Colorado Springs Business Journal (CO) articles from April 2009

Colorado Springs Business Journal (CO) archives from April 2009

Colorado Springs hospitals could receive stimulus money.
April 1, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Colorado can get up to an additional $2.3 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to help hospitals treat patients without insurance. Payments will be made to hospitals that serve a...

Job cuts in United States fell in March.
April 1, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine The number of planned job cuts in the United States fell for the second consecutive month in March, falling 19.3 percent from February, according to a report by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray and...

Health education and research center opens in Colorado Springs.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine The only nonprofit center in Southern Colorado to focus on education and research in the health sciences opened this week in Colorado Springs. The Julie Penrose Health Education and Research Center, located at 6071...

Colorado Springs attracts attention for growing green.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Colorado Springs is again attracting national attention - this time not for its expanding military population or faith-based organizations, but for its ranking as the #6 city on SustainLane.com's "Top Ten Alternative...

American Wind Energy Association launches blog.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine The American Wind Energy Association has launched "Into the Wind," a blog dedicated to the wind energy industry. The site draws on the expertise and experience of AWEA members and staff, and offers up-to-date...

Colorado Springs' home values hold fairly steady.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Once again local home values profiled favorably when compared to Denver or to other states, at least based on results of the latest Standard & Poor's/Case-Schiller Home Prices Index survey. Denver saw a 5.1 percent...

Colorado Springs' Peak Vista to create new services and staff positions with federal stimulus money.
April 2, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Peak Vista plans to use $1.3 million received from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to create new mobile health services. The grant will provide money for two years, and covers both the staff and operations...

Reverse mortgages on the rise.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Seniors are queuing up at banks and credit unions around the country to apply for reverse mortgages on their homes. There has been a significant uptick in applications, said Eric Bachman, founder and CEO of Golden...

The launching of the Colorado Springs Business Journal.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Twenty years ago, April 1, 1989, two brash men in their early 30s with no newspaper experience launched a new publication -- the Colorado Springs Business Journal. As they remember it, Roger Powell asked Chuck...

Q&A with Rocky Mountain Vice President of Private Banking Judy Ingels.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Judy Ingels combines her prior experience in fashion as a buyer at The Broadmoor Hotel and 15 years of print and runway modeling in Denver when she helps clients with a mortgage or refinance....

Consignments help Colorado Springs high-end retailer ride out recession.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Scott Prater As cash-strapped and budget-conscious consumers restrict spending to essentials, one high-end Tejon Street retailer has figured out a way to help ease the pain of a year-long recession. When LuLu owner Tess Loo began...

Commentary: My humble suggestions for how council can salvage USOC deal.
April 3, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst Deal -- or no deal? USOC -- or USnoC? City Council made a deal to keep Their Olympian Majesties in Colorado Springs -- and now they have to do some quick repair work to keep everything from falling apart. Unpleasant...

Financial advisers recommend safer assets due to sluggish economy.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn In the past, long-term financial strategy used to encompass keeping a broad-based portfolio to garner moderate risk and moderate returns, said Kevin P. Sullivan, financial adviser with Sullivan & Associates. But much...

Commentary: Time for council to earn back lost trust.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Former President George W. Bush, reflecting upon his years in the White House during his last weeks in office, acknowledged that many of his decisions had been controversial, but affirmed his...

Commentary: Will the real leader please stand up?
April 3, 2009... Byline: Lon Matejczyk Why does the business community shoulder so much of the heavy lifting in this community? I was in the business community meeting about bringing AngelouEconomics to town to do the Operation 60thirtyfive study. The idea...

Commentary: I really do wish that I could totally recall April 1989.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Mike Boyd Because this is the 20th anniversary issue of CSBJ, I couldn't help but wonder what I was doing during April 1989. To be honest, I'm a little short on specifics. I do know that I was in Kingsville, attending Texas A&I...

Retail down; industrial sector holding steady.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Like their counterparts in office brokerage who addressed vacancy and rent rate trends last week, local retail, investment and industrial deal makers also are facing unprecedented economic challenges. Here's a brief...

