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Colorado - Fri. 08/07/26 |
A Free Business Publication from Alpine Bank
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JALAPEÑOS AT CHIPOTLE & QDOBA TIED TO SALMONELLA OUTBREAK IN COLORADO
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At the same time they’ve been keeping an eye on the parasite cyclosporiasis, public health officials in Colorado have been tracking a more urgent foodborne concern: an outbreak of salmonella in the state. The state has identified 110 cases linked to the outbreak, which itself is part of a multistate outbreak involving more than 300 cases in at least 27 states, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Now, the CDC has identified a culprit: jalapeño peppers grown in Mexico and distributed to restaurants in the U.S. In Colorado, the state Dept. of Public Health and Environment said health officials’ investigation pointed to two restaurant chains serving the contaminated peppers: Chipotle and Qdoba. “We are aware that both restaurant chains stopped serving the affected jalapeños after being notified about the outbreak to prevent additional cases,” agency spokesperson Kayla Glad wrote in an email.
State and federal authorities say they do not believe there is an ongoing risk to consumers from eating at these restaurants. While cyclosporiasis is unpleasant, it is rarely fatal. Salmonella, however, is generally more common and has killed about a person per year in Colorado since 2000. It kills hundreds annually in the United States. There have been no deaths so far linked to the pepper-related salmonella outbreak, but the CDC says there have been 36 hospitalizations nationwide.
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BANDIMERE SPEEDWAY COULD BEGIN CONSTRUCTION ON NEW HUDSON RACETRACK IN 2027
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Although no construction start date has been set, the new Bandimere Speedway project reached a major milestone in April when the Hudson Town Council unanimously approved the annexation and zoning of about 1,100 acres near Interstate 76 and Colorado 52, northeast of Denver. The Bandimere family is now preparing a formal site development plan, the next major step before construction can begin. Before construction can begin, the town must assess whether nearby roads can handle race-day traffic and whether Hudson’s water and wastewater systems can meet peak demand when thousands of spectators use restrooms and other facilities simultaneously. Those questions will be addressed through traffic studies, engineering reviews and the site development plan process.
Track owner John Bandimere Jr. announced in 2025 that the family had acquired land in Weld County for a new motorsports complex after closing the longtime Morrison speedway in 2023. The speedway’s history dates to 1958, when John Bandimere Sr. purchased land in Jefferson County and started developing a small but functional drag strip to complement the family’s auto parts business. The project also fulfilled Bandimere Sr.’s vision of creating a safe place where young people could learn about cars and race them off the streets. As the sport grew in popularity, so did the facility. Over the following decades, the speedway expanded to meet increasing demand, including a $4 million renovation in the late 1980s that increased seating capacity from about 8,000 to more than 23,500.
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FISH RESTORATION PROJECT TO CLOSE PARTS OF RMNP, AUG. 24-30
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Rocky Mountain National Park will temporarily close portions of the Kawuneeche Valley Aug. 24-30 for the next phase of a multi-year effort to restore native greenback cutthroat trout to the headwaters of the Cache la Poudre River. The Poudre Headwaters Project will involve removing non-native brook trout from the Grand Ditch and connected upstream and downstream tributaries on the park’s west side before native greenback cutthroat trout are reintroduced to their historic range. To accommodate the work, the Colorado River Trail and the Grand Ditch will be closed to all uses. Aquatic biologists will use rotenone, a piscicide commonly used by state and federal land management agencies, to remove non-native fish from the 14.3-mile Grand Ditch system and its tributaries. The Forest Service reports that birds or mammals that may consume treated water or fish will not be impacted by rotenone because it targets only gill-breathing animals.
The East Inlet Trail, North Inlet/Tonahutu Trail, Green Mountain Trail, Coyote Valley Trail, Onahu Trail and Timber Lake Trail will remain open, along with the Holzwarth Historic Site and Harbison Meadows Picnic Area. Fishing access also will remain available along the Colorado River south of the Colorado River Trailhead, including areas near the Holzwarth Historic Site and Coyote Valley. Completion of all Poudre River Headwaters Project elements is expected to take another 10 to 12 years but when completed will provide for a connected “metapopulation” of trout across the watershed, which will become the largest such restored native trout habitat in Colorado. For more information about the project, visit fs.usda.gov. Additional information about RMNP can be found at nps.gov/romo.
