HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM ALPINE BANK

All Alpine Bank branches will be closed in observance of Thanksgiving Day on Thursday, Nov. 26. 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. 26-27.

THANKSGIVING IS HERE, SO IS SKIING

Thanksgiving has been the traditional opening of the ski season at Colorado resorts, but with increased snowmaking, many ski areas have been able to open early. A storm system this week dumped 6-12 inches of snow on many ski areas and Eldora opened Monday, with Aspen Mountain, Snowmass, Beaver Creek and Crested Butte due to open today. Telluride opens Thanksgiving Day. Copper Mountain is on track to open Monday, Nov. 30. With the openings this week, 13 of the state's ski areas will be open by the weekend.

NEW MEXICO PASSES $330 MILLION RELIEF PACKAGE

New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham called a special one-day session of the state legislature and the lawmakers approved a $330 million package to support workers and businesses suffering from the downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The governor said she will sign the bill which provides a $1,200 one-time payment to people who are unemployed and provides grants of up to $50,000 to small businesses. Some low-income households could also get up to $750 in cash assistance. The aid package basically reallocates about $319 million in federal CARES Act funds that would revert to the federal government, if not spent.

DOW POWERS THROUGH 30000, ON TRACK FOR BEST MONTH SINCE 1987

The Dow Jones Industrial Average powered through the 30000 threshold, closing above 30000 for the first time, continuing an eight-month rebound from the COVID-19 shut down. That run has ramped up the blue-chip index 62 percent above its March low. On Tuesday, the Dow advanced 454.97 points to close at 30046.24. The market has ignored the pandemic and accompanying economic problems as investors realize there is little money to be made in less-risky investments like bonds and continue to bet on the momentum of the market.

ARTS AND CULTURAL INDUSTRY IN ASPEN GENERATES HUGE ECONOMIC IMPACT

RRC Associates and the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business released a study this week that showed in 2019 arts and cultural activities in Aspen had a direct and indirect economic impact of $451 million and supported 2,831 year-round jobs in Pitkin County. The study was commissioned by the Aspen Chamber Resort Association, the city of Aspen and a dozen arts and cultural nonprofit organizations. Arts and culture activity is estimated to have directly or indirectly accounted for about 12 percent of the county's economy in 2019, supporting about 12 percent of the jobs in the county.

AUSTIN WEISS NAMED ASPEN'S PARKS AND REC DIRECTOR

The city of Aspen Monday announced that Austin Weiss is the new Parks and Recreation Director. Weiss is a longtime employee of the city, beginning in 2001 as the Trails Manager for the Parks Dept. He was promoted to Open Space and Natural Resources Manager in 2014 and Parks and Open Space Director in 2017. He took over as the city's Interim Parks and Recreation Director in June after Jeff Woods retired. For complete information on the City of Aspen Parks and Recreation, go to aspenrecreation.com.

FRUITA CHAMBER CREATES ONLINE MARKET FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

The Fruita Area Chamber of Commerce has created an online store to support local businesses. The chamber's online market, at grandvalleybusiness.com, will list products from local businesses throughout the Grand Valley. The online listing will either be the actual product or redirect customers to the business website. The Chamber had rolled out the first iteration of an online marketplace last spring when the state issued its Stay-at-Home order. The Chamber will host a Small Business Scavenger Hunt from Nov. 23 - Dec. 7. People who follow clues and scan QR codes at destinations will be entered to win prizes.

GJFD WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS DEPLOYED 115 DAYS ACROSS 3 STATES THIS SUMMER

The 26 members of the Grand Junction Fire Dept. Wildland Fire Team had an extremely busy season this summer. They were deployed for a total of 115 days to wildland blazes in Colorado, Wyoming and California. From August through November, the team was called to the Streeter Fire in Moffat County, the Apple Fire in California and the Mullen Fire, which started in Wyoming on Oct. 17. They have also been assigned to the Cameron Peak Fire, which has burned more than 200,000 acres in Larimer County and the East Troublesome Fire, which has burned nearly 200,000 acres in Grand County. Once the Wildland Fire Team leaves GJ and is assigned to an incident, they are under contract with the federal government.

