CDOT enters final year of I-25 improvements between Fillmore St and Garden of the Gods Rd

Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — In case the holidays kept you too busy to see The Road Warrior’s report a week before Christmas, updating the nearly three-year project to improve a 1.5-mile stretch of I-25, we’re bringing you another look at the progress to date.

Work started in the fall of 2023 and is scheduled to end late this summer.

The project’s $62 million cost makes it one of the most expensive in the city’s history, and it is ambitious in its objectives, covering a relatively small area.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) recently opened the three new northbound lanes that are wider, with wider shoulders and guardrails; the new alignment also straightened out a sharp curve there.

During that construction, driving was more challenging because of narrower lanes, the lack of nighttime lighting, rough pavement, and the absence of shoulders to pull over in an emergency.

The same changes will be made on the southbound side.

Another accomplishment was to replace twin bridges on I-25 above Ellston Street and tear down the old structures.

“What they’re working on now (under the bridges) is pulling out all of the hot mix asphalt that was laid, so that a new water line can be placed,” said Amber Shipley of CDOT. “To get that new pavement down, so that Ellston Street can resume travel. It’s been closed since the project began.

Crews also increased the amount of drainage infrastructure in the area.

East of the new northbound alignment between I-25 and Sinton Road, you can see a vacant area where crews will start building an additional lane designed to increase safety and reduce a congestion bottleneck for drivers trying to merge onto and off of the freeway.

“Having a place that you can merge on and off the interstate that’s dedicated to that purpose, rather than having to interfere with the main travel lanes, is really the goal of that project,” Shipley explained. “Drivers will be able to travel between the two interchanges without having to leave the lane.”

A similar lane — referred to as an acceleration/deceleration lane — will be built on the southbound side.

Eventually, crews will build a concrete wall in the center median and repave lanes in both directions.

This spring, CDOT plans to perform extensive repair work on the I-25 bridge above Garden of the Gods Road; that work will require some full bridge closures during overnight hours on weekends.

“We hope to finish that work in two weekends,” Shipley said.

On Wednesday morning, CDOT clarified that the acceleration/deceleration lanes have already been built, but are being used for traffic until crews complete the inner road shoulders there.

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Boeing settles lawsuit filed by man whose family died in 2019 Ethiopia plane crash

By Todd Feurer, Jacob Sarracino

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — Just as a trial was set to begin this week in Chicago, Boeing agreed to a settlement with a Canadian man who lost six family members in a 737 Max 8 plane crash in Ethiopia in 2019.

Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed after takeoff from Addis Ababa in March 2019, killing all 157 people on board.

Manant Vaidya, of Toronto, lost his parents and sister, along with three in-laws in the crash.

Opening statements had been set to begin on Wednesday in a trial over the lawsuit Vaidya had filed against Boeing before the company agreed to a settlement in the case late Tuesday, according to Vaidya’s attorneys.

Terms of the settlement were confidential.

“Boeing accepted full responsibility for the senseless and preventable loss of these innocent lives, and this corporate giant has now been held accountable to this family, especially to this good man who lost his dear mom, dad, and sister,” attorney Robert Clifford said in a statement.

The Ethiopian Airlines crash happened less than five months after another 737 Max 8 jet crashed, when a Lion Air flight plunged into the sea off Indonesia in 2018. All 346 people on board the two planes died in the crashes.

After those incidents, Boeing was forced to ground all of its 737 Max planes for nearly two years to install required system upgrades.

The company had faced a criminal fraud charge connected to the crashes, but federal prosecutors agreed to drop the case after Boeing agreed to pay more than $1.1 billion in fines, and an additional $445 million in compensation for the crash victims’ families. The deal also required Boeing to strengthen internal safety and quality measures.

The deal allowed Boeing to avoid criminal prosecution for allegedly misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before the two crashes.

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Louisiana seeks extradition of Bay Area doctor accused of mailing abortion pills

By Frances Wang

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — Louisiana officials are seeking the arrest of a Bay Area doctor accused of mailing abortion medication into the state, a move legal experts say could test California’s abortion shield laws and escalate a growing interstate clash over abortion access.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced a criminal arrest warrant for Dr. Remy Coeytaux, a physician who lives in Healdsburg, California. Prosecutors allege Coeytaux mailed abortion pills to a Louisiana woman who ordered the medication online after learning she was pregnant in 2023.

“We are going to continue to fight the illegal sending of abortion pills into Louisiana,” AG Murrill said.

According to extradition court documents obtained by ABC7 News, Louisiana prosecutors have charged Dr. Coeytaux in St. Tammany Parish with felony “criminal abortion by means of abortion inducing drugs.”

