Today, more than 80% of global shipping involves containers. They're packed with everything from personal storage items in dry containers to heavy machinery on flat rack containers. For business owners shipping products, getting a container from point A to point B requires precise planning and high-level tracking. But that's easier said than done when global supply chains become over-congested, leading to loading time issues and delays.
That's bad news for business owners who are already under a massive amount of stress. The truth is that container storage delays can cripple a business, but there's a viable solution: drayage brokers in Denver, CO like RelyEx. Drayage companies provide unique solutions to minimize demurrage and help ensure the successful delivery of your freight.
With more than 30 combined years of experience and a solutions-oriented team, RelyEx has quickly become the first choice for streamlined, efficient drayage services. To understand the true value of RelyEx's offerings in the global logistics industry, it helps to understand first what drayage is and why it's used.
If you're a seasoned business owner who uses port drayage to transport your products, you know exactly how important the service can be. But if you were to poll a group of random people, you may get five different definitions of the term "drayage." That begs the question, how is one of the most crucial steps in the supply chain and most vital components of global trade such a confusing concept? When you break it down, it's not too difficult to grasp.
Drayage, by definition, means the transportation of freight from an ocean port to another destination. Today, drayage is also used to describe the process of transporting products and goods over short distances or over "the first mile."
While drayage often means short-distance movements during the supply chain process, it's primarily used in the container shipping space. Drayage loads usually have arrival and departure points in the same city and don't include long-haul, national transportation.
Because a drayage load can mean a few different things, confusion among carriers is common. Many carriers link drayage with going into a port, but that isn't always true. While all drayage loads typically originate from a port of entry, there are often several legs of a drayage journey before a container turns up at its final stop. Legs of a drayage load may include:
You may be thinking, what's so important about drayage? It's such a small step in the container storage transport process. In reality, it's an integral piece needed in the logistics industry and a crucial part of U.S. supply chain management.
To truly understand the importance of drayage, let's use flowers as an example. Most cut flower shipments enter the market from areas in South America until they end up at Dutch auction houses. Once there, wholesalers purchase flowers in bulk and send those products to retail outlets worldwide. Because flowers are perishable, they typically need to be refrigerated and are often shipped in reefer containers. These refrigerated vessels must maintain a certain temp to prevent loss.
Drayage companies like RelyEx allow flower shippers to send their products from Argentinian ports to airports in the Netherlands with peace of mind because their products are protected. The only way to accomplish this feat is with the help of swift, meticulous port drayage services. Drayage companies allow flower shippers to send their products from Argentinian ports to airports in the Netherlands with peace of mind, because their products are protected. The only way to accomplish this feat is with the help of swift, meticulous port drayage services.
If port drayage is compromised, it can cause delays and even fines. You know the packages you get delivered to your front door from apps like Amazon? Without drayage and drayage brokers, one or two-day shipping times wouldn't even be possible.
As a multi-billion-dollar industry in the U.S. alone, it seems like drayage shipping issues shouldn't exist. But the fact is inefficiencies and congestion are still major problems at ports. Whether it's a lack of carriers, absent chassis, or overburdened terminals, delays lead to missed deadlines, lost revenue, and worse.
But anytime challenges exist, so too do innovative solutions.
QUOTE REQUESTRelyEx was created because our founders saw a need in the logistics space for more reliability and efficiency. The reality of the shipping and logistics industry is that it has become very transactional. It's an odd evolution, because most businesses seek a third-party logistics partner that is accessible, transparent, and committed to providing solutions.
As the logistics space continues to grow, it creates newfound expenses and complexities. Clients like ours know that and need a supply chain partner who is genuinely interested in their business. By understanding the needs of our customers and carriers, we can provide the most reliable, effective drayage services possible.
Unlike some drayage companies in Denver, CO, we begin managing your containers before they ever hit the ports by mapping out the most efficient pathways of delivery. That way, our team can discover the best drayage pathways to expedite delivery time and reduce fees that cut into profits.
Our valued drayage customers choose RelyEx because:
At RelyEx, we like to consider ourselves problem solvers. The nature of the container drayage industry presents new challenges every day, but we're firm believers that there's a solution to every hurdle we encounter. And while some drayage businesses implement a reactive approach, RelyEx customers choose us for our proactive mindset. We take pride in solving your company's drayage challenges to help you avoid frustrating fees, missed expectations, and delayed shipments. We strive to make every transaction successful and streamlined by partnering with shippers who prioritize transparent, prompt, and accurate communication.
