Author: KRDO

Josh Helmuth

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — No matter how many years pass, to Gene Yancey, 9/11 feels like yesterday. It was a day that would forever change him. And it’s a day he’s been turning into something beautiful ever since.

Yancey’s daughter, Kathy Yancey LaBorie, was killed on United Airlines Flight 175 twenty-five years ago Friday. She was the lead flight attendant on the plane, the second to strike the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001.

Watching the horror unfold on live television, Yancey’s wife knew right away.

“She said to me, ‘That’s Kathy’s plane,'” he recalled. “And I said, ‘How do you know?’ Because she told me she would call me from L.A., and so I know it’s her.”

“That hit me like a ton of bricks,” said Yancey.

LaBorie was a Mitchell High School graduate who had a tremendously successful aviation career. On 9/11, she was steps away from the terrorists who would take her plane.

“She was feisty,” said Yancey. “She was only five-one, and she would have done everything she could to keep those guys, those terrorists, from taking over the plane,” he said.

The walls of his home are covered in her memory. Photos of a woman he calls the light of his life. A runner-up for Miss Colorado Springs. A woman he loved and still misses every single day.

“Very fresh still,” he said when asked if the loss still feels recent.

His salvation?

Painting.

At 91 years young, Yancey still paints for his daughter. And he does so out of a storage closet he converted into a makeshift studio, with every canvas carrying the same subtle dedication.

“Every time I start painting, I know what it’s going for,” he said. “It’s going for a tribute to her.”

In each painting, Yancey includes an eagle, his symbol for Kathy.

“She was a wonder,” he said. “The light of my life. I miss her terribly.”

Yancey sells each painting. All proceeds to the Kathryn Yancey Scholarship Fund, which benefits Mitchell High School’s Junior ROTC program. This is the scholarship’s 25th year. It has raised roughly $50,000, with Wings Credit Union among those who have donated.

If you’d like to donate, you can send contributions to:

Charles Zimkas, Chairman

Kathryn Yancey Scholarship Fund

8085 De Anza Peak Trail

Colorado Springs, CO 80924

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Bradley Davis

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Over 250 first responders locally and across the country climbed the Manitou Incline in their full gear at 6:46 a.m. Friday morning, the exact time locally that American Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower on 9/11.

At 2,011 feet of climbing, the Manitou Incline is almost the exact height first responders had to climb in both towers on 9/11. It’s become one of the most well-known traditions nationwide while honoring 9/11.

“It’s really sobering because we get to the top, we get to take our gear off,” said Manitou Springs assistant Fire Chief Andrew Winchell. “The crews that were climbing, they knew when they got to that floor they were going to fight the hardest high-rise fire of their lives, and unfortunately they didn’t get the chance to actually do that.”

Thousands enlisted in the military after the 9/11 attacks, and thousands more already signed up, like Travis Kaufman, felt inspired to renew their service.

“I was just going to do my four-year enlistment and get out of the army,” Kaufman said. 25 years later, 8 combat deployments. Yeah, I think it changed for a lot of us.

In previous years, the hike started at 8:46 a.m., the time the first plane hit in New York. For the 25th anniversary, organizers instead made the choice to start at the time American Flight 11 hit locally, 25 years ago today.

“The day after 9/11, people were so close, and to see where we are now is kind of hard, but it’s nice to see all these people gather and remember the things that make us great,” said veteran of the War on Terror, Jeremy Cook.

The group paused at five significant timestamps during the climb for a moment of silence.

7:03 AM – United Flight 175 hits the South Tower7:37 AM – American Flight 77 hits the Pentagon7:59 AM – The South Tower collapses8:03 AM – United Flight 93 crashes into a field in Pennsylvania8:28 AM – The North Tower collapses

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Julia Donovan

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Colorado Springs could soon find itself on one of the culinary world’s most prestigious lists.

The Michelin Guide is expected to announce its Colorado selections next Monday, Sept. 14, potentially marking the first time restaurants in Colorado Springs receive recognition from the famed dining guide. KRDO13 spoke with local food critic and journalist Matt Schniper about what the Michelin Guide’s arrival could mean for the local food scene.

Why is Colorado Springs eligible now?

According to Schniper, Colorado Springs and most of the rest of Colorado were not previously part of Michelin’s inspection territory because the necessary tourism funding had not been in place.

“In the previous years it was only Denver and some of the mountain towns that had paid to be considered,” Schniper said.

This year, Colorado tourism organizations and communities contributed together, allowing Michelin to send inspectors across the state for consideration.

“For the first time, because everyone ponied up together, they had enough money to basically send Michelin inspectors statewide,” Schniper said.

That means Colorado Springs restaurants are now potentially in the running alongside restaurants in Denver and Colorado’s mountain communities.

Who decides which restaurants get a Michelin star?

One of the biggest mysteries surrounding the process is where Michelin’s inspectors actually dine.

“We don’t know,” Schniper said. “The inspectors are anonymous. They will not tell you where they’ve been.”

