Stories in this list received the most page views on SummitDaily.com in the past week.

1. Missing person found dead near County Commons in Frisco

After he was reported missing July 5, Craig Standlee, 56, was found dead near the County Commons in Frisco on July 8, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release July 14.

Members of the Sheriff’s Office were dispatched at 2:16 p.m. July 8, after receiving a report of a dead person near the County Commons. Officials reportedly discovered Standlee at camp in the woods nearby along with medication, paperwork and other personal items.

The Summit County Coroner’s Office positively identified the body as Standlee.

The Sheriff’s Office stated foul play is not suspected at this time.  

Prior to the officers finding his body, Standlee was last seen June 9 in Frisco.

— Luke Vidic

2. Police seize package of pills containing fentanyl from US Post Office that was en route to Copper Mountain

Police seized 115 pills containing fentanyl July 14 while it was en route to Copper Mountain, Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons said, after a tip came in about a suspicious package.

On July 13, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigations Section received information from the U.S. Postal Inspector and Drug Enforcement Administration of a package with pills that were presumed to contain fentanyl being shipped to Edge Employee Housing at Copper Mountain, the Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release.

After receiving the tip, the Summit County Sheriff’s Office conducted an undercover operation. The package was seized, and members of the Sheriff’s Office replaced it with a replica package, Fitzsimons said. Deputies then delivered the replica while undercover and took Anthony Wahl, 41, of Copper, into custody without incident, the Sheriff’s Office stated.

— Luke Vidic

3. New EPA guidelines on PFAS ‘forever chemicals’ put Frisco far over drinking water limits

Drinking water in Frisco is tainted with dangerous levels of the PFAS “forever chemicals” from suspected firefighting foam runoff into nearby creeks, according to new EPA guidance that radically lowered safety levels and sent state officials in search of cities with similarly compromised water systems.

More than 100 city and town water systems across the state also have test results for PFAS above the new EPA guidelines, state officials said July 11, though in some cases the amounts were so low they must be retested for lab errors or other factors.

In June, the EPA lowered its recommended guidelines for two of the thousands of PFAS variations, PFOA and PFOS, from a maximum of 70 parts per trillion in drinking water down to 0.004 and 0.02 parts per trillion, respectively.

— The Colorado Sun

4. Closure planned for I-70 eastbound in Glenwood Canyon on Wednesday, July 13

A closure for the eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 in Glenwood Springs was planned for July 13 the Colorado Department of Transportation announced in a news release.

The closure started at 10 a.m. and was scheduled to last about six hours, the release stated. Westbound lanes remained open.

“The length of the closure could change depending on weather and other variables, so CDOT asks that eastbound motorists plan alternate routes for the day,” the release stated. “Westbound I-70 will remain open. The eastbound closure is planned to start mid-morning to limit impacts on commuter traffic through the canyon.”

— Staff report

5. Leadville man found guilty of first-degree murder

Eric Christopher Gurule, 29, of Leadville, was found guilty June 22 of first-degree murder. Gurule murdered his uncle and former boss, Randy Flores, 55, in September 2020. The jury deliberated only a few hours before finding him guilty, the 5th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced in a news release.

Gurule faces life imprisonment in the Colorado Department of Corrections, and his sentencing is scheduled for 2 p.m July 29, the 5th Judicial District Attorney’s Office said.

Gurule was arrested by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office without incident Sept. 4, 2020, in connection with Flores’ death, the District Attorney’s Office said. After responding to a 911 call Sept. 3 and finding signs of a struggle and significant damage to the residence, a homicide investigation began immediately by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the 5th Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the District Attorney’s Office said.

— Luke Vidic