1 year ago: First dispensary license is officially approved by Grand Lake board

The Grand Lake Town Hall boardroom was packed on the night of Aug. 12, 2024, for a hearing about whether to approve or deny Resolution 48-2024 — the town’s first application for a cannabis license, submitted by Verts Grand Lake, LLC. The board approved it following a passionate public comment period, awith Mayor Pro-Tem Christina Bergquist voting against it. Verts was awarded the opportunity to apply for a license following a lottery. The dispensary had its grand opening on July 4, 2025.

— From the Aug. 16, 2024, edition of Sky-Hi News

5 years ago: Reconstruction of historic 4 Bar 4 Stagecoach Hotel begins

On Aug. 10, 2020, residents had the opportunity to travel down the old Georgetown Stagecoach Line (also known as County Road 5) and back in time to celebrate the 4 Bar 4 Barn’s recent reconstruction and the beginning of rebuilding the 4 Bar 4 Stagecoach Hotel. Historic Fraser, Inc., the local nonprofit restoring the site, hosted the ceremony celebrating the reconstruction of the former hotel and all of the people and businesses that made it possible. The event followed COVID-19 guidelines and the attendees all wore masks.

— From the Aug. 12, 2020, edition of Sky-Hi News

10 years ago: Grand County first responders respond to 2 deaths, house fire over the weekend

Grand County first responders had a busy weekend early in August 2015. It started around 3:30 a.m. Aug. 8, when a 15-year-old boy attending a youth camp fell from the catwalk area of the theater at Crook Creek Ranch. The boy was pronounced dead about an hour later. Later that day, a 19-year-old Denver man was found facedown in the South Fork River near the Sugarloaf Camping area. He was pronounced dead that afternoon and drowning was determined not to be the cause of death. Additionally, a fire destroyed a house south of Grand Lake in the wee hours of the morning on Aug. 9. The fire was quickly controlled, though the house was expected to be a total loss.

— From the Aug. 12, 2015, edition of Sky-Hi News

50 years ago: Hideaway Park man shot during dispute over borrowed pickup truck

Richard Collins is recovering from gunshot injuries after an altercation with Clinton Debler over a borrowed pickup truck. Collins took the truck out on the evening of Aug. 5, but it was then reported by Debler as stolen. A sheriff’s deputy saw the truck in Fraser around 1 a.m. and told Collins to return the vehicle. Officers were called to Hideaway Park about 25 minutes later, where Collins was found bleeding from a gunshot wound above his left knee. Collins said he knew Debler was hard of hearing, and hit the door hard, which led to the door coming open. Debler reported he was frighted by the pounding and grabbed his gun, firing into the doorway once it was opened. Collins responded to his injury by throwing a log, chair, trash can and rocks into the opened door. No charges were filed.

— From the Aug. 14, 1925, edition of Middle Park Times

100 years ago: One person injured in blast during road work in Byers Canyon

The wife of Louis Levand of the Denver Post was injured Aug. 6, 1925, while taking a picture of a blast being shot by the Pioneer Constuction Co. during the construction of a new road in Byers Canyon. Mrs. Levand was sitting with the rest of her party about a quarter mile away from where 3 tons of powder had been placed in the cliff. One of the onlookers saw the rock coming towards her and was able to pull her back, potentially avoiding a head injury. She instead fractured one of her legs. The shot also tore up about 100 feet of railroad track, which delayed the trains for over a day while a crew of men put the tracks back in place.

— From the Aug. 14, 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.