The Las Colonias Riverfront Zip Adventures zip line, once billed as a signature attraction of Grand Junction’s downtown riverfront development, closed without notice partway through 2024. While the attraction had been covered in previous reporting about its opening, its closure wasn’t made public until a recent Business Times article drew questions from the community about the prospects and current status of the broader Las Colonias development.
In a July 28 interview with The Business Times, Curtis Englehart, executive director of the Grand Junction Economic Partnership, said that while the zip line isn’t operating, the broader redevelopment effort continues to progress, propelled by new strategies and shifting priorities.
“I think sometimes it can be difficult from a community perspective if you don’t see a new building going up every six months,” he said. “But the process alone takes a lot of time and a lot of money on the developer side to make it happen.”
Englehart then pointed to a map of the park and surrounding area, noting parcels already developed, others sold or leased and slated for construction in the near future, and additional sites with strong development prospects in the pipeline. See story on Page 2
Riverfront Revision
GJEP director says new strategies and shifting priorities propel continued development of Las Colonias Park.
Las Colonias Park is shown from overhead in this photo that was taken by a drone. Originally, the business park targeted only certain types of outdoor and tech companies. Under those strict rules, some local businesses and others outside the outdoor sector may have been discouraged from applying or were turned down. Today, the area is zoned as Planned Development, opening the doors to certain manufacturing, office buildings and retail spaces. That flexibility has turned into a major selling point, according to Grand Junction Economic Partnership Executive Director Curtis Englehart. Photo courtesy of Grand Junction Economic Partnership.
Las Colonias: A look at the past, present and what’s next
Continued from Page 1
Englehart also answered questions about challenges and successes that the development has faced over the years and the different solutions that have been applied.
The 99-Year Lease Shift
One of the earliest and most critical challenges for the Las Colonias business park was that the City Charter limited land leases to just 25 years, making banks reluctant to finance construction on land they didn’t own.
To remedy this, Measure 2B was placed on the November 2019 ballot, asking voters to allow up to 99-year leases, specifically for the Las Colonias Business Park.
“From a financing standpoint, 99 years was a lot easier to finance versus 25,” Englehart said.
The amendment applied only to the Las Colonias Business Park, making long-term ground leases more appealing and laying the groundwork for future development. According to GJEP, 99-year leases allow banks to view projects as nearly certain to pay off before the lease even ends.
Despite the change, Englehart said development significantly slowed in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted investment, construction timelines and tenant recruitment.
From Outdoor-Only to Multi-Industry
ABOVE: Gary Allan plays to a Grand Junction crowd at Las Colonias Amphitheater. During the past two seasons (2023 and 2024), the Amphitheater at Las Colonias served 92,000 visitors. There were 22 events during the 2023 season. Of those 22 shows, one was 100 percent sold out, and two reached 90 percent and 98 percent capacity.
BELOW: People wading in the river park. Photos courtesy of City of Grand Junction.
Originally, the business park targeted only certain types of outdoor and tech companies. Under those strict rules, some local businesses and others outside the outdoor sector may have been discouraged from applying or had even been turned down.
RockyMounts, an early success in the outdoor manufacturing sector, later became a black eye when it closed its Las Colonias location and moved out. The structure remains under RockyMounts’ ownership, and the company is still paying the land lease.
“If there’s an appetite to fill that from the current building owner, we will absolutely fill it,” Englehart said.
Today, the area is zoned as Planned Development, opening the doors to Class A manufacturing, office buildings and retail spaces. That flexibility has turned into a major selling point.
“It’s pretty flexible on what we can put down there,” Englehart said. “That flexibility has been key to moving forward.”
Adding to the appeal, Englehart said Las Colonias sits within a federal Opportunity Zone, offering investors tax incentives, such as deferring and potentially eliminating capital-gains taxes if investments are held for 10-plus years.
The original more strict rules were highlighted in a Daily Sentinel article titled “Tale of two cities’ Projects” on March 13, 2022.
The shift to multi-industry began in earnest after Englehart joined GJEP in August 2022.
“We did make that shift to more of, ‘What business is going to benefit from being on the riverfront and vice versa?’” Englehart said. “That’s when we really stepped back and took more of an approach of, let’s make this a multi-industrial project.”
Englehart said the city and GJEP use ground leases creatively, now offering more flexible lot sizes to accommodate different-sized businesses, as well as reduced rates, zero interest and no money down, while also requiring development to begin within 12 months.
Businesses (West to East)
Since the park was developed, here are some of the developments that have taken place so far, along with others that are planned or expected in the near future: West of the amphitheater at Las Colonias, the Colorado Weedery sits alongside WestCo Brewing, formerly Edgewater Brewery, which is undergoing renovations. Townhomes and the Struthers Residences provide nearby housing, and Englehart said additional apartments are under construction to the north of the amphitheater across the riverside parkway.
The restaurant and retail section east of the amphitheater, between the dog park and the festival area, is intended to serve locals, park visitors, bike path users and employees of companies in the business park.
One key project underway is the OakStar Bank building, which will include restaurant space on the ground floor, a community boardroom with a large deck overlooking the bike path and river park, and OakStar offices occupying part of the first and second floors. Designed to house multiple businesses, the building is attracting interest. See LAS COLONIAS on Page 8
Hammered by hail
Various businesses have been extra busy since a rare hail storm hit the Grand Valley in June
Tim Harty The Business Times
Grand Valley roofing companies get busy in the summer. As in new jobs get scheduled three to four weeks out, and be thankful if the wait is shorter.
This summer, however, Mother Nature made a mockery of the notion it doesn’t hail around here and conjured up a June 6 rainstorm that brought hail in sizes rarely seen in the Grand Valley. Golf-ballsized hail pelted homes in some areas, and that meant the valley’s already super-busy roofers got a whole lot busier.
As did auto-body shops.
As did insurance agencies.
A roof replacement or repair? Be happy now if the roofer can get to it inside of two months.
Makala Reid, assistant manager at Bros Roofing, 2420 E. Main St. in Grand Junction, said Bros is scheduling jobs six to eight weeks out, which is two to three weeks longer than normal summer scheduling has been.
At Kruger Roofing, 1050 Kimball Ave. in Grand Junction, Manager Aaron Nordstrom said they’re scheduling about two months out. He said that’s not much different than a regular summer, but the amount of estimates Kruger has been doing has gone through the proverbial roof, and the amount of work has increased about 20 percent.
Kruger is handling that by hiring extra workers, when it can find any, and having existing roofers work longer days and on weekends as needed.
