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Colorado - Thu. 09/03/26 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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STAGE 1 FIRE RESTRICTIONS IN MOST COLO. NATIONAL FORESTS FOR LABOR DAY
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Officials of the White River National Forest Wednesday announced it would move to Stage 1 fire restrictions everywhere except for the Dillon Ranger District, effective Sept. 4, 2026. The fire danger is still high but less than it was for the past several weeks when we were under Stage 2 restrictions. Campfires will be permitted in metal fire rings and concrete fire pits built and maintained by the U.S. Forest Service. Charcoal-fueled fires are also allowed in grated grills at the agency’s picnic areas and campgrounds. The Dillon Ranger District, which includes all of Summit County, remains under Stage 2 fire restrictions, meaning no open fires whatsoever. Camp stoves and firepits fueled by liquid gas are permissible as long as they remain 3 feet away from flammable materials.
The announcement by the White River National Forest to move to lower fire restrictions follows others throughout the state, including the Pike-San Isabel National Forests, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests, Routt National Forest, Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests, and San Juan National Forest, all of which are currently under Stage 1. There are currently no fire restrictions in place within the Rio Grande National Forest and Pawnee National Grassland. In addition to the WRNF, the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office, Bureau of Land Management, and the seven fire districts in Garfield County are moving from Stage 2 Fire Restrictions to Stage 1 Fire Restrictions on Friday.
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LABOR DAY WEEKEND SKI SEASON SALES CONTINUE
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Nathan Gart launched the first Labor Day ski sales in 1954 with his SNIAGRAB at the Gart Brothers Store at 1643 Larimer in downtown Denver. It eventually moved to the "Sports Castle" at 1000 Broadway and was joined by Christy Sports and others in offering Labor Day weekend sales for the upcoming ski season. The Labor Day weekend sales have changed but the tradition remains with these retailers:
- Christy Sports: The company is currently offering up to 50 percent off so-called “carryover” winter gear and apparel from the 2025-26 season, with shopping online as well as in-person at its more than 20 Colorado locations
- Epic Mountain Gear: From Sept. 3-13, all Epic Mountain Gear stores will offer up to 60 percent off select winter gear and bikes, but you have to visit in-person to get the discounts
- evo Denver: Deals run from now until Sept. 8, at 860 Broadway and evo.com.
- Gear Swap at New Terrain Brewing Co.: Noon to 4 p.m. on Sept. 27. For more information about how to register as a seller, visit newterrainbrewing.com/events.
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STATE SUPREME COURT DENIES XCEL REQUEST TO REVIEW EMINENT DOMAIN PLAN
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Xcel Energy had a plan to connect its two wind farms in eastern Colorado to the Goose Creek substation and Xcel’s $1.7 billion Power Pathway linking Eastern Colorado’s wind and solar to the Front Range. Xcel had secured approval from more than 100 landowners, but still needed approval from Dryland Partners, of DLP, a family farming and ranching operation in Cheyenne County. As a result, Xcel was planning to use its right of eminent domain to secure a 550-foot right of way. A Cheyenne County district judge had ruled Xcel Energy did not have the power to use eminent domain to acquire the right of way. On Monday, the Colorado State Supreme Court denied the utility’s attempt to have the state’s highest court overturn a Cheyenne County district judge’s ruling. In a two-paragraph ruling the state supreme court denied the request without addressing any of the legal issues presented by Xcel Energy.
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WILL THERE BE A CHANGE IN DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME THIS YEAR?
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With the beginning of September, it is now less than nine weeks until the scheduled change from Daylight Saving Time to Standard Time on Nov. 1. In 2022, the Colorado Legislature passed legislation to move to permanent daylight saving time. However, the vote was basically just symbolic as it requires action by the federal government to make the change. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to move permanently to daylight saving time by a bipartisan 308–117 vote in July 2026. There is not yet any vote scheduled on the change in the U.S. Senate and the Senate is in recess until Sept. 14. The Senate has several issues to address that seemingly have more urgency than daylight saving, including Pentagon funding as the war with Iran continues, components of the SAVE America Act among others. Switching to permanent daylight saving time would mean later sunrises and sunsets year-round.
Here is a look at what Time and Date says those times would be on Dec. 21, the shortest day of the year, without permanent daylight saving time, and what they would be with the change:
- Burlington: Sunrise at 7:05 a.m., sunset at 4:29 p.m. without permanent daylight saving time; sunrise at 8:05 a.m., sunset at 5:29 p.m. with.
- Denver: Sunrise at 7:17 a.m., sunset at 4:38 p.m. without permanent daylight saving time; sunrise at 8:17 a.m., sunset at 5:38 p.m. with.
- Fort Collins: Sunrise at 7:20 a.m., sunset at 4:38 p.m. without permanent daylight saving time; sunrise at 8:20 a.m., sunset at 5:38 p.m. with.
- Grand Junction: Sunrise at 7:29 a.m., sunset at 4:55 p.m. without permanent daylight saving time, sunrise at 8:29 a.m., sunset at 5:55 p.m. with.
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LEPRINO CHEESE HEIRESS PLACES TALL TIMBER PROPERTY UP FOR SALE: $30 MILLION
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Gina Vecchiarelli, the daughter of the late James “Jim” Leprino, the man behind Denver-based Leprino Foods, the world’s largest mozzarella cheese company, has listed her private mountain compound in Indian Hills in Jefferson County for $30 million. The compound is more than 450 acres with two separate residences along with expansive recreation features as well as an equestrian center, a private runway and helipad, private tennis and basketball courts as well as open meadows and trails. The residences: an 11,200-square-foot Summit Estate that has four bedrooms, eight bathrooms and an eight-car garage; and a larger (17,200-square-foot) more traditional home, with six bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, a six-car garage and three living levels.
