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Colorado - Wed. 07/01/26 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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LEBRON JAMES TO PLAY RECORD 24TH NBA SEASON, BUT NOT WITH THE LAKERS
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LeBron James, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, is returning for a record 24th NBA season. But it won’t be with the Los Angeles Lakers. James, who will turn 42 in December, has informed the Lakers that he will play elsewhere next season. James has not yet decided where he’ll play but decided it was time to move on from his eight-year tenure in Los Angeles. James completed his 23rd season by leading the Lakers to the second round of the playoffs despite the team entering the postseason without either Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves, who were both injured. James’ run with the Lakers included an NBA championship, a Western Conference finals appearance, an in-season tournament title, three first-round playoff exits, two seasons without a playoff appearance and two years as teammates with his son, Bronny James, whom the Lakers selected in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft and whose $2.3 million contract for 2026-27 became fully guaranteed Monday.
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WALL STREET'S BEST QUARTER IN SIX YEARS
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Stocks powered through a turbulent few months to log their best quarter in years. Keeping pace won’t be easy. The largest oil shock in history, worries about the longevity of the artificial-intelligence boom and the prospect of higher interest rates haven’t derailed the records. The market overcame those headwinds, thanks to high-flying chip stocks that are the biggest AI winners of the moment, as well as confidence that American corporations will continue to churn out higher profits. Many think those same forces could lift the major indexes for the rest of the year. Thomas Carroll, equity strategist at Stifel, recently raised his price target for the S&P 500 to 7800, up around 4 percent from Tuesday’s closing level. But Carroll is still expecting more of the same volatility that has interrupted the market’s overall climb upward.
- The S&P 500 has advanced or declined at least 1 percent during more than one-fourth of this year’s trading sessions.
- The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq composite rose 15 percent and 21 percent, respectively, during the second quarter. It was the best quarter for both since 2020.
- The Dow Jones Industrial Average had its best quarter since 2022, rising 13 percent.
- The S&P 500 and Nasdaq have notched 24 and 20 record closes in 2026, most recently driven by the artificial-intelligence boom that has fueled eye-popping gains in shares of chip makers supplying the build-out.
- For the quarter, Micron Technology shares surged 242 percent, Advanced Micro Devices jumped 186 percent, Broadcom gained 22 percent and Nvidia added 15 percent. The PHLX Semiconductor index climbed 88 percent to notch its best quarter on record.
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HICKENLOOPER WINS DEM PRIMARY FOR U.S. SENATE OVER JULIE GONZALES
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Incumbent John Hickenlooper on Tuesday fended off a primary challenge from a progressive state lawmaker to win the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate. The Associated Press called the race for Hickenlooper at 7:36 p.m. Tuesday, when he was leading state Sen. Julie Gonzales by nearly 15 percentage points. Hickenlooper is expected to face Republican state Sen. Mark Baisley in the general election. Baisley was unopposed for the Republican nomination. Hickenlooper, 74, is finishing up his first term in the U.S. Senate, after he ousted Republican Sen. Cory Gardner in the 2020 election. Hickenlooper previously served two terms as governor of Colorado and a little less than eight years as the mayor of Denver. Prior to that, he was a geologist in the oil and gas industry and a bar and restaurant owner.
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PHIL WEISER DEFEATS MICHAEL BENNET IN DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY FOR COLORADO GOVERNOR
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Attorney General Phil Weiser won the Democratic nomination for governor Tuesday night, defeating U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and the almost two decades of Washington, D.C., connections he brought to the fight. The Associated Press called the race for Weiser shortly after 8 p.m. Bennet called Weiser to concede shortly after, Bennet’s spokesperson said. Weiser, a two-term attorney general, led Bennet by 11.6 percentage points, drawing nearly 56 percent of the votes statewide in the two-man race as of shortly after midnight. Weiser will face the winner of the three-way Republican primary, which had not been called by late Tuesday, in the first open race for governor since the term-limited Gov. Jared Polis was elected in 2018.
