|
Colorado - Thu. 08/01/24 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
|
|
View in Browser
|
|
|
| |
COLORADO ON FIRE: FOUR SIGNIFICANT BLAZES ON THE FRONT RANGE
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
A series of four wildfires burning along the Front Range foothills have killed one person, destroyed at least six structures, caused the governor to activate the Colorado National Guard and choked the sweltering Denver metro area in a heavy cloud of smoke. The four blazes all ignited since Monday and have burned some 9,500 acres as of Wednesday evening. Thousands of Front Range residents have been under evacuation orders. The four fires: the new Lake Shore fire in Boulder County, the Quarry fire in Jefferson County, the Alexander Mountain fire in Larimer County and the Stone Canyon fire in Boulder and Larimer counties, grew very rapidly. Gov. Jared Polis on Wednesday authorized the deployment of the Colorado National Guard to the Quarry, Stone Canyon and Alexander Mountain fires, as well as the 180-acre Currant Creek fire burning in Delta County.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
TODAY IS COLORADO DAY
|
| |
|
|
| |
Colorado joined the Union on Aug. 1, 1876. Colorado, known as the Centennial State, gained its statehood on the 100th birthday of the United States. Colorado was the 38th state to join the union. August 1 is not a public or state holiday. It was a state holiday until 1985, when it was replaced as a holiday by Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In two years, 2026, Colorado will mark the 150th anniversary of its entrance into the Union…the state’s sesquicentennial. Sesquicentennial specialty license plates are available until July 2027. The U.S. will mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 2026, the nation’s semiquincentennial, and the anniversary of Colorado's entrance into the Union–the state’s sesquicentennial. These combined anniversaries, the “Sesquisemiquincentennial,” will have many special events. For this year’s Colorado Day, here are some events:
- Colorado Day 2024 at the State Capitol with free admission 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and performances by Jeffco Symphony Orchestra, Capitol Brass Quintet, and the Colorado State Square Dancing Assoc.
- Arts and crafts and performances at the History Colorado Center on Aug. 3, free admission 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Free admission to all State Parks on Saturday, Aug. 3
- 50 percent off online tickets to the Denver Zoo after 2 p.m. during Celebrate Colorado (July 26 to Aug. 4)
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
COURT OKS SALE OF TATTERED COVER TO BARNES & NOBLE FOR $1.8M
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
A federal judge Tuesday approved the sale of Tattered Cover bookstores to Barnes & Noble for more than $1.8 million to pay off the store’s debt. Under the terms of the deal, Tattered Cover will keep its name and all four current locations - Union Station, Littleton, Aurora and Colfax Avenue, will remain open. The deal marks the first indie bookstore acquired by the nation’s largest bookstore chain. It also marks the end of the Tattered Cover as an independently-owned store. The store plans to upgrade its technology – including its store, email and order systems – according to Tattered Cover’s website, which is also undergoing a refresh. All stores are closed Wednesday and Thursday for the changes. Barnes & Noble CEO James Daunt has committed to preserving Tattered Cover’s indie spirit.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
DENVER NAMED AS SITE OF A TEAM IN NEW WOMEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
On Tuesday, women’s rugby was one of the highlights for the USA Olympic Team as the U.S. women’s team won the bronze medal, the first-ever women’s rugby medal for the U.S. It came as a result of a stunning last-second score that boosted the women’s team over the powerful Australian team. On Wednesday, Denver was named one of three markets that will host a team for the Women’s Elite Rugby (WER) inaugural season next year. Boston and Chicago were the other two cities announced. In April, WER announced it was aiming to launch a six- to eight-team league, each with a 30-player roster, for the 2025 season. This will be the first professional women’s rugby league in the U.S.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
FED CHAIR POWELL: NOT THERE YET, BUT RATE CUT “CLOSER”
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday that the U.S. central bank could cut interest rates at its September meeting if economic data continues on its current path. In Powell's words, “A reduction in the policy rate could be on the table as soon as the next meeting in September. We're getting closer to the point at which it’ll be appropriate to reduce our policy rate, but we’re not quite at that point.” In their policy statement, Fed officials made two key changes in language that had been in previous statements. First, they described inflation as “somewhat elevated,” a notable downgrade. Because of this progress, the officials said they could treat both sides of their mandate—to maintain low and stable inflation with sturdy labor markets—on a more equal footing for the first time since they rapidly raised rates starting two years ago to combat high prices. The shift is significant because it suggests inflation may no longer be an obstacle to lowering rates.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
