Author: KRDO

Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Drivers now have some relief from the twists and narrow lanes they’ve endured during the ongoing construction project along 1.5 miles of I-25 between Fillmore Street and Garden of the Gods Road.

Two weeks ago, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) opened the three rebuilt northbound lanes; they’re wider, straighter, and feature a wider shoulder and new guardrail.

An interesting aspect of the new lanes is that they come to within only a few feet of Sinton Road, a frontage road along the east side of that segment of I-25.

That raises the question of how CDOT will find room to build the acceleration and deceleration lanes that will be designed to reduce the traffic bottleneck in that area and improve traffic flow by giving drivers more time to merge onto and off of the freeway.

Patti Henschen, a CDOT engineer, said that the final alignment for those lanes has yet to be finalized.

“The auxiliary lanes won’t be available until the median work is complete and the lanes are put into their final configuration next summer,” she explained. “We’ll have all three lanes, the auxiliary lanes, and we’ll have one final overlay throughout the project.”

The southbound lanes will have more space to work around, as CDOT next improves those lanes to match the new northbound configuration.

Crews will also finish work on the median — ultimately building a concrete dividing wall — and make more drainage upgrades.

Another objective is to install more lighting to better illuminate the area at night.

“There are currently seven of the new overhead lights placed in the completed median,” Henschen said. “We do have temporary lights along the median or along the west side of the project. We’re expected to put up more temporary lights while we get the permanent lights coming.”

The project has already replaced the two bridges over Ellston Street and made significant drainage improvements.

Work on the $62 million project started in the fall of 2023 and is scheduled for completion late next summer.

Click here to follow the original article.

Celeste Springer

PARKER, Colo. (KRDO) — The bravery of four women has resulted in the conviction of a man accused of drugging and sexually assaulting them.

56-year-old David Kats of Parker, Colorado was found guilty 17 counts, which included 12 counts of sexual assault, the DA’s office says.

Prosecutors say his crimes were exposed through a popular Facebook group where local women discuss men they’re dating. The group first became popular for exposing cheaters, but it has since evolved to include warnings about abusive or dangerous men.

Through posts on the page, four survivors of Kats’ ultimately learned of their shared experiences; the district attorney’s office says each of them had met with Kats, but after being served drinks by him, blacked out and were sexually assaulted. The women then banded together and contacted the Parker Police Department.

“The bravery these women demonstrated by taking the stand and facing this predator cannot be overstated,” said Chief Deputy DA Danielle Jaramillo. “Because of their courage, David Kats will finally be held accountable for the harm he caused.”

According to prosecutors, Parker police searched Kats’ home and found “numerous substances used to incapacitate victims.”

The district attorney’s office says that during the trial, Kats claimed everything was consensual, but the court was shown text messages from victims confronting him about being drugged.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 23rd, and faces anything from probation to life in prison, the DA’s office says.

“Despite the nature of the predatory conduct and the 17 convictions, Colorado’s offender-friendly legislature makes these 17 offenses…wait for it…probation-eligible. Our hope is that the court takes a view of justice that sends a message to other sexual predators that prison is the only just outcome for behavior like this,” District Attorney George Brauchler said.

Click here to follow the original article.

Bradley Davis

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – The Pueblo zoo has rolled out new Electricritters displays this year as it surpasses 150,000 lights across its property.

All the light sculptures, many of them interactive, are built by the Pueblo Community College welding program.

Wednesday night is “adults only” night. It’s pretty much the same, but with spiked hot chocolate and 3-D glasses for the lights.

Electricritters is open each night from 5:30-8:30 p.m. through December 28, except for Christmas Eve and Christmas. The zoo closes the gates to new admissions at 8 p.m.

For non-zoo members, it’s $9.50 for adults and $7.50 for children on standard admission days. Wednesday’s “Adults Only” night is $20 and includes a drink ticket.

Click here to follow the original article.

Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Traffic was reduced from three lanes to one lane in each direction overnight Tuesday as crews continued working on the last of two traffic safety projects on Garden of the Gods Road (GOGR).

Similar closures are scheduled overnight Wednesday, between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.

In the current phase, crews are building and installing new traffic signals on the road, two blocks east of Interstate 25, at the intersections of Northpark Drive and Mark Dabling Boulevard.

The overnight work follows the daytime work that has already begun.

