Colorado Springs Business Journal (CO) articles from May 2009

Colorado Springs Business Journal (CO) archives from May 2009

Colorado Springs-area foreclosures still up for April but stabilizing.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley During April, El Paso County recorded 539 foreclosure starts -- Notices of Election and Demand -- according to Public Trustee Tom Mowle. "This is probably the highest monthly total ever recorded in this county,...

Colorado health officials urge precautions against swine flu.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is urging schools and daycare centers to take precautions to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu, also known as swine flu. Two people in Colorado - both in the...

Pew Research Center poll shows falling stock market not sending Americans running to church.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Contrary to media reports, the Pew Research Center's April polls show that while many people might be praying for their 401(k)'s to turn around, the falling stock market has not sent Americans rushing to church. ...

Economic forum in Colorado Springs: Long on views, short on solutions.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Panelists shared many viewpoints but few agreements during a forum Thursday about how to create a vibrant local economy. The forum was part of the third annual Limited Government Week forum. Some panelists...

British consul mixes humor with trade advice at mayor's luncheon in Colorado Springs.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn British Consul General Kevin Lynch, kept the crowd laughing Thursday, at the Eighth Annual Mayor's International Luncheon at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Lynch talked about the economy, trade and investment between the...

Q&A with Jameson "Jamie" Smith, COO of Penrose-St. Francis Health Services in Colorado Springs.
May 1, 2009... Byline: CSBJ Staff Jameson "Jamie" Smith has traveled around the country, but he says Colorado Springs has everything he needs in a city. Smith is chief operating officer of Penrose-St. Francis Health Services and is busy juggling...

Commentary: Only truth in USOC building debacle: 'we are all screwed'.
May 1, 2009... Byline: CSBJ Staff On Nov. 25, Assistant City Manager Mike Anderson sent a breathless e-mail to LandCo CEO Ray Marshall. The subject line: "URGENT-NEED TO MEET." The e-mail read, in part, "Ray: the city's underwriting team advised...

Environmental marketing agency warns of the 7 'greenwashing' sins.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Buy this product - and you can save the oceans, improve air quality and stop global warming. Really? Green buyers beware. Labels are deceptive, environmentalists say, and they are taking to the Net to fight...

Commentary: Bonuses really aren't a great motivator for management.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Mike Boyd If you're struggling through the recession - and who isn't? - and you're wondering what type of compensation plan is going to help you keep your top executives and managers motivated and loyal, focus on salaries. ...

Commentary: Periphery sucking life out of city center.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Lon Matejczyk We can become the city of three downtowns. Maybe the price the land owners wanted for downtown dirt was a tad high. It is too bad a luxury hotel of the stature of John Q. Hammons' Renaissance isn't going to be...

Colorado Springs Retail Briefs: May 1, 2009.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Scott Prater Veteran New York entrepreneurs Jimmy Sabry and Michael Ezzat have opened a Mediterranean-style cafe in Manitou Springs. The Nile Cafe, 954 Manitou Ave., offers Mediterranean food, coffee and desserts. Sabry...

Colorado Springs Real Estate Briefs: May 1, 2009.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Could it finally be that area home builders might come out from under the economic black cloud that's hovered over the industry since 2007? Ralph Braden, president of the Colorado Springs Housing and Building...

Citadel stores weathering the economic storm in Colorado Springs.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley The CoStar Group, a commercial real estate marketing and information company, painted a bleak picture for enclosed malls in its first quarter 2009 National Retail Market Report. "Several mall landlords have seen...

Coloradoans on the Move: May 1, 2009.
May 1, 2009... Byline: CSBJ Staff Writer Charles Landherr has been named area sales manager for Colorado and Wyoming for Mitsubishi Electric HVAC. He previously worked as a sales engineer at the Joyce Agency. Dr. Robert Edelbrock has been named vice...

Economist Dr. Elliot Eisenberg outlines the law of unintended consequences.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Microeconomics is the study of behavioral changes - including the relationship between changes in price and changes in behavior. Regulatory changes create price changes. Therefore, "using microeconomics, let's...

Colorado Springs Medical Briefs: May 1, 2009.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Colorado is one of the top 10 states when it comes to serious disciplinary actions for doctors - and this, according to publiccitizen.org, is good news. The state had 4.5 actions - including revocations,...

