Stories in this list received the most page views on SummitDaily.com from Jan 11-17. 

1. CDOT says dry winter and Broncos’ winning streak may have contributed to 3% drop in traffic at I-70 tunnels

Traffic on the Interstate 70 mountain corridor dropped nearly 3% in 2025 compared to 2024, according to Colorado Department of Transportation data.

Traffic counts show just less than 12.6 million vehicles drove through the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels in 2025, one of the lowest totals since 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted traffic patterns nationwide.

“Year-over-year I-70 traffic volumes fluctuate based on several variables, such as holiday timing and road conditions,” CDOT communications manager Austyn Dineen said in an email. “Consequently, these comparisons are not always apples-to-apples.”

Compared to 2024, the number of drivers on I-70 was down nearly every month last year, except for November. In November 2025, a total of about 862,750 passed through the tunnels, compared to less than 838,500 in November 2024, a nearly 3% increase year-over-year. That is despite November 2024 being exceptionally snowy, with Copper Mountain reporting 100 inches by the end of the month, and November 2025 being particularly dry.

— Ryan Spencer

2. Court records reveal text messages referencing plan for mass shooting in Breckenridge and ‘the resort’

A Breckenridge man arrested on charges related to an accusation of threatening a mass shooting sent messages to another person that stated he planned to target Breckenridge, according to an arrest affidavit.

Deputies arrested Nathaniel Zabik, 44, around 3 p.m. Jan. 7 after receiving reports from two individuals and the Federal Bureau of Investigation identifying him as a risk to himself and others. Zabik appeared in court Jan. 9, where Summit County Court Judge Robert Gregory set his bond at $25,000 cash only.

One report came from a person who told law enforcement they saw Zabik post messages on social media indicating he wanted to kill others and himself. Another report came from a person who messaged with Zabik on Facebook Messenger on Jan. 7 and shared screenshots of the messages with law enforcement. In the messages, Zabik stated he planned to kill people “at the resort” and, around 1:45 p.m., stated he had “2 hours left,” according to the affidavit.

— Kyle McCabe

3. Death of man in custody of Dillon Keystone Police Department prompts state investigation

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation will lead an investigation into an in-custody death that occurred in Summit County on Jan. 12.

Dillon Keystone Police officers first contacted the 43-year-old man Jan. 11 when they pulled him over for driving without a license plate, according to a Bureau of Investigation news release. When asked for his driver’s license and registration, the man drove away, and officers did not pursue the vehicle.

On Jan. 12, officers spotted the man’s car parked at Keystone Resort. They waited nearby to arrest him on charges including eluding police the day before and three outstanding warrants, two of which were felonies. Officers saw him leave the ski resort and abandon his car near Keystone employee housing. A police drone visually tracked him, according to the release.

— Summit Daily staff

4. Mountain lion sightings prompt county to issue safety reminder, put up warning signs

Recent sightings of a female mountain lion and her cub in Summit County have led the county to put up “mountain lion in area” signs near Dillon.

In a Facebook post, the Summit County government stated the signs are posted at the Straight Creek Ponds neighborhood in Dillon Valley and the lower Tenderfoot Mountain trails. There have not been any incidents with the mountain lions, which are acting normally and seem to be afraid of humans, the post stated.

Wildlife is active in the winter, especially around dawn and dusk, the post stated. All sightings of the mountain lions have been between 6-7 a.m. The post reminds residents to keep their dogs on leashes and advises that, if they need to scare off a mountain lion, they should yell and throw rocks.

— Summit Daily staff

5. Vacant homes could be taxed in Colorado to pay for affordable housing under lawmakers’ proposal

Homes that sit empty throughout the year could be taxed by local governments in Colorado to help pay for affordable housing, under a new bill being proposed by state lawmakers. 

House Bill 36 would allow county, city and town governments to ask voters whether to impose an excise or property tax — or both — on homes that the government deems vacant. The measure is sponsored by Reps. Elizabeth Velasco, D-Glenwood Springs, and Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. 

The idea has been in the works for some time. Local governments had been pushing for a vacancy tax bill to be introduced during last year’s legislative session, but no legislation ever came forward. 

If passed by lawmakers this year, it would be a first-of-its-kind measure in the state for local governments. 

Some ski towns have attempted to implement vacancy taxes before, but none have been successful. Crested Butte voters in 2021 rejected a vacancy tax at the ballot box, while the Steamboat Springs city council voted last year against referring a vacancy tax measure to their voters. Opponents of the Steamboat measure argued that a vacancy tax would have been constitutionally unsound. HB 36 aims to give local communities explicit authority to levy such a tax. 

— Robert Tann