We learned a little over one month ago about Russell Stover Candies in Montrose closing after 45 years in business. Their facilities in Kansas and Texas would be expanding but here in Colorado, we would be doing the opposite.

While that news was hard to swallow for lots of people in Montrose, it sounds like there might be some good news after all. We all know that the plant is going to be closing in 2021. But now those same Russell Stover employees will be offered some college classes free of charge.

Colorado Mesa University sent out a letter last week offering two semesters worth of classes for free to those losing their jobs. The free classes would be offered at CMU campuses in both Grand Junction or in Montrose, and also at Western Colorado Community College.

With the plant shutting down next year, this is a big help for about 400 people that will be without a job.

This is just another reminder of how lucky we are to live in a community like this. There are businesses just like this across our country but not everyone has the chance to take advantage of these free classes like being offered at CMU. And while I understand that two semesters won't cover your whole degree, it gives people the opportunity to try a possible career path that they might be interested in. I highly encourage anyone who is offered this tremendous program to take advantage of it.

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