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Colorado - Wed. 05/13/26 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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PSYCHEDELIC CRISIS TRAINING COMING TO FIRST RESPONDERS ACROSS COLORADO
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First responders across Colorado will soon have access to training designed specifically to bolster psychedelic crisis response and intervention. The training, developed by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelics Studies (MAPS), seeks to provide emergency responders with education, de-escalation practices, and other tools they can use when interacting with individuals experiencing altered states of consciousness — all of which can help reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and arrests as well as trauma often associated with these types of interactions. Colorado’s Natural Medicine Division recently announced a partnership with MAPS to disseminate the Psychedelic Crisis Assessment and Intervention training to local police, firefighters, and emergency medical agencies across the state. The curriculum’s video lessons and assessments will be made available for free by mid-June.
Though the training is not mandatory, it brings regulators in line with the statute, which dictates they develop and promote training resources for frontline emergency professionals to use amidst broader drug policy reform. Colorado is now the first state to license MAPS’ training and make it available to all agencies that want or need it at the local level. In 2022, Colorado voters simultaneously legalized psychedelic therapy and decriminalized five different substances. Psilocybin mushrooms are now legally available at state-licensed “healing centers,” including at one cafe in Denver that specializes in microdosing, bolstering what researchers at Denver Health call “psychedelic tourism” to the state. Under decriminalization, residents ages 21 and up can grow, possess, use and share a personal amount of drugs like ‘shrooms, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), mescaline and ibogaine without fear of criminal consequences.
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AFFORDABLE UNITS IN DENVER MORE VACANT THAN MARKET-RATE APARTMENTS
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Denver’s income-restricted apartments are more vacant than market-rate ones, according to data from the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority. Apartments restricted to those making 80 percent of the area median income are 18.7 percent vacant. Units between 40 and 60 percent AMI have lower vacancy rates, but remain above market-rate vacancy, which clocked in at 8.3 percent last quarter. Units at 60 percent AMI are 12.8 percent vacant and those at the 40 to 50 percent level sit at 8.4 percent. Only income-restricted housing at 30 percent AMI and below, at 6.4 percent vacant, is fuller than the average market-rate building. CHFA’s data is for stabilized apartments, which are in buildings that have been open for at least six months. It indicated that the median renter in its portfolio makes 26 percent of the statewide AMI, or $24,600 annually.
The odd situation stems from Denver’s current oversupply of apartments, which has pushed costs down for renters. The average rent in Denver is $1,800, but cheaper in many places and unit types. A studio in Cap Hill, for instance, clocks in at $1,200. Meanwhile, a studio apartment at 80 percent AMI can top out at $1,823 per month. Denver’s population, too, has stagnated, with more people estimated to have left the city in 2025 than moved in for the first time since 2021, and only the second time since 2006. That trend is expected to continue this year.
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RTD PLANS DETOURS, DELAYS FOR 20TH ANNIVERSARY COLFAX MARATHON ON SUNDAY
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The 20th anniversary Colfax Marathon will force detours and delays for some Regional Transportation District bus and light rail services Sunday morning. The event will reroute or suspend portions of several lines from 5:30 a.m. until approximately noon on May 17 as runners move through Denver and Lakewood. Customers should plan extra travel time and check schedules in advance. D and H lines will skip Colfax at Auraria Station through the Downtown Loop stations on Stout and California streets. Those lines will continue serving 10th-Osage Station and reroute via Auraria West Station, Empower Field at Mile High Station, Ball Arena-Elitch Gardens Station and Union Station. The L Line will not run during the event. Riders should use bus Route 43 instead. No rail impacts are expected Saturday. Delays are possible on D, E, H and W lines throughout the day because of heavier traffic at Union Station.
On the bus side, routes 20 and 24 will see a minor detour Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon for the Colfax 5K. On Sunday, a long list of routes will detour where necessary but will cross the course when safe. Scheduled connections could be affected. RTD advised riders to use the agency’s trip planner before heading out.
