Lesh banned from public lands
Despite his protests that he needed time to retain a new attorney after his current one withdrew from the role, David Lesh was nevertheless officially banned from setting foot or snowmobile or any other device onto U.S. Forest Service lands.
The 35-year-old faces six misdemeanor charges for documenting his illegally going into Hanging Lake and for snowmobiling in a closed portion of the Keystone Ski Resort.
Lesh’s attorney’s wanting to cease his relationship as legal counsel in the case came from the defendant’s latest antics, in which he posted an Instagram photo to his personal account depicting him defecating into Maroon Lake on Oct. 21, though the validity of the photo came under question in U.S. District Court Friday.
To that end, U.S. Magistrate Gordon Gallagher additionally forbade Lesh from uploading any additional social media posts suggesting legal violations of any kind on federal lands.
Mission accomplished
Construction activities for the I-70 Glenwood Canyon Surface Improvements project are now complete, the Colorado Department of Transportation announced Friday.
That said, travelers should brace for traffic and delays related to the I-70 No Name Tunnel Lighting Replacement project, the announcement cautioned.
Additionally, all rest areas, river put-ins and the bike path in Glenwood Canyon remain closed following damage from the Grizzly Creek Fire. These closures allow CDOT, law enforcement and emergency services to quickly evacuate I-70 and Glenwood Canyon and to protect travelers and recreationists from possible mudslides, debris flow, rockfall and other hazards. CDOT asks that travelers use the Edwards and Rifle rest areas instead.
“A lot has been accomplished over the last eight months — including resurfacing I-70 with placement of thin bonded polyester concrete overlay on the westbound traffic deck between Hanging Lake and No Name, replacement of bridge joints and bearings, new pavement markings and ADA ramp improvements at rest areas,” the CDOT statement said.
In all, crews repaired or replaced six bridge joints, completed repairs to the westbound bridge deck, paved 95,000 square yards of polyester concrete (approximately five miles of roadway) and upgraded 28 pedestrian ramps to meet current Americans with Disabilities Act standards throughout the canyon rest areas.