That secrecy makes it impossible to know for certain which Colorado Springs restaurants were evaluated, if any.

“We can’t even say that they conclusively came to Colorado Springs,” Schniper said. “We can only assume, since we’re the second largest market [in Colorado], that they did come here.”

The anonymous nature of the inspections adds an element of mystery to the upcoming announcement.

“It’s kind of cloak and dagger,” Schniper said.

Which Colorado Springs restaurants could be recognized?

While nobody outside Michelin knows which restaurants will make the cut, Schniper said one local name stands out as a speculative favorite: The Broadmoor.

The Broadmoor already holds five-star and five-diamond designations, which Schniper said demonstrate the resort’s ability to maintain high standards.

Another restaurant and chef he believes could attract Michelin’s attention is Four by Brother Luck.

Schniper pointed to Luck’s TV appearances on Top Chef and Beat Bobby Flay, as factors that could put the restaurant on Michelin’s radar.

Still, Schniper said he’s hoping the eventual list has some unexpected names on it.

“I hope there’s some surprises,” he said.

Michelin recognition isn’t just about stars

Even if a Colorado Springs restaurant doesn’t receive a Michelin star, there are other forms of recognition that could come with the guide’s statewide debut.

Schniper noted that Michelin also awards Bib Gourmand distinctions, which recognize restaurants offering good food at a good value.

The guide also includes Michelin Recommended restaurants, which gives recognition to restaurants that may be more approachable than traditional Michelin-starred destinations.

“I think we have a handful that could be recommended,” Schniper said.

When will we know?

The Michelin Guide’s Colorado selections are expected to be announced Monday, Sept. 14.

KRDO13 will have an update when the guide drops, including whether any restaurants in Colorado Springs or elsewhere in Southern Colorado receive a Michelin star or other Michelin recognition.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Saber Six Foundation has helped reunite 16 combat veterans of Task Force Saber in Colorado Springs to help them find community and healing in the Rocky Mountains.

“What we’re doing at Saber Six Foundation is to try and bring combat units together because that type of bond is unbreakable and unshakable. They have an infinite amount of trust because they would die for the person in the foxhole next to them,” said Saber Six Foundation Executive Director and Army Veteran Christine Krych.

Care and Share CEO Nate Springer was one of the 800 soldiers deployed with Task Force Saber from 2007 to 2008. He said the 9/11 attacks profoundly impacted all of their lives, and the unit is still working through the trauma of what he called a particularly rough 450-day deployment.

Some of the visiting veterans haven’t seen their combat mates since the deployment ended 19 years ago. Retired Colonel Christopher Kolenda founded the Saber Six Foundation in 2022 to honor his six paratrooper soldiers killed during the Task Force Saber deployment.

“Johnny and I haven’t seen each other in 19 years, but if 10 years ago, if I called Johnny out of the blue and said I needed help, he would have come,” Springer said of his combat mate, Johnny Holley.

“Oh absolutely. Point blank. Drop everything and move out,” Holley said.

The organization’s mission is to inspire healing and community by reuniting combat veterans with their mates. The non-profit has a week of activities planned for the 16 veterans on its Colorado retreat, from a moment of silence on top of Pikes Peak to breathing exercises and therapy services.

The Saber Six Foundation is actively trying to branch out to help other combat units reunite. If you are interested in reuniting your combat unit, you can find more information here.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Many residents of the upscale Flying Horse neighborhood are seeing major construction there for the first time since the first houses were built around 2005.

Three of four planned bridges are taking shape, under which Powers Boulevard traffic will eventually extend north from the Highway 83 interchange, through part of the original Flying Horse golf course, and under the new Voyager Parkway bridge.

The Voyager bridge, completed two years ago, connects to the already-finished west end of the Powers extension to Interstate 25.

Crews have erected the first pillars on the bridge under Flying Horse Club Drive, wedged between a row of homes and the Classic Homes parking lot.

West of that bridge, preliminary work has begun on a pedestrian bridge that will connect to the golf course.

Construction of a third bridge on Ridgeline Drive has cut that street in half, closing it at both ends and requiring detours.

A fourth bridge over Black Squirrel Creek — yet to be built — will be the largest of the overall Powers extension.

As KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior reported earlier this week, the project includes redesigning the Powers/Highway 83 interchange to the south.

Gayle Sturdivant, deputy public works director for Colorado Springs, said the bridges—after completion—will prevent any disruption to traffic through Flying Horse.

“It helps us advance the city bridges so there’s less disruption to the neighborhood when mainline construction starts,” she explained. “And the construction contractor will be able to go underneath them. So, they’re staying off the local roads during construction in the future.”

Officials have planned the Powers extension for decades, so many Flying Horse neighbors have expected it; but some worry about how much noise will be produced by future traffic.

“We’re told that the level of noise will not be disturbing to the community,” said Priscilla Kennedy. “I question that. I’m not sure. My question to the builders is, once the road is completed, will they do another noise assessment?”

Some of the earth mounds formed by construction crews are nearly as high as the roofs of some homes.

