OCTOBER 7 - 14, 2026
THE DEFINITIVE SOURCE FOR GRAND JUNCTION BUSINESS & COMMUNITY NEWS SINCE 1994
VOLUME 33, ISSUE 40
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Brown Cycles building sold, being renovated for restaurant Tim Harty
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he downtown Grand Junction building that until recently housed Brown Cycles is under new ownership and being renovated to become a restaurant. The Mesa County Assessor’s website shows The Maken Do LLC, which belongs to former Brown Cycles owner Chris Brown, sold the building at 549 and 555 Main St. on June 9 to 549-555 Main Street LLC, which belongs to Uwe Kirch. Kirch, who goes by the nickname Trout, owns Rocky Mountain West Insurance and The Rockslide Brew Pub in downtown Grand Junction. The purchase price was $1,000,001. The sale occurred prior to Brown announcing he was closing Brown Cycles after operating it for nearly 26 years. Kirch said he’s worked enough in old buildings in downtown Grand Junction to know what to expect when purchasing and renovating them. He said he saw the 549-555 Main St. building listed for sale, walked through it, talked to Brown, then “I threw a number at him, and he took it.” The front of the 555 Main St. half of the building is leased by Bella Balsamic & The Pressed Olive, which has occupied the space since 2014. See story Page 8
Suite spot for breakfast burritos Lil Richard’s started in food truck, now occupies kitchen in Downtown Suites apartment building — See Page 2 Lil Richard’s co-owner Anna Burleigh shows off the size and contents a Big Richard breakfast burrito, the star of the restaurant’s menu. Burleigh and her husband, Imad Burleigh, started Lil Richard’s as a food truck in May 2025 and opened their storefront Aug. 15 this year in the Downtown Suites apartment building at 104 White Ave. Photo by Tim Harty.
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Lil Richard’s finds suite storefront Apartment building’s kitchen is perfect for making carry-out breakfast burritos Tim Harty
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mad and Anna Burleigh were looking for a brick-andmortar store for their business, Lil Richard’s, which had been selling its breakfast burritos from a food truck. Early in their quest, they visited the tiny kitchen and lobby in the Downtown Suites building, then ended their search for a storefront. “As soon as we saw the kitchen, it was game over,” Imad said. “It was like, ‘Yes, we’ll take it.’ Whatever we gotta do, we’ll make it work.” That was in December 2025. Then, the grab-and-go restaurant’s soft opening at 104 White Ave. in downtown Grand Junction arrived in mid-August. “We did some small renovations to the front area and the middle area, and really nothing in the kitchen except for throwing a fryer in there,” Imad said. “And then it took six months of back and forth with the city.” Despite the delayed start, Lil Richard’s is up and running seven days a week and growing its following, overcoming an obvious obstacle to do so: It doesn’t have its store sign up yet. But it’s coming soon, the Burleighs said. In the meantime, customers just need to know the building is at the corner of First Street and White Avenue, and Lil Richard’s entrance is right below the large Downtown Suites sign on the corner of the building. Imad said some customers have mentioned how difficult it was to find the store, but he alleviates any tension and draws a laugh when he tells them: “This is our burrito speakeasy of Grand Junction. So, if you find it, you’re doing pretty good. The password is Big Richard.” Ah, the Big Richard. That’s the burrito Lil Richard’s is known for. A pound-and-a-quarter of meat, cheese, eggs, crispy tots and green chile sauce, which Imad says is “my attempt at the best breakfast burrito on the planet.” And if you take the burrito home and weigh it to see if it really is 20 ounces, Imad said you’ll see it actually weighs more. “It’s more like a pound and a half,” he said. “You don’t want them to come back and say, ‘This was one pound and, you know, one-eighth.’” Of course, the Big Richard
isn’t the only burrito size. There are smaller sizes and many variations of the ingredient combinations. But by design, Lil Richard’s keeps its burritos simple and flavorful. “The model in general is very simple menu, extremely good ingredients and extremely wellexecuted food, so that we can be consistent,” Imad said. “And a focus on customer service that I think has kind of disappeared in the service industry. “One of our mottos is: Come hungry, leave a regular. It’s every single person that comes into this business should feel like they’ve come a hundred times before, right? So that’s kind of the core of the model.” Imad revisited and emphasized the customer-service element, saying, “I want to reintroduce hospitality to the service industry, even if it’s just quick-serve breakfast burritos. We can literally make somebody’s day different by the way we treat them. So, that’s been a huge focus for us, and, you know, our employees have all kind of embodied that and really love it. It’s been really cool, really fun, and the more we get to interact with the community and they interact with us, the more we love it.” The fun factor is important, too, as he added, “If this wasn’t going to be fun for us, it wasn’t going to be worth doing. As long as we’re still having fun and getting to engage with our employees and our customers and our community, we’re at a really happy space.” When Imad said he thinks Lil Richard’s has served more than 5,000 breakfast burritos, Anna chimed in with: “Oh, we’re way over 10,000 at this point.” That’s a far cry from Lil Richard’s beginnings as a food truck in May 2025, when Imad said they prepared for their opening day with enough ingredients to make 100 breakfast burritos and towed their unmarked red food truck into a liquor-store parking lot and said, “We’re gonna do this.” Instead, Iman said, “I think we had three customers, so it was like $60 in sales or something like that.” It was a huge letdown, he said, and acknowledged, “That could have been the end of it, where we were just like, ‘You know what? This isn’t gonna work. Let’s move on to something else.’” See Lil Richard’s on Page 4
ABOVE — Lil Richard’s employee Madison Crisp folds a breakfast burrito at the burrito-making station, then will hand it off to Anthony Valencia to heat, lightly brown it and crust it with cheese on the grill. BELOW — This sign on the wall behind the store’s front counter shows you everything you’ll get in a Big Richard breakfast burrito, which has a listed weight of 1.25 pounds, and Lil Richard’s says you will need to use both hands to eat it. Photos by Tim Harty.
