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Colorado - Tue. 02/25/25 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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CSU GLOBAL ADDS ONLINE DEGREES IN HIGH-DEMAND FIELDS
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Colorado State University Global will launch six new online programs next month to meet the growing needs of area industries. CSU Global, part of the Colorado State University system, offers online bachelor's and master's degree programs for working adults and post-traditional learners. It will begin offering the new bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and certificate options March 17, at the start of the spring trimester. The new programs cover industry needs in health care, legal studies, operations and supply chain, international business, organizational development and information systems. CSU Global identified the need for programs in the fields using job demand and wage data, market trends, employer feedback and other input.
CSU Global is the first fully online and fully accredited public university in the U.S. New undergraduate degrees will be offered in legal studies and operations and supply chain management. New graduate degrees will be offered in international business studies and leadership and organizational development. A new undergraduate certificate in long-term care administration will be offered, too, along with a graduate certificate in information systems auditing. Courses start monthly at CSU Global. Around 18,000 students are enrolled with CSU Global.
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QUEST FOR WATER HEADS TO THE MOON, VIA SPACECRAFT BUILT IN COLORADO
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Yes, there is water on the moon. But what’s it like? How much is there? Where is it? And, on everyone’s mind, could humans drink it or at least mine the molecules and live off the liquid should we relocate to space? These questions and more could be answered with the help of the Lunar Trailblazer, a dishwasher-sized shiny satellite that left Littleton in late January, enroute to Cape Canaveral. In Florida, the smallish satellite will hitch a ride on a Space X Falcon 9 rocket as soon as Wednesday and head toward a comfortable orbit around the moon. It’s not the first moon mission for Lockheed Martin’s space division, which is headquartered just south of Chatfield State Park. Lockheed was part of 1998’s Lunar Prospector to map out moon surfaces. It’s been NASA’s primary contractor for the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis missions — the one sending humans back to the moon.
Lockheed is also a major part of Colorado’s aerospace industry and it’s joined by numerous small and large companies who are all-in on exploring the moon and beyond. More than 55,000 Coloradans work directly with aerospace companies, and another 184,000 indirectly. That ranks Colorado as the nation’s top state for per capita aerospace employment. The Lunar Trailblazer is a relatively tiny project for Lockheed and the U.S. space program. In fact, it’s part of a category NASA calls SIMPLEx, or Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration. Such missions are typically for research, are on a sub-$100 million budget, and are squeezed into underutilized space on rockets (Lunar Trailblazer is ridesharing with Intuitive Machines’ IM-2 to get a drill to the moon).
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GRIZZLY ROSE OPENING SECOND FRONT RANGE COUNTRY-MUSIC VENUE
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Denver country-music mainstay The Grizzly Rose will open a second location in Colorado Springs next week. The Whiskey Rose, as it will be called, is holding its grand opening celebration on Thursday, March 6, in the former Whiskey Baron Dance Hall & Saloon space, at 5781 N. Academy Blvd. in Colorado Springs. The Whiskey Baron offered a 700-person capacity bar, stage and dance floor that hosted live acts, poker nights and dance lessons, along with private events and rentals.
The Grizzly Rose, which opened in 1989, is a 40,000-square-foot hub for all things country and western, with a wide stage and dance floor, mechanical bull, billiards, and other entertainment. Along with Rockmount Ranchwear, the National Western Stock Show, and a handful of other country-western cultural icons, it has for decades attracted visitors from around the world and led Denver’s urban cowboy culture. The Whiskey Rose will be open Wednesday through Sunday, with live music on Friday and Saturday. Concert nights are 18-and-up, while Sundays are all-ages days. The venue’s first concert is Bryan Martin on Thursday, March 20.
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NATIONAL MONUMENT IN COLORADO WILL CLOSE TWO DAYS A WEEK DUE TO "LACK OF STAFFING"
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As officials of the National Park Service cope with job cuts ordered by the Trump administration and confusion over whether future cutbacks will take place, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument announced that it will be closed two days a week until further notice. “Due to a lack of staffing, effective Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays,” a monument employee wrote on Facebook Thursday. “There will be no access to the visitor center, trailhead parking or public restrooms. The monument is open 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.”
Located 35 miles west of Colorado Springs and administered by the National Park Service, Florissant Fossil Beds attracted 63,739 visitors in 2023 and is home to “one of the richest and most diverse fossil deposits in the world,” according to the park’s website. “Petrified redwood stumps up to 14 feet wide and thousands of detailed fossils of insects and plants reveal the story of a very different, prehistoric Colorado.”
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CMC MARKS 20 YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOLERS EARNING COLLEGE CREDIT
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Colorado Mountain College, the largest concurrent enrollment provider on the Western Slope, is celebrating two decades of saving families tens of millions of dollars in tuition and helping students gain a head start on college and careers. For the past 20 years, the college has worked with local school districts to deliver concurrent enrollment classes to high schools across the Western Slope. These programs help students earn college credit for free while still in high school, reducing their overall cost for higher education and allowing many to earn a college certificate or degree before graduation. More than 40 percent of students registered at CMC are in concurrent enrollment programs earning credits that will transfer to any public university in Colorado.
