Contributors Opinion Boldneed predictions for 2015 We to stop going to A new year the affords Connecting dots government Business Briefs with our problems more like not-so-bold repeats valuable use of time a new opportunity Business People Almanac to meet local needs THE he B BUSINESS usiness T T Times IMES
PPAGE age 26 22
As my stories in this issue of the Business Times reflect, I spent a lot of time over the past two weeks covering meetings and news conferences. That included the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce state of the valley and legislative update meetings. That also included news conferences announcing an initiative to reduce at Western Colorado College $300,000 A newtuition year almost always brings Community an opportunity for a and fresha start and gift to support efforts to address mental health issues in Mesa County. renewed ambition to do things better. Covering and news conferences doesn’t afford In business, that usually boils meetings down to providing customers better products the at opportunities for enterprising journalism as process in-depthmust and services faster and lower cost than competitors. Part of the investigations or even one-on-one Butand there’s include listening to customers to determine what theyinterviews. actually need thenthe advantage of efficiency. Sources are available at one place meeting that need. After all, it does little good to offer the latest and greatest and if onewhat time,you’re and they’re usually talking about newsworthy topics. nobody actually wants selling. Hopefully, end result includes important stories told in Just like the businesses thatthe belong to thestill group, the Grand Junction Area compelling fashion. aspiration, Chamber of Commerce invariably starts That’s out themy new year withataleast. reassessment of There’s an additional though, subsequent the services and resources it provides and how benefit, well they matchin with members reflection. That’s the realization seemingly unrelated needs. Jeff Franklin, the new chairman of the chamber board of directors, events are, inina describing broader sense, much related. Especially when it personifies this approach whatvery he considers his role for the coming comes to the potential effects on businesses. year: listen to members, determine their needs and then meet those needs. It’s a Phil Castle panel of officialsof from Mesa County, the role with which FranklinIn is assembling familiar as amarket president Bank of Colorado. Junction and Fruita and in town of the Palisade, the The process willcities takeof onGrand a more structured approach what chamber annual state of the valley presentation offers an overview of priorities and policies plans as the resumption of a program aptly called Listening to Business. Underfor the local government can have profoundinterviews effects — good and bad — on to program, businessentities. ownersThose participate in in-depth to identify barriers businesses. same holds true what comes out of the Colorado Capitol. As the growth andThe other problems theyfor encounter. cynical, justifiably wary, observe: life, liberty orclub. property are safe while Thebut new year offers a good timeNo to man’s join the proverbial the Legislature is in session. What’s announced at news conferences frequently As an advertiser or reader, what do you need from the Business Times? affects businesses as well — sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly. While business journals traditionally gather and report the relevant news to Here, at a glance, areisn’t fewnecessarily of my observations covering meetings and readers, communication a one-wayfrom street. That’s especially true as news conferences over the past two weeks: Web sites and e-mail make the dialogue more convenient than ever. n A lack of affordable GrandThey Valley presents a pressing Good publications don’thousing exist inina the vacuum. respond to the needs ofissue for local government officials. The issue is no less pressing for businesses in advertisers and readers. They provide what’s needed. finding employees to fill jobs at a time when labor remains in short supply. So what do you need? n Whileadditional bills enacted the latestthat legislative session feesabout and Is there newsincoverage would help keepeliminating you informed reducing taxesdevelopments? constitute goodAre news forfeatures businesses, warnorthe local business there that local wouldlawmakers be interesting measures only temporary. A small business advocacy group assigned the useful? Is are there advice that would make your jobs a little easier? Colorado Legislature a barely passing grade of Dfor the session. It’s equally important to ask what you don’t need. With limited time to n A nearly 40 percent reduction in tuition for career and technical education produce content and limited space in which to publish it, would time and space be courses at Western Coloradoelse? Community College in Grand Junction is expected to better devoted to something not only make secondary education less expensive more accessible, but also What’s good? What isn’t? What’s needed? Whatand isn’t? help Let in developing the local force and overall economy. us know. Send us anwork e-mail. Comment online on the Business Times Web n www.thebusinesstimes.com. A $300,000 gift from Intermountain Healthcare a new letter to site at You could even writewill an support old-fashioned program mental issues in Mesa County and, in turn, reduceand the editortoifaddress you’d like. Yourhealth feedback, both positive and negative, is valued hospitalizations, incarcerations and related costs. will be carefully considered. Savvy business owner managers remain of of thetheir myriad factors Good publications are and the result of not only mindful the efforts staffs, but also affecting operations. In covering meetings and news conferences, I hope I can help. collaborative efforts involving advertisers and readers. Like any other good business, we want to listen to our customers, find out Phil is editor of the Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or whatCastle they need and then meet those needs. phil@thebusinesstimes.com. It’s a new year. Please help us to do so. F ✦
THE BUSINESS TIMES
609 North Ave., Suite 2, Grand Junction, CO 81501 TEL (970) 424-5133 • FAX (970) 424-5134
Publisher/Owner: Craig R. Hall
Editor: Phil Castle
Reach advertising at: publisher@thebusinesstimes.com Reach the editor at: phil@thebusinesstimes.com.
