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Colorado - Thu. 02/12/26 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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MICHELIN GUIDE EXPANDS TO COVER ALL OF COLORADO IN 2026
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The Michelin Guide will expand statewide in 2026, ending its focus on four Colorado culinary regions and opening the door for restaurants across the state to be considered. Michelin first arrived in Colorado in 2023, evaluating restaurants in Denver, Boulder, Aspen and Snowmass Village, and Vail and Beaver Creek under three-year contracts funded by local tourism groups, which each contributed between $70,000 and $100,000 annually, along with about $135,000 per year from the Colorado Tourism Office. Those agreements expired this year and were replaced by a single statewide contract with the tourism office. The earlier rollout drew criticism for excluding cities such as Colorado Springs and Aurora, which declined to invest in the program at the time.
Colorado currently has eight one-star restaurants in Denver, Boulder and Aspen, with The Wolf’s Tailor in Denver earning the state’s first two-star designation last year. Michelin’s anonymous inspectors are already scouting restaurants beyond major urban areas, using the guide’s five criteria, including quality, technique and consistency.
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COLORADO LAWMAKERS LOOK TO CRACK DOWN ON COUNTERFEIT PRODUCTS
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Colorado lawmakers are advancing House Bill 1031 to curb the sale of out-of-state fruits and vegetables falsely marketed as Colorado-grown, a practice supporters say undermines consumer trust and harms local producers. The bipartisan bill would make it a deceptive trade practice to label produce as Colorado-grown unless it is entirely produced in the state and would prohibit unauthorized use of the “Colorado Proud” logo. Violations could carry fines of up to $20,000 per offense.
Sponsors said counterfeit branding has become more common, particularly with products like Palisade peaches appearing in stores months before the local growing season. The bill clarifies that produce grown in multiple states must be labeled accordingly and allows Colorado-grown products to be marketed as such even if packaged elsewhere. HB 1031 applies only to fresh, perishable produce and excludes processed foods and products like honey. The measure passed the House Agriculture Committee unanimously and now heads to the full House for consideration.
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HAIL DRIVES UP TO 54% OF HOMEOWNERS’ INSURANCE PREMIUMS IN PARTS OF COLORADO
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Hail damage is the largest driver of rising homeowners’ insurance premiums in many parts of Colorado, accounting for as much as 54 percent of total premiums in some counties, according to new data from the Colorado Division of Insurance. The agency analyzed information from 20 insurers to determine how much of average premiums are tied to hail and wildfire risk. Even in Summit County, where hail is rare, hail-related costs made up 35.6 percent of premiums, compared with just under 8 percent for wildfire. Along the Front Range and Eastern Plains, hail accounted for about 50 percent of premiums, while wildfire ranged from 0.9 to 24.6 percent depending on location; in Denver, wildfire represented about 1 percent.
Gov. Jared Polis said the data underscores the need to reduce insurance costs and improve home resilience. Lawmakers have introduced bipartisan legislation to expand access to disaster mitigation funds and allow tax deductions for catastrophe savings accounts to help cover deductibles, uninsured losses and mitigation efforts.
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DENVER’S LARGEST MUSIC FESTIVAL IS BACK ON IN A NEW NEIGHBORHOOD
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The Underground Music Showcase will return this summer after appearing to end in 2025, reemerging in Denver’s RiNo neighborhood following more than two decades along South Broadway. The festival, which began in 2001 and grew into a three‑day event featuring more than 200 bands across a dozen stages, appeared to be finished after Youth on Record exited as co‑owner to refocus on its nonprofit mission and no replacement partner emerged. Two Parts, which co‑owned the festival, later connected with the RiNo Business Improvement District, which committed $250,000 annually for three years to keep the event alive.
Organizers said South Broadway’s linear layout limited growth, while RiNo’s network of streets and venues offered room to expand. The festival will maintain its focus on local and emerging artists, keep its existing pay structure, and introduce larger moments to draw crowds through the district. Organizers emphasized the revival was not preplanned, but a last‑minute opportunity to continue the festival in a new form.
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DENVER COMPANY WINS NASA SPACE STATION CONTRACT
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Voyager Technologies, a Denver‑based aerospace company, won a NASA contract worth up to $24.5 million over four years to provide mission services for the International Space Station. The agreement covers payload integration, mission operations, safety and compliance, and other support functions, with options that could expand the contract’s scope and value. Voyager said the award builds on its work under a previous NASA contract, during which it completed more than 50 space station task orders and supported ISS operations, including scientific experiments and waste deployment through the Bishop Airlock. The company expects to onboard three new ISS payload missions in the next quarter.
