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Colorado - Wed. 08/05/26 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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WILDFIRE SMOKE TRIGGERS AIR QUALITY WARNING FOR EVERY COLORADO COUNTY
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Out-of-state wildfires continued to send waves of smoke across Colorado on Tuesday, triggering air quality warnings across the entire state. The air quality health advisory issued by the Colorado Dept. of Public Health and Environment covers all Colorado counties and will be active through at least 9 a.m. Wednesday. The advisory covers such a large area because the smoke is moving into the state from several different directions. Fires in Utah and Nevada were sending smoke into Colorado from the west, and smoke from fires in other upwind states was drifting into northeast Colorado.
Surface-level smoke should start to lift Wednesday, and upper-level smoke — the kind that causes hazy skies and vibrant sunsets — may begin to decrease on Thursday. Temperatures are expected to steadily rise throughout the week in the Denver area, returning to the 90s on Thursday and possibly triple digits over the weekend. Triple-digit heat would come close to the city’s Aug. 8 record on Saturday and would break the city’s Aug. 9 record on Sunday.
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COSTCO IS QUIETLY SELLING DISCOUNTED COLLEGE FOOTBALL TICKETS WITH PERKS
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The 2025 college football season is right around the corner, with Week Zero kicking off on Aug. 23. As such, Costco is now introducing a new item in select stores across the country. Yes, Costco is selling college football tickets for a variety of schools, according to Brett McMurphy of On3. "Costco selling discounted 2 ticket packages for South Carolina, Purdue, Louisville, Virginia, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Tulane, UConn, Louisiana, Western Michigan, Kennesaw State & Idaho home games. Varies b/w $49.99 to $99.99. Some include $20 food/beverage credit or parking pass," McMurphy wrote on X. On the Costco website, the South Carolina package is available for $79.99, and each ticket has a "$10 University of South Carolina Football Food & Beverage Voucher." The tickets for South Carolina specifically are eligible for the games against SC State, Vanderbilt, Kentucky and Coastal Carolina.
For some perspective, one ticket for the Kentucky-South Carolina game is starting at $74 on Vivid Seats, so this Costco package is well worth the price and comes with some free food. Other Power Four programs that have tickets available at Costco include Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Virginia, Louisville and Purdue, so it's a wide-ranging scope from the popular wholesaler. Tickets for Louisiana, Western Michigan, Kennesaw State, Temple and UConn are all available on the site for $49.99 for two tickets. Costco also sells tickets for other sports, including MLB, NFL and MLS, as well as a three-day pass to the United States Grand Prix and tickets to the NASCAR Coke Zero Sugar 400.
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DENVER CITY COUNCIL REJECTS PROPOSAL TO ALLOW CLUBS TO STAY OPEN UNTIL 4 A.M.
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Denver will not allow nightclubs to remain open until 4 a.m. after the City Council rejected the idea during its meeting Monday. The proposal was part of a broader ordinance, which the council did approve, to update and simplify the city’s licensing process for businesses such as nightclubs, venues and strip clubs. The city’s Dept. of Licensing and Consumer Protection released a draft of the proposed changes, including the possible extension of nightlife, earlier this year. The change would have allowed clubs to remain open until 4 a.m., but under state law, alcohol would have continued to be sold only until 2 a.m.
DLCP Executive Director Molly Deplechian said during the meeting that the department had hoped the later let-out time could decrease violent incidents late at night. “What results is a competition of resources, for a ride home, to find some food. People are at their peak intoxication, and so they run into each other, bump into each other and there ends up being some fights,” she said. Councilwoman Jamie Torres proposed the amendment to remove the 4 a.m. element from the bill but said she would be interested in seeing a limited pilot program of the idea in certain parts of the city. “This was one that I could not get entirely comfortable with,” she said. “I think we are not quite there yet on data that demonstrates that things get safer with a later exit time.” Duplechian said the department would explore a possible pilot program.
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DENVER RECORDS SECOND-HOTTEST JULY ON RECORD
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Denver just documented a historically hot July — the second warmest ever recorded in the city. The average temperature in July was 78.7 degrees, according to weather service records. That’s the second-warmest July on record in Denver, just behind the 78.9-degree average of July 2012. Denver’s lowest average temperature for July was 70.2 degrees in 2009. The weather service uses the city’s daily highs and lows to calculate the monthly mean. The city saw 28 days where temperatures reached 90 degrees or higher and hit the triple digits three times. The warmest day was July 26 when the city hit a record-breaking high of 103 degrees.
Weather service officials said in a monthly summary that 28 days of at least 90-degree weather broke another record for Denver. Two more 100-degree days have been recorded in Denver so far in August, putting 2026 in a five-way tie for fourth place in a ranking of the city’s annual number of days with triple-digit temperatures. Denver saw 13 days with triple-digit heat in 2012, which currently sits in first place. Three more triple-digit days would launch the city into second place.