Subscribe or submit press releases online at www.thebusinesstimes.com The Grand Valley Business Times, a subsidiary of Hall Media Group LLC, is published twice monthly and distributed throughout Grand Junction, Fruita and Palisade. Advertising rates and deadlines are available upon request. Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, editor, staff or advertisers. Copyright © 2015 — AllCopyright rights reserved. © 2022 — All rights reserved.
Or concerns, gripes, opinions and ultimate desires. It’s that time of year when Of the many reasons, foremost is resolutions and prognostications abound. because going to government solutions My favorite saying applied to for New Year’s for personalisproblems most a resolutions in sayingcreates they’rethe basically vile creature to evertoinhabit a bunch of promises break the Earth: first week politician to solve eachpredict and every of January.willing And while I won’t a problem eachpretty and every of us. Just whole lot,forI can muchone accurately remember, what you fixed for you nail a few things thatwant without question someone to fix will makeelse the wants news. the Yougovernment will see these are on youwell, or your tax burden. pretty, predictable: I’ll insert the one: ■ Prediction obvious disclaimer There will be some since already sort ofI can weather event, hear thedisaster first argument. natural or I’m not talking about heinous occurrence criminal law suchwill where someone as assault be robbery, interviewed and say and murder. But“I’ve I the following: am talking the never seen about anything myriad edicts and like thatlaws, in my regulations government lifetime.” It’s as if this Craig Craig Hall Hall has created make person is a that required 100 percent of us news attendee at every criminals someWhile way, shape or form.most reporting in event. I understand Worse, our problem pious people’s perspective can pontificating indeed be limited politicians leave out the most by, or contained within, their important own personal detail when ititcomes addressing our experiences, is too to much to ask to grievances through them: They’re usually, consult some historical perspective before if not always, cause and effect of their saying such a the thing? Yes, this response can creating of apply to said someproblem events. and But certainly when it comes making saidand problem to weather naturalworse. disasters, I’m pretty babyhistory formula.repeating Who closed sure Let’s this istalk simply itself. the plant hasforkept it closed makes of a Same as and it has millions andthat millions huge of baby the formula distributed years.proportion More important, planet made it! in the United Statescertain after the company What didn’t were species. How’s issued voluntary recall? Who ever heard of that fora perspective? the recall? Who knew plantitwasn’t ■ Prediction two:the When comes set to ato reopen a minimum anotherbetween four to six crime orforsomething thatofoccurs months on the whims attendee of government humans,based the other required at all regulators? I’ll tell you.isIt’s samewho entity news reporting events thethe person that in letting thenicest public know saysdid this:a poor “Theyjob we’re just the apeople, shortage imminent, never proved andwas in no way didyet I see something there wascoming.” contamination. like this Exactly. No one does this plant mostSo of our the government time when itshutters comes to knowing result will be a shortage neighborsthe and acquaintances. Peopleof should formula. I mean, it has to be as anto be surprised at what goes onknown from time obvious resultneighborhoods, of shorting supply by and such time in their towns awith huge percentage. Yet itbecause does nothing people they know peopletoare address the for coming shortage? Andshouldn’t it does good. And the times that they this while stocking on shelves be shocked — like formula with politicians, repeat for incoming immigrants? offenders andillegal terrorists — where’sMy the conclusion is this is negligent at best and interview that says, “This doesn’t surprise purposeful at worst. And it’s for the most me in the least.” obvious reason: sothree: government can come ■ Prediction Something good to the how government works. willrescue. happenIt’s economically, and the That brings to another government government willus take credit for it. The most program — which should be fixed the recent example is gas prices, whereviapeople market to Ianswer cries the very for ask me — why won’t the credit theofpresident same people government perpetuated low gas prices. My answer is simple:a shortage upon:never Operation Government makesFly theFormula. price of This will dogo nothing and something down but andenrich simplyinsiders takes credit lobbyists companies Nestle, for good from news.big Gas pricing islike subject to which is probably stillNow tryingthere to corner many global factors. are the market on WATER. Nestle will of government answersMoreover, to addressing some increase profitprices marginstable because is them to keep for shipping Americans, now freegovernment from Europehas courtesy thethem Air in Force. but our none of nowthings has a competitive place.Nestle The only it has in place in the
ay 26-J15-28, une 8, 2015 2022 JM ANUARY
