HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM ALPINE BANK

All Alpine Bank branches will be closed in observance of Thanksgiving Day on Thursday, Nov. 25. The Alpine Bank family wishes you and yours a safe and happy holiday. You can still bank with us anytime, anywhere using Alpine Online at www.alpinebank.com, AlpineMobile or by calling the Alpine InfoLine at 888-4-ALPINE (888-425-7463). There will be no Alpine e-line Nov. 25-26.

DENVER JOINS OTHER METRO COUNTIES IN IMPOSING MASK MANDATE

"We are issuing what I like to call a 'vax or mask' mandate." With those words, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock announced that Denver will join most of the counties in the metro area in requiring masks be worn in indoor public places, starting today, Wednesday, Nov. 24. Businesses may apply for an exemption, but must submit plans explaining how they would verify that at least 95 percent of people in the buildings at any time are vaccinated. Denver's mask order will remain in place until at least Jan. 2.

U.S. TO TAP OIL RESERVES

President Joe Biden Tuesday said that rising gas prices are a problem "not just in the United States but around the world," and that the U.S. would put 50 million barrels of oil from the U.S. government stockpiles onto the world market in the coming weeks. The U.S. joins China, India, Japan, South Korea and the U.K. in a coordinated release of oil reserves. The six countries combined will likely put about 65 million to 70 million barrels from government stockpiles onto world markets. That figure is only a little more than half of the world’s daily consumption, which the Energy Dept. estimates will surpass 100 million barrels in the final three months of 2021. That rate would put world consumption nearly 5 percent higher than it was a year ago as the recovery from the pandemic has steadily driven consumption higher.

NASA SENDS SATELLITE INTO SPACE TO CRASH INTO AND DEFLECT ASTEROID

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Wednesday launched its $324 million Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART, space probe. The DART is designed to deflect a distant asteroid after traveling some 6 million miles. The probe will crash at 15,000 miles per hour into Dimorphos, a tiny moonlet that orbits a larger asteroid called Didymos. It is a test that someday could save the world. A DART scientist said, “For the first time, humanity will change the motion of a natural celestial body in space.”

RETAIL SALES IN BASALT CONTINUE TO SOAR, 2022 BUDGET REFLECTS 20% INCREASE

The town of Basalt's October sales tax report, which reflects sales in September, showed sales were up nearly 12 percent in September over a year earlier. Lodging was up 50 percent, while restaurants and bars were up 25 percent. For year-to-date, through the October report, sales tax collections were up 18 percent. The Basalt Town Council Tuesday approved a 2022 budget which reflected the increased revenue. The council approved a general fund budget of $12.34 million. That is up considerably from the 2019 and 2020 budgets, which were $7.25 million and $6.82 million, respectively. The council approved a separate capital construction budget of $9.35 million.

PETITION IN GLENWOOD SPRINGS IN OPPOSITION TO WEST GLENWOOD ANNEXATION

A group of Glenwood Springs citizen who oppose the annexation decision made by the Glenwood Springs City Council have begun a petition drive to force the council to repeal the annexation decision or put it to a vote of the residents of the city. The group, “Glenwood Springs Citizens for Sensible Development,” has to collect 299 signatures, which is 5 percent of the registered voters in the city's last regular election. The group has until 5 p.m. on Dec. 9 to turn in the signatures.

EPIC RIDES, NO MORE GJ OFF-ROAD MTB RACE, BUT NEW GROUP PLANS SPRING EVENT

For seven years, Epic Rides, a Tucson, Arizona-based mountain bike race organization, ran the Grand Junction Off-Road, a mountain bike race that also included live music, an expo and beer garden in downtown Grand Junction. Epic Rides Tuesday announced that it would no longer put on the Grand Junction race, instead it would host only three events in Arizona. However, the Greater Grand Junction Sports Commission announced it is planning its own race on May 20-22. While details are being finalized, the race will include downtown events organized by Downtown Grand Junction and the Downtown Development Authority. Registration will open on Jan. 1.

DURANGO, ASPEN TOP RECYCLING CITIES, BUT OVERALL, STATE FALLS SHORT

Durango and Aspen tied for the best citywide recycling and composting programs in greater Colorado for the second year in a row with a waste diversion rate of 32 percent in 2020, according to Eco-Cycle Inc. and the CoPirg Foundation’s State of Recycling & Composting in Colorado report. Durango has topped the rankings for three years, but in 2020, the waste diversion rate dropped from 33 percent in 2018 and 2019. However, Colorado continues to fall short of its recycling goals. Coloradans recycled and composted only 15.3 percent of their waste in 2020, less than half of the national waste diversion rate of 32 percent and well below the state’s goal of 28 percent.

MAJOR ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM ON VAIL PASS SHUTS DOWN FOR THE WINTER

Vail Pass was built in 1940, thanks to the decision by the state's chief highway engineer, Charles Vail, to take U.S. Hwy. 6 over the southern tip of the Gore Range, rather than over Shrine Pass and through Red Cliff. It now handles huge traffic volumes and with the difficulty of the mountain terrain, it has the highest crash rate for Interstate 70 per million miles traveled in Colorado. As a result, the Colorado Dept. of Transportation launched a $140 million project in August to improve the road. The first phase of the program has closed down for the winter, but already crews have reconstructed the emergency truck ramp at Mile Point 182 to remove a sharp right curve that was difficult for truck drivers to safely navigate. When crews return in the spring, they will focus on relocating the recreation path away from the highway and bridge construction and wildlife crossings.

FLYING HORSE RANCH PLACED IN CONSERVATION EASEMENT

A key piece of property that provides a buffer zone between developments and critical wildlife habitat in South Routt County, the 321-acre Flying Horse Ranch, has been protected as the Colorado Cattlemen's Agriculture Land Trust has placed a conservation easement on the property. The ranch is located about four miles south of Stagecoach Reservoir on the edges of the Routt National Forest and the Sarvis Creek Wilderness Area. The Dequine family has owned the ranch since 1967 and it has been home to the Kids Cavalry all-girls summer riding camp and a cross-country jumping course for horses.

MORE STORES CLOSED ON THANKSGIVING

Here are some of the major retailers staying closed on Thanksgiving Day:

• Academy Sports + Outdoors
• Apple
• Banana Republic
• Barnes & Noble
• Bath & Body Works
• Bed Bath & Beyond
• Best Buy
• Burlington
• Costco Wholesale Club
• Dick's Sporting Goods
• Dillard’s
• Foot Locker
• GameStop
• Gap
• Hobby Lobby
• Home Depot
• Ikea
• JCPenney
• Joann Stores
• Kay Jewelers
• Kohl's
• Lowe’s
• Macy's
• Marshalls
• Menards
• Michaels
• Nordstrom
• Nordstrom Rack
• Office Depot and OfficeMax
• Old Navy
• Petco
• PetSmart
• REI
• Sam’s Club
• Sephora
• Staples
• Target
• TJ Maxx
• Ulta Beauty
• Walmart
• Zales