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The Business Times Contributors THE BUSINESS TIMES March 24-aPril 6, 2022JANUARY 15-28, 2015 Opinion Opinion Business BriefsA new year affords Business Peoplea new opportunity to meet local needs Almanac

A new year almost always brings an opportunity for a fresh start and renewed ambition to do things better.

In business, that usually boils down to providing customers better products and services faster and at lower cost than competitors. Part of the process must include listening to customers to determine what they actually need and then meeting that need. After all, it does little good to offer the latest and greatest if nobody actually wants what you’re selling.

Just like the businesses that belong to the group, the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce invariably starts out the new year with a reassessment of the services and resources it provides and how well they match with members needs. Jeff Franklin, the new chairman of the chamber board of directors, personifies this approach in describing what he considers his role for the coming year: listen to members, determine their needs and then meet those needs. It’s a role with which Franklin is familiar as market president of Bank of Colorado.

The process will take on a more structured approach in what the chamber plans as the resumption of a program aptly called Listening to Business. Under the program, business owners participate in in-depth interviews to identify barriers to growth and other problems they encounter.

The new year offers a good time to join the proverbial club.

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Is there additional news coverage that would help keep you informed about local business developments? Are there features that would be interesting or useful? Is there advice that would make your jobs a little easier?

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It’s a new year. Please help us to do so. F ✦ THE BUSINESSTIMES 609 North Ave., Suite 2, Grand Junction, CO 81501

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It’s that time of year when resolutions and prognostications abound. My favorite saying applied to New Year’s resolutions is in saying they’re basically a bunch of promises to break the first week of January. And while I won’t predict a whole lot, I can pretty much accurately nail a few things that without question will make the news. You will see these are pretty, well, predictable: ■ Prediction one: There will be some sort of weather event, natural disaster or heinous occurrence where someone will be interviewed and say the following: “I’ve never seen anything like that in my lifetime.” It’s as if this person is a required attendee at every news reporting event. While I understand most people’s perspective can indeed be limited by, or contained within, their own personal experiences, it is too much to ask to consult some historical perspective before saying such a thing? Yes, this response can apply to some events. But when it comes to weather and natural disasters, I’m pretty sure this is simply history repeating itself. Same as it has for millions and millions of years. More important, the planet made it! What didn’t were certain species. How’s that for perspective? ■ Prediction two: When it comes to a crime or something that occurs between humans, the other required attendee at all news reporting events is the person who says this: “They we’re just the nicest people, and in no way did I see something like this coming.” Exactly. No one does most of the time when it comes to neighbors and acquaintances. People should be surprised at what goes on from time to time in their neighborhoods, towns and with people they know because people are good. And for the times that they shouldn’t be shocked — like with politicians, repeat offenders and terrorists — where’s the interview that says, “This doesn’t surprise me in the least.” ■ Prediction three: Something good will happen economically, and the government will take credit for it. The most recent example is gas prices, where people ask me why I won’t credit the president for low gas prices. My answer is simple: Government never makes the price of something go down and simply takes credit for good news. Gas pricing is subject to many global factors. Now there are government answers to addressing some of them to keep prices stable for Americans, but our government has none of them in place. The only things it has in place in the