advantage being the chosen one of government. Formula makers around the long run always hurt consumers. Another world there’s a market opportunity fact is realize that unemployment reaches a certain here sell what make. But levelto based on thethey economy. Andsadly whilefor the them, they’llmight have to paythe shipping other government brag numberand is low, logistics As thethe chosen one, Nestle it’s morecosts. than likely government did will probably be allowed standards to be something to cause that number being low lowered to get to our babies’ — and not in atheir goodformula way. Conversely, when mouths before other competitors. Then businesswell picks up, it’s because the people again, a fairtomarketplace who need buy widgetshas whonever werebeen not the goalwidgets of government. fair means buying because Unless the economy was something to you.(or unnatural, contractingdifferent due to natural Can anyone recall anotherdecided government government caused) reasons, we program that created thoseThe whogovernment are essential, better buy some widgets. cut streamlined hadregulations nothing to and do with this. government processes via the military ■ Prediction four: Inindustrial keeping complex with for players, donors and bureaucrat cronies? things the government does, I predict the Take a shot aswill thismanipulate behavior isthe pandemic. government numbers to government hasisbeen doing makeIt’s thewhat claim the economy getting for over a century. It allhard stems a certain better because of how it isfrom working to percentage of “working the population screaming, help all of us Americans.” Now “You have say, to do“Craig, something!” And there are you might you always say this few politicians’ which don’t you perkdon’t up about President ears Obama because when hearing those words. So JoeIBiden, like him.” You’re right in a sense. don’t being office, know the ultimate man, butgrifter what Iinknow ofdid himwhat and comes natural. He came with solution his thinking, I don’t like up it or hima one iota. that could come from a typical Before youonly go off, however, I didn’tleftist like political used military to fly in Presidenthack. BushHe and his the bailouts, stimulus formula from Europe. In just and his abandoning theEurope? free market to over save athe year Biden in office, we’re begging freeofmarket. And I don’t know him Europe to bailthe usgovernment out? How far we’ve either. What does, andfallen. the least Trump’s COVID only At thing it can do, issolution hurt the for economy. — as misguided and wrong it was and Unless it does nothing or putascriminals in should keepofhim from ever holding jail instead partnering with them, office nothing again — kept things ourAlways borders.look the government does within will help. But within borders says at it keeping this way,things whatever the our government doesn’t excuse enforcing via government it is doing, whatever the name of the law it power a solution that doesn’t work. It only is passing, or whatever the name or goal of creates a sound bite-driven public relations the bureaucracy it is presenting to the video play via media to buytovotes. people,toexpect thebig polar opposite occur. It’s the same we haveishigh I guess whatwhen I’m saying that gas prices andit’s presidents playout theof we’ll perhaps time to get ourrelease own some oil fromThere’s the Strategic to perspective. plentyReserve of history lower game. It’sresearch the sameout as the booksprices and historical there to we’re trillions to all send begin spending to understand that ofyou this$1,200 has because webefore. know you’re game while happened And ithurting will again, billions to topic cronies. It’s the same as we’ll whethergothe is people or government. blameThe Walmart for not having a store best recommendation is towhere find we created food the same when some books or deserts. try that It’s whole Google Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has a presson event thing. There’s a lot of information the as someDepression. dolt carries The a single box Great truth isof it shots wasn’t that go toone “preferred recipients” first. got evenwill a good until the government It’s the same when also your plenty businessofisresearch or isn’t involved. There’s “essential” based on the whims thosethe in on the medieval warm periodof when power. samewarmer when one area or group planet It’s wasthe much than today with is declared an emergency status basedwell on a whole lotinless people (and warmer underrepresentation forat a good or service. before man was here all). And yep, I could on,killing but I think get the people havego been otheryou surprised point. the core of nearly every one of peopleAt since history was first written. theseMaybe “problems” will find some you research will two helpthings: stop A causeOtherwise, and a government allgovernment of these trends. we’ll be solution that doesn’t work. Unless like you’re saying we’ve never seen anything it in in thatinis.a good way. ourgovernment, lives. And not Craig Craig Hall Hall is is owner owner and and publisher publisher of of the the Business Business Times. Times. Reach Reach him him at at 424-5133 424-5133 or or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com. publisher@thebusinesstimes.com. F ✦
