Sometimes, you just have to say no, even if it’s to your son when he asks you to buy a real Christmas tree.

That’s what Powell resident Dena Schwarz told her 12-year-old son, Mason, due to the financial squeeze she’s facing because of the economic downturn. This was her son’s first year as a Boy Scout, and he has been selling Christmas trees with his troop. But a higher-quality Christmas tree costs around $100—a purchase Schwarz couldn’t justify.

Business owner Brian Slattery is poised for change—and inflation is partially to blame. In early January, Slattery, 42, opened the Purple Cow Cafe as a dual pizzeria and art gallery in a building that dates back to 1889. With limited options for pizza in Wheatland, he was “slammed” with customers and turned a profit immediately after opening.