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Colorado - Wed. 02/18/26 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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PALANTIR — COLORADO’S LARGEST PUBLIC COMPANY — IS LEAVING DENVER FOR MIAMI
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Palantir Technologies, Colorado’s largest public company by market value, announced Feb. 17 that it has relocated its headquarters from Denver to Miami, marking its second headquarters move in six years. The data-analytics firm disclosed the decision in a brief social media post and did not provide details about how many employees might relocate or what operations will remain in Colorado. Palantir moved its headquarters from Palo Alto to Denver in 2020, citing cultural and operational reasons, and has since maintained offices across North America while relying heavily on remote workers. The company recently signed a lease for office space in Cherry Creek, suggesting a limited on-site workforce.
Palantir employs more than 4,000 people globally and has outlined plans to significantly increase revenue while reducing headcount by using artificial intelligence tools to boost productivity. Business factors that may have influenced the move include Florida’s lack of a state income tax and Miami’s efforts to attract technology firms. The long-term impact of Palantir’s departure on Colorado’s technology sector remains unclear.
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WIND-DRIVEN WILDFIRES PROMPT EVACUATIONS ON COLORADO’S EASTERN PLAINS
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Two wind‑driven wildfires burning on Colorado’s Eastern Plains prompted evacuation orders Tuesday as strong winds pushed flames across dry grassland and agricultural fields, according to state and county officials. The County Road 169 fire ignited around noon near Matheson in Elbert County and was driven east into Lincoln County by gusty conditions, with evacuations ordered within an hour. By late afternoon, fire crews had stopped the fire’s forward progress and shifted to mopping up hot spots, though crews were expected to patrol overnight. The fire was estimated to be between 5,000 and 10,000 acres, with officials noting heavy smoke and wind made it difficult to assess its full size. No damaged structures were reported as of mid-afternoon.
A second wildfire on the Weld‑Morgan County line, estimated at 300 to 400 acres, also prompted evacuations before being fully contained by early evening. Forecasters warned of wind gusts up to 55 mph, sustained winds near 35 mph and relative humidity as low as 12 percent, with red flag conditions expected to continue into Wednesday.
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4 KILLED, 29 INJURED IN 36-VEHICLE PILEUP ON I-25 NEAR PUEBLO
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Four people were killed and 29 others injured Tuesday after a chain-reaction crash involving 36 vehicles on northbound Interstate 25 just south of Pueblo, according to the Colorado State Patrol. The crash occurred shortly after 10 a.m. amid heavy winds and blowing dirt that created “brownout” conditions and low to no visibility for drivers. State patrol said the pileup involved seven semitrailers and more than two dozen passenger vehicles. Those killed included two men from Walsenburg, a woman from Pueblo and a woman from Rye. Among the injured, one person was listed in critical condition, seven suffered serious injuries and 21 were treated for minor to moderate injuries. More than 50 responders from 23 agencies assisted at the scene. The crash remains under investigation, and northbound lanes were closed Tuesday night. Southbound lanes were affected only by property damage. High wind warnings were in effect at the time, with gusts reaching up to 65 mph.
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GOV. POLIS NAMES SUSAN BLANCO AS NEW COLORADO SUPREME COURT JUSTICE
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Gov. Jared Polis on Tuesday appointed Larimer County Chief Judge Susan Blanco as the newest justice on the Colorado Supreme Court, filling the vacancy left by Justice Melissa Hart, who retired Jan. 5 after a months-long personal leave. Blanco has served as a district court judge for nine years and has been chief judge for Larimer and Jackson counties for the past five years. A graduate of Colorado State University, the University of Colorado and Duke Law School, Blanco previously worked as a criminal defense attorney and represented children in dependency and neglect cases, experience she described as deeply meaningful in her application.
Polis cited her strong record of innovation, including co-founding a special competency court to support defendants who are mentally ill or mentally disabled. Blanco, the daughter of Iranian immigrants, said her childhood experience with the court system shaped her approach to the law. Newly appointed justices serve two-year terms before standing for voter retention.