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Lil Richard’s
Continued from Page 2 But they decided to try again the next day and quadrupled the number of people who stopped at the food truck. Better yet, they got some encouragement. “People that drove by the day before said, ‘Oh, we saw you yesterday. We were hoping you would be here today, and sure enough, you guys were back, so we decided to stop.’ And then, you know, that was a pretty good day,” Imad said. The following weekend – the food truck was limited to the weekends, because Anna and Imad had full-time jobs during the week – Imad said, “I think we tripled the amount of people that came on Saturday. And then the next day we doubled that. And then the next weekend we doubled that. “So, it was exponential growth from that point on, and it was just amazing. The community and the support for the food truck and the feedback that we were getting
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on our food was just so much fun, and it was exactly what we had planned, right?” Hence, the need for a storefront. And the Burleighs said the store is off to a good start, aided by built-in customers from the apartment building. And the location is directly across the street from The Junction apartment complex and its 256 apartments. Anna said the Downtown Suites tenants quickly figured out who their new neighbor is, and many of them have become regulars. “You know, somebody will just walk downstairs, place their order, go back, take a shower, get ready and pick up their burrito on their way out to work or something,” she said. “So, it’s cool. Everybody here has been awesome. And then for some of the regulars, we know them well enough, and we know where they live even, so oftentimes I’ll go and do a special delivery.”
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Lil Richard’s co-owner Anna Burleigh, left, staples the food order/receipt to a bag with a breakfast burrito in it, and her husband and co-owner, Imad Burleigh, is ready to take it to the front counter for the customer. Photo by Tim Harty.
More About Lil Richard’s and Anna with the Lil Richard’s food truck, and eventually she became their Food truck still running Lil Richard’s started in a food truck, and now that the breakfast-burrito first employee. Her impact on the business went beyond work. Susan is from Grand business has a brick-and-mortar home, the food truck has been on vacation. But the hiatus will end, as owners Imad and Anna Burleigh said during a Junction, and Imad said she has a lot of friends in the area and talked up Lil Richard’s to them, especially people in her swim aerobics classes. Sept. 24 interview, “We’re gonna open it back up.” “We had so many people that would come from the swim classes, and Initially they will cater some events with the food truck, such as business or school events, weddings and even an upcoming baby shower. They also they say, ‘Hey, I heard about you from Susan,’” Imad said. “So she was kind want to resume setting up at youth-soccer tournaments and such, but that of our, like, guerrilla marketing as well, which is incredible.” Susan also is responsible will require more bodies, for the simple-to-use point-ofbecause those events are sale system Lil Richard’s uses, extremely busy. because she often worked as “So,” Imad said, their cashier, and Imad in turn “we’re still hiring.” designed it for “somebody who Giving the crew their is retired and can just kind of due jump right into a cashier staThe employees altion, rather than it being this ready on board are imcrazy bells and whistles and pressing the Burleighs. everything.” “Something we’ve He added, “It made it so been blown away by much better for anybody that is the people that we has to jump onto the cash regbrought into the business ister and use it. It’s just easy. and that have been workIt’s super intuitive, which, if we ing with us for the last hadn’t had her on the cash regmonth,” Imad said. “They ister, I don’t think it would be have been absolutely inthat easy, right? … So, we’re credible. really grateful for that.” “We hear that the Named after the dog restaurant business is The wallpaper in the front rough, and finding people room at Lil Richard’s has a reis really hard and has a peating theme that includes lot of just really negative a dachshund wearing a white ideas on the people that chef’s hat and coat. Around work in the industry. And the store, you might find tiny I just want to say that’s dachschund figurines. Those the farthest from the truth represent Imad and Anna’s that it could be. We found incredible people that Lil Richard’s owners Imad and Anna Burleigh can’t say enough good things about their employees, 9-year-old, 20-pound dachsand this photo includes the entire staff: Front row — left to right, Susan Burleigh, Anna Burleigh, Imad hund, Richard. have really made this what Burleigh and Brian Wren. Back row — left to right, Madison Crisp, Cody Smith, Logan Galloway and And yes, he’s the Richard it is right now. And they’re Anthony Valencia. And sitting on Imad Burleigh’s lap is his and Anna’s dachshund, Richard, for whom the business is named after. gonna continue to do so the restaurant is named. Photo by Tim Harty. Richard has quite the backinto the future. “And that’s something that’s extremely important to us is taking care of story, and The Business Times will try to address it in an upcoming edition our employees and making sure that they feel like they’re a part of our growth.” in a feature we call, “More to the Story.” In the meantime, Imad sums up Richard with: “This little guy ended up Hey, Mom! Wanna job? Imad’s mom, Susan Burleigh, started out as a volunteer, helping Imad being the most socialized dog I think I’ve ever met.”
