car leading vehicles alternating east and westbound. c-dot estimates the slide caused $2-$5 million in damage. it may ask for a federal disaster declaration freeing more money for repair. wind has been whipping up and downtown the front range and-- down the front range and in the mountain. a worker was getting blown all over the place, shout out for brett young, the guy up top trying to get the lights back on in estes. high wind warnings are in the mountains and front range. gusts could reach 100 miles an hour, strength of a category 2 hurricane. then the heat, kathy sabine, we broke an 86-year-old record in denver. >> how about that? february, no less. 73, a record that was set in 1930. average highs this time of year are mid 40s but the big story is the wind. outside it is gusty in denver and the front range. the down sloping winds pugged temperatureinize-- pushed

we will not see that tomorrow. some gusts around frisco were close to 100 miles an hour this afternoon. wind damage expected with some trees coming down, some reports of fences coming down, the high wind warning extended out through noon tomorrow for areas north, west, and south of the metro, downtown denver not included but it is plenty windy here in the city. areas of blowing snow will be an issue if you are headed up i-70. winter weather and travel advisories are in effect. the snow has begun in the northern and central mountains. the drive home tonight, 2 hands on the wheel but at least, kyle, the temperatures are mild, almost feels like spring outside. >> 2 hands on the steering wheel and sun roof open. not surprising considering the conditions, a grass fire briefly blew up and out of control today. fire in northern weld county this morning burned one stricture northeast of greeley. firefighters were not able to

the trial for a woman removing an unborn baby from a second day today. they say wilkins had a large cut on her abdamen, wounds-- abdomen, wounds on her neck. not. they argue the doctor who performed an autopsy on the baby should not be allowed in court. attorney beck called it irrelevant because lane is not charged with murder. >> there is no charge against aurora. she is not a victim in this case. the people have not charged any crimes of, um, murder in the first degree against her, attempted murder, she simply is not an issue in the legal sense in this case. >> the judge agreed and the autopsy will not be discussed in court. the prosecution said it showed several items from the house, including 2 knives, lane lowered her eyes when the evidence was

a suspect is facing dui charge for a crash that killed a 40-year-old mother on valentine's day at 80th and sheridan. jose cruz was the driver, monica zapata died, cruz is charged with vehicular homicide and assault. a deputy injured in a crash responding to a homicide last week is in critical condition 8 days later. billiformen was injured february 10, the same day the sheriff's office was going to recognize for his 25 years of service for arapahoe county. police set up a donation site. if you would like to help, we have a link on 9news.com. there is a better way to do this, on dealing with colorado's homeless population, nick mcgill looks at how the proposed solutions were made and how they are being received by the city of denver.

are treating homeless residents in the state. >> kaurlt can do better when it comes to handling homeless, according to a study from the university of denver. >> a local municipalities criminalizing homelessness for doing things like sleeping, being in public, that kind of thing. >> the study looks add the biggest cities and examines the laws and ordinances that researchers say target the homeless population, like pan handling and camping bans. >> they are saying you can't be in public spaces when they have no where else to go. >> michael says some of the ordinances borden on being unconstitutional and cities like denver and fort collins have criminalized less fortunate instead of finding ways to help them. >> there is a history in the united states of laws that target individuals and exclude them because of their status. >> denver disagrees. >> we are actually doing all of that work right now and then some.

for the city and county's office of behavioral administrategies. >> committed to not just addressing homelessness but to address the issues often mental health and substance abuse. >> she said last year denver spent more than $40 million on homelessness, including $30 million in support and $6 million in shelter, she says outweighs the money spent otherwise. >> trying to get the right services at the right time. >> criminalizing individuals because of activities that are part of their daily lives, of their lived existence undermine the goal of providing services. >> homeless advocates say the key to solving the homeless problem may lie somewhere in the middle. >> a balanced approach is the best. some folks need help. lets help them. right? but lets give other people the opportunity to be self sufficient. >> inspite of all the efforts of

