The mountain area’s newspaper since 1958
WEEK OF FEBRUARY 6, 2025
VOLUME 66 | ISSUE 12
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Evergreen Fire/ Rescue approves contract for Station 2 renovation BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Rick Roadruck, who was assistant principal until 2008, told a few colorful stories to match his suit during the Jan. 24 anniversary assembly.
PHOTO BY JANE REUTER
West Jefferson Middle School celebrates 50 years BY JANE REUTER JREUTER@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
West Jefferson Middle School celebrated its 50-year anniversary Jan. 24 with laughter, shared memories and a reunion of students and staff past and present. Close to 10,000 students passed through the school’s doors in those five decades. And some of them, along with many former staff members, were back for the afternoon assembly. It capped a week of events
that included daily dress-up days representing each decade of the school’s existence. Principal Kim Halingstad, whose own children attended West Jeff, first joined the school staff 14 years ago, then rose to become its leader. “I was at first concerned about working at a school in my own community,” she said. “But these kids are really special. There’s a sense of innocence and community up here, and that’s created these grounded,
great kids. They care — a lot.” Halingstad was among several former staff members and a student who gave brief talks during the assembly. Students loudly cheered former assistant principal Rick Roadruck, who wore a bright yellow suit like those he wore while working at the school. “What comes to mind about West Jeff to me is family,” said Roadruck, who said he wore the bright suits to connect with students. “Fifty years of learning, 50
VOICES: 10 | LIFE: 12 | SPORTS: 15 | PUZZLES: 19
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years of touching lives, 50 years of memories. Here’s to 50 more.” During a reception after the assembly, former gifted and talented teacher Mary Pond agreed with Roadruck. “This is like my family,” said Pond, who taught there from 2001 to 2015. “And it’s good to see my old family members. I loved every minute I was here.” “In the beginning, it was kind of a wilderness up SEE WEST JEFF, P2
The Evergreen Fire/Rescue board recently took another big step toward improving call response times with the approval of a $3.75 million contract to expand and remodel its Bergen Parkway station. The change will allow emergency responders, including the six paid firefighters hired in 2024, to live roundthe-clock where they work, and quickly get vehicles on the road to reach those who need help. “Our Achilles heel is our response time everywhere,” said EFR board director John Putt. “So this is the first start at being able to get the trucks out the door almost immediately when you call 911.” EFR Chief Mike Weege said the change is long overdue. “We are very excited to be getting this project underway,” said EFR Chief Mike Weege, who expects the new space to be complete in early 2026. “This building was built in 1978 when there wasn’t much of anything up here at all. Things have changed quite SEE EFR, P2
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