Green Mountain Cliff Jumping Spot Closed
The U.S. Forest Service has banned access to a popular cliff jumping spot at Green Mountain Reservoir, after a tragic death last week.  The spot has been growing in popularity and rescue teams have been busy fielding calls at the location throughout the summer.
James Cummings, 27, of Denver, died after jumping from the cliffs on August 2nd. Cummings never surfaced after diving from the ledge according to witnesses. Rescue teams recovered the body the next day in 70 feet of water.

Standing Up for Clean Water
Ephemeral and intermittent streams account for 60% of stream miles nationwide and more than 70% here in Colorado.  Unfortunately, the Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed to start a repeal-and-replace rulemaking process to rescind the 2015 “Clean Water Rule” and strip protection from these headwater streams under the Clean Water Act. The Denver Post recently described the issue and what it means here in Colorado. Read article here.

You can help protect Clean Water by submitting your comments to the EPA, and sharing your concerns with your elected officials, using the online action center at coheadwaters.org.


Fire District Equipment Grant

Local Fire Districts received $583,429 from FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program to use toward the purchase of new Self Contained Breathing Apparatuses (SCBAs), Rapid Intervention Team Packs (used to rescue firefighters trapped in burning buildings) and a compressor for Hot Sulphur Springs to fill the SCBA air tanks. Three of the five local districts came together with a needs assessment that fit the grant profile and made the large grant more attainable, according to Shelly Olson of Grand Fire Protection District.  

Grand Lake, Hot Sulphur and Grand Fire (Granby) plan on utilizing the funds to purchase the new gear and a maintenance plan for approximately five years.
Officials are just now reviewing various models and options to meet their needs and plan to place an order in October with delivery of the new gear sometime in the spring of 2018.  The goal, according to Brad White of Grand Fire is to put out a request for proposal by the end of the month.  “The technology behind the equipment of today is so much better and this grant will allow us to upgrade our older equipment” White said.

Average costs for an SCBA, depending on model and accessories is about $6,500 per unit and the air compressor for Hot Sulphur Springs Fire District will run about $40,000.

Although each station in Grand County has a handful of paid staff, the five county Fire Districts are mainly run by volunteers. If you are interested in learning more about the volunteer opportunities, stop by your local fire house for more information.


New Hideaway Park Stage to be Named ‘Rendezvous Event Center’
Rendezvous Colorado, a Koelbel and Company resort community, announced that it has reached an agreement with the Town of Winter Park to purchase the naming rights for the new stage at Hideaway Park which will now be called the “Rendezvous Event Center.”  Through this agreement, Rendezvous will also acquire a portion of property currently occupied by the Winter Park/Fraser Chamber of Commerce for future development opportunities.

“The Koelbel family has had roots in Fraser Valley for more than 65 years and created the Rendezvous community here because of our longstanding commitment to the land, lifestyle and the region,” said Koelbel and Company President, Walter A. ‘Buz’ Koelbel, Jr. “We are proud and honored to have ‘Rendezvous’ as the name of this exceptional venue in Winter Park, as it reflects everything we have strived to create here…a gathering place for friends and family to connect and create lifelong memories.”

Developed by Koelbel and Company, Rendezvous is a resort home community that began taking shape in 2000 and is now home to more than 300 families. The goal of the community is to offer residents and the nearby community a place to connect with friends and family through experience-based togetherness and outdoor activities.

“We are very excited to work with Rendezvous and the Koelbel family in this new capacity,” said Winter Park Mayor Jimmy Lahrman. “Rendezvous has always been a great partner in Winter Park, so I know this agreement will only further enhance our community.  This agreement ensures that special events will continue in Winter Park into the future.”

The naming rights to the new Rendezvous Event Center lasts for 15 years, with mutual options to extend the term. The agreement offers signage recognition at various locations throughout the park including the entrance. In addition, Koelbel and Company will have residential and commercial development rights to an adjacent parcel–while preserving the Visitor Center, Box Office, and Chamber of Commerce operations at their existing locations.

Mayor Lahrman continued, “Part of our commitment to the community is smart financial management, collaboration and partnership. This new agreement is one of the many ways we’re getting more creative with how we deliver the services and infrastructure integral to a world-class resort community.”

The new event center opened at Hideaway Park earlier this summer with a Ribbon Cutting event and special concert that took place on Friday, June 22. The new entertainment complex will better accommodate summer events, year-round use and serve as a gathering place for community members and visitors.


New Housing Assistance Fund Accepting Applications Soon
The Town of Winter Park, the Grand Foundation and Winter Park Resort have partnered to create the Winter Park Affordable Housing Donor Advised Fund. This collaborative effort came into play after the housing study done by the Town of Winter Park found the disparity of the local workforce living in, and, more importantly, not being able to afford housing in the Fraser Valley. The Fund is housed as a Donor Advised Fund of the Grand Foundation to provide housing assistance to eligible applicants.

Applications for assistance from the Fund will be accepted beginning on Tuesday, August 15, and applications are due by 5pm on Friday, September 15. Applications can be found online at www.grandfoundation.com.

The Fund has been seeded with $10,000 from the Town of Winter Park and $15,000 from the Grand Foundation and the Grand Gala.

The Fund aims to help full-time residents successfully live and work in the Winter Park area, and applicants will be prioritized upon economic need. Other application requirements and guidelines include:

  • Applicants must either be a member of the Winter Park workforce or living within the boundaries of Winter Park
  • Individuals should be applying for rental assistance, move-in assistance (i.e. first or last month’s rent), and/or down payment assistance for home purchases
  • Applicants must work at least 30 hours a week, or, a minimum of 1200 hours a year
  • Job must be located within Winter Park, or, be a job that predominantly serves the residents of Winter Park (even if the location is outside of the Town)
  • Request for prior monies due for housing assistance will not be considered (i.e. back rent)
  • Applicants can only apply once annually

An advisory committee will make funding decisions based on economic need. Upon completion of committee meetings, all applicants will be notified of funding decisions within several days. The Fund will be accepting applications at several different times over the next year.


Free Chipping Day

“Junk the Junipers” Free Chipping Day will take place on Saturday, August 26th from 8am to 5pm at Grand Fire in Granby. The first 20 attendees bringing at least one load of slash to our FREE chipping site (located behind the fire station), will receive a $100 voucher to use at participating local landscaping/garden stores to purchase more fire resistant “Firewise” plants or noncombustible landscaping materials. It is a win-win deal for all of us! You get to replace hazardous vegetation with new plants, flowers or rocks, and everyone benefits from the decreased risk of wildfire in your neighborhood! Vouchers are limited and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Thank you to the Grand Foundation for their generous grant for this program! Thank you to Granby Ace Hardware, Cold Springs Greenhouse and Greenscaping for your support!  Go to www.bewildfireready.org for details or call 970-887-3380. #junkthejunipers #firewise #freechippingday


Meet The Press
Granby Library 6:00pm. This Monday – August 14. Come pick the brains behind the headlines and see the faces behind the by-lines. An informal community roundtable. We will also have representatives from KFF88.3FM and TV18 to discuss their roles in bringing the news to Grand County. Find out how our news hounds approach the job of keeping us informed and entertained – what works and what doesn’t. There will be plenty of time for questions and to mingle with the panelists after the sit-down meeting is adjourned around 7:30.