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Colorado - Fri. 10/24/25 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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FOOD BANKS FACE CRISIS AS COLORADO LAWMAKERS DEBATE $10 MILLION AID
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Gov. Jared Polis asked Coloradans to open their wallets Wednesday to help fill the gap that will be created when federal food assistance payments stop Nov. 1, while hoping to boost state aid to food banks by $10 million. Polis hopes donations and extra state money will help blunt the worst of frozen payments to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP — but with the state set to lose $120 million a month due to the government shutdown, food banks would need a gargantuan outpouring of support to fill the gap.
More than 600,000 low-income Coloradans, half of whom are children, rely on SNAP benefits every month. The program uses electronic cards to allow participants to buy food at participating grocery stores. But the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture won’t send the states money next month to recharge the cards. Cash donations to food banks will buy more total food than the direct payments to SNAP recipients because food banks across Colorado can buy at discount rates. The $10 million from the state general fund that Polis is requesting will translate into the equivalent of $30 million or $40 million worth of food bought at grocery stores. He donated $500 from his personal money to support the effort. Individuals can make donations at feedingcolorado.org/donate.
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MIKAELA SHIFFRIN LAUNCHES PODCAST & PERSONAL BRAND LOGO AHEAD OF 2026 OLYMPICS
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Champion alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin is expanding her brand with a new podcast, What’s the Point with Mikaela Shiffrin, debuting Oct. 29 — exactly 100 days before the Milan Cortina Games — and a personal logo designed by Wunder Werkz with Skylark. Sponsored by Stifel, the bi-weekly podcast will run 8–10 episodes in its first season, featuring interviews with athletes, professionals and cultural figures, inspired by Shiffrin’s reflections following her father’s death in 2020. She said the project explores what drives people’s passions and values. Shiffrin, the winningest alpine skier with more than 100 World Cup victories and three Olympic medals, remains one of Team USA’s most marketable athletes, with sponsors including Adidas, Atomic, Longines, Oakley, United and Visa. She described the logo as a way to encapsulate balance, clarity and resilience as she nears the latter stage of her career.
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COLORADO EV SALES HIT RECORD 32.4% IN Q3 AS TAX CREDIT EXPIRES
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Colorado buyers rushed to capture a $7,500 federal subsidy before it ended Sept. 30, driving electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to 32.4 percent of new car sales in the third quarter, the highest share in the nation and up from 24.2 percent in Q2. Battery-electric vehicles made up 26.4 percent of sales and plug-in hybrids 6 percent, while traditional hybrids slipped to 12.6 percent. The surge pushed Colorado ahead of California, Oregon and Washington, far above the national clean-car average of 12.6 percent. Gov. Jared Polis hailed the milestone, while dealers warned sales may dip in Q4 without the federal credit. State incentives remain, including a $3,500 EV credit through year-end, $2,500 more for lower-cost models, and expanded cash-for-clunkers rebates up to $9,000 for income-qualified buyers. Tesla, Nissan and Hyundai led EV sales, while Ford pickups and Subaru Crosstreks topped gas models.
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UNITED ADDS NONSTOP DENVER FLIGHTS TO MEXICO CITY & PUNTA CANA
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United Airlines will launch new nonstop service from Denver International Airport to Mexico City and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, beginning Sunday. The Mexico City route will be the only nonstop by a U.S. carrier from Denver and will operate daily at 6 p.m. through March. The Punta Cana flight marks United’s first service to the Dominican Republic city from Denver. Since 2019, United has added eight Latin American and Caribbean routes from Denver, including Montego Bay, Nassau, San Juan, Belize City, Liberia, San Jose, Roatan, and multiple Mexican destinations. The airline also announced new nonstop service to Carlsbad, Calif., its 18th California destination from Denver, and is rolling out Starlink wi-fi across its fleet, with the first equipped aircraft flying from Denver to Kansas City this week.
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WILD HORSE PROGRAM AT CAÑON CITY PRISON ENDS AFTER $23 MILLION COST TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
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The Bureau of Land Management will end its 30-year contract with the Colorado Dept. of Corrections on Nov. 30, citing high costs of feeding and caring for wild horses at the East Cañon Correctional Complex. The five-year contract totaled $23 million, averaging $4.45 per horse per day for about 2,000 animals, with an additional $582,777 extension through November. Incarcerated workers fed, trained and prepared horses for adoption, but rising expenses and a 2022 equine flu outbreak that killed 145 mustangs highlighted challenges. Horses will be relocated to Wyoming and Utah holding pens, while about 100 captured in Colorado will be adopted locally. The program required alfalfa feed, strict care standards and public access days, but BLM will now rely on other facilities as it manages more than 53,000 wild horses on public lands and 61,000 in captivity nationwide.
