The Mesa County Workforce Summit, held Jan. 29 at CMU, highlighted Trade Certification and the growing influence of AI.
Grand Junction and Mesa County clarify Persigo Wastewater’s effect on development. n Persigo Wastewater clarification
n FCI CEO Retires
FCI President/CEO Haas announces retirement and replacement.
n Copeka Coffee expands offerings
Copeka Coffee
n New marketing company in GJ
Grand
n Altitude Pediatrics uses grant to expand Colorado’s Health Care Practice Transformation Act grant
Cocoa prices bring bittersweet reality
Local businesses strain to avoid raising prices as the cost of chocolate soars.
Mathieu Victoire, co-owner of French bakery and restaurant Bistro 317 in downtown Grand Junction, pulled out the invoices from 2024 that showed exactly what he saw happen to chocolate prices in 2024.
Around Valentine’s Day last year, Bistro 317 paid $209 for a tablet (an 11-pound rectangle) of chocolate from vendor Dawn Food Products Inc.
“It’s high quality chocolate,” he said of the chocolate that Bistro 317 pastry chef Olivier Campe prefers. “Otherwise, my pastry chef would not use it.”
On May 8, that same tablet of chocolate cost $290. On Aug. 14, it was $382. Then, the Oct. 2 purchase had a much more mild increase and cost $390.
Summarizing the overall increase, Victoire said simply, “It’s insane, right?”
Any business that buys chocolate, from bigbox retailers and grocery-store chains to small chocolatiers, watched their cost for chocolate increase and profit margins on chocolate sales decrease last year.
And many haven’t accounted yet for the spike in the cost of the cacao bean in December.
Investing.com showed U.S. Cocoa Futures on the last trading day of 2024 were at $11,545 per metric ton. It was better than the Dec. 17 price that climbed above $12,600 per metric ton, but it remained much higher than the Dec. 2 price of $9,038.
And to really understand how drastic the increase was during the year, the cost per metric ton on Jan. 2, 2024, was $4,205 after hovering around the $4,200 mark throughout December 2023. It more than doubled and at one point nearly tripled.
A sampling of Grand Junction small businesses that use chocolate revealed they felt the pain of the cost increase, but they didn’t pass it on to customers. At least not yet.
DIRTY LIL CACAO
Keane Karnan, whose full-time job is teaching culinary arts at the School District 51 Career Center, has a part-time passion for artisan chocolate, which he makes and sells at his business, Dirty Lil Cacao, 300 Main St., Suite 101, in downtown Grand Junction.
Karnan said he has been able to avoid increasing his prices at his 3-year-old business, because he built a good buffer into his pricing, which starts at a high price point for the high-quality product he makes.
He said it also helps that “I don’t have any employees. My overhead is pretty low.”
The industry forecast calls for cacao bean prices to increase another 10 percent in 2025, and anything more than that could push past Dirty Lil Cacao’s threshold.
Karnan said he’s trying to get creative to keep from raising his prices.
“When people look at the chocolate bar, at what point do they say, ‘I’d rather go have a Dove bar or Hershey’s bar?’ You know?” Karnan said. “So you kind of have to figure
out how to thread that needle, because you don’t wanna scare away people and try and sell a chocolate bar for $15.”
Karnan fears relief from the causes of the high chocolate prices – such as climate change reducing harvests and diseases killing cacao trees, particularly in West Africa – may be two to three years down the road as new trees need to become of age to produce beans.
Interestingly, the cocoa beans from West Africa – Ivory Coast and Ghana combine for about 50 percent of the world’s production – are only a small portion of what Karnan uses, but he’s still affected. When the large companies that buy cocoa beans can’t get them from West Africa, they have to get beans from somewhere, “and that chocolate is the chocolate I go for,” Karnan said.
STORY BY TIM HARTY
He added, “Now it’s really hard for me to actually find different varieties from different countries, because those chocolates are now being bought up by everybody else. So, it’s limited not just the amount that I can really buy, but the variety that I can buy.”
Karnan then put that into dollars and cents and said he used to spend a couplehundred dollars to get “a pretty good amount of chocolate that I could utilize. Now, it’s like I’m spending about five or 10 times what I usually do to get probably half of what I normally got.”
BISTRO 317
For Bistro 317, located at 317 Main St., the only price increase related to chocolate it made during the past year was increasing the cost of a slice of Black Forest cake by 50 cents. Victoire hopes to keep it that way. He acknowledges Bistro 317’s prices for pastries and desserts are “not cheap,” and customers are willing to pay for higher quality, but they have limits, and he doesn’t want to find out what those are.