POWDERHORN PUSHES OPENING DAY BACK TO DECEMBER

Crews at Powderhorn Mountain Resort had worked hard to produce enough snow for skiers to have its opening day on Friday. However, the resort's website, powderhorn.com, announced on Tuesday that “Due to unseasonably dry weather and last week’s record high temperatures, Powderhorn will delay Opening Day until the first week in December." Once open, Powderhorn will operate under its approved health-safety plan, which requires people to have a face covering while in the resort and on the chairlifts. The quad lift will allow only two people spaced on opposite ends unless the riders are from the same family unit.

SAN MIGUEL COUNTY GOES TO LEVEL RED RESTRICTIONS THURSDAY

Thursday brings the official opening of skiing and boarding at Telluride Resort, but also San Miguel Public Health will move the county to Stay at Home Level Red status at midnight Thursday. The new restrictions that go into place include: lodging reduced to 50 percent maximum daily capacity; restaurants and bars no inside service, curbside take-out and to-go offerings only; retail outlets limited to 50 percent capacity at all times; gyms, fitness and indoor recreation limited to 10 percent capacity indoors or 10 people, whichever is fewer.

IT'S DONATION DAY AT TELLURIDE SKI RESORT

Today, Wednesday, Nov. 25, is Donation Day at Telluride Resort. Although Telski officially opens for the season on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Donation Day provides access to the slope one day early. It is the annual fundraiser for the Telluride Ski & Snowboard Club (TSSC). Its costs $25 for a Donation Day lift ticket and 100 percent of the proceeds go to TSSC. A lift ticket can be purchased at any ticket window or online.

BEAVER CREEK: 40TH SEASON OPENS TODAY, 130 ACRES AVAILABLE

Beaver Creek Resort will kick off its 40th anniversary season at 9 a.m. today with 130 acres of terrain. Both Beaver Creek and Bachelor Gulch will open, but there will be no on-snow access between the base areas. Out of Beaver Creek Village, the resort will offer beginner terrain on Haymeadow and intermediate terrain on Gold Dust and Latigo. In Bachelor Gulch, skiers and riders can enjoy laps on Sawbuck. Centennial Express Lift (No. 6), Haymeadow Express Gondola (No. 1) and Bachelor Gulch Express Lift (No. 16) will be open for skiers and snowboarders.

THURSDAY THANKSGIVING HAS ILLUSTRIOUS HISTORY

• Thanksgiving in the United States is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November
• Farmer's Almanac says the legendary first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims and Native Americans was held in October, not November
• The Almanac goes on to say that Thursday was a special day for Puritan colonists, with ministers giving sermons on Thursday afternoons…that may have contributed to a Thursday Thanksgiving tradition
• George Washington declared a day of thanksgiving and prayer in 1789 on Thursdays in November
• Abraham Lincoln proclaimed on Oct. 3, 1863 that the last Thursday of November to be "set apart and observed" as a day of thanksgiving
• Into the mid-20th Century, some retailers were concerned that Thanksgiving occurring late in November would cut into Christmas sales
• With confusion over the actual date, Congress, on Dec. 26, 1941, passed a law declaring the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day

LA PLATA OPEN SPACE CONSERVANCY HOSTS HOLIDAY MARKET

The La Plata Open Space Conservancy is hosting a virtual Holiday Market silent auction in support of the Conservancy's mission to conserve land and water in Southwest Colorado. The online event begins Friday, Nov. 27 at 9 a.m. and continues through Dec. 11. Check out the incredible range of products and experiences to gift to others (or keep for yourself)! This Holiday, choose conservation, not consumption. Learn more online at the link below, or call 970-259-3415.