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Judge restricts easement use in Palisade solar dispute Brandon Leuallen The Business Times
A Mesa County district judge has restricted Pivot Energy and other defendants’ use of a shared private easement to access their separate properties outside of Palisade amid an ongoing dispute involving trespassing, road-safety concerns and an assault described in court filings. The easement provides access to James Sterling’s property at 656 39 Road outside of Palisade, where Pivot Energy has leased land for a solar project. Defendants also planned to install power lines within the easement to serve the separate Summy Solar Project, which is on property that has no rights under the easement, according to the documents. The preliminary injunction prohibits using the easement to benefit the Summy project, including installing those power lines, but does not prohibit continued access within the easement to Sterling’s property. District Judge JenniLynn E. Lawrence also found that Sterling’s excavation created unstable slopes along the easement road that could threaten the roadway and nearby power poles. The injunction prohibits Sterling from creating further unsafe conditions and bars defendants from trespassing on Cullen and Krista Howard’s property, including by using a shortcut outside the designated easement. The ruling does not resolve the lawsuit or impose a blanket prohibition on nearby solar development. It addresses property access, the permitted uses of the easement and conditions along the roadway while the lawsuit proceeds. Dispute centers on shared easement The lawsuit was filed April 17 by James and Christine Murphy, Raven Novak, Cullen and Krista Howard, and James and Maureen Delany. Defendants include Sterling, Pivot Energy Development LLC, Pivot Solar 44 LLC, Sturgeon Electric Company and Public Service Company of Colorado, which operates as Xcel Energy. Lawrence issued the written preliminary injunction Sept. 25 following a Sept. 4 evidentiary hearing. The court had previously issued a temporary restraining order April 23. According to the court’s findings, Sterling entered into solar and batterystorage leases with Pivot in December 2022. Pivot subsequently entered agreements with Xcel to connect solar facilities to the electrical grid, and Sturgeon contracted to install utility infrastructure. According to the plaintiffs’ statement in the case-management order, Sterling removed a community gate and kicked neighboring landowner Cullen Howard in the chest when confronted. The statement says Sterling later pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and is subject to a mandatory protection order. The judge distinguished between the solar project on Sterling’s property and the Summy Solar Project south of the easement properties. The Summy property is not among the parcels served by the easement.
Lawrence found that defendants intended to install power infrastructure within the easement to connect the Summy project to an Xcel substation. “None of the Defendants have any present legal right to use the Easement to benefit the Summy Property,” Lawrence wrote. The judge concluded the landowners had established a reasonable probability of prevailing on that issue and that an injunction was necessary to protect their property rights while the litigation continues. Trespass and road safety The order also addresses a shortcut across the northeast corner of the Howards’ property that lies outside the designated easement. Lawrence found that property owners had historically used the shortcut with permission, but intensified use led the Howards to revoke that permission and post no-trespassing signs. According to the order, video evidence showed each defendant or its employees trespassing on the property before the Howards roped off the shortcut. The judge also found Sterling removed substantial amounts of soil along the roadway, creating vertical cuts of eight to 10 feet. The excavation left unsecured slopes of loose dirt likely to wash into the road and potentially destabilize nearby power poles. The order states the cut-away banks could fail at any time. The injunction prohibits Sterling from creating further unsafe conditions, including additional vertical cuts that leave unstable slopes. Defendants dispute restrictions In their statement included in the casemanagement order, Pivot and Sterling argue the easement broadly permits access and utility uses benefiting Sterling’s property, including uses associated with solar development. They contend the agreement does not restrict access to residential purposes or require neighboring owners’ approval before reasonable improvements are made. They also deny that their use and modifications have overburdened the properties crossed by the easement. Xcel denies wrongdoing and argues the agreement permits installation of electrical distribution lines to connect the solar projects. Alternatively, the utility asserts it can acquire additional property rights through condemnation. Sturgeon denies wrongdoing, negligence and trespass. “The fact that certain utility companies can use eminent domain does not give them license to use an easement they have no legal right to use without any due process or compensation,” Lawrence wrote in the preliminary injunction order. The case-management order schedules a seven-day trial, beginning Sept. 27, 2027, continuing through Oct. 1 and Oct. 4-5. It also notes Pivot, Sterling and Xcel may seek to pause discovery depending on progress in Xcel’s condemnation action.