Items at Bistro 317 that require chocolate in addition to the Black Forest cake include chocolate mousse, eclairs with chocolate on top, croissants with chocolate inside and brownies. Victoire emphasizes every pastry and dessert is made in-house.
“I’m trying to stay competitive and affordable,” he said. “We are known for pastries. If we have to charge too much, people won’t pay for it.”
ENSTROM CANDIES
At Enstrom Candies, 701 Colorado Ave. in Grand Junction, co-owner Doug Simons said his business was impacted “quite a bit” last year by the high chocolate prices.
“Chocolate is a significant ingredient in nearly all the products we produce. It causes us to pay very close attention to the cocoa markets and try to place contracts during price dips and try to mitigate the impact of this very volatile market,” he wrote in an email interview.
Simons said Enstrom Candies always contracts for chocolate based on market fluctuations.
See CHOCOLATE on Page 12
ABOVE: Dirty Lil Cacao owner and chocolatier Keane Karnan stands next to a display of the artisan chocolate products he makes and sells at 300 Main St., Suite 101, in downtown Grand Junction. Photo by Tim Harty.
BELOW: Enstrom’s chocolate being poured and spread on a sheet of toffee. Photo by Jennifer Olson, courtesy of Enstrom Candies.
Get Your GJ Lions Raffle Tickets!
The Grand Junction Lions will be holding their 96th Annual Carnival, Parade and Raffle on Saturday, February 15, 2025 to provide over $150,000 in grant donations to Mesa County nonprofit organizations.
The Grand Junction Lions’ Club raises the funds through the sale of the Grand Junction Lions’ Club Raffle Tickets. Raffle tickets ARE ON SALE NOW from Grand Junction Lions members right up to the Carnival and Raffle on Saturday February 15, 2025.
Lions Club Carnival & Parade Downtown Grand Junction
This year’s raffle has over $34,000 in prizes available including:
• Thomas Hunn Jewelers 4CT Diamond (valued at $6,000)
• The BarnYard 4’x12’ single slope shed ($2,025)
• Xcel Energy 4 seats w/access to all inclusive suite (Nuggets, March 28, 2025) ($1,400)
• Xcel Energy 4 seats w/access to all inclusive suite (CO Avalanche, March 29, 2025) ($1,400)
• Hoskin, Farina & Kampf Estate Planning ($1,200)
• EC Electric $1,200 CASH PRIZES
• ANB BANK $1,000 CASH PRIZE
• Suehiro Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Gift Cards ($1,000) AND MANY MORE PRIZES DONATED BY LOCAL VENDORS!!!
Workforce Summit highlights Trade Certification and AI
Brandon Leuallen The Business Times
The 2025 Mesa County Workforce Summit, held Jan. 29 at Colorado Mesa University, brought together local business leaders and workforce professionals to discuss pressing workforce challenges, from wagelaw changes to the growing influence of artificial intelligence.
The summit kicked off with a keynote address from Colorado Mesa University President John Marshall, who focused on the university’s role in preparing the local workforce. He emphasized the importance of education in creating opportunities.
“As we think about a better life through education, it starts with recognizing that in this backyard of ours, in western Colorado, we are disproportionately lagging in college attainment,” Marshall said.
He referenced a 2024 Gallup poll showing a decline in Americans’ trust in higher education, citing concerns about political agendas, irrelevant skills and high costs. Marshall highlighted CMU’s successful efforts to address these challenges head on, noting the university’s freshman class this year is the largest ever, and retention rates have improved significantly from 55 percent 20 years ago to 80 percent last year.
“I think the next 100 years are going to be owned by places like CMU that focus on what actually matters to families,” Marshall added.
He emphasized the university is committed to teaching students how to think, not what to think. Marshall said CMU has hosted speakers and debates from various backgrounds with the goal of encouraging respectful debate and disagreement.
“We’ve had no violent protests,” he said, crediting it to this approach.
Marshall spotlighted CMU’s growing emphasis on trade certification programs, recognizing that many local high school students and families see skilled trades as viable career paths.
“This is not a fallback position. These are honorable trades, skills, and careers that you can provide for a family,” he said.
Marshall discussed the university’s financial efforts, including tuition assistance for families earning less than $70,000, and the use of a geothermal-energy system that saves CMU $1.5 million per year, helping keep tuition affordable.
He also acknowledged the challenges of recruiting staff because of local housing costs and health-insurance concerns, which mirror issues faced by other local employers.