El Paso County Department of Health and Environment to resume child care inspections.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine The El Paso County Department of Health and Environment will reinstate its Child Care Center Health Inspections program this month. The department will pay for the inspections using money from the El Paso County...

Colorado Springs' Round House redevelopment nears completion.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley When Van Briggle Pottery vacated its former headquarters at Highway 24 and 21st Street last year, the stage was set for Griffis Blessing to redevelop the 3.25-acre site. With its first occupants scheduled to move in...

Sputtering economy might actually boost local tourism in Colorado Springs.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Because of poor economic conditions, tourism in the Pikes Peak region could increase this summer season. Local marketing and chamber of commerce folks are optimistic that tourist visits will hold steady compared to...

El Paso County Board of Commissioners seeks volunteers.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff The El Paso County Board of Commissioners is seeking volunteers to serve on the Citizen Review Panel and the Community Corrections Board. Two members are needed to serve three-year terms on...

Human Capital Group in Colorado Springs opens.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Lili Tran and Marisa Walker have opened Human Capital Group LLC. They have 35 years of experience in human resources, having worked both in the public and private sector.

U.S. Department of Agriculture extends timeline for financial assistance for organic Colorado companies.(Chronology)
April 3, 2009... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Financial assistance extended for organic certification The U.S. Department of Agriculture has extended the timeline for Colorado companies to receive reimbursement if they are certified as...

Pikes Peak Family Connections Inc. needs volunteers.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Pikes Peak Family Connections Inc., an organization whose goal is to prevent child abuse and neglect, needs volunteers to work with at-risk children. Volunteers are needed to work with...

Ecumenical Social Ministries needs volunteers for 9Health Fair.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Ecumenical Social Ministries needs medical and non-medical volunteers to help draw blood, conduct health screening, manage registration and assist with client flow during the 9Health Fair....

Children's Literacy Center in Colorado Springs offers free one-on-one tutoring.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Colorado Spring Business Journal Staff The Children's Literacy Center is offering free one-on-one tutoring for children reading below grade level. Children are matched with trained volunteer tutors and meet twice a week for an hour...

Peak Vista Community Health Centers seek Spanish-speaking volunteers.
April 3, 2009... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Staff Peak Vista Community Health Centers is seeking Spanish-speaking volunteers for its First Visitor program. Through home visits, volunteers provide new mothers with information about child and...

Spring refinancing activity on the rise in U.S.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Home loan borrowers are cashing in on historically low mortgage interest rates as a refinancing boom gains momentum. National mortgage refinance statistics jumped again for the last week in March - up 3 percent...

Commentary: Bailout to bail out U.S. Olympic Committee deal?
April 6, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst Got your attention, didn't I? But it's true - sort of. Chatting with a few councilmembers this morning, we found that City Council, aided by thus far unnamed, prominent and, most importantly, solvent members of...

Ballot drop off deadline and election results online.
April 7, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer It's election day. Voters have until 7 p.m. tonight to drop off ballots for the Colorado Springs election, and residents can watch preliminary tally results on the city's Web site. Ballots can be dropped of at...

Tax Freedom Day arrives in Colorado earlier than national average.
April 7, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer Tax Freedom Day - the date on which Americans will have worked long enough to have earned enough money to pay this year's tax obligations at the federal, state and local levels - will fall on Sunday for residents of...

Board of County Commissioners' work session rescheduled in Colorado Springs.
April 7, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer The Board of County Commissioners work session that was cancelled March 26 because of bad weather has been rescheduled for 1:30 p.m. April 9 in the hearing room at the Regional Development Center, 2880 International...

Indictment handed down in 10-county ID theft scheme in Colorado.
April 7, 2009... Byline: Mike Boyd The Statewide Grand Jury has issued a 25-count indictment against Timothy Kuskowski, who is suspected of stealing the identities of nearly two dozen Coloradoans and using them to pass fake checks in 10 counties. ...

Alternative energy could cost jobs.
April 7, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Is renewable energy technology destroying jobs? A study examining green energy in Spain could have implications for the "green economy" in the United States. The study says that every renewable energy job...