“We just schedule them out. We try to fit it all in. And we will hire (if possible),” Nordstrom wrote in an email interview. “But ... we have a bunch of estimates that
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we have not even gotten out to. Estimating is our choke point for this type of situation. We are servicing and estimating our current customers as priority, and since we have been in the valley for so long, we have a lot of customers calling. Then we try to service referrals. And we have a lot of referrals, which is where most of our business comes from.”
Bros Roofing also is hiring more workers, working longer days and weekends. Reid said Bros tended to do five to six roofing jobs per week in recent summers, but this summer its tackling nine to 11 jobs per week.
Busy at the auto body shops
Of course, homes weren’t the only things that got hit by those bigger chunks of hail. Plenty of cars and trucks got riddled with small dents on the roofs, hoods and side panels.
Dean Moore, co-owner of Moore’s Auto Body, 2488 W. Mesa Court in Grand Junction, said ever since June 6, “We’ve been extremely busy with the hail claims, extremely busy. So is every shop. So, yeah, it bumped everybody up.”
Moore said it pushed out scheduling of repairs a few weeks beyond the normal, and he brought in extra help to handle the additional work.
For example, Phillip Isabel, a paintless dent repair technician for ADAS Solutions, usually finds his work on Colorado’s Front Range, particularly around Denver. For the past several weeks, however, he’s been popping up dents at Moore’s Auto Body.
Moore mentioned the hail-damaged vehicles coming to his shop mostly need small dents repaired.
See HAIL on Page 9
Phillip Isabel, a paintless dent repair technician with ADAS Solutions, stands next to a Chevrolet pickup after marking all of the dents on it at Moore’s Auto Body on Aug. 7. The truck was damaged by hail during a June 6 storm in the Grand Valley, and Isabel is one of the additional workers Moore’s Auto Body brought in to help with the extra work it has received since the storm. Photo by Tim Harty. One
Grand restoration meets bureaucratic wall
One man’s fight for a gazebo in his front yard sparks questions about city code
Brandon Leuallen
The Business Times
When Kevin Cole purchased the historic Spanish Colonial Revival home at 1259 Gunnison Avenue in disrepair, he didn’t just plan to fix it up. He set out to restore it to its former glory and make it an asset to the community.
The remodel is now complete, with matching landscaping that gives the property a true Spanish Colonial feel and plenty of curb appeal. But one element is still missing. In the center of the circular driveway, a decorative concrete pad sits
architecture, restoring original features, fixing the original guest quarters above the garage, installing additional parking that wasn’t required, and painting the exterior in a bold yellow stucco inspired by the home’s historic design.
City Says No to Gazebo in the Front Yard
Cole said he approached city planning staff about his design, only to be told, “No accessory structure in front of a house in the city limits.” At first, he said they suggested a trellis roof might be acceptable, but later retracted that option.
Cole said he met with a city planner
empty, awaiting what Cole envisioned as its finishing touch: a gazebo matching the style of the home and landscaping where he and guests could relax in the shade in view of Lincoln Park across the street.
Cole said the house needed extensive work, and while some neighbors were initially skeptical about the remodel and bold new color, many told him they changed their minds after seeing the finished landscaping and full exterior.
Built in 1925 by lumber magnate W.C. Kurtz, the home was added to the Historic Building Inventory in 1995.
Cole spent roughly two years remodeling the property, transforming it from a deteriorating structure into a fully restored Spanish Colonial Revival home. Improvements included installing matching landscaping to complement the
and zoning supervisor, but he left feeling the tone was indifferent and dismissive. Staff told him a variance wasn’t possible because his lot wasn’t unique. When he noted the property is nearly half an acre, they said it didn’t matter.
Cole pointed to the existing hexagonal pad as the proposed base, explaining, “The roof would match … the pop-outs around the windows … and I think it would look really good. Actually, I know it would look really good.”
City staff replied, “That’s in your opinion.”
Code Inconsistencies and a Reversal
After being told the structure wouldn’t qualify as a “landscaping accessory,” Cole combed through the city code.
See RESTORATION on Page 11
Kevin Cole recently renovated this historic home at 1259 Gunnison Ave. In the center of the circular driveway, a decorative concrete pad sits empty, awaiting a gazebo that Cole envisioned as its finishing touch. Photo by Brandon Leuallen.
Council moves toward final vote on 4th and 5th Street reconfiguration
Brandon Leuallen The Business Times
After an extended wait that lasted throughout the summer, the City of Grand Junction is preparing to begin work on the final configuration of the 4th and 5th Streets Complete Streets Pilot Project downtown, south of Gunnison Avenue.
One final vote remains before construction can proceed. City Council will decide whether to fund $160,000 in additional curb cuts needed to fit a bike lane alongside two lanes of traffic as the streets cross Main Street. The work also would require removing at least one or two historic downtown shade trees and cutting into existing landscaping to make the design feasible.
The discussion was prompted by the newly revealed costs.
During a prior meeting in June, the council voted unanimously to strike a compromise and bifurcate the corridor, converting the residential area north of Gunnison to one lane of traffic with a buffered bike lane, while reconsidering the configuration south of Gunnison. As reported by The Business Times at the time, the 7-0 vote did not include a disclosure of the curb-cut costs by Grand Junction Transportation Director Trent Prall.
“We’ve already poured a bunch of concrete. To tear all that back out and put it back just seems like a waste of money,”
Council member Robert Ballard said during the Aug. 4 workshop.
Mayor Cody Kennedy concurred with Ballard.
Council member Ben Van Dyke said businesses he has spoken with are still struggling and cited the project as a source of revenue loss.
Council member Scott Beilfuss said even with the costs, he would still like to see the project move forward with the curb cuts.
Council member Jason Nguyen, who
serves as the council’s liaison to the City of Grand Junction’s Urban Trails Committee, said he had concerns about the curb cuts but would like to see a bike-lane option that does not require them.
The remaining decision appears to be between two options: One, keep two lanes of traffic in each direction with a dedicated bike lane extending to Main Street, then transitioning into a “sharrow” at the intersection, where bikes share the right-hand lane with vehicles. Or two, revert entirely to the pre-pilot program configuration with a sharrow painted on the right-hand lane the whole distance, like on Main Street where there are no bike lanes.
Ballard noted the council already made a compromise north of Gunnison Avenue and said it is time to consider the needs of downtown businesses.
Van Dyke urged the council not to delay a decision any longer, saying, “I think we need to get to the finalization of this and make a decision. We’ve gotten the input, we’ve had the pilot for a year, we’ve made some changes based on that.”
Although Kennedy, Ballard and Van Dyke raised concerns about whether delaying the final vote by two weeks could slow the construction process, Grand Junction City Manager Mike Bennett confirmed with city staff that it will not.
“There’s not any need to do this Wednesday,” he said. “That gives more time for public comment.”