Key Employer Issues
Following the morning keynote, attendees participated in eight breakout sessions that addressed some of the most pressing challenges facing Mesa County employers. Topics ranged from internal fraud prevention and creative benefits to workbased learning opportunities and workplace disability awareness.
Attorney Michael Santo of Bechtel & Santo Employment Law covered recent
changes in wage and hour laws, focusing on how employers can avoid common pitfalls.
“Where I see the liability happen the most frequently is wage and hour law,” Santo said.
He said employers not only face attorney fees, they’re also responsible for covering employees’ legal costs. He cited a recent case where the plaintiff’s legal fees had reached $32,000 before mediation.
“If you’re going to agree that you missed a commission of $2,000, you’re going to have to pay $2,000 plus $32,000,” he said, underscoring the concern for small businesses.
Santo also discussed updates to the Colorado Overtime and Minimum Pay Standards Order, including the introduction of individual liability for supervisors.
“Supervisors can be sued under this act,” Santo warned.
He highlighted changes that prevent employers from deducting down to the federal minimum wage, now requiring them to deduct only at the Colorado minimum wage of $14.81 per hour.
AI’s Impact on Business
The closing keynote speaker, Andreas Mueller-Shubert, CEO of WSI Next Gen Marketing, addressed the ever-expanding role of artificial intelligence in business operations. He explained that while large companies have been using AI for years, tools like ChatGPT marked a significant shift.
“Think of AI as a librarian that has read every book,” Mueller-Shubert said of the power of AI-driven technologies.
Mueller-Shubert urged businesses to adopt clear AI policies to ensure proper usage and alignment across teams. He also noted new AI-driven tools, such as Perplexity, are emerging as strong competitors to traditional search engines.
“Perplexity is the search engine of the future. Google is scared of it,” he said.
He predicted AI-driven chatbots will soon become ubiquitous in customer support, streamlining navigation and allowing staff to focus on more complex issues.
“You’re going to see chatbots everywhere,” Mueller-Shubert said, explaining the technology will mostly eliminate the need for manual website navigation.
Mueller-Shubert also pointed out AIas-a-service business may soon replace the traditional software-as-a-service model. He cautioned companies that those who fail to adopt AI quickly could lose business to competitors who integrate it more effectively.
To close his talk, Mueller-Shubert raised concerns about privacy and national security risks posed by a Chinese-based app called DeepSeek that is currently one of the most downloaded worldwide. He warned that the app’s data centers are located in China, where companies are required by law to provide access to user data.
“This is a huge national security risk,” he said, explaining how he sees it as even more concerning than TikTok because TikTok’s data centers are not in China, but rather in the United States.
Persigo Wastewater’s effect on development clarified
Brandon Leuallen The Business Times
At a Jan. 14 joint meeting between the Grand Junction City Council and stakeholders to discuss a potential increase in impact fees for residential and commercial development, the conversation shifted to concerns that higher fees could continue to drive developers to build outside city limits.
The discussion also included how the Persigo sewer system intergovernmental agreement affects whether a development is subject to City of Grand Junction impact fees or the lower and fewer fees imposed by Mesa County.
President and CEO of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce Candace Carnahan said, “We have concerns that increased fees at the maximum rates plus additional project costs could potentially push, especially commercial development, out into the county as opposed to inside city limits.”
Grand Junction City Attorney John Shaver noted the city’s Persigo sewer system intergovernmental agreement would be a limiting factor in the amount of residential development outside of the city’s incorporated areas.
Shaver specifically addressed commercial development, saying, “For example, if you have a commercial or industrial activity, they’ll need industrial pretreatment services. They’ll need some of the services we provide through connection to the Persigo wastewater treatment system.”
The Persigo agreement is a partnership between the City of Grand Junction and Mesa County concerning the jointly owned Persigo Wastewater Treatment Plant and the definition of sewer boundary lines for new development.
As development occurs within the Urban Growth Boundary outside city limits, the city has the authority to annex these areas and expand its boundaries to include the new development. This allows the city to charge city fees, including impact fees, on the development and collect taxes, while also requiring the city to provide services within the newly defined city limits.
The Business Times reached out to County Commissioner Cody Davis and Persigo Utilities Director Randi Kim to
further understand the agreement.
Davis said historically the sewer boundary was not in line with the Urban Growth Boundary, and recently the agreement was updated to bring the two into alignment.
“The Urban Growth Boundary is meant to define where the city plans to grow over the next 50 to 100 years beyond current city limits.” Davis said.
Clifton and Whitewater
Davis explained that while the city will annex residential and commercial developments within the Urban Growth Boundary, the boundary stops at the Clifton Sanitation District.
