I keep a favorite “Pearls Before Swine” comic strip by Stephan Pastis taped to my desk as a reminder of the challenges that sometimes arise with my job. The first panel of the comic strip depicts two characters talking. “Where were you last weekend?” one asks. “I went to a writers retreat,” the other answers. […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times While other businesses struggled in the middle of a pandemic to keep their doors open, Brad Stieg and his daughters struggled to keep up with orders. At one point last year, the backlog of orders for reusable plastic canning lids had grown to 2,000. “August was just off the charts. […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Heather Benjamin wants to match businesses and organizations that offer services to military veterans with office space in a facility she describes as one-stop shop for veterans and their families. “Just being in the facility opens you up to a lot of folks,” said Benjamin, property administrator for the Western […]
And now for something completely different … . Those familiar with “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” will recognize the line from the old British TV show. The line served as the frequent transition between one absurd situation and something not only completely different, but also more absurd. A dead parrot and murderous cars. A cross-dressing lumberjack […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times A federal loan program established to help businesses endure the effects of the coronavirus pandemic has reopened to applications. In addition, the deadline to apply for a second loan program has been extended to the end of 2021. Vance Wagner, regional president of ANB Bank, said the programs offer needed financing […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times A Mesa County real estate market described as a roller coaster ride with the ups of increased sales and downs of pandemic restrictions ultimately climbed in 2020 to new heights. At more than $1.75 billion, the total dollar volume of real estate transactions in the county last year topped the […]
I’m haunted by the ghosts of Christmas. It’s an experience that’s delightful, not frightful — one of fond memories, grateful appreciation and optimistic expectation. To plagiarize a bit more, I’d like to imagine I’m like Ebenezer Scrooge, the protagonist of the famous Charles Dickens tale. Not the miserly recluse, mind you, but the benevolent extrovert […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Katie Powell foresees a challenging year ahead for Grand Valley businesses in recovering from the effects of a pandemic. But Powell believes the world can be changed by those who show up and care enough to act. And the incoming chairwoman of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce board […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times Both tailwinds and headwinds are forecast for Mesa County in the year ahead, according to the latest verson of an annual economic outlook report. Mesa County has fared well in the midst of a pandemic in terms of rising wages, construction activity and bank deposits. The leisure and hospitality and […]
Phil Castle, The Business Times The results of a survey once again reflect the varied effects of the coronavirus pandemic on Grand Valley businesses. “It’s a real mixed bag,” said Diane Schwenke, president and chief executive officer of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce. A total of 24 percent of the business owners and […]