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Colorado - Wed. 12/17/25 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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PALANTIR CEO ALEX KARP PAYS RECORD $120 MILLION FOR COLORADO MONASTERY
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Palantir CEO Alex Karp has paid a record $120 million for a ranch outside Aspen, which was used for decades as a monastery. Located in Snowmass, 30 minutes from Aspen, St. Benedict’s Monastery was listed for $150 million last year, said Ken Mirr of Mirr Ranch Group, one of the listing agents. The deal is the priciest residential sale to date in Colorado’s Pitkin County. Spanning about 3,700 acres, the property had been owned for about 70 years by an order of Trappist monks, although only about five still live there. Mirr said the purchaser does plan to use the property as a home.
Karp is the co-founder and chief executive of Palantir, a data-analysis firm best known for working with the U.S. military and intelligence agencies. The company, which was founded in 2003 by a group of entrepreneurs including Silicon Valley heavyweight Peter Thiel, has made Karp a billionaire many times over. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimates his net worth at about $18 billion. Karp is also known to be an avid skier.
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U.S. UNEMPLOYMENT ROSE IN NOVEMBER DESPITE JOB GAINS
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The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 4.6 percent in November, its highest in more than four years. A long-delayed government report on Tuesday showed that 64,000 jobs were gained in November, while 105,000 jobs were lost in October. Job losses in June, August and October mean the U.S. economy has shed jobs in three out of the past six months. The unemployment rate in November was up from 4.4 percent in September, the last month the Labor Dept. reported for that metric. Taken together, the data point to one of the weakest American labor markets in years. While the economy has added jobs so far this year, mostly on the back of gains in healthcare and education, the shock of shifting trade policies and an immigration crackdown has restrained labor demand and supply, making for tepid hiring overall. Still, market reaction was muted. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 fell slightly. The Nasdaq composite rose.
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WINNING COLORADO LOTTERY TICKETS WORTH ALMOST $7 MILLION SOLD AT FRONT RANGE STORES
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Two winning lotto tickets worth a combined $6.7 million were purchased at stores in Boulder and Pueblo on Monday, Colorado Lottery officials said. A “Lucky for Life” jackpot-winning ticket was sold at the Corner Store in Lafayette, netting the winner $1,000 a day for life for a cash value of $5.75 million, state officials said in a news release. Another $1.9 million ticket was sold at Winners Corner in Pueblo, which has a cash value of $950,000. The Powerball jackpot is now at $1.25 billion, officials said.
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NEW COLORADO LAWS TAKE EFFECT JAN. 1
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More than twenty new Colorado laws take effect Jan. 1, covering fees, consumer protections, child care, gun shows, energy standards and abortion access. Lawmakers banned hidden “junk fees,” restricted what landlords can charge tenants and required security‑deposit refunds within thirty days. A new right‑to‑repair law will make cellphone fixes easier, while updated appliance‑efficiency rules limit sales of products that don’t meet emissions or performance standards. Gun shows must now submit security plans, carry liability insurance and bar unaccompanied minors. Child care centers must refund application and waitlist fees for families not offered enrollment. Medicaid and public‑employee insurance plans will begin covering abortion services under a voter‑approved constitutional amendment.
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SKI LIFT IDLED FOR 25 YEARS WILL SPIN AGAIN SOON
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Any day now, a ski lift installed more than four decades ago at Cuchara Valley in southern Colorado will haul passengers for the first time in 25 years, providing affordable skiing and riding with an emphasis on serving young people in one of the poorest areas in the state. Efforts by the nonprofit Panadero Ski Corporation to revive Cuchara and rehabilitate Lift 4, first installed in 1981, have taken six years. Thanks to nonprofit funding and countless volunteer hours, the long wait is almost over as Panadero wraps up the final paperwork with the Colorado Passenger Tramway Safety Board to license the lift for operation. Ski patrollers underwent mandatory lift evacuation training this past weekend in preparation for the resumption of service for a lift that has been idle for more years than it has operated since it was first erected.
