|
Colorado - Fri. 10/09/26 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
|
|
View in Browser
|
|
|
| |
CANADIAN POET ANNE CARSON AWARDED NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE
|
| |
|
|
| |
Canadian poet Anne Carson was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. The Nobel Committee lauded Carson for her distinctive style that mixes classical scholarship, lyric poetry and avant-garde translation. Her work often reimagines ancient Greek mythology and philosophy through a personal, contemporary feminist lens. Born in Toronto in 1950, Carson trained as a classicist at the University of Toronto before transforming that expertise into a career that has combined poetry writing with translation work and teaching at various universities and institutions. Carson’s best-known works include genre-blending books like “Autobiography of Red,” a queer coming-of-age tale that reinterprets a work by the ancient Greek poet Stesichorus. Her other works include “Plainwater,” “Wrong Norma” and “The Beauty of the Husband,” for which she became the first woman to win the T.S. Eliot Prize in 2001.
Her 2010 book of poetry, “Nox,” folds out like an accordion and features a translation of a work by the Latin poet Catullus combined with old letters, photos, collages and sketches connected to an older brother, Michael, with whom she had lost contact before he died in 2000. Carson discovered her love of the classics at a shopping mall bookstore in Hamilton, Ontario, when she was young, she told the literary journal Brick in 2012. She came across a bilingual edition of “Sappho” with Greek on the left and English on the right. “It just looked so fascinating I thought I should learn this,” she said. The Latin teacher at her high school also knew Greek and offered to teach her during lunch break. “So, I owe my career and happiness to Alice Cowan in Port Hope High School,” Carson said. Carson was in Iceland when she learned of her award Thursday. The poet said she was “listening to the wind.”
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
AVERAGE LONG-TERM U.S. MORTGAGE RATE AT HIGHEST LEVEL IN NEARLY 3 YEARS AFTER 7TH WEEKLY RISE IN A ROW
|
| |
|
|
| |
Mortgage rates marched higher for the seventh week in a row, driving the average long-term U.S. home loan rate to its highest level in nearly three years. The benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage climbed to 7.40 percent from 7.28 percent last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the average rate was 6.30 percent. The average rate is now the highest since Nov. 16, 2023, when it was at 7.44 percent. Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages also rose this week to 6.73 percent from 6.60 percent last week. A year ago, it was at 5.53 percent.
The 10-year Treasury yield has risen to its highest level since 2002 because of worries about high inflation, big government debt loads and other factors. The yield was at 5.29 percent at midday Thursday on the bond market. That’s well above its 3.97 percent level from before the war with Iran began. In late February, the average rate on a 30-year mortgage briefly dipped to 5.98 percent, its lowest level going back to late 2022. The 1.42 percentage point increase in the rate since then translates roughly into an additional monthly cost of $376 for a borrower financing a $400,000 home loan at the current average rate.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
CU DENVER TO BECOME THE FIRST PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN THE U.S. TO ESTABLISH A CAMPUS IN INDIA
|
| |
|
|
| |
The University of Colorado Denver is establishing a campus in Hyderabad, India, the first public university in America to do so. The campus was approved by India’s University Grants Commission. CU Denver hopes to welcome the first cohort in August 2027. The new campus will focus on degrees in fields like business, computing, engineering and analytics. Hyderabad, the capital city of southern India’s Telangana state, is a hub for the technology industry. The city houses operation centers for Amazon, Meta, Google and Microsoft. The university says they’re aiming to expand access to high-quality and globally relevant education while contributing to India’s evolving higher education landscape.
CU Denver says their background as an R1 research institution in particular can help prepare students through impactful research and hands-on learning, while also gaining practical skills. The new India location joins the University of Colorado system of four campuses throughout the state: Denver, Anschutz, Boulder and Colorado Springs. CU Denver serves approximately 14,000 students with a global alumni network of 100,000 graduates.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
RENTAL CAR CUSTOMERS DON'T WANT JUST ANY CAR
|
| |
|
|
| |
Maybe it’s a specific color, a brand preference or just a familiar model with all of the buttons and controls laid out a certain way – when it comes to choosing a rental car, customers care about the specifics, and not just any car will do. According to the JD Power 2026 North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study, overall customer satisfaction rises 10 points (on a 1,000-point scale) when the reserved class of vehicle is available and rises 18 points when customers are able to pick a specific vehicle from the rental car lot. “The ability of rental car companies to deliver on customers’ specific vehicle preferences is an important part of the overall rental experience, and when the reserved class of vehicle is not available, the overall satisfaction score falls by 111 points,” said Michael Taylor, managing director of travel, hospitality and retail at JD Power.