Colorado House approves soldiers to students bill.
April 7, 2009... Byline: Mike Boyd A bill that helps members of the Colorado National Guard afford to go to college in Colorado was approved by the state House of Representatives this morning by a 56-4 vote. The Department of Higher Education...

City of Colorado Springs, census workers readying for El Paso County count.
April 7, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer Census workers are getting ready to begin counting people in El Paso County, and they're looking for help crafting an outreach plan to ensure everyone is counted. In hopes of attracting business and community...

Voters reject 1A; approve 1D; keep incumbents in Colorado.
April 8, 2009... Byline: CSBJ Staff Voters overwhelmingly rejected ballot initiative 1A, the so-called JOBS initiative, which would have extended a 0.665 general property mill levy tax, which was scheduled to expire Dec. 31. The money would have been...

Defense contractors in Colorado Springs wait and see mode.
April 8, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Changes to the Defense Department budget proposed this week by Secretary Robert Gates could affect the 100 or so contractors with a Colorado Springs presence. Budget reallocatoin also might impact the city's...

Health care accidents in Colorado cost $6.9 billion.
April 8, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Golden-based Health Grades only awarded one Colorado hospital with its coveted patient safety excellence award. Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins earned the award for 2009 as one of only 242 hospitals...

Beer industry boosts U.S. economy.
April 8, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Colorado's beer industry brings $13.7 billion to the state's economy and accounts for $1.2 million in federal, state and local taxes. That's the word from the National Beer Wholesalers Association and the Beer...

Despite tech job cuts in Colorado Springs- it's not as bad as it used to be.
April 8, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn First quarter technology job cuts were nearly five times higher than the 17,345 cuts announced last year during the same period. Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. released a report today stating that planned job...

Plenty of LEAP money left in Colorado Springs.
April 9, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer Colorado Springs Utilities wants to remind residents that the deadline to apply for LEAP, or low-income energy assistance, is approaching, and that there is still plenty of money for the program. "Some of our...

Governor signs beneficiaries act.
April 9, 2009... Byline: CSBJ Staff Gov. Bill Ritter signed House Bill 1260, the Designated Beneficiaries Act, into law today. The law provides a mechanism for Coloradoans to choose the person who will care for them in medical emergencies and provide...

Colorado receives stimulus money for child care, vaccines.
April 9, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Colorado will receive nearly $30 million in federal grants for health and human services programs under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The state will receive $25 million in grants for the child care...

U of Colorado Colorado Springs chancellor: Higher ed funding shouldn't be one time fix.
April 10, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley University of Colorado, Colorado Springs Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak would like legislators to find an alternative to pulling money from the $700 million in Pinnacol Assurance reserves as a one-time fix for the...

Pulte Homes, Centex Corp. merge.
April 10, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Pulte Homes and Centex Corp. have merged. Boards of both companies approved an agreement in a stock-for-stock transaction valued at $3.1 billion, including $1.8 billion of net debt. Pulte has built homes in The...

Angelou Economics study of Colorado Springs: great views but future looks bleak.
April 10, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst Angelou Economics' market assessment of the Pikes Peak region says that Colorado Springs is a beautiful place to live, but it paints a less than pretty picture overall. The region scores high on many "quality of...

Volleyball tournament Spikefest to play in Colorado Springs.
April 10, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Colorado Springs will be one of the major stops for Spikefest, a volleyball tournament that is one of the largest amateur sport events in the nation. Spikefest, a three-on-three and five-on-five grass volleyball...

Colorado transportation projects receive more money.
April 10, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine An additional $31,818 of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money will be used for the Woodmen Road project and $125,000 will repair erosion on Interstate in Monument. The $157,000 is in addition to $13.1...

Colorado Springs Real Estate Briefs: April10, 2009.
April 10, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley [caption id="attachment_2588" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="The Rangewood medical building was 92 percent leased when it was purchased by a California-based investment group for $2.66 million."][/caption] The...

Colorado Springs Medical Briefs: April 10, 2009.
April 10, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine The Body Mass Index scale is not an accurate measure for obesity - at least according to an article in the British Journal of Nutrition. The study shows that the number used to indicate weight category does not...

