Krystal Lee sentenced, says 'I am sorry that I did not save Kelsey'; Ben Garland carries AFA pedigree into third Super Bowl; Trump says marijuana causes 'IQ problem' in Colorado

All the news you can use in a bite-sized format Hi {NAME}, Good morning and welcome to another gorgeous day around Colorado Springs - clear, blue skies with a fresh coat of snow on Pikes Peak (see photo below). We get a full day of sunny skies before a chance of snow returns Wednesday. The hype for Super Bowl LIV between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs is ramping up. If you need a reason to follow the big game or the 49ers, look no further than Air Force Academy graduate and Colorado native Ben Garland, who is playing in his third Super Bowl. Garland's path to the 49ers is unique and his story is inspirational on multiple levels...[Read more.]( In superfluous news, today is National Plan for Vacation Day, National Kazoo Day, Data Privacy Day, National Blueberry Pancake Day and National Have Fun at Work Day. Without further ado, here are 5 things worth sharing today. 1. Krystal Jean Lee, a former Idaho nurse who scrubbed blood from the Woodland Park town house where Patrick Frazee fatally beat his fiancée Kelsey Berreth with a baseball bat, was sentenced Tuesday to 3 years in prison. Wearing her hair in a French braid and no makeup, Lee, 33, stood sniffling as Teller County District Judge Scott Sells sentenced her beyond the presumptive range, imposing the maximum under her plea agreement. “The most important thing I have to say is how sorry I am,” Lee said through sobs, describing “nightmares” over her guilt. “I am sorry that I did not save Kelsey.”...[Read more.]( 2. President Donald Trump ruminates about the effects of marijuana on IQ points and traffic accidents in Colorado in comments recorded secretly at a 2018 dinner with donors, including a central figure in the Ukraine scandal that led to the president's impeachment. In the recording, Trump expresses skepticism about the effects of marijuana in Colorado, the first state to legalize recreational pot. “In Colorado, they have more accidents,” Trump says, adding, “It does cause an IQ problem.” A man identified as Donald Trump Jr., Trump's oldest son, interjects: “I will say this, between that and alcohol, as far as I’m concerned, alcohol does much more damage."...[Read more.]( 3. Bar Louie, the bar and restaurant chain, closed its location over the weekend at the First & Main Town Center on Colorado Springs' east side as part of a bankruptcy filing Monday. The Bar Louie at 3255 Cinema Point was one of 38 to close nationwide, including locations in Westminster, Centennial and Fort Collins, according to national news reports. The Colorado Springs location had opened in November 2014...[Read more.]( 4. A Colorado Springs mother and her toddler were found dead Friday in a murder-suicide in Rocky Mountain National Park, officials in Larimer County confirmed Monday. Park rangers found the bodies of Tristen Watson, 24, and her 17-month-old son, Christopher, on the Beaver Meadow Trail on Friday while investigating a report of a "suicidal subject." An online obituary also lists the death of Aspen Ann Watson, presumably the unborn daughter Watson was expecting in June, which she announced on her Facebook page...[Read more.]( 5. For most Air Force Academy cadets, the only objective in dressing for in-processing is to deflect attention as they are whisked away to basic training. Mason Taylor reported for duty in June in a Kobe Bryant jersey. “I always admired his work ethic and the way he goes and attacks every situation,” said Taylor, reflecting on the NBA icon who died Sunday along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles. “Every situation in life, not only on the court.”...[Read more.]( Bonu[s content]( - [Village Inn closes Colorado Springs-area location; parent company seeks bankruptcy protection]( - [Justin Bieber announces Denver stadium concert]( - [Enjoy your oyster fix at home in Colorado Springs]( - [Colorado Springs won't look at cannabis club options under new law]( - [Legendary Colorado TV, radio and newspaper personality to join The Gazette, Colorado Politics as columnist]( Photo of the day - Meet Gazette Preps' Peak Performer of the Week, Coronado senior wrestler Angel Flores, who is 27-1 in matches this season and has won three straight tournament titles. Our Peak Performer profile is sponsored by Pizza Hut. [Read the story and see video here.]( Thank you for reading! If you like this newsletter and want to support it, forward this email to a friend. If you’re seeing this newsletter for the first time, [you can subscribe here]( free. No spam. Unsubscribe whenever you want.  Jerry Herman Jerry Herman is a journalist and The Gazette's Digital Director He's a graduate of Minnesota State-Moorhead and is a lifelong fan of the Minnesota Twins who's feeling pretty after that Josh Donaldson signing. Twitter - [@coloherman]( Email - jerry.herman@gazette.com [Subscribe to this Newsletter!]( [Subscribe to free Gazette podcasts!]( The Colorado Springs Gazette, L.L.C. | 100 E. Pikes Peak Ave., Suite 100, Colorado Springs, CO 80903 [Unsubscribe {EMAIL}]( [Update Profile]( | [Our Privacy Policy]( | [About Constant Contact]( Sent by noreply@gazette.com