Improved rail service is a priority for Grand Valley leaders but even if local officials get the freight capabilities they’re hoping for, it will be too late for one Grand
RockyMounts, the bike rack manufacturer that built a facility in Las Colonias Business Park, is moving its warehouse and distribution operation to Salt Lake City.
RockyMounts owner Bobby Noyes said the difficulty of getting products from Salt Lake City to Grand Junction for distribution is the reason behind the move. The company will still be headquartered in Grand Junction.
âWeâve been bringing in containers from Salt Lake and it has gotten increasingly difficult,â Noyes said. âSo whatâs happened is, weâll probably do 50 or 60 containers this year and the drivers donât want to come here anymore.â
RockyMounts, whose racks are manufactured overseas, has its products shipped in rail containers, which then have to be loaded onto trucks and driven from Salt Lake City to Grand Junction, Noyes said. The length of the trip and delays from weather and problems like flat tires have made drivers unwilling to make the trip, he said.
As Mesa County continues the early stages of its vaccine rollout, some in the county seem to feel the time for wearing masks is over.
Since Dec. 1, the Grand Junction Police Department has answered four removal calls and one assist for patrons not wearing masks and/or refusing to leave the premises at businesses in town. In the past few days, GJPD officers have responded to College Liquors on Patterson Road and REI on Independent Avenue to remove individuals.
âIt doesnât appear that any of these were organized groups,â Grand Junction Police Department spokesperson Callie Berkson said. âThe overwhelming majority of our community has voluntarily complied with the state mask mandate and has shown a great deal of understanding and respect towards other community members and businesses following the mandate.â