As usual, William Shakespeare had it right all along. In the Shakespeare play “Richard III,” the king yells, “A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!” Although written more than 400 years ago, the phrase remains relevant to this day in describing situations in which the absence of little things can make a big […]
There’s a temptation in economic development to look for the silver bullet, the one solution to solve all problems and quickly bring prosperity to an area. But there’s another metaphor that might prove more useful in describing efforts to sustain an economy over the long term, and that’s the tortoise. While the announced plans to […]
There’s seldom a time when all the indicators click into place like tumblers and reveal, if only for a moment, what’s really going on in the economy. More often, another metaphor applies: The signals remain mixed. That’s the situation in the Grand Valley halfway through 2019. The cover story in this very issue of the […]
Although it wasn’t initially planned that way, the latest Business Times coverage constitutes what could be billed as the new CEO edition. By all means, read all about it. Along with a story about the new chief executive officer at Dalby, Wendland & Co. — which was planned — a story broke about the new […]
There’s the potential for what might be called tech and rec to play increasingly important roles in the Grand Valley economy. One thing has everything to do with the other. Tech firms — including advanced manufacturing and software companies — have grown and earned recognition in the process. Wren Industries constitutes a notable example as […]
Like the song about the home on the range, the latest assessments of business and economic conditions in the Grand Valley grow increasingly upbeat. Seldom is heard a discouraging word. Alison Felix, an economist who serves as a vice president and Denver branch executive for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, said as much […]
Every day, week and month brings an observance to mark, albeit some more significant than others. Let’s not debate, for example, the merits of International Talk Like a Pirate Day — which happens to fall on Sept. 19 for those looking forward to shivering their timbers. Nonetheless, there are two observances worth, well, observing that […]
Relieved to have filed your income tax forms for another year — or at least filed for the extension that provides a reprieve? That’s a rhetorical question, of course. Who isn’t relieved to complete the onerous task of figuring how much is owed Uncle Sam and his ilk in Denver — or worse still, sending […]
This edition of the Business Times could be described as the awards issue. That wasn’t the plan at the start of the production cycle. But as deadline neared, more and more information kept coming in about Grand Valley businesses, business people and students winning recognition for their efforts. You can read all about it in […]
Tax Freedom Day is coming. Unfortunately, that’s not a celebration during which federal, state and local taxes are suspended for the day and taxpayers could feel what it’s like, if only momentarily, to have that particular burden lifted from their shoulders. Rather, Tax Freedom Day is the day in which the average taxpayer has finally […]