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Colorado - Wed. 04/22/26 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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COLORADO BUSINESS FILINGS RISE DESPITE SLOWER GROWTH IN EARLY 2026
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A University of Colorado Boulder report from the Leeds Business Research Division for the Colorado Secretary of State finds that new entity filings and renewals increased in Q1 2026, with more businesses in good standing and fewer dissolutions even as broader economic indicators cooled. Secretary of State Jena Griswold highlighted strong filings while economists noted above-average GDP and personal income growth despite subdued employment and population gains. The report warns that elevated inflation, a shrinking labor force and slower population growth could constrain near-term expansion and urges continued focus on affordability and policy planning. It is released quarterly to inform policymakers and business leaders.
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DENVER CITY COUNCIL MAKES ANNUAL BISON DONATION PERMANENT
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Denver has codified its long-standing program of donating surplus bison to American Indian tribes and nonprofits after a unanimous City Council vote that removes a planned 2030 sunset. The City and County has managed municipal bison herds at Genesee Park and Daniels Park since 1914 as a conservation effort to help repopulate the species. Auctions ended in 2021 and a structured donation program followed. Since 2008 Denver Parks has provided 174 bison and in March transferred 34 yearlings to Buffalo First (12), the Northern Cheyenne (10), the Navajo Nation (11) and the Tall Bull Memorial Council (1). The National Park Service estimates that bison numbered 30 million to 60 million in the early 1800s and fell to fewer than 1,000 by 1900. Tribal leaders at the Genesee Park event praised the ordinance and the restorations it enables.
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XCEL ENERGY WANTS TO SPEND $100M TO MEET SUMMER ELECTRICITY DEMANDS
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Xcel asked Colorado regulators to let it recover $100 million from customers to shore up short term summer capacity after the 750 megawatt Comanche 3 coal unit went offline last August and isn’t expected back until mid July. The utility says it may use the funds for plant upgrades, extended operation of a smaller Comanche unit, incentives for large customers to curtail usage, and a short term purchase from Tri State for power from the Craig coal plant ordered to stay open by the U.S. Dept. of Energy. Xcel estimates its share of Comanche 3 repairs at $4.6 million and told the PUC it expects potential shortfalls as demand rises and coal retirements continue. The PUC is also weighing larger rate requests and consumer advocates question why customers should cover costs tied to plant reliability while environmental groups back some measures but oppose buying more coal and costly mobile gas generators.
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COLORADO’S ECONOMIC ENGINE SPUTTERING AS STATE’S POPULARITY TAKES A DIVE
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A Common Sense Institute analysis reported by Colorado Public Radio finds Colorado’s population growth has slowed sharply. The state fell from 3rd to 44th in domestic migration rankings comparing mid 2014 to mid 2015 with mid 2024 to mid 2025, and its net migration rank dropped from 5th to 42nd. Southern and southeastern states now lead growth, and Colorado’s domestic migration decline was briefly propped up by international arrivals that have since slowed. The report warns the state’s birth rate won’t supply enough workers, notes Colorado’s economic growth has lagged the U.S. for about two years and that last year saw job losses for the first time since 2010, and urges policymakers to address worker shortages, housing affordability and sector concentration to avoid a feedback loop of business departures.
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POTBELLY TO OPEN 20 NEW LOCATIONS IN COLORADO
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Potbelly Sandwich Works has signed a 20-shop franchise agreement with Red Butte Hospitality, led by Vince Burkett and Jeremy Carl, to expand around Denver. Site selection will prioritize high-visibility suburban locations including Highlands Ranch, Westminster, Aurora, Arvada and Brighton. The chain plans 50 new openings in 2026 and is nearing its 500th U.S. location ahead of its 50th anniversary as it pursues a long-term goal of more than 2,000 shops nationwide. Colorado is a priority market where Potbelly currently operates about 10 shops including LoDo, the Denver Tech Center and Park Meadows. RBH qualifies for Potbelly’s 50/50 Large Area Developer Incentive Program, which supports multi-unit growth. Potbelly was acquired by RaceTrac Inc. last year.