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WILLOW FIRE PROMPTS LEADVILLE FISH HATCHERY MASS EVACUATION
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Evacuating close to 150,000 trout, including critical breeding stock whose genetics cannot be compromised, is no small feat. Doing it as a rapidly growing wildfire approaches is even more challenging. Over the first three days of the Willow Fire, as flames roared toward the Leadville National Fish Hatchery and the blaze grew exponentially, Josh Homer, manager of the Leadville and Hotchkiss hatcheries for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, made the call to evacuate the fish, initiating a multiagency effort that sent them to numerous facilities and rivers across the state. The fire was initially reported at about 3 to 5 acres in size. About 30 minutes later, it had grown close to 500 acres. On its first day, the Willow Fire consumed close to 1,000 acres, then pushed on day two within about a mile of the hatchery. By June 30, the fire’s third day, four Colorado Parks and Wildfire aquatic trucks were headed toward Leadville to help evacuate the fish.
The Leadville hatchery supports 137 different species of fish populations across the Mountain West. Facing possible decimation, the critical Leadville broodstocks couldn’t just go anywhere — they needed a place where they could be isolated in their own tanks. Isolation tanks were available in Salida. Some fish stayed on the trucks for two days while they found a space at a hatchery in Durango. Some went to a hatchery in Almont, and others found shelter at a facility in Alamosa. Some older greenbacks, no longer needed as broodstock, were released into Joe Wright Reservoir near Cameron Pass, and another 200 retired Hayden Creek brood fish were released into the Arkansas River. Of about 1,500 broodstock brought to Salida, he said they lost only two fish.
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EXTREME DROUGHT LEADS TO SIGNIFICANT SPIKE IN BEAR ACTIVITY IN SOME NORTHWEST COLORADO COMMUNITIES
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Across Colorado, dire drought conditions are giving rise to reports of bear activity and conflict. Colorado Parks and Wildlife reported a 68 percent increase in bear reports over last year for the first seven months of 2026. “Bears are tough this year,” said Brad Banulis, the agency’s senior terrestrial biologist, at a July 28 northwest region sportspersons’ meeting in Grand Junction. While conflicts slowly increased in early summer, Banulis said things had not been “too bad” until recently. “Now we’re definitely seeing conflicts go up a lot across the region, really across the Western Slope at least, maybe even statewide, with this drought,” he said. Kris Middledorf, Parks and Wildlife’s area wildlife manager, said the situation has been escalating in Routt County as it experiences an “unprecedented surge in human-bear interactions.” Reports to Parks and Wildlife from Jan. 1 to July 31 were up 219 percent over 2025 in the county.
Bear activity also increased in the surrounding communities including Yampa, Oak Creek, Clark and Stagecoach. Activity has also risen in Pitkin and Garfield counties, by nearly 32 percent and 15 percent, respectively. Pitkin has seen a large spike, 56 percent, in reports involving property damage. Colorado is home to an estimated 17,000 to 20,000 black bears, the vast majority of which live on the Western Slope. In recent years, population growth, increased tourism and fluctuations in food availability have been driving up conflict with bears, especially in mountain towns. Part of the challenge is that Parks and Wildlife’s options when it comes to habituated bears are limited. They typically have two options: relocation or euthanization. In 2025, the agency relocated 52 bears and killed 78 due to human-wildlife conflicts statewide.
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310 FIRE NEAR PARACHUTE GROWS TO 322 ACRES, PROMPTS EVACUATIONS
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A wildfire near Parachute, dubbed the 310 Fire, has grown to 322 acres, prompting evacuation orders and warnings Thursday afternoon. Residents along County Road 338 are under a “Go” evacuation order and should leave immediately, according to an emergency alert from the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office. The 3000 block of CR 301 through CR 302 is under a “Set” notice. Residents should be prepared for sudden evacuation orders. Residents in the 3600 through 6000 blocks of CR 301 are under a “Ready” notice, and should prepare for a possible evacuation, monitor emergency alerts and pack valuables.