RelyEx approaches your business from the customer's perspective - a unique approach that helps us provide high-quality, effective drayage services. We've been in the customers' shoes, know their pain points, and because of that, provide first-hand solutions to stressful supply chain issues. With over 30 years of collective knowledge, our team excels in:
Our varied, high-level drayage shipping experience helps us achieve our overarching goal: expertly managing your freight movement needs. That way, you can direct your time and focus on growing the core aspects of your business while we handle the heavy lifting. Throw in proactive planning to avoid bottleneck situations and strong communication for transparent customer relations, and you can see why so many companies trust RelyEx.
When it comes to shipping logistics, it only takes one mistake by a mediocre worker to disrupt your business. That's why, at RelyEx, we pride ourselves on forming and nurturing relationships with carriers who match our standards of care. Our founding partner started his career transporting freight for companies as an on-demand carrier. He uses that knowledge to maximize the resources of our carriers so that our customer's expectations aren't just met - they're exceeded.
Based in the port city of Denver, RelyEx has a keen understanding of the challenges of managing the inbound and outbound flow of containers. Our team of container drayage experts provides your business with unique solutions to nuanced shipping problems, minimizing demurrage and ensuring the successful delivery of your freight.
Customers choose RelyEx because:
Some drayage brokers don't care how customers feel about their service as long as they sign a contract and get paid. As a solutions-oriented team, RelyEx takes the opposite approach. We're motivated by the opportunity to overachieve for our customers and to provide them with the best logistics experience possible. With professional experience as carriers and shippers ourselves, we know the roadblocks and challenges you're facing. We excel at mapping out the best plans of action to solve those problems. But that's just the start.
Our tracking experts monitor and manage every aspect of your drayage shipment from booking to delivery, 24/7. Once booked, we look for the availability of your containers hourly once they're at port. When they arrive, our team acts quickly to access your storage containers when they're available.
Plus, RelyEx ensures your company's requirements are met by the carrier during loading and delivery and provide necessary documentation as fast as possible. With real-time tracking updates and access to our customer service professionals, your team has complete visibility throughout the shipping process.
Over the years, RelyEx has built a strong network of drayage carriers, transloading locations, and container storage spaces to provide you with the best possible options to match your drayage service needs. We know that searching for quality service presents an added layer of complexity and stress to our customers. That's why we work hard to take that off your plate by connecting you with our reliable shipping partners.
With a background moving freight as an on-demand carrier, our founding partner understands how to maximize the resources and equipment of our carriers to match your needs.
Like other industries, the global logistics space is complex. Mistakes will be made, and problems will happen. With those truths in mind, RelyEx has built its reputation as problem solvers. Unlike other drayage companies, we don't shy away from this industry's complexities because we take pride in solving problems. Even better, we aim to do what's needed to avoid those problems altogether.
As your logistics partner, we will provide your company with accurate, transparent, and prompt communication. If there are unexpected issues, we'll notify you immediately and will provide several options to remedy the problem. We even offer custom reporting for large clients who need at-the-moment updates and quick access to shipment documentation.
Why let the unpredictability of your industry dictate your success? With a background working in manufacturing, our founders are familiar with the demands of managing production schedules and sales orders. That experience makes it abundantly clear to us that every business and industry is different. If you struggle with seasonal surges or other factors, our team supports your business with a mapped-out plan and schedule, so you stay ahead of the game.
QUOTE REQUESTBased in the port city of Denver, RelyEx has a keen understanding of the challenges of managing the inbound and outbound flow of containers. Our team of container drayage experts provides your business with unique solutions to nuanced shipping problems, minimizing demurrage and ensuring the successful delivery of your freight.
Demurrage is a charge issued by a port, carrier, or railroad company for storing containers that do not load and unload their cargo promptly. Once the daily limit of free time is exceeded, shippers are charged daily demurrage fees until their cargo is shipped. Though different ports have different policies, charges can range from $75 to $150 per container, per day, for a set number of days. Additional demurrage fees are incurred if a shipper exceeds the port's parameters.
Even when shippers maintain a tight schedule for unloading freight, external factors can play an uncontrollable part. Typically, shipping mistakes caused by human error trigger the most demurrage charges. Some of the most common causes of demurrage include:
Typically, shippers need four specific documents to clear shipments through customs: A Bill of Lading (or BOL), a commercial invoice, a packing list, and an arrival notice. Seasoned drayage brokers like RelyEx are used to preparing these documents, but new shippers tend to miss this step due to inexperience.