If development occurs within the Clifton Sanitation District, which includes the community of Whitewater, the developer would not be required to pay City of Grand Junction impact fees or follow additional city regulations.
“If they are outside the Urban Growth Boundary, they can develop under county regulations and standards,” Davis said. Pretreatment services
When asked if the Persigo treatment plant provides pretreatment services that Clifton Sewer does not offer, City of Grand Junction Communications Director Hannah Ellis said certain industries are required to conduct pretreatment at their facilities before discharging waste into the sewer system, rather than relying on the wastewater treatment plant.
Ellis added, “Any development within the 201 service area must meet municipal code requirements,” referring to the Persigo 201 sewer district boundary.
Candace Carnahan
John Shaver
Cody Davis
FCI President/CEO Haas announces retirement
FCI Constructors Inc. President and CEO Shane Haas will retire at the end of this year, and Evan Walton will take over both roles with FCI on Jan. 1, 2026.
FCI made the announcement in a Jan. 28 news release.
Haas has worked nearly 40 years for FCI Constructors and has been president and CEO since October 2020.
“I am extremely grateful to have been a part of the FCI team that has worked so hard to build this company into what it has become today. It’s truly been an honor to work for FCI,” said Haas, who began his career with the company in 1986.
In his tenure with FCI, Haas has worked through the ranks from superintendent, project manager, vice president of Grand Junction operation and executive vice president. He has overseen the construction of projects throughout Colorado, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, New Mexico, Texas and North Dakota.
“FCI has been in business for 47 years, and to have been a part of the development for 39 years has been both challenging and rewarding,” Haas said. “I feel fortunate and am grateful to have been on such a great team with so many talented individuals.”
FCI has more than 400 employees.
In addition to being a leader for FCI, Haas has been dedicated to the Grand Valley. He has devoted his time and talent to numerous nonprofit organizations, including School
District 51 Foundation, Hope West Kids, the Grand Junction Economic Partnership, Marillac Health, IDI Board and the Colorado State Apprenticeship Council.
During the 11-month lead-up to Walton assuming the helm of FCI, Haas will remain in charge to help with the transition.
“I have worked with Evan since the day he came to work at FCI. He has held various positions and has consistently exceeded expectations,” Haas said. “He is a natural leader and has a likability that resonates with our employees, and our clients. I have no doubt that Evan is the right person to lead our employees as well as the company’s future growth.”
Walton began his career with FCI in 2003, working through the ranks from project engineer, superintendent, assistant project manager, estimator, preconstruction manager and vice president of preconstruction.
Walton said he is grateful for the knowledge he gained from the tremendous leaders at FCI, and he has big shoes to fill as Haas’s successor.
“Over the past five years, Shane has continued to grow the business with humility, exceptional character, and a servant mindset,” Walton said. “I am fortunate to continue to work alongside Shane through the next year and am humbled by the confidence that our dedicated employees have placed in me.”
ABOUT FCI CONSTRUCTORS INC.
Founded in 1978, FCI Constructors Inc. is an employee-owned construction-management company based in Grand Junction.
FCI has more than 400 employees and offers general contracting and construction-management services to a diverse scope of projects, including office buildings, schools, hospitals and airports.
FCI has additional Colorado offices in Durango and Frederick, plus offices in Phoenix, AZ; Flagstaff, AZ; Aztec, NM; Cheyenne, WY; and Williston, ND.
Shane Haas
Evan Walton
Copeka Coffee acquires more space to meet customer needs
Tim Harty The Business Times
On a busy Sunday morning, Jan. 26, just a few days after opening the door to Copeka Coffee’s new, expanded space to customers, co-owner Jana Joramo saw exactly what she wanted to see.
Large groups of people were able to stay at the coffee shop – or as Joramo prefers to call Copeka, a community cafe – and sit together.
listed as 1012 N. Fifth St., but it added 1010, which was home to a psychiatry business until it moved to a new location.
Joramo estimated Copeka has 4,500 square feet now, more room to offer what it always has: specialty coffee and other drinks; pastries baked on site and a food menu that includes the extremely popular avocado toast; occasional live music; open-mic nights; poetry nights; study groups; and more.
And now it can offer a few new things.
Copeka Coffee co-owner Jana Joramo and Copeka barista Lexi Sanchez sit at a table in the original unit at 1012 N. Fifth St. that housed the community cafe. Behind them is the doorway and a small glimpse of the additional space that Copeka leased, updated, then opened for use in late January. Copeka is now about double its previous size. Photo by Tim Harty.
Previously, it was common for Copeka’s space to be filled, and a group of four or more people might have to order drinks and/or food to go, or maybe exit without ordering and go elsewhere.
