Time Machine: 20 years ago, Kobe Bryant case dismissed
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20 years ago
Sept. 1, 2004
Eagle County District Judge Terry Ruckriegle dismissed criminal sexual assault charges against NBA star Kobe Bryant.
The charges were dropped after Bryant’s accuser informed the court that she was unwilling to testify.
Bryant had been accused of sexual assault after a June 30, 2003, incident at the Lodge & Spa at Cordillera in which a 19-year-old front desk employee told the Eagle County Sheriff’s Department that Bryant sexually assaulted her. Bryant denied the accusation and pled not guilty in court.
50 years ago
August 30, 1974
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The White River National Forest and the Colorado Ute Electric Association collaborated to build a new substation in the national forest near Vail, the Vail Trail reported.
The substation was critically needed in Vail after the town was nearly forced to go without power during the previous winter, the Trail reported, quoting Jim Gregg from the White River National Forest.
“The Town has been surviving on an underpowered line which parallels 1-70,” Gregg said. “The line, strictly for distribution, originates from the substation at Avon and it’s inadequate for the town … The new substation will make it a transmission line and service will be much more reliable.”
No new roads were built on Forest Service land in constructing the substation, although some logs were hauled off an existing road by the Kaibab mills in Eagle. Gregg said the Kaibab mills deserve special commendation for hauling out the logs due to the fact that “it was not a very profitable job.”
“Through much effort, they came and got the logs although it was extremely difficult because they couldn’t build roads,” Gregg said. “They even rolled one truck. However, they did an excellent job and we’re grateful because it helps us utilize every bit of the forest.”
60 years ago
September 3, 1964
The Eagle County Airport was the center of operations in a search for a crashed plane containing four Front Range residents, the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported.
The plane was found on August 30 on Porphyry Mountain and the bodies of the four men — Leonard Walsh, John Courtney, Edward Ryan and Andrew O’Reilly — were located, as well.
“The four had been attending an educational conference in Aspen, and were returning home,” the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported.
70 years ago
August 26, 1954
A party and camping trip for disabled veterans was held at Sweetwater Lake and the Diamond J Ranch in Eagle County, the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported.
Veterans included Archie Dixon, a veteran of the Mexican Border War and World War I; Sgt. Bill Peterson, who served in the Air Force and the Navy in War II and the Korean War; Cpl. Raymond L. Byse, of the 7th Army Division; and Larry Curtis, Army private first class with the 196th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Richardson, Alaska.
“The party was joined by Ben Calloway, Denver Post wildife writer, who camped and fished with the boys, coming up Sunday and remaining until camp was broken Wednesday noon,” the Enterprise reported. “Robert E. Shamburg, Burlington, Department Commander of the VFW, accompanied by Max Barz, chairman of the veterans camping trip committee, joined the party overnight Tuesday. Wendell Wood of Lincicome-Wood Co in Glenwood joined them Wednesday morning and helped with transporting the men back to hospitals. One of the bright spots was the steak feed at the Diamond J Wednesday, which was Frankie and Alice Emmerling’s party for the disabled veterans.”
80 years ago
August 25, 1944
Word that Sgt. Stanley Calhoun was missing in action was received by his sister, Margaret Karpen, the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported.
“The meager information furnished by the war department disclosed that Sgt. Calhoun has been missing since Aug. 4, on a mission over Germany,” the Enterprise reported. “Mrs. Karpen had last word from her brother dated on his 20th birthday, Aug. 4, the day on which he is reported to be missing.”
Calhoun was a graduate of Eagle County High School and his father, Archie Calhoun, resided in Gypsum. He was a gunner on a B-17 Fortress and had been making regular trips over Germany, the Enterprise reported.