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COLORADO MOTORISTS URGED TO SHARE ROAD WITH 300 CYCLISTS FOR AUG. 10-14 TOUR
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Some 300 cyclists will tour highways and county roads through south-central Colorado from Aug. 10-14 as part of the five-day bicycle event Colorado’s Ride. Motorists should prepare to share the road with the group on routes linking Crested Butte, Buena Vista, Salida and Gunnison. No highway closures are planned. The tour will take place between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. each day on Colorado Hwy. 135, U.S. Hwy. 285, Colorado 291, U.S. 50 over Monarch Pass and related Forest Service and county roads in Chaffee, Gunnison and Saguache counties.
Law enforcement officers will monitor traffic flow, but the overall responsibility for rider safety lies with each participant. “Bicyclists must stay to the right, not impede traffic and use caution as drivers may not be aware of the ride event,” said Col. Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol. “Additionally, drivers need to share the road and practice the Three Foot Law.” The law requires drivers to give bicyclists at least three feet of space when passing. In some situations, motorists may need to cross a double yellow line when safe to ensure the clearance. If oncoming traffic prevents the three-foot buffer, the motorist should slow down and wait behind the cyclists until it is clear to pass.
The daily routes are:
- Aug. 10: Colorado Hwy. 135, Forest Service, and county roads from Crested Butte to Buena Vista
- Aug. 11: U.S. Hwy. 285, Colorado 291, and county roads from Buena Vista to Salida
- Aug. 12: U.S. 50 over Monarch Pass from Salida to Gunnison Aug. 13: U.S. 50 from Gunnison to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
- Aug. 14: Colorado 135, and county roads from Gunnison to Crested Butte
Cyclists are advised to ride as far right as possible, single file and with the flow of traffic, use hand signals and wear a properly fitted helmet. Exact course details are available on the Colorado’s Ride website at coloradosride.com. Travelers can check road conditions and travel information at COtrip.org.
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RUEDI RESERVOIR RAMP CLOSES EARLY FOR THE SEASON
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Ruedi Boat Ramp is closed to motorized watercraft launching for the remainder of the 2026 season as of Aug. 4, due to low water and ramp conditions. According to David Boyd, public affairs officer for the White River National Forest, this is the earliest the ramp has closed for the summer season “in recent memory.” There is approximately 18 feet of concrete ramp remaining at the current reservoir level. The 18 feet of the boat ramp that is still underwater are covered with mud after being underwater for so many years. Because of drought conditions, mud and the increased releases out of Ruedi Reservoir with the aim of relieving the worst drought conditions downstream, the ramp will be “unusable” as the reservoir levels continue to drop. Ruedi Reservoir saw an increased release on Monday afternoon by 77 cfs.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife will also stop inspecting boats for Aquatic Nuisance Species at the Ruedi Boat Ramp once the gates are locked and launching is prohibited. Hand launched watercraft such as kayaks, paddle boards or canoes are still allowed to launch from the Ruedi Day Use area. There are no other authorized public locations to launch motorized watercraft on Ruedi Reservoir.
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HELICOPTERS BACK IN PICEANCE BASIN AS BLM TRAPS 96 HORSES ON FIRST DAY OF PLANNED GATHER
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A helicopter operated by a contractor was in the air early Sunday as the Bureau of Land Management gathered 96 wild horses as part of a drive-trap operation aimed at reducing the population in the Piceance Basin. The goal of the operation, which will continue throughout August, is to gather 1,025 wild horses from the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area and the West Douglas Herd Area, both southwest of Meeker. The BLM plans to remove 1,011 horses from the range, with 14 horses returned to the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area — 10 of those horses will receive fertility control treatment to help slow future population growth.
The Piceance covers 6,000 square miles in five counties, straddling the Colorado River and Interstate 70 corridors. The helicopter-assisted gather will be the first of two planned in Northwest Colorado this summer. A second gather is scheduled to begin Sept. 10 in the Sand Wash Basin with the goal of gathering 300 horses. The Bureau plans to remove 245 of those horses with 20 being treated for fertility control and returned to the range. The BLM’s Comprehensive Animal Welfare Program for Wild Horse and Burro Gathers states that horse captures must not be conducted when ambient temperature at the trap site is above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, unless approved by the lead official or veterinarian. Sunday’s operation gathered 35 stallions, 43 mares and 18 foals, but once temperatures reached 93 degrees the operations were stopped.