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SUMMER BOX OFFICE: WEEKEND TICKET SALES TOP $160M
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The summer box office is off to a sizzling start — and it’s only getting started. Over the weekend, domestic ticket sales topped $161 million, a nearly 88 percent improvement over the same three-day frame in 2025. Disney and 20th Century Studio’s “The Devil Wears Prada 2” led the pack, adding $41.6 million during its second week, followed by Warner Bros. “Mortal Kombat II,” which snared $38.5 million during its opening. Lionsgate’s “Michael” brought in another $37.9 million in its third week in theaters. The weekend was bolstered by new releases like Amazon MGM’s “The Sheep Detectives” and Paramount’s “Billie Eilish — Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour” as well as holdovers from Universal’s “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” which is in its sixth week, and Amazon’s “Project Hail Mary,” which is in its eighth week. Together, they made for a standout weekend at the movies as the industry chases a $10 billion annual U.S. box office.
The summer movie season, which runs from the first weekend in May through Labor Day in September, is also about to get a boost from several blockbuster titles. Disney’s first new Star Wars theatrical release in seven years arrives in late May with “The Mandalorian and Grogu.” It will be followed by Pixar’s “Toy Story 5″ in June alongside Warner Bros. “Supergirl.” Then in July, Disney has the live-action “Moana,” Universal is set to release Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” and Sony’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”
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MORATORIUM ISSUED ON NEW COMMERCIAL FISHING GUIDE PERMITS
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A temporary moratorium has been placed on new commercial fishing outfitter permits for access locations along the Roaring Fork River governed by Pitkin County Open Space and Trails. Due to a sharp increase in permit applications, drought conditions and resource and capacity limitations, OST Ranger Supervisor Rick Norman said his staff felt it was time to “take a step back” and not issue any permits beyond the 23 already granted for 2026. The pause will also allow OST to examine recent trends more closely and see how other regulatory agencies are responding to what is anticipated to be a challenging summer season for those whose livelihoods depend on the river. “By all accounts it’s going to be a brutal year,” said Jarrod Hollinger, owner of Aspen Outfitting Company. “It’s going to be hard on the fish. It’s going to be hard on the communities who make their living on the river.”
Norman’s recommendation for a moratorium was unanimously approved last week by the OST board. As of Sunday, the streamflow of the Roaring Fork River in Aspen was running at 45 percent of average. It was 37 percent of average at Glenwood Springs. The Colorado River at the Utah state line on Sunday had a streamflow running at 19 percent of average.
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SNOWMASS NOMINATED FOR CONDÉ NAST'S BEST SKI RESORT
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Voting is open for the Condé Nast Traveler 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards, where Snowmass is a contender for Best Ski Resort. Voting is open through June 30 and can be done at cntraveler.com/story/vote-readers-choice-awards. Snowmass is nominated for an award in addition to Viceroy Snowmass, Viewline Resort Snowmass, Wildwood Snowmass, Limelight Hotel Snowmass and the Stonebridge Inn. “Snowmass is such an incredible place to live, work, play, and visit, so to be recognized as one of the best places in the world to do so is a high honor indeed,” shared Sara Stookey Sanchez, Public Relations manager for Snowmass Tourism. Snowmass has been nominated and ranked in various categories for numerous years, according to Stookey Sanchez, taking the title of Best Ski Resort in the U.S. and Canada in 2023. “If Snowmass holds a special place in your heart, we’d be so grateful for your vote,” Snowmass Tourism wrote on its social media.
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SOUTHERN UTE GOVERNMENT BECOMES FIRST TRIBE TO SIGN FEDERAL ENERGY AGREEMENT
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The Southern Ute Indian Tribe signed a Tribal Energy Resource Agreement with the U.S. Dept. of Interior on Monday, becoming the first tribe in the nation to do so. Under the agreement, SUIT, through its Dept. of Energy, can approve and manage energy and mineral-related leases, agreements and rights-of-way on tribal lands without needing federal approval for each action. The agreement applies to oil, gas, coal, uranium or other energy and mineral resources on reservation land that the federal government manages in trust for the tribe. Over the past half-century, the Southern Ute Tribe has become a major energy producer and played a significant role in shaping federal energy policy to grant tribal governments increased sovereignty over their land.
