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Colorado - Fri. 02/28/25 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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DENVER LEADS THE U.S. IN APARTMENT RENT DECLINE
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Rent costs in the Denver-metro area recorded the largest monthly decline in the nation in January, according to Zillow’s monthly rental report. Denver was one of 11 major metro areas where monthly rental rates fell, leading the way at a 0.4 percent decline in January rent costs. Cincinnati and Birmingham tied for second place with a decline of 0.2 percent. The decline bucked a national trend where rents increased in 47 of the 50 largest metro areas in January compared to the same month last year. The typical January rent in the Denver region was $1,918, a 0.8 percent decrease from January 2024.
A total of 19,910 new units came online in the previous 12 months across the metro area, according to the Apartment Association of Metro Denver, with 2,228 new units in the fourth quarter alone, setting a record for a calendar year. That increased the supply of apartments in the Denver-metro area by 4.8 percent in 2024.
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COLORADO'S GRAY WOLVES ROAMING FARTHER INTO WESTERN SLOPE
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Colorado’s gray wolves roamed farther into the Western Slope last month, with at least one setting foot in a watershed that extends to the Utah border, according to a new map released by Colorado Parks and Wildlife on Wednesday. The February map is the first full month of location data that includes 15 wolves captured in Canada and released in Colorado in January. At least one wolf was tracked in a Western Slope watershed that includes the Interstate 70 corridor through Mesa County, abutting the northern border of Delta County.
“Wolves translocated to Colorado have made broad movements across many western counties,” CPW spokesperson Rachael Gonzales said in an email, adding that a wolf or wolves can travel widely. Gray wolves also traveled in watersheds that span western, northern and central Colorado, from Grand Junction to Vail and the Wyoming border to Salida. State wildlife officials are letting local ranchers know when wolves are in the area and help work on deterrence measures, Gonzales said.
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TEMPLE GRANDIN HONORED AS A USA TODAY 2025 WOMAN OF THE YEAR
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On Feb. 27, USA TODAY honored Temple Grandin, a Colorado State University Distinguished Professor, as one of its 2025 Women of the Year. Grandin is a world-renowned animal welfare expert and advocate for people with autism. As a CSU animal sciences professor, prolific author and frequent speaker, she has been widely celebrated for her many contributions in two spheres of public concern. The USA TODAY recognition places her among 61 women across the country who are inspiring the next generation. “They are breaking barriers and pushing for change,” the news outlet said. “They are making our communities better.” An HBO biopic, titled Temple Grandin, is available through most streaming services. A documentary about Grandin’s life and influence, called An Open Door, was completed in 2023 and has been available through Rocky Mountain PBS and numerous screenings.
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COLORADO PROMOTES AWARENESS ABOUT GAMBLING ADDICTION AS BETTORS PREPARE FOR MARCH MADNESS
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Gambling in Colorado continues to grow and with that growth comes an increase in the number of people who are addicted to betting. To that end, the Colorado Gaming Division and Colorado Lottery are promoting March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month. There is a hotline for those who need help, 800-GAMBLER (800-426-2537). State officials said an estimated 1 to 2 percent of the people who gamble become addicted, although Jamie Glick, director of the Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado, said it could be eight times higher, at 16 percent. The gaming division and Colorado Lottery have programs to promote responsible gaming, including a self-exclusion list where people can self-impose bans for up to five years.
The Colorado Lottery has a full-time responsible gaming manager and is asking the Colorado General Assembly for permission to hire a second person in the coming year, said Jennifer Anderson, Colorado Lottery’s deputy senior director. The Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission last week awarded nearly $3 million in grants to organizations that are combating gambling addiction in the state. That money is going toward research, counselors and treatment in the state.
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PITKIN COUNTY TO IMPROVE REDSTONE ICE CLIMBING ACCESS & LAND CONSERVATION
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In collaboration with the owner, Pitkin County on Wednesday took initial steps to expand public land access and conservation for the Redstone Castle. They initially approved an easement that would give ice climbers winter privileges to approach popular ice climb “Redstone Pillar,” a 100-foot route located 1,100 feet above the valley floor, through the privately-owned Redstone Castle property. The approach through the property would remain open between Nov. 15 and April 15. Pitkin County commissioners approved the ordinance on Wednesday.