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MELAT KIROS DEFEATS 15-TERM INCUMBENT DIANA DEGETTE IN DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY TO REPRESENT DENVER IN CONGRESS
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Melat Kiros, a political newcomer and democratic socialist, defeated 15-term U.S. Rep Diana DeGette on Tuesday night in the Democratic primary to represent Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, a major upset in the nationally watched race. The Associated Press called the contest for the 29-year-old Kiros — an attorney who pitched herself as a fresh, non-establishment Democrat — shortly after 10 p.m. after her initial 2-percentage-point lead had grown to 5.8 percentage points. By 11:30 p.m., Kiros’ lead had expanded to 9.6 percentage points as she collected 51.3 percent of the vote. DeGette, 68, had won 41.7 percent of the vote as of 11:30 p.m., with an estimated 93 percent of the total votes counted. Christy Peterson will be the Republican nominee in the general election after facing no competition in the primary.
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JENA GRISWOLD WINS FOUR-WAY DEM PRIMARY FOR COLORADO ATTORNEY GENERAL
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Secretary of State Jena Griswold fought off three other lawyers to win the Democratic primary for Colorado attorney general Tuesday night. The Associated Press called the race for Griswold at 7:23 p.m., when she was leading by 26 percentage points. Her closest contender was Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty, who had 20 percent of the vote compared to Griswold’s 46 percent when the race was called. Griswold will face the winner of the Republican primary, El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen, who defeated lawyer David Willson.
The winner in November will replace Attorney General Phil Weiser, who is term-limited and won the Democratic primary for governor Tuesday night in a heated race against U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet. The attorney general manages an office of more than 650 employees, with a wide-ranging mandate to prosecute criminal cases, protect consumers and the environment, enforce antitrust and housing laws, and represent state agencies in court. Griswold, 41, has served as Colorado secretary of state since 2018, when, at age 36, she was the youngest person ever elected to the office.
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CONGRESSMAN JEFF HURD FENDS OFF RON HANKS' REPUBLICAN PRIMARY CHALLENGE IN 3RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT; ROMERO WINS DEM NOMINATION
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Republican U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd will vie for a second term representing the 3rd Congressional District after easily beating challenger Ron Hanks, a former state representative, in the GOP primary. The Associated Press called the race for Hurd at 7:28 p.m. when Hurd was leading Hanks by 68.6 percentage points in a district that encompasses 29 counties. Hurd will now face the winner of the Democratic primary race in a district that hasn’t been won by a Democrat since 2013. Dwayne Romero, an Aspen-area resident and Army veteran with decades of local political experience, won the Democratic nomination for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District seat, according to preliminary results for Tuesday’s primary race.
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KELLEY ANNE DENNISON WINS GOP RACE FOR COLORADO'S 2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
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Estes Park massage therapist Kelley Anne Dennison has won the Republican primary in a race to represent Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District. The Associated Press called the win at 7:57 p.m., with preliminary results showing Dennison leading with 58 percent of the vote over her opponent, Fort Collins hairstylist Christina Blunt. Dennison will face off against incumbent Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Boulder, in November. Neguse ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Colorado’s deeply blue 2nd Congressional District covers much of the north-central part of the state, encompassing roughly 728,000 residents across Boulder, Larimer, Jackson, Jefferson, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Eagle, Grand, Summit, Routt and Weld counties. The district has been represented by a Democrat for more than 50 years, though Dennison said she’s banking on longstanding frustrations with the Democratic Party to flip the district. The Cook Partisan Voter Index identified that the district has voted 20 percent more Democratic in the past two presidential elections than the national average, making it the 56th most Democratic district nationwide.