The tribe established its own Energy Resource Division – now the Dept. of Energy – in 1980. Since then, it has overseen severance tax collection, royalty auditing in coordination with the U.S. Dept. of the Interior, and environmental review and compliance across thousands of energy-related facilities. The tribe’s energy department later assumed responsibility for lease auditing from the federal government. In the 2010s, tribal audits resulted in BP America paying $5.2 million in fines to the federal government for underreporting the amount of gas the company produced on Southern Ute land.
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MIKAELA SHIFFRIN, LIZ LEMLEY & MORE TO SPEAK AT EVENT IN AVON
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The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon, Vail Valley will celebrate the incredible accomplishments of our Vail Valley Olympians and Paralympians with an athlete panel discussion titled “Local Legends: Edge of Resilience” on Tuesday, May 19 featuring Olympic gold medalist Mikaela Shiffrin and others. Open to all, the event will take place at 5 p.m. in The Westin Riverfront lobby and will center on the athletes’ recent Olympic experiences. Held in partnership with SpeakUp ReachOut, Howard Head Sports Medicine and Healthspan, this event is designed to create meaningful dialogue around mental health, resilience and community support.
The Local Legends: Edge of Resilience athlete panel will include:
- Mikaela Shiffrin – 2026 gold medal in women’s slalom and 2026 World Cup overall winner
- Liz Lemley – 2026 gold medal in women’s individual moguls and bronze medal in women’s dual moguls
- Meg Gustafson – 2026 Paralympian representing Team USA and Ski & Snowboard Club Vail who achieved a top five giant slalom finish at the 2026 Winter Olympics
- Spenser Gustafson – 2026 Paralympic Guide representing Team USA and Ski & Snowboard Club Vail and a five ski discipline athlete
The Westin will be holding a community contribution raffle drawing as part of the event, with all proceeds directly benefiting SpeakUp ReachOut, a local nonprofit dedicated to reducing suicides through education, training and community support. The resort is currently participating in a 12-month H.O.P.E. (Helping Our People Elevate Through Tough Times) certification program to implement best practices for mental health, addiction recovery and suicide prevention. Lemley was recently named an ambassador at the Athletic Club at The Westin, joining resident athletes Shiffrin and triathletes Josiah Middaugh, Porter Middaugh and Sullivan Middaugh. They all train and recover at the 27,000-square-foot gym, spa and pool facility when they are home in Eagle County. Drinks and snacks will be available for purchase from The Westin Riverfront’s Lobby Bar and Gondola Market + Café. For more information, visit westinriverfront.com.
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RODEO GROUNDS DESIGNATED LOCAL HISTORIC LANDMARK BY CITY PRESERVATION COMMISSION
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The Howelsen Hill Rodeo Grounds, Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo Series and Brent A. Romick Arena at 401 Howelsen Parkway has been designated as a local historic landmark by the city’s Historic Preservation Commission. The May 11 designation recognizes the local importance of the rodeo grounds as a historic landmark and cultural and Western heritage site with over 100 years of colorful history. “The rodeo grounds are an example of the true history of Steamboat,” said Steamboat Pro Rodeo Series Chairman Brent Romick. “Knowing that we have a permanent home makes everything easier.” The historic designation cements the rodeo’s location at the base of Howelsen Hill and allows organizers to more easily secure funding. Whether through fundraising, grants or donations, Romick expects dollars brought in to double or even triple.
The next step for Romick is to keep expanding the entertainment offerings and start capital improvement projects that keep the grounds in top shape. “Rodeo is not going anywhere,” said Romick. “It’s an industry that’s constantly evolving but never dying.” This year’s pro rodeo series kicks off June 19, with events every Friday and Saturday night through Aug. 29. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and competition starts at 7:30. “The grounds will be there when our grandchildren’s grandchildren are learning to calf rope and ride horses,” said Romick. “The spirit of the rodeo will endure.”
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IRS WARNS OF SCAMS INVOLVING CP53E NOTICES
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Confusion about IRS CP53E notices is growing — and scammers are taking advantage. CP53E is an official IRS notice related to tax refunds and bank account information. As the IRS shifts from paper checks to direct deposit, it’s mailing these notices to taxpayers who may need to add or update their banking details. The IRS warns that fraudsters are sending fake versions of the notice in an attempt to steal taxpayers’ sensitive information. If you receive one, verify its authenticity before acting. Do not click links or scan QR codes. The IRS communicates by mail, not digitally. Visit irs.gov to verify and respond.
