1 year ago: New fire station opens in Winter Park to serve eastern Grand County

Fire and EMS personnel, along with other stakeholders, gathered Dec. 4, 2020 to celebrate a new East Grand Fire Protection District station, located at Old Town Road in the former Lone Tree parking lot at Winter Park Resort. Ground was broken for the station in June 2023. The 12,000-square-foot building has two bays for emergency vehicles as well as housing for staff and volunteers. The celebration included speeches from stakeholders, a flag raising and a “ribbon cutting” accomplished by uncoupling two connected fire hoses.

— From the Dec. 6, 2024, edition of Sky-Hi News

5 years ago: Winter Park Resort opens for 2020-21 ski season amid COVID pandemic

On a chilly morning, Winter Park Resort’s 2020-21 opening day on Dec. 3, 2020, had all the typical trimmings — bluebird sky, first chair ripping open the banner and excited skiers and riders — except the lift lines. With an ongoing pandemic, the resort outlined a slightly different look this season that requires guests to wear masks. The resort closed most indoor spaces and encouraged everyone to social distance. The COVID-19 regulations didn’t seem to mar the experience for skiers and riders eager to get back on the mountain, who generally shared positive reviews on opening day.

— From the Dec. 4, 2020, edition of Sky-Hi News

30 years ago: County outlines plans for construction of Fraser Valley Parkway

Grand County aims to have the Fraser Valley Parkway in place by 1997, and has outlined the remaining hurdles that will link many Fraser homes with U.S. Highway 40 and offer a way around the railroad tracks. Remaining hurdles include complying with a wetlands permit for the portion of the road that will run from County Road 73 through the pasture lands to County Road 50. The road will link up the present portion, which extends from the railroad overpass near the tubing hill to County Road 73.

— From the Dec. 7, 1995, edition of Sky-Hi News

50 years ago: Prisoners escape Thanksgiving night, captured hours later

The escape of four prisoners disrupted a quiet Thanksgiving evening, Nov. 27, 1975, at the Grand County Sheriffs Department. Jailer Clint Tweden went to refill the coffee pot in the cellblock, directly upstairs from the sheriffs office in the courthouse, when four prisoners jumped him — taking his revolver, wallet and keys, and locking him in a ceil with another prisoner.

One prisoner left the building from a second-story window, while the other three went downstairs, rifling through the sheriffs office. The three got away with a 9-mm pistol, a .22-caliber revolver, a radio, the prisoners’ personal items and $52.75 from the jailer’s cash drawer before leaving in Tweden’s car.

The escape was discovered by the son of Undersheriff Jim Bartels, who then put out an all points bulletin on the car, which was stopped at a state patrol roadblock in Silverthorne a little over an hour later. The prisoner who jumped from the window escaped on foot and was later found in a hunting cabin about 3 miles north of Hot Sulphur Springs.

— From the Dec. 4, 1975, edition of Middle Park Times

90 years ago: Middle Park Herefords win at Chicago livestock show

The Middle Park Times received the word that Fred DeBerard of the Whiteley Peak district in Middle Park again won a grand championship on a carload of Hereford feeder calves at the Chicago livestock show. The Taussig brothers of Williams Fork also won a grand championship award on Marie Mixer, a young heifer that has been a consistent winner for them at several shows during the summer and fall earlier in the year. The grand champion bull was shown by J. C. Andrass of Manchester, Illinois. The bull is the son of a cow, owned by Harry Morris of Kremmling.

— From the Nov. 5, 1935, edition of Middle Park Times