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3 MESA COUNTY STATE PATROL EMPLOYEES RECEIVE ANNUAL AWARDS
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Mesa County troopers and staff swept the Colorado State Patrol’s annual awards with:
- Trooper Dennis Guffey named Trooper of the Year
- Officer Madison Evridge named Port of Entry Officer of the Year
- Tracy Suppes Maloney named Professional Staff Member of the Year
Winners are nominated and selected by executive command staff. Guffey led the agency with 96 impaired driving arrests and was credited with helping reduce fatal and injury crashes in Troop 4A to record lows while mentoring colleagues and supporting Special Olympics and trooper wellness research. Evridge was praised for training documentation, academy instruction, removing impaired commercial drivers and field training duties and said a ride along with her trooper father inspired her career. Suppes Maloney helped develop the agency’s leadership foundations curriculum and led professional staff initiatives to improve training and best practices.
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XCEL ENERGY CANCELS WEDNESDAY’S PLANNED POWER SHUTOFFS IN SEVERAL WESTERN COLORADO COUNTIES
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Xcel Energy removed Mesa, Garfield and Pitkin counties from a planned Wednesday public safety power shutoff after initially listing them in a social media post, and the company has not explained the change. The utility had warned that warm, dry weather and historically low snowpack raise wildfire risk and that shutoffs are used when extreme winds, very low relative humidity and very dry fuel coincide. Xcel had planned outages beginning at about 9 a.m. in Mesa, Garfield and Pitkin and about 11 a.m. in Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Rio Grande and Saguache and urged customers who rely on medical equipment to prepare backup power now. Weather is expected to improve Wednesday evening, but crews must patrol and repair any equipment damage before power can be restored. Final shutoff decisions are typically made about 24 hours in advance and Xcel is monitoring conditions for Thursday.
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LOWRIDER CULTURE ON DISPLAY IN THE FOUR CORNERS
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The Moab Museum, in collaboration with the National Hispanic Cultural Center, opens the exhibit “Lowrider Culture in the American Southwest” Friday at 9 a.m. and admission is free. The show celebrates Chicano identity and the post‑World War II rise of lowriding across the Four Corners, especially in New Mexico and Arizona, and features a car show by Duke’s Car Club of Salt Lake City, food, music and a talk by Art Limon of the Los Angeles Lowrider Alliance from 4 to 7 p.m. Lowriders are customized classic cars that carry family and club traditions through detailed artistry and oral histories. The exhibit is part of the museum’s 250th anniversary series and offers a lively, family-friendly chance to see colorful cars, meet artists and hear the stories behind the craft. More information is available at moabmuseum.org.
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STORIED CABOOSE RETURNS TO DURANGO & SILVERTON NARROW GAUGE RAILROAD
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The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has reclaimed caboose 0501 after it spent 73 years on the Clark family property and served as affordable housing for roughly 90 Fort Lewis College students. Built in 1886 and retired from the Denver & Rio Grande system, 0501 was bought in 1953 by Jackson Clark Sr., converted into a tiny apartment with bunks, a hot plate and a desk, and remained remarkably intact. After the recent deaths in the Clark family, Antonia Clark sold the car back to D&SNG, which moved it to its yard on March 27 for a multi-year restoration so the historic caboose can once again ride the rails and be used for charters and special events. D&SNG notes 0501’s sister car 0500 is already in the museum, and managers say returning 0501 will enhance the railroad’s living-history offerings.
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CAN A SUPER EL NINO SAVE COLORADO FROM DEEPENING DROUGHT CONDITIONS
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Climatologists say a likely El Nino this summer could raise the odds of a wetter than normal summer and an active monsoon, but it is unlikely to undo damage from a historically low snowpack and a warm, dry winter. Peter Goble of the Colorado Climate Center said El Nino typically brings wetter summers and falls but drier winters in the Northern Rockies. The International Research Institute gives about a 70 percent chance El Nino will develop between April and June and an 88 to 94 percent chance it will persist through 2026. Sea surface temperatures could reach about 2 degrees Celsius above normal, a threshold for a “Super El Nino,” which has produced very good snow years in 1983 and 1998 but not always.
Nearly all of Colorado is in drought and more than half the state is in severe to exceptional drought, so even a wet summer would likely provide only limited relief for reservoirs and long-term water supplies. The state has activated a drought task force and local water restrictions are already in place.