The Redstone Castle, a 1902 mansion nestled above the Crystal River community that has accommodated Teddy Roosevelt and the Rockefellers, is now used as a retreat. The easement will allow the county to build and maintain the single-track trail, named the “Pillar Ice Climbing Trail.” The Redstone Pillar is about a third of a mile uphill from the private property bridged by the trail, on the border of county-owned land and U.S. Forest Service land. Along with the trail access, the county approved on first reading the creation of a roughly 88-acre conservation easement on the Redstone Castle property.
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WHITE RIVER NATIONAL FOREST SUPERVISOR, DEPUTY SUPERVISOR RESIGNING
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White River National Forest Supervisor Scott Fitzwilliams and Deputy Supervisor Heather Noel have tendered their resignations from the U.S. Forest Service. Their last day is not yet known. Fitzwilliams referenced the “deferred resignation” buyout program created after Donald Trump took office in his notice. In an email sent on Tuesday to Forest Service partners, including Pitkin County, Fitzwilliams announced his impending retirement. The deferred resignation program, also known as the “Fork in the Road,” is an offer sent to all federal employees by the Office of Personnel Management on Jan. 28. The plan is not yet clear.
In his email, Fitzwilliams said he is working with his boss on a transition plan until a permanent forest supervisor and deputy can be hired. Fitzwilliams has served in the forest supervisor position since 2009. Noel was named deputy forest supervisor in October 2022, coming from the Angeles National Forest near Los Angeles. The WRNF is the country’s most visited national forest and spans 2.4 million acres across the Rocky Mountains.
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MARDI GRAS EVENTS RAISE MONEY FOR LOCAL SCHOOLS
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Celebrate Mardi Gras early with two local events this Friday and Saturday, where guests can gamble for a good cause. Two Rivers Community School will host Mardi Gras Bingo from 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday at the Hotel Colorado in Glenwood Springs. The adults-only bingo night includes a buffet-style dinner, silent auction, cash prizes and live music by Sweet Jessup and the Dirty Buckets. Proceeds will help fund the annual Two Rivers Community School eighth grade class trip to Mexico. For Two Rivers Community School students, who learn Spanish as well as English, the international trip is the supreme field study experience.
Community members can join the Grand Valley Educational Foundation on Saturday for the First Annual Mardi Gras Masquerade Poker Night. The event will be from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Grand Valley Recreation Center in Battlement Mesa. Tickets are $25 for singles and $45 for couples and can be purchased at grandvalleyeducationalfoundation.org or at the door. Tickets include appetizers from Callahan’s Restaurant and prizes. The fundraiser will support the Grand Valley Educational Foundation, which has provided grants for teachers and scholarships for graduating seniors in Parachute since 1999.
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CONFLUENCE CENTER OF COLORADO UNDER CONSTRUCTION AT DOS RIOS
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A large crowd gathered at the Dos Rios development off the Riverfront Parkway in Grand Junction on Wednesday to celebrate the groundbreaking for the Confluence Center of Colorado. Construction is currently underway at the location, which is near the park’s bike park and next to a future Starbucks building. The center will serve as a regional hub for six local nonprofits related to conservation and the outdoors. Once completed, it will provide office space and educational resources, as well as childcare and preschool, in one location for the six nonprofits. The first six nonprofits in the center will be Eureka! McConnell Science Museum, RiversEdge West, One Riverfront, Colorado National Monument Association, Colorado West Land Trust and Colorado Canyons Association. The project is in the home stretch for fundraising, and more than $5 million has been raised so far.
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SW COLORADO EDUCATOR RECRUITMENT FAIR: MARCH 8
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The Durango School District is hosting a Southwest Colorado Spring Educator Recruitment Fair from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 8 at Miller Middle School, 2608 Junction St. This event brings together various school districts from Southwest Colorado and neighboring states that are seeking to fill teaching, intervention, counseling and special service provider positions for the 2025-26 school year. Candidates can speak to representatives of multiple school districts at this event. There is no registration fee, but pre-registration at durango.schoolspring.com is encouraged to secure a space.
Representatives from the Colorado Dept. of Education and Fort Lewis College will also be present to assist those interested in pursuing an alternative licensure pathway. This event is for people who have a college degree and are seeking to transition from another career into teaching, to gain information about that process and explore job opportunities at the same time. For more information, email Christy Morgan, employment coordinator, at cmorgan@durangoschools.org or call 970-247-5411x1414.
