Colorado Mesa University women’s basketball player Olivia Reed Thyne sits in a chair at a desk in an office at ProSpace Interiors, which paid her through a Name, Image and Likeness deal to appear in a television commercial for the business. ProSpace Interiors, which opened in Grand Junction in 1970, sells, installs and repairs office furniture and designs office space, and owner Dave Huerkamp is a self-professed fan of Colorado Mesa sports.
Photo by Tim Harty.
Tim Harty The Business Times
Having been mentored early in his working career by some prominent Grand Junction business and community leaders – Max Krey, Pat Gormley and Herb Bacon among them – Dave Huerkamp believes successful businesses should give back to the community that helped them succeed.
By no means does Huerkamp, owner and president of ProSpace Interiors, 634 Main St. in Grand Junction, consider himself in the company of the aforementioned hallowed trio. He acknowledged, “We’re a relatively small company.” But, he added, “I really believe in giving back and supporting the community.”
With that mindset, he finds places and causes in the Grand Valley to make donations. And, like Krey, Gormley and Bacon were, Huerkamp is a benefactor of Colorado Mesa University. He provides scholarships in the nursing program, the Davis School of Business and the athletics programs, estimating 10 students currently have scholarships funded by ProSpace Interiors, which sells, installs and repairs office furniture and designs office spaces. Huerkamp is a fan of CMU athletics, and he recently provided his financial support in a new way: ProSpace Interiors paid Colorado Mesa University women’s basketball player Olivia Reed Thyne via a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deal to be in a ProSpace Interiors television commercial.
CMU Compliance Director Taya Baumgartner said it is the first NIL deal in which a Colorado Mesa athlete has been paid to do a TV commercial. Other CMU athletes
have gotten NIL money, but usually in small amounts – $10 here, $20 there – through Opendorse, a company that specializes in NIL deals for student-athletes and partnered with CMU in February 2024.
Soon after the TV commercial with Reed Thyne began airing, Huerkamp got the feedback he hoped to hear, and it had nothing to do with ProSpace Interiors making money.
Of course, the reason for advertising is to ultimately make money, but Huerkamp had a more altruistic reason as well: Getting other businesses to see what CMU has to offer and in turn support the university, especially the athletic programs.
“I have already talked to at least a dozen other business owners that because of the deal that we did with Olivia, they’re interested in doing that, whether it’s women’s basketball or the football team or baseball or wrestling,” Huerkamp said. “I think it’s already opened up some of those doors. I’m pretty sure one of Olivia’s teammates is going to be getting something similar from another local business here in town, just because of what we did with Olivia.”
Many NCAA Division II athletes receive athletic scholarships, but at many universities, including Colorado Mesa, those tend to be partial scholarships. Huerkamp thinks Grand Junction businesses can help CMU athletes and their respective programs remain competitive in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, where some schools are able to do more for their athletes.
“One of the reasons that I wanted to get a little bit of publicity related to this NIL deal was not only to let other business owners know or think about supporting student athletes, but the bigger thing is just being involved in athletic fundraising,” Huerkamp said.
See NIL on page 8
Tim Harty The Business Times
Loki Gear moved from 445 Colorado Ave. to 537 Main St. a few years ago, but it didn’t make the difference its owner had hoped it would. So, Loki’s employees packed up the multi-functional, performance, outdoor apparel it’s known for and moved one block south and one block west, back to Colorado Avenue.
The reasoning for going back to its former home is simple.
“The short story,” Loki owner Seth Anderson said, “is we tried Main Street for three years. It didn’t increase our sales enough to offset the extra expense, especially during our offseason in spring and summer. We own our Colorado Avenue building, we did great sales on Colorado Ave., so it’s better sense for us to pay our own rent.”
The Main Street experiment had its allure. Anderson said people told him he’d get more foot traffic, customers wandering into his store because of the greater amount of retail stores on Main Street.
And that did happen, but Loki isn’t a store with lots of small, inexpensive items that appeal to tourists and the out-of-towners who stay at the nearby hotels or are downtown for an event at the convention center.
“Tourists don’t really want to buy bigticket items, at least not in the last three years,” Anderson said.