Council member Laurel Cole said she’s more comfortable with giving the community enough time to be aware they can provide public comment, and she preferred not holding the vote at the regular meeting just two days after the workshop.
Council appeared to reach a consensus not to move forward with the curb-cut option, which would have added roughly $160,000 to the remaining $250,000 project cost.
The discussion also led to questions raised by council members about downtown parking, prompting Bennett to suggest revisiting the issue separately at a future meeting.
“If we feel like there’s a conversation that needs to be had about parking, specifically parking, I think that could be added to a future agenda. It just doesn’t necessarily have to be tied to this conversation about the configuration,” he said.
Council ultimately agreed to hold the final vote at the Aug. 20 regular meeting rather than on Aug. 6.
Council member Scott Beilfuss participated remotely. Council member Anna Stout was absent.
Robert Ballard
Ben Van Dyke
Laurel Cole
Las Colonias
Continued from Page 2
During a tour, OakStar Bank Grand Junction Market President Clay Tufly said a coffee shop is considering the restaurant space, with other possibilities expected as completion approaches. The retail and restaurant area sits adjacent to the festival grounds, which host large community events.
The business park stretching north around the Butterfly Ponds offers space for offices and light manufacturing. Englehart pointed to Site B and Site C north of the Bonsai building, saying, “Those sites have serious prospects in the pipeline.”
One site on the north of the business park at the entrance off the Riverside Parkway is sold and scheduled to be developed into two manufacturing facilities. Englehart said Site I, just east of RockyMounts, is also being leased and developed next. Sights F, G, L, M and N are also listed on the map and undeveloped.
Grand Junction Adventures, a rafting and paddleboard rental company located near the boat ramp, offers rentals and guided trips, according to its website. The business is open on weekends and provides rentals by appointment during the week, taking advantage of its close proximity to the river.
Stephanie Copeland, whose team developed and manages Camp Eddy and The Eddy apartments, called the location an “ideal opportunity” to bring housing and lodging to the riverfront after the city and Las Colonias Development Corporation had “laid the foundation” for redevelopment. Copeland said Camp Eddy is “pretty full.”
The Eddy apartments have been “almost 100 percent occupied … since day one,” Copeland said, while the campground, which opened in 2022, offers nightly rentals in Airstreams and tiny homes along the river. Campers share a clubhouse with apartment residents, complete with river views, grilling space and a fireplace.
Hospitality takes longer to stabilize, but Copeland said occupancy has increased every year since opening, with bookings up about 20 percent this year. Guests often use the Riverfront Trail, float the river “for the views … the proximity to downtown, and… to the trails.”
FINANCING LAS COLONIAS
Grand Junction Parks & Recreation Director Ken Sherbenou confirmed the amphitheater cost $3.8 million, half funded by a Department of Local Affairs grant and the rest by the city, with Oak View Group managing bookings, concessions and security.
The River Park, originally dubbed the “lazy river,” totaled $1.2 million, drawing from grants including $350,000 from Great Outdoors Colorado and $150,000 from the Colorado Water Conservation Board, with the city covering the remaining $600,000. The boat ramp was financed separately.
Other financing of the park that was established under former Grand Junction City Manager Greg Caton drew criticism.
Former Grand Junction City Council member Dennis Simpson unsuccessfully sued to make the Las Colonias Development Corporation subject to open records laws in 2021.
Duncan McArthur, another former city council member, voted against the contract for zip-line builder Bonsai Design. In an op-ed in the Daily Sentinel, he questioned the Downtown Development Authority’s use of TABOR-exempt debt, allowing millions to be spent without a public vote, and a $1 million subsidy to Bonsai without city council reviewing financials. McArthur noted the only way to sell the properties would be by a vote of the people.
New Grand Junction Mayor Cody Kennedy, selected in June 2025, said earlier agreements, some dating back to 2017, lacked accountability. The priority now, he added, is moving forward.
“Hindsight’s always 20/20,” Kennedy said. “The next best thing is learning from experience as you move forward. Long term, we are gonna have a vibrant riverfront from Las Colonias to Dos Rios. As the park gets built out and additional housing is going to get built down there … it will be good.”
History of the park
Grand Junction Parks and Recreation Director Ken Sherbenou said the site is the culmination of years of riverfront cleanup and redevelopment efforts.
“It goes back to leaders at the state and local level working to clean up those sites and turn them into public assets,” Sherbenou said. “The vision was always to realize the full potential of the river, connect it with trails and keep expanding.”
According to a Grand Junction Economic Partnership announcement, the city officially broke ground on Las Colonias Park in March 2018.
Sherbenou said amenities like the amphitheater, River Park, dog park and boat ramp are major draws for locals and out-of-town visitors. The Riverfront Trail now stretches from Las Colonias all the way west to Loma and east toward Palisade, with work underway to close the gap between the Eagle Rim Bridge and 29 Road on the north side of the river.
Parks
& Recreation Amenities (West to East)
According to Sherbenou, Las Colonias Park is one of three regional parks in Grand Junction, designed to serve not just the city’s residents but visitors from across the Western Slope. Amphitheater – The amphitheater serves as one of the park’s signature features and a key economic driver for nearby businesses. It is maintained by the city but operated in partnership with Oak View Group, which handles talent booking, concessions and security.
“We handle operations, we handle cleaning, we provide event staff,” Sherbenou said. “Security is provided by Oak View Group, and they also manage ticketed events.
“Some of the larger concerts bring in about 5,000 people, which is a big crowd for GJ.” Dog Park – East of the amphitheater, the four-section dog park is rotated regularly to protect the turf and ensure user safety. “We’re really careful about making sure we’re protecting the health of the turf, so it stays in shape for users,” Sherbenou said.
Festival Area – Located between the OakStar Bank construction site and the butterfly ponds, Sherbenou said the festival area is designed to accommodate events like the River Fest, water Water Festival and others with built-in infrastructure for food trucks, staging and other amenities. River Park (Formerly “Lazy River”) – Sherbenou said the city now intentionally avoids using the original “lazy river” name to prevent misconceptions. “It’s still the river,” he said. “Even though it’s a side channel with slower water, it’s still a natural environment, not like a lazy river you’d see at a rec center.”
The River Park typically opens at the end of May, with conditions monitored through a flag system. A red flag warns of high flows when tubes and small inflatables should not be used, while a yellow flag signals safer conditions.
Sherbenou said when the park is running during peak season, it’s a popular attraction.
“After the river drops in July, depending on runoff, the lower section is still open, but it’s not the same experience,” he said. “While people still use it later in the year, many of them begin to move over to the Dos Rios splash pad to cool off.”
Boat Ramp – Renovated as part of the regional park’s construction, the boat ramp is a major launch point for river recreation.
“The boat ramp parking lot is packed on the weekends,” Sherbenou said, adding that parking often overflows into nearby areas when river use is at its peak.