Colorado Springs Business Journal City Bits: May 1, 2009.
May 1, 2009... Byline: CSBJ Staff Whole Foods wins green award Whole Foods Market has received a 2009 Green Choice Award from Natural Health magazine for its commitment to sustainable, earth-friendly initiatives which inspire other companies and...

Despite economy, The Citadel mall in Colorado Springs remains a retail stronghold.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Even as cash-strapped national and anchor tenants exit regional malls, sales at The Citadel mall - challenged by Macy's and Steve & Barry's recent closures - remain remarkably consistent. During its 37-year...

Commentary: Decline, debt and the demise of the daily newspapers.
May 1, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst For those of us who work for the 99.99 percent of American newspapers that are not The New York Times, The Washington Post or The Wall Street Journal, it's always a source of delight and pride when reporters from...

Colorado trial lawyers not giving up on malpractice legislation.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Changing the state's medical malpractice laws has failed twice in the General Assembly - but the bill might have nine lives. Supported by the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, House Bill 1344 was written to...

All that glitters isn't green: Marketers becoming savvy at promoting sustainable sheen.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Polar bears are drowning. Heat waves are killing people every year. About 30 percent of all species are threatened by rising temperatures. Death, famine, disease - all attributed to a planet on fire from global...

Colorado Springs residents stay active; named one of the fittest cities in America.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Mountaineers usually take four weeks to summit 20,320-foot Mount McKinley, including travel time. Flying to Alaska, acclimating, climbing to high camp, waiting for a weather window, summiting, descending and flying...

Economist sees unintended consequences to regulatory changes.(Theater review)
May 1, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Next time a proposed regulation sounds good - give it a litmus test before supporting it. "If you want to support legislation, make a list of all the ways people will think to bypass it - legally and illegally -...

Colorado Springs hospitals agree on visitation protocols to prevent flu.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Colorado Springs hospitals are working together to prevent the spread of H1N1 swine flu. Both Penrose-St Francis Health Services and Memorial Health System have agreed on visitor protocols to prevent the flu....

Renewable energy receives favorable support at state, federal levels.
May 1, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Wind energy has received a favorable report from the Department of Labor, just as Colorado made the list of top 10 states for wind energy production and the General Assembly considers new "green" energy legislation...

State, El Paso County haul in H1N1 medication.
May 4, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine For the first time in the state's history, an overnight operation moved 167,000 courses of antiviral medications to fight the H1N1, or swine, flu to 13 different sites throughout the state, including El Paso County,...

Mortgage sector hiring again - but not yet stemming losses.
May 4, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley While there's good, even if surprising, news from the mortgage employment sector - that hiring has shot up - persistent layoffs are outnumbered hirings, leaving a net job loss in the sector, according to...

Meeting scheduled to discuss rodeo parade, Fan Fest and Pride Fest in Colorado Springs.
May 4, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer Want to know what the plans are for this year's Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo Parade, Fan Fest and Pride Fest in downtown Colorado Springs? The City of Colorado Springs' Special Events Committee will host a meeting to...

Monument Valley Park condos in Colorado Springs on their way up.
May 4, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Work has started on the $15 million condo project, 28 West, that will overlook Monument Valley Park. The location at 28 West Monument St. sat vacant for years without any building plans until architect David...

Manitou Springs holds retail promotional event called Chick Crawl.
May 4, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Thirty women - or, chicks and their peeps, rather - were trailed Friday night by a red wagon and rubber ducks with "Chick in Charge" name tags, during Manitou Springs' first Chick Crawl, a retail promotional event to...

Commentary: Should Springs post office be 'stamping out hunger'?
May 4, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer The Colorado Springs Post Office, according to a press release sent today, is asking postal customers to fight hunger by leaving food donations with letter carriers as part of its "Stamp Out Hunger" campaign. Is it...

Governor Ritter signs job-creation legislation.
May 4, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst Gov. Bill Ritter today signed legislation that he believes will help companies create new jobs, allow Colorado to compete for new businesses and strengthen community college job-training programs to better meet...

Credit card bill hailed by consumers, abhorred by bankers.
May 5, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn At first glance, the Credit Card Holders' Bill of Rights seems to protect consumers, because it would ban retroactive rate hikes, double-cycle billing, misleading contract language and issuance to applicants under age...

Colorado Supreme Court decides in favor of business in 'fraud on market' suit.
May 5, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine The Colorado Supreme Court this week overturned a lower court's decision that would have made it easier to file class-action suits against businesses. The suit, Farmers Insurance Exchange v. Benzing, concerned a...