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3-story, self-storage facility coming to Crossroads Blvd. Tim Harty
managers to kind of manage assets in the area.” Claiborne said AIE Partners is hoping to have the facility open by late summer 2027, and he complimented the City of Grand Junction for how smooth the process has been thus far. On the heels of Guardian Storage opening a large self-storage facility with mostly “The city has been excellent to work with,” he said. “I’ve dealt with a lot of climate-controlled units earlier this year, Grand Junction is set to get a larger one next year. municipalities where they can be, we’ll say, antagonistic and whatnot. Your city has been A large pad of concrete has been poured very good to work with as a whole.” and framing has begun on what will be a Claiborne said AIE Partners liked what three-story, 106,410-square-foot self-storage it saw in the Grand Junction market and the facility at 2771 Crossroads Blvd. It sits on property it purchased. 2.35 acres between the Rocky Mountain “We were very encouraged by a lot of Health Plans building and the La Quinta Inn growth in Grand Junction, and this parcel has & Suites by Wyndham. a very unique size to it,” he said, adding the The property was purchased by AIE property made sense for self storage, given the Grand Junction LLC, a subsidiary of AIE parking counts at the surrounding businesses Partners, on July 29 for $725,000, according on Crossroads Boulevard. to the Mesa County Assessor’s website. Claiborne said AIE took note of Guardian AIE Partners, working out of Texas and Storage’s entrance into the Grand Junction Louisiana, says on its website, aiepartners. market. com, “AIE is a boutique commercial real “They were on our radar,” he said. “From estate firm specializing in self-storage, what we understand, they’re a very well-run industrial, and mixed-use assets.” It adds and well-built facility. We think that there is AIE Partners has “underwritten, developed ample opportunity for another self-storage and acquired more than two million square operator to be in this market, which is kind of feet of storage projects nationwide.” our primary cause for going into it.” The Grand Junction project is named Another good reason to build in Grand Crossroads Self Storage, and a Mesa County Junction was meeting a need for climatebuilding permit approved on July 17 lists the controlled self storage, as Claiborne said, “I This large concrete foundation at 2771 Crossroads Blvd., as it appeared on project valuation at $6,274,997.70. ARCO/ believe that the market was underserved by Sept. 27, is for a three-story self-storage facility that is being built on the Murray National is the general contractor climate control units as a whole, which kind property. Photo by Tim Harty. listed for the project. Also listed on the of was our thesis for developing there.” permit are GMA Architects, Tiger Electric And for one more selling point, he added, and Amico Plumbing and Mechanical. “Generally, looking at the market – my business partners and I, we’ve all gone up to Ross Claiborne, one of the partners in AIE Partners, said they are building “a Class Colorado many times over the years – Grand Junction’s a very nice Colorado town. You A, climate-controlled, self-storage facility. All of our units will be climate controlled. We all have good income demographics, educated population, and those are all factors that will be using a national operator named Go Store It, who usually hires regional and local we take into consideration.” The Business Times
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Restaurant going in former bike shop
Continued from Page 1 Kirch said Bella Balsamic will remain there, while the back half of 555 Main St. will be part of the new restaurant Kirch is creating. Kirch said the restaurant will be named Valle di Sera, which means “valley of the evening” in Italian. He said the restaurant concept he’s going for is an international theme, but not a singular ethnicity or country. Rather, he will pick and choose from a variety, as he said, “Maybe some German. Maybe some Brazilian. Maybe some Morroccan. We’ll bring in some things we don’t already have here (in the Grand Valley).” Kirch said Valle di Sera will provide an elevated dining experience, and he drew comparison’s to the former 626 on Rood, The Winery Restaurant, Bin 707 Foodbar, Devil’s Kitchen and Enzo’s Ristorante Italiano. He also emphasized there will be a focus on service. He said Valle di Sera will use locally sourced meats and mentioned “bison and
venison that you’d find in Colorado.” Kirch added the menu may include a nod to the building’s past, saying, “We might name a drink or dish after Chris (Brown).” Kirch expects the main dining area will seat 50 to 60 people, and there will be a separate area in the back that is more private and will feature a custom-built 24-foot-long table. He envisions that room being used for events and gave the example of wedding rehearsals. Kirch said he wants Valle di Sera to stand out, not blend in, not try to appeal to everyone. “It feels like in Grand Junction you have to find the middle ground,” he said, lamenting that means restaurants steer clear of bold flavors. “We should not be afraid to put flavor into things.” Summing up his project, Kirch said, “We’re thinking there’s opportunity there.” Then, he flashed his sense of humor and quipped, “If it flops, we can make it a taco joint.”