The documents allege investigators used postal tracking data to link a package containing abortion medication to Dr. Coeytaux and state that, in the opinion of prosecutors, “the ends of justice…require that Remy Coeytaux be brought to this State.”

The packet includes a request asking Louisiana’s governor to seek extradition, but California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office say no formal extradition request has been received.

In a statement to ABC7 News, Governor Gavin Newsom’s office said:

“California protects patients and their doctors. We will not be complicit in efforts to strip away their privacy, autonomy, or dignity. Stay tuned.”

In 2022, Newsom signed Executive Order N-12-22, which directs California to protect state-held data from being used by out-of-state anti-abortion entities and to decline extradition requests for health care providers accused of providing lawful reproductive health care. California also passed abortion shield laws in the same year. The laws are designed to protect healthcare providers who perform abortion services in states where abortion is banned.

“This is the state of Louisiana seeking to extradite a doctor from California,” said UC Davis law professor and abortion law expert Mary Ziegler.

Ziegler said extradition is among the most difficult enforcement tools available to states with abortion bans.

“I don’t think that this is likely to be the case that results in a California doctor being prosecuted successfully,” Ziegler said. “At the same time, that shouldn’t create a false sense of security that shield laws will always hold up.”

This case could be the first to test California’s abortion shield laws.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, abortion policy has largely been left to individual states, fueling legal conflicts across state lines. Ziegler said those tensions have not eased.

“One thing it shows is that leaving it to the states is never going to lead to the kind of depoliticization of reproductive rights the court may have had in mind,” she said. “States are not content to leave one another alone.”

Ziegler also said cases like this could increase pressure on the federal government to intervene.

“We’re going to continue to see conservatives put pressure on the Trump administration to announce a federal policy that abortion opponents want to see,” she said. “It’s very hard for there to be a definitive victory for either states like California or states like Louisiana, because each challenge to shield laws presents new legal questions.”

Meanwhile, access to abortion medication through telehealth has expanded. Ziegler pointed to recent Kaiser Family Foundation data suggesting roughly a quarter of abortions nationwide are now performed via telehealth, though she said the true number may be higher because procedures in states where abortion is banned are harder to track. The data shows telehealth abortions have nearly tripled in the state of Louisiana from July 2023 to June 2025.

ABC7 News reached out to Dr. Coeytaux for comment but has not heard back.

In a statement, the Center for Reproductive Rights, who is representing Dr. Coeytaux against civil charges, tells ABC7 News:

“These allegations are just that: allegations. As such, they are unproven and should not be reported as fact. The Center for Reproductive Rights represents Dr. Coeytaux against civil charges he is facing, not these criminal charges. While we can’t comment on this matter itself, one thing is clear-the state of Louisiana is going after doctors for allegedly harming women, yet they are enforcing an abortion ban that puts women’s lives at risk every day. Women continue to die from being denied abortion care. Abortion pills are widely used and incredibly safe, including when provided via telehealth. Women should also be able to get safe and legal abortion care in their own state. Thousands of women seek abortion pills via mail every year because abortion is banned in their state, and that will not change until abortion is legal everywhere.”

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18-year-old day care employee confessed to “intentionally suffocating” infant boy, police say

By WCCO Staff

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    SAVAGE, Minnesota, (WCCO) — An 18-year-old former employee of a Savage, Minnesota, day care confessed to “intentionally suffocating” two children, one of whom died, last fall, police say.

The employee, identified as Theah Loudemia Russell, is in custody and will face a second-degree murder charge, as well as additional charges, Savage Police Chief Brady Juell said. Charges are expected to be officially charged on Thursday.

The employee at Rocking Horse Ranch called 911 on Sept. 22, 2025, to report a child — later identified as 11-month-old Harvey Muklebust — was not breathing. Authorities responded and the boy was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Three days prior, Savage police went to the day care on a report of an unresponsive 4-month-old with blood under their nose and mouth, the chief said. Two hours before the 911 call about Muklebust, that same child was found in a similar state, though police were not called to respond.

Juell said Russell’s “behavior and actions at the scene immediately raised suspicion, drawing investigative focus to her as the primary person of interest.”

Authorities investigated Russell’s background, finding “a documented history of attention-seeking behavior,” including “nonsensical” 911 calls, firestarting and “erratic behavior toward other children,” Juell said.

In an interview with police, Russell confessed to “intentionally suffocating” Muklebust and the other child “in an attention-seeking act,” according to Juell. He added the employee “confessed to the attempted murder of our first victim on two occasions and to the murder of Harvey Muklebust.”