“When we weren’t as busy as we are now, we used to have a lot of different groups that would just meet here, Bible study groups and different groups from the college and maybe people getting together and studying,” said Joramo, who owns Copeka with her husband, Lee Joramo, and daughter Kyra Rossier. “And that still happens. We had a lot of people who would bring in games, Dungeons and Dragons, or other tabletop things, and they would be here.
“But now I think for the last little while they found it harder to come in. They would have to designate one person to come in and guard a table. Now, I just noticed on Sunday actually we had some people playing games again.”
More tables and more chairs means more people being able to enjoy Copeka’s friendly confines.
“This past Sunday, we had several large groups of people that came in, and they came specifically because they could meet. And they all went in there,” Joramo said, pointing to the new space, which approximately doubled Copeka’s footprint in the small commercial building in the 1000 block of N. Fifth St., between North and Belford avenues.
Copeka used to be confined to the unit
Copeka now has two small conference rooms, much more storage space and another bathroom. One conference room can seat six people, and the other can seat eight.
“We’re looking at offering those up on websites where you look for meeting-room space and maybe you can reserve it,” she said, “and if it’s open and nobody’s using it, anybody can use it. So, there’s some privacy. It’s a quieter room.”
The storage is handy, because Copeka previously had to rent a U-Haul storage unit. During the run-up to the Covid pandemic in 2020 and thereafter, Joramo said, “We just stocked up on all sorts of things. And this actually allows us to stop having to do that. We had to rent extra space for storage before, and now we can store it here, and that’s great.”
Ultimately having room for anyone and everyone is what Joramo wants to provide, hence her characterization of Copeka as a community cafe.
Morgan McNair, a senior at Colorado Mesa University, said she comes to Copeka two or three times per week, usually to study, but she also catches open-mic nights, which she highly recommends that more people attend. McNair welcomed the additional space, saying, “It’s pretty great. There’s a lot more seating, and the ambiance in here … it’s just a cool spot to study and hang out.”
F
Kiser,
GJ photographer launches Blue Spruce Marketing Co.
Tim Harty The Business Times
Sara Kiser, founder of Grand Junction photography business Kiser Captures, branched out with another business and officially opened Blue Spruce Marketing Co. on Jan. 30.
Both businesses are based from her home.
The new venture offers comprehensive marketing services to businesses in Grand Junction and the surrounding area, providing social media strategy, website development, brand development, public relations, advertising and more.
Kiser, who is 31 years old, got her start in photography 10 years ago when she started Kiser Captures in North Dakota.
“What started as a hobby in photography quickly turned into something more,” she wrote in an email interview. “I began in North Dakota, where photographers were in short supply, and soon found myself being asked to take on more projects. As my portfolio grew, I expanded from shooting small family portraits to weddings, commercial construction photography and other commercial work.
“My sons, Jack and James, have always been the heart of my photography and the driving force behind my inspiration.”
Kiser also has 10 years of experience in digital marketing.
“Creativity has always been a driving force in my life, whether it’s through writing books or creating short films,” she wrote. “One
day, a friend asked if I’d ever built a website. With my ‘I can do anything’ mindset, I said I hadn’t, but I’d give it a shot. That moment led to me diving into web design, social media content and SEO for various companies.”
She has another skill set that isn’t being used now, but Kiser said she spent 13 years in the dental field, helping dentists worldwide grow their practices.
Her journey to the Grand Valley, she said, came from encouragement by her best friend, Sonja Lueras, whom she met in Grand Junction.
“We were both working at a dental office that didn’t align with our goals,” Kiser said, “and one day she asked me when I was going to take the leap and become my own boss. She saw my potential, and it lit a fire in me. That year, we both walked away, and that’s when Kiser Captures officially came to life.”
And now Blue Spruce Marketing Co. gives Kiser another outlet to use her creativity.
She’s flying solo at the moment, although her 9-year-old son Jack “has been a great little helper. Later this year, she plans to hire two employees.
Kiser said she already has done marketing work for several local businesses, including Monumental Dental, Glass Doctor and Diamond Realty. She said she helped them increase their online visibility, attract new customers and build stronger connections with their audiences.
“I’m incredibly proud of the results we’ve been able to achieve with our early clients,” Kiser said. “Whether it’s driving traffic to a website, improving social media engagement or boosting brand awareness through effective PR, I’m passionate about delivering measurable results for every client we work with.” F
Altitude Pediatrics expands services
Altitude Pediatrics, 360 West Park Dr., Suite 201, announced in a news release that the grant funding it received from Colorado’s Health Care Practice Transformation Act allowed it to expand its office space and services.