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IN THE BULLSEYE OF DROUGHT: COLORADO WATER MANAGER STRESS WATER CONSERVATION
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Colorado water managers stressed the importance of water conservation during a talk last week about what homeowners should know as the state faces widespread drought following a winter with a record-low snowpack. Water managers representing Summit County, the Yampa River region, the Fairplay area and Lake and Park counties presented during the meeting on May 8. “The take-home message is we just experienced the warmest winter on record,” Summit County Water Commissioner Troy Wineland said. Almost the entire Colorado River Basin just had one of the hottest and driest winters on record. Throughout much of the Colorado mountains, the snowpack peaked about a month earlier than normal and the snow-water equivalent was roughly 8 inches lower than normal in places. The low snowpack means there is less water to melt off into streams and reservoirs, with roughly 15 to 40 percent of the average amount of water expected to flow through most streams.
- Most of northwest Colorado is under exceptional drought, or Level 4 of 4. By June, all of the Western Slope is expected to be at an elevated risk for wildfires.
- For the Colorado River Basin, drought conditions mean the river is expected to deliver less water than ever before to Lake Powell, which is the nation’s second-largest reservoir.
- In Summit County, low streamflows mean that the Dillon Reservoir, which is part of the water supply for Denver, isn’t expected to fill this year since it will be diverting water under the Continental Divide for use on the Front Range.
- Meanwhile, the Green Mountain Reservoir, downstream of the Dillon Reservoir, is at about one-third of its total capacity, and water levels are expected to continue to drop.
“What I would encourage is for you to share what you learned here today with your neighbors, your community, your friends, your homeowners association,” Wineland said. “If they have not implemented watering restrictions yet, I would encourage everyone to do that yesterday. For perspective, do you want to have green grass or do you want to have water in the rivers and water for the fish?” To view the full presentation, visit TinyURL.com/ColoradoWaterManagers and use the access code “d#Q89W38”.
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INFLATION SOARED TO 3.8% IN APRIL, DRIVEN BY GASOLINE PRICES
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Consumer prices rose 3.8 percent in April from a year earlier, a clear impact of higher gas prices since the start of the war with Iran. The figures, reported Tuesday by the Labor Dept., surpassed the previous month’s reported increase of 3.3 percent. Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal had expected inflation of 3.7 percent. The April increase was the highest in three years. Prices excluding food and energy categories, the so-called core measure economists watch in an effort to better capture inflation’s underlying trend—rose 2.8 percent. That compared with forecasts for a 2.7 percent increase and was a pickup from 2.6 percent the previous month.
Over the month:
- Prices rose 0.6 percent in April from the previous month, in line with economists’ forecasts and slowing from 0.9 percent in March. Energy prices accounted for over 40 percent of the month-to-month increase.
- Energy prices were up 18 percent from a year earlier; within that gasoline was up 28 percent and fuel oil jumped 54 percent.
- Airfare prices rose 21 percent.
Wages and feelings:
- Inflation-adjusted average hourly earnings declined 0.3 percent in April from a year earlier. That marked the first time inflation outstripped annual growth in paychecks since April 2023.
- Consumer sentiment hit a record low in April, largely due to soaring prices at the pump.
How markets are reacting:
- U.S. stocks traded lower. The S&P 500 fell about 50 points, or about 0.7 percent.
- Higher energy prices could filter through to many other goods, with high transportation costs making food and clothing more expensive. A rise in natural-gas prices has already pushed up fertilizer costs, another strain on food prices.
- From a year earlier, food prices were up 3.2 percent. Coffee prices rose about 19 percent over the year, and fresh vegetables rose about 12 percent. Prices for tomatoes, which were already getting more expensive due to adverse weather conditions and President Trump’s tariffs, rose 40 percent over the year.
- Among the signs that tariffs continue to push up some prices, audio equipment jumped 5.8 percent from a year earlier and apparel was up 4.2 percent.
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MARKET UPDATE - 05/12/2026 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 05/07/2026)
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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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