Stories in this list received the most page views on postindependent from September 15-22.

1. Jury finds Glenwood Caverns liable for over $200 million in wrongful death lawsuit 

After nearly seven hours of deliberation on Friday night, the jury on the Glenwood Caverns wrongful death lawsuit returned with a verdict.  

The jury found the defendants Glenwood Caverns Holdings LLC, Soaring Eagle and the two individuals operating the ride liable in the death of 6-year-old Wongel Estifanos, who died at the adventure park in 2021. 

Soaring Eagle is the company that designed the ride.

Wongel, visiting with her family from Colorado Springs, died on Sept. 5, 2021, after not being securely strapped into the then named “Haunted Mine Drop,” a 110-foot freefall ride — later renamed the “Crystal Tower.” 

A state investigation later determined the 6-year-old was sitting on top of her seatbelt and was not secured when the ride began. The park was fined $68,000 by the state following the accident. 

-Jaymin Kanzer 

2. Satellite SOS signals from ‘PLBs’ have sent Colorado search-and-rescue officials to thrift stores, landfills and even a zoo. But most are false alarms

Colorado search-and-rescue officials have been chasing satellite SOS signals around the state, sometimes tracking them to thrift stores, landfills and other bizarre locations.

Personal locator beacons, often called PLBs, allow backcountry travelers to signal for help by bouncing an alert off satellites. Only, in recent years, the portable, battery-powered devices — which are different from satellite communicators like the Garmin InReach — have been sending off distress signals when nobody is in danger.

“The vast majority of PLB activations are incidental activations, whether that is through device malfunction, through misuse, through accidental activation,” said Jay Christianson, a public information officer with the Colorado Search and Rescue Association. “The list of reasons they get activated is quite large, but the vast majority are incidental.”

-Ryan Spencer 

3.Mural vandalized at Bookcliffs Arts Center in Rifle 

The Bookcliffs Arts Center in Rifle discovered vandalism on one of its murals last weekend — red spray paint across a scene of aspen trees.

Amy Cox, the center’s groundskeeper and a member at large, said it is the third time the facility has experienced vandalism.

“This is a completely new and totally different tag,” Cox said. “This wasn’t for anyone to see. It’s straight-up vandalism.”

Cox said the placement of the spray paint suggested there was no intent other than to damage the artwork.

“You can’t see it well because it’s in the back and close to the houses near the center,” she said. “It was just hate.”

-Katherine Tomanek 

4. Glenwood Springs teacher launches nonprofit to support children of educators 

Glenwood Springs High School Spanish teacher Muriel Moore saw what she calls an “elephant in the room” when it comes to supporting educators.

“Teachers are so valuable, and the community cares about them so much,” Moore said. “But for some reason, they struggle so much financially, and it has become the elephant in the room. I thought if I could find a way to solve that problem, or at least try to help solve it, it could make a real difference.”

After months at the drawing board, Moore created the Western U.S. Teacher Appreciation Charitable Trust (Western U.S. TACT), a nonprofit that supports the children of teacher-parents.

-Jaymin Kanzer 

5.South Bridge toll decision to be reconsidered 

The Glenwood Springs City Council agreed Thursday to revisit its narrow Sept. 4 vote to include a toll in the South Bridge project, following pushback from residents, business leaders and former city officials who warned the move could put a $50 million federal grant at risk.

The 4-3 vote earlier this month directed staff to design the South Bridge with tolling, with Councilors Sumner Schacter, Ray Schmahl, David Townsley and Steve Smith in favor and Mayor Marco Dehm, Mayor Pro Tem Erin Zalinski and Councilor Mitchell Weimer opposed. The project, estimated at more than $80 million, depends heavily on the $50 million federal award. Transportation officials have since cautioned the city that tying a toll to the design could delay or derail approvals before the September 2026 deadline to obligate the funds.

Several former city leaders appeared during public comment to urge council to reconsider.

-Taylor Cramer