If a shipper only pays for part of their shipment, a vessel operator may refuse to release their freight until their bill is fully paid. Payment delays lead to cargo detention at the port of entry, which triggers demurrage charges.
QUOTE REQUESTPaperwork is needed when you're shipping goods with a drayage company. When documents like the Certificate of Origin or Bill of Lading arrive at their destination late, you can expect demurrage fees. RelyEx avoids this situation entirely by being proactive when submitting paperwork.
Additional causes for demurrage fees can include:
At RelyEx, we know first-hand how stressful supply chain problems can be for business owners. Though drayage shipping might seem minor on the surface, it affects every stage of your shipping process. And when inevitable hurdles manifest, RelyEx propels you over the proverbial roadblocks with a proactive mindset and a passion for challenging projects. We believe that all problems have a solution, and our unique vantage point allows us to provide first-hand solutions to customers in a wide array of industries.
When it comes to your business, don't settle for anything less than RelyEx. Contact our office today to learn more about how we make your shipping experience streamlined and stress-free.
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denver7 Forecast 4/28/24- A cloudy start to the day, with partly sunny skies by afternoon. There will be a few lingering showers late in the day across the plains, before warmer and drier air settles in to start the week.DENVER — Saturday's spring snowstorm in Colorado brought widespread precipitation with rain and morning snow for the Denver metro area and snow piling up in the mountains, as high as 1 to 3 feet.The heaviest snow totals were logged in the north-central mountains, with more than 25 inches falling near Moun...
denver7 Forecast 4/28/24- A cloudy start to the day, with partly sunny skies by afternoon. There will be a few lingering showers late in the day across the plains, before warmer and drier air settles in to start the week.
DENVER — Saturday's spring snowstorm in Colorado brought widespread precipitation with rain and morning snow for the Denver metro area and snow piling up in the mountains, as high as 1 to 3 feet.
The heaviest snow totals were logged in the north-central mountains, with more than 25 inches falling near Mount Audobon. The south metro area saw around 3-2 inches from Saturday's storm.
Highs today will be milder, in the upper 50s to low 60s across the metro area and plains. Skies clear overnight, with warmer and drier weather returning to start the week.
Scroll down to see 24-hour snow reports from Colorado ski resorts and the latest Colorado snowpack report.
Here are the latest snow totals reported to the National Weather Service as of Sunday morning:
3 NNE MOUNT AUDUBON, CO 25.3
4 S LONGS PEAK, CO 24.2
4 NNW LONGS PEAK, CO 23.1
3 SW WARD, CO 22
3 WNW PINGREE PARK, CO 17.6
1 SW ELDORA, CO 17.6
3 S BRAINARD LAKE, CO 17.6
9 SE CAMERON PASS, CO 16.5
9 E GLENDEVEY, CO 16.5
1 NE ECHO LAKE, CO 16.5
7 NW RED FEATHER LAKES, CO 15.4
5 SSW BLUE RIVER, CO 15.4
1 NNW CAMERON PASS, CO 14.3
Aspen Springs, CO 13.5
7 SSE CAMERON PASS, CO 13.2
3 WNW ALMA, CO 13.2
7 E BLUE RIVER, CO 13.2
3 WNW Aspen Park, CO 13
3 SW Breckenridge, CO 13
4 NE Nederland, CO 12.5
2 W Pennock Pass, CO 12.5
4 SSE Pinecliffe, CO 12.4
2 ESE Pinecliffe, CO 12.1
6 E CAMERON PASS, CO 12.1
2 S Estes Park, CO 11.6
5 SSW GLENDEVEY, CO 11
9 SSE GOULD, CO 11
1 W Aspen Springs, CO 11
1 WNW Loveland Pass, CO 11
