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The Business Times Contributors THE BUSINESS TIMES July 29-august 11, 2021JANUARY 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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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 — All rights reserved.

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 © 2021 — All rights reserved. F or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com. ✦

I took a lot of heat (and received plenty of compliments) from my last column titled “The lost art of the follow-up question.”

The heat wasn’t from the topic, but rather the tone. For some reason, my tone had people telling me, “This is why our country is so divided.” It’s as if I was a billionaire from New York City and all of the sudden the tone everyone loved in a public figure was the reason for all of our ills in the United States.

The tone in my column wasn’t a reflection of me — since I kinda always have one — but rather a reflection of those I oppose as being on the wrong side of freedom. That doesn’t mean I won’t end up on the wrong side of winning in the latest version of “How COVID (read government) stole your freedom.” I have been for a while.

It’s because I’m among the few fighting the biggest bully on the block: government. Worse, I’m fighting arbitrary government. And arbitrary government is the worst version. The people who espouse it, project it and use government to enforce it on others are the hardest to deal with because of their ever-changing views as to why I must acquiesce to their wanton needs and desires.

It’s also because I presented my argument in their tone (slathered in sarcasm). And if there’s one thing folks hate in an argument, it’s being talked to in the manner they present themselves. After all, it might result in them asking questions about their stance on a given topic, and they can never have that. This is what happens when one’s beliefs become their persona. It literally becomes a fight to the death. But the only thing dying is freedom.

So here are two ditties resulting from my conversations in the two Americas that exist in their highest form on Satan’s most divisive tool ever contrived: Facebook.

First up was this response after I stated there are many ways to achieve herd immunity and not just with 100 percent vaccine compliance:

“Craig Hall why don’t you just start pushing old people down in parking lots and running over disabled and children when you’re in a hurry? And no big deal when somebody wants to make a buck selling opiods (sic) on the black market cuz (sic) who cares if people overdose? I’m so tired of people like you.”

Well, okey dokey then. This is where I get confused. Instead of asking what I mean, this person used the tone referred to in my previous column. As with my column detractors, they didn’t attack my

There’s something funny about the pursuit of fun point, but rather me with a pretty harsh Have no fear: At some point, arbitrary will come for you

In the interest of offering a momentary reprieve from what are justifiably insult. more serious topics — among them pandemics, politics and who’s most likely to My take is simple. The follow-up start at quarterback for the Denver Broncos — I’d like to change the subject and question is pretty easy. It’s: “What do write about something else. Fun. you mean?” And in a civil, don’t call me What is fun, really? We’re constantly encouraged to have a murderer tone. Here’s the deal. We’ve it. More than a barrel of monkeys, if possible. Work should gone from 15 days to slow the spread be fun. Weekends should be fun. And wedding nights? Well, to social distancing to mandated masks those should take fun to a whole new level. Even if it isn’t to closing “non-essential” businesses to supposed to be all fun and games, life clearly should include maybe we can open if we meet arbitrary some fun. At least that’s the message. practices our competitors can’t afford to Google fun, and the same terms show up: a source of therapeutics work but don’t work or kill enjoyment or pleasure, an amusing diversion. Yet, an image people to banning them never to be talked never accompanies the definition. Now, Google digestive system and follow the route from esophagus to rectum. Craig Hall about again to now having government and private entities mandating vaccines to Phil Castle Fun can’t be illustrated in a diagram — or explained in a newspaper column, for that matter. Fun creeps up when least have a job. Pretty damned arbitrary, no? All because some folks have expected, tweaks a nose and then disappears without a trace. arbitrarily decided for the first time in

Don’t look for fun in the obvious places. I’ve tried, and it’s seldom there. viral history, no one is allowed to get As a child, I searched candy aisles and amusement parks. When I was a bit older, sick or die from a virus. Yet it happens I was certain I’d find fun at Disneyworld. What I discovered instead was too to millions of us (flu cases in 2019many Snickers upset my stomach. So do roller coasters. Disneyworld was fun, but 2020 were nearly 40 million in the U.S. also required waiting in lines. A lot. Older still, I looked for fun in bars. I recall alone) every year. Somehow, COVID is fragments of my 21st birthday and drinking something that was orange, served in different? The only way to battle COVID a pitcher and set on fire. Big mistake. Huge. And definitely not fun. is a vaccine that raises serious concerns

I’ve rarely had fun at special occasions, either. My high school prom was around the world and only works near supposed to be fun. My college graduation was supposed to be fun, too. Holidays 100 percent in the United States? like Christmas and New Years are supposed to be fun year after year. The My other ditty has to do with our problem is, events hyped as fun free-for-alls infrequently are. And I’ve waited, kids going back to school. I don’t have disappointed, for the fun to begin. the exact quote, but it was something akin

Fun is funny that way. Because places and activities considered dull, even to how I don’t care about children (of dreary, turn out to be fun. I’ve had fun listing the principal exports of Brazil on course) and more arbitrary, the immunoa geography test. I once inhaled enough nitrous oxide at the dentist’s office to compromised. And yes, this person is giggle my way through a root canal. immuno-compromised. So naturally, that’s