Ultimately, he said, many of the people who came to Loki Gear on Main Street were the same people who shopped at Loki when it was on Colorado Avenue. And new faces often accompanied existing customers or were directed to Loki by existing customers.
“People bring us customers here,” Anderson said. “We’re known here, but we tried to get people that didn’t know us to come. We did get some more customers ...”
Just not enough to deliver the revenue increase the store hoped to realize.
ABOVE: Loki Gear owner Seth Anderson stands in front of his store, which moved back to 445 Colorado Ave. after nearly three years on Main Street. Wearing one of the jackets Loki Gear makes and sells, Anderson demonstrates the functionality with the built-in gaiter pulled up to cover his neck and one of the built-in mittens extended from a sleeve. Loki apparel is meant to adapt to changing weather conditions. BELOW: Anderson works the checkout in Loki Gear’s store. Photos by Tim Harty.
Anderson also can look at the past few years and acknowledge he didn’t follow his own thinking about downtown Grand Junction. He said when Loki first moved into 445 Colorado Ave. in 2013, he tried to promote the idea of “Grow Downtown,” not just Main Street.
“But then I broke my own theme and tried to move to Main Street to get more tourists,” he said.
Lesson learned.
People locally were going to seek out Loki Gear regardless of location. Anderson has known that since the days of Loki being home-based, then operating a small store on the Redlands for about a decade before coming to Colorado Avenue and setting up shop.
He doesn’t have numbers to back it up, but Anderson feels comfortable saying there hasn’t been as much foot traffic in the couple weeks Loki Gear has been back at 445 Colorado Ave. However, sales are about the same, and he knows customers will find the store. When they do, it will be easier to get there and easier to park. And he thinks Colorado Avenue has “noticeably more going on” than it did when Loki first moved there 12 years ago.
“Long term, we’re happy here,” Anderson said. “I enjoy being on Colorado Avenue. Actually, it’s kind of cool. It’s got its own feel.”
Loki Gear describes itself on its website as “the original ‘All-In-One Outdoor Clothing Company.’ We specialize in patented convertible hand and face warmth, backpack-able pockets and all-in-one convertible accessories. There are a growing number of imitators. None take it to the extent we live by. Everything Loki makes is ready to face changing weather. And like the weather, it keeps changing.
“Loki was founded by the mountain climbing Anderson brothers in Colorado. Dirk and Seth wanted gear that would change with the weather for mountains and everyday adventure. They named Loki for the Nordic shape-changing god of mischief and trickery.
“Loki gear changes to be warmer with built-in mitts and neck warmer, or cools down with vents, and some can turn into backpacks. All this functionality while maintaining a ‘low-key’ in style and friendly prices.”
Brandon Leuallen
The Business Times
Following months of growing concerns from downtown businesses and residents, the Grand Junction City Council on May 7 voted 4-3 to end the Fourth and Fifth Street pilot project.
The decision came just two days after a tense council workshop in which newly elected and returning council members weighed the impacts of the controversial street changes.
A pair of surveys conducted by the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce played a pivotal role in the decision. The data revealed steep declines in consumer confidence and business performance, largely attributed to changes in downtown accessibility and traffic flow.
Most notably, 81.3 percent of consumers surveyed said the changes made them less likely to visit downtown. Additionally, 71.5 percent said they now visit downtown less often, and 85.3 percent reported their overall experience had worsened. Only 12.8 percent said they were “very likely” to recommend visiting downtown, while over 61 percent said they were unlikely or very unlikely to do so.
“Downtown is under pressure,” the chamber’s report said. “These results paint a stark picture: Customers feel less safe and less welcomed, and businesses are feeling the strain.”
Council member Ben Van Dyke said the data and firsthand accounts were too significant to ignore.
“I know multiple businesses right now who are waiting for this decision to decide whether or not they are going to stay in the downtown corridor,” he said. “I know multiple businesses right now who are waiting on this to decide if they are going to stay in Grand Junction.”
The chamber’s business survey, which gathered responses from nearly 70 downtown operators, highlighted similar themes. More than 70 percent of businesses cited accessibility and public safety as key challenges. Many reported changes to traffic patterns and the loss of parking had disrupted their operations and deterred customers.
