Welcome back to the Canyon Echo, your weekly briefing on happenings in our foothills communities. In this week’s edition, we look not only at the frightening moments that led to the suicide of a longtime Evergreen resident, but at the potential dramatic changes coming to Morrison, a town beloved for its historic, small-town feel.

Life, and death, is rarely predictable: Last Thursday evening, Feb. 12, shots rang out again in Evergreen. Only later, after dozens of people were badly shaken, businesses and a highway closed, the rec center locked down and a throng of emergency crews responded, did we learn one man had taken his own life. Somehow, none of the 19 rounds he fired in a busy office building hit anyone.

But for some, they left lasting emotional damage, particularly in a community still recovering from the September 2025 Evergreen High School shooting.

It wasn’t the first time Lance Black had threatened suicide. Unfortunately, he either didn’t seek the help he needed or couldn’t find it. If he had, the community would have been spared this latest trauma. As so many tragedies do, it leaves open questions about our mental health system.

Why it matters: Lance Black was already on the sheriff’s office radar. In 2016, a deputy did everything he should have to get him help after Black threatened suicide, ensuring he got to a hospital and was put on a mental health hold. Sadly, it didn’t stop the tragedy that shook Evergreen last week.

Why it matters: The town of Morrison is tiny but proud of its history and the quaint feel visitors love. They also closely guard the sense of remoteness that brought many of them there. Tuesday, they’ll get a look at a development with a completely different feel that’s proposed at their doorstep.
What’s happening: The town and Bear Creek Development will both soon own neighboring property east of the hogback, and are planning its future together. This’ll be a chance for residents to take a first look at the conceptual master plan

A “snow snake” was the downfall of Golden’s Stacy Gaskill last week at the Winter Olympics in Milan last week. She fell in the snowboard cross quarterfinals, putting an end to her 2026 Olympic dreams. She talks about her Olympic journey: Read the story here➡

Got questions? Concerns? Or just curious about the Evergreen Skatepark? Monday night at 6 p.m. is your chance to take a closer look at this project. The Evergreen Park & Recreation District is holding a public meeting on the skatepark at the Buchanan Recreation Center

A lot of grant money and fundraising by the Evergreen Skatepark Coalition has gone into the park. And the lead designer, Jaxon Statzell of California Skateparks, is an Evergreen native renowned for designing both 2020 and 2024 Olympic skateboarding courses. 

Like any 13-year-old, Staunton State Park is experiencing dramatic growth. Their issue isn’t short pants and acne, but weekend traffic and other issues that come with being the popular kid among metro-area state parks. We’ll try to discover why it’s happening and hear what they’re doing to address it. 

We’ll have coverage from both the Evergreen Skatepark meeting and Tuesday’s meeting on the Morrison’s joint conceptual master plan with Bear Creek Development.

Plus, the Evergreen Park & Recreation District board will vote in its newest member. While most of the financial decisions surrounding the natatorium and park redevelopment have been made, this is still a critical post. EPRD is just getting started on huge projects that will bring to life several community-requested improvements.

Monday:

Tuesday:

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