Butterfly Ponds – Sherbenou said the ponds serve as a gathering space and a place to paddleboard and do yoga. The ponds also host the “Lights at Night” event each October.
Riverfront Trail and Eagle Rim Bridge – The trail connects Las Colonias to neighborhoods on the north side of the river.
“It’s a huge part of the regional transportation infrastructure,” Sherbenou said. Work is ongoing to close the last mile-and-a-half gap to 29 Road.
The Eddy Apartments, 347 Eddy Dr., have been full since they were built. The apartments are next door to Camp Eddy RV Park. Photo by Brandon Leuallen.
Grand Junction resident Kevin Robertson uses his smartphone on Aug. 7 to talk to an Allstate claims representative and simultaneously provide video of hail damage his car sustained during a June 6 storm. Robertson said Allstate calls the process a virtual inspection, and he got to deal with a live person and didn’t have to wait on hold after he made the call. He said when the virtual inspection was done, the rep took about 30 minutes to prepare an estimate and then called him to discuss it.
Continued from page 4
Only a small percentage of hail-damaged vehicles have had windshield damage.
That helps explain why The Glass Doctor, 424 S. Seventh St. in Grand Junction, hasn’t seen many vehicles with windshields cracked in the June 6 hail storm.
For that matter, Glass Doctor owner Domenic Modica said he hasn’t had much come his way for damage to windows in homes. Be it home or auto, Modica said hail damage would probably cause more than glass breakage – dents to a car, hail damage to a roof – where a customer would then go to
Photo by Tim Harty.
a business that repairs more than glass, such as a collision center or a building contractor.
Office Manager Tanya Stuckman said The Glass Brokerage, 118 N. 22nd Court in Grand Junction, received an increase in calls, especially for residential after the hail storm. But when a repair was merely for glass, the cost tended to be less than the homeowner’s insurance deductible, meaning claimants had to pay out of pocket if they proceeded with repairs.
“We provided a lot of quotes,” she said, adding, “Six to eight weeks later, we’ve still been getting calls.”
See HAIL on Page 10
BE SAFE: USE ESTABLISHED, LOCAL ROOFERS
While conducting interviews for this story, a recurring theme surfaced from roofing and insurance companies: Beware of fly-by-night roofing companies.
Bird Family Insurance Agency owner Adam Bird said his office got a rush of calls to make claims on roofs after a June 6 hail storm dropped uncharacteristically large hail on parts of the Grand Valley.
After a couple weeks, the amount of calls lessened, but then they picked up again, and Bird’s pretty sure the resurgence was fueled by out-of-town companies chasing the storm fallout.
“The door knockers came out in force,” he said. “It was really interesting. We had a lot of clients call and say, ‘Oh, hey, this guy from this company came by my house,’ and I’m like, ‘I’ve never heard of that company.’ And you look it up, and they’re from Denver, they’re from Salt Lake, or they’re from wherever. They send this army of people out here to just knock on doors, storm chasing.”
Making it clear what he thinks of the “door knockers,” Bird said, “It’s definitely not a great thing. They way overcharge for a roof compared to what it should cost. You know, they’re trying to make a quick buck, and there’s been stories in the past of them not doing the work properly and just skipping town.”
Representatives from Bros Roof-
ing and Kruger Roofing sounded the alarm, too.
“Remember to hire a local roofing company!” Bros’ Assistant Manager Makala Reid wrote. “Too many outof-town companies coming in and cutting corners.”
Also, Bros Roofing warns people to make sure the roofing company attains the required permit for the work.
Kruger Roofing Manager Aaron Nordstrom kept his answers short and to the point in an email interview with The Business Times. But he made an exception when addressing out-of-town roofing companies popping up in the hail storm’s aftermath.
To that, he wrote: “Kruger Roofing is truly a local roofing company that has been in the Grand Valley for the past 35 years. We aren’t going anywhere, and customers can have peace of mind that we will be here to respond to any roofing need. We have great customers, and we highly value their trust.
“There are a lot of out-of-town roofers that are in the Grand Valley chasing the storm. That is not our model and never has been. We strive to give an honest and thorough opinion of the roof condition. Our desire is truly for the customer to have all the information that they need to make the best choice for their situation, especially when they are dealing with insurance companies.”
Kruger Roofing provided this photo to show the out-of-the-ordinary, large collection of estimates it has amassed after a June 6 hail storm in the Grand Valley. Kruger Roofing manager Aaron Nordstrom said, “We have really been hit with a lot of estimates. This is what has been hard to keep up with.”
Hail
Continued from Page 9
Stuckman mentioned, too, she moved to Grand Junction 20 years ago, and she’s never seen hail in the Grand Valley as big as what the June 6 storm produced.
‘We don’t deal with that here’
Whether it was homes or cars that got damaged by hail, local insurance agencies heard all about them.
Matt Borg, owner of independent agency MB Insurance, 573 W. Crete Circle, Unit 205, in Grand Junction, said he thinks when all is said and done, the June 6 storm is going to be the largest insurance claim event in the Grand Valley’s history.
Borg said from the claims his office has received, Fruita and Orchard Mesa appear to have been the hardest hit by hail. He added home claims have included a fair amount of damaged fences, especially the vinyl fencing.
“Some look like they got shot with a gun,” he said.
Matt Bird, owner of Bird Family Insurance Agency, 125 Grand Ave, Ste B, said the increase in claims calls after the hail storm “had us hopping around.”
“We don’t normally see hail storms,” he added, “so a lot of it was people calling, saying, ‘Hey, what do we do?’”
In his customers’ defense, Bird said of the hail, “We don’t deal with that here, so no one really knew what to do unless they moved here from Denver or something.”
Bird said his agency was getting dozens of claims calls in the first couple of weeks after the hail storm, which was new for him, too.
“I mean, from zero to 12, 15, 20 calls a week for a month and a half there, really,” he said. “So, yeah, it was busy.”
The frequency has diminished, but claims calls are still trickling in.
“We’re in August now, it’s been 60 days,” he said, “and people are still calling, saying, ‘Hey, I want to know if I can get get my roof replaced.’”
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Continued from page 5
He found sections allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in certain front or side yards and asked officials for clarification.
Unable to get approval for the gazebo and wanting to test the system’s consistency, Cole submitted an application for an ADU intentionally designed to clash with the property’s style and color. The city ultimately approved the ADU for the side yard, despite its obvious mismatch with the rest of the home and landscaping.
Cole said he asked staff whether any frontyard accessory structure in the city would require a variance, an administrative adjustment or be out of compliance, and he was told yes. He said he also was told the reason for the rule was that approving one would mean approving them for everyone.
“So what?” he said. “Why no gazebo?”