step 13, homelessness is a fact of life here. in denver, nick mcgill, 9 news. >> the city said it is interested in hearing ideas from du how to tweak what is being done now to help. a bill to limit colorado statute of limitations on sexual assault, bills prompted by claims against cosby. 2 women from colorado said they were assaulted decades ago. they can't press charges because of the statute of limitations, the new proposal would extend 10-20 years, one more vote in the democrat controlled house sends the bill to the senate. colorado has a distinction in leading the country in legalized marijuana and could be marijuana. tomorrow a state house committee debates whether colorado will regulate organic labels, a federal government normally regulates organic standards, but

organic and there is no way to tell whether it is. the bill would direct a third party to create regulations. it doesn't say which pesticides would be off limits for organic growers. less than 2 weeks until colorado's caucuses and chelsea clinton campaigned in denver today on behalf of her mother, she spoke at university of denver with america ferrera, bill clinton will be speaking in support of his wife in pueblo and colorado springs sunday afternoon. the caucuses are the night of march 1. jo2 days before the one in denver, clinton leads sanders nationally but the lead is shrinking fast, 53% of primary voters back clinton. 42 supported sanders. 11-point lead for clinton but down from her 25-point edge a month ago. sun, snow, record-warm temperatures, what we can expect

forecast. college is expensive, there is help for students. a deputy becomes a dog's

our partners at college in colorado say last year more than $12 million in free money went unclaimed because people didn't fill out the fafsa. nelson garcia explains how the form can help all kinds of students. >> to reflect health insurance costs $20 a month is absurde. >> she goes the difference

>> there are more single mothers. >>... and real work. 3 is a 39-year-old single mother taking classes full time at metro state. >> we can change your future right now. >> she said she wouldn't be here if not for the free application for federal student aid, the fafsa. >> to fill it out, apply for callerships, why incur debt if there is assistance for you? >> we have a lot of grant funding and, you know, work study funding and scholarship funding to give them. we can't if they don't fill it out. >> aaron is a financial aid counselor for msu denver and says too many students forego fafsa. >> i wish students would not be intimidated and ask for help and seek that grant money so we can give it to them. it is free money, they don't have to pay it back. >> extremely important for students to, not only fill out the fafsa but fill it out early. >> real work...

so students can get to the homework with as little real debt as possible. >> 18-year-olds and 99-year-old people who want an education. >> it absolutely is for everyone. traditional students, nontraditional. >> all kinds of students looking for help to go to college. in denver, nelson garcia, 9 news. >> there is a special section on the fafsa on 9news.com, with everything you need to know and we have the 20 plus locations for college goal sunday. college and colorado will provide free help filling out the form. we have a traffic update for you that ties into kind of breaking news story that has to do with our high winds, we are watching a c-dot camera now and this is by dry creek county line road, traffic is heavy and we are told that i-25 and light rail is closed in both

county line because the ikea sign has been damaged by winds, according to south metro fire. once again, if you are expecting someone home and you haven't left work and are watching us or keeping tabs online, know that i-25 light rail closed both directions after high wind damages the ikea sign. we will update has the night progresses. closing rtd light rail in both directions, 300 children, on to the next story, die before their first birthday every year, many born prematurely, one of the facts uncovered is whether a baby lives or dies could depend on a child's rafe. african american babies are 3 times more likely to die than caucasian infants in the first 12 months of life. researchers say complications are not tied to income or education but the stress of the mother. locally and nationally doctors agree stress is related to racism and isolation.

that is true for people of all races. what is fascinating is that african americans have such significantly higher rates of this kind of cortisole in their hair, suggesting a correlation. >> tonight at 9:00 and 10:00, a study is aimed at healthy mothers have successful pregnancys and we talk with mothers who lost children too soon. cinnamon is her name, one lucky dog. a jefferson county deputy was around when the golden retriever fell through the ice on a pond near evergreen. deputy brook saw the dog struggling yesterday afternoon and happened to have a rescue rope with him and handed it to a by stander and he went after the dog. cinnamon was under the water, he rushed her to the vote and the loan tree veterinary hospital

i am going to need my ponytail for the 10:00 news if this keeps up. gusty winds just hitting the front range so hard, we are getting records of wind damage

winds blowing 25-50 miles an hour, down sloping winds push temperatures into record territory, the record in 1930. the average high is 47 this time of year and look at the high in lamar, crazy warm temperatures but this is the warmest day of the week. winds at the airport may create airport delays, do call ahead. here in the backyard the wind comes, kind of gos and it is just gusty up and down the front range with 66 degrees at the 6:00 hour. the high wind warning is extended until noon tomorrow. we had gusts over 70 and 80, even 90 miles an hour over some of the high er passes. this high wind warning extendd to the northeastern plains and into southeastern wyoming through noon friday. high fire danger of prime concern in southeastern colorado with low humidity values, gusty winds and wind advisories across the western slope and that means areas of blowing snow for those leded up the i-70 corridor.