Bold predictions for 2015 more like not-so-bold repeats long run always hurt consumers. Another fact is that unemployment reaches a certain level based on the economy. And while the government might brag the number is low, it’s more than likely the government did something to cause that number being low — and not in a good way. Conversely, when business picks up, it’s because the people who need to buy widgets who were not buying widgets because the economy was contracting due to natural (or unnatural, government caused) reasons, decided we better buy some widgets. The government had nothing to do with this. ■ Prediction four: In keeping with things the government does, I predict the government will manipulate the numbers to make the claim the economy is getting better because of how hard it is working to help all of us “working Americans.” Now Craig Hall you might say, “Craig, you always say this about President Obama because you don’t like him.” You’re right in a sense. I don’t know the man, but what I know of him and his thinking, I don’t like it or him one iota. Before you go off, however, I didn’t like President Bush and his bailouts, stimulus and his abandoning the free market to save the free market. And I don’t know him either. What the government does, and the only thing it can do, is hurt the economy. Unless it does nothing or put criminals in jail instead of partnering with them, nothing the government does will help. Always look at it this way, whatever the government says it is doing, whatever the name of the law it is passing, or whatever the name or goal of the bureaucracy it is presenting to the people, expect the polar opposite to occur. I guess what I’m saying is that perhaps it’s time to get out of our own perspective. There’s plenty of history books and historical research out there to begin to understand that all of this has happened before. And it will again, whether the topic is people or government. The best recommendation is to find some books or try that whole Google thing. There’s a lot of information on the Great Depression. The truth is it wasn’t even a good one until the government got involved. There’s also plenty of research on the medieval warm period when the planet was much warmer than today with a whole lot less people (and warmer well before man was here at all). And yep, people have been killing other surprised people since history was first written. Maybe some research will help stop all of these trends. Otherwise, we’ll be saying we’ve never seen anything like it in our lives. And not in a good way. Craig Hall is owner and publisher of the Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 Copyright © 2022 — All rights reserved. or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com. F ✦

Those of you who know me know I end up in too many conversations that take up entirely too much of my time and attention. When I’m honest, I realize that’s a bad thing — whether I began the conversation, jumped into someone else’s conversation or was invited into a conversation.

We also know where most of these little chats that can turn into full-blown diatribes take place. All too many take place on Facebook. More than a few have me involved via email. And if my life history is any indication, a few occur after a beer or two at local watering holes.

Now you might say all these “arenas” — they remind me of the Roman Colosseum given the fights to the death I’ve experienced — are avoidable. And you’d be right. But that’s fodder for another column on another day. In these trying, government overreaching, insanity laden times, there are just some things I can’t let go once someone makes a statement. And those statements usually come from folks who lust to use government to control others, take away inalienable rights and, yes, the government itself.

So I dabble. And when I do, my role is generally a simple one. At least to me. Yet for those on the left, it always seems outside their capacity to think about. Honestly, 99 percent of the time my response can be summed up in a few sentences: Remove the government from its role in whatever is occurring. Let the free market come up with solutions to make the situation better. And give choices to those affected by government overreach to decide what’s best for them and their families. I believe for just about every instance in society, it’s that simple.

But for those who can’t even begin to comprehend government is at best a necessary evil — mistakenly believing it’s always the best source for solutions, especially in using force to make others behave while subjugating individual rights and freedoms — my solution isn’t even seen as an option. Let alone given any thought.

There’s a reason I’m writing this, and it comes down to a response I get time and again in these conversations. It’s basically the same question: “Then what’s your solution, Craig?” Outside of not actually comprehending what I’ve been saying — probably by dismissing outright my solution to almost every problem in the public arena — it’s to remove government from the crisis. Especially since government loves to create, increase in severity and then offer solutions to those crises.

Longevity has rewards in working with sources Perhaps an anecdote would help. My solution is to end the main problem to any solution Another participant in a chat recently

One of the advantages of working at one business journal for so long is the asked me what my solution was to the opportunity longevity affords to get to know entrepreneurs and others involved in pathetic performance of our education the business community. system. This question came from someone One of the disadvantages is the people you meet and in education who told me in a nutshell a with whom you develop professional relationships sometimes teacher’s most important role was to teach leave. They sell their ventures. They move away to take other kids to get along with everyone and give jobs. They retire. them the values needed to make the world It’s a bit like riding a subway. You hop on at one stop and a better place. ride for a while with other passengers. If you’re fortunate, No, it isn’t. The job of our schools you get to know them and learn about their abilities, interests is to teach kids how to write complete and goals. Eventually, though, they get off. It’s unlikely you’ll sentences with good grammar, add up ever get on and off the subway with the same group. All you numbers to get the right answers, read can do is enjoy their company while you can. and comprehend information and develop Phil Castle I’ll never forget them as individuals. But I long ago lost track of the collective number of business owners and the cognitive skills needed to address the situations they’ll experience. It’s not to managers, government officials and organizational leaders I’ve counted as news sources over the years and with whom I no longer work. Craig Hall promote agenda-based ideals and values in molding minds.