The college estimates that it has supported nearly 20,000 high school students. Since 2009, the program has helped students earn 200,551 credits, equivalent to approximately 1,671 bachelor’s degrees or nearly $21 million in free college credits. CMC has also announced it is expanding its concurrent enrollment opportunities to allow English language learners to earn an English Acquisition for Academic Purposes certificate in high school through concurrent enrollment, empowering them to earn college credit while acquiring English skills.
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ASPEN CITY MANAGER SARA OTT RESIGNS
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Sara Ott will resign from her job as Aspen city manager at the end of the week, pending Aspen City Council approval of a separation agreement. The move comes nearly two months after the city of Louisville, Colorado, announced Ott as one of four finalists for its city manager position. She was not chosen for that position. Her last day will be just a few days before the March 4 election, which involves races for two city council seats, the mayoral seat and two referendums on the entrance to Aspen. The city council will review the separation agreement during its meeting today.
According to the agreement, Ott will receive a new compensation rate of $283,893 until her last day on Friday, Feb. 28. It’s a 6 percent raise from her current salary of $267,824, which the city council approved in a contract renewal in December 2023. She also will receive a lump sum payment equivalent to 10 months’ salary, calculated using the $283,893 amount. She is resigning from the city in good standing, according to the agreement. Deputy City Manager Diane Foster will be interim city manager until further plans are announced. The city council will outline a plan for the recruitment and selection process of a new city manager in the coming weeks.
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WEST SPRINGS TO OFFICIALLY CLOSE MARCH 10
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Effective March 10, West Springs Hospital will officially cease operations nearly 20 years since western Colorado’s only inpatient psychiatric care provider opened its doors. According to a Mind Springs news release, the organization will ensure a smooth transition of medical records and ongoing treatment to other inpatient healthcare providers. The facility (or facilities) to which patients will be transferred was not specified. The news release stated that hospital staff will receive job placement assistance and counseling services, however, it did not specify the number or staff who will be impacted. A Mind Springs spokesperson added that outpatient services and psychiatric care under Mind Springs, including Grand Junction’s withdrawal management program or Clifton’s residential program, will not be impacted.
Mind Springs Health’s Board of Directors attributed the decision to continuous fiscal challenges, the “uncertain future around Medicaid” and a patient count that consistently falls short of sustainability. West Springs Hospital is a 48-bed facility, but between 2019 and 2023, the average daily census totaled 30 or fewer patients. The daily patient count rose “as high as 38 in some months,” but nonetheless, it failed to outpace the hospital’s expenses. The $34 million facility was largely funded through donations and grants (private and public), including $2.5 million from St. Mary’s Regional Hospital. Additional grants, totaling $4.5 million, were obtained from the Colorado Health Foundation, Colorado Health Access Fund, El Pomar Foundation, Caring for Colorado, Western Colorado Community Foundation and the Boettcher Foundation. Several of the municipalities and 10 counties depending on Mind Springs’s services also contributed to the capital campaign.
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CITY OFFICES TO CLOSE FOR MONTROSE DAY CLEANUP, FEB. 26
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It is time to clean up and beautify Montrose as the community’s founders intended over a century ago. City of Montrose staff will make time on Wednesday, Feb. 26, to clean up the city’s offices in observance of “Montrose Day.” City facilities, including the Animal Shelter, City Hall, Public Works, and the Wastewater Treatment Plant, will close at noon on Montrose Day to allow an opportunity to clean up and clean out paper and electronic information, surplus materials, and debris from both inside and outside of city offices and facilities.
The Montrose Pavilion, Visitor Center, and the Black Canyon Golf Course will remain open. Municipal Court will close early that afternoon. Police department offices will be closed; however, officers will be on duty and responding to calls. City sanitation services, including trash and recycling pickup, will maintain their regular schedule for the day. In conjunction with this spring clean-up, city staff encourage residents to observe “Montrose Day” with similar cleanup and beautification tasks at home or their places of business.
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INAUGURAL RIDGWAY RIPPLE ARCTIC PLUNGE, MARCH 2
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The Inaugural Ridgway Ripple Arctic Plunge will take place Sunday, March 2, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Meet at the swim beach at Ridgway State Park for a freezing fun time where brave individuals will get ready and jump in the reservoir to the delight of friends, family and all who come to witness. Costumes are encouraged. Prizes and gift bags will be given out to plungers and lucky spectators. Hot beverages will be available. The after-party at Greenwood's restaurant in Ridgway takes place from noon to 2 p.m. Sponsorships and donations support the Ouray Mountain Rescue Team and Ouray County Communities That Care. Information and registration are available at the link below.
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DAFFODIL DAYS RETURN TO TELLURIDE
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This is your annual chance to support both the Telluride Historical Museum and the American Cancer Society. The Telluride Historical Museum's pre-order sale of daffodils has officially begun. Anyone who places their order during the pre-order window, which closes March 9, receives a $3 discount per bundle on the live sales price. The proceeds benefit both the Telluride Historical Museum and the American Cancer Society. Orders can be placed online at the link below or by phoning the museum at 970-728-3344. Live sales take place, rain (or more likely, snow) or shine, at the Main Street Community Table, March 10-14. More information is available at the link below.