the winds shift east, we will have a clear day tomorrow, less overnight tonight and mid-morning tomorrow and temperatures will be mild but recorded today. as a matter of fact, the heat is shifting to the south. cool air follows the system through but down sloping winds prevent any rain and snow in the lower elevations. instead, the atmosphere simply dries it out and comes as really gusty winds which move out of the southwest and shift out of the northwest overnight and subside mid-morning tomorrow but i-25. things do improve in the afternoon. we have winter weather and travel advisories out. winter storm warning for 8 inches of snow south of steamboat, aspen and vail, a quick burst of snow overnight tonight and tomorrow. lows fall into the teens, mild overnight lows on the plains, and then temperatures still above average tomorrow but not in record territory.

will be less wind after the morning drive. denver weather forecast for tonight, high wind warning west of i-25. partly cloudy, low, 35. gusty winds continue overnight through mid-morning, temperatures cooler but way above average tomorrow. we do see a little bit of a cooling trend headed into the weekend and the chance for a rain or snow shower monday night into tuesday morning with cooler temperatures as we kick off next week with the cool down which is short lived. sports is next. hi, everybody, the rockies finished last place and did nothing to improve their starting pitching. first day of spring training in scottsdale, arizona. david, chris, john gray, yohan, same dudes, hopefully different result. >> we didn't make the big acquisition but we have guys that will be a part of it that

you know, i am optimistic about our starting rotation. >> there is a dangerous trap game in colorado springs tonight, for both teams. we are live, 9 news sports reporter aaron matas is at the broad more world arena. hi, aaron. >> reporter: this is the forgotten game. du and colorado college are getting ready to play outdoors at coors field on saturday. but first game 1 of the series here in the spring, the pioneers said all week they have to focus on thursday's game before worrying about saturday but it will be tough. they are coming off a huge sweep of second-ranked north dakota. a game at coors on deck it would contest. >> a great challenge for leadership and coaching staff to thursday's game. it will be tough because it is a special event and, you know, the best way i think of it is the

down on the timeline as ccdu forever, a bullet point on the coors field game. it is a really special time, so it will be tough to stay focused thursday but i think we have the right personnel to do it. >> reporter: the battle is saturday, drew, we call this the battle at the broadmore, feels like having to finish your vegetables so you can enjoy desert. >> i say skip the veggies. thanks. opening night of the 81st annual state high school wrestling tournament. 9 news reporter taylor tenby is live wearing a singlet. >> reporter: i think i started to scare people, i had to change. it emptied before the 4-a and 5-a wrestlers. we have 27 returning state

6 are going for their third straight title. 5-a, pomona has one, gut-airies won in previous years, this year he will be taking on competition at the 120 pound weight class. his teammate won as a freshman last year going for a back to back state title. this time wrestling 132. pelona had the most qualifiers of any 5-a school with 12. in 4-a, 3 wrestlers going for the 3-pete. thompson valley's simington, the defending 4-a champ at 160 pounds. finally tonight, we see pueblo county, jr. hunter willis wrestle 152, his twin also a

several companies had weak earnings, dow fell 40, n&p lost

tonight did kanye taylor swift over the edge? >> you'll want to hear what ea's saying about t now. then blake lively's new york

find out what has style experts so up in arms. >> and taylor is rocking the new body at almost 30 yeaold. and we have former soprano's star after her c battle. >> we had to ask you if would confirm reports that you are expecting a bab boy. >> plus inside the top secret dating app. stars hooking up other stars, who's on it? the "e.t" expose. now for february 18, 2016, th "entertainment tonight." >> adele makes a stunning confession about crying, how her tears. she is going to tell you about it in jus few minutes. >> but we start with kanye west,