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PUBLIC ACCESS, RECREATION CLOSED ON COLORADO RIVER DOWNSTREAM OF FRUITA AMID FIRE DANGER
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife has issued an emergency closure for all public access and downstream recreation on the Colorado River from James M. Robb-Colorado River State Park in Fruita to the Utah state line. Working with the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office, CPW implemented the closure to ensure public safety and support firefighting efforts on the Snyder Fire amid anticipated high fire-weather conditions and the potential for rapid fire spread. All boating and floating are prohibited within the restricted area, including jet boats, rafts, kayaks, canoes, tubes and paddleboards. Boaters and floaters are encouraged to take out in Grand Junction at the Blue Heron boat launch or upstream. The closure is expected to remain in effect through the Fourth of July weekend and applies only to the river from Fruita downstream to the state line. The river upstream of Fruita remains open.
CPW is urging the public to respect the closure for safety and to allow firefighters and emergency responders to work unimpeded. Violations may result in fines, citations and trespassing charges. CPW said that Horsethief State Wildlife Area and Loma Boat Launch State Wildlife Area are also closed to the public. Separately, the Bureau of Land Management Grand Junction Field Office has issued an emergency public closure of all BLM-managed public lands in McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area.
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FLC WILL USE $1.35 MILLION GRANT TO EXPLORE A 'MORE-THAN-HUMAN WORLD'
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Fort Lewis College, Colorado’s only Indigenous serving public liberal arts college, plans to create a new interdisciplinary humanistic study laboratory. The lab will be funded by a $1.35 million humanities grant awarded to the college from the Mellon Foundation. The college aims to explore a “more-than-human world.” The grant will help establish both an on-campus lab space and an online resource. The lab, called the “Laboratory for the Humanistic Study of a More-than-Human-World,” will support student projects, fellowships, and engagement with “community knowledge holders,” the school said.
Fort Lewis College offers a tuition waiver to Native American and Alaskan Native citizens or children of citizens. Over one-third of the school’s student body qualifies for the waiver. Megan Alvarado-Saggese, a program lead and professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies, said the on-campus lab will encourage faculty from throughout the school to work more cooperatively and engage with archival and Indigenous learning methods.
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YAMPA RIVER CLOSURE IN STEAMBOAT BEGINS TODAY, JULY 1
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The city of Steamboat Springs has enacted commercial and voluntary recreational closures to the Yampa River beginning Wednesday, July 1. The announcement was triggered after flows on the river dropped below 85 cubic feet. The closure means all commercial outfitting operations are suspended. Recreational river users, including tubers, paddleboarders, swimmers and anglers, “are strongly encouraged” to stay out of the river to help protect aquatic life during the closure.
The decision marks the earliest June river closure since 2012, according to the city’s statement, which added that, based on 118 years of U.S. Geological Survey data, the average daily flow in the Yampa River through downtown Steamboat during the last week of June is 1,085 cubic feet per second. Closure notices have been posted at popular river access points throughout the community. City staff will continue monitoring river flows and temperatures at the 5th Street Bridge and will provide updates as conditions change.
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WILDFLOWER WEEK FESTIVAL IN BRECKENRIDGE, JULY 2-12
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Celebrate peak Alpine bloom season during the Breckenridge Tourism Office’s first-ever Wildflower week, July 2 to July 12, featuring guided hikes, live music, art classes and other events inspired by the area’s plentiful wildflowers. The inaugural festival will include free guided wildflower hikes led by Breckenridge Open Space and Trails naturalist Ella Garner, concerts in nature by the National Repertory Orchestra and Breck Create art classes including plein-air watercolor painting, mosaic making and pressed flower workshops. The week will also feature a craft and art fair, farmers market, a family-friendly, guided bike ride, bloom-themed Yoga on the Riverwalk Lawn and forest bathing with Spirit Alchemy.
