Good morning, Grand Junction.

On Tuesday, about 20 Safeway employees picketed the Grand Junction store at the corner of Patterson and 29 Road to protest claims of understaffing, retaliation, surveillance, and unfair labor practices.

The store closed temporarily—set to reopen by 4 p.m.

Third Bowl Homemade Ice Cream opened its Grand Junction store at (1059 North Ave) on June 9, serving 16 super premium flavors, including four dairy-free options.

Owner Kendall Phillips makes the ice cream from scratch and picked the location near Colorado Mesa University to keep prices low (a kid scoop costs $4) for everyone.

Colorado National Monument Association said it is teaming up with Denver-based Leopold Bros.

Distillery, which made Monument Canyon Trail whiskey that will give 10 percent of each sale to support CNMA’s work; the whiskey will soon be sold in stores and online and will be celebrated at a launch event on June 25 (6-7:30 p.m.) at Talbott Farms Farm Market and Tap Room in Palisade.

John Taylor pleaded not guilty to two second-degree murder charges for the May 15, 2024 shooting that killed Robert McCall and David Doolin—his trial is set to begin on Jan.

26, 2026 through Feb. 6, 2026.

Mesa County Workforce Center partnered with CMU Tech to launch the Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship Program—designed to ease staff shortages by offering hands-on classroom training and reimbursing up to 75% of apprentice wages for local businesses.

The program, which trained 10–20 students last year, now paves the way for director certification training that will further strengthen early childhood education in the valley.

Mike and Amber Martinez, who ran GJ Auto Sales for 22 years, learned that CDOT, the City and Mesa County planned a mobility hub on their property without warning them—this stopped their renovations and caused lost rental income.

The city council later approved a resolution to use eminent domain for the project while county officials argued it should be a last resort.

On Tuesday, immigrant rights groups demanded that Attorney General Phil Weiser and Governor Polis investigate the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office after a Fruita traffic stop on June 5 led to ICE detaining 19-year-old University of Utah student Caroline Dias Goncalves.

The MCSO admitted its mistake by removing officers from a group chat, and the groups said her detention violates Colorado law and harms public trust — urging improved training on immigration rules.

The House and Senate budget bills propose big changes to SNAP—freezing benefit adjustments, cutting federal funding for state programs, and shifting between $150 million and $300 million in costs to Colorado, which could worsen the state’s billion-dollar deficit.

Local food banks and SNAP beneficiaries worry that these changes will further strain food access as the legislation works its way through Congress.

U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper, Jeff Merkley, and Steve Daines recently introduced the bipartisan Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act of 2025 to direct USDA and DOI to offer wildland firefighting training to Job Corps conservation center students, set a goal to hire 300 students a year, and pilot a program to address workforce housing shortages—efforts that aim to build a stronger firefighting force amidst growing wildfire threats.

Toni Heiden of Heiden Homes Realty was honored at the National Association of Realtors convention in Washington, D.C. for donating $25,000 over her 47-year career—she helped support efforts to protect property rights and make housing more affordable.

Summer Solstice Celebration

1-2 a.m. — Wingate Park — Free entry — Celebrate the energizing Light and Love of the Summer Solstice at sunset.

Colorado Riverfront Concert Series

7 PM - 1 AM — James M. Robb - Colorado River State Park — Donations appreciated — Experience a night of live music with Julian Marley and the Uprising supporting trail maintenance efforts.