Northwest Colorado News for Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023

October 11, 2023 Shannon Lukens

Newscasts

By Shannon Lukens.

A Shelter in Place alert was issued Wednesday morning when Routt County Sheriff’s officers were confronted by a man with a gun, in a house on 8^th Street, between Oak and Pine. He was being served an eviction notice. He also had a felony warrant for his arrest. Attempts were made to talk to the man. The incident team eventually deployed flash bangs and tear gas inside the home, and the man took his life.

During the incident, Yampa Valley High School was placed on lockdown. Students at Steamboat Mountain School were evacuated.

Please reach out to REPS, which is Reaching Everyone Preventing Suicide, if struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 in English and Spanish anywhere in the United States.

ARMED BARRICADED INCIDENT AT 8TH STREET RESIDENCE IN STEAMBOAT SPRINGS

People in the area were notified with an alert. Everyone in Routt and Moffat counties is encouraged to sign up for the county alert system.

In Routt County, go to RouttCountyAlerts.com.

Sign up in Moffat County through the Sheriff’s Office website at Crimewatch.net or look for the Office of Emergency Management on the Moffat County Government page.

The Strong Tower group out of Texas came back to visit Northwest Colorado this week. They were at the Walmart in Craig. But then Craig Police came, talked to management at Walmart. Here’s Craig Police Chief Mike Cochran.

“So the group was there, soliciting funds, and the management at Walmart did not want them trespassed, however they did not want them there.”

So Craig Police didn’t file trespass charges, but they did ask the group to leave, which Chief Cochran says they did right away.

Chief Cochran says to be extremely cautious who you are donating your money to, especially if they say they’re giving the money to a group within Moffat County, but you don’t recognize them.

“So money is very difficult to come by today and we will still have very caring people in this community and they don’t deserve to be ripped off.”

Chief Cochran said there is also a scam going around where people pretend to be with local law enforcement.

“That pretend to be people with the law enforcement agency requesting money be sent for a warrant or a missed court date, so always confirm where you’re donating your money.”

Strong Tower is the same group that was at the Walmart in Steamboat Springs last month. They told people that they were raising money for the “safe house in Steamboat.” The police came, along with Advocates of Routt County who runs the safe house and discovered that the money is going back to Texas, and not staying in the community. Chief Mark Beckett said Strong Tower didn’t have the proper licensing with the city to be there so they were told to leave there, too.

Chief Beckett agrees, “Always be knowledgeable about any group you donate money to.”

Oct. 11, 2023 — STRONG TOWER GROUP ASKED TO LEAVE WALMART IN CRAIG

Sept. 6, 2023 — STEAMBOAT SPRINGS POLICE TELL STRONG TOWER GROUP TO LEAVE IN FRONT OF WALMART

Verizon had an equipment failure on their tower in Steamboat Wednesday. There wasn’t any cell service for much of downtown for awhile, but a Verizon rep says it should be good now.

The Moffat County School District is hosting a Chamber Mixer Thursday. It’s from 5-7 p.m. in the Bark Café at the high school. Find out about job opportunities in the school district. All are welcome and there will be food, refreshments and door prizes.

Annika Malacinski is #1 and Niklas Malacinski is #2 in Nordic Combined at the National Championships in Lake Placid today. Congrats to the Steamboat Springs siblings. They sent their mom this picture to share with us.

Alexa Brabec, also from Steamboat Springs, finished 2^nd in Women’s Nordic Combined.

(HS100/5k for women and HS100/10K for men)