Gina Vecchiarelli and her sister Terry Leprino were both included in Forbes’ most recent ranking of the richest people in the world. Forbes estimated each sister's net worth at approximately $1.3 billion after they inherited a 90 percent stake in Leprino Foods following the death of their father in June 2025.
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MANY CHANGES AT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES, NOW, OPENING AIRPORT LOUNGES
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Southwest Airlines has been undertaking a significant overhaul over the past few years, Southwest ended its longstanding "bags-fly-free" policy, introduced premium seating and moved from open boarding to assigned seats, abandoning a decades-old practice that helped distinguish it from competitors. Southwest also entered into several partnerships with international carriers, and CEO Bob Jordan has said the company plans to eventually offer long-haul international flights.
Now, Southwest is partnering with its long-term credit card partner, JPMorgan Chase & Co., to open airport lounges for the first time. Wednesday, the Dallas-based carrier announced that it has four lounges in the works at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Daniel K. Inouye (Honolulu) International Airport and Nashville International Airport. The carrier expects to open those lounges in late 2027. Eventually, Southwest intends to have least 11 lounges in its network with plans to open seven more over the next several years.
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GRAND JUNCTION REGIONAL AIRPORT OPENS ITS COVERED PARKING AREA
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Officials of Grand Junction Regional Airport, along with construction workers and others gathered Tuesday in the parking lot of GJT to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the official opening of the covered parking area in the airport parking lot. Having a covered parking area has been a long-time plan for GJT and the $7 million project includes: 100 standard parking spaces, eight handicap-accessible parking spots; several electric vehicle charging stations and the covering of the spaces has a canopy of solar panels. The solar panels, once connected to the terminal’s energy system will generate 100 percent of the demand of the terminal. Currently, there is no additional charge for parking in the covered area. Airport CEO Angela Padalecki said there will be a separate parking gate for the covered area by January, and there will be a higher charge for the covered spaces.
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MONSOONS WERE VERY SCATTERED, DURANGO RECORDED VERY DRY AUGUST
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The National Weather Service recorded at total of 0.28 inches of precipitation at the official recording station at the Durango-La Plata County Airport. The normal average for August in Durango is about 1.3 inches, so the actual measured rainfall was about inch below normal. However, Brooke Scholtens, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Grand Junction, notes the monsoon has been drier than traditional years, and was very scattered. Many areas in Durango could have seen more or less rain. The weather service predicts September to be a wetter month than usual, and Durango could see that rain move in across Labor Day weekend. According to the National Integrated Drought Information System, 91.6 percent of La Plata County is in a severe drought and 8.4 percent of the county is in an extreme drought. Durango has been in Stage One water restrictions since early April as part of the city of Durango’s Drought Management Plan.
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FEW INTERNATIONAL VISITORS & INCREASED FEES FOR NATIONAL PARKS = LOW REVENUE
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The massive increase in entrance fees to U.S. national parks, coupled with a sharp decline in the number of international visitors has resulted in significant shortfalls in the projected revenue to be derived from the surcharge on foreign visitors. In November 2025, the Trump administration announced “America-first entry fee policies” at U.S. national parks where “nonresidents will pay a higher rate to help support the care and maintenance of America’s parks.” Charging foreign tourists more than three times what U.S. residents pay ensures “American taxpayers who already support the National Park System receive the greatest benefit.”
In addition to the standard entry fee, nonresidents without an annual pass pay a $100 per-person surcharge to enter 11 of the most visited national parks:
- Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park
- California’s Yosemite and Sequoia & Kings Canyon parks
- Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park
- Florida’s Everglades National Park
- Maine’s Acadia National Park
- Montana’s Glacier National Park
- Utah’s Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks
- Wyoming’s Grand Teton and Yellowstone parks.
The increase in entry to national parks for international visitors came at the same time there were new policies implemented that made it more difficult or expensive for foreign tourists to enter the U.S.
- Canadians were particularly upset with U.S. policies and in Montana, home of Glacier National Park, for instance, visits by Canadians dropped 41 percent and visitation from other foreign countries fell 33 percent.
- Utah, home of the “Mighty 5” national parks: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands, saw a half-million fewer visitors in 2025, driven by a dearth of international visitors.
The results of the combination of increased cost and fewer international visits were reflected in a statement last week from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum which said the higher fees on international visitors raised about $22.5 million in the first six months of 2026. That is roughly 50 percent below what would be necessary to hit the department’s projected windfall of “more than $90 million” generated from foreign visitor surcharges, according to the agency’s annual budget.
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STAN KROENKE IS NOW LARGEST LANDOWNER IN U.S.
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Coloradan Stan Kroenke not only owns the major sports franchises in Colorado, and now is the owner of the Los Angeles Angels as well as the LA Rams, he is also the largest landowner in the U.S. after his purchase in December of 937,000 acres of ranchland from the Singleton family behind industrial conglomerate Teledyne Technologies. It was the largest land purchase in the U.S. in more than a decade. Another Coloradan, John Malone, is No. 3. The top five landowners in the U.S.:
- Stan Kroenke: 2,700,000 acres
- Emmerson Family: 2,440,000 acres
- John Malone: 2,200,000 acres
- Ted Turner: 2,000,000 acres
- Reed Family, 1,615,000 acres
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MARKET UPDATE - 09/02/2026 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 08/27/2026)
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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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