Most often, though, I’ve enjoyed the most fun when I wasn’t trying to have the only topic allowed in his argument. any fun at all. I remember summer evenings spent riding bikes with friends in the Once again, the only solutions small town in which I grew up. We didn’t have any plans or destination. We were allowed are vaccines for adults and kids just pedaling and talking until darkness fell and we had to go home. The start down to 12 and mandatory masks for of school seemed like a million years away, and the break stretched ahead in an every child returning to school. Once endless succession of carefree days. again, the inference is I want people to

I’m fortunate these days to experience the same feeling of contentment in die. I’m not even going to bother to say it fishing with my father or interviewing an entepreneur about their innovative again. Because I’m truly tired of people efforts. Or, on those far rarer occasions, writing a well-turned phrase. Neither a like them. picture nor a thousand words quantify the pleasure of those moments. Then again, if we got beyond his

It’s fun. tone we could ask about the efficacy of vaccines while using relative numbers in Phil Castle is editor of the Business Times. Reach him at phil@thebusinesstimes. Mesa County from the first day vaccines com or 424-5133. were in full effect (hint: we DON’T) or F how well masks have worked. We could discuss the ever-changing takes of masks from they don’t work to they’re just a way to make people feel better to they must be mandatory again with every new variant. Then again, this is the same guy who screamed at me my 13-year-old needed to be a custodian as well as student last year. I guess it’s easier to arbitrarily say I want people to die — if not kill them myself. Just wait until these folks have their tone used on them. Maybe then they’ll see I want people to live. If only they’d asked. Craig Hall is owner and publisher of the Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com.

Include child checkups in back-to-school plans

Many of us have lost track of a few things over the past year because the pandemic threw our normal routines for a loop.

Many families are trying to make up for lost time this summer. Besides family vacations and camping trips, hopefully your summer agenda includes signing up your children for fall sports, scheduling dental appointments or haircuts that might have been canceled, downloading lists for school supplies — and scheduling annual child checkups and sports physicals. According to a recently released study from the Urban Institute, almost 30 percent of youth ages 19 and younger didn’t get their annual checkups last year due to COVID-19related concerns. In Mesa County, that means an estimated 11,000 youth didn’t see their doctor last year.

Annual well child checks allow us, as pediatric providers, to partner with you to make the best health choices for your children. These visits gives us the opportunity to monitor your child’s health and catch preventable conditions before they become problems. Many pediatric diseases and conditions are preventable if caught early. That’s our aim — catching them before they’re a problem.

Summer is a great time to get back into the routine of scheduling regular checkups for your kids and making sure your kids are up to date on vaccines. Our practice at Western Colorado Pediatric Associates has extended office hours to meet you where you’re at and provide you with plenty of options to make this easier to cross off your to-do list.

Mesa County School District 51 is scheduled to begin in-person learning on Aug. 9. For our kids to remain in school this year, we need everyone to stay healthy. One way to ensure this is to make sure children are fully vaccinated. This will keep our kids playing sports, seeing all of their friends face-to-face rather than on a screen and boosting academic success.

A new strain of COVID called the Delta variant has become the dominant strain in Mesa County. Unfortunately, Mesa County had our first pediatric COVID death from the Delta variant. We’ve come to understand this variant of COVID is more virulent, more contagious and affects children more than previous strains. If you or your children ages 12 and up haven’t yet received the COVID vaccine, we strongly encourage you to consider it when you go in for your back-to-school checkups.

As your pediatricians, we’re happy to answer your questions and talk through all of your concerns with the COVID vaccine so you can make a choice that’s best for your family’s unique needs.

In addition to the COVID pandemic, children and teens in the United States have experienced a large increase in mental health needs. Jena Hausman, chief executive officer of Children’s Hospital, declared in May a state of emergency for youth as suicide becomes the leading cause of death for children in Colorado.

This trend is also true in Mesa County. Mind Springs Health reported a 40 percent increase in adolescent inpatient admissions in 2020 over 2019. Similarly higher numbers were reported for the first half of 2021.

Although this trend is alarming, we’re responding to provide the best care for your children with our integrated pediatric behavioral health specialists in our clinic. Our behavioral health program allows us to help parents navigate the mental health world and provide the best possible care for their children.

As pediatricians in the Grand Valley, our priority is partnering with local families to keep kids on the Western Slope healthy. Please don’t forget to schedule your back-to-school well child checkups and sports physicals. And please consider adding the youth COVID vaccine to your regular vaccination schedule.

We’re happy to answer your questions, talk through concerns and partner with you to ensure our younger generation grows into happy and healthy adults.

We’re here for you.

Megan Stinar Michael Whistler

Dr. Megan Stinar and Dr. Michael Whistler are pediatricians at Western Colorado Pediatric Associates, a division of Primary Care Partners in Grand Junction. For more information, log on to www.westerncoloradopediatricassociates.com or call 243-5437.

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