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www.canyoncourier.com
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The mountain area’s newspaper since 1958
est. 1958
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021
NOW SERVING EVERGREEN, CONIFER, BAILEY AND PINE
75 CENTS
Developer sues Elk Creek Fire Lawsuit wants to force the department to approve a Fire Service Expansion Agreement BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The developer trying to build a controversial housing development behind Conifer Safeway is asking a judge to compel the Elk Creek Fire Protection District to sign a Fire Service Expansion Agreement that would provide it with adequate equipment and personnel to provide fire and medical services to the property. The lawsuit, filed in district court in Jefferson County on May 6, says Elk Creek Fire negotiated the agreement with Foothills Housing 1, led Foothills to believe it would be approved, and then the district’s board denied it. On April 8, the Elk Creek Fire board voted 3-2 not to approve the agreement that would have allowed Foothills to spend about $3 million to buy the district a fire truck and pay part of the salaries for three additional firefighters. Those voting to approve the agreement said it would improve fire service for all residents in the district. Those who voted against said they felt the agreement would give the SEE LAWSUIT, P5
Christine Kleinbeck of Conifer, center, wears her crown and holds the rhubarb scepter during the Pine Grove Rhubarb Festival parade. Kleinbeck won first place in the rhubarb bake-off. She is flanked by second-place winner Cindy Busch, left, and third-place winner PHOTO BY DEB HURLEY BROBST Sara Narum.
For the love for festivals … and rhubarb Pine Grove swells with pride, visitors during annual Rhubarb Festival BY DEB HURLEY BROBST DBROBST@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The population of the town of Pine Grove grew nearly 10-fold on June 12 as locals and visitors gathered for the 33rd Rhubarb Festival. The historic town on Highway 126 south of Pine Junction usu-
RHUBARB BAKE-OFF WINNERS First place: Christine Kleinbeck of Conifer for “Rhubarb Dessert” Second place: Cindy Busch of Westminster for “Mac-R-Rhu” Third place: Sara Narum of Morrison for “Rose’s Rhubarb Strawberry Jam”
ally sports about 80 residents, and hundreds came out for the summer event that celebrates the tart red and green vegetable. The festival was everything it should be — with
vendor booths, food, live music — and smiles everywhere. Part of what makes this event special is the Rhubarb Bake-off with the first-place winner crowned the king or queen of the festival, and the winners are lauded during a short parade that stops traffic on Highway 126 for less than 10 minutes. Rather than having the pancake breakfast because of COVID-19 concerns, organizers came up with the ingenious idea of selling pancake SEE RHUBARB, P16
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Obits Opinion
2 Vets Gather 8 Sports
3 Platte Fire 10 Puzzles
4 Arts Honor 17 Classifieds
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