1 SSW Copper Mountain, CO 11
1 S Crescent Village, CO 10
7 NE Sawpit, CO 10
8 NW GLENDEVEY, CO 9.9
8 SSE CAMERON PASS, CO 9.9
1 W COPPER MOUNTAIN, CO 9.9
1 NW CLIMAX, CO 9.9
3 NNE Pinecliffe, CO 9.5
1 N Genesee, CO 9.3
2 NE Rollinsville, CO 9.2
1 SW Tiny Town, CO 9
10 NNE SILVERTHORNE, CO 8.8
5 W BERTHOUD FALLS, CO 8.8
1 WNW LOVELAND PASS, CO 8.8
1 NNW BERTHOUD PASS, CO 8.8
5 WSW GUANELLA PASS, CO 8.8
9 SE WESTON PASS, CO 8.8
1 NNW Grant, CO 8
2 NNE Shaffers Crossing, CO 7.9
6 W ARAPAHOE PEAK, CO 7.7
1 SSE LOVELAND PASS, CO 7.7
Nederland, CO 7.5
2 SSE Winter Park, CO 7.5
2 WNW Estes Park, CO 7.4
4 W Pinewood Springs, CO 7
5 WSW GRAND LAKE, CO 7
4 NNE Floyd Hill, CO 6.7
9 SSE SPICER, CO 6.6
5 WSW WINTER PARK, CO 6.6
5 W GREEN MOUNTAIN RESE, CO 6.6
3 NE Black Forest, CO 6.5
2 NE Leadville, CO 6.4
2 SW Estes Park, CO 6.3
3 E Conifer, CO 6.3
2 SW Golden, CO 6.2
1 SSE Wah Keeney Park, CO 6.1
2 SSE Loveland Pass, CO 6
1 S St Marys Glacier, CO 6
Red Mountain Pass, CO 6
4 E Camp Bird, CO 6
2 SE Wilkerson Pass, CO 6
3 S Conifer, CO 6
11 S RABBIT EARS PASS, CO 5.5
6 NW SILVERTHORNE, CO 5.5
1 NE Brookvale, CO 5.4
1 SSW Georgetown, CO 5.1
2 N Black Forest, CO 5
Woodland Park, CO 5
5 E Monument, CO 4.5
2 NNE Monument, CO 4.5
8 SSE RAND, CO 4.4
3 WNW Divide, CO 4.2
3 ESE Lone Tree, CO 4
5 S Hillside, CO 4
Coal Bank Pass, CO 4
1 WNW Crescent Village, CO 3.5
1 SSE Lone Tree, CO 3.3
3 SE Shamballa, CO 3.3
2 NNE Monument, CO 3.3
1 SE Gould, CO 3.2
2 WSW Lone Tree, CO 3.2
2 SSW Castle Rock, CO 3.2
2 WSW Lakewood, CO 3
2 N Castle Pines, CO 3
4 S Black Forest, CO 3
5 W Falcon, CO 3
4 ESE Foxfield, CO 3
3 W Arapahoe Park, CO 3
3 WSW Aurora, CO 3
2 NNE Elizabeth, CO 3
2 SW Black Forest, CO 3
3 W Black Forest, CO 3
4 WNW Black Forest, CO 3
4 ESE Monument, CO 3
5 SSW Black Forest, CO 2.9
3 WNW Castlewood Canyon, CO 2.9
4 WSW Drake, CO 2.8
2 NNE Falcon, CO 2.8
5 SE Monument, CO 2.8
2 SW Cherry Hills Villa, CO 2.8
7 NW Cuchara, CO 2.8
2 WNW Lone Tree, CO 2.6
5 S Black Forest, CO 2.5
3 ENE Shamballa, CO 2.5
Castle Rock, CO 2.5
10 E Arapahoe Park, CO 2.5
4 ENE Cedar Point, CO 2.5
6 S Leadville, CO 2.5
2 NE Cherry Hills Villa, CO 2.4
1 NE Evergreen, CO 2.3
6 S Calhan, CO 2.3
2 W Aurora, CO 2.3
7 NNE Black Forest, CO 2.3
7 NNW Peterson AFB, CO 2.3
1 N Sunshine, CO 2.2
5 S Castlewood Canyon, CO 2.2
2 NE Englewood, CO 2.2
1 ENE Littleton, CO 2.1
5 NE Manitou Springs, CO 2.1
1 SW Kittredge, CO 2
1 NE Littleton, CO 2
1 ESE Ken Caryl, CO 2
3 WNW Parker, CO 2
3 W Falcon, CO 2
3 N Foxfield, CO 2
2 WSW Buckley AFB, CO 2
Ponderosa Park, CO 2
13 ENE Kiowa, CO 2
Palmer Lake, CO 2
4 WNW Buena Vista, CO 2
2 W Guffey, CO 2
4 NNW Mount Crested But, CO 2
1 ENE 11-Mile Canyon Re, CO 2
4 S Air Force Academy, CO 2
Molas Pass, CO 2
1 SE Crestone, CO 1.8
2 W Vail, CO 1.7
4 ESE Falcon, CO 1.5
1 ESE Denver, CO 1.5
3 ENE Manitou Springs, CO 1.5
2 NW Colorado Springs, CO 1.5
1 NNW Cheesman Reservoi, CO 1.5
4 WNW Peterson AFB, CO 1.4
4 NNE Ken Caryl, CO 1.3
4 NW Peterson AFB, CO 1.3
3 SSW Castle Pines, CO 1.1
1 WNW Buena Vista, CO 1.1
7 E Virginia Dale, CO 1
2 SW Lakewood, CO 1
7 N La Veta, CO 1
1 ESE Manitou Springs, CO 1
2 SSW Colorado Springs, CO 1
2 N Colorado Springs, CO 1
2 NNE Colorado Springs, CO 1
1 NNW Arvada, CO 0.9
2 E Castle Rock, CO 0.9
1 E Edgewater, CO 0.7
3 SSW Boulder, CO 0.6
1 SW Aurora, CO 0.5
2 S Boulder, CO 0.3
A-Basinhttps://www.arapahoebasin.com/snow-report/
Copper Mountainhttps://www.coppercolorado.com/the-mountain/conditions-weather/snow-report
Eldorahttps://www.eldora.com/the-mountain/conditions-weather/current-conditions-forecast