ASPEN WILL HAVE NOVEMBER BALLOT ISSUE ADDRESSING THE ASPEN AIRPORT DECISIONS
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
The Our Airport Our Vote committee, which has circulated a petition seeking to secure a vote in November on issues surrounding the decision-making process related to the Aspen Airport, has succeeded in getting the issue on the November ballot. On Wednesday, the Pitkin County Clerk and Recorder’s Office issued a “Statement of Sufficiency” for the Our Airport, Our Vote issue committee, saying the group had enough valid signatures on their petition to get an issue on the ballot, which will include the requirement that there be a public vote on the airport runway. The Pitkin County commissioners will now decide on the final language for the question on the ballot. The final ballot language will be submitted to the Clerk and Recorders Office on Sept. 6.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
GLENWOOD SPRINGS TO LAUNCH THREE MILE PROJECT, RIVER RESTORATION
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
On Monday, Glenwood Springs will launch its Three-Mile Creek Shoreline Restoration Project, in south Glenwood Springs on the western side of the Roaring Fork River, along the Atkinson Trail. The project will revegetate some 30,000 square feet of riparian and wetland habitat, which also includes removing invasive species. The timeline, Aug. 1-Oct. 1, will allow work on the riverbank without disrupting fish-spawning season. From Aug. 5 to Sept. 30, the city will be installing large boulders with a soil substrate underground and placing willow trimmings to hold the features of the riverbank in place against water surges. Additional planted vegetation will help to stabilize approximately 700 linear feet of riverbank. The Atkinson Trail and Atkinson Ditch Trail will be closed between Cardiff Bridge, Brush Creek Mountain Park (which will also be closed) and the Park West trail entrance for the duration of the project. Information is available at cogs.us/threemileproject.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
BLM, GARFIELD COUNTY IMPLEMENT STAGE 1 FIRE RESTRICTIONS
|
| |
|
|
| |
The Bureau of Land Management Grand Junction and Colorado River Valley Field Offices will implement stage 1 fire restrictions starting Friday, Aug. 2. Garfield County will also implement stage 1 restrictions in all unincorporated areas of the county. Stage 1 fire restrictions include:
- No campfires outside of designated areas with permanent fire grates
- No smoking except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or in a barren area free of vegetation
- No use of explosive materials, including explosive targets
- No welding or operation of an acetylene or other similar torch with open flame except from an area that has been cleared of vegetation
- No operation of any internal combustion engine, such as a chainsaw, without a spark arresting device properly installed and in working order
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
WILDFIRE RISK UNDERESTIMATED BY MANY ON WESTERN SLOPE
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Wildfire season has arrived in Colorado in full force, with major blazes on the Front Range and fires causing evacuations in Delta County and Norwood. The Wildfire Research Center (WiRe) teamed with the West Region Wildfire Council to survey and assess selected communities in Montrose County in 2022. Results of the surveys and assessments were presented July 24 at a meeting of the West Region Wildfire Council. A WiRe researcher said, that overall, the respondents believed their wildfire risk to be less than the assessments determined the risk to be, as well as how well prepared they actually were for an evacuation. The WRWC conducts free site visits within Montrose, Delta, Ouray, San Miguel, Hinsdale and Gunnison counties. Its vegetation-management incentive programs aim to bring down the costs of reducing hazardous fuels, with a goal of a 75 percent cost-share reimbursement. More information is available at cowildfire.org.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
RUSSELL STOVER PLANT IN MONTROSE FINALLY HAS A BUYER