Not all council members agreed with the narrative emerging from the chamber’s data. Council member Anna Stout said her own feedback from the public had been mixed.
“From what I’ve heard, it’s been about 50-50,” she said, suggesting the
survey might not fully reflect the range of community opinions.
However, that perception contrasted with engagement data from the city’s own Engage GJ platform. According to Mayor Cody Kennedy, the city received more than 700 submissions, and 112 were positive, 153 neutral and 407 negative, indicating a majority were dissatisfied with the pilot.
In a related context, Downtown Development Director Brandon Stam told The Business Times in January there was no definitive way to link data directly to the pilot’s impact on downtown commerce. Additionally, several businesses told the publication they had not been contacted by the Downtown Development Authority to discuss whether the changes had affected customer traffic.
During Monday’s workshop, Kennedy asked Grand Junction Police Chief Matt Smith whether the Fourth and Fifth Street corridors were high-call-volume areas.
“Our call data does not indicate a high volume of calls for service on those streets,” Smith said.
Kennedy responded by questioning why those particular streets had been selected for redesign if safety had not been a driving concern.
Ultimately, the council voted to end the pilot, with Kennedy, Ballard, Cole and Van Dyke voting in favor. Stout, Scott Beilfuss and Jason Nguyen voted to keep it in place.
Tension over the project is evident even after the vote to end it.
One frequently mentioned business during the council’s deliberations was The Rockslide Brew Pub. Owner Uwe Phillip Kirch said he was more than pleased with the outcome in an interview with The Business Times after the vote. Kirch said he spoke with 20 to 30 customers about the decision, and not one expressed disappointment, but rather only frustration with council members who had voted to continue with the project.
“Since last year I’ve not encountered one person that LOVED the plan,” he added.
On the Grand Valley Streets Alliance Facebook group the day after the vote, Nguyen advocated for citizens to boycott businesses that spoke out in opposition to the pilot program.
“I think a list of businesses that came out strongly against this project is warranted. I’d suggest anyone who cares about safety not spend money at these places,” Nguyen said.
The Fourth and Fifth Street pilot, originally launched in 2024, will now be reversed at a total cost exceeding $245,000. This includes approximately $170,000 spent on materials and equipment at the outset of the pilot, and an estimated $75,000 to restore the streets to their original one-way configuration.
The city has not disclosed labor costs associated with the project. City staff members are expected to begin planning the street changes in the coming weeks.
Continued from page 2
“Some of the other teams that Olivia and her teammates compete against all the time, those programs are fully funded, so they’re able to give out large scholarships to the entire team. CMU is still in the process of getting fully funded. I think they’re just barely over 50 percent.
“So, the bottom line is most of these student athletes, even if they are a scholarship student athlete at CMU, they’re not getting a 100 percent, fullride scholarship. … This is really a way to support those student athletes, because they have to work so hard in school to keep up their grades and in athletics, to help them get through four years of school.”
Huerkamp said what he’s really hoping for, big picture, is business owners will help support CMU’s student athletes and athletic programs.
He thinks the support for the university will prove to be rewarding for those businesses that open their pocketbooks.
“Seriously,” Huerkamp said, “I got a call from a local business that was planning to get stuff from another company, and they called ProSpace, because they saw Olivia (in the TV commercial). They thought it was so awesome that we were doing a deal like this with a local student athlete, and they picked up the phone and called us instead of calling someone else.
“So, there is a very definitive, positive, business and marketing portion of this. It’s not just, ‘Oh, I like CMU, and I like women’s basketball.’ It’s a relationship, like the NIL deals were intended to work. And it’s kind of like (Division II) in general, it’s really the essence of college athletics, right? These kids do go to school, they do study.”
ProSpace Interiors owner and President Dave Huerkamp was surprised when he learned his business was the first to pay a Colorado Mesa University student athlete to be in a TV commercial.
Name, Image and Likeness deals have been around for several years, but Colorado Mesa is an NCAA Division II program for athletics, and where NIL really gets used – and big-dollar deals get done – is at the Division I level in the higher-profile sports.
