Author: KRDO

Bradley Davis

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – The Finnish circus, “Circus Golden Star,” is finishing up its trip down I-25 this weekend with a showing in Pueblo during its first American Tour.

The circus’s slogan is “Where European elegance meets American charm.” The performers incorporate lots of live music in their acts, along with Eurpoean/style jugglers, acrobats and aeralists, and the traditional high-risk acts.

Finnish director Samir Lindfors started the circus in 2015 when he was just 19. He was the youngest circus director in the world at the time.

“I was 2 years old when I found my grandfather’s suitcase. He was an incredible juggler, and that’s the story of how Everything started, and now we’re here,” Lindfors said. “I was a performer. I had my own magic show 7 years before I started circus. So, it’s a long journey, and this is my dream to have another show in America.”

The circus is in town Thursday through Sunday. You can find tickets here.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — A $3 million project begins Monday to repave the 1.5-mile-long eastern end of Milton E. Proby Parkway leading to the Colorado Springs Airport.

The two-month project will first apply fresh asphalt to the inbound side, then to the outbound side, between Peak Innovation Way and the terminal.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane, with a speed limit of 15 mph, during repaving.

Crews will begin by milling, or removing, the old pavement, then seal cracks in the milled surface before applying new asphalt.

“A full replacement, a capital improvement there, probably hasn’t happened for the past 25 years,” said Bud Geng, the airport’s manager of design and construction. “There’s been some patchwork done, crack sealant done, but nothing to this magnitude.”

The project will be funded with federal dollars and airport revenue.

Last year, crews repaved the half-mile of the parkway from Peak Innovation Way to Powers Boulevard; next year, they’ll replace the concrete pavement in front of the terminal.

For questions, the COS Communications Center is available 24/7 at 719-550-1918; you can also check the airport’s social media sites.

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Rob Namnoum

On Tuesday, the Air Force football team held a Media Day. It was chance to get to talk with the players in a one on one setting. KRDO-13 Sports Director Rob Namnoum had fun with the access to the players.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – School Buzz on the Road takes us to the halls of Remington Elementary as D49 welcomes its first through fifth graders back into the classroom.

Kindergartners had their early start on Monday, but the rest of the elementary schoolers danced their way up the red carpet on Tuesday for their first day back from the summer.

“My heart fills back up again,” Principal Cassi MacArthur said about the first day. “When you see their little faces and their smiles light up, and you remember that there’s joy when you come here, and you’ve been a part of building, yeah, it means a lot.”

School Buzz on the Road will take you to different districts throughout the next couple of weeks as students and teachers prepare for a return to the classroom.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The recent trend toward increasing school safety for drivers and pedestrians continues as District 49 becomes the first local district to resume classes.

At Vista Ridge High School, the district has its first 20 mph school safety zone at the two main entrances along Black Forest Road and Wolf Ridge Road.

One of the four sets of flashers wasn’t working; a repairman said that a faulty solar panel wasn’t charging the battery, and he expected to have it operating by late morning.

Another change involves a land deal with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) that was finalized on Monday, ending discussions that began a year ago.

CDOT will acquire a small parcel — less than an acre — that goes through a modular building at the Patriot High School for advanced learning, along US 24 in Falcon.

Specifically, CDOT will pay D49 $400,000 for a construction and maintenance easement as part of a 2.5-mile widening of the highway between Garrett and Woodmen Roads.

The easement also will include part of the school’s parking lot.

CDOT has been planning the project since 2016, plans to start next spring, and finish it in the summer of 2029 — around the same time that a CDOT roundabout project is scheduled to begin at the nearby intersection of US 24 and Judge Orr Road.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — First, it was the final stages of the Circle Drive bridge replacement project; then it was the start of building a new railroad crossing under the MLK Bypass to Hancock Expressway.

Now, a project in front of Colorado Springs Utilities’ (CSU) wastewater treatment facility is causing traffic impacts for drivers along Las Vegas Street.

The street is a mostly narrow two-lane corridor between Nevada Avenue and Highway 85/87 that borders the south city limits and the El Paso County boundary.

CSU is in the second month of a $30 million project to make upgrades at the facility, and work will continue into next year.