Calls for Clarity and Fairness
Cole said he hasn’t met a single neighbor or local resident who objects to the idea.
“I have not talked to anybody that says this (the rejection of the gazebo) kind of makes sense,” he said.
He wishes the city would focus less on automatic denials and more on problem-solving.
“Couldn’t you just be a little bit helpful?… Let’s figure out how we can make this work,” Cole said.
Instead, he said, staff offered for him to file complaints against other homeowners with structures in their front yard that may qualify for code violations, which he did not desire and declined to do.
HISTORY OF THE HOME
The Mesa County Assessor’s property report lists 1259 Gunnison Ave. as a two-story Spanish Colonial Revival, a style that saw a resurgence in the 1920s. Built in 1925 by William Clarence Kurtz, it was landscaped by renowned Denver landscape architect Sacco R. deBoer.
Historical research on the property shows Kurtz was born in 1889 in Stewartstown, Pennsylvania, and moved west in the early 1900s, eventually settling in Colorado. According to those records, he rose through the ranks of the Independent Lumber Company, later becoming president, and partnered with Clyde Biggs to form the Biggs-Kurtz Hardware Company and Biggs-Kurtz Investment Company. Their ventures included lumber yards, a railroad company, a peach orchard in Palisade and cattle ranching.
Kurtz also founded the First National Bank of Grand Junction in 1933 and served in leadership roles with the Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club and Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, according to the same historical documents.
Ownership records indicate the Kurtz family left Grand Junction in the 1950s. The home later passed through several owners, including the Younge, Burke and Schwan families, before being sold to Kevin Cole in 2022.
Above: The house at 1259 Gunnison Ave. after Kevin Cole renovated the home and landscaped the property. Inset: The home shown before Cole bought it in 2022.
CMU grad, GJ startup earn global awards
A Colorado Mesa University graduate and a Grand Junction-based tech startup are gaining global acclaim for their role in reshaping the future of artificial intelligence.
The Confluencial, co-led by Kyler Cheatham and powered by CMU alum Avery Kane, has been honored with two major global awards for developing a first-of-its-kind AI shortlisting tool for enterprise technology, according to a news release from the Grand Junction Economic Partnership.
The company’s work was spotlighted when Kyler Cheatham was named a 2025 #empowHERaccess
Women in Cloud Global Prestige Awards Finalist, recognized for her role in building inclusive and ethical AI solutions that directly support enterprise decision-making, the news release said.
“This is a team award,” Cheatham said. “We built this tool to serve people, not sales quotas. That was only possible with the brilliance of Avery Kane, our head AI engineer and a proud CMU grad, and the leadership of our CEO, Adam Cheatham.”
The Confluencial’s partnership with Colorado Mesa University extends beyond alumni roots. As a guest lecturer in the CMU business school, Kyler Cheatham brings real-world enterprise tech and AI leadership directly into the classroom. This collaboration exemplifies what happens when industry innovation and academic preparation work together, the news release said.
In addition to the empowHERaccess recognition, Cheatham was named one of the Top 30 Voices Shaping the Future of Payments, Banking and Fintech by The Soltesz Institute, honoring her commitment to responsible technology leadership and values-first business strategy.
“Tech should be a place where we build boldly, think critically and support each other without pretense,” Cheatham said. “That’s always been the heartbeat behind our work at The Confluencial.”
According to the news release, River. AI is The Confluencial’s proprietary decision intelligence tool designed to streamline complex enterprise technology evaluations. Purpose-built to remove bias, reduce guesswork and elevate strategic alignment, River.AI helps organizations shortlist and select systems that actually fit their operational needs.
The tool reflects The Confluencial’s belief that great technology should serve people, not the other way around, the news release said.
THIS IS HAPPENING
The Business Times is always looking for the arrival of new businesses or changes to existing businesses. If you notice new commercial construction or a business doing a major renovation, send an email to stories@thebusinesstimes.com and tell us about it.
If you took a photo of it, send that, too. It might become our next item in This Is Happening!
Fruita’s getting a City Market Fuel Center
Work is ongoing at 437 W. Aspen Ave. (at the intersection of West Aspen Avenue and Coulson Street) in Fruita for a City Market Fuel Center. It’s about two blocks from Fruita’s City Market grocery store.
Two buildings have been removed from the half-acre lot: a 1,213-square-foot commercial building and a 3,208-squarefoot multifamily housing complex. Already erected are a 173-square-foot fuel kiosk and a 19-foot-high canopy that will cover five “multi-product fueling dispensers.”
A letter from law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP, representing MJ Property Investors LLC, the contract purchaser on behalf of City Market, said the project is consistent with Fruita Strategic Plan goals and policies.
One of those goals is economic development, and the law firm noted the City Market Fuel Center “will enhance the customer base of the City Market grocery store – which is located two blocks from the Project – thereby supporting the store’s viability.
“The Project will allow City Market customers to purchase both groceries and fuel locally and redeem rewards points within the City. Currently, many City Market customers travel to Grand Junction where they can redeem their City Market fuel points.
“Fueling facilities that accompany City Market grocery stores have also historically demonstrated a significant increase in revenue for City Market grocery stores.”
For any business that hopes to be genuinely adored by its customers and remain successful long-term, one core principle must be non-negotiable: Consistently satisfy the wants and needs of the people you serve.
Customers don’t walk through your doors by accident. There’s always an underlying reason. When you invest the time and energy to truly understand what they’re looking for and then deliver on it consistently, they’ll not only return, they’ll bring others with them.
The most successful and enlightened businesses make happiness part of their mission. They understand something essential: Business isn’t just about transactions; it’s about people and service. When you view operations through the lens of human experience, everything shifts. Satisfaction, when nurtured with care and purpose, becomes loyalty. And loyalty becomes reputation, growth and success.
A defining characteristic between businesses that create raving fans and those that don’t lies in the consistency of the «small things.» The seemingly minor details – greeting people with genuine warmth, listening carefully, making someone feel seen – add up to something big. Think about the places you return to again and again and rave about. Chances are they don’t just serve a good product. They also make you feel welcome, valued and taken care of.
A warm and genuine greeting, for example, sets the tone for everything that follows. When customers are met with apathy or indifference – no eye contact, no smile, no sincere welcome – they’re emotionally disengaged before they even interact. But when they’re greeted by someone who’s genuinely happy to see them, receptive and caring, the entire experience opens up. That moment may seem small, but it’s huge. It shapes perception, influences mood, and creates the conditions for connection. It’s the little things that matter most.
No one wants to be ignored. Yet in business, listening is often the first casualty of speed and routine. Customers feel it instantly. Being unheard or undervalued isn’t just disappointing, it’s disheartening. It weakens trust. It severs connection.