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COLORFUL FLOATING SCULPTURES WILL FLY OVER DOWNTOWN DENVER THIS SUMMER
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Downtown Denver will host a temporary aerial art installation this summer as part of the Skynet Art Series, with a city agency paying artist Patrick Shearn more than $625,000 to design multiple floating, kinetic sculptures suspended above city streets. According to Denver Arts & Venues, the colorful works will undulate with the wind, forming feathery canopies meant to interact with architecture, light and weather while encouraging visitors to look up and spend time downtown. Installation is targeted for early summer, with preliminary locations including Skyline Park Block 3 and Wynkoop Plaza, and a possible third site near 16th and Glenarm.
The Denver Downtown Development Authority is funding the project, citing a similar Shearn installation in Green Mountain Falls that drew more than 100,000 visitors and increased sales tax revenue by 36 percent during its four-month run. City officials said the two or three sites will be connected by RTD routes and remain in place for four months as part of broader efforts to revive downtown activity following the pandemic and the renovation of Sixteenth Street.
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JIM MARKALUNAS DIES AT 95
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Jim Markalunas, a third-generation Aspenite whose family history in the valley dates back to the 19th century, died Sunday in Aspen at age 95. He was the grandchild of a Smuggler Mine surveyor whose family walked over Independence Pass into Aspen in 1881, a legacy Markalunas later described as deeply rooted in the community. Born in 1930 during Aspen’s “Quiet Years,” he graduated from Pitkin County High School in 1949, served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War and returned to Aspen in 1954, where he spent nearly his entire career working for the city.
From the early 1960s until his retirement in 1990, he served as Aspen’s director of water, overseeing major upgrades to the city’s water infrastructure and advocating for hydroelectric power. He later served on the Aspen City Council from 1997 to 2001 and was a longtime proponent of light rail in the Roaring Fork Valley. Markalunas and his wife, Ramona, were inducted into the Aspen Hall of Fame in 2007 for their lasting contributions to the community.
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SNOWMASS CLOSES ICE RINK FOR WINTER
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The town of Snowmass Village has closed the Snowmass Village Ice Rink for the remainder of the winter, citing a lack of sustained cold temperatures needed to keep the outdoor rink operable, according to a town press release. Officials said the rink operated only minimally this season, prompting the decision by the town and its Recreation and Trails Dept. to end operations early. Warm seasonal temperatures prevented consistent ice conditions, making continued use impractical. While the ice rink is closed, the Snowmass Village Recreation Center will remain open daily, with closures only on Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter and Labor Day, the town said. For more information, visit snowmassrecreation.com.
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MOUNTAIN STUDIES INSTITUTE’S NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR BRIDGES SCIENCE & POLICY
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Molly McKeon, a Durango resident and longtime environmental policy professional, has stepped into the role of executive director of the Mountain Studies Institute, bringing experience in connecting scientific research with policy decisions at a time of growing concern about drought, wildfire and water management in Southwest Colorado. About a month into the job, McKeon said her background in environmental policy, program management and community engagement positions her to guide the institute’s work on mountain science that informs decision-making for headwaters and downstream communities. She previously worked for Environmental Incentives, LLC, leading global natural climate solutions efforts, and also teaches global environmental policy at Fort Lewis College.
McKeon said her priorities include strengthening MSI’s organizational infrastructure and expanding research on stream restoration, snowpack and forest management, including projects extending into the Dolores area and the La Sal Mountains. She emphasized adaptation and long-term data collection as critical as climate pressures intensify across the region.
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YAMPA RIVER FUND ACCEPTING 2026 GRANT APPLICATIONS
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The Yampa River Fund has opened its 2026 grant application cycle, with $267,022 available to support projects that protect and enhance the Yampa River’s water supply, according to the organization. Applications opened Tuesday, Feb. 17, and will be accepted through April 1. Launched in 2019, the Yampa River Fund is a community-based partnership of 21 public, private and nonprofit entities representing the entire Yampa River Basin. Grant funding prioritizes projects that improve water security for communities, support a healthy, flowing river and maintain or restore river function through riparian or in-channel habitat work. Fund manager Mike Robertson said the program is entering its seventh year and is especially important during low snowpack years, when water security is increasingly uncertain. For more information, visit YampaRiverFund.org/grants.
