Many people transitioning from jail or prison struggle to reenter society without support. Mesa County’s new program helps with housing, jobs, transportation and mental health services.
Sharon Sullivan
Special to The Colorado Sun
Email: ssullivan.writer@gmail.com Twitter: @sharon_sullivan
Posted inBusiness, Economy, Equity, Health, Housing, News
The affordable housing crisis on Colorado’s Western Slope is showing no sign of easing
Sheila Martinez had had enough of Utah when in 2011, she moved to Grand Junction from Provo with her boyfriend and two sons. “I needed a change, I was going nowhere,” Martinez, 46, said. “Sometimes, you just need a fresh start.” The novelty wore off soon enough. Martinez found a job at Burger King and […]
Posted inColoradans, COVID, Health
Colorado teens pregnant during coronavirus face increased isolation and difficult decisions
Sixteen-year-old Rebecca Montgomery wants her boyfriend Jesse to be with her for their daughter’s birth in December. She would also really like her mother present for the labor and delivery. However, she’s allowed only one visitor under current hospital policies to combat the spread of the coronavirus. “My mom is my best friend. I’ve always […]
Posted inBusiness, Coloradans, News
Food grown for research once rotted in Colorado fields. Now, it’s feeding the hungry
GRAND JUNCTION — On a cloudy, mid-July morning, a small group of volunteers began picking more than a ton of watermelons, 330 pounds of cucumbers and roughly 25 pounds of tomatoes on land that for decades has been used to research crop varieties, increase yields and control pests and diseases. Not so long ago, some […]
Posted inBusiness, Coloradans, COVID, Health, News
Meals on Wheels is still delivering in western Colorado — but without the side of conversation
Ninety-year-old Rose Konola misses the conversations she used to have with Meals on Wheels volunteers who bring hot lunches to her home four days a week. COVID-19 has changed the way the Mesa County chapter of the program provides meals to the elderly. While crucial to ensuring the safety of both clients and drivers, the necessary distancing […]
Posted inBusiness, Coloradans, COVID, Health, News
Devastated by weather and the coronavirus pandemic, Western Slope farm workers try to hold on
Guadalupe’s job as an agricultural worker at a Palisade greenhouse is considered essential, which has allowed her to continue working during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the market for the greenhouse produce she harvests in the spring has dropped significantly. Typically, 75% of the lettuce, kale, spinach, arugula and basil are sold to restaurants in the […]
Posted inBusiness, News
A $60,000 solar project, with no money down: A Colorado program helps businesses finance renewable energy projects
Delta County farmer Steve Ela saved a minimum of $1,000 per month on utility bills last year after installing solar panels at his 100-acre organic farm where he grows mostly tree fruits – peaches, plums, pears, sweet cherries and apples. Ela financed 100% of the $60,000 solar project, with no money down, thanks to Colorado […]