Listening must be intentional. When you and your team take the time to engage customers with genuine interest – asking key questions, hearing their answers without interruption and responding thoughtfully – you signal that they matter. You build rapport. You uncover what they actually want. And with that insight, you’re better positioned to meet and even exceed their needs.
This isn’t just polite. It’s powerful. Deep listening is the path to trust. Trust leads to loyalty. And loyalty leads to advocacy: customers telling others, “You have to go here.”
Truly listening is a competitive advantage.
Every business makes errors. What separates the good from the great is how those missteps are handled. When mistakes occur, some companies try to deflect responsibility, downplay the issue or make it the customer’s problem. These choices erode trust.
Exceptional businesses own their errors. They acknowledge them promptly, fix what they can and do so with grace. That kind of integrity leaves a lasting impression, often stronger than a flawless transaction ever could. It shows customers that they matter more than policies or profit margins. Mistakes are inevitable. Integrity is a choice.
At the end of the day, what your customers remember most isn’t just the product or service. It’s how they felt. Did they leave feeling heard, appreciated, uplifted? Or dismissed, frustrated and forgotten?
Businesses that consistently generate positive emotional experiences set themselves apart. They add value not just through quality offerings, but through thoughtful interactions. And value is what people seek, not simply the lowest price.
When customers leave feeling better than when they arrived, you’ve done more than satisfy them. You’ve built affinity. That emotional resonance is the foundation of longterm success.
We all have favorite places to do business. They’ve earned that status by consistently exceeding expectations, not necessarily through grand gestures, but by caring deeply about the basics and executing them well.
Be the business that sets itself apart through integrity, attentiveness and service. Build a reputation not just for your products, but for how you make people feel.
If any of this feels overwhelming, consider bringing in a professional coach or consultant, someone who can help you pinpoint your blind spots, realign your strategy and build from your strengths.
Make satisfying your customers a foundational priority – every day. Do the small things well. Be genuine. Lead with integrity. Express gratitude. Because without satisfied customers, success becomes far more elusive than it needs to be.
Be the exception.
F
Marcus Straub owns Life is Great Coaching in Grand Junction. His personalized coaching and consulting services help individuals, business owners, executives and companies build teams, organizations and lives filled with happiness and success. Straub is winner of the International Coach of the Year Award and author of “Is It Fun Being You?” He’s available for free consultations regarding coaching, speaking and trainings. Reach Straub at (970) 208-3150, marcus@ligcoaching.com or through the website located at www.ligcoaching.com.
Mesa County Public Health puts Naloxone kiosks in more places
In Mesa County, a public health initiative is transforming how our community responds to the opioid crisis.
Mesa County Public Health recently expanded its naloxone kiosk program, adding three new sites at the Orchard Mesa, Palisade and Collbran Mesa County Library branches. This brings the total to 12 kiosks located across the county, strategically positioned in accessible locations that enable prompt assistance.
Since its launch in December 2024, the program has distributed more than 3,000 boxes of naloxone, an opioid-overdose-reversal medication, free of charge. It’s a milestone worth noting not only for its human impact, but for what it represents: a low-barrier model of public health that’s proving its value quickly.
“Mesa County residents have responded positively to the program,” said Chhavi Attri, community health planner at Mesa County Public Health. “Early usage data and direct feedback confirm the kiosks are meeting a critical need, giving people timely access to a medicine that can save lives.”
A business case for public health
The ripple effects of substance use don’t stop at the clinic door. They show up in our workplaces, our hiring pipelines, our insurance costs and our local economy.
Every life saved by a timely dose of naloxone is someone who may recover, re-enter the workforce, care for a family or contribute to the community. From a cost-benefit perspective, programs like this represent a proactive investment in stability and resilience.
These kiosks also provide a safety net not just for those struggling with addiction, but for employees, coworkers or customers who may find themselves responding to
an overdose in real time. Each kiosk includes bilingual instructions and requires no appointment or identification to access.
Expanding reach, expanding impact
“We’re proud to expand this program,” Attri said. “Every box of naloxone out in the community represents a chance for someone to survive, recover and eventually thrive. That’s the ultimate goal.”
Kiosks are located at places where need is high and foot traffic is reliable. The recent additions also ensure that rural residents aren’t left behind.
A call to engage
Business owners and managers can support this effort in meaningful ways:
• Host overdose prevention training for your staff.
• Include naloxone in your workplace first aid kits.
• Share information about kiosk locations and how to recognize an overdose. Visit our website, mesacounty.us/health, for an entire list of kiosk locations. Western Colorado Area Health Education Center offers free overdose-response training. Email Lyndall Young at lyoung@wcahec.org for more information.
Grand Valley Connects, which is a Mesa County Public Health program, can help individuals find treatment and recovery services. Connect with the team at grandvalleyconnects.com or call 970-683-2663.
When we reduce harm and increase access to lifesaving care, we create the conditions for Mesa County to grow stronger, not just in health, but in opportunity. F
Sarah Gray is a communication specialist with Mesa County Public Health. For additional information, call (970) 248-6900 or visit mesacounty.us/public-health.
Marcus Straub
Sarah Gray
Letter to the Editor Teachers union politicized this year’s negotiations
I am a School District 51 parent, and I’m genuinely concerned that the Mesa Valley Education Association is once again playing politics to regain control of the school board.
In past election cycles, the union has claimed it “doesn’t endorse candidates,” yet it has consistently been the largest financial supporter of certain school board campaigns. MVEA recommends candidates to its members, assists in campaigning and works to influence election outcomes. Despite these efforts, the majority of their candidates were unsuccessful in the previous two election cycles.
This year, the union chose to politicize the negotiations between MVEA and the district.
First, they refused to bring up their concerns during committee meetings –meetings specifically designed to allow open discussion between union members, the board and staff.
Then, at the beginning of negotiations, they brought forward a laundry list of demands, many of which were unreasonable. They blamed the current board for not being responsive, even though they had not discussed anything with the board in prior meetings
when they were available.
When the district didn’t concede to these last-minute demands, MVEA turned the situation into political ammunition for the upcoming school board election.
A flyer distributed by the MVEA to union members urged them to help flip the board. It read:
“LET’S WIN THIS SCHOOL BOARD RACE TOGETHER.
“We stopped by because we’re organizing MVEA members to take action and we need you with us!
“The best way to ensure we have a contract after 2026 is to flip the school board. We need YOU to make this happen!”
The flyer then named the board members they’re targeting – Andrea Haitz, Angela Lema and Will Jones – who are all up for re-election this fall. These are the same board members who beat MVEAbacked candidates four years ago.
Since losing their influence, the union has politicized everything from school closures to contract negotiations in an ongoing attempt to regain control. It’s obvious to anyone with common sense that they are getting desperate at this point.