Russell had only worked at the day care for three weeks before Muklebust’s death, Juell said.

After the infant’s death, Rocking Horse Ranch owner Lisa Weiss told WCCO she had no comment.

According to the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the state suspended Rocking Horse Ranch’s license on Sept. 23, and that suspension is under appeal.

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Spokane Falls Community College hosts Native American artist-in-residence program

By Nick Hawthorne

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    SPOKANE, Wash. (KXLY) — Claire Rae Edmo, a Shoshone Bannock and Chippewa Cree artist, is serving as Spokane Falls Community College’s artist-in-residence through March 26, 2026.

Edmo, who grew up on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in southeastern Idaho, is participating in the sƛ̓x̣etkʷ Artist-in-Residence Program in the college’s new 60,000-square-foot arts building.

“Being Shoshone Bannock and Chippewa Cree, I aim to represent my Indigenous culture to connect and share with others,” Edmo said.

The college hosted a welcome reception for Edmo on Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The program offers emerging Native American artists a three-month residency that includes a $3,000 monthly stipend, off-campus housing, studio space, and travel reimbursement. Applications are open to enrolled members of U.S. Federally Recognized Tribes, with priority given to Pacific Northwest tribes.

Artists engage with students and the Spokane community through open studio hours, classroom presentations, public lectures, workshops, and art critiques. Ruby Hospitality, the Sahlin Fund at Spokane Colleges Foundation, and the Associated Student Government at SFCC support the program.

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Colbert boy gets dream Make-A-Wish trip to meet Mariners

By Kirstin O’Connor

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    COLBERT, Wash. (KXLY) — Walk into 13-year-old Seton James’ room, and you’ll see priceless sports memorabilia, proof that dreams really do come true.

Binders full of autographed cards, baseballs, and one very special jersey.

“I got Edgar Martinez’s autograph, it was crazy,” Seton says, his eyes lighting up as he talks about his collection from what turned out to be the trip of a lifetime.

You might think all kids love sports, but Seton takes it to another level. He’s one of four boys in the James family, and while he’s not the oldest, he’s definitely the one who lives and breathes athletics.

“I like football but baseball’s better,” he says matter-of-factly. When pressed for a reason why, his answer is confident: “Because it is.”

And if you’re wondering which team has captured his heart, that’s easy.

The Seattle Mariners, without question.

“It’s just like the team that I grew up knowing and loving,” Seton explains.

His parents, Sarah and Jeff James, are both Cougs who met at a WSU football game. Sarah explained both parents have the recessive gene that causes cystic fibrosis (CF) and two of their sons Seton and Jude were born with the life-threatening condition. Their oldest son, Ace, also has special needs.

“We just always have always tried to treat all of them like you’re fine, rub some dirt in it,” Sarah said with a loving smile.

Both brothers managed treatment for cystic fibrosis with breathing treatments twice a day, every single day for many years.

“We always just kind of had that attitude that it’s not going to be something that is going to hold him back,” Sarah said.

Doctor visits, hospital stays and changing medications have never slowed the James boys down. That kind of resilience caught the attention of Make-A-Wish, not just once, but twice.

“Jude also has cystic fibrosis, so he also had a wish granted, and he wanted that play structure that’s out front,” Sarah said.

When it was Seton’s turn, he didn’t have to think twice.

“I had a few ideas, but I just ultimately decided that going to meet the Mariners would be the best,” Seton said.

Seton and his parents flew to Seattle and got the full VIP experience.

“I ran the bases at opening day,” Seton remembered with a huge grin.

“I have a picture of me holding a trident with Julio,” he said, referring to Mariners superstar Julio Rodríguez.

Advancements in cystic fibrosis treatment that specifically impacts the boys’ gene combination is allowing the James family more freedom. Seton doesn’t have to do daily treatments anymore. Instead, his mom said he visits the clinic at Sacred Heart Spokane every five to six months. And he hasn’t had a major respiratory infection in a whole year.

“There’s no stopping him,” Sarah said.

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Man with gang ties arrested in connection with double killing in Salt Lake church parking lot

By Pat Reavy

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    SALT LAKE CITY (KSL) — Salt Lake police have arrested a man and accused him of hindering an investigation into a shootout at a funeral that claimed the lives of two men and injured six others.

Ryan Daniel Toutai, 32, was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on Tuesday for investigation of obstruction of justice.

