Happy Friday! Wrapping up another week here on the Western Slope. I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Please let send me an email and let me know your favorite and least favorite aspects of the newsletter so I can continue to improve it.

In this edition:

• Wolf Siting in Mesa County

• Food Kitchen Event

• Deportation Affects the Western Slope

• New Food Spot in Hotchkiss

Housing

Market Stats:

Average Sales Price: $468,573 (+$1,509 from last week)

Median Sales Price: $400,000 (no change from last week)

Inventory Levels:

Number of New Listings: 54 (+6 from last week) 

Average Days on Market: 91 (no change from last week)

Total Number of Active Listings: 548 (-25 from last week)

_{Source: Skyler Kraai with Coldwell Banker Distinctive Properties}

News

Wolf Sighting on Mesa County

This is a newsletter free of politics so keep those beliefs to yourself. A lot of people love the reintroduction of wolves and many are agaisnt it. Regardless of how you feel, we did have our first local siting.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife have confirmed the gray wolf sighting in Mesa County is the first one and are not aware of any sightings prior to recent movements.

Our newsroom received reports on Feb. 3rd of a wolf spotted in Glade Park.

CPW confirmed that a wolf made its way into Mesa County according to data activity, and said as population numbers grow some will move to establish new territories.

CPW encourages Mesa County residents to fill out a wolf sighting form if they see one.

“Souper Bowl Sunday”

The Community Food Bank of Grand Junction is hosting a food drive this weekend to go along with some big game preparations coming on Sunday.

Its “Souper Bowl” food drive is a chance for the food bank to replenish some of its soup supplies during a slower period after the holidays.

This isn’t the first time they’ve done something like this, according to Jessica Mays, who is the development manager of Community Food Bank.

“We’ve actually done this for a few years now. It’s kind of a crafty, fun theme, but it’s not originated from us,” said Mays. “A lot of food banks do this around this time because of the theme, because people are already shopping… and so usually we’re able to get a higher return on donation items.”

Volunteers will be at Safeway stores around the valley on Saturday morning, but if you can’t make it to a Safeway around then, donations will also be accepted at the Community Food Bank from around 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Business Highlight

Two Hotchkiss Restaurants Combine and Add Ice Cream Parlor

A marriage of two Hotchkiss restaurants is a successful move for Matt and Misty Todd, who own 133 BRGR, which opened in Dec. 2017, and T-Bracket Pizza, which debuted in June. The two eateries are now in the 221 E. Bridge St. location.

Local Community

Deportation Affects on the Western Slope

President Donald Trump states, “Today’s signings bring us one step closer to eradicating the score of migrant crime in our communities once and for all.”

Just after he took office, Trump held true to his campaign promise of having illegal migrants deported. Migrants make up a big part of the ag workforce. Longtime peach grower Bruce Talbott, farm manager at Talbott’s Mountain Gold in Palisade, and other growers says their concern about workers is minimal. 

Talbott states, “The proposal to return undocumented or illegal immigrants back to source countries probably won’t affect the Western Slope very much at all. 

Brandon Black, owner of Mesa Park Fruit, states, “It’s really not going to be a really big deal. So, we don’t use undocumented workers. We do bring workers up from Mexico through a program called H2A.”

Talbott and Black say with the H2A program, they are not worried about the possible deportation of their workers. This program is where the workers will have a passport in which they will buy their visa and then go to their country of origin to be approved.

Once then they are eligible to work.

Western Slope Sports!

Junior Hockey League expansion team coming to Grand Junction 2025

Hockey continues to grow and thrive in the Grand Valley.

Starting this fall, the action and excitement of the National Collegiate Development Conference, the highest level of the United States Premiere Hockey League, a Tier II junior hockey league, will be in Grand Junction at River City Sportplex.

They will be named the Grand Junction River Hawks.

Exciting Events: February

This section only includes local upcoming events. Feel free to submit yours!

Sports

• Western Region Basketball Tournament

  • Saturday, February 15
    8:30 am – 6:00 pm

  • Location: Colorado Mesa University
    1100 North Avenue
    Grand Junction, CO 81501

  • Special Olympics Colorado is hosting the Western Region Basketball Tournament at Colorado Mesa University! Traditional Play, Unified Play and All Star Skills Challenge will be played.

• Grand Valley Racing League #3

  • 48338 Powderhorn Rd Mesa, CO 81643

  • Grand Valley Racing League is hosting the third weekend of races! The Grand Valley Race League is a business-oriented event that is all about having fun in a low pressure environment. We will set up a dual slalom type course and will set up race gates. Racing runs from 1-3pm. Awards around 3:30-4:30 pm upstairs over in the Slopeside.

Family Fun

• 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

  Dates: Feb 28th at 7pm

              March 1st 2pm & 7pm

              March 2nd 2pm

  Location: The Art Center of Western Colorado 1803 N 7th Street GJ, CO

  Tickets: Adults $30

                Students/Seniors $25

                Available at: 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Theatre Project of Grand Junction

• Unite the Fight Benefit Concert

  • Join United Way of Mesa County for an unforgettable evening of live music at Warehouse 2565 on Friday, February 7! Start the night with the incredible sounds of The Lost Junction Band, then rock out with headliners Peach Street Revival. This isn’t just a concert—it’s an opportunity to make a meaningful impact. Every dollar raised will support local nonprofit programs providing essential resources and pathways to stability for our unhoused neighbors. Gather your friends, enjoy amazing music, and be part of a community united for a great cause! Doors open at 6:00, show at 7:15.

• Colorado's Amazing Bumble Bees and How We Can Help Them (FREE)

  • 119 W 3rd StPalisade, CO 81526

  • The mountain regions of North America boast some of the highest diversity of bumble bees, making Colorado a fantastic place to learn about these fuzzy pollinators. Unfortunately, like many other insects and pollinators, many bumble bee species have been experiencing population declines in past decades. The good news is that there are actions we can take right now to help them! Come learn about the unique life cycle and adaptations of these amazing creatures. Hear more about conservation issues and what can be done to help, including how the Mountain States Bumble Bee Atlas is using citizen scientists to help conserve bumble bees, one photograph at a time. The Mountain States Bumble Bee Atlas is an ongoing community science project and everyone is invited to participate! Learn more at BumbleBeeAtlas.org.

Date Night 🎆

• Montrose Farmers' Market - Winter Market

  • 99 S Uncompahgre Ave, Montrose, CO 81401

  • Dates: 3/1/2025, 3/15/2025, 3/29/2025, 4/12/2025, 4/26/2025

  • Location: Centennial Plaza

  • Time: 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

  • Price: Free

• Open Mic Night

  • 846 E. Main St, Montrose, CO 81401

  • Recurrence: Recurring weekly on Wednesday

  • Location: Horsefly Brewing Company

  • Time: 6:30 PM

  • Price: Free

• David Phelps Speak of Love Tour

  • 2702 Patterson RdGrand Jucntion, CO 81506

  • Price: General Admission purchased from church: $25. Artist Circle Purchased from church: $40. General Admission purchased online: $28 + $6.61 Fee. Artist Circle purchased online: $40 + $8.46 Fee. VIP tickets purchased online: $70 + $15.33 Fee.

  • Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

  • David Phelps is credited among today’s most spectacular voices. His seemingly endless vocal range, which extends more than three octaves, coupled with his gift for communicating a song, has brought the house down in the world’s most prestigious venues. David has received numerous Dove Awards, Grammy Awards, and multiple platinum-selling recording projects.

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