Starbucks has closed its location at 2601 Dos Rios Drive in Grand Junction. A notice posted on the door tells customers the company made the decision to close the store during the last week of September. “We know this may be hard to hear,” the notice says. It then describes the store as a place where customers made memories and connections with employees, whom Starbucks calls partners. The notice thanks customers for the community built there and says the company is working to support employees through the transition. The notice does not give a reason for the closure or specify the store’s last day of business. It directs customers to other Starbucks locations. The Dos Rios store is one of seven Colorado locations identified in a report by Denver TV station Colorado 9 News about the nationwide closures. Starbucks Chief Operating Officer Mike Grams said Sept. 24 that the company planned to close about 250 coffeehouses across North
America. He said the company identified stores where it could not consistently deliver the experience it wanted for customers and employees or did not see a path to acceptable financial performance. Starbucks has not said which concern applied to the Dos Rios store. The company said it will offer affected employees transfers where possible and severance support if it can not place them elsewhere. The Starbucks store closure comes as the broader Dos Rios development has built out more slowly than the city anticipated. Grand Junction financed infrastructure for the project with debt expected to be repaid largely through tax revenue generated as the property developed. The city remains responsible for that debt and expects to pay about $1.03 million in Dos Rios development debt service in 2027, according to city budget information previously reported by The Business Times.
Starbucks at Dos Rios closes
CMU expands Art Walk, partners with Downtown GJ
Colorado Mesa University announced it is expanding its Campus Art Walk and outdoor art installation through a new collaboration with the Grand Junction Downtown Development Authority and its Art on the Corner program. The university said in a news release that the partnership will create new opportunities for students, artists and the community to experience art on CMU’s campus. The expanded Campus Art Walk will build on CMU’s commitment to making art a visible and accessible part of campus life integrated with community collaboration. Through the partnership, artwork procured by the DDA will become part of the on-campus statue collection on a rotating basis. The first two pieces were installed Oct. 2, the same day that three new pieces created by CMU students were installed as part of the Art on the Corner collection found along downtown Main Street.
The DDA’s Art on the Corner Program complements the Campus Art Walk, which begins at the front doors of the Moss Performing Arts Center and extends through the heart of campus to the front door of Asteria Theatre. The eastern terminus of the Campus Art Walk features a newly procured statue of Mary Rait, and the western terminus of the Campus Art Walk features a newly procured maverick bull statue, titled “Duster,” anchoring the new campus roundabout in the heart of the CMU Formation District. “A critical role of our university is to help inspire awe and wonder among students, faculty, staff and our community at large,” CMU President John Marshall said. “The transformative power of the arts is alive and well on our campus, and this new partnership with the DDA only serves to enhance both of our efforts to engage our community through beautiful art pieces.”
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Avatar Offroad relocates HQ to GJ
Photo courtesy of Avatar Offroad.
Avatar Offroad, a manufacturer of custom-fit, durable and weather-resistant accessories for vans will relocate its headquarters to Grand Junction. The Grand Junction Economic Partnership announced the move Oct. 1 in a news release and said Avatar Offroad is making the move with help from Colorado’s Rural Jump-Start program. Specializing in premium, heavy-duty adventure-vehicle gear, Avatar Offroad manufactures specialized storage systems, roof racks, mounting brackets, bumpers, ladders and rock sliders. The company crafts custom equipment tailored for major camper van and truck platforms, including Ford, Mercedes, Nissan and Promaster models. The company designs, tests, manufactures and installs all products in-house. Avatar Offroad was founded by a family with more than 30 years of experience in the outdoor sports and metalworking industries. The company relocated its headquarters and operations from Sandy, Utah, to Grand Junction for the region’s outdoor recreation ecosystem and supportive business climate. “As a family-owned business driven by a passion for the outdoors, moving our headquarters to Grand Junction was a natural fit,” Avatar Offroad owner Wes Swearingen said. “Western Colorado offers unbeatable testing grounds for our products and a community that truly understands the outdoor lifestyle.” Swearingen said support from GJEP, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade,
Colorado Mesa University and the Rural Jump-Start Program “allows us to accelerate our manufacturing capabilities and build deep roots in Mesa County.” The company will receive $15,000 in grant funding to support the launch of its operations, as well as four years of tax benefits through the Rural JumpStart program, which encourages economic development and job creation in economically distressed, rural counties of Colorado. Eligible employees will also receive a state personal-income-tax credit while the company is in the program. “Avatar Offroad represents a powerful addition to Mesa County’s outdoor industry and manufacturing sectors. Their decision to establish headquarters in Grand Junction highlights the strength of our regional infrastructure, skilled workforce and collaborative business environment,” GJEP Executive Director Curtis Englehart said. Sponsoring entities like CMU help identify business candidates in their communities and work with each business to help ensure its success in the program and in the community. As part of the program, Avatar Offroad will collaborate with CMU to provide internships and apprenticeship opportunities. “Avatar Offroad offers a unique opportunity to support CMU students pursuing careers in the skilled trades within the outdoor recreation industry,” said Tom Benton, Director of the Maverick Innovation Center at Colorado Mesa University.
