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Colorado - Thu. 11/20/25 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER AT RED ROCKS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
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The Colorado Small Business Development Center (SBDC), funded in part through a Cooperative Grant Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration Center, has relocated the SBDC serving metro Denver to Red Rocks Community College. The new location allows the Colorado SBDC to expand its reach by partnering with an established community institution. The SBDC provides confidential guidance to small business owners facing economic uncertainty or seeking help refining business plans and pursuing funding. Colorado SBDC State Director Hannah W. Krieger said the partnership will strengthen support for small businesses in the Denver region. The Colorado SBDC is the state’s only nationally accredited resource serving entrepreneurs at every stage of business. It operates 14 service centers, more than 25 satellite centers, and a statewide network of about 300 business experts who serve all 64 counties.
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COLORADO RELEASES ITS CLIMATE WORKFORCE ANALYSIS & PLAN
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The Colorado Energy Office, with support from the Colorado Dept. of Transportation and in coordination with the Colorado Workforce Development Council, Tuesday released the state’s first Climate Workforce Analysis and Plan, outlining the jobs and training needed to meet Colorado’s goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050. The report identifies the careers most essential to the state’s clean energy transition.
Funded by a federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grant and state dollars, the analysis evaluates workforce gaps, training pathways, and strategies to build an equitable climate workforce. The analysis identifies 20 “climate critical occupations” with the largest gaps between projected job growth and workforce demand. Occupations facing the most significant shortages include electricians, construction laborers and managers, wind turbine service technicians, solar installers, power-line workers, electric vehicle technicians and HVAC technicians trained in heat pump technology.
The report recommends:
- Facilitating early exposure to climate careers in K-12 schools
- Creating more training options across the state, especially in rural areas
- Strengthening Registered Apprenticeship programs for critical occupations
- Improving coordination among entities in the climate workforce space, such as the state and local governments, training providers, industry, and workforce organizations
- Coordinating efforts to improve access to training and employment opportunities, with a focus on rural and rural resort communities.
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DOUGLAS COUNTY TO OPEN A SHOWCASE OF HISTORIC ARTIFACTS
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Officials in Douglas County announced that it will open “the largest public display of Douglas County artifacts to date,” a showcase of items that will be on display at the Parker Water and Sanitation District headquarters. The display will open Friday at 1 p.m. in Parker at 13939 Ancestry Drive. The Palmer Divide is the showcased area in the exhibit, which Douglas County officials have labeled, “Thriving Through Time, Adaptation on the Palmer Divide.” Historically, the region is known for its various trails, mountainous scenery, wildlife, ranching, water management, ecosystems and history of Native American and European settlers moving West. Displayed items include mammoth remains, early hunting tools, artifacts from the gold rush era, mining resources and minerals and a converted oil wagon. Douglas County commissioners, Douglas County History Repository officials, Native American tribal and community partners are scheduled to help open the new exhibit.
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SCOPING OUT ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS
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For the past few weeks, the weather in Colorado has been influenced greatly by the phenomenon known as an Atmospheric River. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) teams with the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego to sponsor Atmospheric River Reconnaissance (AR Recon) flights, basically taking the pilots and aircraft that fly into hurricanes for NOAA from May to November to fly AR Recon. This year, for the first time, some of the flights started in Japan, in addition to flights out of Hawaii and the U.S. West Coast, to measure the storms early on in their journey and create more accurate forecasts.
The flights from Japan are designed to not only improve accuracy but extend the forecast beyond the current five days before the storms hit the West Coast. U.S. Air Force hurricane pilot Nate Wordal, in describing the differences in flights, said flying into hurricanes is like driving a car into the car wash, an intense two-to-four-hour experience. The AR Recon is flying long hours over the Pacific Ocean in relatively calm conditions...until the storms reach the West Coast, then landing becomes much more difficult.
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CSP WILL INCREASE PATROLS ON MOUNTAIN ROADS THIS WEEKEND
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The Colorado State Patrol announced it will be increasing law enforcement activities in mountain communities this week amid a surge in winter weather. State Troopers will team up with local law enforcement to add extra patrols in areas such as Eagle, Grand, Routt, Summit and Moffat counties on Friday to enforce traffic laws and look for impaired drivers, according to a CSP release. Driving in Colorado weather can bring extra hazards and be dangerous for those who are not prepared, according to the State Patrol. Last winter, State Troopers responded to 11,745 crashes with impacts ranging from property damage to death. CSP encourages motorists to be aware of conditions as well as to obey posted speed limits, slow down in poor conditions, put distractions like cell phones away to comply with the state’s hands-free law, always wear a seatbelt, and drive sober.
