Summit County Citizens Voice

Breckenridge: Fantastic colors and forms in snow

The snow sculptures are fantastic in the daytime, but they reach otherworldly heights at night, contrasting against the dark sky.

The multicolored lights of the eco-friendly LED lighting system are constantly shifting, lending a mesmerizing quality to the sculptures. In spite of the warm weather and melting over the weekend, the sculptures remained a visual feast Sunday night that was not to be missed. To Read more click here

Morning photo: 2010 in pictures

Looking back …

 

SUMMIT COUNTY — So many pictures … Enjoy the year that was in this review of the Summit Voice photo archives. If you have any highlight pictures of your own you’d like to see included, send them to bberwyn@comcast.net. And if you don’t have your 2011 calendar yet, consider visiting the Summit Voice RedBubble site where you can order a calendar featuring some of the best Summit Voice photography through the seasons. Read more »

Sen. Udall seeking another $50 million for forest work

Udall’s Summit County visit includes a stop at a clear-cut beetle-kill area near Dillon Reservoir on Denver Water land

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — U.S. Senator Mark Udall (D-Colorado) said he’s looking for another $50 million for the U.S. Forest Service to pay for emergency tree-clearing near neighborhoods and critical infrastructure in forests hit hard by mountain pine beetles.It’s not getting any easier to win support for forest funding in Washington, D.C. these days, as elected officials are distracted by upcoming elections, the continuing economic crisis and other national problems, but during a click here for more...

Disc Golf May Return to Copper Mountain

Old course was closed several years ago because of impacts to wetlands; new alignment planned in open trail areas on Skid Row and Collage

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — After a hiatus of a few years, Copper Mountain and the U.S. Forest Service hope to bring disc golf back to the resort.

“We’ve had a lot of calls and so has Copper,” said Shelly Grail, the Forest Service winter sports ranger who is coordinating a public comment process on the proposal. Grail said there’s a good amount of public interest in having a second disc golf course in the area (in addition to the course on the Frisco peninsula).

The new course is proposed for already cleared areas located above the golf course on the Skid Row and Collage trails. No tree

to read more click here

More grocery options in Frisco, Silverthorne

Wal-Mart has been adding organic products to its line as it expands grocery selections in stores around the country. PHOTO COURTESY WAL-MART.

Target’s expanded grocery will debut June 6; Wal-Mart will double the size of its food section and remodel the entire store by July 30

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Local residents will soon find expanded grocery shopping options, as both the Frisco Wal-Mart and Target, in Silverthorne, make major store changes to add more food to their selections.

Both stores are in the midst of remodeling to accommodate the changes. Target plans to unveil its expanded grocery section June 6, while Wal-Mart is aiming for a July 30 date to roll out a grocery section that will be double the current size, according to store manager Steve Nail.

The new Target selections will include some... to read more click here

State energy rebate deadlines approaching

Want cash back? Get that paperwork done!

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — The state’s Recharge Colorado program is off to a roaring start, as about 27,000 Coloradans have reserved more than 27,000 rebates for energy efficient appliances and improvements to their homes.

At about two-and-a-half weeks into the program, state officials are reminding people who made their reservation for a rebate early to be aware of the 30-day deadline for buying the appliance and mailing in the required paperwork. For many people, that means the deadline is coming up in mid-May. Deadline information is on the confirmation page of the to read more click here

Maglev touted as transit solution for I-70 corridor

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — While the possibility of high-speed trains from Denver to the high country remains a tantalizing dream (or a potential nightmare of unintended consequences for some), other regions of the country are also considering how they can use the latest rail technologies to meet their transportation needs. A regional group in Southern California and Nevada, for example, is advocating for construction of a maglev line from L.A. to Las Vegas.

Maglev trains can travel at speeds up to 350 mph and can climb grades up to 10 percent. Some mass transit advocates are convinced that it’s the solution for mass transit in the I-70 corridor.

Along with other high-speed rail issues, those regional plans were discussed April 19-21 at a high-speed rail world conference in Washington, D.C., and Clear Creek County Commissioner Harry Dale was... to read more click here

Incoming Storm Could Bring More Desert Dust

Strong cold front will bring high winds, cold temperatures and snow at the end of the week

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Enjoy Tuesday and Wednesday, because a cold and windy storm is set to roll out of the Great Basin and into the Colorado Plateau and the Rockies Thursday. Winds in advance of the system could bring another layer of desert dust to parts of the Rockies Wednesday night.

Snow banners streaming off the Gore and Tenmile Ranges Tuesday morning indicated the approach of strong high-level winds. Wind speeds could approach 60 MPH over the higher elevations Wednesday.

The Pacific weather system will initially... to continue reading click here

I-70 reversible lane bill gets State Senate hearing today

Common-sense measure could provide temporary relief  for congestion along Colorado’s busy mountain interstate

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — With any significant I-70 upgrades still years away, and mass transit in the corridor still a distant dream, a couple of state lawmakers want to at least ease the traffic crunch by adding an extra eastbound lane for travelers returning to the Denver after a weekend in Vail or Breckenridge.

