Economix: America’s Health Care Priorities

The Broncos’ run of good weather fortune may be coming to an end. Denver’s Saturday afternoon game at Cincinnati is forecast to be played in rainy conditions, which would mark the first time the team’s seen anything but dry since late September. In Week 4 against the New York Jets, a round of surprise precipitation played a role in rookie quarterback Bo Nix throwing for minus-7 yards in the first half and struggling to grip the ball. The difference this time around is that Denver’s expecting bad weather.

Nikola Jokic continues to bloat the stat sheet, now becoming proficient in the quadruple-double: scoring, rebounding, passing and yelling. What’s going on with the NBA’s best player? I got pushback when I suggested the Nuggets owed him an apology for the roster construction in early November and again last week when I endorsed a trade for Chicago’s Zach LaVine. One thing is clear: It is becoming increasingly impossible to ignore Jokic’s frustration with his teammates, with the losses, with the wild inconsistency of the 16-12 start. Jokic showed his emotions on multiple occasions during a deflating 110-100 Christmas Day loss to the Phoenix Suns.

When 2024 started, Denver area realtors optimistically anticipated that interest rates would drop, but they also expected limited inventory to keep prices high. They were mostly right. Interest rates stayed high, and while inventory rose in the second half of the year, it remained historically low, keeping prices elevated. As of November, the median price for a single-family home was $650,000, up 2% from last year. “No one knows for sure what will happen with rates, but we may never see interest rates at 3-4% again,” said Amy Terry with The Agency. This year’s slower market, with 39,153 properties closed through November, down slightly from last year, taught realtors three lessons: Sellers should prioritize pricing and making a strong first impression. Sellers should be prepared for their homes to take time to sell and consider offering concessions. Buyers should prioritize their goals and finances over interest rates. “One of the biggest lessons this year was that our market was predictably unpredictable,” said Stacie Staub, founder and CEO of West+Main. “Just when we thought we had it figured out, it would pivot again, and listings we thought would go fast while more difficult-seeming listings received multiple offers.” Sellers need to focus on pricing and first impressions Proper pricing and a strong first impression are essential.

When Joel Appel bought Zaidy’s Deli & Bakery, he didn’t expect it to be this hard. At the time he reopened the Jewish joint’s doors in 2022, Denver’s minimum wage was $15.87. On Jan. 1, that number will be $18.81. According to a survey from The Colorado Restaurant Association, the hike will cost Denver restaurants an average of over $51,000 next year. “It just makes it very, very difficult,” Appel said, who took over Zaidy’s after it closed in 2020.

By Isabel Contreras, NerdWallet The past couple of years have been tough on consumers’ wallets. Inflation has affected groceries, gas and lots of other everyday expenses — and auto insurance is no exception. Prices for most goods and services have started to stabilize: Year-over-year inflation stood at 2.7% in November, a dramatic difference from the peak of more than 9% during the summer of 2022.

SAN ANTONIO – Ben Finneseth was a senior at Durango High School when his father took him to Golden to visit the Colorado School of Mines. “I asked my dad, I was like, ‘Can we just drive up to Folsom Field? I just want to see it. I’ve never seen it,’” Finneseth said this week.