Keystonehttps://www.keystoneresort.com/the-mountain/mountain-conditions/snow-and-weather-report.aspx
Loveland Ski Areahttps://skiloveland.com/snow-report
Purgatory https://www.purgatory.ski/mountain/weather-conditions-webcams/
Steamboat https://www.steamboat.com/the-mountain/mountain-report
Winter Parkhttps://www.winterparkresort.com/the-mountain/mountain-report
Wolf Creek Ski Areawolfcreekski.com/wcs-snow-report/
To view the Denver snowfall statistics infographics in fullscreen mode click this link.
DENVER WEATHER LINKS: Hourly forecast | Radars | Traffic | Weather page | 24/7 weather stream | NWS snowfall reports | COCORAHS snow reports | Colorado avalanche info center | Sunset, sunrise times | NWS monthly records, averages | NWS Denver weather history|
Click here to watch the Denver7 live weather stream.
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Colorado’s farmers’ markets are the pulsing heart of the summer—a playground for fresh produce fanatics and artisan good enthusiasts to trawl through—in search of something delicious. Some of our favorite markets have already begun their season (we’re looking at you, Boulder County), but most are holding their opening days sometime between now and the first week of June.Here’s the wha...
Colorado’s farmers’ markets are the pulsing heart of the summer—a playground for fresh produce fanatics and artisan good enthusiasts to trawl through—in search of something delicious. Some of our favorite markets have already begun their season (we’re looking at you, Boulder County), but most are holding their opening days sometime between now and the first week of June.
Here’s the what-when-where lowdown on our favorite farmers’ markets in metro Denver, Boulder, and beyond.
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There are plenty of reasons to visit this farmers’ market set up on Saturdays at Cherry Creek Shopping Center—chief among them being the free validated parking. Stroll the food and craft stands while looking out for some stellar bakeries: Reunion Bread, Black Box Bakery, and decades-long market favorite Kogler’s Bakery are all among the market’s ranks.
In its fourth year of operations, the City Park Farmers Market is opening a week early this year—good news considering its stands represent more than 100 Colorado producers. We especially love this farmers’ market for its pop-up eateries—the Easy Vegan and Samosa Shop are among the returning vendors—and also look out for its monthly chef demo series; this year’s lineup includes Caroline Glover of Annette, Michael Diaz de Leon formerly of Brutø, and Kenneth Wan of MAKfam.
Farmers Market Central Park sets itself apart by being entirely focused on local food and beverage (i.e., there are no craft or informational stands). Plus, all prepared food stands must serve on compostable materials, so you can feel a little better about your impact on the planet while strolling Founders’ Green on Sunday morning.
Those living by DIA territory in luck: The Green Valley Ranch Farmers’ Market gives area residents the chance to enjoy the best of the harvest season. Northeast Denverites should head to Town Center Park on Wednesday evenings to stock up on peaches, mushrooms, jarred goods, soaps, and the like.
Any farmers’ market with its own bar is a win in our books, but Highlands Square Farmers Market in the heart of West Highland also delivers on a strong selection of bountiful produce and ready-to-eat foods. Make a morning meal out of your visit and wander around, breakfast in hand, while enjoying the live music.