Huerkamp hopes his distinction of being first with a TV-commercial NIL deal for a CMU athlete, All-American women’s basketball player Olivia Reed Thyne, serves as the first domino to fall. He thinks it will.
After the TV commercial aired, he said, “I’ve had a couple of people say, ‘Hey, that’s really awesome. How does that work?’ and, ‘Can I do that?’ Like, yeah, you can. I mean, it’s really easy.”
Actually, he added, “It’s amazingly easy. That’s the thing I was surprised about.
“Now, I did do quite a bit of research going into it as far as the NCAA rules and all that sort of stuff, because the last thing I wanted to do was create an issue for Olivia and her eligibility. But, yeah, there’s just a few little minor guidelines. Other than that, any business can connect with any student athlete or team that they want to help support and really work out any deal that’s agreeable to both parties. So, it’s pretty awesome.”
Helping make NIL deals easy, and compliant, is Colorado Mesa’s partnership with Opendorse, which markets itself as: “The best NIL deal marketplace for athletes to build and monetize their name, image, and likeness value.”
On its website, opendorse.com, Opendorse says under the heading of What We Do: “Opendorse is the leading athlete marketplace and NIL technology company, providing technology and services to the athlete endorsement industry. We serve the full lifecycle of supporting athletes: educating, assessing, planning, sharing, creating, measuring, tracking, disclosing, regulating, listing, browsing, booking, and more.
“Our industry-leading NIL solutions help athletes connect with advertisers, colleges, collectives, and supporters to understand, build, and monetize their brand value.”
The reason a partnership is necessary with Opendorse is because CMU can’t facilitate any deals for its student-athletes. That’s illegal.
“If the athlete is interested in an NIL deal, they have to put the work in to get those,” CMU Compliance Director Taya Baumgartner said. “We can’t say, ‘Oh, hey, we have this deal for you,’ and then set it up that way.”
Or a business can start the NIL talks.
“It’s a pretty simple process for the businesses’ side,” Baumgartner said. “They can either contact that athlete and propose a deal, or they can go on that marketplace that’s on the Internet for Opendorse and propose a deal through that to the athlete.
“But then from there, once they propose the deal, Opendorse just makes sure that they’re not breaking any rules.”
Continued from page 9
Chen Silverberg plans to have 25 nonprofits on hand at Board Connect, and she’s trying to get the word out to the public, so those people who weren’t sure how to go about inquiring will see there’s a place to get their questions answered. And perhaps a board position awaits.
Being able to do that will solve a huge problem that nonprofits encounter.
“I think that a lot of nonprofits have a difficult time getting that information out to the public,” Cole said. “A lot of them will post it on their website, but unless you’re going to each and every nonprofit website and looking to see if they have board opportunities, you might not hear about them.”
The other side of that coin is a person might be interested in a specific board, but they inquire when there isn’t an opening, and they don’t know where else to turn that might be similar and satisfying.
And, of course, there are people who just never think about serving on a board, because they never see or hear about the opportunities. So, the challenge is getting their attention.
Another thing Chen Silverberg knows to be true is there are enough qualified people in an area such as the Grand Valley that no nonprofit should be short on board members.
She believes there is no shortage of everyday people who are everyday leaders, capable of providing ideas and making informed decisions. But nonprofits need to extend invitations, or community members need to learn where their experience and knowledge are wanted.
“I’m going to have 25 nonprofits in the room,” Chen Silverberg said of Board Connect, “and I’m going to invite lots of community members who may have served on boards and have turned out, looking for new boards, or hopefully a lot of people who have never sat on the board but have been curious.”
Then, with both parties present, face to face, questions can be asked, and answers can be given.
“Being able to connect people in our community that are interested in serving on a board with those board opportunities is just an important asset that I’m excited to see offered,” Cole said.
After an extensive recruitment process with more than 50 applicants, the City of Fruita hired Dan Caris to serve as the next Assistant City Manager.
