Large icicles hang from the ceiling of the lower ice cave, also known as the Ice Palace, dwarf a a visitor to Rifle Mountain Park last weekend north of Rifle. Kyle Mills / Citizen Telegram
Looking back at 2020, the city of Rifle and western Garfield County saw their fair share of interesting stories. Here’s a trip down memory lane as as we take a look back at some of the headlines from the Citizen Telegram in 2020:
BIG PLANS FOR DOWNTOWN
After visiting reconstruction concepts and receiving public feedback, the city of Rifle made final plans in February to revitalize downtown with a new project slated for 2021.
Colorado River Fire Rescue crews arrived on scene Dec. 23 to this a structure fire on CR 311 south of Silt. Courtesy photo
A family and their three dogs are safe after their home south of Silt caught fire, according to Colorado River Fire Rescue.
Around 7:18 p.m. Tuesday night, first responders were called to a structure fire near CR 331 and Chair Bar Road, about four miles directly south of town. Colorado River Fire Rescue Chief Leif Sackett said a neighbor about a mile to the east initially reported the fire.
When CRFR arrived on scene, a large fire had already involved the exterior of the house and was making its way inside, Sackett said. Fire crews immediately attacked the blaze, keeping it from further consuming the interior of the house.
A bagpipe ceremony commences during a change of command ceremony Saturday at Station No. 41 in Rifle. Ray Erku / Post Independent
Before an enormous American flag draped across the wall, outgoing Colorado River Fire Rescue Chief Randy Callahan took the department’s fire engine red flag with a distinct sense of decorum and handed it to newly sworn-in chief Leif Sackett.
Adorned in traditional firefighter dress uniforms in front of cohorts and family inside Station 41 in Rifle on Saturday, the two chiefs would carry out the first official change of command ceremony in CRFR history.
“The time has come for me to climb down the ladder,” Callahan said during a speech prior to Sackett being sworn in.