As a pay-what-you-can farmers’ market, Huerta Urbana makes a commitment to ensuring Denverites have equitable access to fresh, healthy foods. Market goers can acquire their goods in four ways: paying normally at full price; paying as much as they can, with the rest covered by the market; paying above full price and donating the overage to help the market cover other shoppers; and paying through SNAP, WIC, and Double Up Food Bucks.
Over its 47-year history, Metro Denver Farmers’ Market has expanded to four locations dotted across metro Denver’s western and eastern reaches. That means that whether you’re stationed in Lakewood or Littleton, you’ll have a solid spot nearby to shop for the best that Colorado has to offer in edible and non-edible goods.
The historic shopping district that is South Pearl Street already draws in plenty of visitors with its widely appealing variety of stores and restaurants, but on Sunday mornings during the warmer half of the year, South Pearl Farmers Market really booms. In addition to the usual types of vendors you’d expect at a farmers’ market, some of the brick-and-mortars on South Pearl also set up market booths.
Entering its seventh year, University Hills Farmers Market has a 65 percent food focus, meaning that it’s a great choice for south Denver residents looking for something to eat and something to add to their homes. Sixty to 70 booths will be present each week. The organization that manages University Hills Farmers Market also operates a summer market in Evergreen.
Arvada Farmers Market in pedestrian-friendly Olde Town Arvada is entering its 16th season, so there are plenty of delicious goodies to discover this summer. While you’re at it, make a day out of exploring the small businesses and local eateries lining the charming northwestern suburb’s Olde Town area.
Rebel Marketplace founder James Grevious has long been in the urban farming game, so he understands firsthand how growing food is essential to the advancement of one’s community. That principle is put to work at this five-year-old, hyperlocal farmers’ market, which provides the space for neighborhood farms in Aurora, along with other community artisans and entrepreneurs, to thrive. Rebel Marketplace’s main season starts in June, but a special opening day will be held on Mother’s Day weekend.
South Aurora residents should wake up bright and early Saturday morning to bustle through Town Square in the Southlands Shopping Center, where they can shop for seasonal produce, freshly prepared food, and locally made crafts and bath products. Southlands Farmers Market is operated by the Local Colorado, who also puts up farmers’ markets in Parker and Castle Rock.
To say that the Boulder County Farmers Market is a staple of its community is an understatement. Not only has it been operating since 1987, but its April throughNovember season is the longest of any market in the state. Plus, the market’s food access programs, which include SNAP and WIC, help provide local residents—more than 14,000 last year—with fresh produce. This year, 175 vendors will sell their wares between the Boulder and Longmont locations.
We recommend heading to the website for Real Farmers Market, which operates both the Louisville Farmers Market and Erie Farmers Market, before you head to either market itself. There, you can select the date on which you’re visiting and find a list of vendors that will be in attendance, meaning you’ll never miss out on your favorite farmer or maker. (Note: The Erie Farmers Market will be closed on Thursday, July 4.)
Fort Collins Farmers Market celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, making it Colorado’s oldest farmers’ market co-op. The Colorado Agricultural Marketing Cooperative, which operates the farmers’ market, works hard to ensure that there’s a robust selection of locally grown produce, prepared foods and drinks, and other craft goods throughout its whole season.
For almost five decades, Larimer County Farmers’ Market has provided bounties of fresh produce to residents of northern Colorado. Overseen by the Colorado State University Extension, the farmers’ market has been fundraising this spring for its Market Days for Older Adults program, which provides older low-income adults visiting the market with vouchers for produce purchases.
Debuting this year, Glendale Farmers Market is a new project of the Hispanic Restaurant Association (HRA), whose mission is to “educate and elevate the Hispanic community,” according to president John Jaramillo. Established in part to provide aspiring food entrepreneurs in the HRA Academy program a chance to develop their skills in a real-world sales environment, this farmers’ market will also connect shoppers to Colorado producers like Miller Farms and Antelope Creek Ranch Wagyu, as well as a global selection of prepared food stands.
Abutting a babbling stretch of Clear Creek, Golden Farmers Market brings in around 2,500 visitors every week. Be among the crowd and enjoy perusing 70-plus vendors while listening to a live music set that runs from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Note: The Golden Farmers Market will be closed on Saturday, July 27, for Buffalo Bill Days.)