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Four years ago, Russell Stover announced the closure of its 278,000 square foot candy processing plant in Montrose. The property, which covers some 22 acres off South Townsend Avenue, has a prime location, but there were no buyers. There was a foreclosure auction last month, but there were no bidders putting up the $3.18 million minimum bid. Now, a local ownership group, Red Nile, LLC has purchased the foreclosed building. Red Nile has no definite plans for the building and is researching options for uses that will secure a return on their investment while providing value to the community.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
MAJOR LOGGING PROJECT CONTINUES UNTIL SNOWFALL ON WRIGHT’S MESA
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Thousands of ponderosa pine trees have been felled on the 1,050-acre New Beginnings Ranch on County Road 39R, about 20 miles from Norwood, and the San Miguel County commissioners have approved an ordinance for an extension of a special permit for log hauling. Log trucks will continue on county roads near the Dan Noble State Wildlife Area until the snow begins. Mountain pine beetles have attacked the trees and “expanded exponentially” since 2020. Foresters at the Colorado State Forest Service work with landowners in Colorado to identify beetle infestations and remove diseased trees. Foresters said in a 2023 statewide monitoring report that some mountain pine beetles show a preference for ponderosa pines.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
MANCOS MOTEL OWNER HONORED AS WINNER OF STATE TOURISM AWARD
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
Sally Dziedzic, owner and onsite general manager at the Mesa Verde Motel in Mancos, has received the Frontline Hospitality Tourism Worker award from the Colorado Governor’s Office of Tourism. She and her husband, Matt Dziedzic, along with couple Sonia and Matt Vincent, own the Mesa Verde Motel and recently completed a renovation and rebrand of the property, at 191 W. Railroad Ave. The Frontline Hospitality Tourism Worker award “recognizes a person that has made significant contributions to delivering excellence in hospitality for Colorado’s tourism industry,” according to the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade’s website. A frontline worker is one who comes into direct contact with residents and visitors to provide goods and services. Winners of all tourism-related awards receive recognition at the Colorado Tourism Governor’s Conference Awards Dinner on Sept. 26 in Mount Crested Butte.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
THE OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS IN PARIS, NOT MADE OF GOLD BUT VERY PARISIAN
|
| |
|
|
| |
Winners of events in the Olympics receive Gold Medals. However, their medals are not made of gold. The International Olympic Committee has specific requirements for the medals. The medals must have a minimum diameter of 60 millimeters and a minimum thickness of 3 millimeters. They must have a rendition of the Acropolis of Athens as well as the name of the event for which they are awarded. The gold medals must be made of 92.5 percent silver and have 6 grams of gold. The silver medals also must contain 92.5 percent silver. The bronze medals are primarily copper.
The medals presented to the top three in the Paris Olympic Games will have a very special French and Parisian flavor. The gold medals will have a central 18-gram hexagonal piece of wrought iron from the Eiffel Tower. The hexagonal shape honors the country’s nickname, “L’hexagone.” The iron from the Eiffel Tower was removed and preserved during the 20th-century renovation. The Paris Mint is manufacturing 5,084 medals, about 2,600 for the Olympics and 2,400 for the Paralympics. They’ll come in a dark-blue box from Chaumet and a certificate from the Eiffel Tower Operating Co. that the iron pieces came from the monument. Paris organizers didn’t give a monetary value for the medals.
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
“DIGITAL NOMAD?” HEAD TO EUROPE
|
| |
|
|
| |
Global advisory firm Global Citizen Solutions released a new report on digital nomads, those remote workers of the world. The company helps clients identify citizenship and residency by investment programs and to compile the report, it evaluated five main categories: visa costs, visa benefits, quality of life, cost of living and technology/innovation. The report identified Europe as the top spot for remote workers, with nine of the top 10 spots in Europe:
- Spain
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Estonia
- Romania
- Malta
- Portugal
- Canada
- Hungary
- France
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
MARKET UPDATE - 07/31/2024 Close
|
| |
|
(Courtesy of Alpine Bank Wealth Management*)
|
| |
|
Canadian dollar (per U.S. dollar)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Mexican peso (per U.S. dollar)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
30-year fixed mortgage rate (Freddie Mac 07/25/2024)
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
*Not FDIC insured. May lose value. Not guaranteed by the bank.
|
| |
|
| |
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.
|
| |
|
|
| |
| Make changes to your subscription or unsubscribe here. |
| © 2025 Alpine Bank. |
| |
|
|
