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Colorado - Wed. 01/07/26 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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SWEEPING MINIMUM‑WAGE HIKES TAKE HOLD ACROSS THE COUNTRY
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Nineteen states raised their minimum wage at the start of the year, boosting pay for an estimated 8.3 million workers as inflation‑linked formulas, new laws and voter‑approved ballot measures took effect. Thirty states now set wages above the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour, and for the first time more workers live in states paying $15 or higher than in those sticking with the federal floor, according to the Economic Policy Institute. Washington adopted the nation’s highest state rate at $17.13 an hour, while Hawaii enacted the largest increase, raising its baseline by $2 to $16. Nebraska and Missouri reached $15 through ballot initiatives.
The changes come amid voter concern about high prices and rising living costs, with more than two‑thirds of Americans supporting minimum‑wage increases in an October Reuters/Ipsos poll. Economists remain divided over the impact, with some warning of job losses and others citing limited price effects and reduced turnover. Several cities set even higher local rates, including Seattle at $21.30, while smaller Colorado cities such as Edgewater and Boulder posted some of the state’s largest increases.
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CONCERNS RAISED OVER COPPER MOUNTAIN SKIER TRAFFIC BACKING UP ONTO I‑70
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Colorado transportation and law enforcement officials say skier traffic backing up from the Copper Mountain exit onto Interstate 70 poses an ongoing safety hazard on busy days, particularly during powder days, weekends, holidays and weather events. Colorado State Patrol Sgt. Greg Manning said stopped traffic in a through‑lane of an interstate is dangerous and difficult to prevent given the volume of skiers trying to access the resort at the same time. The backup occurs at the exit to Colorado 91, affecting not only Copper visitors but westbound motorists heading toward Vail and beyond.
The Colorado Dept. of Transportation said it remains concerned despite steps taken by Copper over the past two years, including adding 861 parking spaces to the Far East lot and changing traffic routing to load multiple lots simultaneously. CDOT and resort officials say they continue to work collaboratively on short‑ and long‑term solutions. Concerns could grow if Copper’s accepted 10‑year master development plan, which includes a potential 500‑acre terrain expansion, eventually moves forward, as increased skier traffic would likely intensify congestion and safety risks on I‑70.
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RED ROCKS TO ADD NEW SECURITY TERRACE & MERCHANDISE BUILDING IN 2026
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Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre is undergoing $1.65 million in upgrades that include a new security and ticketing terrace at the east entrance and a permanent merchandise building near the south ramp. The projects, already under construction, replace the current stairway security bottleneck and a temporary merch tent with structures clad in Lyons sandstone to match the venue’s natural stone. Denver Arts & Venues officials said the improvements have been part of the site’s vision since 1936 and are expected to be completed this spring. Red Rocks generated nearly $75 million in 2024, providing most of the funding to maintain Denver’s six city‑owned venues. Additional updates include visitor‑center exhibit upgrades and a forthcoming backstage renovation funded by the 2025 Vibrant Denver Bond, which will address ADA issues and modernize performer facilities.
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COLORADO PARKS & WILDLIFE LAUNCHES POTENTIAL HUNTING OPPORTUNITY FOR WILD BISON
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife has created a roster for hunters who could be issued special licenses to kill wild bison on a case-by-case basis if the animals cause property damage or other management issues. The state is not establishing a regular bison hunting season. Colorado currently has no resident wild bison herds; the last native animals were killed in 1897. A law passed in 2025 allows bison to be classified as either livestock or wildlife, primarily to protect animals from Utah’s Book Cliffs herds that occasionally wander into Colorado near Rangely. Before the law, bison entering Colorado lost protections and were often killed. Parks and Wildlife estimates about a dozen wild bison have been killed in Colorado in the past decade and 25 over the past 20 years due to the mismatch in protections.
Under the new framework, free-roaming bison are managed as big game and cannot be killed without a license, while privately owned bison remain livestock. The agency is developing a bison management plan and says it has no immediate plans to hunt bison but wants flexibility for time-sensitive situations. Hunters can apply for the roster through Jan. 31, and selected applicants would receive a one-week license if needed.