- Sara Fletcher, Mesa County resident
concede to MVEA turned ammunition for election. MVEA to help flip the SCHOOL we’re take action have a school happen!” board Andrea Haitz, who are all are the MVEAthe union school an It’s sense that point. resident
I can see why so many long for the good old days
As a conservative, I often get accused of wanting to live in the past. And no matter who the accusation comes from, as I hear it from ALL sides, I have to admit my answer will always tend to be yes.
Craig Hall
And I’d have to say, and maybe it’s all because while I know the future and progress cannot be avoided, we did so many things better in the past because of the conservative nature of our founding.
Maybe there’s another reason. There were fewer progressives in the past. Heck, in the past, we even loved the liberals. The classic ones, that is.
So without getting into conspiracies – although given the number of actors and machinations involved across the spectrum, many things now qualify as true conspiracies as everything in life that hits you involves government – let’s look at a couple of things that were much better in our lives not that long ago: City streets and the folks who supply our heat (and cooling and power for the appliances that make our lives so much better).
To begin, of course, I am talking about the Fourth and Fifth Streets ongoing debacle to which our city council originally took a vote to revert back to the old way, then took back the vote, then changed the plan on the vote it took, then took back and now just delayed the final vote to take another vote after taking the time to learn all about what the people want them to do about the debacle even though the only vote that mattered was the one by the citizens to end the debacle.
That sentence, by the way, is less of a run-on problem than the Grand Junction City Council is making of continuing this mess on Fourth and Fifth that the people have voiced in overwhelming majorities it didn’t want, doesn’t want and demand it be put into the dustbin of Grand Junction history.
The inaction on taking the final action tells me: This goes deeper than slowing down traffic so our spandex-ed friends feel safer, Fido can take a walk or kids can play in the park.
I drive those two streets several times a week, and my experience still says there are no commuting bikers on them. Heck, there aren’t even regular bikers on them. I don’t see folks out walking their dogs. Maybe that recent survey should have included how many of those folks actually own dogs? Then again, I walk Canyon View Park several times a week, and it appears that’s where the dog walkers go, and you can tell by what’s left on the sidewalks.
And let’s be honest, no kids are playing in that park, or any park bordered by Fourth and Fifth.
But I hear speeds are slower, and that’s a good thing according to Just Jason “The Boycotter” Nguyen, because that was the whole idea behind making Fourth and Fifth Streets the obstacle courses they now are. And to think, it took progress – and a lot of plastic pipes and paint – as the only way to accomplish this grand feat.
No wonder I long for the “good old days” when all it would have taken was some new signs (hell, there might even be some old ones in the back of the warehouse) with a slower speed limit and a local cop making his quota to sit there once a week for a few months to achieve that three-mile-perhour slowdown Just Jason brags about.
Yet that’s how progress fixes things. First, it’s always creating problems to fix. That is, when it’s not making current problems worse to fix even more. Pray tell, when did you hear about the massive safety problems on Fourth and Fifth Streets? If you’re like me, it was right after the city council started solving the ones it made up.
Which brings me to what is now becoming a story that I believe is “fueled” by progressive and government demands that we get our energy from the sun and the wind. Did you know the Redlands has been experiencing brownouts the past few months? And now Xcel Energy is asking folks to conserve energy use during “peak hours?”
I could get bogged down in the whole peak hours are peak hours for a reason, but I’ll keep it simple. Those hours are peak because that’s when most folks who live in their residences are “living” in their residences, and they need their energy to live and take care of those they love.
Now what is Xcel’s job? To supply that energy. That said, why isn’t our energy more affordable and in massive supply? After all, Xcel brags about getting more and more of it from abundant and cheap wind and solar.
If you don’t think they are abundant, just walk outside any day in the Grand Valley about 3 p.m. Then again, that’s also the main reason we need the “peak hour” energy.
Now, I don’t need a “Jimmah Cahtah” in a cardigan national address (I don’t long for those good old days) to explain this, but I bet the people would appreciate some explanation from Xcel as to why there are brownouts and prices keep going up. After all, I’ve heard it’s not that interesting or malicious.
You’d think Xcel would find the energy to talk about it.
In Truth and freedom.
F
Craig Hall is owner and publisher of The Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.
Special session won’t solve real problem, but it might remind us who caused it
Colorado’s fiscal mess isn’t the result of bad luck. It’s the result of bad decisions. And now, Gov. Jared Polis has called a special legislative session to clean it up, hoping Coloradans won’t notice who created the mess in the first place.
The recent federal legislation, dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill” or HR1, triggered this latest scramble. It will hit Colorado harder than almost any other state, with an estimated $1.2 billion loss in revenue for the 2025–26 fiscal year and added expenses that could total nearly $3 billion over time.
But let’s be clear: This crisis didn’t start in Washington. It started right here in Denver, when state lawmakers chose short-term applause over long-term responsibility.
During the COVID era, Colorado received nearly $7 billion in temporary federal aid. That windfall should’ve been used to stabilize reserves or pay down liabilities. Instead, our state leadership used it to launch costly new initiatives such as Cover All Coloradans and OmniSalud, programs that expanded benefits to undocumented immigrants and new populations without any longterm funding plan.
Medicaid enrollment soared. Provider fees grew. Bureaucracies expanded. And now that the federal money is gone, we’re left with programs we can’t afford and promises we can’t keep.
The numbers tell the story. Colorado’s Office of State Planning and Budgeting now admits we are nearly $1 billion short on the obligations we’ve already made, and we “do not have enough cash to pay our bills.” The reserve fund is expected to fall from 15 percent to 11.5 percent, and legislative staff warn of a $692 million shortfall by year’s end. Even with mandatory 2.5 percent cuts across state departments, we are no longer balanced.
And it’s not just about budget math; it’s about misplaced priorities.
Counties like mine are already carrying the weight of the state’s ambitions. Mesa County alone estimates $10 million annually in unfunded mandates pushed down from Denver. Across all 64 counties, the collective cost is now estimated at more than $360 million. That’s funding we could be using to maintain roads, support law enforcement and provide basic public services. Instead, we’re forced to fill in the gaps left by state policy.
Meanwhile, back in Denver, Gov. Polis is pressing forward with an aggressive agenda to shut down Colorado’s coal industry by 2030, a move that wipes out entire communities without a clear plan for replacement jobs, tax revenues or reliable power You can’t eliminate a major industry with government force and then act surprised when you’re running out of money.
Even worse, the governor is reportedly considering preserving the state’s income tax on overtime and tipped wages, despite the federal government ending those taxes. Let’s be honest, the only thing taxing overtime and tips accomplishes is making life harder for the very people working hardest to get ahead.
Just ask the retired couple who spent four decades working blue-collar jobs, raising their kids and saving for retirement. Today, their savings are shrinking as groceries rise 40 percent above what they paid five years ago. They’ve picked up part-time work just to stay afloat. They now pay extra for plastic bags, get hit with rising utility bills and watch their kids move to Texas, Utah or Tennessee just to afford a home.
Their story is no longer the exception. It’s the rule for far too many Coloradans.
We were once a state that valued fiscal discipline. But under Democrat control, Colorado has traded economic freedom for unchecked government growth — and now the bill has come due.
So, what can we expect from this special session? Likely more of the same: rushed fixes; grandstanding; and no real course correction. There’s little reason to believe the same majority that built this fiscal cliff is now willing to back away from the edge.
But this session may do one thing that’s useful: remind the public exactly who got us here.
Because budgets don’t lie. They show what we value. And right now, Colorado’s budget says we value bureaucracy over balance, and political ambition over public service.
Colorado doesn’t need bigger government. We need longer memories.
We must remember how we got here — and make sure we don’t go back.
F
Bobbie Daniel is a Mesa County Commissioner, representing District 2.
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Bobbie Daniel
n Koch embarks on new career with Christi Reece Group
The Christi Reece Group announced Realtor Jenny Koch has joined its team.
She brings 30 years of experience in marketing, public relations, events and communications to her second career in real estate, according to a news release from the Christi Reece Group. Koch’s background includes work with nonprofits such as The Salvation Army, Girl Scouts and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, plus marketing for shopping malls at local and corporate levels.
Originally from the St. Louis area, Koch lived in Colorado Springs before moving to Grand Junction.
“We’re thrilled to have Jenny as the newest team member of The Christi Reece Group,” CEO Christi Reece said. “Her deep experience as a marketing and communications professional gives her great tools to support her clients through the selling and buying process.”
n INSIDE Public Accounting tabs DWC for Top 300 again
DWC CPAs and Advisors was chosen again by INSIDE Public Accounting as one of the Top 300 Public Accounting Firms in the nation. Rankings are based on U.S. net revenues and drawn from over 625 firm responses to IPA’s annual survey and analysis of firms. This marks DWC’s 11th consecutive year on the Top 300 list, and it was ranked No. 245 this year with a net revenue of $21,832,014
According to a news release from DWC, the IPA survey and benchmarking report is the gold standard within the profession. This is IPA’s 35th annual ranking of the largest accounting firms in the nation.
“Being named a Top 300 Firm again is an honor and a reflection of the trust our clients and communities place in us,” DWC CEO Chris West said. “We remain focused on building strategic partnerships, deepening client relationships and attracting top talent. We are committed to delivering exceptional value and insight by growing our capabilities in planning and advisory services, alongside our core strengths in tax, accounting, audit and wealth management, and one day, joining the ranks of the Top 100 Firms.”
DWC CPAs and Advisors is the largest public accounting firm headquartered in western Colorado. Its main offices are in Grand Junction, Glenwood Springs and Montrose.
n Stray Grass concert benefits local animal shelter
Grande River Vineyards will host a “Stray Grass for Stray Pets” concert, which will benefit local nonprofit animal shelter Roice-Hurst Humane Society on Aug. 16 as part of the vineyard’s popular Live in the Grapevines concert series.
The concert, featuring local acoustic Americana band Stray Grass, will be at Grande River Vineyards, 787 Grande River Drive in Palisade. Gates open at 6 p.m., and music begins at 7 p.m. No pets are allowed at the concert, but ticket proceeds benefit the pets and programs at Roice-Hurst Humane Society.
“We are thrilled to host a band as well-loved by our community as Stray Grass to support the inspiring work happening at Roice-Hurst Humane Society,” said Anne Tally,
co-owner and general manager of Grande River Vineyards. “The Live in the Grapevines concert series is a fun activity for friends and family to gather for a good time and a great cause.”
General admission tickets cost $25 in advance or $30 at the gate. Tickets are available for purchase at RHhumanesociety.org/straygrass.
Silver level sponsors of the event are St. Mary’s Regional Hospital, Mountain West Dermatology Aesthetics, and Republic Services. Bronze level sponsors are Rocky Mountain Leashes, Renewal by Andersen, Hoskin Farina & Kampf PC, VCA Tiara Rado Animal Hospital, and KAFM Community Radio.
n Commissioners file federal lawsuit against State of Colorado
The Mesa County Board of Commissioners has authorized a federal lawsuit against Colorado Gov. Jared Polis and Attorney General Phil Weiser, challenging what county officials describe as vague and unconstitutional restrictions on local law enforcement.
Mesa County Attorney Todd Starr outlined the case during a public meeting, saying the provisions in Article 74 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, part of Senate Bill 276, place deputies at risk of “arbitrary enforcement” and civil penalties for performing their duties. The suit will name Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell, Undersheriff Matt King and Capt. Curtis Bramer as plaintiffs.
Commissioner Bobbie Daniel said the move is about showing “we absolutely back the badge 100 percent and our sheriff’s department,” and the lawsuit will protect deputies from “politically motivated litigation.”
Commissioner Cody Davis emphasized the board’s goal is “not to fan the flames, but to get clarity, to get constitutional clarity, because the law, as written, is vague, it’s conflicting, and if left unchallenged, it puts every officer in Colorado at risk.”
Commissioner JJ Fletcher said the case is about “defending constitutional clarity, stopping selective prosecution and protecting every Colorado peace officer from vague and dangerous laws.
Fletcher added, “Law enforcement deserves fairness and clarity, not selective prosecution.”
The commissioners also approved the use of public funds to support the case, which they say will help ensure law enforcement agencies can work with federal and state partners without fear of penalties.
n Aug. 14 event celebrates 80 years of Palisade Insectary
The Colorado Department of Agriculture will host the Palisade Insectary’s 80th anniversary celebration on Aug. 14, honoring eight decades of dedicated scientific work in biological pest and weed control.
“Conserving Colorado’s natural ecosystem and supporting our farmers is a large task, and thanks to the work of scientists, like the ones at CDA’s Palisade’s Insectary, we are reducing the amount of pest species, invasive weeds and our over-reliance on pesticides. We are helping farmers and ranchers save money and keeping our agricultural economy growing for generations to come,” Gov. Jared Polis said.
To celebrate, Polis proclaimed Aug. 14 as Palisade Insectary Day in recognition of its decades of service to Colorado and the Western United States.
The celebration, which will be from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Palisade Insectary, 750 37 8/10 Road, is open to the public and will offer family-friendly activities, food and music, tours of the insectary facility and opportunities to meet with insectary and CDA staff.
Those interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP at ag.colorado.gov/biocontrol.