Downtown businesses will also participate through “Wildflower Windows” displays, while restaurants will offer floral-themed food and beverages. Breckenridge Distillery will serve floral cocktails and mocktails made with ethically foraged blooms during the festival. Additional activities include a flash tattoo pop-up, a chalk art walk and a Community Weed Pull volunteer event to help protect local wildflower habitats. Town officials say the festival is designed to celebrate Breckenridge’s alpine ecosystem while encouraging environmental education, stewardship and responsible recreation. A full schedule is available at GoBreck.com/event/Breckenridge-wildflower-week.
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COLORADO WILDFIRES: MORE MANDATORY EVACUATIONS ORDERED
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- Aspen Acres fire: A wildfire burning across southern Colorado has destroyed at least 100 structures and forced more evacuations as it charred tens of thousands of acres in Pueblo County on Tuesday. The Aspen Acres fire is one of several wildfires burning across southern and western Colorado that continued to spread on Tuesday, together scorching nearly 90,000 acres — roughly 140 square miles. Pueblo County officials ordered more mandatory evacuations for people living in the North Creek area, including Central Road to the Custer County Line, just before 6 p.m. “This may be your last chance to evacuate,” the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office said in a post on X. “DO NOT WAIT. PLEASE EVACUATE NOW.
- Snyder fire in Mesa County and Utah: Colorado’s largest wildfire, burning along the Colorado-Utah border, has scorched 30,209 acres with no containment and has killed three firefighters and injured two others, according to a Monday evening update. As of Tuesday, the fire had burned across the mesa tops and reached the edge of canyons in the area. That includes McInnis Canyon, a natural conservation area near Fruita. The state wildlife agency shut down the boat ramp at the Fruita section of James M Robb Colorado River State Park “for the safety of firefighters and the public,” agency officials wrote in the closure alert. “We cannot emphasize this enough: if you are floating the Colorado River, please end your trip at the Fruita boat ramp or a boat ramp farther upstream,” CPW Northwest Region Manager Travis Black said in a statement. The Snyder Mesa fire evacuation center is at Grand Junction High School, 1400 N. Fifth St.
- Gold Mountain fire near Ouray: The Gold Mountain fire sparked Saturday north of Ouray, forcing evacuations. It was first mapped at an acre on Saturday, grew to 4,217 acres by Sunday evening and had charred 7,103 acres as of Monday. By Tuesday morning, the wildfire was estimated to have consumed 8,277 acres, roughly 13 square miles. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis issued a disaster declaration for the Gold Mountain fire — which forced evacuations north of Ouray — on Sunday. An evacuation shelter was opened at the Ridgway Secondary School, 1200 Green St. As of Tuesday morning, U.S. 550 remained closed in both directions between 10th Avenue and Ouray County Road 23 for the fire.
- Ferris fire in San Juan National Forest, near Dolores: The Ferris fire, which started Saturday as three separate fires in southwestern Colorado’s San Juan National Forest, has consumed nearly 20,000 acres with no containment. As of Tuesday morning, the lightning-sparked wildfire was estimated to be burning on 19,613 acres. Mandatory evacuations were issued for residents north and east of the wildfires. The evacuation area was bordered to the north by Disappointment Road, to the south by the Glade Ranch community, to the west by the fire and to the east by Road 30. Colorado Parks and Wildlife on Tuesday cut off public access to the Lone Dome State Wildlife Area in Dolores and Montezuma counties.
- Willow fire near Leadville: The Willow fire sparked Sunday evening near the Leadville National Fish Hatchery and quickly grew across more than 1,900 acres, prompting evacuations for residents west of town. The wildfire was first reported at about 4:20 p.m. Sunday by the Lake County Office of Emergency Management. At that time, it was burning on a handful of U.S. Forest Service acres below Mount Massive, near Twin Mounds. By Tuesday morning, the fire had spread to an estimated 1,919 acres with no containment in the San Isabel National Forest. As of Tuesday morning, the mandatory evacuation area included Turquoise Lake and was bordered to the south by Rock Creek, to the west by Hagerman Pass, to the north by Galena Mountain and to the east by Leadville.
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MARKET UPDATE - 06/30/2026 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 06/25/2026)
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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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