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COLORADO’S REINTRODUCED WOLVES MOVE SOUTH TOWARD NEW MEXICO BORDER
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s October wolf map shows collared gray wolves dispersing farther south, with activity recorded in Mesa, Montrose, San Miguel, Ouray, Chaffee and other southwestern counties, while wolves also remained active in central mountain areas such as Pitkin, Eagle, Summit, Grand, Jackson and Routt. Activity declined in Moffat, Rio Blanco and Garfield counties, though some Front Range watersheds, including Larimer, saw new points. GPS data, logged every four hours, indicated wolves reached borders with Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico, though no confirmed crossings occurred. Wolves remain federally protected and state‑endangered in Colorado, but protections differ across state lines; three wolves have died this year after entering Wyoming. Since reintroduction began in December 2023, 25 wolves have been relocated, 10 have died and four packs have formed. CPW plans another 10 to 15 releases this winter, possibly the last under its plan.
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GRAND RIVER HEALTH CARE CENTER NAMED AMONG TOP 5 NURSING HOMES BY NEWSWEEK
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Grand River Health Care Center in Rifle was ranked fourth in Newsweek’s 2026 Best Nursing Homes list for Colorado facilities with 50 to 99 beds, adding to prior recognition from U.S. News & World Report and multiple Garfield County Local’s Choice awards. Administrators emphasize a community-based model with amenities such as a bar, café, hairdresser and bistro, along with activities ranging from therapy dog visits to Wiffle Ball tournaments. Staff highlight individualized care and resident choice as central to the facility’s philosophy, allowing flexibility in daily routines and lifestyle decisions. Built in 2020 with multipurpose staff roles to control costs, the center is supported by taxpayers rather than stockholders, with leaders stressing dignity, autonomy and quality of life for residents.
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DURANGO CITY COUNCIL APPROVES EMERGENCY WARMING CENTER FOR UNHOUSED
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Durango City Council voted unanimously Oct. 22 to establish an emergency warming center at Sacred Heart Catholic Church Parish Hall, offering overnight shelter for up to 20 unhoused residents on nights below 15 degrees from Nov. 1 through Feb. 28. Operated by the Emergency Warming Center Council with Neighbors in Need Alliance, Manna and the Red Cross, the site will be staffed by paid workers and trained volunteers. Eleven residents spoke during public comment: two, including Durango School District 9‑R, opposed the location citing safety concerns near Park Elementary, while nine voiced strong support. Organizers pledged strict behavioral rules, trauma‑informed care and revised hours to end before school begins. Police reported no incidents of harassment involving students. A joint safety protocol will be developed, and the council reserved the right to revoke the permit if problems arise.
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AMAZON OPENS 51,000-SQUARE-FOOT FACILITY IN GYPSUM WITH JOBS & EDUCATION SUPPORT
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Amazon’s new Gypsum delivery and fulfillment center, which opened in August near Eagle County airport, is expected to employ about 130 warehouse workers and 80 drivers, offering mostly flexible, part-time shifts. The site is one of only 10 in the U.S. to combine fulfillment and delivery operations, promising faster service across a 90-minute radius from Vail to Rifle. Company officials highlighted career advancement opportunities, including tuition assistance through Amazon’s Career Choice program, and donated $25,000 to the Colorado Mountain College Foundation as part of a $100,000 education commitment. Local leaders praised the facility for creating jobs closer to home and easing reliance on Interstate 70 commutes. The center also introduces rugged IBEX vehicles for rural deliveries and aims to expand same-day and next-morning service, potentially reducing strain on local post offices.
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BEST OF VAIL VALLEY CELEBRATION HONORS 422 LOCAL WINNERS AT VILAR CENTER
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The Vail Daily’s annual Best of Vail Valley awards packed the Vilar Performing Arts Center in Beaver Creek on Oct. 22, where 8,895 voters cast 100,325 ballots to recognize 422 winners across six categories from more than 1,000 nominated businesses. The event, featuring food from local restaurants and live music, highlighted community favorites such as ARTSPaCE Workshop + Gallery, which won Best Artist-Painter and Best Art Gallery, and the Vilar itself, which was named Best Place for a Romantic Date. Organizers emphasized the contest as a celebration of the valley’s workforce and business community, with the Best of Vail Valley magazine now available at newsstands and set for Thanksgiving Day newspaper insertion. Voting for the 2026 contest will open again next July.