Todd Frisbie, the city’s head traffic engineer, said that the existing signals that hang on wires will be replaced by lights on a mast arm, such as the arms currently in place at the nearby intersection of GOGR, Austin Bluffs Parkway, and Nevada Avenue.

“They’ll allow us to operate the signals a little differently and give us some flexibility on how we operate left turns,” he explained. “We could do time-of-day, protected-only left turns. That’s a safety measure. Also, some pedestrian enhancements are going on at those two intersections.”

One such enhancement is what Frisbie calls a “re-service” function.

“You know how you can get to an intersection, and you press the crossing button, but you’re too late?” he said. “With the re-service, if there’s time still in the cycle, you can come up, push the button, and you’ll get another walk signal to help you cross.”

Last week, crews completed the project’s first phase — building three left-turn medians on GOGR, west of I-25, several blocks between the freeway and Chestnut Street.

Two of the three turn medians direct traffic to the south side of GOGR, where many popular restaurants and other businesses are located.

The goal is to reduce crashes caused by dangerous left turns across the six lanes of traffic in both directions.

Under the new traffic alignment, drivers can no longer turn left onto the road when leaving business parking lots.

That project also required temporary lane shifts and closures.

Signs are posted to prohibit U-turns, but violations are common as westbound GOGR drivers turn around to reach In-N-Out, The Juicy Seafood, and other busy restaurants in the area.

The city acquired a Colorado Department of Transportation grant of nearly $2 million to fund the improvements, which should be finished by the end of the year.

Click here to follow the original article.

Bradley Davis

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – The free Grassroots Gravel Roadside Repair Basics class gathers support and outreach groups from all across the Steel City to get people out and riding.

Adam Davidson started the program as a way to help get more community members excited about biking ahead of the annual Pueblo Grassroots Gravel ride each October. Since its start, Davidson has partnered with the city, local bike experts and the Boys and Girls Club of Pueblo.

Grassroots Gravel has become a year-long program (really a “training plan”) for the Boys and Girls Club children. The kids commit to signing up for the race, then join the free classes throughout the year and get their bikes (and themselves) in riding shape.

“We have one specifically who’s really been a part of this outdoor programming, and to see him just really connect with biking, and see a sillier side of him that we normally never see, is just huge,” said Boys and Girls Club of Pueblo outdoor equity and education manager, Yenny Espinosa Niño.

The free class is open to everyone. It’s Tuesday, December 23, at the El Centro De Quinto Sol recreation Center. It’s from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Free registration is required.

Click here to follow the original article.

Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — An alumnus of the Fountain Valley School of Colorado (FVS) has donated $10 million to the school, according to a press release.

According to school officials, W. Jerome Frautschi graduated from the school in 1949 before carrying out his life in Wisconsin.

“Jerry Frautschi’s generosity has helped define Fountain Valley School across generations,” said Head of School Megan Harlan in a press release. “As a proud alumnus from the Class of 1949, Jerry understands the lifelong impact of an FVS education. This historic gift honors his decades of commitment while securing two of the most essential pillars of any school: our campus and our faculty.”

According to the school, the donation– which is the largest in its 95-year history– will go towards campus preservation as well as staff recruitment and retention.

Click here to follow the original article.

Scott Harrison

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Rockslides are not uncommon in this mountain town, but after two vehicles were crushed by falling rocks on Lovers Lane this summer, officials are taking action.

A safety project is in its second week along the west end of the lane, between Lafayette Road and Cañon Avenue.

Crews have temporarily installed concrete barriers along an area with cliffs above, to protect traffic and pedestrians from falling rocks.

The rockslide in late August came after heavy rain and crushed two vehicles parked near two private parking spaces; no one was injured.

Maniotou Springs is situated in a narrow valley surrounded by cliffs, making the town vulnerable to rockfalls and flash flooding.

Officials have also temporarily turned Lovers Lane into a one-way street, allowing only westbound traffic.

The lane is more like an alley behind businesses along Cañon Avenue and Manitou Avenue.

Mirage Wolf, an employee at a nearby coffee shop, said that a co-worker owned one of the two cars destroyed and that the co-worker received help in getting it replaced.

“I’d like to see that part of the road closed permanently,” Wolf said. “Maybe if they just close this part where the rocks are falling, and just have this part for parking for the residents who live right up here, and then we have shops up here.”

On Monday afternoon, Ben Schmitt, Manitou’s public works director, said that the town is working on an engineering solution to the Lovers Lane rockfall risk that will cost approximately $125,000.

“The most cost-effective option is to apply netting over the (cliffs) in that area, similar to what CDOT (Colorado Department of Transportation) does with rocks on US 24 in Ute Pass,” he explained.

Schmitt also said that the city will undertake a study to determine if there are other areas of town with a high rockfall risk.

“As of right now, I don’t know of anywhere else where the danger is as high as it is on Lovers Lane,” he said.

Rockfalls also closed Rainbow Falls, a popular nearby attraction, in 2021; it reopened last summer with new safety measures and parking relocated to another area with shuttle service.

Click here to follow the original article.

Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – As part of the Pikes Peak Library District’s (PPLD) standard programming, instructors will teach teens how to create their own miniature bookshelf model at no cost.

The class is called “Build your own Miniature Library.” The final two are at the Ruth Holley Library Meeting Room on Wednesday from 4-5 p.m. and on December 30th at the Fountain Library Meeting Room from 2-3 p.m.

“Growing up, I was part of an art program that was free in the community, and it was really instrumental in who I became as an adult,” said PPLD Senior Library Associate in Programming, Bradley Butzin.

Butzin develops different crafting programs, like the miniature library. He puts together boxes with all the supplies and instructions and delivers them to the different libraries across the PPLD for their classes.

A miniature bookshelf is a replica storage space of your favorite page turners. The library provides all the crafting materials, including miniature-bound books to add to your shelf. It can be used like the National Parks passport books. Each time you complete a book, you add a miniature version to your bookshelf.

PPLD hosts different crafting classes for kids, teens and adults throughout the year, like the upcoming custom photo album class for adults across different libraries starting in 2026.

“I love crafting. I love being able to translate that to other people and to give others the opportunity to get what I got out of it,” Butzin said.

No-cost registration is required for both dates. Registration for the Fountain Library date opens December 20. You can register for Wednesday’s event here.

Click here to follow the original article.

Marina Garcia

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – As Jewish communities around the world mark the first day of Hanukkah, a celebration of faith and dedication, one local rabbi is leaning into joy, even in the wake of tragedy. 

On Sunday, Rabbi Jay Sherwood led a community candle lighting ceremony to welcome the festival of Hanukkah.

He says he refuses to let the meaning of the holiday be minimized, but instead is harnessing its power to get through the mass shooting that occurred on Sydney’s Bondi Beach in Australia.

“The miracle of Hanukkah really is the miracle of light that we live in dark times. And when we live in dark times, we have the opportunity to bring light into the world,” says Rabbi Sherwood.

The community gathered to eat traditional foods like jelly donuts and fill the room with music.

“That’s what the Hanukkah miracle is, that the Jewish people have survived over centuries and over millennia, to be able to take the light of the torah and bring it into the world,” says Rabbi Sherwood.

However, this year’s holiday celebration was a little different than those in years past.

“We had a horrible terrorist attack in Australia on a celebration of the light of Hanukkah. Last I heard, there were 15 or 16 who had died. There are several more who are still in critical condition. We don’t know what’s going to happen with them over the next few days. We pray for their recovery,” says Rabbi Sherwood.

The Rabbi says, nevertheless, joy will not be taken away from the holiday.

“In fact, we are going to try to bring more joy into the holiday so that we can bring more light,” says Rabbi Sherwood.

For the next eight nights, a candle will be lit, which the Rabbi tells us is symbolic of more miracles.

Click here to follow the original article.

Michael Logerwell

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – A tradition to honor our fallen soldiers is underway across the nation.

This weekend, volunteers for Wreaths Across America spent the morning laying down wreaths at the headstones of our nation’s veterans at Pikes Peak National Cemetery.

The act is about much more than holiday decorations. It’s an opportunity to recognize each headstone as a person, a soldier, and a hero to our nation.

“When you have a wreath, you walk up to the headstone, and you say the person’s name because that’s one of the things about when someone passes, or someone dies, right? Their names are never spoken again, and so that’s one way to honor who that person is, whether you know that person or not,” said a volunteer

Wreaths Across America started in 1992. The organization depends on volunteers and donations to make sure every headstone gets a wreath.

On Saturday, organizers say around 2,000 people came out in support of our fallen heroes.

Click here to follow the original article.