A new CBD franchise is now open near the intersection of North 12th Street and Patterson Road.
CBD American Shaman, which opened its Grand Junction location March 2 at 2695 Patterson Road, Unit 6A, sells a full spectrum of CBD products for people and their pets.
Franchisee Luis Arballo said the store carries a variety of CBD oils, but is also featuring water-soluble products that are absorbed into the body more quickly. It also carries creams, pills and tinctures. Customers are allowed to sample products in the store and the store is giving away some items along with a purchase.
The store is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Arballo and his wife, Yesenia, are the only two employees at the moment.
The couple relocated from Dallas and Luis said he was attracted to the area by the scenery and was happy to escape the big city.
“The quality of air appealed to me,” he said. “I like the slow pace of the life. Dallas was so fast-paced.”
He also said he enjoys that it doesn’t snow as much in the Grand Valley compared to Denver or Colorado Springs, but likes that he’s still close to mountains.
Luis discovered CBD American Shaman in Dallas, where there are multiple stores. He was looking for pain relief and shopped at one of the locations. He liked the experience and after some investigation, realized he wanted to start his own location somewhere.
“I decided to sell my business over there and invest in this company,” he said.
n KVNF, a community radio station serving six counties in western Colorado, recently named Ashley Krest its new general manager. She replaces Jon Howard, who retired in August 2019.
Krest previously served as business coordinator and events manager for the station and has worked for the station for the past four years. Previously, she served as a volunteer for roughly two decades, working as a disc jockey, program committee member and show host.
“Ashley’s love of community radio and her belief in the value of public media make her a natural choice to lead KVNF into the future,” Pam Ellison, KVNF board president, said in a press release. “She’s excited about the challenges and opportunities for outreach presented by the new Studio M in Montrose. We look forward to her leadership in the coming years as the threats to local community radio stations and their funding sources continue.”
KVNF is a National Public Radio-affiliated station based in Paonia. It has served western Colorado since 1979. In addition to NPR, it includes alternative news programming, local news, current affairs and music.
“You really have to balance a lot of different constituents. My nature is to listen to all viewpoints and be inclusive, which makes me a good fit for this organization,” Krest said.