“On the whole, the industry is getting better at delivering on this level of vehicle-specific customer preference, with 90 percent of customers now indicating they received a vehicle in the class they reserved and 85 percent indicating they were able to choose a specific vehicle from the lot – both of which are improvements over last year.” Enterprise ranks highest in overall customer satisfaction for a second consecutive year, with a score of 739. National (726) ranks second and Advantage Rent A Car (717) ranks third. For more information about the study, visit jdpower.com/business/north-america-rental-car-satisfaction-study.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
DENVER NAMES 26-MEMBER GROUP TO HELP SHAPE DATA CENTER RULES
|
| |
|
|
| |
Denver is taking its next step toward deciding where data centers can operate — and under what conditions — as concerns mount over their demands on electricity, water and surrounding neighborhoods. Mayor Mike Johnston and three Denver City Council members announced the selection of 26 people to a working group tasked with developing recommendations for regulating the facilities. The working group is comprised of a wide swath of individuals representing utility, academia, healthcare and air quality as well as community members. The group is expected to create policy suggestions. Among those serving are Ean Thomas Tafoya, with GreenLatinos; Rev. Terrance D. Carroll, former speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives and Melissa Almond of Xcel Energy. More than 250 people applied, according to the mayor’s office.
The first meeting is expected to be held Friday, with sessions streamed in English and Spanish. The community is encouraged to submit questions and comments. Nearly 2,800 data centers are planned or under construction nationwide, according to a 2025 American Edge Project report, which identified another 4,149 already operating. In May, the Denver City Council unanimously voted to impose a one-year moratorium on permits and site development applications for data centers. Data centers permitted before May of this year are not subject to the moratorium.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
ALPINE BANK PURCHASES SITE FOR FUTURE GREELEY BRANCH LOCATION
|
| |
|
|
| |
Alpine Bank has purchased a commercial land parcel at the northwest corner of Hwy. 34 and 71st Ave. in Greeley for a future branch location. The purchase reflects Alpine Bank's continued investment in northern Colorado and its commitment to serving the growing Greeley community. The property, near the planned Westgate development, will be home to Alpine Bank's first branch in the city and second location in northern Colorado. "Greeley is an important part of Colorado's future, and we're grateful for the opportunity to invest here,” said Alpine Bank Regional President Ben Van Hoose. “This property helps us plan for the long term and ensures we're well-positioned to serve the people, families and businesses of this community for years to come."
Alpine Bank operates 39 locations across Colorado, including seven branches along the Front Range. Since entering the Front Range market in 2014, the bank has established locations in Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs, and is preparing to open a new branch in Littleton in 2027. While development plans and timing have not yet been finalized for the Greeley location, Alpine Bank is excited about establishing a future branch on the property and becoming an active part of the community. “As Alpine Bank continues to grow, we're focused on communities where we can build meaningful, lasting relationships,” said Alpine Bank President Jay Rickstrew. “Greeley is a community with tremendous momentum, and we're excited about the opportunity to become part of its future.” The land parcel transaction was brokered on behalf of Alpine Bank by Layne McBride and Gary Aboussie of The Colorado Group, Inc. The seller was represented by Jake Hallauer of CBRE.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
ASPEN TO SURVEY VOTERS ON NOVEMBER ELECTION OPTIONS
|
| |
|
|
| |
The city of Aspen will begin gathering community input on whether municipal elections should move from March to November, and if voters find a runoff election important. After holding off on posing a question to the electorate on the upcoming November ballot about moving Aspen’s municipal elections (moving the election would change the city’s home rule charter, requiring a vote of the public), the Aspen City Council decided it wanted more community feedback on moving the election and the corresponding changes to the city’s election systems. The city council could potentially pose a question about moving municipal elections to voters during the March 2027 election. Results from the city’s 2026 community survey showed overwhelming support for moving the city’s March election to November in coordination with Pitkin County.
But the question in the survey about whether the community wanted to move the election did not include nuances of what moving the election to November would mean for the city’s runoff system. The county would not administer a runoff election for the city — if the municipal election moved to November, the city could choose to get rid of its runoff system or conduct its own runoff in December. A survey about the election options is live on Aspen Community Voice and mailers with QR codes directing to the online survey will land in registered voters’ mailboxes next week.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
WORKS OF BRAZILIAN ARTIST BEATRIZ MILHAZES SELECTED FOR SKICO TICKETS & PASSES
|
| |
|
|
| |
Aspen One, the parent company of Aspen Skiing Co., on Wednesday announced that the works of Brazilian artist Beatriz Milhazes will be displayed on lift tickets and the Silver Queen Gondola station for the 2026-27 winter season. Milhazes’ work is described as vibrant, large-scale abstract paintings and collages. Her work has been featured in the Museum of Modern Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and numerous acclaimed international venues. She is considered “as one of the most important Brazilian and international artists.” Five of her paintings will be on lift tickets and season pass cards, and a transparent and translucent colored vinyl collage will produce a stained glass-like effect at the Silver Queen station.