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YAMPA VALLEY PARTNERSHIP SEEKING APPLICATIONS FOR PAID SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
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The Yampa Valley Partnership for Students, Stewardship and Sustainability is accepting applications for its Summer 2026 Paid Internship Program, which offers Routt County high school students hands-on work experience across construction, agriculture, information technology, hospitality and local government. The nine-week program includes 11 paid positions and pays $20 per hour for up to 40 hours per week. Participating nonprofits, businesses and public agencies will place interns in roles ranging from carpentry and automotive work to sustainability projects and municipal services. Interns will attend a paid pre-internship boot camp and a program celebration at the end of the summer. The partnership covers all wages and coordinates the program. Applications are open now with a priority deadline of May 1 and rolling acceptance through May 10. Apply at YVPS3.org/What-We-Do/Student-Opportunities or contact Jill Henwood at jill@yvps3.org.
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WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE CAMPING IN COLORADO'S NATIONAL FORESTS THIS SUMMER
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As Colorado’s national forests prepare for the summer recreation season, the U.S. Forest Service is sharing what visitors need to know about wildlife, wildfires and human waste. Colorado has 11 national forests, including the nation’s most visited, White River National Forest, which spans over 2.3 million acres and attracts over 13 million visitors annually. In the spring and summer, visitors flock to the federal public lands for hiking, biking, climbing, fishing, horseback riding, hunting and camping.
- National forest visitors who book a reservation at a developed campground ahead of time on Recreation.gov don’t have to worry about finding a dispersed site, which can sometimes be difficult on busy weekends or holidays. Developed campgrounds in the White River National Forest open as early as mid-May and popular sites often book up quickly.
- Proper food storage is always necessary in Colorado’s national forests due to black bears. National forest officials said black bears become accustomed to eating human food very easily, which can result in the bear being killed for human safety. The White River National Forest has a food-storage order, requiring food to be stored in a bear-resistant container or vehicle at all of its developed campgrounds and many dispersed camping sites to help prevent human-wildlife conflicts. For more information on those orders and which campgrounds they apply to, visit FS.USDA.gov/r02/whiteriver/alerts/food-storage-order.
- Campers and backpackers also have to be ready to deal with going to the bathroom in the woods. Vault toilets are one of the advantages of choosing developed campgrounds, but those staying at dispersed campgrounds won’t have the same luxury. The White River National Forest “strongly recommends” dispersed campers pack out solid human waste instead of digging a hole to bury waste. At the Homestake Valley Campground on the Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District, carrying out solid waste is required.
- As Colorado faces drought conditions, national forest visitors need to use common sense with fire and respect any fire restrictions that are in place. To check current fire restrictions, visit FS.USDA.gov/r02/whiteriver/fire/info. If fires are allowed, officials said campers at developed campgrounds must use the metal rings provided and some should use the metal rings if they’re dispersed sites. Guests should never leave the fire unattended and completely extinguish it so that it is cool to the touch, before leaving. It is recommended that backpackers use gas stoves rather than light campfires. Campers should only burn paper and wood and should not burn trash, plastic or cans.
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MORE BUSINESSES STARTED IN COLORADO LAST QUARTER THAN USUAL
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The number of new businesses in Colorado shot up 12.3 percent in the first quarter from a year ago, according to new data from the Secretary of State’s Office released Monday. Approximately 54,620 entities filed to incorporate in the state in the first three months this year, which was just a tad lower than the quarterly record set three years ago when the state cut fees to $1 to encourage post-pandemic business growth. Filing fees are back to $50. Brian Lewandowski, an economist at the University of Colorado business school’s business research division, called the growth “extraordinary” Monday during a news conference.
- The numbers do follow a seasonal pattern with a 27.3 percent jump from the fourth quarter because business activity tends to ramp up at the start of the year.
- The economy hasn’t been the most favorable to local businesses. Worried about global trade, geopolitical challenges and state budget shortfalls last year, Colorado employers did not add jobs for the first time since 2020. The state lost 7,700 jobs instead.
- The number of Coloradans in the labor force has also been shrinking, though that’s similar to what is happening nationwide. The rate of Coloradans who are working or looking for work is ranked eighth highest in the U.S.
- The vast majority of new entity filers are in Colorado. But “foreign” entities, or filers from outside Colorado, had a 66.5 percent jump in new filings from a year ago — to 5,147 from 3,091 a year ago.
- About 88 percent or nearly 47,000 filings were from companies in Colorado, followed by 696 from California, 594 from Texas, and nearly 500 from New York and Florida. Another 50-plus had addresses outside the U.S.
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MARKET UPDATE - 04/21/2026 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 04/16/2026)
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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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