Colorado Springs starting study for downtown streetcar.
May 5, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer The city has chosen the URS Corp. to conduct a feasibility study for adding a rail track that would run streetcars along Tejon Street in downtown Colorado Springs. City Transit Division Manager Sherri Ritenour said...

University of Colorado fiscal reorganization promises no layoffs.
May 5, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley University of Colorado President Bruce Benson has outlined a major reorganization of the university system's administrative functions in an effort to balance a budget hard-hit by the state's money problems. While...

Commentary: Not so fresh 'ink'.
May 6, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst The newspaper wars kicked off today as The Gazette's Indy killer, FreshInk, hit the stands. The paper was conceived just a few weeks ago, and the folks responsible for putting it together had to work against...

Prostitution, cocaine ring in Colorado busted up.
May 6, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer The Statewide Grand Jury has indicted 15 illegal immigrants on suspicion of operating a prostitution and cocaine distribution ring. The illegal enterprise, known as Mi Casa Su Casa, included 11 brothels in Denver,...

Colorado-based XAware sold to Sparxent.
May 6, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley XAware, a home-grown high tech company that received millions of dollars in venture capital funding as a Colorado Springs Technology Incubator success story will be acquired by Salt Lake City-based Sparxent. A...

Commentary: Sheriff publishes puff piece.
May 6, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst We all know that local government is in crisis, right? Thanks to the recession, not to mention the unavoidable constraints imposed by TABOR, our elected officials are finding it difficult to fund even the basic...

Colorado Department of Transportation closing I-25 rest areas at Larkspur.
May 6, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer The Colorado Department of Transportation will close the two Larkspur rest areas along northbound and southbound Interstate 25 on May 11 because they're too expensive and too time consuming to maintain.The southbound...

Commissioners ask Colo. Gov. Ritter for veto.
May 6, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer The El Paso County Board of Commissioners is asking Gov. Bill Ritter to veto legislation that would prohibit leasing or selling any state-owned land to expand Fort Carson's Pinon Canyon maneuver site. "This bill...

Colorado Springs Police Department requests $11.7 million in stimulus funds.
May 7, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst The Colorado Springs Police Department said this morning that it has requested $11.7 million in federal funding related to the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Most of the money would be used to support...

Senate to consider credit card reforms.
May 7, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine One-fifth of people with credit card debt pay an interest rate above 20 percent, according to the Government Accountability Office. That fact alone has led lawmakers to consider legislation that would impose...

FDA approves new influenza production facility.
May 7, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new manufacturing facility for seasonal influenza vaccine production. The facility, which is owned by Sanofi Pasteur, manufactures Fluzone Influenza Virus...

Forum report: Worst is over for Colorado Springs economy.
May 7, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Local economic conditions have hit bottom, and economists believe El Paso County has been through the worst of the recession. The good news is that the economy is not deteriorating further, said Fred Crowley,...

New hours for security officer, taxi driver applications in Colorado Springs.
May 7, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Effective May 15, the City Clerk's Office will only process private security officer and taxicab driver applications for licensure from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays. Applications must be submitted to the...

City of Colorado Springs launches improved Web site.(Website overview)
May 7, 2009... Byline: Mike Boyd The City of Colorado Springs has launched its new Web site, complete with a new set of tools designed to improve online services. The site is ADA-compliant and is easier for visitors to navigate. Some of the new tools...

Sunflower grocery to open in former Longs Drug store space in Colorado Springs.
May 7, 2009... Byline: Colorado Springs Business Journal Southern Colorado's first Sunflower Farmers Market is scheduled to open May 27 at 1730 Dublin Blvd. The natural and organic grocer signed a 10-year lease with options on the space, which was...

Businesses that cater to baby boomers doing well, despite economy.
May 8, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst The United States might be going through one of the deepest recessions since the early 1980s, but some businesses that cater to baby boomers and the generation that preceded them are thriving. Collin Sutz, a...

Exporting: 2009 might be good time to diversify away from dependency on U.S. economy.
May 8, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Businesses that export increase their competitive advantage, create more jobs, pay higher wages and earn higher revenue. In Colorado, exporting supports about 89,000 jobs. During 2005, businesses exported to 193...