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CITY OF ASPEN UPDATES GIS MAPPING SERVICE WITH NEW USER INTERFACE
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The city of Aspen rolled out updates to its GIS‑powered MapAspen website in November 2025, introducing a redesigned interface intended to make the mapping service more intuitive and user‑friendly. The platform allows residents, contractors, architects and others to explore interactive maps showing city data such as property lines, ownership, city limits, traffic accident locations, and short‑term rental permits. According to Aspen GIS Program Manager Bridgette Kelly, land planners and architects frequently use the site to download data and imagery for projects, while other users access it to look up property ownership or create custom maps by toggling data layers on and off.
The update added a quick‑view map highlighting commonly requested layers, along with a clickable grid of additional map types. Kelly said the city is continuing to add new content and data layers. MapAspen was launched in 2017 after Pitkin County separated its GIS system from Aspen’s, with the goal of streamlining public access to information and reducing staff time spent creating custom maps. The service allows the community to self‑serve geographic information free of charge.
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CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL LAUNCHES NEW STEM PARTNERSHIP WITH CMU & CU BOULDER
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Central High School has established a new partnership with Colorado Mesa University and the CU Boulder Engineering Program to expand access to advanced STEM opportunities for its students. Beginning this year, participants can take college‑level coursework, work directly with university faculty and mentors, and gain hands‑on experience tied to engineering and innovation. Qualified students will also receive a guaranteed admission pathway and broadened scholarship eligibility at both institutions, including expanded merit awards recognizing the rigor of STEM pathways. The collaboration connects high school learning with university expectations, offering small‑class engineering degree options through the CMU partnership program and reinforcing a shared commitment to cultivating local talent and strengthening long‑term educational pathways in the Grand Valley.
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WESTERN COLORADO UNIVERSITY BEGINS NATIONAL SEARCH FOR NEXT ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
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Western Colorado University in Gunnison is launching a national search for its next athletic director following the announcement that Miles Van Hee will step down after more than three decades with the institution. A former All-American wrestler and nationally recognized coach, he has led the department since 2017, overseeing major facility upgrades, expanded fundraising and a continued emphasis on academic success and the student-athlete experience. University leadership says the search aims to find someone who can build on that foundation while guiding the program through a rapidly changing athletics landscape. An event honoring his contributions is scheduled for Jan. 26 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the University Center Ballroom, and the public is invited to attend.
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CHIMNEY ROCK DESIGNATED AN INTERNATIONAL DARK SKY PARK
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Chimney Rock National Monument has been designated an International Dark Sky Park by DarkSky International, becoming Colorado’s 19th site to receive the certification. Located between Durango and Pagosa Springs on the southern edge of the San Juan Mountains, Chimney Rock is an archaeological site preserving homes and ceremonial structures built by the ancestral Puebloans of Chaco Canyon. Officials say the monument’s remote location provides some of the darkest night skies in the San Juan National Forest, allowing staff to host regular astronomy programs and evening activities. Abe Proffitt, partnership coordinator for the San Juan National Forest Service Office, said dark skies are an important part of the cultural landscape and that artificial light disrupts nocturnal wildlife and limits people’s ability to experience the night sky.
The certification process began in 2023 and was completed in 2025. DarkSky International defines dark sky parks as conservation areas that implement responsible outdoor lighting and provide public education. Proffitt said Chimney Rock uses properly placed, shielded, low‑level lighting to reduce ecological impacts while supporting visitor safety.
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SUNDAY TICKETS ARE FREE AT THIS HISTORIC COLORADO SKI AREA
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Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs is offering free lift tickets every Sunday throughout the ski season, continuing a long‑running tradition at North America’s oldest operating ski area. Known as Ski Free Sundays, the program allows visitors to walk into the ticket office and receive a complimentary pass, a move city officials describe as a way to celebrate the community’s Olympian heritage and make skiing more accessible. Howelsen Hill dates to 1915, when Norwegian immigrant Carl Howelsen introduced ski jumping near downtown Steamboat Springs, and the jumping complex remains one of the largest in North America.
The municipal ski area now features 17 alpine trails rated green through black diamond, accessed by the Barrows Chairlift, along with a 13‑mile groomed Nordic trail network that is also included with the free Sunday ticket. Tubing requires a separate ticket, and some Sundays may see limited terrain or closures due to snow conditions, special events, or training by the Steamboat Springs Winter Sports Club. On non‑Sunday days, adult lift tickets cost $52, with senior and youth tickets priced at $38.
