1 year ago: Summit County officials introduce first draft of pay-as-you-throw ordinance

Summit County government officials unveiled the first draft of an ordinance that, if approved, would create a volume-based pricing mechanism for trash collection in a bid to incentivize more recycling.  Dubbed pay-as-you-throw, the ordinance’s draft language was formally introduced during an Aug. 6, 2024, Summit Board of County Commissioners work session. The ordinance would require licensed trash haulers to provide three size options for curbside waste bins for customers in unincorporated parts of the county, with differing price points for the different sized bins. (The board unanimously approved the second reading of an ordinance to begin implementing the pay-as-you-throw program on Sept. 10, 2024.)

— From the Aug. 9, 2024, edition of the Summit Daily News

5 years ago: Testing data shows majority of positive COVID-19 cases are from visitors

At a town hall meeting on Aug. 4, 2020, a representative from St. Anthony Summit Medical Center presented the health system’s testing data, which reflects the impact of visitors in the county. While visitors are making up a majority of positive cases, their testing positivity rate rests at 6%, which is not cause for alarm, Summit County Public Health Director Amy Wineland said. Wineland pointed out that visitors are likely to no longer be in the county by the time they receive a positive result, so the county will continue to use resident data — which is reported on its coronavirus webpage — to inform decisions on health order. 

— From the Aug. 6, 2020, edition of the Summit Daily News

10 years ago: Pay parking revenue breaks records in Breckenridge for a second year in a row

The town of Breckenridge collected more money than ever from its pay parking lots during the 2014-15 ski season. According to an annual Breckenridge Police Department parking report, the F-Lot, Tiger Dredge, East Sawmill, Wellington lots as well as overnight pay parking in the Satellite and Ice Rink lots generated a new record of $429,249 — up 22% from the previous record set in 2013-14. Police chief Shannon Haynes said all parking revenue goes into the town’s general fund, and the town spends about $600,000 a year on parking management plus $2.5 million on transit.

— From the Aug. 3, 2015, edition of the Summit Daily News

15 years ago: Forest Service officials warn of possible falling trees in Summit County

As more and more trees perish at the hands of the mountain pine beetle epidemic, people face an ever-increasing risk from falling trees, officials say. Lodgepole pines, the favorite victim of the pine beetle, have relatively shallow root systems, making them more likely than other trees to fall when they die. Adding wind to the equation heightens the probability they’ll topple. That a dead lodgepole will fall is inevitable — the only question is when it will happen. In 2010, the U.S. Forest Service estimated that 100,000 trees were falling every day in Colorado’s three national forests most impacted by bark beetles.

— From the Aug. 7, 2010, edition of the Summit Daily News

30 years ago: Copper Mountain Resort launches new logo ahead of advertising campaign

Copper Mountain Resort is coming of age in the 1990s with a new look, a new advertising campaign and a bevy of new terrain. And as part of its maturation, the resort unveiled a classic new logo Aug. 3, 1995. Mike Forbus, director of marketing for the resort, said the old logo was “looking dated,” calling the new logo a “much cleaner, more elegant look.” The logo was designed by the resort’s new advertising agency. San Francisco-based Citron Haligman Bedecarre, and marks the beginning of a new promotional campaign for Copper.

— From the Aug. 5, 1995, edition of the Summit Daily News

125 years ago: Miner escapes death after accidentally igniting unexploded powder

Old-time miner William Eberline came “within an ace of meeting death” Aug. 4, 1900, after he managed to reignite some unexploded powder in a mine outside of Breckenridge. Earlier in the day Eberline drilled a hole, loaded it with explosives and ignited a blast. He returned after the dust had cleared, found the rock did not break successfully and decided to drill deeper and try again, but failed to ensure all the powder had actually burned. Once the drill received a hard blow, the remaining powder exploded, leaving the man with a badly lacerated hand, a “peppered” face and “a severe shaking up.”

— From the Aug. 11, 1900, edition of the Summit County Journal