Voyager, which raised $402.3 million in its public debut last June, is expanding in Colorado, including leasing 150,000 square feet at PuebloPlex near Pueblo and acquiring Littleton‑based ExoTerra Resource to pursue military contracts tied to the Golden Dome missile defense program. Voyager is also the majority owner of Starlab, a project intended to replace the ISS as it nears decommissioning.
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SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR 2026 COLORADO BOOK AWARDS
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Submissions are now open for the 2026 Colorado Book Awards, presented by Colorado Humanities & Center for the Book in partnership with Metropolitan State University of Denver and the Denver Project for Humanistic Inquiry. According to a press release, books published between Nov. 1, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2025, are eligible, with a submission deadline of March 22. Categories include Anthology, Children’s Literature, Creative Nonfiction, General Nonfiction, General Fiction, Genre Fiction, History, Poetry and Young Adult Literature. At least one primary contributor must currently reside in Colorado, and independently published works are welcome. All entries must have a copyright and ISBN, with professional copyediting strongly recommended. Applications are also open for volunteer judges, who will review submissions, select finalists and winners from April through August, and receive complimentary tickets to the awards celebration. To learn more, visit coloradohumanities.org.
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EAGLE COUNTY PROPERTY TAX BILLS SURGE AS STATE DISCOUNT EXPIRES, SCHOOL RATES GO UP
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Eagle County homeowners are seeing property tax bills rise by roughly ten percent or more this year as higher assessed values combine with the expiration of a temporary state tax break and an increase in school assessment rates. County Assessor Mark Chapin said residential property values rose about eight percent in the latest reappraisal, reflecting continued demand in the High Country even as values flatten elsewhere in Colorado. The end of a $55,000 state backed residential property tax discount approved in 2024 is also pushing bills higher, along with an increase in the school assessment rate to 7.05 percent, while rates for other local governments dropped slightly to 6.25 percent.
Mill levy rates vary widely across the county, averaging about 65 mills but reaching as high as 125 mills in some metro districts, which can significantly affect individual tax bills. Property owners who believe their valuation is incorrect can appeal through the Eagle County Assessor’s Office, either online or by calling 970-328-8640, where staff can explain deadlines, required documentation and how mill levies factor into the final bill.
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CONGRESS APPROVES MILLIONS IN APPROPRIATIONS SPENDING FOR WESTERN SLOPE
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Congress has approved more than $141 million in congressionally directed spending for roughly 110 projects across Colorado as part of the Fiscal Year 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act, with several investments targeted to Western Slope communities. The legislation, signed into law on Feb. 3 to end a partial government shutdown and fund the federal government through Sept. 30, includes funding for infrastructure, affordable housing, childcare, public safety and energy projects. Colorado’s requests were submitted by U.S. Sens. Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper and U.S. Reps. Joe Neguse and Jeff Hurd.
Western Slope projects receiving funding include:
Garfield County
- $2,000,000 for Town of Carbondale affordable housing projects
- $401,000 for the City of Rifle’s Garfield County Drug Testing Public Safety Initiative
- $250,000 for Roaring Fork School District’s school‑based mental health program
Routt County
- $1,300,000 for a City of Steamboat Springs childcare and workforce housing site work project
Grand County
- $1,092,000 for the Town of Granby’s water treatment plant
- $2,000,000 for the Town of Fraser’s St. Louis Landing Community Housing and Early Childhood Education Center
Eagle County
- $585,000 for an Eagle County Government housing energy independence project
Summit County
- $1,129,322 for the Summit County Sheriff’s Office Pine Cove Ranger Station on Dillon Reservoir
- $300,000 for the Summit County Family & Intercultural Resource Center to support workforce sustainability
- $250,000 for the Town of Silverthorne’s Stephens’ Way improvement project
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MCPH RELEASES ANNUAL REPORT: HERE’S WHAT YOU MISSED IN 2025
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Mesa County Public Health’s 2025 annual impact report highlights a year shaped by emergency response, disease prevention and expanded community health services, while also detailing quieter efforts that supported residents across the county. The 24‑page report outlines MCPH’s response to Mesa County’s first measles outbreak in 20 years, expanded behavioral health outreach following the closure of West Springs Psychiatric Hospital, and behind‑the‑scenes work during wildfire season, including air quality protection and emergency supply distribution. It also documents growth in maternal health programs, increased access to overdose‑reversal medication, and expanded disease screening and food safety enforcement.
