It’s no secret our economy is in the midst of a transition from a manufacturing base to a knowledge base, and the nature of jobs is changing with it. This puts different demands on our community for roads, buildings and land planning. Views differ on how to plan for this transition. Retraining, re-educating and capacity […]
The world is flat: Or so goes the argument by Thomas Friedman in his 2005 book of the same title. Twelve years later, however, Friedman’s argument takes on additional meaning as geopolitical unrest sets the stage for a new global reality. It’s widely recognized globalization and technology are leveling economies onto the same playing field. Still, […]
Each of our wonderful cities, towns and rural areas on the Western Slope has its own unique flavor and vibe, but shares a deadly similarity. In spite of the many suicide prevention programs and initiatives in place, suicide rates remain distressingly higher than in most other places in the country. Each one of us has […]
And that would be in a place with either little or no energy to write and zero interest in much of anything in the news. Or perhaps with all that’s gone on in my life over the past six months and finding myself between two trips with only two days to work these past two […]
The results of a national survey confirm what small business owners think about government regulations. What most owners think is there are an increasing number of regulations that are costly and difficult with which to comply and, in the end, offer little or no value to consumers. Here’s the bottom line, so to speak: Nearly […]
When it comes to the topic of governments overstepping their bounds, much of our attention is directed towards the federal and state levels — and with good reason. The last century has seen the size, scope and purview of the federal government gestate far beyond anything envisioned by the framers. Even as most of their […]
Let’s just break this down to brass tacks. This whole election brouhaha isn’t about rights. Rights of any kind. Not LGBT rights, immigrant rights or women’s rights. This isn’t about free speech. It’s not about executive orders gone wild. The fact is, this whole uproar over Trump is about simply one thing: Trump. And no, […]
According to the latest results of an economic analysis, Grand Valley business owners and managers can thank tourists for at least a portion of their sales. The exact portion depends, of course, on the business. Hotels and motels, for example, rely nearly entirely on tourists. But restaurants and retailers also can attribute revenue to tourism […]
On a cold January day in 1973, a ribbon-cutting ceremony occurred in Carbondale. The ribbon, made from 50 silver dollars attached to a string of tape later donated to Mt. Sopris Park, marked the beginning of Alpine Bank’s tradition of involvement in the community. More than 40 years later, Alpine Bank remains committed to the […]
Most Coloradans didn’t grow up in a rural area and have never been on a farm or ranch. Still, the people of Colorado support the contributions of the agriculture industry to the quality of life in our state. In a recent survey conducted for the Colorado Department of Agriculture by Colorado State University, 90 percent […]