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Colorado gold mine tour guide identified as victim killed in elevator mishap: 'A good man,' sheriff says

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Colorado gold mine tour guide identified as victim killed in elevator mishap: 'A good man,' sheriff says

A tour guide was the lone death after an elevator malfunction inside a former Colorado gold mine turned popular tourist attraction trapped 23 people as far as 1,000 feet underground, authorities said Friday. 

Patrick Weier, 46, was killed during the incident at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine in Cripple Creek, the Teller County Sheriff’s Office said. 

Weier, a mine tour guide, left behind a seven-year-old child.  

“He was a good man,” Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell told reporters during a news conference Friday. “My feelings are that he was attempting to make everybody safe. I don’t know what occurred though. . . . But I do know that, for us and what it looks like, he may have been a hero from the beginning.

“Anytime you’re dealing with heavy machinery and 1,000-foot level, up to [the] 500[-foot] level in a mine, there could be accidents. And this was a tragic accident.”

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AURORA POLICE DENY TREN DE ARAGUA GANG HAS ‘TAKEN OVER’ THE CITY IN PRESSER: ‘NOT AN IMMIGRATION ISSUE’

Several people were rescued after becoming trapped in a former Colorado gold mine on Thursday. (KMGH)

According to officials, the elevator inside the mine experienced a mechanical failure at about 500 feet around noon Thursday. 

Details about the deadly incident remain under investigation by several agencies, including OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

“We are immensely grateful for the quick response of all the agencies involved and are holding everyone in our prayers,” said Cripple Creek Mayor Annie Durham.

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Eleven people, including two children, who had been riding in the elevator were initially rescued. Four people sustained minor injuries including back pain, neck pain and arm pain, the sheriff said.

IDAHO HUNTER BITTEN BY GRIZZLY DESCRIBES ‘SURPRISE’ ATTACK 

The Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine Tour in Cripple Creek, Colo., is located in a historic mining town just south of Colorado Springs. Guided tours inside the former gold mine are a popular tourist destination in the area.  (Getty Images)

Twelve other adults were trapped 1,000 feet below and were rescued roughly six hours later. They had access to water, blankets and used radios to communicate with authorities, who told them there was an elevator issue, Mikesell said. They were also fed pizza, which they requested, Mikesell said. 

The family-owned mine will remain closed. 

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“We would like to send our prayers and condolences to everyone involved. We would also like to thank all of the first responders and emergency personnel who helped us through such a difficult time. The Mollie Kathleen will be closed until further notice,” its website states. 

On Thursday, Colorado Gov., Jared Polis said he was “saddened to learn of the loss of a life in this tragic accident and my heart goes out to the family and loved ones during this difficult time.”

Tarps cover the entrance to a mine, where several people were rescued Thursday after getting trapped inside the former Colorado gold mine. (KMGH)

The mine opened in the 1800s and closed in 1961, before re-opening to conduct educational tours for the last several decades. 

Its website describes a one-hour tour in which visitors descend 1,000 feet underground into a “safe, clean and dry” environment. 

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The mine was scheduled to host its last day of the season on Sunday. 

 

Mollie Kathleen Gortner discovered the site of the mine in 1891, when she saw quartz laced with gold, according to the company’s website.

Thursday’s mishap wasn’t the first for the mine. Officials on Friday referred to an unspecified incident in 1986.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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New Mexico

Federal fraud trial against former New Mexico lawmaker pushed back to August

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Federal fraud trial against former New Mexico lawmaker pushed back to August


ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The federal fraud case against a former New Mexico state lawmaker is getting delayed again. Former Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton is accused of swindling millions from Albuquerque Public Schools, funneling the money through the district to a robotics company owned by a friend, Joseph Johnson. A judge had scheduled the trial for […]



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Oregon

Oregon Lottery Pick 4 results for March 5

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The Oregon Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at March 5, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Pick 4 numbers from March 5 drawing

1PM: 6-6-8-1

4PM: 7-4-6-0

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7PM: 5-6-5-2

10PM: 3-5-4-4

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Oregon Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 7:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 7:59 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 4: 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. daily.
  • Win for Life: 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
  • Megabucks: 7:29 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Oregon editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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Utah

Utah Blanks Philadelphia, 3-0 | Utah Mammoth

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Utah Blanks Philadelphia, 3-0 | Utah Mammoth


Schmaltz’s 24 goals this season are a new career-high. He’s been a consistently strong presence and has taken on more responsibility with the switch from wing to center. His goal on the power play came just eight seconds into the man-advantage and opened the scoring early in the second period. In addition to his goal, he had an assist on Utah’s second goal of the game. Tourigny discussed Schmaltz’s maturity following the win.

“He’s a mature person, mature man,” Tourigny explained. “He really wants to make a difference. I always say about Schmaltz, (he’s) a gamer. He wants to play in those moments, and I think he’s excited about where our team is at, and he wants to be a big part of it, and he is. He’s a huge leader for us.”

Utah held Philadelphia to 16 total shots: four in the first period, seven in the second, and five in the third. The Mammoth showed their strong defensive game in the win.

“I think that’s when we’re at our best, when we’re defending hard,” Schmaltz said. “We’re playing with a lot of pace, not giving them time and space, frustrating them, and making them force plays, and then we turn it over and go the other way.”

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On the flip side, against a stingy Philadelphia defense, Utah generated 23 shots including 14 in the second period. Schmaltz spoke to what led to the increased opportunities in the middle frame.

“A little bit more direct,” Schmaltz shared. “I think our transition game was really good. We were catching them, kind of hemming them in. Good line changes and just rolling them over and shooting a little bit more.”

In addition to Schmaltz’s goal, Captain Clayton Keller scored his 19th of the season seven and half minutes after his linemate’s tally to increase the score to 2-0. Michael Carcone’s empty net goal with 1:48 left in regulation secured the 3-0 win.

Additional Notes from Tonight (per Mammoth PR)

  • The Mammoth’s power play went 1-for-2 against the Flyers. Utah has scored seven power play goals in seven games (7-for-18, 38.9%). On the other side of special teams, the Mammoth’s penalty kill went 3-for-3.
  • JJ Peterka played his 300th NHL game. Peterka was selected 34th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft and is the ninth player from his draft class to reach the milestone. He is also just the eighth German-born forward in NHL history to accomplish the feat.
  • Keller has recorded 11 points in his last seven games (2/2-3/5: 3g, 8a), finding the scoresheet in six of those contests.
  • With two assists tonight, Dylan Guenther has posted his second straight multi-point outing (3/3 at WSH: 1g, 1a) and his third in five games (2/25 vs. COL: 2g).

Utah has won the first two games of a five-game road trip. Up next, the Mammoth travel to Columbus and face the Blue Jackets on Saturday night.

Upcoming Schedule

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