Senate Bill 184, co-sponsored by Democrats Chris Romer of Denver and Dan Gibbs of Silverthorne, would require CDOT to study the feasibility of a reversible lane system for sections of I-70. The measure has 50 bipartisan co-sponsors, showing... to read more click here

Video: Slash Burning at Red Tail Ranch

Pine beetle aftermath leads to big bonfires near Breckenridge

By Bob Berwyn

Video by Jenney Coberly

SUMMIT COUNTY — U.S. Forest Service rangers helped private landowners at the Red Tail Ranch, near Breckenridge, burn several large piles of slash left over from a beetle-kill logging project.

The logging included 116 acres of national forest land adjacent to the ranch, said Cary Green, a timber management expert with the U.S. Forest Service. The work was done in partnership between the agency and the private landowner, who helped pay for the logging work on public land. In exchange, the Forest Service helped manage the slash burn, Green said.

Conditions for the burn were ideal Tuesday, with.. to read more and see the video click here

Wilderness backers say their plan now has widespread backing from Summit, Eagle county stakeholder groups

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Wilderness advocates say they are ready to move ahead with their proposal to try and add 46,910 acres of public land in Summit County to the federal wilderness system.

Hidden Gems organizers delivered their citizen proposal for new wilderness lands to to members of Colorado’s congressional delegation and local elected officials in Eagle and Summit Counties.

The proposal includes new protection for more than 250,000 acres in Summit and Eagle counties. The original proposal has been to read more click here.

Local biz group presents free customer service seminar

Must-have customers and must-have employees included as topics at SIBA’s free Business Builders Toolbox seminar April 6 & 7 at the Silverthorne Pavilion

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — The next seminar in the Business Builders Toolbox series, presented by the Summit Independent Business Alliance, focuses on customer service, with a presentation by Bob Gordman called Know Your Customers: Who to Hire, Who to Fire.

“We surveyed our members and attendees at the last Business Builder’s Toolbox … and customer service was top-of-the-list,” said alliance vice-president John O’Connor. “Understanding your customers and their needs is the first step is providing exceptional service. A lot of businesses stand to gain from Bob Gordman’s impressive insights. He’s highly respected, experienced and...

to read more click here

Rail System Could Boost State Economy by 33 Billion

Transit vision for Colorado includes a $30, 1-hour, 15 minute ride from DIA to Keystone

By Bob Berwyn
SUMMIT COUNTY — A high-speed rail network linking Fort Collins and Pueblo, and DIA with Eagle County could bring a $33 billion boost to the state economy with new jobs, income and enhancement of property values, the Rocky Mountain Rail Authority said today.

The reports and more are available online at www.rockymountainrail.org.

As envisioned, the trip from DIA to Keystone up the I-70 corridor would to read more click here

Weather Blog - A Big Warm up and Frozen Dew

Loose-snow avalanches likely in the backcountry near cliffs on sunny slopes

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — Seasonal spring conditions will prevail across the high country the next few days, with temperatures climbing as high as they’ve been in several months. In the valleys, look for highs to reach into the 40s, and even the higher mountains will see the thermometer climb well above freezing through at least Wednesday.

The rapid transition to spring weather has resulted in a Red Flag fire warning for the high plains of western Nebraska today, with low relative humidity and high winds contributing to the potential for “explosive fire growth,” according to the National Weather Service.

Fire won’t be an issue in our area, but the...to read more click here

Rail group finalizing feasibility study

At least a half-dozen alternatives identified for Front Range and mountain routes

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — If there’s a network of of high-speed trains criss-crossing Colorado 30 years from, it’ll be thanks to the vision and persistence of people like Harry Dale, the county commissioner from Clear Creek who has been tireless in his advocacy for 21st century transportation solutions.

Dale slipped into his current role of rail advocate almost by accident a few years ago, when an early version of an improvement plan for I-70 called for six-laning the interstate right through the heart of mountain towns like Georgetown and Idaho Springs. The vision, if you can call it that, seemed to have little regard for the natural and human environment in narrow Clear Creek Canyon. Click here to read more

CMC's Aging Wisely, Aging Well Forum

By: Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — The take-home message from an Aging Wisely, Aging Well forum at Colorado Mountain College’s Breckenridge campus was two-fold, according to moderator Don Parsons, who said the 10-member panel included experts from both the medical side and the social sciences field.

“Part one is medical,” Parsons said. “There are three decisions people can made: Diet, exercise and not smoking, along with regular check-ups and assessments of things like blood pressure and cholesterol,” he said.

“The second part is social. Staying in good health and having a happy life depends on staying active socially, volunteering, perhaps thinking about business opportunities

Locally, a task force has been meeting recently to talk about a long-term vision for senior housing needs. On a broader level, a group of community stakeholders assembled as the Rural Resort Regionmet during 2009 to discuss a variety of related topics exploring challenges and opportunities for senior residents in the area’s mountain communities.

One of the meetings focused on health care, another on seniors in the workforce and volunteerism and a third on transportation. Summaries and information from those meetings are online as pdf documents. To continue reading click here.

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