Evacuees can go to the Parachute Rodeo Grounds, according to the Grand Valley Fire Protection District. County roads 310 and 338 are closed at CR 301 as crews respond to the fire. Four helicopters, a large air tanker and a single-engine air tanker are on scene. No information is immediately available about the fire’s containment, cause, threatened structures or possible injuries as of 3:30 p.m. Thursday.
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CPW OFFERS FREE ENTRY INTO COLORADO STATE PARKS IN AUGUST FOR ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY, VETS & NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS
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To thank U.S. military members for their dedicated service and sacrifices, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is continuing to offer free admission to all Colorado state parks for active-duty military, veterans and National Guard members during the month of August. Qualifying military members can pick up their free Military Parks Pass, valid for the month of August, at any Colorado state park or CPW office by simply showing proof of their military service.
Applicable forms of military identification include:
- DD214; DD Form 2 or DD Form 2765
- An active, retired or veteran military identification card
- A current Colorado Driver’s License or state-issued identification card with the word ‘Veteran’ printed on it as specified in 42-2-303 (5)(a), C.R.S.
- A VA medical card
Passes become available on Aug. 1, 2026, and are available for the military service members only, not spouses or dependents. For more information about Colorado state parks, visit cpw.state.co.us.
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DURANGO COMMUNITY SHELTER RECEIVES $100,000 DONATION TO SUPPORT OPERATIONS
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The Durango Community Shelter received a $100,000 donation from resident philanthropists Michael and Elaine Moravan last month that will support operations and help ensure guests receive the best service possible. The shelter, operated by Volunteers of America Colorado, served 279 unique guests – 43 of whom were children – in 2025. It provided a combined 9,300 nights of shelter along with basic needs a shelter implies: food, clothing, laundry and hygiene supplies, among other things. The Moravans’ donation was structured as a challenge grant, which encouraged matching support from other donors across Colorado. That generated a total of $200,000 for the shelter. The Moravans’ donation will be put directly toward shelter operations.
Durango Community Shelter has women’s and men’s spaces, rooms for families with children, and communal spaces such as a kitchen and laundry room. The shelter has added washers, updated kitchen appliances and installed new or additional flooring. The 279 guests served last year is a 19 percent increase in guests served in 2024, and the waitlist is always full. With holidays on the way, the Durango Community Shelter is planning a coat drive. Winter clothes donations are needed. In addition to donations, the shelter relies largely on volunteers.
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YAMPA VALLEY NONPROFITS LAND EL POMAR GRANTS
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The El Pomar Foundation awarded $251,000 to Northwest Colorado nonprofit organizations during its June trustees meeting. In the Yampa Valley and surrounding area, nonprofits set to receive El Pomar funds are:
- $5,000 to ADVOCATES – Crisis, Trauma & Survivor Services in Craig
- $10,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Northwest Colorado in Steamboat Springs
- $10,000 to the Community Budget Center of Craig
- $5,000 to Harmonie House in Craig
- $5,000 to the Jackson County Center on Aging in Walden
- $5,000 to the Northwest Colorado Innovation Center in Craig
- $15,000 to the Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association in Steamboat
- $25,000 to the South Routt Medical Health Service District in Oak Creek
- $7,500 to United Way of the Yampa Valley in Steamboat Springs
The El Pomar Foundation, founded in 1937, provides grant funding for the general operation of nonprofits. It has 11 regional councils, and the Northwest Colorado Regional Council recommends grants for Routt, Moffat, Rio Blanco, Garfield, Grand, Jackson and Mesa counties. To learn more, visit ElPomar.org/Grant-Making.
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SILVERTHORNE HOSTS COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTY FOR AUGUST FIRST FRIDAY
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Silverthorne will celebrate August First Friday with a community block party on Friday, Aug. 7, bringing live music, local artists, food and family activities downtown. The event will run from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. and stretch from Bluebird Market to Angry James Brewery and the Art Spot Silverthorne Makerspace. To accommodate the festivities, Fourth Street will be closed between Colorado Hwy. 9 and Adams Avenue during the event. More than 30 local artists will display their work, while local bands will perform across six stages.
