuing. At the same time, though, what can be even higher individual income tax rates for many small business owners hasn’t received similar […]
Of all the indicators that offer insights into the economy, few illicit as much interest as wages. Understandably so. Wages constitute the largest collective expense for most businesses. Moreover, people just naturally want to know how their own paychecks compare with what others take home elsewhere. So what do the latest numbers have to say […]
Statistics for the first half of 2013 complete a kind of paint-by-numbers portrait of the economic landscape in Mesa County. As usual, the composition offers a mix of encouragement and frustration. Here’s a look at what’s passed and what’s ahead: An improving real estate market tops the list of encouraging indicators with a 5.5 percent […]
Undaunted optimism in the face of business uncertainty constitutes ones of the most important attributes of the remarkable entrepreneurs who start and operate ventures. Were they to succumb to the temptation to respond like the dismally gloomy Eeyore or panic-stricken Chicken Little, entrepreneurs wouldn’t dare risk what’s often their life savings to pursue their passions […]
There’s a curious, at least to us, juxtaposition between the series of media events announcing large construction projects in the Grand Valley and the characterization that, overall, local construction activity remains slow. By one count, nearly a dozen projects are expected to soon begin in the Grand Valley — from the construction of a small […]
Much has been made in the aftermath of the latest municipal election of the efforts of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce to shape public policy. Some claim there’s a nefarious plot afoot for the chamber and its newly formed Western Colorado Business Alliance to fill elected positions with its hand-picked candidates and then […]
It’s risky business attempting to connect the myriad dots to catch a glimpse of what the economy looks like. It can be more risky still to predict with any certainty how actions today will affect the economy tomorrow. It’s worth the trouble, though, on the off chance a bigger picture just might emerge: By golly, […]