This 16-year suburban farmers’ market sets up every Sunday in the Macy’s parking lot at Orchard Town Center. Expect to find fresh produce; retail goods such as breads, sauces, and teas; and handmade crafts among the 40-plus booths available at each market.
Colorado state agencies aren’t riding to the rescue of a financially troubled psychiatric hospital on the Western Slope, saying the facility already has received significant help.The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, the Behavioral Health Administration and the Department of Public Health and Environment released a letter to 12 Western Slope lawmakers last week that said they had made “every effort” to assist West Springs Hospital in Grand Junction while also requiring necessary quality improvements....
Colorado state agencies aren’t riding to the rescue of a financially troubled psychiatric hospital on the Western Slope, saying the facility already has received significant help.
The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, the Behavioral Health Administration and the Department of Public Health and Environment released a letter to 12 Western Slope lawmakers last week that said they had made “every effort” to assist West Springs Hospital in Grand Junction while also requiring necessary quality improvements.
The CEO of West Springs’ owner told The Denver Post in mid-April that the hospital could close in the coming weeks without a cash infusion. West Springs is the only one of Colorado’s 11 psychiatric hospitals located west of the Front Range.
Mesa County officials say they’re working on rounding up money to save the hospital and its psychiatric emergency room, which they consider a vital part of the mental health infrastructure on the Western Slope.
The state agencies’ letter alleged that West Springs and owner Mind Springs Health had benefited from more than $13 million in Medicaid overpayments over two years, but still failed to balance their books.
Mind Springs employs more than 550 people at its outpatient clinics on the Western Slope and the hospital.
“Like you, we do not want WSH to close. That said, the departments have exhausted their ability to provide financial support to WSH,” the letter, signed by the heads of the three agencies, said. “We are also concerned that MSH, as the parent of WSH, has consistently demonstrated poor financial management and an inability to produce a transparent sustainability plan.”
Last year, two rural Colorado hospitals that had cash crunches — Delta Health on the Western Slope and St. Vincent Health in Leadville — received help from the state when the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing advanced them some of the provider funds they were due to receive later. Psychiatric hospitals don’t pay into that fund, though.
Mind Springs CEO John Sheehan said the state agencies haven’t been responsive to West Springs’ financial problems. He said he believes the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s decision to require Mind Springs to continue contracting with another entity for quality improvement was retaliation for seeking financial help.
The state health department said it determined Mind Springs needed closer monitoring than most behavioral health providers because of its financial instability.
“I have shared all of our financials with HCPF, CDPHE and anyone else who has asked to see them,” Sheehan said.
One of the few areas of agreement between the hospital and the agencies is that West Springs had asked the state for about $6.6 million in additional funds in December, which the agencies said they couldn’t provide. West Springs needs that amount because the hospital has lost about $500,000 per month in recent years and also faced expenses to show the state it was complying with quality regulations, Sheehan said.
The agencies’ letter alleged that Rocky Mountain Health Plans, a subsidiary of United Healthcare that administers Medicaid on the Western Slope, overpaid West Springs by $6.6 million in the fiscal year that ended in June 2023, and by at least $6.5 million in the current fiscal year.
In the previous fiscal year, Rocky Mountain Health Plans usually paid a monthly rate in advance based on how many members it expected would seek services from West Springs, but fewer showed up than they had expected, leading to overpayments. This year, it paid estimated claims one month in advance.
Sheehan confirmed that Rocky Mountain Health Plans overpaid in the previous fiscal year, but said that was because of its own decisions to denigrate the hospital, deny medically necessary care and direct patients to cheaper hospitals on the Front Range. The monthly rate was meant to preserve capacity, so the hospital didn’t have to lay off staff and close beds during slow times, he said. Mind Springs and the insurance plan currently are in arbitration over the $6.6 million.
“People weren’t coming, because you’re scaring them,” Sheehan said of Rocky Mountain Health Plans.
Sheehan also disputed the $6.5 million tally for the current fiscal year. The payment plan was different this year, with Rocky Mountain Health Plans paying one month ahead, based on how much care they think members will use. The state won’t know what West Springs owes until the end of June, when they add up all of the care provided and compare it to the advances, but the total is unlikely to be that high, he said.
It costs about $1,700 per day to treat a patient at West Springs, compared to about $900 per day at Denver-area hospitals, though the gap narrows when accounting for transportation and the cost of keeping someone in an emergency room if the metro hospitals don’t have a bed available, Sheehan said.