All this comes to mind as I report about the impending retirement of Diane Our education system gives kids a Schwenke. The president and chief executive officer of the Grand Junction Area horrible, agenda-driven, woke-valued, Chamber of Commerce is among the sources it’s been my privilege to work with underperforming experience in most the longest. school districts. It’s because of one thing:

I still remember interviewing Diane for one of the first stories I wrote for the Government involvement in the education Business Times. That was before I became editor and worked on a freelance basis. system. It’s ironic — well, sad — how That was also 25 years ago. Doesn’t time fly by? In a blink it seems. the biggest decline began with the feds

I’ve interviewed Diane countless times since then. I called upon her so taking over the system. That gave unions frequently for several reasons. For one, she was always prompt in responding ultimate power, as government unions to my requests, mindful journalists face deadlines and sooner is always better tend to have, with the Department of than later. For another, she knew so much about Grand Valley businesses and the Education in the 1970s. “How can this challenges local businesses face. If there ever was a go-to source who kept her be?” you ask. Simple. Government finger on the proverbial pulse of the business community, it was Diane. solutions create more problems —

I talked with others who’ve worked with Diane over the years. They which is their intent, by the way — that described her as aggressive and impatient — but in a good way because she prompt more and louder calls from those wanted to tackle problems and find solutions as quickly as possible. Again, the in control for still more government sooner the better. Moreover, she was never afraid of the often raucous intersection solutions. And the wheels on the bus go of business and politics — or backed down from her fierce defense of businesses round and round. Do they even teach that and business interests. That’s exactly the kind of leader businesses need in an ditty anymore? Probably not, since they advocacy group. don’t teach much else.

I’m not certain when Diane will get off the subway — although she expects The why our decline in education and a successor will be selected soon. Nor do I know where her retirement adventures society is simple. Government, along with will take her. Somewhere enjoyable and rewarding, I hope. those in control of whichever bureaucracy,

For now, though, I remain grateful for all those news sources with which I’ve is always about implementing the latest, been blessed to enjoy our ride together. greatest, coolest and most expensive

That certainly includes Diane Schwenke. programs available from its hand-picked “experts” to solve problems. Yet one Phil Castle is editor of the Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or question is never asked: Will this solution phil@thebusinesstimes.com. actually give us results, or are we going to just go along with good intentions and create more problems? The answer IS obvious, and yet ignored or never attempted to be understood because there’s no power in just saying no to government solutions. To quote Sonny Corleone, “There’s a lot of money in that ****, Pop.” Power, money and control are what government solutions are all about. Don’t believe me? How’re those COVID-19 solutions working for ya? If we don’t take the first step to solve society’s problems, there will never be a solution. Craig Hall is owner and publisher of the Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com.

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Trends Contributors Opinion Business BriefsBusiness People Almanac

MARCH 10-23, 2022

2 In this issuen Booking it A Grand Junction resident has literally written the book on helping girls and young women become entrepreneurs.n Award winnersA Grand Valley business and three individuals won awards from the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce. VOLUME 29, ISSUE 5 6 8 Colorado Gov. Jared Polis offered praise as well as promises in a state of the state address in Grand Junction.n FARM coming Remodeling is under way in a building that will be converted into the Fruita Arts Recreation Marketplace. n Diverging trendsTwo trends diverge in the Mesa County real estate market: decreasing sales, but increasing dollar volume.n Legislative updateAlong with what’s in place, Colorado legislators have introduced more measures that could affect employment law.

Almanac 30-31Business Briefs 28-29Business People 30-31Contributors 21-25News 2-18Opinion 26-27Trends 19-20

n Praise, promises

19 21

n Departments

High-flying venture n With incentives, West Star expanding. See page 2 West Star Aviation repairs, maintains and refurbishes a variety of aircraft at facilities located at the Grand Junction Regional Airport.

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