Evergreen and Conifer celebrated this past week, with a sold-out Boogie at the Bear and the Conifer Chamber’s annual awards event. Morrison, meanwhile, had a mix of both.

The town is struggling with serious financial issues, and debating whether a proposed annexation is the answer or will eventually be another yoke around its neck. But it’s not all gloom and doom in the little town; one of its oldest and most popular residents, Shari Raymond, had a downtown birthday bash in a new venue we’ll tell you more about next week.

At the far end of our coverage area, Conifer Fire (whose main station is in Buffalo Park), is following in the footsteps of other rural agencies and hiring paid firefighters to supplement a dwindling volunteer force. They want voters’ help to bring on more.

Say what? If it could happen anywhere, it’d be at The Bear, a building that’s been hosting live music since Frankie was in style. But this time, the doo-wops, falsetto crooning, choreographed moves and skinny ties came from the tribute band, The Jerseys, who performed to a sold-out crowd last weekend as part of Boogie at the Bear.

Final figures aren’t in yet, but between ticket sales, the silent auction and MC Kyle Wilson’s incredibly persuasive auctioneering of wine, it looks like a big fundraising win for Wild Aware.

If you don’t know Wild Aware, check out their website or join one of their many events. This local nonprofit is dedicated to helping wild animals and humans peacefully coexist.

Sisters in business: Six Conifer businesswomen got the community’s vote for “best of 2026” in Conifer, as part of the Conifer Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards night. Judging by the photos, this was not only one fun evening but the winners’ faces say their identities were a complete surprise.

The chamber, however, didn’t want to just fete its winners but the nominees, too. So it held a separate casino night a week before that celebrated them all.

📸 Small town crossover: Alpine Light Photography took photos on both evenings, producing not only beautiful photos but also capturing expressions at precisely the right moment. Alpine Light is run by Rebecca Davis, one of the newest members of the Evergreen Park & Recreation District board. Next year, we’d like to nominate Davis.

In addition to EPRD and her photography business, the mother of two teaches nursing online and in a key member of the Evergreen Bike Club for kids. Wow!

Down but not out: The town of Morrison, as sweet and old-fashioned looking as your grandma’s homemade sugar cookies, is crumbling. That’s literal for its roads and pipes, which have been gone unreplaced or repaired for years. And it’s close to the truth for its finances.

Exactly how it happened seems yet a matter of debate. But a town that in November approved plans for “a year of infrastructure” is now singing a very different tune. Between then and now, financial advisors Hilltop Securities took a look at the town’s books and said, ‘Not so fast.’ More to come as the town tries to create a plan for getting back on top.

The Evergreen girls’ soccer team clinched back-to-back conference championships. Read the story here➡️

Recently released JeffCo Sheriff’s records reveal more about the EHS shooter’s family, actions before the shooting and the investigation that followed. Read the story here➡️

This fairly new ensemble, which formed in 2023, will perform Saturday night at 7 p.m. at Conifer Community Church. Come half an hour early for appetizers and a bit of conversation with your neighbors.

The group is directed by Nelson Conway, who retired from working as CHS’ choral director and then created the community chorale. Conway does the work of conducting on a voluntary basis and in the words of choir member Stephen Koenigsberg, he’s “a man who makes this planet a better place.”

A 350-acre parcel near Red Rocks and Matthews Winters Park is now conserved as open space, thanks to the Conservation Fund and Jeffco Parks & Open Space. The acquisition creates new potential for backcountry hiking and outdoor lovers of all kinds. A huge thank you to both agencies for scoring this major win for those of us who moved here for the great outdoors!

Friday & Saturday:

Saturday:

We’ve got more big news from Morrison of a very different kind. We promise it’ll be spicy.

We profile Evergreen’s man of the moment, EPRD executive director Cory Vander Veen, who recently won two awards from the Evergreen Chamber and is helping launch a huge transformation of Evergreen-area recreation this summer.

We’ll also profile Sabrina Fritts, director of PeaceWorks, a mountain nonprofit that offers shelter for healing to domestic violence victims.

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