Cuchara is on the eastern slope of the Sangre de Cristo range, 30 miles southwest of Walsenburg and 25 miles north of the New Mexico border. The current iteration of Cuchara is described by Panadero officials as a community-based nonprofit, year-round outdoor recreation area that has brought skiing back through grassroots efforts to operate in the public interest. The two-person Riblet chairlift opening soon is something old, something new. The lift towers, seats and steel haul rope are original, but the old electrical and drive systems had to be replaced. The lift will provide access to 47 acres of skiing with 11 trails and a vertical drop of 300 feet. They are hoping to open for the season around New Year’s.
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ENSTROM’S TOFFEE GETS NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT ON TODAY SHOW
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Enstrom Candies received a major boost when its almond toffee was featured on NBC’s “TODAY with Jenna and Friends.” Host Jenna Bush Hager, co-host Al Roker and guest Danielle Kartes highlighted the Grand Junction company as one of the top mail-order food gifts, with Kartes calling it some of the best toffee she has ever tasted. Several Enstrom boxes were displayed as Kartes praised its California almonds, non-GMO ingredients and light, crumbly texture. Hager added that she and Roker order Enstrom treats every year, giving the longtime Colorado confectioner a prominent national endorsement.
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PITKIN COUNTY WEIGHS FUTURE OF LOW-INCOME PROPERTY TAX RELIEF
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Pitkin County distributed more than $120,000 in property tax rebates in 2025 through a program created after valuations rose seventy percent from 2022 to 2023. With valuations now leveling off and most recipients already eligible for senior tax relief, commissioners are questioning whether the program should continue in its current form. Rebates were capped at $2,000, averaging about $1,500, and based on incomes up to five hundred percent of the federal poverty level. Roughly seventy percent of approved applicants were one- or two-person senior households, while thirty percent were non-seniors who received nearly $20,000 total and would lose support if the program ended. Commissioners asked staff to explore efficiencies but declined to pursue elimination or consolidation, citing ongoing cost-of-living pressures on low-income homeowners.
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VAIL RESORTS NAMES FRISCO'S OUTER RANGE BREWING CO. AS OFFICIAL BEER PARTNER
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Frisco-based Outer Range Brewing Co. is now the official beer partner of Vail Resorts in Colorado, according to a Facebook post by the company. The partnership means that Outer Range beers will now become a prominent part of the drink offerings at Breckenridge Ski Resort, Vail Ski Resort, Keystone Resort, Beaver Creek Resort and Crested Butte Mountain Resort. Sarah McLear, communications manager at Keystone Resort, said the partnership is based on Vail Resorts’ efforts to join with a local brewery. The partnership, she continued, means that Vail Resorts will promote Outer Range brews across its Colorado ski areas, including in base-area restaurants and bars. Outer Range Brewing Co. first opened in Frisco on Dec. 26, 2016.
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ONE ICE CASTLES LOCATION DELAYED BY WARM WEATHER; THE OTHER OPENS THIS WEEKEND
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Ice Castles returns to Colorado this weekend, but only one of two locations will open thanks to unseasonably warm weather that has delayed ice making. The popular winter attraction, which features life-size structures, slides and even a bar made out of ice, will open its location at 125 Stephens Way in Silverthorne on Friday at 6 p.m. Don’t worry about the late start time – the Ice Castles are built with lights that illuminate the towering ice walls and tunnels for that extra dose of whimsy. A spokesperson said the Clear Creek installation is still under construction. Crews have built the main structures, but they are waiting for temperatures to fall to complete the finishing touches. Tickets are currently on sale for both locations at icecastles.com. For the latest updates, follow Ice Castles on Facebook and Instagram.