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KVNF RAFFLES OFF A BRAND-NEW 2026 TOYOTA TACOMA SR5
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KVNF Community Radio is raffling off a brand-new 2026 Toyota Tacoma SR5, valued at $43,749. This annual raffle is one of KVNF's largest fundraisers, helping support community radio programming and operations across Western Colorado. Tickets are $20 each or 3 for $50, with no limit on the number of entries per person. Only 5,499 tickets will be sold. Ticket sales end August 30, 2026, or when all tickets are sold out. The winning ticket will be drawn on August 31, 2026. Tickets can be purchased online at kvnf.org, at the KVNF Studios, 233 Grand Ave. in Paonia, and at select summer events throughout the region. KVNF's Summer Raffle is made possible through the generous support of Alpine Bank, Bighorn Toyota, and Big B's Delicious Orchards. Proceeds from the raffle support KVNF's mission to engage our communities through access to diverse music, news, and voices.
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IRS ALERTS TAXPAYERS TO NEW CRYPTOCURRENCY SCAM
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Cryptocurrency holders: Be alert for a new IRS impersonation scam. Fraudsters are mailing fake IRS letters directing recipients to a bogus “Digital Asset Compliance Portal.” The letters instruct recipients to scan a QR code that leads to a fraudulent website designed to look like an IRS website. The site may ask for personal information, cryptocurrency wallet details, or exchange account credentials that criminals can use to steal identities or digital assets. If you receive one of these letters, don’t respond. Report any suspicious communication to the IRS immediately at https://bit.ly/4h71IOi.
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100 ANIMALS & PLANTS JUST GOT SOME MUCH-NEEDED HELP
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One hundred imperiled animals and plants got some good news on Tuesday. A new fund called the Phoenix Species Project said it would pump $200 million into efforts to pull these animals and plants back from the brink of extinction and even restore them in the wild. It’s among the largest philanthropic funds focused entirely on species recovery and it stands out for both the scope and specificity of the wildlife included. The project is a collaboration between Re:wild, a nonprofit group co-founded by the actor Leonardo DiCaprio, and the Bezos Earth Fund, a private foundation created by Jeff Bezos, the billionaire behind Amazon. The move comes amid alarming declines in global biodiversity. The hundred species were chosen because they were near extinction, had local organizations already working to save them and represent a diversity of habitats, countries and types of species.
- There’s the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander in North Carolina, whose already dwindling habitat was largely leveled by mudslides from the remnants of Hurricane Helene in 2024.
- There’s a charming plant in South Africa called the fuzzy belly button whose sudden popularity as houseplants, particularly in East Asia, has driven it to near extinction in the wild.
- And there’s the bowmouth guitarfish in the Indo-Pacific, which looks like a cross between a ray and a shark and is killed for its prized fins.
Vivek Menon, chair of the Species Survival Commission at the International Union for Conservation of Nature, said the 100 species were a “fantastic first step” and emphasized the need to scale quickly. More than 11,000 species are classified as either critically endangered or extinct in the wild on the I.U.C.N. Red List, the leading global scientific authority on the status of species. Almost 40,000 more are endangered or vulnerable.
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THE HAPPIEST CITIES OF 2026
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Your “happy place” may actually be on a map, according to a recent WalletHub study. The study, published in March, ranked 182 of the largest U.S. cities for happiness, based on 29 criteria across three categories: emotional and physical well-being; income and employment; and community and environment. Data was drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the F.B.I., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, other public and private sources, and WalletHub’s own research.
Fremont, Calif., the city on the southeast shore of San Francisco Bay, came out on top. It had the best rating for well-being, as well as the seventh-lowest rate of residents experiencing depression. While it’s said that money can’t buy happiness, the study recognized the benefits of financial security. Although Fremont ranked just 89th in the category of jobs and income, 80 percent of its households earned over $75,000, enough to comfortably cover essentials like food, shelter, education and emergencies.
A chart showing the top results of a WalletHub study that ranked 182 U.S. cities for happiness, and the category of metrics in which each scored highest:
- Fremont, Calif. (emotional and physical well-being)
- Bismarck, N.D. (community and environment)
- Scottsdale, Ariz. (community and environment)
- South Burlington, Vt. (emotional and physical well-being)
- Fargo, N.D. (community and environment)
- Overland Park, Kan. (emotional and physical well-being)
- Charleston, S.C. (community and environment)
- Irvine, Calif. (emotional and physical well-being)
- Gilbert, Ariz. (community and environment)
- San Jose, Calif. (emotional and physical well-being)
- Burlington, Vt. (income and employment)
- Madison, Wis. (emotional and physical well-being)
- Columbia, Md. (emotional and physical well-being)
- Chandler, Ariz. (community and environment)
- Seattle (emotional and physical well-being)
- Plano, Texas (emotional and physical well-being)
- San Francisco (emotional and physical well-being)
- Lincoln, Neb. (community and environment)
- Portland, Maine (income and employment)
- Tempe, Ariz. (income and employment)
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MARKET UPDATE - 08/04/2026 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 07/30/2026)
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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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