UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE WILL ROCKET TO MARS AGAIN

NASA Thursday selected United Launch Alliance to supply its Atlas V rocket for the next robotic rover mission to Mars. Centennial based ULA launched the Spirit and Opportunity rovers. The next Mars rover mission, known as Mars 2020, is set to launch July 2020 from Florida. NASA said the new rover will help determine whether the planet is habitable and assess potential hazards for future human explorers. It will also search for signs of ancient Martian life.

CU GETS $3M GRANT FROM LOCKHEED MARTIN

Aerospace giant Lockheed Martin is giving $3 million to the University of Colorado to fund a research center on radio frequency (RF) technologies and their use in space communications systems. The grant will fund the Lockheed Martin Radio Frequency Space Systems Research Center, which will be located in the planned aerospace and engineering facility on CU's East Campus which is expected to be completed in 2019. The Lockheed Martin Center at CU will offer several academic programs including a dual bachelor's/master's programs in aerospace and electrical engineering; a Lockheed Martin Chair of RF Engineering and graduate fellowships.

100 YEARS OF AMERICA'S NATIONAL PARKS

The National Park Service celebrated its 100th anniversary yesterday and today's edition of USA TODAY features a full-page of statistics, facts, and "bests of" America's national parks. The NPS now maintains more than 84 million acres; America's parks had 305 million visitors last year, a record; NPS has 22,000 employees and 221,000 volunteers. The largest national park: Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Alaska; the smallest: Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas; most visited: Great Smoky National Park, North Carolina/Tennessee: 10,712,674 visitors.

ROAD COLLAPSE MEANS NO RESERVOIR DRAINING

Harvey Gap Road, County Road 237, was closed Sunday after part of the northbound lane collapsed, and as a result of the road closure, the Silt Water Conservancy District is postponing its plans to drain Harvey Gap Reservoir. Because of that decision, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Thursday canceled an emergency fish salvage program that was intended to remove as many fish from the reservoir as possible before the draining this fall. The district plans to drain the reservoir next year. All fishing regulations are now back in place. To check fishing regulations, go to: http://bit.ly/2bERxkZ.

BLM SEEKING INPUT ON OHV AREAS

The Bureau of Land Management released the preliminary travel area alternatives for the Travel and Transportation Resource Management Plan Amendment for the White River Field Office, and is now seeking community feedback on the four off-highway vehicle open areas. The preliminary plan presents alternatives to which acres of BLM land would be open to cross-country motorized and mechanized use and which would be limited to designated routes and which closed to motorized vehicles. BLM will hold public meetings Sept. 7-8 in Meeker and Rangely. The management plan is available at: http://bit.ly/2aLnDKx.

NEW SCHOOL YEAR, BIG CHANGES

Officials at Colorado Mesa University are expecting an increase of 100-300 students this fall over the fall 2015 enrollment of 9,448, and all new and returning students at CMU have a new residence hall, several new campus restaurants and 9 new majors or certificates this fall. The new residence hall, Wingate Hall, holds 148 students in the facility that is 43,843 square feet and cost $12.6 million.

EAGLE FINE-TUNES BOND SALE OPTIONS

On Monday, the town of Eagle will begin offering tax-exempt municipal bonds exclusively to Eagle property owners and residents. The bonds will be offered to the general public on Aug. 30, and the bond issue is expected to close on Sept. 9. The bond will be used to finance the Eagle Riverfront Park and will be repaid via a 0.5% sales tax recently approved by Eagle voters. The Eagle Town Board this week unanimously approved the issuing of $6.1 million in bonds, which would raise $5.9 million for the town.

NEW WINTER FLIGHTS FOR EGE

The EGE Air Alliance has announced there will be new winter flight service to/from Phoenix and Washington, D.C. to the Eagle County Regional Airport. It is estimated these new flights will bring 3,081 passengers to EGE. Based on estimates that Eagle County Regional Airport winter users spend an average of $2,134 per guest, the new winter markets will generate an economic impact of $6,574,854. To view flight schedules, go to: www.FlyVail.com, for information on the Air Alliance, go to: www.EGEAirAlliance.com.

PEABODY ENERGY OUT OF RESERVOIR PROJECT

Last year, Peabody Energy asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a two-year extension in the permitting process in its planning to build a hydroelectric dam as part of the proposed 400-acre Trout Creek Reservoir, about 15 miles southwest of Steamboat Springs. Peabody declared bankruptcy in April and this week, the FERC released a letter stating it was terminating the licensing process for Peabody because the company had missed deadlines. In addition to electricity generation, the primary purpose of the dam was to provide a permanent source of water for coal washing at the nearby mines.

IF YOU WERE A MILLIONAIRE, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

In the past year, percentage of millionaires who spent money on:

• Vacations: 92%
• Home renovations: 73%
• Cars: 64%
• Club memberships: 42%
• Boats: 9%
• High-end jewelry: 4%

FAVORITE STORES OF MILLIONAIRES

Where the average millionaire has made a purchase in the past 12 months:

• Amazon: 50%
• Walmart: 34%
• Home Depot: 32%
• Kohl's: 31%
• Trader Joe's: 31%
• Target: 30%