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GLENWOOD SPRINGS WILL BEGIN TICKETING VIOLATIONS ON SPEED CAMERAS
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Following the 30-day warning period, automated speed cameras in the City of Glenwood Springs will begin issuing tickets on Nov. 20. Ninety percent of all Glenwood Springs City streets are posted 25 mph or less. The 25 mph speed limits on local, residential and business streets are a part of the city’s CARE Patrols program, which aims to eliminate serious injuries caused by traffic crashes. Speeding was identified as one of the top two causes of severe traffic crashes nationwide, including in Glenwood Springs.
The Speed Cameras will be located at:
- Site 1: 100 Block of Midland Ave.
- Site 2a: 600 Block of Midland Ave.
- Site 2b: 600 Block of Midland Ave.
- Site 3: 3000 Block of Midland Ave.
- Site 4: 3500 Block of South Glen Ave.
The new automated enforcement devices are marked with advance signage to notify travelers of device locations in accordance with state law. Tickets will be issued to the owner of record on the vehicle registration and vehicle owners are responsible for any tickets issued to their vehicle, regardless of whether they were the driver or not. Drivers should adhere to posted speed limits. Tickets from the speed cameras are valid traffic tickets, just as if they were issued by a police officer. However, photo enforcement violations are zero-point traffic infractions that are not reported to the Dept. of Motor Vehicles or insurance companies.
Cameras capture only what is needed to document a traffic violation, including vehicle speed, license plate information, date, time and location. Photo enforcement is only used on public streets, and photographs are only taken if drivers are violating traffic laws. Learn more about photo enforcement in the City of Glenwood Springs and frequently asked questions at gwsco.info/SpeedCameras.
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SMOKE IN THE AIR: WHITE RIVER NF WILL BEGIN BURNING PILES NEAR ASPEN
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The White River National Forest announced that, weather permitting, crews will begin pile burning operations next month.
Areas planned for pile burning include:
- Dillon Ranger District/Summit County: Keystone Gulch, 86 acres south of Keystone; Ruby Ranch, 86 acres north of Silverthorne; Peak 7, 22 acres near Breckenridge; Barton Gulch, 66 acres at Breckenridge; Ophir Mountain, 229 acres south of Frisco; Blue River West, 110 acres adjacent to Hwy. 9 near the town of Blue River
- Eagle Holy Cross Ranger District/Eagle County: Trappers Run, 20 acres west of Vail; Booth Creek, five acres north of Vail; Piney, 100 acres four miles north of Vail
- Aspen-Sopris Ranger District/Garfield County: Sunlight, 100 acres southwest of Glenwood Springs; Red Dog, 19 acres seven miles south of Carbondale
Warning signs will be placed along roads near all prescribed fire areas before and during burns.
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RESTORING THE GRAND JUNCTION TRAIN STATION: CITY PRESENTED WITH GRANT OPTION
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The owners of the GJ Union Depot, built in 1906, made a presentation to the Grand Junction City Council Monday, outlining the future of rail operations in Grand Junction, along with the details of a grant they are seeking from the Federal Railroad Administration. The grant would be for about $5 million and have a $1.3 million match component to be met by the Union Depot ownership. The city is not being asked to contribute financially, but to be the grant applicant and administer the grant if awarded. The deadline for the grant application is Jan. 7, 2026, and the City Council would still need to vote on authorizing the city to pursue it. The grant would supply $3.3 million for the continuing rehabilitation and restoration of the historic station, with $1.3 million to acquire nearby vacant lots, plus another $600,000 to $700,000 for lighting, EV charging stations, curbing, striping, etc. Amtrak has committed to returning to the historic station when it is restored.