Colorado Springs Retail Briefs: April 10, 2009.
April 10, 2009... Byline: Scott Prater Runner's Roost owners Linda and Gary Staines are moving their foot-wear, apparel and accessories store from 107 E. Bijou St. to 121 N. Tejon St. The store has been on Bijou Street for 31 years. A shimmering crimson...

Job seekers hope they won't roll craps during croupier training in Cripple Creek.
April 10, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst Being a croupier (i.e., one who manages a craps table game) isn't as easy as it might seem. Which is why a class of aspiring croupiers, who hope to land a job when Cripple Creek casinos introduce table games...

Beginning in July, casinos in Colorado will be allowed to offer table games such as roulette.
April 10, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst Unemployment, both nationally and regionally, has reached a 25 year high, as companies shed workers to adjust to the faltering economy. Here in the Pikes Peak region, it's hard to find businesses that are adding...

Commentary: We might as well cede to Pueblo.
April 10, 2009... Byline: Lon Matejczyk More and more, I am thinking about re-opening the Pueblo Business Journal and moving to Pueblo. They understand economic development. Pueblo has decided that they have enough call centers, and that they won't...

Election in Colorado Springs showed votes both cautious, prudent.
April 10, 2009... Byline: CSBJ Staff Regardless of what you might think about the results of Tuesday's municipal elections, one thing seems clear: Colorado Springs voters thoughtfully considered the four referred issues on the ballot, and voted accordingly....

Bennett has been growing along with the YMCA in Colorado Springs for three decades.
April 10, 2009... Byline: CSBJ Staff Merv Bennett knows all the YMCA programs - and he should, he's been working for the organization in the Pikes Peak region for more than 36 years. He moved to Colorado Springs during 1972 to take a job as assistant...

Colorado Springs Business Journal News Briefs: April 10, 2009.
April 10, 2009... Byline: CSBJ Staff Employers needed for career fair The Pikes Peak Workforce Center is seeking employers who have open positions or plan to hire during the next month or two to participate in its annual Spring Career Fair which is...

Commentary: Skip instant info for a better portfolio.
April 10, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Regular readers of this column have likely noticed that the doom and gloom stops here. If yours truly wakes up in the morning and Pikes Peak is still there - albeit at times artfully shrouded in clouds - then it's...

Game sales soar in Colorado Springs.
April 10, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn "If you had a superpower, what would it be?" While this could be the latest method for daydreaming during a conference call - it's actually the newest way to drive the economy and bond with your progeny. ...

Spanish study claims green energy initiatives kill jobs.
April 10, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine The United States should not follow Europe's example in creating huge subsidies for alternative energy. A study that examines Spain's success in creating and retaining jobs in the "green energy" sector contains...

Don't be in a rush to get your business taxes filed.
April 10, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn As if filing personal income taxes weren't tough enough, limited liability corporation and other partnership returns also are due April 15. But if the thought of more Internal Revenue Service forms and tables,...

Commentary: Time to let the air out of the feel-good 'buy local' bubble.
April 10, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst Economics: the dismal science. Making fun of economists: a respected journalistic subcategory. Pretending to understand economics: our incurable national delusion. And one of the most persistent of our...

Space Symposium in Colorado Springs sets attendance records.
April 13, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley The Space Foundation's 25th National Space Symposium in April broke all previous records for attendance, international involvement, exhibitor participation and educational involvement. Almost 8,000 people,...

Colorado horse, dog tracks await legislation outcome.
April 13, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley A bill under consideration by legislators offers some reprieve for the state's lagging horse and dog racing tracks. The Colorado Senate has advanced Senate Bill 174, designed to allow racetracks and...

Nationwide anti-tax 'tea party' scheduled for Wednesday.
April 13, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine The first tea party in Boston signaled the colonists' dissatisfaction with British taxes and government interference, and gatherings scheduled for Wednesday seek to do the same thing - protest excessive taxes and too...

Vail to require all employees to wear helmets while skiing.
April 13, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer Starting this winter, Vail Resorts will require all employees and children younger than 12 who participate in resort lessons to wear helmets while skiing. Vail Resorts include Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge,...

