1. Teens witness mountain lion killing elk, capture it on video in Routt County

Four high school students happened upon a mountain lion attacking an elk on Wednesday, Feb. 9, in Routt County, and one of them caught it on video.

“Check out this video sent in by RMEF follower Hoyt Raffay outside of Oak Creek, Colorado,” the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation wrote in a video caption posted Thursday, Feb. 10, on Facebook.

The foundation’s post had more than 1,300 shares by 3 p.m. the next day. Almost 100 people had commented on the video as well. While some were rooting for the elk, others hoped the mountain lion got its meal.

2. Snow Mountain Stables employees charged with animal cruelty

Two employees of Snow Mountain Stables are facing 91 counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals, as well as three felony charges of cruelty to animals, following an investigation by the Grand County Sheriff’s Office.

Arrest warrants have been issued for Derek M. Zurface, 35, and Theresa A. LaGrande, 23, the ranch manager and a ranch hand at Snow Mountain Stables, according to the Grand County Sheriff’s Office. Neither Zurface nor LaGrande have been arrested yet, GCSO Public Information Officer Erin Opsahl said.

After receiving allegations of animal abuse and dead horses on the Snow Mountain Stables property, the sheriff’s office and the Colorado Humane Society conducted an investigation on Jan. 11-12, which resulted in the seizure of 144 horse and one horse being euthanized.

3. Fun facts and things to know about the 2022 Winter Olympic Games

Are you ready for the Olympics? Last week, reporter Matt Renoux from 9News and Ron Mooney from the Colorado Snowsports Museum spent the evening talking to a full house as well as viewers on Zoom about the 2022 Winter Games during the museum’s “Through the Lens” series.

Renoux has covered six Olympic Games in person during his career and also worked on preview stories in Tokyo in 2019 to share once the 2020 Olympics, which were actually held in 2021 due to COVID-19. Rooney has been to many Olympic Games and even sported his 1980 Olympic Winter Games t-shirt from Lake Placid, New York, with “Roni the Racoon” on it. Together, their knowledge of the Games past and present got the crowd amped for what’s coming in Beijing.

4. Irving third in men’s Olympic halfpipe qualifiers

Winter Park freeskier Birk Irving has become a consistent presence on the biggest stages, and his Winter Olympic debut on Wednesday night — or Thursday afternoon in China — went as well as he could have hoped.

Behind two strong runs, the 22-year-old Irving qualified through to the men’s halfpipe skiing finals in Zhangjiakou, which is a little more than 100 miles from Beijing, and will be among a 12-man finale seeking a spot on the Olympic podium when finals go down Friday night here in Colorado.

In the two-run qualifier, Irving finished third among the 23 skiers. His first-run score of 83.25 had him sitting in fourth place midway through, but his second-run score of 89.75 vaulted him up a spot, slightly edging out Nevada’s David Wise, who was fourth.

5. The Bowerbird’s Den embraces Granby’s artistic spirit

Granby’s newest home décor shop, The Bowerbird’s Den, celebrated its grand opening on Saturday. Autumn Bishop, who owns High Country Autumn’s Nest, opened the shop in January to offer unique, locally-made pieces.

The shop’s home is a historic 100-year-old building on main street. Renovations transformed the building into a sunny, open space, run with help from employees Jessica Smolleck and Jackie Edmundson.

The shop’s grand opening celebration offered coffee from Java Lava and brisket sandwiches through Fitch Ranch Meats and Market. Bryson Fields and Lesley Koehler were on hand to give tastings of their locally made Hell Yeah! Salsa, which is for sale at the shop.