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MYTHOLOGY DISTILLERY SECURES FIVE-YEAR LEASE & EXPANDS ITS COLORADO PRESENCE
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Mythology Distillery has finalized a five-year lease with Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp., ensuring its Mountainside location remains a permanent base area venue after a successful pop-up launch last season. The long-term agreement allows the team to add two outdoor pergolas to expand seating and strengthen its role as a slopeside lunch and après‑ski destination. The company continues to grow following the completion of its production campus on the west side of town, which includes a tasting room, whiskey garden, tours, classes and community events. A new location is planned for March in a renovated historic barn in Breckenridge, offering a traditional tasting room experience. Mythology now has roughly 1,000 statewide accounts, sells online in 42 states, and recently introduced a Cocktail Passport Program that rewards participants for purchasing cocktails featuring its spirits at participating local venues.
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COLORADO MOUNTAINS BRACE FOR FINAL EARLY‑JANUARY SNOWSTORM
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Colorado’s northern and central mountains are set to receive one more round of snow and colder temperatures this week before a mid‑January dry spell arrives. Many areas picked up 5–10 inches Monday, with higher totals at A‑Basin, Copper and Aspen. A second system is expected Wednesday through Friday, bringing 4–8 additional inches to the Western Slope, though totals could shift with changes in the storm track. Meteorologists say the snowfall will help the state’s low snowpack but won’t fully offset December’s record warmth. Temperatures will fall from the 30s and 40s on Wednesday to the teens by Friday, briefly dipping below seasonal norms. Travel along I‑70 should remain dry through Wednesday night before turning wet and icy Thursday. After the storm clears, Jan. 10–16 is forecast to be dry and slightly warmer than normal, with the next chance for snow around Jan. 17. Limited snowfall so far has kept most ski‑area terrain below full operation.
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ACA PREMIUM TAX CREDIT UPDATE: WHAT TO KNOW
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The Affordable Care Act’s enhanced premium tax credits (PTCs) have now expired. The IRS recently updated its FAQs on PTCs. In a nutshell, a taxpayer can elect to have the federal government pay an advanced PTC directly to the insurer based on his or her estimated annual income. The advanced PTC is then reconciled with the taxpayer’s actual income at tax filing time, and the taxpayer must pay back any excess PTCs. Before 2026, a repayment cap limited the amount of excess PTC that had to be paid back. Generally, the FAQ updates were made to questions related to the cap because it’s been removed for tax years beginning after Dec. 31, 2025. Read the FAQs: https://bit.ly/4pokxNA
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EVERY 2026 FREE DAY AT DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS, DENVER ZOO & OTHER CULTURAL HOTSPOTS
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The Scientific & Cultural Facilities District has released its 2026 Free Days calendar, offering free admission during regular business hours at many of metro Denver’s largest nonprofit cultural institutions. Funded by the voter‑approved SCFD tax, the all‑ages days provide access to museums, gardens, the zoo and performing arts venues, though some locations require advance online reservations and ticketed exhibitions may be excluded. Additional SCFD‑supported organizations offer their own free days or are always free. Events are subject to change or cancellation, and visitors are encouraged to check details in advance.
- Denver Museum of Nature & Science: Jan. 12; Feb. 2; March 7 (evening); April 7; April 27; May 12; June 19; Aug. 25; Sept. 15; Oct. 12; Nov. 8 (evening); Dec. 8; dmns.org
- Denver Art Museum: Jan. 13; Feb. 10; March 10; April 26; May 12; June 9; July 14; Aug. 1; Sept. 12; Oct. 13; Nov. 7; Dec. 8; denverartmuseum.org
- Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance: Jan. 9; Jan. 25; Feb. 22; April 19; Nov. 11; Nov. 14; Nov. 22; denverzoo.org/free-days
- Denver Botanic Gardens (York Street & Chatfield Farms): Jan. 19; Feb. 12; March 9; April 22; June 9; July 1; Aug. 25; Nov. 27; botanicgardens.org
- Denver Botanic Gardens, Plains Conservation Center: Jan. 15; Feb. 19; March 21; June 11; July 11; Aug. 20; Nov. 14; Dec. 17; botanicgardens.org
- Denver Center for the Performing Arts: Jan. 6; Feb. 17; April 7; denvercenter.org
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MARKET UPDATE - 01/06/2026 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 01/01/2026)
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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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