DENVER (AP) – A marijuana banking case set for arguments today is testing the federal government’s stated goal of addressing the cash-only nature of the quasi-legal pot industry. The case involves Fourth Corner Credit Union, which Colorado set up last year to serve the marijuana industry. Federal banking regulators have issued guidelines to banks to accept money from pot sales, but banks frequently say those guidelines are unwieldy. That leaves many pot shops stuck trying to pay bills and taxes in cash.
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) – A real estate investment trust isn’t going to meet its goal of selling more than a dozen ski resorts from Maine to California by year’s end. Florida-based CNL Lifestyle Properties continues to seek buyers for 15 additional ski resorts, including Crested Butte in Colorado, Brighton in Utah and Sierra-at-Tahoe in California.
LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) – The University of Wyoming is wondering if it offers too many degrees compared with competing universities. The Wyoming university offers 118 degrees, while Colorado State University, its nearest competitor, offers 72. A Wyoming Board of Trustees member has asked UW administrators to review departments and determine their effectiveness.
BOISE, Idaho (AP) – Fighting the effects of climate change in Great Basin rangeland is drawing together federal, state and private interests to deal with what scientists say is greater weather variability causing big swings in forage available for cattle and wildlife. Experts say native vegetation in the region that has survived climate variations for tens of thousands of years now faces new challenges from invasive species and wildfires.