City officials expect the extension work to continue through 2030, at a total cost of $140 million.

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Scott Harrison

FREMONT COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — What’s been a loud, dusty spring and summer in the town of Penrose will continue into early fall.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) revealed that crews found more damaged concrete panels on Highway 115 since their original assessment in April and May.

Wayne Pittman, a CDOT engineer, said crews found more than 200 additional panels needing repair or replacement, bringing the total to over 500.

“In the original assessment, southbound was the worst, and northbound was a little bit better,” he explained. “The surface was kind of tricking them on their initial assessment.”

Pittman said that the average panel depth is eight inches, and crews first expected to perform surface treatments that would remove a maximum of three inches.

“But once they got down to that depth, they decided they needed to go full-depth, because the concrete was just in that bad of shape,” he said.

Crews are currently sawing panels, sealing panel joints, and smoothing the pavement.

Work was supposed to end this month, but has now been extended until late next month.

CDOT had to secure $200,000 in additional funding to cover the extra construction required, raising the project’s total cost to nearly $4 million.

It appears that both northbound lanes of Highway 115 through Penrose are now open, while one southbound lane remains closed.

Pittman said that the project should extend the life of the pavement by 20 years, after which it will need a full replacement of the panels.

The pavement’s age and condition, constant heavy truck traffic, and groundwater infiltration are what led to the CDOT project.

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Bradley Davis

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – The Parkinson’s Association of the Rockies (PAR) is hosting its annual “Pueblo Vitality Walk” on Saturday to bring the community together in its fight against Parkinson’s.

Participants can register for free at 8 a.m. on Saturday. The walk starts at 9 a.m. from the Pueblo Boathouse event center on the Riverwalk. There will be two loops: a one-mile loop and a one and a half-mile loop.

These vitality walks are what allow us to go from having one class a week to having two classes a week,” PAR boxing instructor Hugh Parker said. “It’s really rewarding to see how they progress from barely being able to move, not having any confidence, to improving their agility, improving their endurance, and just feeling better about life in general.”

Teams have been fundraising for weeks ahead of the walk. The money benefits PAR and its dozens of free programs for people with Parkinson’s in Colorado and Wyoming. PAR is not part of a bigger national organization, and all the money benefits people in those two Rocky Mountain States.

The walk itself is more about community and awareness. Donations are accepted, but not required. Participants can park in the parking garage off of Main Street across from the Senior Resource Development Agency.

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Rob Namnoum

The 25th anniversary of 9/11 is this Friday. Air Force head football coach Troy Calhoun, an Air Force graduate, reflects on the events of 9/11.

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Josh Helmuth

FALCON, Colo. (KRDO) — A local high school golfer is putting up some seriously impressive numbers, already turning heads across Colorado.

Cayden Besler is just 15 years old, a sophomore at Falcon High School, and he’s already playing golf like a seasoned pro.

Cayden shot a nine-under-par 63 at the Palmer Invitational recently at Patty Jewett here in town. He also shot nine-under-par to win the CO-PGA JR tournament at Fox Hollow in Lakewood.

He’s currently ranked second in 4A in the state based on scoring average, and number two in the Colorado PGA Cup Series — an invitation-only series featuring junior golfers from across Colorado.

Cayden has won more than 40 junior tournaments since he was nine, already has four holes-in-one, and he’s driving the ball more than 300 yards.

He also recently won a national AJGA tournament in Montrose, finishing 18-under par — ahead of a kid who’s headed to CU this fall on a golf scholarship.

His grandpa is taking him to tournaments around the state — helping Cayden chase his dream of playing Division I golf and maybe even turning pro someday.

Is there someone or something remarkable at your school? Email Josh! SchoolBuzz@KRDO.com

Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) recently completed a project designed to improve traffic safety by reducing crashes at the junction of two state highways.

CDOT performed the upgrades on southbound Highway 83, slightly north of where it becomes Interquest Parkway, where North Powers Boulevard (Highway 21) ends.

KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior learned of the project from Gayle Sturdivant — the city’s deputy public works director — while interviewing her on another topic last week.

“If you go back and look over the last few months, there have been several major traffic crashes where people were going on southbound 83 and turning onto southbound Powers,” she explained.

CDOT’s solution was to add a second left-turn lane and a second left-turn signal on southbound 83; when those signals are green, they stop northbound 83 traffic to allow for safer turning onto Powers.

“There are a lot of people who make that left turn,” Sturdivant said. “Before, it was a permissive left turn, and it was just a signaling. And if it appeared clear, you could go. Now, they’ve got two lanes, and it’s protected.”

In the most recent crash at the interchange in the early evening hours of July 30, a woman and a male teen were killed when their car was broadsided by a pickup truck; such “T-bone” impacts are among the worst types of impacts.

Authorities ruled out speeding and alcohol as factors, and the accident remains under investigation.

The city’s connection to the project is that it’s working with CDOT to eventually redesign the interchange as part of the ongoing project to extend Powers north to I-25.

The Road Warrior will update the status of that effort in a report coming soon.

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