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Data-center moratorium allows county to update development codes Brandon Leuallen The Business Times
The Mesa County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a 12-month moratorium on datacenter projects during its Sept. 29 public hearing. The moratorium took effect immediately. The county said in a news release it has been working on updates to its land-development code, because datacenter facilities are not addressed in the old land-use code, which was last updated in 2020. While work on the land-development code continues, the moratorium temporarily pauses the acceptance, processing and approval of land-use applications for datacenter facilities in unincorporated Mesa County, the news release said. The moratorium supersedes the current guidelines and gives county staff time to continue updating other parts of the land-development code while gathering public feedback and input on data-center regulation. The county said it has no pending applications for datacenter projects. Commissioner Bobbie Daniel said public feedback on the county’s broader Land Development Code update demonstrated that data centers needed a separate discussion. “And we realized this isn’t something that can be quickly fixed and put in the land development code,” she said. “This needs to be its own separate conversation.” Community Development Director Greg Moberg said the current code lacks a data-center definition and standards addressing the facilities’ distinct operations. The proposed update will define data centers and restrict them to industrial zones, he said, but it will not adequately address electrical demand, water use, standby equipment, mechanical noise and other impacts. The moratorium took effect upon adoption and lasts 12
months, but commissioners can end it sooner after adopting regulations or extend it following a public hearing. According to the resolution presented to commissioners, covered facilities have a combined designed or nameplate electrical demand of at least one megawatt. Accessory server rooms serving another principal use and certain government-operated facilities are excluded. Applications that the county determined were complete before adoption are also exempt. Daniel said she sought community feedback through a September op-ed about the code update, asking residents what regulations they wanted for data centers, battery storage and other uses to look like. Residents submitted concerns about several technologies, but data centers became the largest issue, she said. Data centers and Flock license-plate readers have drawn substantial public feedback recently, but commissioners’ authority differs on the two issues. Commissioners can regulate whether and where data centers are allowed in unincorporated Mesa County. Decisions about the Sheriff’s Office’s use of Flock and other license-plate readers belong to the independently elected sheriff. Mesa County voters will elect a sheriff Nov. 3. Daniel welcomed the turnout at the hearing, particularly younger residents concerned about their future. She said self government is not on autopilot. “It takes you guys being here, and I love that,” she said. She pointed to the county’s previous solar moratorium as an example of how public participation can shape regulations. During that process, staff collected contact information from interested residents, held open houses and sought stakeholder feedback on drafts. The resulting amendment did not satisfy everyone, Daniel said, but residents were involved in developing it. She said data-center regulations likely would take longer
than the solar process. Daniel said land-use rules should provide a consistent basis for evaluating applications and balancing the interests of property owners. “We needed to just kind of wrap our heads around what this looks like for folks, because everybody’s property rights matters, whether you’re the neighbor or whether you’re trying to develop your property,” she said of the solar process. Moberg suggested additional public engagement for data centers, potentially including open houses to gather input earlier in drafting regulations. Daniel encouraged residents to continue submitting comments to Moberg. “Tell us exactly how you want to proceed,” she said. She also emphasized jurisdictional boundaries. The county regulates land use in unincorporated areas, while municipalities make their own decisions. At the hearing, Moberg said Grand Junction was considering a moratorium and had expressed interest in aligning city and county standards. Commissioner JJ Fletcher emphasized protecting drinking and agricultural water and maintaining reliable electricity, describing conversations with utilities about potential grid impacts. The resolution directs staff to develop standards addressing electricity and water demand, cooling, noise, generators, battery storage, lighting, transportation, emergency response and eventual site restoration. Staff must coordinate with municipalities, utilities and fire districts and report to commissioners within 90 days. The resolution leaves undecided whether data centers ultimately should be permitted, conditionally permitted or prohibited in particular zones. “It needs to be thoughtful,” Daniel said. “We need to have our community voices there at the table.”
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The Business Times
OctOber 7 - 14, 2026
The topic, event or action doesn’t matter, as long as we’re fighting And that’s just the way those folks with the power and money like it. Well, love it. Because if we’re fighting, they are amassing more power and money. And again, it doesn’t matter what we’re fighting over or about, there will always be select elite ready, willing and able to take your side and (not) solve things to your liking and demands, no matter the cost to civil society. Because you were never part of the equation. Well, perhaps a minor “X factor” waiting to be cancelled, but you are never part of the answer, unless you bring them more power or money, that is. Then they’ll let you hang around for your keyboard-warrior usefulness. Which is to say you’ll keep the fight alive until they get what they want. Just look at things people have been fighting about for centuries already. And thanks to social media, these things are now eternal. Craig Hall Try these on for size. Of course, we’re going to go to Massachusetts and the Lindsay Clancy case. Honestly, it sickens me more than a little to put this in a column. It will be the same feeling for my next example as well, but I pay myself to write, so write I shall. Now, even though most of the Clancy hubbub is dying down, it hasn’t stopped her attorney from more gamesmanship and trying to throw more tonnage of pasta on the wall to see what sticks. Thankfully, little to none has. But I’m sure Chef Boy How-dy is boiling up more to toss as I type. But let’s get to the premise of the trial and the division among the people without getting caught up in the previous or latest “defense” ploys to allow Clancy to get away with murder. The social media threads speak for themselves in terms of ridiculousness and their own insanity, but they serve a purpose. To sow division in swaying public sentiment, and therefore a jury (which in the first trial, save one, needed no swaying), to come back with “not guilty by reason of insanity.” Which is an insane purpose in and of itself, but not when you look at it from the perspectives of ultimate power and money. In today’s world, any “not guilty” verdict brings millions to Clancy in her pending civil suits and untold riches for her legal and civil lawyers. You don’t think the pile of you-know-what attorney of Clancy’s wouldn’t market his reputation as “the murderer’s best friend” to represent anyone one who takes a life? Right along with getting referral fees to the litigators who will reap millions suing on behalf of the victims AND defendants. And don’t get me started on judges whose conceit enjoys the power over literal life and death (not of the victims, of course, no notoriety there) in these “trials of the century.” How I wish there was only one per century, but we’ve killed that in America as well. So yes, the Clancy case isn’t about those poor kids looking mommy in the eye as she strangled the life out of them. It was, and is, all about power and money.