Construction requires closing the eastbound lane beside the facility, and traffic in both directions must alternate in using the westbound lane; officials have installed temporary traffic signals at each end of the work zone to guide traffic.

The new traffic alignment results in occasional long backups, especially during the day and rush hour periods.

During peak congestion, flaggers are on duty to prevent backups onto the Royer Street train crossing — which is expected to close next month.

Betsy Westerfield didn’t hear about the traffic change on Las Vegas and was about to bike through the work zone until she learned that Union Boulevard doesn’t connect there.

“Today I went this way just because I was trying to figure out a way that didn’t have as many hills because I’m feeling kind of tired this morning,” she explained. “It’s a lot more traffic than I was expecting, for sure. 

CSU is replacing three 50-year-old junction boxes that direct wastewater into the facility.

A utility spokesperson said that upgrading this infrastructure will improve reliability, reduce the risk of emergency repairs, and support long-term system performance.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The first day is all about first impressions.

Students haven’t seen most of their classmates in over two months. New school year, new you!

A local barbershop is doing its best to send students and teachers into their first day looking fresh at a price point everyone can afford.

The Highly Favored Barbershop, right off of S 8th Street, is offering free haircuts to students and teachers on Thursday. It’s first-come, first-served from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

“We just want to make sure we’re giving back and just make sure kids are starting off with a fresh haircut, especially those that can’t afford it,” said Highly Favored Barbershop owner Jacob Gonzales.

If Thursday doesn’t work for you, the shop is also offering $15 haircuts for students and teachers on Friday and Saturday during the same time-frame.

A faith-based barbershop, Gonzales said he wants to help families who can’t afford a $45 haircut.

“Just being able to bring life to people, it just means a lot through free haircuts because those haircuts are going to boost self-esteem,” Gonzales said.

The shop is also doing a clothing and uniform donation drive. If you have clothing you would like to donate, you can drop it off at the barbershop.

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Michael Logerwell

HUERFANO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – A Sunday afternoon lightning strike almost created huge problems for first responders in Huerfano and Custer Counties.

Just after 3:30 P.M., the Custer County Sheriff’s Office alerted the public to a plume of smoke coming up from a wildfire just five miles from the Custer-Huerfano County Line in Huerfano County.

A mutual aid request was made because the fire sparked in a place that vehicles couldn’t get to.

Firefighters putting out the Huerfano County Fire

Thankfully, crews were able to reach the fire before it could spread. The Huerfano County Sheriff’s Office says a United States Forest Service Hot Shot Team and one volunteer firefighter extinguished the blaze. The final size estimation was 1/4 of an acre. A helicopter water drop on the fire also helped.

At the scene of the fire, first responders determined that a lightning strike hitting three trees caused the small fire.

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Michael Logerwell

FOUNTAIN, Colo. (KRDO) – Cassandra Estrada says it’s been a long 24 hours.

“I haven’t eaten. I haven’t slept very much,” Estrada said. That’s because Estrada says someone stole her iguana.

On Friday morning, Estrada left Juana the iguana in her apartment when she went off to work. While she was still at work, Juana escaped the apartment and was spotted by neighbors walking down the same street Estrada lives on in Fountain.

A video of the iguana walking around made it to Facebook; Estrada says this led to an unknown woman contacting a poster to come pick up the iguana. Her story was that her ex-husband let the pet out.

Estrada says that’s not true, and since then she’s searched all over for Juana with no luck.

“My husband joined the army; that’s what brought us here [to Fountain]. So while he was on his deployments, his rotations, she [Juana] was like pretty much my support baby,” Estrada said.

Estrada has also filed a report with the Fountain Police Department. A spokesperson for FPD told KRDO13 they do have an active case concerning the iguana theft.

Adding to Estrada’s concern is that Junana is pregnant with infertile eggs. That means the eggs won’t produce baby iguanas, but Estrada says the pregnancy could come with fatal complications if Juana is not properly cared for.

“I just hope that whoever has her will do the right thing and bring her back,” Estrada said.

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Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Colorado Springs Police Department confirms it is investigating a shooting at Memorial Park outside of downtown Colorado Springs.

KRDO13 has a news crew on scene and is working to learn more information.

This story will be updated.

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