Not much these days for lawyers to love; Colorado Bar Assn. offering help to laid off lawyers.
May 8, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine The legal profession has contracted to the lowest level since the early 1990s - prompting bar associations, placement offices and legal journals to try to help attorneys find and keep jobs. Nationwide, about...

Options abound for companies seeking financing for exports.
May 8, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Colorado businesses export about $8 billion of manufactured and agricultural products annually, and there are numerous resources and loans for business owners interested in - literally - expanding their horizons. ...

Fort Carson's growth helps buffer Colorado Springs economy.
May 8, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Because of a large military population that spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually, Colorado Springs has enjoyed relative economic stability despite the recession. The Army is the state's second largest...

Commentary: No early line on who'll win The Independent vs. The Gazette battle royal.
May 8, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst It'll be interesting to watch the forthcoming dustup between The Independent and The Gazette's new four-day-a-week free publication, which will distribute 10,000 copies of each issue in the city's core areas. ...

Q&A with Jack Kerr, market president of First Commercial Bank Colorado.
May 8, 2009... Byline: CSBJ Staff After repairing and tuning - pianos, that is - his way through graduate school, banking was the "furthest thing" from Jack Kerr's mind. Perhaps something in the insurance industry. Anything except the steel mills of...

Colorado Springs Medical Briefs: May 8, 2009.
May 8, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Colorado's small group insurance program is relatively stable - with 21 companies providing insurance to small businesses. That's the 2008 report from the Division of Insurance, which shows a 7 percent, or about...

Colorado Springs Real Estate Briefs: May 8, 2009.
May 8, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Perhaps as a result of historically high foreclosure rates, tight credit or a slow residential resale market, an increasing number of homes - and some commercial buildings - are now being offered for rent. As a result,...

Colorado Springs Retail Briefs: May 8, 2009.
May 8, 2009... Byline: Scott Prater Denver-based bath and skincare retailer Melt Brands LLC has opened a retail store inside The Citadel mall. Melt Bath and Skincare occupies 900 square feet near the mall's food court and represents the ninth store...

Advertisers shift focus away from 18-34 demographic.
May 8, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst American businesses have seldom created products for or aimed advertising at the 55-plus demographic. Preferring to concentrate upon the next generation of consumers, the 18-34 age cohort has been the primary...

Colorado Springs Business Journal City Bits: May 8, 2009.
May 8, 2009... Byline: CSBJ Staff EDC leadership awards The Colorado Springs Regional Economic Development Corp. presented its 2008 Economic Development Leadership Awards last week. David Jenkins, chief executive officer of Nor'wood Development...

Commentary: Glenn's decision spotlights one of Colorado Springs City Council's biggest problems.
May 8, 2009... Byline: CSBJ Staff Less than a month after being sworn in for his second term on City Council, Darryl Glenn announced that he would be a candidate for the El Paso County Board of Commissioners. Glenn will seek the Republican nomination...

Commentary: Sailing the Springs could happen soon.
May 8, 2009... Byline: Lon Matejczyk We have a mountain, let's get a big lake to go with it. As part of the Southern Delivery System, a new water storage reservoir is in the plans. Projections are that by 2018 there will be a 760-acre reservoir 14...

Commentary: Some things from the '70s are worth remembering: Getting through economic turmoil.
May 8, 2009... Byline: Mike Boyd If you're old enough to have been thinking that today's economy seems a lot like deja vu all over again, you're not alone - but you're also probably at least 40-something or better. Drew Gerber, CEO of Blue Kangeroo...

Trends in national economy and Colorado Springs area.
May 8, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Psst... here's, well, not exactly a secret, but at least a marker to look for that signals economic recovery. "Once you see signs that people are going back to work, that's usually a sign that the recession is...

Commercial real estate lending tighter.
May 8, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Office, retail and industrial investors might book that long-awaited vacation to Tahiti this year. They certainly won't be pouring over commercial real estate offerings - at least based on current lending trends. ...

Stress tests don't uncover doomsday results.
May 8, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Results of the banking stress tests shouldn't be causing stress. While most reports call attention to the 10 banks that need additional capital, only one, GMAC, will need outside assistance. "The banking...

Wholesale inventories fall for a seventh month.
May 8, 2009... Byline: Scott Prater Wholesale inventories fell for a seventh straight month during March, according to a Commerce Department report released today. The drop amounted to 1.6 percent decline, following a 1.7 percent fall during...

