ASPEN- Two elk that fell through the ice of a pond near Aspen have been rescued but a third didn’t survive. A homeowner discovered the elk in the pond Monday morning. Firefighters worked with Colorado wildlife officers to cut a channel in the ice leading the shore and pull them out. Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Alex Burchetta says the elk were in the frigid water for at least 1 1/2 hours and the two survivors were very tired by the time they got out. Temperatures were in the 20s during the rescue.
STEAMBOAT SPRINGS AP) – A problem with the coal-fired heating system in Yampa’s Royal Hotel is believed to have caused the fire that destroyed the historic building.
The fire started Saturday night and continued into Sunday. No injuries were reported.The hotel was built in 1906 by Thomas P. Lindsay and served miners, timber and railroad crews, ranchers, and travelers on the Wolcott Stage line.More recently, the hotel provided showers for area hunters and had the only year-round bar in town. Some residents say it was haunted by a ghost named Rufus. Conflicting legends say Rufus died of the flu epidemic while staying at the hotel or was a gambler killed after cheating in a poker game.
DENVER (AP) – Strong winds are warming up parts of Colorado but also creating travel problems. U.S. 285 was shut down between Fairplay and Grant in South Park this morning because of strong wind gusts and blowing snow. The same warm chinook winds have also lifted temperatures into the 40s along the Front Range.
DENVER (AP) – Colorado health officials are announcing a new statewide marijuana-education campaign. This year’s campaign will be called “Good to Know.” They’re hoping the $6 million campaign will be a big improvement over last year’s controversial “Don’t Be a Lab Rat” campaign, which features human-sized rat cages,
DENVER (AP) – The family of an off-duty Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department sergeant killed while helping a family involved in a crash on a snowy road says he was a man of strong religious faith. Sgt. Sean Renfro was killed Sunday while directing traffic around a crash on U.S. 285 near Conifer. The 15-year department veteran leaves behind a wife and four children.