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WHERE OUR DOLLAR CAME FROM…NOW, IT IS NOT ACCEPTED
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The U.S. dollar is the most widely used currency in the world and is essentially the global tender. Curiously, the place where the dollar was created, a small town in the Czech Republic, Jáchymov, does not accept the U.S. dollar. Jáchymov, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, has 2,300 residents and is located in the Bohemian mountains near the Czech German border. Jáchymov accepts koruna, euros or Russian rubles. In 1520, the dollar was born in Jáchymov. In 1516, Jáchymov was the site of the discovery of a large silver lode. An enterprising nobleman, Count Hieronymus Schlick, sought and received permission to mint silver coins. In January 1520, Schlick produced his "Joachimsthalers", with Joachim, the patron saint of miners stamped on the front and the Bohemian lion stamped on the back.
The Joachimsthalers immediately became known as thalers. Silver made Jáchymov a mining center, with 1,000 silver mines employing some 8,000 miners by 1533, and 18,000 residents. The silver deposit was exhausted in the mid-16th Century, but the thaler, pronounced nearly identically to the English “dollar," gave the U.S. currency its name.
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INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE U.S. CONTINUES DOWN IN SEPTEMBER
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The National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO) released visitor arrivals to the U.S. for September 2025, which showed:
- Non-U.S. citizen air passenger arrivals to the U.S. from foreign countries totaled 4.5 million in September 2025, down 8.7 percent compared to September 2024
- The number of non-U.S. citizen arrivals (not including Canada and Mexico) from overseas totaled 2.8 million in September 2025
- Overseas visitor arrivals decreased 7.7 percent compared to September 2024
- Year-to-date through September, total overseas visitation was down 2.4 percent compared to the same period last year.
- U.S. citizen air passenger departures from the U.S. to foreign countries totaled 5.6 million in September 2025, up 2.7 percent from September 2024
- This exceeded pre-pandemic September 2019 volume by 25.5 percent
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ALPINE BANK: TIPS FOR AVOIDING FRAUD DURING HOLIDAY SEASON
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As Coloradans gear up for the holiday season, Alpine Bank is urging consumers and businesses to stay alert amid a surge in sophisticated scams powered by artificial intelligence (AI). With online shopping, travel and charitable giving at their peak, cybercriminals often exploit your generosity with urgency and distraction to steal money and personal information. According to recent warnings from the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), scammers are using AI to create lookalike fake websites, clone voices and craft personalized phishing messages that are becoming more difficult to distinguish from legitimate communications. “Even the most cautious consumer can be caught off guard by today’s scams,” said Alpine Bank President Glen Jammaron. “But our goal here isn’t to alarm people, it’s to empower them. With a little extra awareness and a few smart habits, you can shop, give and celebrate with confidence this holiday season.”
Scams to watch out for:
- Counterfeit retail websites created with AI that mimic trusted brands, complete with logos and deep discounts on popular items.
- Fraudulent text and email messages impersonating delivery services, retailers or banks, asking for login credentials or payment info.
- Fake QR codes placed over real ones on parking meters, restaurant menus or advertisement, redirecting users to malicious sites.
- Charity scams using emotional appeals and cloned websites to solicit donations that never reach real causes.
- Employment scams targeting seasonal job seekers with fake postings and payroll fraud.
Alpine Bank offers the following guidelines to help consumers avoid falling victim to these sophisticated scams:
- Verify before you click. Don’t trust links in unsolicited texts, emails or social media ads. Go directly to the retailer’s official website.
- Never share personal financial information or passwords with anyone on the phone or online, regardless of who they claim to be. Alpine Bank will never ask you for your login credentials.
- Check website URLs carefully. Look for spelling errors, extra characters and that a padlock symbol appears in the web browser’s address bar.
- Be skeptical of urgency. Scammers often pressure victims with limited time offers or emergency requests. If it’s too good to be true, it is.
- Monitor your accounts. Check bank and credit card statements regularly for unauthorized charges.
- Report suspicious activity including texts, emails, phone or video calls to the Internet Crime Complaint Center or the Federal Trade Commission.
- Contact Alpine Bank immediately if you think your Alpine Bank account may have been compromised, or if you suspect you have disclosed information concerning your accounts, please contact our fraud department through established and verified communication avenues, or stop by your local branch. For more information, please visit Alpine Bank’s fraud prevention page, at the link below.
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MARKET UPDATE - 11/19/2025 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 11/13/2025)
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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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