Good morning, Grand Junction.

Rick Ellis, publisher of Fruita Living Magazine, and Shenna Hayden, executive director at Museums of Western Colorado, were named to the Fruita Chamber board today.

Three candidates have been nominated for three-year terms starting in January if no extra petitions are received by Sept. 18.

Sponsored by Western Slope VFW Post 3981, the Veteran Stand Down and resource fair will take place at Western Region One Source, 482 28 Road, on Friday, Sept.

18, offering veterans essential supplies + free haircuts, lunch, and community support on a first-come, first-served basis.

Business owners and leaders will gather on Sept.

23 at Colorado Mesa University for the SPARK Summit, featuring nine speakers on leadership, artificial intelligence, financial strategy and growth. The event starts at 8 a.m. — with master classes, keynotes and a reception running into the evening.

Furniture store Alluvial opened on Sept.

12 at 421 Colorado Ave, offering custom-order pieces and design help from owners Morgan Woodward and Jenna Smith. The shop will rotate its displays seasonally to provide fresh, unique furniture choices for locals.

The Western Colorado Latino Chamber of Commerce launched Hispanic Heritage Month with a kickoff at the Art Center featuring live music, ballet folklorico and a salsa demonstration, and honored dual language teachers at Bookcliff Middle School; more cultural events are planned through Oct. 15.

The Colorado Cattlemen's Association has established a wildfire relief fund to help livestock producers cover recovery costs like feed and fencing following wildfire losses.

Early donations include a $10,000 gift from American AgCredit & support from Scripps Howard Fund.

McConnell Science Museum hosts Cena Bajo la Luna, an outdoor dinner and concert with classical guitarist Javier de los Santos.

The event, supporting bilingual STEAM programs, takes place Sept. 27 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at CSU Western Campus (3170 B 1/2 Road).

Grand Junction City Council reviewed the Significant Trees provision after evidence (from a task force report) showed it did not preserve mature trees and may have encouraged their removal.

The Planning Commission recommended a new plan that offers more flexible tree preservation credits for development without repealing existing landscaping requirements.

Mesa County commissioners and county leaders will meet Collbran residents at Plateau Valley School at 6 p.m. on Sept.

22 to update on local issues & answer community questions.

Grand Junction City Council members will host a booth between Fifth and Sixth streets at Market on Main on Sept.

17 as part of the city’s meet you there initiative. The event will run from 5:30 p.m. until dusk.

Mesa County Clifton Motor Vehicle opened on Sept.

14 at its new location, the Clifton Community Campus at 3270 D 1/2 Road, to continue offering motor-vehicle services in Clifton. It remains open Monday through Friday (8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) for registration, title services and license plates.

Mesa County Public Health released its 2025 Annual Suicide Report, which shows local men and young workers face high risks, urging business leaders to share support resources like the 988 Lifeline (vital for early intervention and open conversations about mental health).

This summer, Intermountain Health St. Mary’s Regional Hospital’s cancer center (750 Wellington Ave.) installed a Siemens SOMATOM go.SIM CT Simulator and related technology to enhance radiation treatment precision for patients with head, neck, brain, and lung cancer.

Active Mesa County residential listings surpassed 1,000 for the first time since 2016 (a 24% increase over last year) as median home prices rose to $427,450 and overall inventory reached 4.4 months (a balanced market indicator) that offered more choice for local buyers.