MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. DAY HOLIDAY CLOSURE

All Alpine Bank branches will be closed Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. We invite you to use Alpine Online or the Alpine Mobile app for 24/7 banking access, even when we are closed. Learn more at the link below.

NEGOTIATIONS IN STRIKE AGAINST KING SOOPERS LIKELY TO RESUME FRIDAY

As the strike by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 against King Soopers in the Denver area entered its second day Thursday, the union representing more than 8,000 King Soopers employees asked King Soopers negotiators to resume contract talks today, Friday, Jan. 14. A spokesman for King Soopers said Thursday the company looks forward to resuming negotiations.

SUPREME COURT: NO TO VACCINE RULES FOR BIG BUSINESS, OKS HEALTH CARE MANDATE

The Supreme Court on Thursday blocked the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine-or-testing rules for large private employers. However, the high court did allow the administration to impose a vaccine mandate for more than 10 million healthcare workers whose facilities participate in Medicare and Medicaid. Some large businesses already have adopted mandates for their workers on their own or because of local rules. The court issued an unsigned opinion that said the vaccinate-or-test rule appeared to well exceed the authority Congress granted to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration when it established the agency in 1970.

MORTGAGE RATES JUMP UP ON EXPECTATION OF FED RAISING RATES

The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate loan was 3.45 percent for the week ended Thursday, as reported by mortgage finance giant Freddie Mac. That is up 3.22 percent from a week ago. It marked the third straight week of a rise in rates. One year ago, the rate on America's most popular home loan was 2.79 percent, not much above the record low of 2.65 percent. The 30-year rate is closely tied to the 10-year U.S. Treasury and the increase this week came on expectation that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates multiple times this year. Mortgage rates are now at the highest level since March 2020.

GARFIELD COUNTY SENIOR MEAL PROGRAMS UNDERGOING CHANGES

When the pandemic hit, Garfield County ended its congregated meal program for seniors and instituted "grab-and-go" meals. Congregate meals on different days of the week have returned to the western end of the county in New Castle, Silt, Rifle and Parachute, but not in Glenwood Springs or Carbondale. The county has announced now that the grab-and-go lunches will be suspended in Glenwood Springs and Carbondale on Jan. 20 to allow the county to find a new vendor. The county said it hopes to reopen congregate hot meals in its pre-pandemic format of meals in Glenwood Springs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and in Carbondale on Wednesdays.

PETERS INVESTIGATION TO GO TO MESA COUNTY GRAND JURY

In a joint statement released Thursday by Mesa County District Attorney and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, it was announced that the investigation into whether Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters and others are charged with criminal acts related to tampering with election equipment and official misconduct will be determined by a grand jury. The statement did not indicate who the target or targets of the grand jury would be. It did say the investigation was related to election machine tampering and the only people who have been under investigation for that since August have been Peters, Deputy Clerk Belinda Knisley, former Elections Manager Sandra Brown, Fruita resident Gerald Wood and Garfield County resident Sherronna Bishop.

U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE: TWO PLANTS FOUND NOT TO BE PROTECTED

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has decided that two rare plants found only in Rio Blanco County and northeastern Utah don’t warrant protections under the Endangered Species Act. The plants are the Graham's beardtongue and the White River beardtongue and are only found in the northwestern edge of Rio Blanco County and the edge of Duchesne and Uintah counties in Utah. The White River beardtongue is a shrubby plant that grows up to 20 inches tall and produces showy lavender flowers. The Graham’s beardtongue is dormant for most of the year, and produces a large, pink and golden flower on stems up to 7 inches tall. The Fish & Wildlife Service said the plants are widespread and abundant throughout their range.

MEDIAN SALES PRICE FOR HOMES IN MONTROSE COUNTY: UP $90,000 LAST YEAR

In 2021, the median sales price for a single-family home in Montrose County rose every month and by the end of the year, the median sales price hit $385,000. That is $90,000 more than the median sales price of $295,000 in December 2020. As a comparative measure, the average increase in the median sales price over the past five years in Montrose County was $18,600 and it never increased more than $25,000 in any one year. Real estate professionals in Montrose County believe the sales market’s activity will continue into 2022.

CHANGE COMING TO TELLURIDE TOURISM, MARTELON STEPS DOWN AS BOARD CEO

The Telluride Tourism Board Thursday announced that CEO and president Michael Martelon is leaving. Martelon has led the tourism board for more than 10 years. In making the announcement, the board said the time has come to "establish a new path forward for the organization and its work in supporting the community and the regional economy." While there was no statement about how Martelon would be replaced, it was indicated that Martelon would continue to consult with the board as it “charts its new course..."

SNOWDOWN IS ON, FOR NOW, WITH SOME EVENTS CANCELED

Snowdown was first held in Durango in 1979 and has grown every year before it had to be canceled last year due to the pandemic. The Snowdown board said that Snowdown is on for this year, running from Jan. 26 to Jan. 30. However, the board will leave it up to each venue and organizer to decide whether to hold their events or not. The board also "strongly recommended" all events require proof of vaccination or a negative test result for all attendees, volunteers, staff members and event participants. Some events have been canceled this year, including: Fashion Do's and Don'ts; Snowdown Balloon Rally; Human Foosball; and the La Plata Search and Rescue Pancake Breakfast.

IT'S GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME

Wednesday was the official launch of Girl Scout Cookie sales this year. Google released information on the most searched varieties of the famed cookies in each state:

• Thin Mints: the top search, topping the charts in 38 states
• Tagalongs: the most searched cookie in Wyoming, Mississippi, Alabama, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Alaska, Delaware and Illinois
• Adventurefuls: a new addition to the Girl Scout Cookie line, the most popular cookie in Kansas, Iowa and Arkansas
• Do-si-dos: the most searched Girl Scout Cookie only in South Dakota