“Art is about life and nature,” Milhazes said. “The world needs poetry and beauty more than ever — not a cosmetic beauty, but one that creates a spiritual connection. My hope is that my art allows those who visit Aspen Snowmass to feel something deeper, where art and nature meet as a truly human experience.” The art and more information can be viewed at aspensnowmass.com/discover/arts-and-culture/art-in-unexpected-places.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
VICTORIOUS VERMETTE: DURANGO DOWNHILL MOUNTAIN BIKE STAR WINS WORLD CUP OVERALL TITLE
|
| |
|
|
| |
There were 34 years between the second and third Durango rider to win a men’s UCI Mountain Bike World Cup overall title, and after Sunday, there was only a year between the third and fourth. Almost a year after Durango’s Christopher Blevins won his men’s elite cross-country mountain bike overall World Cup title, fellow Durangoan Asa Vermette won the men’s elite downhill World Cup overall title on Sunday in Lake Placid, New York, after finishing eighth in the final round of the series. His title might have been even more impressive than Blevins, who was 27 and had a few years of experience racing around the world in the men’s elite category when he won the cross-country mountain bike World Cup overall title. Vermette, 19, won the men’s elite downhill World Cup overall title in his first elite season.
After growing up riding at Purgatory Resort, Vermette was beating top American professionals at national events when he was 16. Vermette won the downhill men’s elite national championship when he was 17 in 2024. The Durango star made his men’s junior World Cup debut in 2024 and dominated the men’s junior season, winning the men’s junior world championship. His 2025 campaign wasn’t as dominant, but he was ready to make the jump to the men’s elite category in 2026. Once the title was confirmed, Vermette could celebrate with his mom, his uncles, cousin and grandparents who made the trip to Lake Placid. He also celebrated with Neko Mulally, the manager of Frameworks Racing, which Vermette races for. He’ll have about seven months until he goes for men’s elite World Cup title No. 2.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
COLORADO COLLEGE NAMED A TOP 'HIDDEN GEM' IN THE U.S.
|
| |
|
|
| |
Colorado College is one of the nation’s top “hidden gem” colleges in the U.S., according to a college research service’s list. The private school in Colorado Springs ranked No. 6 in the nation on the 2027 list. Regis University in Denver also made the list at No. 304. Neither school made the list put out earlier this year by U.S. News that named the best global universities, but Regis did make that publication’s list of best universities in Colorado. The “hidden gem” rankings are based on several measures of quality, cost and access. The criteria included having fewer than 7,000 undergraduate students, receiving less than 10,000 applications in a year, and having a minimum 20 percent acceptance rate.
The research service College Raptor found 399 schools meeting the criteria in the latest rankings. Colorado College was the only school in the Rocky Mountain Region in the top 100. Business/managerial and economics are among the most popular majors at Colorado College, where 26 percent of accepted students enroll.
Here are key metrics:
- Acceptance rate: 22.1 percent
- SAT score (25th to 75th percentile of students who attend): 1,270 – 1,460
- Average net price: $36,123
- Median starting salary for graduates: $47,611
Here are the stats for Regis, which went through a few identities over nearly 150 years before adopting its current name in 1991:
- Acceptance rate: 84.6 percent
- SAT score (25th to 75th percentile of students who attend): 1,140 – 1,310
- Average net price: $21,618
- Median starting salary: $64,557
Of the 399 schools that qualified as hidden gems, these are the top 10:
- Carleton College, Minnesota
- Smith College, Massachusetts
- Yeshiva University, New York, NY
- Macalester College, Minnesota
- Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania
- Colorado College
- Scripps College, California
- Kenyon College, Ohio
- Mount Holyoke College, Massachusetts
- Trinity College, Connecticut
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
MARKET UPDATE - 10/08/2026 Close
|
| |
|
(Courtesy of Alpine Bank Wealth Management*)
|
| |
|
Canadian dollar (per U.S. dollar)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Mexican peso (per U.S. dollar)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
30-year fixed mortgage rate (Freddie Mac 10/08/2026)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
*Not FDIC insured. May lose value. Not guaranteed by the bank.
|
| |
|
| |
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.
|
| |
|
|
| |
| Make changes to your subscription or unsubscribe here. |
| © 2026 Alpine Bank. |
| |
|
|
