1 year ago: Mushroom forager finds human bones in Winter Park forest

On Aug. 17, 2024, a person found what he believed to be a human skull while mushroom hunting in a heavily forested area in Winter Park. A news release from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation stated the person contacted law enforcement, who arrived on the scene. The Fraser Winter Park Police Department, U.S. Forest Service, Grand County Coroner’s Office and Colorado Bureau of Investigation recovered the skull, as well as several other bones that were found in the immediate area, between U.S. Highway 40 and Mary Jane Road. Grand County Search and Rescue also conducted a wider search of the area for additional remains but did not locate any. 

— From the Aug. 21, 2024, edition of Sky-Hi News

5 years ago: Unfavorable weather grows Williams Fork Fire to 9,400 acres

Driven by strong winds and low humidity, the Williams Fork Fire — which started in the Arapaho National Forest about 15 miles southwest of Fraser near the Henderson Mill on Aug. 14, 2020 — grew to the south and southeast Aug. 19. The fire, which totaled 9,427 acres as of Aug. 20, remained 3% contained on its northwestern flank and is holding west of the Williams Fork River. The fire did not grow toward Fraser or Winter Park, remaining 7 miles northeast of the fire at the nearest point. (The fire eventually burned 14,833 acres, burning for over 100 days, including after it received a foot of snow.)

— From the Aug. 21, 2020, edition of Sky-Hi News

10 years ago: Longtime Grand County rancher turns 100 in Arizona home

John Murphy of Granby and Lake Havasu City, Arizona, celebrated his 100th birthday on Aug. 20, 2015. John’s legacy began when he was born in 1915 in the old ranch house that still stands on the land his parents purchased in 1909. It is known as the Murphy Ranch, and it celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2009. He raised cattle and hay until 1993, when he decided it was time to slow down and spend the winters in Arizona. After so many years of feeding cattle seven days a week in sub-zero temperatures, John joked that the mild Arizona winters spoiled him and he doubted he could go back to those cold Colorado winters. (Murphy died Feb. 26, 2017.)

— From the Aug. 19, 2015, edition of Sky-Hi News

50 years ago: Granby Police chief reminds residents of school speed zones

Granby Police Chief Howard McGinnes announced that 15 mph speed limits at Middle Park High School and Granby Elementary will be heavily enforced when school reopens in the fall. In addition to speed limit signs, he said motorists should be aware of the new stop signs at the intersections of Zero and Jasper, Jasper and Topaz, and a few other intersections in the near future.

— From the Aug. 21, 1975, edition of Middle Park Times

100 years ago: West portal to celebrate passing halfway mark at Moffat Tunnel

A grand “Moffat Jubilee” celebration was planned to celebrate work crews passing the halfway mark in constructing the Moffat Tunnel. The Aug. 27, 1925, celebration was planned to include a big show and dance, with a quintet of “pretty singing and dancing girls” known as the California Harmony girls, who recently performed at the Colorado Theatre in Denver.

— From the Aug. 21, 1925, edition of Middle Park Times

Sky-Hi News is working to digitize Grand County newspaper archives and make them available to the public for free. Support the project at SkyHiNews.com/donate.