Activities planned throughout the evening include:
- Face painting and children’s crafts at the Art Spot
- Flash tattoos for adults from Blue Heron Tattoo
- A free community ice cream social hosted by the Altitude Realtors Association at its new office at Fourth Street Crossing
Participating food vendors include Kúcu Tequila Bistro, Bluebird Market, Enza’s Delicatessen & Market and The Good Stuff. Alcohol will be available for purchase from Angry James Brewery, Kúcu Tequila Bistro, Upslope Brewery at Bluebird Market, The PlayGarten and more outdoor bars by the Art Spot Silverthorne Makerspace. Additional information, including the music schedule, is available at Silverthorne.org.
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DENVER HOME SALES PLAY IT COOL IN AN OTHERWISE HOT JULY
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Metro Denver’s housing market pulled back slightly in July, with the approaching start of the school year and higher mortgage rates weighing on sales. The number of closings fell from 4,158 in June to 3,667 in July, an 11.8 percent decline, and they are down 5.7 percent year-over-year, according to a monthly update from the Denver Metro Association of Realtors. Some of that slowing is seasonal, as families try to solidify their housing situation before the new school year starts in August. But a rise in 30-year mortgage rates, which went from around 6.3 percent in June to closer to 6.8 percent by the end of July, may have also deterred some buyers.
- New listings fell 5.3 percent to 5,447 in July from June and are up 1.6 percent from a year earlier.
- There were 13,115 active home and condo listings at the end of July, up 2.9 percent from June but down 6.3 percent from a year earlier. July’s average inventory going back to 2002 is 15,347.
- The median price of a single-family home that closed in July was $660,000, down 2.2 percent from the price of $675,000 in June, but 1.5 percent higher than the $650,000 median price seen a year earlier.
- Condo and townhome median sold prices fell 2.6 percent to $380,000 on both a monthly and annual basis.
- Condos are also taking more than twice as long to sell as homes, a median of 40 days compared to 17 days.
Although mortgage rates have remained stubbornly high this year, household incomes have been rising too, improving affordability in the starter home market for the eighth consecutive month, according to a study from Redfin.
- Redfin defines a starter home as one that ranges from the bottom 5 percent to 35 percent of homes in price. The cutoff starts at 5 percent to eliminate distressed sales and foreclosures.
- In Denver, the income required to afford the typical starter home is $108,689, while the estimated median household income is $116,323 a year.
- About 68 percent of starter homes in Denver are affordable to a household earning the median income.
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COLORADO'S STATEWIDE E-BIKE REBATES, WORTH $1,000 OR MORE, ARE BACK
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The popular Colorado rebate program for e-bike purchases is back after a yearlong hiatus. The program will provide $1,000 discounts toward the purchase of a new e-bike to more than 2,800 income-qualified residents over the next year. Coloradans who make 80 percent or less than their county’s area median income will qualify for the rebate. For metro Denver, that means single people who earn up to $80,640 per year, or a household with an income of up to $115,200 for a family of four. The Colorado Energy Office is using $3 million from the state’s Community Access Enterprise to pay for the rebates. The enterprise is funded primarily through fees consumers pay on residential deliveries of online shopping purchases, like those from Amazon. Customers can also apply a $300 discount to the purchase of a cargo e-bike as well as a $300 discount to an adaptive e-bike. The e-bike must be purchased from a retailer participating in the program.
How to apply:
- Those who are interested must submit their name and contact information to a lottery. If they are randomly selected for the rebate, they will then need to provide documentation of income and residency.
- The first application window will be open from 11 a.m. on Aug. 24 to noon on Aug. 31. A link to the registration portal will be available online on the program’s website at energyoffice.colorado.gov/ebike-rebates. The application will reopen once each quarter.
The relaunched program is in addition to an existing $225 tax credit discount for e-bike purchases. The tax credit is available to all Coloradans, regardless of income, and is applied at the time of purchase from participating retailers. The tax credit will increase to $450 on Jan. 1.
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MARKET UPDATE - 08/06/2026 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 08/06/2026)
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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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