On Jan. 7, police responded to a report of a shooting with multiple victims in the parking lot of a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 660 N. Redwood Road just after 7:30 p.m. Sione Vatuvei, 38, of Glendale, and Vaea Tulikihihifo, 46, were killed. Six other men were taken to local hospitals with “what appear to be non-life-threatening injuries,” according to police.

Investigators believe there was an exchange of gunfire after two individuals who are known to each other got into a dispute. As of Wednesday, no one has been arrested and accused of directly being responsible for the killings. Police say their investigation has been hampered because witnesses are refusing to talk.

“Multiple expended cartridge casings and a handgun were recovered from the scene, along with a blue L.A. Dodgers baseball hat. Multiple witnesses were interviewed and cellphone video footage from the funeral services was obtained and reviewed,” according to a police booking affidavit.

Toutai was one of those interviewed at the Salt Lake City Police Department on the night of the shooting and was seen in cellphone video collected by detectives wearing a Dodgers hat.

“He stated that he was inside that church and was just stepping outside into the parking lot when he heard gunshots. Ryan said he observed one of the victims on the ground, but did not see who was shooting or see anyone with a firearm. Ryan denied being involved with the altercation or having any knowledge of what happened. Ryan denied having a firearm or seeing anyone with a firearm that day,” the affidavit states.

Toutai allegedly claimed he did not go near the area where the shooters were. Police noted, however, that Toutai “closely matched the description of one of the shooters given by multiple witnesses and was identified as being involved in the altercation in the parking lot. Police have received numerous tips that Ryan was involved with the shooting and had a confrontation with another male that was in the parking lot.”

When detectives searched Toutai’s phone, they found a video “of Ryan handling the firearm recovered at the scene, about a month before the shooting. Additional videos were obtained from the phone documenting Ryan driving a car with another male, shortly before the funeral. The male in the passenger seat was identified as one of the other males involved in the altercation, who had shown up at a local hospital with a gunshot wound,” according to the affidavit.

“The cellphone videos also show Ryan at the church parking lot minutes later, where he walks toward the church with the other male, and a third male involved, who was also shot during the altercation.”

On Tuesday, detectives interviewed Toutai again and he again claimed he was walking out of the church when the shots were fired, the affidavit states.

“Ryan was confronted with the evidence of his involvement by detectives and was informed that he could be charged with obstruction of justice if he gave false statements. Ryan continued to deny any knowledge of the firearm and could not explain how his hat ended up in the location of the altercation, where he stated he did not go,” police said.

Toutai also maintained that he took a rideshare to the funeral, even though video was recovered of him driving one of the cars found in the church parking lot, according to the affidavit.

Investigators say Toutai “has reported involvement” with a street gang with a long history in Salt Lake City, “and was at the event dressed in gang colors and attire.”

“This is the first arrest made in this investigation. Detectives are actively investigating this case but have been hindered by a lack of cooperation from multiple people. Anyone with information should call 801-799-3000 or submit a tip using this link: submit an anonymous tip,” Salt Lake police announced Wednesday.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. ­­­KSL verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Utah massage therapist charged with sexually abusing a third woman

By Pat Reavy

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    SANDY (KSL) — A licensed massage therapist already facing charges accusing him of sexually abusing two clients has now been charged with sexually abusing a third woman.

Corey Brent Christensen, 45, of Riverton, was charged Tuesday in 3rd District Court with forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony. Last February, he was charged with object rape, a first-degree felony, and five counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony.

According to his new charging documents, a woman went to a spa on March 8, 2024 to receive a massage from Christensen. She was lying face down on a table when Christensen inappropriately touched her in several places, the charges allege.

Last year, Christensen was charged with numerous counts of sexually assaulting two women. A pretrial conference in that case is scheduled for Feb. 23.

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Climbing USA seeks at least $250K more after hitting snag in preserving historic Utah building

By Carter Williams

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    SALT LAKE CITY (KSL) — Utah’s capital city is now considering rebuilding a 119-year-old structure in the Rio Grande District after signing off on a plan to adaptively reuse it as part of a Climbing USA campus, after the project hit a snag.

The Salt Lake City Community Reinvestment Agency previously agreed to reimburse USA Climbing up to $6 million to preserve and reuse the historic Salt Lake Mattress Building, 535 W. 300 South, as part of its grand headquarters plans for the area.

However, the U.S. governing body for the growing sport requested additional funding for the project on Tuesday, based on two options. Keeping the building as initially planned is projected to cost an additional $1.3 million, while it’s projected to cost $250,000 more to rebuild it with historic elements.