“If this hospital closes, it’s a windfall to them,” he said of the insurer.
Rocky Mountain Health Plans didn’t make anyone available for an interview, but said in a statement that it supported West Springs Hospital through pre-payments and follows state and federal laws in decisions about whether to pay claims.
The agencies pushed back on Sheehan’s assertion that Rocky Mountain Health Plans was improperly denying care and steering patients toward Front Range hospitals. West Springs’ care denials, which are based on whether the insurer believes the patient needs hospital-level care, are about 21% lower than at other behavioral health hospitals in the state, they said, and the decision of where to seek care is up to patients and the providers treating them.
West Springs’ financial instability follows more than two years of questions about the quality at the Grand Junction hospital.
In 2022, Mind Springs faced allegations of serious prescription errors and falsifying patient records. The hospital also temporarily lost the ability to bill Medicaid in late 2022, though it regained that right in January 2023 after the state determined it had fixed all of its major problems.
The state agencies’ letter to lawmakers laid out additional allegations from 2021 and 2022, including that the hospital:
In May 2023, West Springs and the state reached an agreement that the hospital could continue receiving payments if it hired a management company to help it improve. That company was Intermountain Health, which owns St. Mary’s Regional Hospital in Grand Junction, and inspections have come back clean since the management agreement, meaning the state found the hospital remedied those previous issues.
West Springs has not only fixed the problems the state identified but expanded care, including opening new medical detox and residential treatment beds, Sheehan said.
“The quality concerns have been eliminated. We’re in compliance,” he said.
The Colorado Behavioral Health Council wrote to the Behavioral Health Administration and the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing on April 16 to express support for West Springs, raising concerns that closing the only psychiatric hospital west of the Front Range could exacerbate geographic disparities in access to care.
“Ensuring the continued existence of this essential facility is not just a matter of financial assistance but a commitment to safeguarding the well-being of our community members who rely on its services,” the letter said.
If the hospital were to shut down, it would have a ripple effect on the county’s co-responder program, through which a mental health professional goes along with a sheriff’s deputy on crisis calls, Mesa County Commissioner Janet Rowland said.
“One of the components is having a place to take people other than the jail,” she said.
Mesa County Sheriff Todd Rowell said West Springs’ psychiatric emergency room has helped reduce the jail population, along with other changes to try to divert people in crisis if the victim doesn’t want to press charges. In 2023, the jail averaged 426 inmates per day, but that’s down to 385 per day so far this year, he said.
Deputies dropping someone off at the psychiatric emergency room typically can be back on the road in about 20 minutes, which is a significant improvement over sometimes spending hours trying to get someone to an appropriate place, Rowell said. While they try to offer behavioral health support in the jail, the environment isn’t therapeutic, and people often end up back there shortly after release, usually for minor crimes, he said.
“With a psych emergency room, criminal charges can be avoided,” he said. “Jail is not the right place for these people to be.”
The traditional emergency room would remain an option, but isn’t ideal, because the patient often has to wait there for a bed in a facility equipped to help them, said Lisa Mills, Mesa County’s behavioral health director. They tend to get the best results when they can take the patient directly to somewhere that’s set up for psychiatric care in the local community, because that makes it easier to coordinate follow-up care, she said.
St. Mary’s Regional Hospital didn’t make anyone available for an interview, but said people in crisis can seek care there. “We are committed to working with stakeholders to ensure the community’s behavioral health care needs are met,” the hospital said in a statement.
However, not everyone believes that West Springs has benefited people in crisis.
Meighen Lovelace, mental health policy coordinator for the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, said patients have told them that the hospital sometimes let adult patients mingle with youth, or men with women, in ways that weren’t safe. Some also have raised concerns the hospital let patients leave before they were stable, they said.
“People on the Western Slope drive to Denver to seek (psychiatric) care,” they said. “Rural communities across Colorado, including the Western Slope, deserve the same high-quality care that Coloradans on the Front Range have access to.”
Communities see value in having a psychiatric hospital nearby, and the cities of Grand Junction and Aspen have reached out about possibly offering some funding to help maintain the hospital, but they haven’t settled anything yet, Mind Springs’ Sheehan said.
Rowland said she and others are reaching out to the other Western Slope counties, to see if each could chip in something to help get West Springs through the fiscal year that ends in June. Mesa County can’t afford to do it alone, and the other counties haven’t yet said if they will participate, she said.
“It’s certainly not going to be easy,” Rowland said.
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