Founded and owned by Dr. Katie Joy, Dr. Paula Lopez, Dr. Mary Willy and Dr. Shannon Murphy, Altitude Pediatrics has rapidly grown, and the grant marks a pivotal milestone for the practice.
With the funding, Altitude has increased its office space by 3,700 square feet, adding six new patient rooms, three behavioral health clinical offices and a behavioral health playroom. This expansion is expected to increase the practice’s capacity for behavioral health appointments by 25 percent.
The state grant primarily supported the expansion of Altitude’s integrated behavioral health program. It’s an essential service aimed at addressing the growing demand for mental health resources for children in the Grand Valley and is led by Behavioral Health Program Manager Rickelle Hicks.
Behavioral health services are exclusively available to established Altitude Pediatrics patients, ensuring a seamless and
comprehensive approach to care.
“We are thrilled to bring more resources to the Western Slope and continue offering exceptional behavioral health services to the children of the Grand Valley,” said Chelsey Wells, practice manager at Altitude Pediatrics.
“This grant allows us to expand not only our space, but also our ability to provide muchneeded mental health care, supporting the growth of the behavioral health workforce in the region.”
As part of the grant, Altitude has developed a comprehensive training program for masters-level interns, providing hands-on experience to students pursuing careers in behavioral health.
The practice has hired two interns and is actively continuing the recruitment process for additional students, aiming to expand the team to four by the end of the three-year grant period. This initiative aims to increase the number of trained clinicians in the valley, ultimately expanding access to care.
The grant, a portion of $29 million allocated across the state, is part of the Integrated Care Grant initiative provided by Colorado’s Health Care Practice Transformation Act.
Sara Kiser
Chocolate
Continued from Page 2
“Depending on the market price on any given day, we’ll contract for say 200,000 pounds,” he said. “As we do that over time we can buffer the impacts of extreme market fluctuations.”
Because of that, he said Enstrom Candies came into 2024 well protected against the price spikes that occurred during the year.
“We had around 800,000 to 1 million pounds under contract at various price levels that were quite a bit lower,” he said. “As we add contracts we price average with the previous buys. So, we were protected as the market began to go crazy last year.”
But that brings him to 2025, and Simons acknowledged, “We have now run though those favorable contracts, so we are now dealing with pricing nearly double of what we were paying. We’ll manage as best we can and continue to try and bring value to our customers.”
Simons said there will be some price increases on products with chocolate in them, and the increases will vary depending on the amount of chocolate. For example, molded items that are 100 percent chocolate will be affected more than toffee, where chocolate is only 20 percent of the total ingredients.
Simons anticipates some price increases will be made on items leading into Valentine’s Day and Easter, two holidays that bring boosts in chocolate sales. For Enstrom’s, those sales seasons rank second and third, respectively, for revenue behind the Thanksgiving and Christmas season.
What’s another few hundred laws to the little people?
It’s that time of year again for our Colorado legislature. The time of year when our elected officials really go into the fight for all of us.
And by “fight for us” they usually mean proposing hundreds upon hundreds of new pieces of legislation, many of them to fix or enhance the thousands upon thousands of pieces of bad, ineffective, freedom-killing, unconstitutional legislation passed in previous years.
But in Colorado, the legislature actually makes things worse than just passing these kinds of bills, because our legislature only passes Democratsponsored legislation that fits the parameters of the previous paragraph. That is unless it allows some milquetoast, Republican proposals to see the light of day and occasionally pass out of committee. But for even those select few, the only ones that get up for a vote are ones Democrats know will be defeated or fall under the umbrella of there’s no harm to the left agenda in passing them.
That’s where we are again now, in a cycle where this kind of antifreedom governance has become accepted and the routine. If you don’t think so, ask yourself this question: Are there really 1,000 things wrong with Colorado that only more legislation can fix? After all, if there are 1,000 things wrong with Colorado, chances are it came from bad legislation.
Take, for instance, gun laws. There should be none, yet in the United States we have thousands on the books. In Colorado, there are new gun laws proposed every year. Yet in our Constitution there’s the only law we need. It’s called the Second Amendment. It reads as follows:
A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. Seems cut and dry to us. Everyone has the right to own any gun, and that right is inalienable as well. Remember, when the founders wrote this, people owned cannons and the “machine gun” had been invented.
But let’s focus on inalienable rights. These are rights that you don’t need government permission to act on at any given time and, more important, rights that should be acted on freely and often.