CEO turnover lower in first quarter.
April 13, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Turnover among the nation's CEOs saw a resurgence in March, as 14 CEO departures were announced - an increase of 39 percent, after falling to a five-year low in February. Despite the surge, March departments were...

Small businesses in Colorado at odds with Senate over Pinnacol vote.
April 14, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Officials at the National Federation of Independent Business are not happy. Their ire was raised today when the Colorado Senate voted 18-to-15, to support Senate Bills 283 and 271 which allow the state to...

Denver Regional Census Center looking to fill management jobs.
April 14, 2009... Byline: Staff Writer The Denver Regional Census Center is hiring for a number of management and data collection positions. Visit their Web site or call the Census 2010 job line at 1-866-861-2010.

Card Check bill's flaws advertised by U.S. Chamber.
April 14, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has launched a $1 million television ad campaign in five states, including Colorado, to oppose what it calls the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as "Card Check," which would change the...

Cuba travel means business for agencies in Colorado Springs.
April 14, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Local travel agencies believe the United State's decision to open Cuba to tourist travel will boost their business - both for tourist and business travel. "Just to go, after it being closed for 50 years, I think...

Rain or shine, women in Colorado Springs will walk the talk.
April 14, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Women who have their dream job and want to help others along the career path will unite with women who are entering the work force during the Junior League of Colorado Springs third annual Mentor Walk. The walk is...

Hudson River landing pilot to receive U.S. Air Force Academy's award.
April 14, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer The U.S. Air Force Academy will award Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, the US Airways pilot who safely landed his plane in New York's Hudson River, the the Col. James Jabara Award for Airmanship tomorrow. ...

Chain retailers in U.S. offer tax day deals.
April 15, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Feeling the pain from filing taxes today? Several national chains are offering deals for the tax-oppressed. Here's a roundup of Tax Day deals around town and online. Chick-fil-A: visit a participating...

Cheating on taxes still popular: millions get undeserved returns.
April 15, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer Millions of citizens and non-citizens will apply for tax refunds that they don't deserve, according to the Social Contract Press. A 51-page report, The Earned Income Tax Credit and Illegal Immigration: A Study in...

Health board in El Paso County Board of County expanded, reorganized.
April 15, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley In response to legislation set to take effect July 1, the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners will add four members to the governing board of the El Paso County Department of Health and Environment. ...

1,500+ flock to anti-tax 'Tea Party' in Colorado.
April 15, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Their signs read "capitalism yes, socialism no" and "Deliver us from Obamanation." An estimated 1,500 people filled Acacia Park today for the national Tea Party anti-stimulus, tax and federal budget protest. ...

Pikes Peak Workforce Center gets stimulus money for teen job program.
April 15, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn The Pikes Peak Workforce Center will receive $1.4 million from The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for its Summer Work Experience program. Youths, ages 16 to 24, can gain paid work experience, from...

Downtown Colorado Inc.: Nominations for Gov.'s Downtown Excellence award sought.
April 16, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer Downtown Colorado Inc. is accepting nominations for the 2009 Governor's Awards for Downtown Excellence. The annual program recognizes the progress being made in revitalizing Colorado's historic downtowns and...

Commentary: Airports, transatlantic flights and a 60's state of mind.
April 16, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst I'm on a little to vacation in Spain this week.Transatlantic flights are, unless you're a CEO flying on the company dime, uncomfortable, dismaying, inconvenient, and expensive. Flying from Chicago to Madrid in...

Colo. Dept. of Regulatory Agencies strips insurance agent's license, slaps him with $30K fine.
April 16, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies has revoked Colorado Springs insurance agent Jan M. Siroky's insurance license and fined him $30,500.DORA officials said he defrauded consumers by selling long-term care,...

Colorado Springs-based Relax the Back: Save the environment in your sleep?
April 16, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Now you can cure two birds with one stone, without having to choose between what's good for the environment or what's best for your back. Relax the Back, on 1234 E. Woodmen Road, now sells the PureFit Bed, a...

Card check legislation in Colorado debated via airwaves, whistlestop campaign.
April 16, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Both sides have launched extensive advertising campaigns in the fight to approve the Employee Fair Choice Act, also known as the Card Check legislation. Business is on one side, with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce...