Author: KRDO

Bradley Davis

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – The Center Toward Self-Reliance (CTSR) is working to help people with disabilities live independently through dozens of free programs as the government shutdown continues to strain personal funding.

“They’re not reliant on government. They’re not reliant on people who might be strangers. We want them to be self-reliant, and these kids can pull it off and we’re sure of that,” Executive Director Bill Edwards said.

CTSR works with people with both physical and cognitive disabilities. Its programs range from job training and placement, outfitting homes with handholds and other aids, loaning out disability equipment for free, transitioning people from nursing homes to community-based living, helping individuals with yard and household chores, and more.

“These kids will go out and interview, and they get bypassed all the time because people make assumptions,” Independent Living Director Bonnie Clark said.

Bill Edwards with CTSR said a large percentage of their client base is struggling with the SNAP cuts during the government shutdown. He said their food pantry is strained from a flood of new requests, and he’s having to refer people to other food pantries around town to keep up with the demand.

“The SNAP benefits they were relying on are no longer there, and because of that, we’ve gotten a flood of calls,” Edwards said.

CTSR has a job training program specifically for children and young adults ages 14 to 24. The organization works with Pueblo District 60 and District 70 students.

“Once we’ve gotten them placed and get them out there doing the job, they realize these kids are very capable and very skilled and more reliable than many people are,” Clark said.

Edwards said the goal of CTSR is to help individuals live independently, so disruptions like the SNAP cuts aren’t as burdensome.

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Scott Harrison

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — A nearly 50-year-old bridge will close on Monday as crews begin a repair project that isn’t scheduled for completion until early April.

The Mel Harmon Bridge is slightly east of the Interstate 25/US 50/Highway 47 interchange; a ramp (Mel Harmon Drive) connects to the four-lane bridge that crosses the Union Pacific Railroad tracks and Hart Road (a route to the nearby Pueblo Mall) and intersects with the I-25 Frontage Road.

Workers will improve the bridge structure, resurface the lanes, and make safety upgrades.

The bridge remained open as of noon Monday.

The city asks drivers to detour around the closure by accessing Frontage Road from its south end at 29th Street.

Frontage Road has two restaurants and a hotel north of the bridge, with several furniture stores and other home-related businesses on the south end.

Two former restaurants on the south end — Denny’s and KFC — closed years ago and have been boarded up ever since.

The nearest business to the bridge is 3 Margarita’s, a Mexican restaurant purchased by new owner Ricardo Alvarado.

“We’re struggling right now to put it in a good place,” he said. “The restaurant is not bad. They get some good sales. So, that’s why we decided to buy. But I think if those guys close the bridge, it’s going to be hard to bring (customers in).”

The bridge closure detour could considerably increase traffic congestion on northbound I-25 at the 29th Street interchange, which many drivers also use to get around the bridge closure at the next interchange to the south, where the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is replacing five bridges.

Pueblo is funding the bridge project with its own money and several CDOT grants, for a total cost of $1.3 million.

“It’s not the worst bridge that we have, but we also don’t want to wait until bridges get to a bad state because (then) they’re obviously way more expensive to repair,” said Andrew Hayes, the city’s public works director.

The bridge was named for noted community leader Mel Harmon and was built in 1976.

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Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Rampart High School band is still celebrating their 4A state championship title. Beyond this being the band’s second title in a row, it’s a repeat of history at Rampart. 

This Thursday, the Rampart Regiment put on their banner-winning performance at Rampart High School. Less than a week after that same performance earned them back-to-back state championships.

“We really had no doubt that we would do something great, and I think we were just excited to show other people how amazing it could be,” Alexandra Ross, a senior on the Rampart Band, said.

The Rams certainly left no doubt, claiming the high score in all three categories: Music Performance, Visual Performance, and General Effect en route to victory.

That victory didn’t come easy.

“All these band students spend hours outside in the sun,” Rampart Band Teacher Keith Acuncius said. The band started their training two full weeks before school even started.

“Everyone has to memorize all their music. Not only that, just like all those, like, steps and stuff, is a lot of memorization. And then it’s like every day,” said Ava Yost, a senior on the Rampart Band.

Last weekend marked Rampart’s second state championship in a row, which at a lot of other schools would be a monumental first–the top of the mountain.

But at Rampart it’s been done before.

In competitions at Denver’s Mile High Stadium in 2005 and Colorado State’s Sonny Lubick Field in 2006, the Rampart High School band went back-to-back.

“It was one of the most impactful I have ever had in my life,” said Robert Rodriguez, who was part of that 2006 title-winning group.

“Without Rampart, I genuinely do not know what I would be doing today,” Rodriguez said.

Today, Robert Rodriguez teaches drumline at Seaman High School and Washburn University in Kansas. 19 years ago, he was a 15-year-old entering the Rampart High School Regiment.

“It changed everything for me because all of a sudden they said, Hey, it’s not enough for you to just be a good musician. We need you to be deeper than that. We need you to be a strong person.”

Rodriguez said at that time he was coasting by on musical talent and wasn’t taking his academics very seriously. That changed when he transferred into Rampart High School and became part of the band, then led by Gary Arrowsmith and Chad Culver.

Rodriguez said it was that discipline and culture at Rampart that set him up for the future. He only spent one year at the school, but he carries those lessons and memories with him still.

“When I found out that they not only won state but did it again, I have no problem saying that it brought a tear to my eye,” Rodriguez admitted.

“This is my favorite thing that I’ve ever done. It’s built habits that I would probably not have without it, like, really good habits. I have amazing memories, and not only that, relationships that I will probably carry through the rest of my life,” Yost said, reflecting on her time in the regiment.

“I am thinking about every single one of those kids that just experienced that, that had that same feeling I did when I was 15, because for me, it changed the trajectory of my life,” Rodriguez said.

Congratulations to all the students and teachers a part of the Rampart Regiment.

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Marina Garcia

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Sunday morning, all of us had to adjust our clocks by one hour, and while daylight savings can be bothersome, an extra hour of sleep is always a good thing.

But for those living with Alzheimer’s, it can be a confusing change, causing agitation and discomfort, hastening the disorientation that comes with ‘sundowning’.

The term sundowning refers to a group of symptoms that occur in people with dementia. Those symptoms can include anxiety and delusions, and the daylight saving time change makes them worse.

We spoke to a woman living with Alzheimer’s, Joanna Fix, who was diagnosed at the young age of 48 years old.

“When it hits you in the middle of your life, you’re really on a planet. You’re so isolated that you’re kind of paralyzed for a time,” says Fix.

But after nine years, she and her husband say they’ve made adjustments to live a happy life.

They play games to implement cognitive training, they put the Christmas tree up early, so she remembers what season we are in, and she makes sure to get her daily exercise.

But there are still some inevitable obstacles, like daylight saving time.

“It’s nice to have an extra hour to do things, but it’s not nice when you are relying on your environment to move throughout your day,” says Fix.

KRDO13 spoke to a specialist who says this type of change can be very disorienting.

“It’s really important for family caregivers to be aware that this can be a challenge for their loved ones, because roughly 80% of all people living with Alzheimer’s are cared for at home,” says Jim Herlihy, Alzheimer’s Association vice president of communications.

And Joanna says her husband, who proposed to her after being diagnosed, is the support she wishes everyone had.

“Life is totally different, but it’s actually really good now. And I’m happy. I think my sweetheart is happy most of the time. I think the dogs are okay and happy. And, you’ve got to count your blessings, and I’ve lost count. I have so many,” says Fix.

Every case of dementia is different, with many variations. If you are a caregiver or someone seeking guidance, you can call a 24/7 helpline at 800-272-3900 to speak to a trained professional.

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Sadie Buggle

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Monument Academy has confirmed one of its now-former teachers was arrested in connection with a stabbing attack in Colorado Springs on Halloween night, which killed one and left two others in critical condition.

According to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD), 33-year-old Matthew Regnier was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, and one count of child abuse.

A spokesperson with Monument Academy in Lewis Palmer School District 38 has confirmed to KRDO13 that, prior to the stabbing, Regnier was an art teacher on their secondary campus and had served in the role since August 2023.

The school says Regnier’s employment was terminated, effective Nov. 2, after administration learned about the charges against him.

District 38 also confirmed Regnier served as a coach with the junior varsity soccer team at Palmer Ridge High School. He is no longer serving in that coaching role.

“This news is heartbreaking for our entire school community,” said Collin Vinchattle, the executive director of Monument Academy. “The safety, well-being, and trust of our students, families, and staff are our toppriorities. We are focused on providing care and support to those who may be affected.”

The school says it will be fully cooperating with law enforcement as the investigation continues, and that counseling services will be available to both students and staff as they process the news.

Background

On Oct. 31, Colorado Springs police were called out to a home on North El Paso Street. Upon arrival, officers found three people, one man and two women, who had been stabbed. Further inside the residence, officers found another man with minor stab wounds and a child, who was not injured in the attack.

The first three found by officers had suffered life-threatening injuries. The man later succumbed to those injuries at the hospital, while police say the two women are still being treated for their injuries.

CSPD said the man with minor wounds was also transported to the hospital for treatment before he was taken to the police station for questioning. The department has not said if the man found at the scene with minor injuries was Regnier.

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Marina Garcia

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – It’s the first day that SNAP benefits have not been distributed as the government shutdown continues. As a result, people are relying more heavily on food pantries and other resources, and KRDO13 witnessed it first-hand.

We visited various hunger relief programs in Colorado Springs and spoke to volunteers who are working to keep up with the increased demand.

At God’s Pantry, a volunteer, Mashana, tells me they took extra steps to make their food stretch.

“Today, we are giving away free food, and you can come in and get three items daily off the food shelf. Normally it’s five, but we’ve had a lot of people coming in for food, so we’ve had to drop it down,” says Mashana Reliford, God’s Pantry volunteer bookkeeper.

And in the parking lot of God’s Pantry was a food drive run by Compassion Food Distribution of Colorado, where families can get around $300 worth of food for only a fraction of the price.

“We have more cars today, but we try to service everyone. It’s already past 3:00. We normally just shut it down, but we have a lot of cars out there. So we don’t want to just turn everybody away,” says Donna Purvis, the supervisor for Compassion Food Distribution of Colorado.

And at Catholic Charities, they tell me more volunteers are needed.

“The calls have come in. They’ve increased significantly throughout October, with people concerned about whether or not SNAP was going to be available or not. And now we know it’s certainly not going to be available,” says Rochelle Schlortt, the Catholic Charities of Central Colorado chief communications officer.

This month, the non-profit says it’s looking at a fifty percent increase in recipients

“We’re going to see if we can get more volunteers to come in to help the people shop, to help get them signed in, and and more importantly, to help restock, during our open hours, so that the food is available so that they can shop for the things that their family needs,” says Schlortt.

On Friday, two federal judges ruled the government must use emergency funds to keep SNAP benefits available, but it’s currently not clear when or if assistance will be reinstated or how much.

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Michael Logerwell

FREMONT COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office apprehended a feather-covered bipedal running around in Penrose today, and no, it wasn’t someone still out celebrating Halloween.

The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office wrangled this emu, who was running around willy-nilly down on Fremont St & 7th St at 3 p.m.

They’re hoping to reunite the bird with their owner. If the owner of this beautiful bird is reading this article, please contact 719-276-5555 ext 8.

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Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – Less than half an hour after Pueblo’s 11th homicide of the year, Pueblo Police started investigating the city’s 12th homicide of the year.

At 2:49 A.M., Pueblo Police received a ShotSpotter notification reporting 27 rounds fired along W. 13th St in a residential area near El Pueblo Pride Park. Around that time, the dispatch center received a call reporting two people had been shot.

When officers arrived at the scene, they located the two victims, and both were transported to the hospital.

Then, hours later at 10:20 A.M., one of the victims succumbed to their injuries. The Pueblo Coroner has identified that person as Eric Torres, 21. The Coroner says Torres lived in Pueblo, and his next of kin has been notified. The second victim is in stable condition.

Police say that no suspects have been identified in this shooting. However, they say this appears to be a targeted shooting.

Police haven’t connected this shooting to the other shooting that happened less than half an hour before at the intersection of Acero Avenue and Anasazi Street.

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Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – The Pueblo Police Department says they’ve made an arrest in the city’s 11th homicide of the year.

25-year-old Darian Cocilo has been charged with 1st degree murder.

Mug shot provided by Pueblo Police Department

The police department says the shooting happened just before 2:30 in the morning on November 1st, when their shot spotter reported 15 rounds fired along Acero Ave & Anasazi St. That intersection is near the Mountain View Cemetery and Northern Ave.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found a man who appeared to have been shot. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner is identifying him as Bryce Woolery, a Pueblo resident.

Then the detectives arrested Cocilo, but a motive for the shooting hasn’t been made public.

Cocilo has also been charged with battery. He is currently being held in the Pueblo County Jail on a $750,000 cash bond.

Pueblo Police have not connected this shooting with the other fatal shooting that occurred less than half an hour later along W. 13th St.

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Samantha Hildebrandt

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)– Just before midnight, officers were called to a home on North El Paso Street for a disturbance. When they arrived, they found three adults with stab wounds — one man and two women.

All three were rushed to the hospital, where the man later died. Police say the two women suffered serious, life-threatening injuries.

A second man at the scene was also taken to the hospital with minor injuries and later brought to the police operations center for questioning. A young child inside the home was not hurt.

We have learned that last evening, police said they arrested 33-year-old Matthew Regnier. He’s being accused of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault, and child abuse.

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