USOC withdrawing from deal with Colorado Springs, LandCo.
May 8, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst The U.S. Olympic Committee has notified the city that it is withdrawing from the "Economic Development Agreement" executed by the city, LandCo and the USOC on March 31, 2008. "The USOC has terminated the...

Commentary: Come clean, Mr. Mayor.
May 8, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst The ethics complaint filed May 4 against Mayor Lionel Rivera by the Ron Johnson, CEO of Central Bancorp, makes serious allegations against the mayor, to which he ought to respond swiftly, openly and honestly. ...

Gov. Ritter to sign cyclists' bill today in Colorado Springs.
May 11, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Gov. Bill Ritter will sign a cyclist protection bill, Senate Bill 148, this evening at the Penrose Library in downtown Colorado Springs. The signing event is scheduled from 5:30 to 9 p.m. The bill, sponsored by...

Commentary: City of Colorado Springs needs to come clean about USOC deal.
May 11, 2009... Byline: CSBJ Staff On Friday, we reported on our Web site that the U.S. Olympic Committee had terminated its $52 million agreement with the City of Colorado Springs and LandCo Equity Partners. USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel confirmed the...

Low gas prices to prompt Memorial Day travel.
May 12, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer AAA predicts that drivers will hit the highways in droves this Memorial Day weekend, lured by low gas prices. The national average of U.S. retail gasoline prices dropped to $2.24 per gallon today, down nearly 40...

City of Colorado Springs starts business tax amnesty program.
May 12, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn City tax collectors have created an amnesty program to ease the tax burden for business owners who are delinquent - and bring in some much needed revenue for the city. Starting today, business owners who have not...

Colorado Springs Vice Mayor Larry Small: Enough is enough with closed sessions.
May 12, 2009... Byline: John Hazlehurst Colorado Springs Vice Mayor Larry Small has notified the city attorney and other members of the City Council that he will no longer support closed sessions about the city's dealings with the U.S. Olympic Committee....

What will loss of Pinon Canyon money mean for Colorado?
May 14, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Local economic officials are worried about what affect the Army's decision to drop Pinon Canyon expansion plans could have on the region. Pentagon officials said opposition to the plan prompted the decision to...

Medicare clinic in Colorado Springs to be The Pavilions first tenant.
May 14, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Kaiser Permanente has signed a 20,000-square-foot lease at The Pavilions office park, a devlopment across the street from the Memorial North hospital that has sat vacant since it was constructed in 2008. Kaiser...

Peterson AFB in Colorado passed up for planned cyber unit.
May 15, 2009... Byline: Rob Larimer Peterson Air Force Base has lost its bid to house the 24th Air Force cyber mission, a 400-airman Internet warfare unit. Air Force officials announced this morning that Lackland AFB, Texas, is the preferred location...

Colorado Springs docs among nation's most influential.
May 15, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley Twenty Colorado Springs physicians are listed among the nation's most influential doctors in a USA Today public database opened this week. The local doctors were among 6,000 in 300 metro areas considered to be...

Colorado Springs hospitals chip in to pay for detox center.
May 15, 2009... Byline: Amy Gillentine Despite missing an earlier deadline, both of Colorado Springs' hospitals have agreed to provide money for community detoxification services. Both Memorial Health System and Penrose-St. Francis Health Services...

Pikes Peak region hotels getting creative to retain market share.
May 15, 2009... Byline: Becky Hurley It hasn't taken the local lodging group long to figure out that recessionary economic conditions require a Plan B marketing strategy - a more innovative and aggressive approach to putting "heads in beds." John...

25th National Space Symposium held at The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs.
May 15, 2009... Byline: Diane Wengler A record 8,000 people attended the 25th National Space Symposium, the premier gathering of the global space community, last month at The Broadmoor Hotel. Despite a difficult economy, international involvement,...

Cultural conflicts can cause problems in international business.
May 15, 2009... Byline: Rebecca Tonn Establishing relationships is essential to doing business in other countries, which is why a little local knowledge often can go a long way toward overcoming any cultural conflicts that might arise. Americans won't...

Commentary: Everyone who loves meetings, please turn to the next page.
May 15, 2009... Byline: Mike Boyd Fed up with meetings? Think you'd be more productive and add more to the bottom line if you actually had time to work? Well, you're not alone. The latest survey from the folks at OfficeTeam showed that managers...