Caris has been Fruita’s planning and development director for the past seven years. In that role he: oversaw and managed the planning, building and code enforcement divisions; was the staff liaison to the Fruita Housing Authority; oversaw economic development initiatives; temporarily oversaw the Engineering Department to manage more than $12 million in capital projects; and led the update to the City of Fruita’s 2020 Comprehensive Plan and Land Use Code update.
Prior to that, he worked as a development services manager, business process manager and an operations coordinator.
Caris has a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Denver and a bachelor of science in public and business administration from the University of Arizona.
During the recruitment process, four finalists were chosen to interview with the City of Fruita’s leadership team and participate in a public meet-and-greet. During the meet-and-greet, residents, staff, stakeholders and city council members had the opportunity to interact with each finalist and provide input on who they would like to hire.
Caris stood out during the recruitment process because of his passion for serving the Fruita community and his successful implementation of many city projects and initiatives during the past seven years, the city said in a news release.
“I’m truly excited and honored to continue serving this wonderful community. I look forward to working in this new position to help lead and continue implementing the strategies we know are important to Fruita residents,” Caris said.
The assistant city manager reports to the city manager and helps provide leadership, strategic direction and supervision. The assistant city manager will serve as a liaison and partner on citywide issues, manage and oversee complex projects and policy matters, conduct research and analysis, and assist the dayto-day operations of the organization to fulfill the goals and objectives of the city council. The assistant city manager also supports the day-to-day operations of the organization and the city manager.
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has been planning development for the past years. In that oversaw managed planning, and enforcement was the liaison to the Housing development oversaw the manage more projects; and Fruita’s 2020 Use Code
worked as a business operations in public University of in public from the process, four interview with team and meet-and-greet. residents, staff, members with each who they recruitment for serving successful projects and years, the honored wonderful working in continue know are Caris said. manager reports provide direction and manager partner on citycomplex conduct the dayorganization to of the city manager also operations of the manager.
Mesa County District Court, State of
Case No. 2024CV030329
First Financial, LLC Plaintiff, vs.
Jeremy K. McDaniels; Michelle McDaniels; MidFirst Bank; Adrianne Todman in her Official Capacity as the Acting Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Casa De Pera Homeowners Association; and Sheila Reiner in her Official Capacity as the Public Trustee of Mesa County, Colorado Defendants,
SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT(S):
YOU ARE HEREBY summoned and required to appear and defend against claims of the complaint filed with the court in this action, by filing with the clerk of this Court an answer or other response. You are required to file your answer or other response within 35 days after service of this summons upon you. Service of this summons shall be complete on the day of the last publication. A copy of the complaint may be obtained from the clerk of the court.
If you fail to file an answer or other response to the complaint in writing within 35 days after the date of the last publication, judgment by default may be entered against you by the court for relief demanded in the complaint without further notice.
This is a judicial foreclosure regarding the following real property:
Lot 11 in Block 1 of Replat of Lot 11, Block One and Lots 1 thru 15, Block Two, Casa De Pera Filing No. One, County of Mesa, State of Colorado.
(the “Property”) commonly known and numbered as 451 Pera St., Clifton, CO 81501.
Dated April 29, 2025
Published in The Business Times
First Publication: May 14, 2025
Last Publication: June 11, 2025
DWC CPAs and Advisors CEO Chris West was named to Forbes’ 2025 list of Best-in-State CPAs, an honor recognizing top accounting professionals who demonstrate exceptional expertise, client impact and leadership within their states.
Forbes launched this inaugural ranking to spotlight Certified Public Accountants going above and beyond, making meaningful contributions to their clients and communities. West was selected as a top CPA in Colorado for his outstanding professional achievements and continued commitment to excellence in financial services. He is one of 14 Colorado CPAs on the list, according to a DWC news release.
The Forbes Best-in-State CPAs list was developed exclusively by the Forbes editorial team and highlights the most accomplished CPAs currently active in public practice. Candidates were identified through independent nominations and recognitions from various CPA associations. Nominees were then evaluated based on a range of weighted criteria, including professional expertise, innovation, industry thought leadership, years of experience and their contributions to the community and the accounting profession.
West has nearly 30 years of experience in public accounting and advisory services. DWC said in its news release West has been instrumental in positioning DWC as a trusted partner for businesses, owners and high-networth clients navigating complex financial and business issues and wealth management.
Grand Valley Power is accepting applications for the Colorado Mesa University Tech Electric Lineworker Scholarship. Applications are open to current residents of Mesa County and will be accepted through June 1.
The CMU Tech Electrical Lineworker Scholarship is a one-time, $2,000 scholarship awarded for enrollment in the CMU Tech Electric Lineworker program. Applications are available at all of the local high school counseling offices, Colorado Mesa University’s financial aid webpage under the Outside Scholarship Resources tab, or at gvp.org/scholarship-program.
A committee of electric lineworkers appointed by the management of Grand Valley Power will review and determine an awardee for the CMU Tech Electric Lineworker Scholarship. Grand Valley Power has awarded more than $299,500 in scholarships to local youth for education and training since 1996. For questions about the scholarship program or requirements, please email scholarships@gvp.org or call 970-242-0040.
CEO Chris 2025 list of CPAs, recognizing accounting who exceptional client impact leadership within launched ranking Certified and beyond, to their was selected outstanding continued financial CPAs on release. CPAs list was Forbes editorial accomplished practice. independent various CPA evaluated including industry experience and community and the experience services. has been a trusted high-netfinancial management.
accepting Colorado Mesa
Lineworker open to and will
Lineworker
$2,000 enrollment in the program. all of the Colorado webpage Resources tab,
lineworkers
Grand Valley an awardee
Lineworker has awarded scholarships to local since 1996. scholarship please email 970-242-0040.
Four local businesses have been named as finalists for the 2025 Colorado Companies to Watch Award: Skyhook Solar; Kooler Garage Doors; DWC CPAs & Advisors; and SkyPeak Technologies.
These companies exemplify the innovation, growth, and resilience that fuel Colorado’s economy, the Grand Junction Economic Partnership said in a news release.
GJEP offered the following summaries about each business:
• Skyhook Solar is a manufacturer of transportable, industrial-grade solar generators. Its core technology provides clean energy to power EVs, micromobility, internet access, lighting and emergency services.
Skyhook Solar President and CEO Daniel Delano spearheaded extensive research and development efforts over the past two years in Carbondale, where they have discontinued operations to take possession of their new facility in Grand Junction.
During their research and development phase, Skyhook Solar deployed 25 prototypes in a public-facing pilot program in the U.S. and Canada and placed five additional units in Europe. The company commenced commercial production in the fourth quarter of 2024, establishing Grand Junction as its new headquarters.
In 2023, Skyhook Solar was accepted into the Rural Jump-Start Program and is anticipated to create 38 new primary jobs within their first four years of operations in Grand Junction.
• Kooler Garage Doors, headquartered in Grand Junction, redefines what homeowners expect from garage door service. With deep Rocky Mountain roots and a growing Western Slope presence, Kooler blends precision installation, intelligent automation and curated commercial-grade solutions to simplify homeownership.
Its clean aesthetic, high-trust service and commitment to growth, for customers and team members alike, make Kooler a true company to watch. Through
innovations in design, next-gen opener technology, and its Craft Your Life Radio podcast, Kooler is proving that the garage isn’t an afterthought; it’s a launchpad for a better life.
• DWC CPAs & Advisors, founded in 1948, is the largest CPA firm headquartered in western Colorado and is nationally recognized as a Top 300 Public Accounting Firm, consistently earning accolades from industry trade journals. It is one of the top professional accounting firms in the western states.
The company’s reach extends beyond western Colorado, spanning across the state and nation, enabling the firm to cater to a wide range of clients. This broad spectrum of industries and ongoing market growth provides DWC with invaluable knowledge, allowing it to expertly support small and medium-sized businesses, business owners and high-net-worth individuals.
DWC attributes its success to its dedicated team, valued clients, and the communities it serves, maintaining a strong commitment to giving back to those communities.
• SkyPeak Technologies develops advanced mobile network optimization tools, including its flagship solution, CORA AI. This smart content-shaping solution allows mobile network operators to manage the ever-increasing demand for streaming content in an affordable and scalable way.
Since relocating to Grand Junction in 2021 and joining the state’s Rural JumpStart Program, SkyPeak Technologies has hired local talent, including graduates from Colorado Mesa University, and expanded its footprint internationally. The company has been awarded several State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) Grants in the past few years to help expand its international business. The proceeds of these grants were used to attend the MVNO World Congress in Amsterdam, the MNVO Nation Live in Valencia, and Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, allowing it to connect with current customers and secure several new contracts and proof-of-concept studies with mobile operators worldwide.
“These companies are proof that innovation, resilience, and smart growth are alive and well in western Colorado,” said Curtis Englehart, GJEP's executive director. “Their recognition as Colorado Companies to Watch finalists speaks volumes about the caliber of businesses choosing to build their future right here in Grand Junction,”
Since 2009, Colorado Companies to Watch has honored the critical, yet often overlooked, second-stage companies from across the state for their undeniable impact on our communities.
For more information about Colorado Companies to Watch and this year’s finalists, visit www.coloradocompaniestowatch.org.
This is the only statement which we can make related to a post from Jason in a private group on Facebook. There is no “context” to be parsed or question to be asked by what he meant with his post. What he thinks about a good percentage of the population of Grand Junction and how he views many businesses cannot be taken in error.
The statement made by Jason Nguyen shows he despises and desires the economic ruination of many of the constituents he claims to represent. And if the members of the Grand Junction City Council, especially Jason’s two likeminded cohorts Anna Stout and Scott Beilfuss, don’t denounce his statement above and beyond the meaningless phrase “in the strongest possible terms” and call for his immediate resignation, then they should resign along with Jason.
Because there is no way any elected official could support the following statement which appeared on the wall of a Facebook group named the Grand Valley Streets Alliance and stay and serve in their elected office while claiming to represent all the people.
Jason’s statement:
“I think a list of businesses that came out strongly against this project is warranted. I’d suggest anyone who cares about safety not spend money at these places.”
Respondents to Jason’s post went as far as saying the City Council should supply members with a list of the businesses who spoke up at council meetings against the Fourth and Fifth Streets pilot project. If we had to guess, they’d also want the names of anyone who answered a survey or wrote emails or letters to council against the project.
What’s next Jason, mandated signs in their business windows or patches on the clothing of those against your, and our previous left-leaning gang of five on city council, pet projects?
It appears from the responses on this Facebook group’s page, the cycleshorts brigade is ready to roll into action – even demanding it. We imagine it a tight-knit group in more ways than one.
Barely a week ago our publisher, Craig Hall, appeared on a local vlog – Mesa County Compass, which would now be boycotted if Jason and the skin-tights had their way – and said the following about the (outgoing majority) gang of five on council who hastily voted to spend nearly a quarter of a million dollars for a project that should have been passed on to the newly-elected council for its direction: “I think these five members want to do what they want to do, when they want to do it, and with whoever they want to do it with.”
And when they are told no, it appears the inner narcissist comes out with a vengeance.
Jason’s statement on Facebook proves this to be true in the way he, and one could surmise they, wanted to govern: As authoritarians under the guise of consensus.
Being elected doesn’t give anyone the right to do whatever they want. Nor does winning an election give anyone the power to retaliate against citizens who disagree with them as the people exercise their First Amendment rights. The redress of government is guaranteed in our Constitution. Yes, even against little dictators in Western Colorado.
There is no room on the Grand Junction City Council – or any government entity at any level, although we sure seem to elect a bunch of them every November – for petty, vindictive, anti-citizen, know-it-all, zealots like Jason Nguyen.
Jason said as much about you and us and our friends, families and fortunes when he said actions against us are “warranted.” As history shows, retaliationbased, warranted actions by the government never turn out well for most citizens. Labeling those against the pilot program “anti-safety” is just another way to do it.
As we see it, two things are warranted by Jason’s post: His resignation forthwith and our taking the screenshot of his post to the district attorney to see if any legal actions against Jason are “warranted.”
The Business Times welcomes submissions for publication in the opinion section. Email submissions to publisher@thebusinesstimes.com
Please include full contact information with submission.