By the numbers in 2025:
- 8,600 boxes of naloxone distributed through 12 public kiosks, with program expansion planned in 2026
- 11 confirmed measles cases during the county’s first outbreak in two decades
- 500 staff hours and 27 employees involved in the measles response
- 1,700 appointments for STI screening and treatment, with a focus on syphilis
- 300 staff hours dedicated to tuberculosis investigations and case management
- WIC enrollment increased from 2,700 to 3,400 families
- $2.5 million in grocery assistance provided through WIC
- 50 breast pumps issued to working mothers
- N95 masks and air purifiers distributed during South Rim and Turner Gulch wildfires via the Western Slope’s only Colorado Medical Cache
- 117 residents connected to mental health resources through Grand Valley Connects
- 96,400 people reached through behavioral health outreach campaigns
- 285 foodborne illness complaints received, leading to 29 investigations
- 19 food recalls issued and 129 business plan reviews conducted across food, body art and school facilities
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THE OLYMPIC HOCKEY TEAM THAT’S NEVER MET AN NHL PLAYER
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Every men's hockey team competing in Milan arrived with National Hockey League stars—except host nation Italy, the only Olympic squad without a single NHL player. No Italian-born player has ever played in the league, leaving Italy to assemble a roster of European-based journeymen, many of whom had never faced NHL-caliber talent before this tournament. Italian forward Luca Frigo said the experience was surreal, noting, “We are playing against guys that we play on video games.” Italy briefly stayed level with Sweden before falling 5-2, a reminder of the gap. Their first close encounter with NHL stars came off the ice, when Team Canada walked into the athletes’ village cafeteria and players found themselves standing next to Sidney Crosby in the buffet line.
While North American players with Italian heritage could have pursued eligibility, IIHF rules would have required them to abandon NHL careers to play in Italy’s domestic league for two seasons, an idea Italian players rejected as unfair. The team is competing only because Olympic hosts receive an automatic berth, marking Italy’s first men’s appearance outside the country since 1998. A potential sign of progress came in 2023, when the Anaheim Ducks drafted goaltender Damian Clara, the first player developed in Italy selected by an NHL team.
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HIGHEST-PAID OLYMPIANS COMPETING IN MAJOR SPORTS
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In the Winter Olympics in Milan/Cortina, there will be 146 players from the National Hockey League playing for the first time, after not playing in 2018 and 2022. However, it is not an NHL player that is the highest-paid Olympic athlete, based on their sport, i.e. both on-field income from salaries, bonuses and prize money and off-field income from endorsements, licensing, appearances and memorabilia, as well as cash returns from any businesses in which the athlete has a significant interest. Estimates in freestyle skiing, Alpine skiing, snowboarding and figure skating reflect the past 12 months; estimates in hockey reflect the 2025-26 NHL league year.
- Freestyle Skiing: Eileen Gu, $23 million
- Hockey: Auston Matthews, $20 million
- Alpine Skiing: Lindsey Vonn, $8 million
- Alpine Skiing: Mikaela Shiffrin, $6 million
- Snowboarding: Chloe Kim, $4 million
- Figure Skating: Ilia Malinin, $700,000
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IT’S 2026 & YOU’RE UNINSURED. NOW WHAT?
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Millions of Americans are losing Medicaid or Affordable Care Act coverage as federal policy changes take effect, leaving many without insurance and facing sharply rising out‑of‑pocket costs. Health policy experts say the most important step is to avoid going completely uninsured, if at all possible, but for those who have already lost coverage, several practical options remain to access affordable care and avoid catastrophic medical bills.
- Talk openly with your doctor about costs: Many providers offer lower cash‑pay rates or can adjust care plans when they know a patient is uninsured. Prices are often negotiable, and doctors may choose lower‑cost diagnostic options when appropriate.
- Seek out providers who work specifically with uninsured patients: Federally qualified health centers, community clinics, Planned Parenthood, and free or charitable clinics offer sliding‑scale or low‑cost services. Academic medical centers often have charity‑care programs that reduce bills for uninsured patients.
- Contact your local health department: County health departments frequently provide free or low‑cost vaccinations, STI testing, family planning, flu and COVID testing, and sometimes dental, mental health, or substance‑use services. Some states also offer consumer assistance programs.
- Shop around for prescription drugs: Generic options, comparison‑shopping tools, and retailer discount programs can significantly reduce costs. Some pharmacies sell common generics for very low prices, and drugmakers often offer coupons or patient‑assistance programs.
- Look for diagnosis‑specific resources: Disease‑specific nonprofits and foundations may help with treatment costs, travel, lodging, or care coordination. The Patient Advocate Foundation maintains a database of vetted financial‑assistance programs.
As people search for affordable options, experts warn against short‑term plans and health‑sharing ministries that resemble insurance but may exclude preexisting conditions, limit benefits, or impose restrictive clauses that leave patients exposed to large bills.
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MARKET UPDATE - 02/11/2026 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 02/05/2026)
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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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