Yet, since before the ink dried on the parchment in 1787, politicians have been trying to erode, deny or negate these inalienable rights. They’ve just discovered a little at a time works best. But as those little victories pile up, they always go for bigger bites. It’s a politician thing.
Inevitably Democrats introduce new and imaginative gun laws to chip away at one of the rights our founders saw as so important, they listed it second. And the importance of why it was second wasn’t to preserve hunting, anticipation of an overwhelming need for self-defense or from intruders or for any other reason save one: For the people to be able to protect themselves from tyrannical government rule.
Given politicians’ penchants for tyrannical rule, no one should wonder why every year more and more gun laws are introduced, especially in Democrat-run states like Colorado. It’s about job security for the people who deem themselves the only ones fit to be your rulers. Every single attorney general should be fighting to remove “common sense gun legislation” from every state’s legislative books — not enforce or entrench them.
Last we checked, murder is against the law – whether a gun, knife, car, 2-by-4 or poison is used in committing the crime – because it violates someone else’s inalienable right to life, even if you have an F-22, tank or heavily-armed strike force at your disposal.
Which politicians actually do, all while continually violating our inalienable rights through legislation. It’s time they stopped writing laws and start rescinding bad, unconstitutional laws. Remember, almost all the thousands they pass and continue to propose are.
How about we start this session, Colorado? F
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JJ, we hardly knew ya. And you should be thankful.
After all, it got JJ a job. And JJ’s first “interview” as Mesa County Commissioner proves it. For the life of me, I still can’t figure out why JJ Fletcher ran for Mesa County Commissioner. After all, when I asked JJ serious questions (with obvious follow-ups) that he was ill-prepared for in a Facebook thread, his final answer was to block me.
Not that the interview I read the other day was exactly hard-hitting. I find it more of a setup for local media to go after original members of “Team Mesa.” So forgive me if I’ve come to the conclusion answering questions — hard-hitting or not — is not a tool in JJ’s belt.
If this interview is any indication, it appears commissioner JJ isn’t going to differ much from the “it’s time” candidate JJ. Because neither appears capable of bringing much to the table for the citizens. Although from the answers in this “Q & A,” it appears JJ is already paying dividends for the few in Mesa County he really represents.
And here’s exactly what this Q & A was designed to do. Promote JJ (which is hard to do when you listen to him speak or read his answers) while getting the other commissioners on record, so claims can be made against them during JJ’s first term and when the next election rolls around — because in the end, it’s all about controlling a second commission seat.
And while many in publishing would say don’t use or quote your competitor’s content in a story or editorial in your own paper, I say, “Unh-uh.” First, it’s mainstream media MO to use surveys and polls to create agenda-based content, rarely in a good way. Second, I have First Amendment rights, period. Lastly, where the heck do many of our (better covered) stories come from? Other media.
So, let’s go to the Q & A, shall we?
First off is JJ’s co-opting the tag of “Team Mesa.” Now, I have known the members of the previous County Commission for years. The Business Times has covered them in stories collectively for several decades. One could argue, correctly, that Janet Rowland is counted among my very good friends; that Bobbie Daniel sends me Christmas cards, so our friendship is a little more than just publisher/public servant; and my newspaper has covered Cody Davis and his companies and time as commissioner over many years. AND they sent me flowers when I was in the hospital, too.
So what? One could also argue, correctly, when I believe they are doing something wrong, they tend to hear about it — usually in this column.
I will add to the above one thing: None of that makes me a member of Team Mesa. Team Mesa was what Janet, Bobbie and Cody called themselves internally when working together on the business of Mesa County.
I do tend to agree with JJ’s answer in one way: He does need to build relationships with his fellow commissioners. Because it’s JJ’s job to work with Cody and Bobbie for the betterment of the county. So, stop trying to appropriate the name or your membership on a team you weren’t part of to look good in the paper.
How about the issues of vital importance of wolves and Dolores Canyon? While I would agree they do spark passions, I don’t think the voters of Mesa County put them at the top of their list — although the encroachment of an apex predator due to the ignorance and yes, stupidity, of the Colorado Legislature on wolf reintroduction does have it rising rapidly.
But you don’t need a listening-and-taking-action tour to know where you should stand on wolf reintroduction. Or do you?
My favorite response? I’ll quote word for word to the query of what does Mesa County do well. The gospel according to JJ: “I believe the Team Mesa provides the necessary government services for our community in a cost-effective way. The end result is a value-added product and service.”
Wow. Just wow. And you’d only been on your version of the “team” for a week or so.
