Good morning, Grand Junction.

Fruita Coffee Club, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce + Business Incubator Center, connects local business owners with experts in operations, regulations and marketing.

The monthly meetups, held on the third Friday of every month, bring community leaders and local experts together.

Powderhorn Mountain Resort is replacing its 50-year-old chairlift with a new high-speed quad (Wild West Express Chairlift) to reduce wait times and open access to 19 west side trails.

The resort will open the east side around Thanksgiving and the west mid-December if weather permits.

Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce and Business Incubator Center hosted Coffee Club on Friday to help local business owners learn about operations, regulations and community resources, featuring speakers such as Fruita Mayor Matthew Breman.

The monthly event continues to offer free educational support for local entrepreneurs.

The Palisade Peach Festival returns today from 10 AM to 8 PM with a peach eating contest and paddleboarding for peaches.

Guests and vendors enjoy local treats and community spirit during the event.

Colorado Mesa University unveiled Duster, a bull statue built from 340 car parts (including a Chrysler Plymouth Duster emblem) on Aug.

14 to honor the school’s maverick spirit. Artist Sean Guerrero sourced materials from area farmers and ranchers for the commemorative installation presented to trustees, staff, and supporters.

Colorado State University Extension is urging local fruit growers to test peach and cherry trees for a resurgent X-disease before fall because leaf hopper insects spread the virus quickly.

The Plant Diagnostic Clinic will begin testing next week — commercial growers can get up to $500 in support.

Whit Blair, a CPW biologist, spends early spring mornings near Glade Park counting endangered Gunnison sage-grouse while partnering with local property owners to restore critical wet-meadow habitat + his work supports broader bird conservation in Mesa and Garfield counties.

The Mesa County Workforce Center will host a Skills-First Talent Development Training on Sept.

21 at 512 29 ½ Road, where its Workforce Development Board, which recently elected Brian Young + Darla Fortner as new leaders and honored outgoing members, will guide local workforce strategies.

At the Sinclair Rocky Mountain Open, Braxton Watts led with two back-to-back 62 rounds at Tiara Rado Golf Course, holding a three-shot advantage over Joseph Harrison who recorded a 7-under 64 round on Friday.