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MIKAELA SHIFFRIN DOMINATES NIGHT SLALOM FOR 105TH WORLD CUP WIN
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Mikaela Shiffrin extended her record with a 105th World Cup victory after winning a night slalom in Courchevel by 1.55 seconds, her fourth straight slalom win of the season and fifth dating to last year. All her margins this season have exceeded one second, averaging 1.5025 seconds. Several top rivals skied out, including Lena Duerr and Zrinka Ljutic, while Paula Moltzan climbed to fifth with the fastest second run. Shiffrin earned her 68th slalom win and now leads the overall standings with 558 points. The race also highlighted Lindsey Vonn’s recent downhill win at age forty‑one and her upcoming return to competition in Val d’Isere.
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COLORADO EYES $300 MILLION FOR WESTERN SLOPE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS
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Colorado’s draft 10-year transportation plan proposes more than $300 million for Region 3, covering major corridors including Interstate 70 and U.S. Hwy. 40. The plan allocates $132 million in the first four years and $198 million from 2027 to 2036, representing about 15 percent of statewide strategic funding. Key projects include new passing lanes on U.S. 40 between Craig and Steamboat, interchange upgrades at Silt and New Castle, and critical asset repairs in Glenwood Canyon, such as replacing aging guardrails and shifting asphalt to concrete. Additional funding targets West Vail Pass safety improvements, Red Dirt Hill upgrades in Grand County and intersection, pedestrian and connectivity improvements in Fraser. The Transportation Commission will take public comment in February and vote on the plan in March.
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HIGH WIND WARNING FOR SUMMIT COUNTY
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The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for Wednesday morning through early Thursday, with west winds of 30 to 50 miles per hour and gusts exceeding 90 miles per hour expected across Summit County and surrounding mountain ranges. Officials warn that damaging winds may topple trees and power lines, creating widespread power outages and difficult travel for high-profile vehicles. Xcel Energy’s outage risk map highlights areas from Fort Collins to Boulder, Golden and parts of Denver County, with preventative shutoffs possible as early as 10 a.m. due to wildfire danger. Additional outages may result from downed equipment, and ski areas could face lift holds during peak gusts.
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GOCO GRANTS SEND $278K TO WESTERN SLOPE ORGANIZATIONS
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Great Outdoors Colorado announced over $25.5 million in funding Monday for numerous wildlife conservation and outdoor learning initiatives, including $278,029 for a handful of communities on the West Slope. The West Slope Outdoor Alliance was a big winner in the region, taking in $141,429 in grant funds. According to a GOCO press release, the cash will be used “to support collaborative efforts advancing regional conservation and recreation goals.” Specifically, the nonprofit, comprised of representatives from Delta, Mesa and Montrose counties, plans to spend it on projects including multi-use signs, a “responsible recreation video” youth contest, supporting seasonal closures, and habitat restoration in the Escalante Headwaters area.
Other grant recipients on the West Slope
- North Fork Pool, Park and Recreation District in Delta County: $43,000
- Colorado West Land Trust for efforts to protect Oxbow Ranch in Montrose County: $49,600
- Ranch protection effort in Ouray County: $44,000
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MERRIAM-WEBSTER’S 2025 WORD OF THE YEAR IS ‘SLOP’
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Creepy, zany and demonstrably fake content is often called “slop.” The word’s proliferation online, in part thanks to the widespread availability of generative artificial intelligence, landed it Merriam-Webster’s 2025 word of the year. “It’s such an illustrative word,” said Greg Barlow, Merriam-Webster’s president. “It’s part of a transformative technology, AI, and it’s something that people have found fascinating, annoying and a little bit ridiculous.”
“Slop” was first used in the 1700s to mean soft mud, but it evolved more generally to mean something of little value. The definition has since expanded to mean “digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence.” In other words, “you know, absurd videos, weird advertising images, cheesy propaganda, fake news that looks real, junky AI-written digital books,” Barlow said.
Which words defined the last 10 years, according to Merriam-Webster?
- 2024: polarization
- 2023: authentic
- 2022: gaslighting
- 2021: vaccine
- 2020: pandemic
- 2019: they
- 2018: justice
- 2017: feminism
- 2016: surreal
- 2015: ism
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MARKET UPDATE - 12/16/2025 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 12/11/2025)
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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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