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5 Things to Know for Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Posted at 4:50 AM, Dec 18, 2019
and last updated 2019-12-18 09:58:10-05

Good morning southern Colorado and here's what you need to know on your Wednesday morning.

If you'd like to read the full story, be sure to click on the story headline.
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Bitter cold morning with warmer air returning this afternoon

Despite the snow pack, sunshine will help to push out temperatures into the 40s and a few 50s across the region. We'll keep melting down pavement and lead to messy drives to and from work. Overnight we'll see clouds move in that will keep temperatures in the 20s and teens.

News5 Investigates follows-up on asbestos-related apartment evacuations

Following up on our report of large apartment complexes in Colorado Springs evacuated following positive tests for asbestos, our Eric Ross is told the hundreds of tenants displaced are being helped. Yet there's no detail being provided about the extent of problems at Thrive at Park's Edge or Thrive at the Incline that would justify evacuating everyone. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment currently has an open investigation to determine the extent of the alleged asbestos contamination and whether proper permits were pulled for renovation work which may have disturbed the asbestos.

Impeachment vote expected today

Today marks just the third time in history that the House of Representatives sits poised to officially impeach a U.S. President. After weeks of hearings and contentious debate the House is scheduled to vote tonight on two Articles of Impeachment against President Trump. News5 will carry the event live on KOAA-TV and online with KOAA.

Defense spending bill includes big money for Colorado, establishes Space Force

The US House of Representatives approved a $1.4 trillion spending deal that would avert a government shutdown this weekend. The two bill package will provide $738 billion in funding for the military and $632 billion for non-defense agencies. The measure will fund the creation of a US Space Force which is set to be based in Colorado Springs. There's $322 million in military construction projects in the city, including $148 million for the construction of the Space Operations Facility at Schriever Air Force Base.

Patrick Frazee assigned to Colorado prison

Convicted murderer Patrick Frazee is now assigned to a Colorado prison to serve his life sentence following almost 11 months of being held in the Teller County Jail. According to the Department of Corrections, Frazee is now an inmate the Colorado State Prison in Cañon City. He was convicted last month of first degree murder for the death of his former fiancée Kelsey Berreth. His former girlfriend, Krystal Kenney, awaits sentencing on tampering with evidence.