JJ’s answer leads us to one conclusion. It appears “Team Mesa” was doing a bang-up job before JJ got there. Yet JJ ran for office stating over and over how “It’s time” for a change, new ideas and listening to the people before making decisions and taking action — and Jeff Kuhr’s demise. Pray tell, JJ, how else could Team Mesa provide an “… end result (which) is a valueadded product and service” to the people of Mesa County if it wasn’t presenting new ideas, listening to constituents and then making decisions?
And while the initial answers in the Q & A provide proof JJ got elected by (still) never having to answer a serious question (and blocking those who dare challenge, basking in glowing coverage and the silent backing of the local Republicans), here’s the real reason for the survey. It’s so JJ’s backers could write an op-ed about who’s hurting economic development under the guise of how the county commissioners are — while also being the reason why we lost Costco. Even though we all know the City of Grand Junction screwed it up.
I suppose to JJ and his benefactors, that deflection is of “particular importance.” Maybe the real question isn’t, “Why did you run for county commissioner?” It’s really, “On who’s behalf did you run for county commissioner?” F
Craig Hall is owner and publisher of the Business Times. Reach him at (970) 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com. SHARE YOUR OPINION
Craig Hall
n 5 DWC EMPLOYEES EARN PROMOTIONS
DWC CPAs and Advisors announce the following promotions: Seth C. Knighton, EA, to tax manager; Darby Russell, ACMA, CGMA, to bookkeeping Supervisor; Sydney R. Trichler, CPA, to audit senior; Ana Carbajal Barahona to audit senior; and Diane E. Petelo to audit senior.
Knighton began his accounting career with DWC’s tax office in 2017 and is licensed as an enrolled agent. He has since had the opportunity to work with a diverse range of clients across various industries. He has attained expertise in trusts and estates and is passionate about supporting clients in real estate, automotive, and healthcare sectors.
Russell’s accounting and bookkeeping career spans nearly a decade with privatebusiness experience and DWC CPAs and Advisors. She collaborates with the firm’s tax and bookkeeping teams to deliver comprehensive services to a diverse clientele in multiple industries.
Trichler who graduated from Colorado Mesa University in December 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in public accounting and a minor in Spanish, began her career in public accounting in January 2023, and she joined DWC’s audit and assurance team in January 2024.
Carbajal Barahona graduated from Colorado Mesa University in May 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in public accounting. She began her career with DWC as an intern while still attending CMU and transitioned to a full-time role as an audit team member upon graduation.
Petelo, a Western Slope native and graduate of Palisade High School, earned her bachelor’s degree in public accounting and master’s in business administration from Colorado Mesa University in May 2023. While attending CMU, she began her career with DWC as an intern and transitioned to a full-time role as an audit team member upon graduation.
n REALTY ONE’S SCANLON, DOYLE EARN CERTIFICATION
Realty ONE Group Western Slope announced Paula Scanlon and Erika Doyle passed the required exam to earn the designation of Certified Home Luxury Marketing Specialist. As new members of the ONE LUXE program, both join an exclusive network of professionals who specialize in the marketing and sale of high-end properties.
Scanlon and Doyle with their new certification are equipped to offer a high-touch experience for every transaction, from initial consultation to closing. Their clients can expect world-class service, tailored marketing strategies and unparalleled dedication to making each real estate journey as smooth and successful as possible.
For more information or to connect with Paula Scanlon and Erika Doyle visit westernslope. myrealtyonegroup.com or call 970-628-1001.
n LANDFILL DECREASES TWO DISPOSAL FEES
Bringing waste to the Mesa County Landfill will become more affordable as the Mesa County Commission on Jan. 28 unanimously passed a resolution for the Mesa County Solid Waste Management Division to decrease two waste disposal fees.
Mesa County Solid Waste reduced the compacted waste disposal fee at the Mesa County Landfill, 3071 U.S. 50 in Grand Junction, from $42 per ton to $30 per ton, and the loose waste disposal fee will drop from $51 per ton to $32 per ton. Fee changes went into effect Feb. 3.
n WOMEN’S NETWORKING LUNCHEON IS FEB. 11
The Mesa County Women’s Network will host its first luncheon of 2025 on Feb. 11 at Enzo’s Ristorante Italiano, 707 Horizon Drive in Grand Junction.
Whether you’re a seasoned professional, an entrepreneur or looking to engage with a dynamic community of women, this luncheon is the perfect platform to connect, learn and grow. All attendees must register. Lunch is included for members, and the cost is $30 for nonmember drop-ins. For more information, go online to mcwn.us/events.
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Seth Knighton
Darby Russell Sydney Trichler Ana Carbajal Barahona