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HOTEL PURCHASED BY SILVERTHORNE WILL NO LONGER BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
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The town of Silverthorne plans to use the Silver Inn, recently purchased by the town, as short-term lodging for town employees, visiting workers, community organizations and first responders rather than reopening it to the general public. At a Feb. 11 meeting, the Silverthorne Town Council supported staff recommendations to repurpose the 30-key hotel for approximately five years as a flexible accommodation option, not a long-term housing solution. The town authorized the purchase of the roughly 13,400-square-foot, two-story building for just under $5.3 million in December.
Officials said the centrally located hotel, which includes a two-bedroom manager’s apartment, is in good condition and will require only preparatory work such as deep cleaning and snow management before occupancy. Town staff are considering hiring a property management company and may charge outside organizations to help recover operating costs, while determining whether town employees would stay at no cost.
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DIRECT DEPOSIT ERRORS COULD DELAY YOUR TAX REFUND
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To help phase out paper checks and issue more refunds via direct deposit, the IRS is encouraging taxpayers to provide banking information on their 2025 tax returns. But what happens to refunds if the direct deposit information is missing or incorrect? The Taxpayer Advocate Service says that when returns are filed without account information, the IRS will still process them, but any refunds will be frozen. Similarly, if the information provided is incorrect and the direct deposit is rejected, the IRS generally will freeze the refund deposit. If your refund is frozen, the IRS will send you a CP53E notice, which will explain what you need to do next. For more details: https://bit.ly/4tu8Mbx
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10 YEARS AFTER IKEA FIRST SCOUTED IT, FORT COLLINS TO GET NEW STORE
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IKEA is coming to Fort Collins with plans to open a smaller format store in the Front Range Village shopping center later this year, marking the company’s third location in Colorado. According to a Feb. 17 news release, the 64,000-square-foot store will occupy the former Urban Air Adventure Park space at 4250 Corbett Drive and will be one of 10 new IKEA stores opening nationwide in fiscal year 2026. The Fort Collins location will focus on home planning services, a curated selection of merchandise and popular IKEA food offerings, following nearly a decade of earlier site scouting in Northern Colorado that did not result in a store.
Upcoming IKEA locations opening in 2026:
- Fort Collins, Colorado: A 64,000-square-foot store at Front Range Village, IKEA’s third Colorado location and northernmost in the state
- Culver City, California: Los Angeles’ first city center IKEA store
- Tulsa, Oklahoma: The state’s first IKEA location
- Gurnee Mills, Illinois: A new store in the Chicago metropolitan area
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WHAT’S NEW FOR 2026 COLORADO BIG GAME HUNTING?
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife has released its 2026 Colorado Big Game brochure, outlining changes that affect upcoming hunting seasons, and the limited license draw process. Hunters must again purchase a qualifying license for the 2026 license year before applying for either the primary or secondary draws, with most qualifying licenses available starting March 1. CPW is continuing its Secondary Draw, which is open to all hunters and does not use preference points, and has added new hunts for moose, buck deer, archery elk and bear in various game management units. The agency also announced boundary changes for GMUs 97 and 99 and confirmed there will be no mandatory chronic wasting disease testing for harvested deer during the 2026 seasons.
Important 2026 dates:
- March 1: Primary draw applications accepted; most qualifying licenses on sale
- April 7: Primary draw application and correction deadline, 8 p.m.
- May 26-29: Primary draw results posted online
- June 1: Primary draw surrender deadline, 11:59 p.m.
- June 12: Primary draw license payment deadline, 11:59 p.m.
- June 18: Secondary draw applications accepted
- June 26: Primary draw licenses mailed
- June 30: Secondary draw application and correction deadline, 8 p.m.
- July 7: Secondary draw results posted online
- July 9: Secondary draw surrender deadline, 11:59 p.m.
- July 21: Secondary draw license payment deadline, 11:59 p.m.
- July 27: Secondary draw licenses mailed
- Aug. 4: Leftover limited and over the counter licenses on sale, 9 a.m.
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MARKET UPDATE - 02/17/2026 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 02/12/2026)
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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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