Time Machine: 40 years ago, police seek Ted Bundy’s help in bringing closure to Vail missing person case
Vail Trail/Vail Daily archive
20 years ago
May 11, 2006
Vail Resorts secured a key 5.13-acre parcel at the base of Vail Mountain through a complex land exchange, allowing the company to move forward with its planned “Front Door” redevelopment, the Vail Daily reported.
In return, the agreement transferred significant acreage into public ownership, including the 500-acre Vassar Meadows wetlands along East Brush Creek and additional land in the Game Creek drainage.
The multi-year deal, completed in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, became the subject of a federal court challenge by nearby resident Luanne Wells, who argued the 5-acre base-area parcel — valued by the U.S. Forest Service at about $5.6 million — was actually worth more than $50 million.
30 years ago
May 10, 1996
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Eagle County voters had been “cutting the chains that bind local government” by passing “de-Brucing” measures in districts across the county, the Vail Trail reported.
“By de-Brucing, a district removes limitations created by excess revenue as dictated by Douglas Bruce’s Tabor Amendment, or Amendment 1,” the Trail reported. “The amendment requires that any excess revenues collected be refunded to taxpayers, based on local growth and the DenverBoulder CPI index.”
In an editorial titled “It’s now clear that people here don’t like revenue limits,” the Vail Trail write that people “want their districts to be able to spend the revenues they collect without the interference of a state measure.”
“But remember,” the Trail added, “many of the constraints of Amendment 1 remain. While this paper has been very critical of the Amendment and its author, Douglas Bruce, we’ve seen a few changes in the way local governments behave. We think many of those changes are for the best.”
40 years ago
May 9, 1986
With the execution of serial killer Ted Bundy looming, Vail police expressed optimism that Bundy would come clean to more murders, including the case of Vail resident Julie Cunningham, the Vail Trail reported.
Cunningham, 26, went missing while Bundy was in the area, but police had nothing more than circumstantial evidence to tie Bundy to the disappearance.
Quoting investigator Matt Lindvall, the Vail Trail reported that the Vail PD had talked to officials who felt that Bundy might have been ready to make a statement in the coming days.
“We’d like to speak to him to either eliminate him as a suspect or clear up the case for the family’s sake,” Lindvall said.
50 years ago
May 14, 1976
Eagle County commissioners approved a special use permit for a proposed lead and silver mining operation near Homestake Creek, the Vail Trail reported.
The approval increased the allowable ore output from 20 to 60 tons per year and added conditions requiring inspection of on-site sanitation facilities.
The mine was located 1.5 miles east of Gold Park, approximately 7 miles off Highway 24.
“Mr Alan Cerise, operator of the proposed lead and silver mine, requested an increase in the amount of ore permitted to be mined annually,” the Trail reported.
60 years ago
May 12, 1966
Former Gypsum resident Elrita Blankensop was in Miami competing for the Miss USA title, the Eagle Valley Enterprise reported.
Blankensop, 18, had recently moved to Alaska with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Pete Blankensop, and won the Miss Alaska contest in March.
That contest gained her an automatic entry into the Miss USA contest in Miami, the Enterprise reported.
70 years ago
May 10, 1956
The Eagle Valley Enterprise criticized Colorado Governor Edwin C. “Big Ed” Johnson for appearing to favor Highway 40 in the debate over whether to send the yet-to-be-built Interstate 70 along Highway 40 or Highway 6.
The Highway 6 version would require a tunnel near Loveland Pass, while the Highway 40 version would require a tunnel on Berthod Pass.
“This tunnel question was shaping up to be quite a brawl, with ‘Big Ed’ calling the shots,” the Enterprise wrote, describing the effort as a “swan song” for Governor Johnson, who was in his final year in office.
“The flatlanders from the East Slope are still in the woods as far as knowing the territory and industry covered and served by 6-24,” the Enterprise wrote. “The Meeker. Grand Junction, Rifle-Glenwood, Eagle River, Leadville, Climax, Dillon, and Idaho Springs areas have said flatly they could not use a Berthod Route, which would call for them doubling back to use the Berthod tunnel.”