How about the next trial we can expect over at, you guessed it, Cornell University? Again, let’s try to get to the crux of the situation (or alleged crime, before all too many start pecking away). And folks, that’s the behavior of all involved, period. That’s what allowed, or created, the scenario to play out like it did. Because no one is arguing about what occurred overnight two years ago. We’re fighting about where on the scales of justice does inebriated behavior fall on that scale. But also notice the real investigation didn’t begin until someone sued someone. So now it becomes about money, which will in time reveal truth, and the many abuses of power. Take any tact you choose on that. And yes, there will be a huge fight in time about consent and the power it has – but remember, those seven guys are gonna use the same argument regarding consent. But that’s what living in a drug-and-alcohol-induced, Only Fans world will get you. Frankly, the other folks on trial here should be the folks at Cornell demanding an essay from the guys about behavior, although I’m sure they’re in the civil suit. That, and Cornell should cease to exist as a place of “higher learning.” Unless by “higher” you mean … And if you don’t think power and money got involved in how this was all handled two years ago, I’m selling a bridge. How about something on a lighter, yet inane, side of things? Yes! It’s the WNBA versus the Indiana Fever. Yup, this “gives me fever.” Full disclosure, I’m a fan. Which to some, also makes me have some racial concerns. But this isn’t about that, except where it is. Which is the league allowing coaches and players, as well as their fans, to call Fever fans racist. That’s a serious problem (among a few) at the core of the league. But where do we fight? Whether or not A’ja Wilson gets every call her way? Well, she does, even to the point now of going into the stands and threatening fans who don’t act as she demands. But that’s not her fault. How do you expect someone to act when the rules no longer apply to them? I’d say exactly like A’ja. But to my point, the power and money folks in charge don’t care about any of these scenarios except if they keep us fighting. Because they’re not about rules, laws and civil order. If they were, they’d do the simple solution to resolve any of the above. They’d apply the rules and laws equally and unbiased to all involved so that the people were obeying the rules, laws and civil order. With them applied, Clancy would be serving time, nothing happens at Cornell besides study groups in the middle of the night, and the Fever advance in the playoffs. But where’s the power and money in that? In Truth and freedom. F Craig Hall is owner and publisher of The Business Times. Reach him at 424-5133 or publisher@thebusinesstimes.com
Who deserves your vote for Colorado Board of Education seat? We have two educators running for the Colorado State Board of Education CD-3 seat in November. It may please you or surprise you to know that both have actually been in a classroom. Sherri Wright, running as the incumbent, was a teacher for 20 years in Colorado and Texas. She taught middle school and was the head of the Junior High Language Arts department for a time. She also held the title of team leader of the middle school. She has served eight solid Christy Anderson years on the RE-1 school board and served as director for the Colorado Association of School Boards, known for short as CASB. She took a four-year break, was re-elected again until she was term limited in 2023. She was also president on the San Juan Basin Technical College Board for five years. Sherri is pro-parent, pro-families, pro-school choice and believes strongly in academics and accountability. Sherri is all for school getting back to the basics, including students knowing their math facts, knowing the difference between long and short vowels, explicitly teaching skills needed to be successful citizens. She understands that government is part of public education but not the sole decision maker. Students
belong to parents first. As an award winning middle-school teacher and small-business owner, she is passionate about teaching, learning and accountability across all levels. She is familiar with not only public education, but also with business, having owned Tropics Day Spa and also coowned First Alert Drug and Alcohol Mobile Testing. Sherri’s platform is simple: 1. Passion about education. 2. Believe in parent rights. 3. Believe in school choice. Sherri has a teacher heart and genuinely seeks to help all schools and students. Now, let us look deeper into Barb Clementi. She has also been an educator. She comes from educators and union founders. She is passionate about public education and believes it needs to be protected at any cost. On her own page she states that “bad actors, including religious ones, have exploited vagueness and loopholes in our state policies, rules, and legislation.” She wants to close whatever lets public funds be “siphoned away from public school and funneled to private and religious schools.” Is this hostile to religious families? Her stated goal is to cut off public money to religious schools. That is hostile to religious families. Barb also states that high-stakes testing measures “a child’s zip code” more than learning. This seems that Barb is weakening accountability to public schools and does it outwardly.