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TWO RANCHING PROPERTIES IN ROUTT COUNTY AWARDED CONSERVATION EASEMENTS
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The Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust secured two new conservation easements in Routt County, preserving 2,348 acres of Fish & Cross Ranch near Yampa and 120 acres of Wild Goose Ranch south of Steamboat Springs. The Fish & Cross easement, funded through the county’s Purchase of Development Rights program, protects sagebrush rangelands, aspen woodlands, irrigated pastures and senior water rights while linking U.S. Forest Service, BLM and state lands. Four generations of the Snyder family continue to operate the ranch, purchased in 2006. The Wild Goose Ranch easement, led by Susan Larson, safeguards irrigated hay meadows, riparian habitat and wildlife corridors for elk, moose, black bear and sensitive bird species, while preserving scenic views along Highways 131 and 40. Since 1997, Routt County has funded easements on 68,535 acres for about $32 million, part of more than 83,000 acres conserved locally.
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ROUTT COUNTY OFFERS FREE EMERGENCY RESPONSE TRAINING FOR RESIDENTS
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The Routt County Office of Emergency Management will host a free Community Emergency Response Team basic training course to prepare residents for disasters. The three-part program runs Oct. 27, Nov. 3 and Nov. 17 at the county’s Emergency Operations Center in Steamboat Springs. Participants will learn disaster planning, shelter operations, first aid, team organization and damage assessment, culminating in a simulation exercise. CERT volunteers may later assist with shelter management, evacuation centers, outreach and post-disaster assessments. Director Mo DeMorat said the training builds resilience and noted CERT members’ past support during local wildfires. The course is open to all county residents 18 and older, with no prior experience required, but advance registration is necessary due to limited space.
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SMALL SNOWSTORM TO BRING 1-4 INCHES TO SUMMIT COUNTY, MORE STORMS AHEAD
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The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook warning of 1–4 inches of snow above 10,000 feet Thursday, with the heaviest amounts expected in Summit County. Rain showers were forecast to shift to snow overnight, with the snow line dropping to 9,000–10,000 feet, allowing for possible valley accumulation. A second storm is expected Sunday into Monday, bringing additional snow, gusty winds and colder temperatures. The natural snowfall, combined with lower temperatures, is expected to create favorable snowmaking conditions as Summit County ski areas prepare to open for the 2025–26 season. The storm follows an earlier system this week that dropped up to 4 inches at resorts and caused minor traffic disruptions.
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FRAUD PREVENTION TIPS FROM ALPINE BANK
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At Alpine Bank, your security is our top priority. We're sharing this reminder following a few recent reports of scam phone calls from individuals impersonating Alpine Bank staff.
Please remember:
- Alpine Bank will never call to ask for personal or account information.
- If you receive a suspicious call, hang up immediately and contact your local branch.
- You can enhance your account security by enabling transaction alerts in the Alpine Mobile App.
- If you suspect you have fallen victim to a scam and have disclosed information concerning your Alpine Bank accounts, contact us immediately at 970-625-7174.
- For more tips on protecting your information, visit our Fraud Prevention webpage at the link below.
Thank you for banking with us and for helping to keep our community safe.
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NEARLY A QUARTER OF U.S. WORKERS TOOK NO VACATION DAYS IN PAST YEAR
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A new FlexJobs survey of more than 3,000 American employees found that 23 percent did not use any of their paid time off in the past year, despite widespread access to PTO. Heavy workloads, workplace culture, and managerial attitudes were cited as major barriers, raising concerns about burnout and reduced well‑being.
- Workload pressures: 43 percent said they had too much work to justify taking vacation; 30 percent feared falling behind.
- Cultural barriers: 29 percent reported guilt or pressure to appear committed; 25 percent expected a discouraging response from managers if they asked for a full week off.
- Insufficient PTO: Over one third felt they lacked enough days; even those with “unlimited” PTO cited unclear expectations.
- Consequences: Experts warn unused PTO increases stress, lowers morale, and heightens burnout risk.
- Benefits of rest: Taking time off improves focus, creativity, resilience, and overall productivity.
- Advice: Employees are encouraged to advocate for PTO, communicate plans early, and frame time off as a productivity boost.
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MARKET UPDATE - 10/23/2025 Close
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(Courtesy of Alpine Bank Wealth Management*)
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Canadian dollar (per U.S. dollar)
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Mexican peso (per U.S. dollar)
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30-year fixed mortgage rate (Freddie Mac 10/23/2025)
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*Not FDIC insured. May lose value. Not guaranteed by the bank.
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Alpine Bank is an independent, employee-owned organization with headquarters in Glenwood Springs and banking offices across Colorado's Western Slope, mountains and Front Range. Alpine Bank serves customers with retail, business, wealth management*, mortgage and electronic banking services. Learn more at alpinebank.com.
*Alpine Bank Wealth Management services are not FDIC insured, may lose value and are not guaranteed by the bank.
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