Lance Maggart
Summit Daily News
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Past articles by Lance:
Granby man gets jail time for illegal marijuana grow operation, tax evasion
Matthew Niedemeyer A Granby man who pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges related to an illegal marijuana grow operation will serve jail time as part of his sentence imposed late last week. About 15 months after local authorities raided his grow operation in Grand County, 44-year-old Matthew Niedermeyer received sentences Thursday on three charges,… → Read More
Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park opens for summer
Trail Ridge Road is now open for the summer season. Wednesday afternoon officials from Rocky Mountain National Park released a statement confirming the opening of the alpine thoroughfare earlier in the day. While the scenic byway through one of the nation’s most popular national parks is open to motorized traffic park officials counseled caution as… → Read More
CPW euthanizes bear in Grand County after conflict with homeowner
A bear injured during a conflict with a homeowner in the Fraser area had to be euthanized last week, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife. This marks the first time this year that a bear, in this case an adult male black bear, had to be euthanized in Grand County, according to Jeromy Huntington, district… → Read More
False sense of security: Avalanches pose dangers even to backcountry experts
There is a dirty little secret in the world of backcountry skiing and avalanche safety. It has to do with death, danger and the risks that even experts sometimes ignore in pursuit of a powder day. Avalanche and backcountry safety lies at the intersection of several different factors, from proper equipment to weather conditions, but… → Read More
Kratom: It’s legal, unregulated and has contributed to 2 Grand County deaths
From the explosion of morphine addiction in the post-Civil War era, through Prohibition and into the modern War on Drugs, American citizens have seen the impacts of addiction and the unintended consequences of efforts to eradicate it. Over the past several decades, the substances that have produced these problems have become familiar to most people.… → Read More
Bear gets trapped in Winter Park car, does over $4,000 in damage
Not long before the sun rose over the Continental Divide last Monday morning, Wanda Wunderlich was at her home in the Winter Park Highlands when she heard some noise from outside. “We heard the horn honk,” Wunderlich explained. “That is what got us up to go outside.” As Wunderlich walked outside to check her car,… → Read More
Moose population, nearly zero before 1980, grows exponentially, challenging RMNP officials
Moose are a fundamental part of living in Colorado's High Country, but an ever expanding population of the large animals poses unique challenges that officials from Rocky Mountain National Park hope to illuminate with a newly implemented research project. Historically, there is a significant disagreement regarding whether or not moose are native to Colorado. Officials… → Read More
Recent discovery reopens 11-year-old Grand County missing person case
The discovery of an old hunting rifle, backpack and other personal property near Carter Mountain in Grand County last weekend has prompted the reopening of an 11-year-old missing person investigation. Two people hunting in the White Slide area near Carter Mountain, roughly 19 miles north of Kremmling, on Sept. 16 came across numerous items of… → Read More
Silver Creek Fire northwest of Kremmling flares up
An increase in fire activity Wednesday on the Silver Creek Fire has prompted federal officials to begin evacuating hunters and campers from land north of the burn area as the fire has spread east onto Latigo Ranch’s property. The Silver Creek Fire, burning on U.S. National Forest land northwest of Kremmling, has been mostly quiet for… → Read More
Driver in last summer’s fatal Highway 9 crash pleads guilty
Denver resident Brandon Wilson will soon appear in Grand County District Court to learn his fate after pleading guilty to a series of criminal charges connected to a fatal vehicle crash that occurred on Highway 9 south of Kremmling last summer. Wilson, 31, pleaded guilty last month to reckless vehicular assault, driving under the influence… → Read More
No growth on Sugarloaf Fire over weekend
Grand County's Sugarloaf Fire has seen zero growth over the past few days and remains at 1,280 acres as of Sunday morning, according to an update from federal officials. While the size of the fire has not grown since late last week, when fire officials reported a burn area of 1,280 acres, the current containment… → Read More
People exposed to bat in Grand County that tests positive for rabies
Multiple people in Grand County recently received preventative treatment for rabies after they were exposed to a bat that later tested positive for the deadly virus, according to public health officials. The Grand County Public Health Department sent five bats for rabies testing, with two coming back negative, two pending and one positive. The positive… → Read More
Sugarloaf Fire continues slow growth over weekend
Grand County's Sugarloaf Fire, located in a remote segment of US Forest Service land southwest of the town of Winter Park, continued its slow growth over the weekend. As of Sunday afternoon the fire was listed at 1,270 acres on the interagency information management website InciWeb. Sunday's burn area represents only a slight increase from… → Read More
SCOTUS cell phone data ruling will have impact on search and rescue calls
A U.S. Supreme Court ruling made last week carries significant implications for law enforcement and how they use cell phone location data, adding warrant requirements to agencies seeking to obtain cellphone location data from third parties such as wireless carriers. But the ruling impacts more than just investigations related to violent crimes, it will also… → Read More
Baumgardner steps down as chair of transportation committee after report finds sexual assault allegations credible
Sen. Randy Baumgardner resigned from his chairmanship of the senate's transportation committee Tuesday afternoon as an ongoing sexual harassment scandal continues to swirl at the state capitol. Baumgardner, Hot Sulphur Springs Republican and state senator representing Grand County, continued to deny the allegations made against him during a press conference he held in his senate office Tuesday… → Read More
Climbers rescue dog stranded overnight high on Berthoud Pass
A Denver couple discovered over the weekend that the difference between tragedy and a miracle involves luck, skill and, more often than not, a friendly helping hand. Denver resident and backcountry powder chaser Brandon Fox was riding around the Berthoud Pass area Saturday with his beloved dog, Yoshi, a small male shiba inu, when the… → Read More
‘Killdozer’: Man behind the Granby bulldozer rampage is explored in new book
Long-time Sky-Hi News Editor and Publisher Patrick Brower was hard at work on a bright early June day when sheriff's deputies suddenly appeared at the newspaper office with news that would shake the nation, and turn the small community of Granby upside down. Someone was driving an armor-covered bulldozer, slowly, eastwards across town, destroying buildings… → Read More
Attorney in Colorado River lawsuit refuses to withdraw suit despite threats of sanctions from state
The Colorado Attorney General's office is not happy with the Denver civil rights lawyer who is helping sue the state in hopes of having the Colorado River declared a person, as the office has threatened sanctions against the man if the suit is not withdrawn. Representatives for the plaintiffs in the case announced Tuesday morning… → Read More
2nd woman comes forward with official complaint against Sen. Baumgardner
Sen. Randy Baumgardner is facing another allegation of sexual misconduct after a former legislative aide filed a formal sexual harassment complaint against the politician that accused him of inappropriate physical contact, according to KUNC, a Front Range media outlet.On Tuesday, KUNC reported details gleaned from a source who claims to have filed the formal complaint… → Read More
State moves to dismiss unprecedented Colorado River lawsuit
Legal efforts to have Colorado's eponymous river declared a person have hit a roadblock after federal court proceedings were canceled last week following a filing by the State of Colorado, the defendant in the lawsuit, to have the case dismissed. The state attorney general's office, which represents Colorado in the legal proceedings, filed a motion… → Read More