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RECORD-HIGH TEMPS EXPECTED FOR COLORADO MOUNTAINS THIS WEEKEND, BUT WINTER ISN'T OVER
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Colorado is looking at record-high temperatures this weekend. Data from the National Weather Service’s Grand Junction office shows parts of the Western Slope could run 10 to 15 degrees above normal into the weekend, with lower desert valleys reaching close to 70 degrees. The warm, sunny weather is thanks to a ridge of high pressure that’s going to be building over the western half of the country starting on Thursday, Feb. 27. Saturday is expected to be the warmest day. Residents and visitors from the Front Range to Glenwood Springs can expect temperatures in the low-to-mid 60s, while higher elevation areas will likely be in the 50s.
These high pressures usually occur during the spring and summer. The last time the Grand Junction office recorded 66 degrees for the first Saturday of March was in 2008 — if the city hits 67 degrees on March 1 as expected, it will set a new record for the region. The warm temperatures won’t last more than a few days, however — the state will likely see a return to cooler temperatures during the week of March 3, with snow showers across parts of the Western Slope.
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NANCY GRAY JOINS ELITE GROUP OF STEAMBOAT WOMEN AS HAZIE WERNER AWARD RECIPIENT
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Nancy Gray was presented with the Hazie Werner Award at the Steamboat Art Museum on Wednesday. Gray became the 37th Hazie Werner Award winner as hundreds of people gathered to celebrate her accomplishments, dedication and commitment to the community of Steamboat Springs. Gray was born and raised in Steamboat Springs, and after leaving briefly to attend the University of Colorado, she returned to the Yampa Valley to embark on a 53-year career at the Steamboat Ski Resort. Gray has been a board member for Tread of Pioneers Museum. She helped organize the Festival of Trees for years. Gray also supports the legacy of her late brother Jim “Moose” Barrows by carrying on The Moose’s Loose Golf Tournament and Mickey’s Fund.
Gray has contributed to the Heart of Steamboat United Methodist Church Compassion Group, Professional Ski Instructors of America and Old Town Hot Springs, where she was the swim lessons coordinator helping Steamboat Springs children learn to swim and be safe around water. She was also a mentor to numerous young adults in their first job experience.
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YAMPA VALLEY 2025 FIRST CRANE SIGHTING CONTEST TO BEGIN SATURDAY
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The Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition has announced the 2025 First Crane Sighting Contest will launch on Saturday, encouraging everyone to look for Greater Sandhill Cranes in areas of the Yampa Valley. To enter the contest, document a sighting with a photo or video and send it to Info@ColoradoCranes.org before March 31. The rules require entries to include the spotter’s name and mailing address and the sighting’s date, time and location. A grand prize will be awarded to the person who spots the first crane in the Yampa Valley. Prizes will also be awarded to the first people who spot a crane in West Routt, North Routt, South Routt, Steamboat Springs, Craig and West Moffat County. Winners will be notified in early April. Winning photos and videos will be posted at ColoradoCranes.org.
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2025 WOMEN OF THE YEAR
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They are leaders and activists, women you may follow and those you have never heard of. They are women who make a difference every day – in every state. USA TODAY’s 2025 Women of the Year, includes 61 women across the country inspiring the next generation. They are breaking barriers and pushing for change. They are making our communities better. They encourage us, influence us, and make us laugh. They include women such as:
- Ilona Maher who first impressed us at the summer Olympics on the rugby pitch but kept our attention with her inspiring messages on Instagram and TikTok
- CEO and president of Fannie Mae, Priscilla Almodovar who pushes for equality in housing and helps families build generational wealth
- Gina Meyer who started a nonprofit to promote college students’ mental health after her daughter Katie, a star soccer player at Stanford, died by suicide in 2022
- Ellen Woodward Potts leads Habitat for Humanity Tuscaloosa, which has built more than 100 homes since a tornado wiped out 13 percent of the city in less than six minutes in 2011
- Astronaut Kellie Gerardi wants to show that women can love science and still be sparkly, and to inspire more girls to learn about space
- Temple Grandin, a distinguished Colorado professor of animal science, who has published 16 books on autism as well as more than a half-dozen textbooks on animal welfare and the livestock industry, has used her unique perspective to become one of the world’s foremost experts on animal welfare and the design of feedlots and slaughterhouses
The complete list is available at the link below.
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MARKET UPDATE - 02/27/2025 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 02/27/2025)
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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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