Like it or not Republicans, Tina Peters is right where she belongs
And, yes, I’m writing this column mostly for the benefit of the Mesa County Republican Party, its leadership and overzealous minions who up until today thought presidential pardons were a bad thing.
Let’s begin by first stating presidential pardons are indeed bad things. Because they pardon criminals who’ve been convicted of crimes. As a matter of fact, the Biden administration upped the ante on pardons to pardoning criminals before they’ve been convicted; thereby declaring them criminals in the pre-pardoning process. Or do I have to bring up Hunter Biden and Anthony Fauci to get the message through?
One can only surmise, then, that Tina Peters is indeed a (convicted) criminal, and the Mesa County Republicans I’ve communicated with all appear to accept this as fact in her case, even though they won’t write or say those exact words and try to change the direction of the conversation.
Let me also communicate to our local Republicans that changing the subject is a foolish, democrat stunt which doesn’t work on clear-thinking individuals.
But let’s get into the meat of the matter when it comes to Tina and her self-inflicted plight, all foisted upon her by those radical Minny--sooootans and their conspiracy-ladened antics.
First and foremost is Tina did this to herself. After all, who was in charge of the voting equipment in Mesa County when the alleged hacking, machine rigging or cheating occurred? Tina, that’s who. If she had the slightest inkling that cheating would occur, why wasn’t she shouting it from the rooftops BEFORE the election?
And if cheating occurred, why in the world would the democrats do it in Mesa County, where the voting results simply reflected the trends locally and every election went as expected? Could it be because there was no cheating?
After all, none has been proven in Mesa County from the election in question no matter how loudly self-proclaimed martyrs and moms and minions murmur and make mayhem in matriculating this mumbo-jumbo. And yes, I’ve read the reports, looked at the canvas and suffered through the movie where Tina was the alleged “star” in more ways than one.
Hate to break it to you all, Tina is no shining star. She was a flash in the pan that was there for a moment, like the smallest, shortest-lived asteroid in an election-fraud storm that was here one night but gone the next, all bank-rolled through online pillow sales for one reason and one reason only: Tina was willing to lie her head on her (my) pillow and get between the election fraud/denier sheets as the patsy. And a perfect patsy she was.
According to many friends and associates of mine, all this pillow-talk made Tina do all the wrong things for all the right reasons. Let’s begin with this, many convicted criminals use the same excuse. Yet this statement goes against pretty much everything conservatives believe. Let me further say in plain English what this statement really means: Tina Peters broke the law, and you appear to be OK with that. My final thought: I’m not OK with that, nor should anyone be who believes in the rule of law.
Just to help clarify and because it’s a favorite comeback of many Republicans on this topic, here’s what Tina was convicted of beyond a reasonable doubt in a Republican county, by a Republican prosecutor bringing charges asked for by a Republican county commission and by a (probably) mostly Republican jury of her peers: Three counts of attempting to influence a public servant; one count of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation; one count of official misconduct; and one count of failure to comply with the secretary of state.
In other words, Tina did a lot of wrong at the behest of the pillow guy for those “right reasons.”
It begs the question, if Tina was in charge and by law she had to keep a record of the votes in Mesa County as part of her job, why did she have to break the law to secure those records? The only answer can be Tina had no idea what she was doing at her job, and the robe and slippers fit as someone the pillow poppers could use. That’s why she harangued her underlings into the mess. The same underlings who testified that Tina broke the law.
The final argument I hear from my fellow conservatives is the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. That it’s too harsh. The asking of what law did Tina break that deserves such an unusually harsh sentence? Well, when one piles conviction atop conviction, it does show intent and requires additional sentencing per crime. That’s how courts work.
That said, here’s another, social law Tina broke in bringing the harsh sentence upon herself: the laws of arrogance in committing crimes you think you should be able to get away with because of how righteous you are in your own mind; how you treat law enforcement in the public arena; and, worst of all, having no remorse before the court.
To present a popular, slightly vulgar phrase making the rounds in our current political climate: Tina F’d around and found out.
Yup, Tina is right where she’s supposed to be because she’s the person who put herself there. This time, elections certainly had consequences.
In Christ and Freedom.
Craig Hall is owner and publisher of The Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com