Barb has served many years on the National Education Association Board of Directors. She wants you to know she loves to drive and stands eager to meet everyone across the district. On the surface, both candidates are qualified for the position. Let us take a closer look into what Barb Clementi does not say. She does not claim to stand for school choice. In fact, she wants charter and religious schools that take public money held to the same rules as district schools, right down to “CDE approved curricula.” She is against high-stakes-testing accountability and outwardly shares this. Barb comes from more of a union socialist-fist type of fight for her platform. Reading through her page it is evident that she wants to fight parents, classical curriculums and school choice. Maybe just maybe, it is not what Barb and Sherri say, it is what is not said out loud. F Christy Anderson is a K–3 elementary educator with 27 years of experience in Mesa County Valley School District 51. She was formerly an active member of the local teachers’ union, and she now serves as an ambassador for the Professional Association of Colorado Educators (PACE). In addition to being an advocate for students and teachers, she is a parent and a local Realtor for Bray and Co. Real Estate.
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Kannah Creek closing for good Oct. 24 n Starr resigns as Mesa County attorney, Rubinstein fills in
Kannah Creek Brewing Company is closing its doors for good on Saturday, Oct. 24, ending a 21-year run in Grand Junction. It announced the closing Oct. 2 on Facebook and acknowledged it on the homepage of its website, www.kannahcreekbrewingco.com. And it announced it with a large sign on its building as seen in this photo. Kannah Creek Brewing Company General Manager Andrew West told The Business Times on Oct. 2 that the final day will be a Saturday, and “we’ll have some live music on the patio. We’re gonna do a bunch of giveaways. We’re doing $5 beers, trying to just get rid of all the inventory. We’re actually having another beer that’s coming out (this week). We’ll do a specialty beer for that and go out with a bang.” West added Oct. 24 is the anniversary of the day the brewery originally opened. Photo by Brandon Leuallen.
n Locals claim 3 tourism awards at Colorado tourism conference Visit Grand Junction, Rollee Smith and Taryn Brooks received 2026 Governor’s Awards for Outstanding Colorado Tourism Efforts during the Colorado Governor’s Tourism Conference in September at Beaver Run Resort in Breckenridge. • Visit Grand Junction was recognized for its innovative Grand Junction Outdoor Adventure Pass, which received the Governor’s Award for Exemplary Destination Stewardship Initiative. The award highlights a Colorado community, Tribal nation or region that has designed and delivered a collaborative program, project or policy that directly advances the Colorado Tourism Office’s Destination Stewardship Strategic Plan. • Smith, a longtime Visit Grand Junction volunteer, received the Jack Snow Award for Outstanding Volunteer. The award celebrates an individual who has selflessly dedicated time and energy to furthering tourism in Colorado and improving the visitor experience. • Brooks, owner and operator of Cruise Control Kitchen & Cellar in downtown Grand Junction, received a Frontline Hospitality Tourism Worker Award. The award recognizes Brooks and her business’s contributions to Grand Junction’s tourism and hospitality community.
no tricks. just treats. ENSTROM.COM
In a letter to the Board of Mesa County Commissioners, dated Sept. 29, Todd Starr resigned as Mesa County attorney, a position he held since August 2021. According to a Sept. 30 news release from the county, First Assistant County Attorney Stephanie Rubinstein will serve as acting county attorney while Mesa County works to hire the next county attorney. Rubinstein and the Mesa County Attorney’s Office will provide legal Todd Starr Stephanie counsel to the commission and county staff and Rubinstein manage pending matters during the transition. Starr wrote in his letter of resignation: “It has been a distinct honor to serve in this capacity, and I depart with the utmost confidence that the County Attorney’s Office will continue to provide the Board with the highest standard of service while safeguarding taxpayer resources. “I am committed to working closely with County Administrator Todd Hollenbeck to ensure the orderly return of all County assets and to facilitate a comprehensive transition regarding pending matters, files, and system access. My objective is to ensure this transition is as seamless as possible for both the Board and the County Attorney’s Office.” The Mesa County commissioners said in a joint statement: “We thank Todd for his service to Mesa County and wish him well.”
n Grant funds suicide-prevention initiative for veterans Mesa County Public Health was awarded the Veterans Affairs’ Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant, a $733,400, one-year federal grant. Mesa County Public Health said in a news release it plans to launch a new initiative for local veterans called the Tri-County Veteran Support Hub. It is a comprehensive, community-based initiative designed to reduce suicide risk, improve mental well-being and strengthen social connectedness. It will address a critical deficit in mental-health support for veterans and their families across Mesa, Delta and Montrose counties. According to the news release, the Tri-County Veteran Support Hub will connect veterans with peer mentors, fellow veterans who understand military life. Instead of exam rooms, support will take place in natural, relaxed environments where trust comes naturally. Mesa County Public Health will partner with two organizations from neighboring communities, Sovereign Roots: Veterans Retreat and Kadkhodaian Behavioral Health Center.
Business Bite Teriyaki Madness opens: Teriyaki Madness, 2691 Patterson Road in Village Fair Plaza, marked its opening with a ribbon cutting Oct. 2. The building previously was home to a Which Wich sandwich shop.
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