The Reinvestment Agency’s board — composed of Salt Lake City Council members — is currently leaning toward the rebuild, as it would come with strong benefits and a lower cost, said Councilman Dan Dugan, the board’s chairman.

“I think we’re still leaning on the idea that we want to keep the building (intact) as much as we can,” he told KSL after the meeting.

The Salt Lake Mattress Company was built in 1907, and it has lasted through many changes in the area. The Reinvestment Agency acquired the building over 20 years ago with the intent of preserving it and including it in the city’s plans to redevelop the Rio Grande District.

USA Climbing agreed to incorporate the building in its plans for a headquarters and climbing gym, which received city support in 2024. It planned to make some adjustments to the building to align it with a new facility to be constructed next to it.

But, on top of its deteriorating state, it was one of several historic buildings that suffered damage from the 2020 earthquake, said Ashley Ogden, a senior project manager for the Reinvestment Agency.

Climbing USA’s request comes after pre-construction teams determined that “additional structural reinforcement” is needed to adaptively reuse the building, while “swaths” of the building’s historic brick were recommended for removal and replacement due to stability concerns, according to a city report.

It is seeking to reconstruct the building with concrete masonry block that is “clad with the historic brick,” and designed “similar to what would be achieved via adaptive reuse.”

The additional $250,000 — or up to $1.3 million if the city prefers the original plan — is more than the governing body would be able to absorb, said Steve Brown, a development consultant representing Climbing USA.

He added that Okland Construction, hired to undertake the project, anticipates being able to proceed with the project, with the sole adjustment requested.

“We’re pretty confident that we can satisfy the needs at $6.25 million,” he told the board.

The request struck a nerve with some board members because of the city’s original goal of preserving the piece of city history. The entire project, which includes a new building next to the historic structure and a plaza for training, a commercial gym and events, has already received over $20 million in public funds, too, added Salt Lake City Councilwoman Erika Carlsen, as she expressed her hesitancy to add more to that.

Many historic buildings don’t have proper seismic standards, too, which is something that should also be considered, countered Councilwoman Eva Lopez Chavez, the board’s vice chairwoman. She noted that what’s being proposed is similar to what developers ultimately did with the historic Pickle & Hide building in the Granary District.

While the board is leaning toward the rebuild option, some suggested ways to reduce project costs to absorb the increase. There was a discussion over whether to see policies for future historic building discussions, to encourage more preservation.

Dugan expects potential pushback from preservation advocates, but he said he believes groups would agree with the project savings to rebuild the structure.

“In our current market, you just can’t throw money at it,” he told KSL, adding that the city remains committed to preserving the area’s history while celebrating new growth.

He anticipates the measure could be voted on as early as the board’s next meeting, which is slated for Feb. 10.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KSL verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Utah Marine goes viral with TikTok invite to country music star

By Julia Sandor

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    BLUFFDALE, Utah (KSTU) — The U.S. Marine Corps community in Utah is smaller than in many other states, but like the others, they will be joining in this year’s 250th birthday celebration honoring the Corps.

The local festivities kick off Friday at the Marine Corps ball, where it’s not uncommon for Marines to invite their significant others, or in some cases, a celebrity. But one Utah Marine has everyone talking thanks to a viral social media video.

“It’s a lottery ticket,” explained Gunnery Sgt. Stephen Corson.

Actually, it’s just a 0.5 to 2 percent chance that Corson will have a celebrity date to take to the ball.

“It’s like a Marine Corps thing. People are always just inviting different celebrities, and I had joked about it in the office, like I’ll invite somebody,” said Corson.

Who’s the lucky lady?

“I was like, I’ll invite Ella Langley,” he said. “Nobody believed I would do it. It took me about three weeks before I actually made the video and threw it up. I had to think about it a bit. I didn’t want to come off too bad. I think it came out pretty funny. That was the goal. To make somebody laugh.”

Over 1.6 million TikTok views and 150,000 likes later, Corson admits there’s still a small chance Langley will be “Choosing Utah.”

“It’s probably about .2 percent now. It’s never zero, I guess,” he said.

Corson isn’t just offering his date a nice night out; the Marine Corps Ball comes with tradition.

Inside the ball, Staff Sgt. Brenden Cole Jones shared how Marines focus on customs, ceremonies, and celebrations.

“The main reason we do it is to get the Marines together, gain camaraderie, and it’s not only about the Marines, but also about the spouses as well, because our spouses sacrifice a lot as well,” he explained.

All Corson is asking is that Ella come to see that tradition for herself. But he’s running out of time, and hoping to get that RSVP soon.

“Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,” he said of the deadline. “That’s 72. About 79, 80 hours.”

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