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CRAIG TO HOST REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FORUM ON MARCH 5
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The Economic Development Council of Colorado is set to host its Regional Economic Development Forum in Craig on March 5, drawing a diverse array of professionals and stakeholders from Northwest Colorado and beyond. The one-day event, sponsored by the Colorado Dept. of State, will serve as a hub for knowledge exchange and collaborative problem-solving in the realm of economic development. Crafted in partnership with Colorado State University Extension, the Bureau of Land Management and other regional affiliates, the forum will offer attendees analysis of Northwest Colorado’s economic landscape as presented by state and federal economic experts. The agenda also includes showcases of successful economic initiatives. By facilitating this exchange of ideas and experiences, the EDCC aims to contribute to the overall economic resilience and growth of Colorado’s diverse communities. For more information and to register for the event, visit EDCConline.org.
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COMMUNITY FOUNDATION GIVES MORE THAN $5 MILLION TO NONPROFITS IN 2024
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In 2024, the Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado facilitated the granting of more than $5 million to nonprofits in the region through foundation projects, program grants and donor-advised funds. The Foundation oversees more than $13 million in investments. It is home to almost 80 funds, including donor-advised, agency, designated, scholarship, fiscal sponsorship and field-of-interest funds. It supports nonprofits across the Montezuma, Dolores, San Juan, La Plata and Archuleta counties through grant giving, as well as by facilitating various professional development opportunities.
Last year, the Community Foundation made 547 grant transactions, distributing $5.2 million to nonprofits across Southwest Colorado. Of that, $3.9 million was facilitated through Community Foundation projects and programmatic granting while $1.3 million was granted from the Community Foundation’s donor-advised funds. The top three sectors in which the foundation facilitated granting were human services, youth and education.
By sector, the Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado awarded:
- Animal Protection – 5 percent ($236,939)
- Arts and Culture – 13 percent ($664,423)
- County/Impact – 10 percent ($525,774)
- Education – 16 percent ($855,772)
- Environment – 3 percent ($168,613)
- Human Services – 42 percent ($2,206,403)
- Youth – 10 percent ($545,564)
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COLORADO'S MOST VULNERABLE CITIES FOR FEDERAL LEASE TERMINATIONS
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The Dept. of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, isn’t looking to only dismiss workers in its drive to reduce federal spending. At the start of the month, regional managers for the General Services Administration, which manages the federal government’s real estate portfolio, received orders to terminate real estate leases as quickly as possible. Federal leases are in place in 27 of Colorado’s 64 counties, so terminations could reach far and wide. But the greatest impacts are likely to be felt in three cities — Denver, Fort Collins and Lakewood. Building owners with the most wrinkles to work out will be those in markets with a lot of surplus capacity, like downtown Denver, where more than a third of the office space is sitting vacant, or Lakewood, where a disproportionate share of leasing activity comes from federal agencies.
- The federal government rents a net 4.1 million square feet of commercial real estate in Colorado, largely office space, with some warehouse space and specialty facilities like laboratories, and it directly owns 6.8 million square feet in 87 buildings.
- The portfolio is so large that 274 workers help manage and maintain it.
- About 90 percent of the federal leases are in six counties — Denver, Larimer, Jefferson, Arapahoe, El Paso, Boulder and Adams. Total square footage of existing government leases shows about 4.4 million square feet.
- Denver has the most federal leases at 913,988 square feet or just over a fifth of the state’s total.
- Fort Collins has 853,699 square feet or 19 percent of the total.
- Lakewood has 663,248 square feet or nearly 15 percent of the state total.
- Other cities with sizable federal leases include Colorado Springs, Aurora, Centennial and Golden.
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VAIL RESORTS AGREES TO ENHANCED PAY & BENEFITS FOR KEYSTONE SKI PATROL
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Keystone Ski Patrol Union (KSPU) members ratified their first-ever negotiated contract with Vail Resorts over the weekend, including raises and wage incentives. The union represents 81 employees, most of whom voted to ratify the contract on Saturday. Negotiations with Vail Resorts began last fall and after months of bargaining, the KSPU negotiations team reached a tentative agreement last week. Their current contract expires in May and the union has been around in its current form since 2021. The union said the agreement, which extends through the 2026-27 ski season, brings "significant changes" for the ski patrol. They said it includes:
- Increased compensation for EMT, Nursing, and Paramedic certifications
- Additional wage incentives for specialized skills like language interpreters, sawyers, and chairlift evacuators
- Additional training opportunities for higher medical certifications, advanced avalanche education, and other specialized courses
- Wage compression adjustment
The union also said that every member of the Keystone Ski Patrol will receive a pay increase, but those in advanced, specialist, and team-lead positions will receive "significant increases."
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MARKET UPDATE - 02/24/2025 Close
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(Courtesy of Alpine Bank Wealth Management*)
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Canadian dollar (per U.S. dollar)
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Mexican peso (per U.S. dollar)
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30-year fixed mortgage rate (Freddie Mac 02/20/2025)
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*Not FDIC insured. May lose value. Not guaranteed by the bank.
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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.
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