by Allen Greenberg Published: March 5,2010
An uproar over medical marijuana dispensaries, kicking the homeless out of their encampments without offering them a place to go, censoring ads because they showed cleavage on a Muppet. First impressions are typically far wrong, but there was a definite carnival atmosphere that gave Colorado Springs a slightly whacky, definitely off-kilter air when I cruised into [...] [...]
by Staff Writer Published: March 5,2010
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Organizations, be they businesses, nonprofits, or governments, must change and evolve to remain viable. But change doesn’t always bring progress. In the 138 years of its existence, the city government of Colorado Springs has had to continually change, reform and refocus. Today’s sprawling, argumentative city of nearly 400,000 souls requires city government of a breadth and complexity [...] [...]
by John Hazlehurst Published: March 5,2010
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It’s usually an easy, pleasant drive to work from my house on the west side. Right on Bijou, down 21st to Colorado, thence to Cascade, turn north and I’m there — wait a minute! Not anymore. There are now small potholes, there are big potholes, and then there are the two potholes that almost entirely block [...] [...]
by Lon Matejczyk Published: February 26,2010
Tags: Colorado Springs Business Journal, CSBJ Editor Allen Greenberg
As many readers probably know, the CSBJ editor’s position has been vacant since December. When I ran an ad for the job, I received somewhere around 60 resumes — 60 resumes from very qualified applicants who have worked at newspapers around the country and around the world. As it turns out, I never even needed to run [...] [...]
by John Hazlehurst Published: February 26,2010
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Since the days of Damon Runyon, Gene Fowler and George Ade, journalists have carefully adhered to the unwritten Code of the Reporter. It’s simple, as it has to be — we’re not mental giants. Here it is: Learn to type well enough to produce an 800 word story in 20 minutes. Only begin writing 25 minutes before deadline. Never [...] [...]
by Contributing Writer Published: February 26,2010
Tags: business, new energy taxes
As this country tries to reign in the deficit and increase employment, we need to maintain certain tax incentives that encourage businesses to stay open and maintain productivity. Therefore the federal government’s proposals to raise taxes on the oil and natural gas industries at this critical time for the economy is particularly ill advised. I am [...] [...]
by Staff Writer Published: February 26,2010
Tags: General Assembly, pay day loans, Rep. Mark Ferrandino, Sen. Chris Romer
Yesterday, the state legislature began hearings about a bill intended to limit the amount of interest charged by so-called “payday lenders.” The bill, sponsored by Sen. Chris Romer (D-Denver) and Rep. Mark Ferrandino (D-Denver) would establish a maximum annual percentage rate of 36 percent on such loans. On the face of it, the interest rates charged by [...] [...]
by Lon Matejczyk Published: February 19,2010
Tags: Colorado Springs City Council, United States Olympic Committee, Winter Olympics
Anything going on this week? Nah, just being the hometown of the United States Olympic Committee and having the Winter Games happening on the same continent. Not that anyone here can tell. Colorado Springs isn’t sporting any golden rings or staging any celebrations, nothing to declare that that this is the hub of the country’s commitment to [...] [...]
by John Hazlehurst Published: February 19,2010
During 1967, Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber, a French journalist, published an influential book, Le Defi Americain (The American Challenge). In it he argued that France and Europe were losing a “silent economic war” with the United States. The book sold more than half a million copies in France alone, and provoked both serious policy changes and a continental [...] [...]
by Contributing Writer Published: February 19,2010
Tags: Jobs, President Barack Obama, Small Business
The message from President Barack Obama is clear: we must give small businesses the tools they need to create the jobs America needs. Small businesses are the biggest engine for job creation, having created nearly 65 percent of net new jobs over the last 15 years. However, in this tough economic climate, small businesses still face [...] [...]
