Author: KRDO

Michael Logerwell

FOUNTAIN, Colo. (KRDO) – Monday was a wild day for severe weather in Southern Colorado. In several Fountain neighborhoods, a hailstorm hit residents hard.

It wasn’t as bad as some of the historic hailstorms Fountain suffered in the past decade, but just about every car around the Fountain Mesa Park is polka-dotted with small dents caused by rock-hard hail.

More than a dozen small dents cover the hood of this car parked outside in the hailstorm.

“I was on a speaker-phone with my friend, and it ended up getting so loud that the phone actually picked up the hail instead of me talking,” Jace Mueller said. He was in the basement playing video games and talking to a friend over the phone, and still heard the hail hitting the home.

The Mueller family is relatively new to the Fountain area and tells KRDO13 this is the worst hail they’ve seen in their time here.

“We’ve only lived here for a couple of years, so I don’t think I’ve seen it [hail] that big before,” Lura Mueller said.

Even those who’ve seen some bad Fountain hailstorms say Monday’s storm was pretty bad.

“We just had to watch from the door and be like, oh, everything’s wrecked,” Holly Gillespie said.

“[My car’s] got a lot of dings in it, and I haven’t looked up on the roof. I can see it starting up there. So I imagine everybody’s car that was out looks like this,” Christy Gillespie said.

Monday could prove to be just the start of severe weather impacts Southern Colorado sees this week. StormTracker13 is following daily storm chances.

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Rob Namnoum

On Monday, Rockies outfielder Troy Johnston celebrated his 28th birthday. He also played the role of reporter before the Rockies game against the Boston Red Sox. Johnston helped us interviewed Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak.

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Rob Namnoum

Rockies general manager Josh Byrnes spoke before the Rockies game against the Boston Red Sox on Monday. Byrnes says he likes the progress the team is making but feels they have a long way to go.

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Heather Skold

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — In a late-night release Monday, El Paso County says Buc-ee’s EPCO, LLC has requested a C-1 zoning, which would classify it as a convenience store under the county’s land development code.

The plot of land along I-25 near County Line Road has been the source of heavy speculation and controversy for years now.

A consultant for Buc-ee’s confirmed that they are planning to build on this land, should the project be approved by the county.

“I think that is entirely accurate. The application was submitted for the use determination to the county, and so hopefully that’s the plan moving forward,” said Mark Waller, a consultant for Buc-ee’s.

Buc-ee’s originally tried to annex the property into the town of Palmer Lake and emphasized the potential for nearly $1 million in sales tax revenue.

However, the plan was met with heavy criticism from the community of Palmer Lake and the surrounding area. The idea of increased traffic, reduced business for locally-owned shops, and the erasure of their small-town identity was a turn-off for many. For months, community members voiced their opposition to the project in public settings.

Buc-ee’s later withdrew its offer for annexation. But the recent request made to El Paso County indicates that they’re not interested in changing their location. An idea echoed by Waller.

“It is a piece of already commercially zoned property that is on I-25. Literally on I-25 between the two largest cities in Colorado. If this isn’t the right spot, what is?” Waller said.

Many residents are still opposed to the project, and pledge to continue fighting against the development.

El Paso County underscored that the request does not approve construction or “approve a site development plan.”

The coding determination would be made by the Planning and Community Development Director and could take up to 14 days to make a ruling.

Other important items like construction, traffic access, utilities and more would still need to be approved by the county for Buc-ee’s to open its doors.

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Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – KRDO13 obtained arrest records for the man accused of stealing Howard the tortoise from Scales ‘N Tails Exotic Pet Shop. Police say a man named Justin Edwards stole the tortoise in broad daylight. KRDO13 is learning that this may not be his first turtle theft. 

PAST COVERAGE: Stolen tortoise recovered, suspect arrested in Colorado Springs

On Monday, Howard was in great spirits following his tortoise kidnapping. Only days after he was returned home, he was spotted eating a delicious salad dinner mix.

On Wednesday, June 17, police say Justin Edwards told the store owner he had to get change from his car, pulled it around, and when the owner went to get the item he asked for, Edwards took the tortoise and left. 

Officers say that someone saw the store’s Facebook post and called in a tip saying they recognized the suspect. When police spoke with that tipster, they told police that Edwards is a kleptomaniac and that he was recently arrested in Castle Rock for stealing a turtle. Castle Rock Police could not confirm that when KRDO13 asked. 

When officers were trying to quantify the cost of Howard, the Scales ‘N Tales store owner said he could be sold for a thousand dollars, but to everyone at the store, Howard is priceless.

“We all kind of broke down, and we’re a little shocked that something like that actually happened to Howard. So when we got that news [that Howard was found], we were exploding. Everybody’s calling each other. Can we be here when Howard comes? It was some of the best news, I think, we’ve ever got here. Everybody here keeps saying that it’s the best news they’ve heard in a very long time,” recounted Dustin Bohnert, store manager.

The day after Howard was stolen, police say Edwards continued on his spree. Officers say he stole a tarp and a tent from the REI on E. Woodmen Rd. 

OTHER: Beloved tortoise stolen from Scales ‘N Tails reptile pet store

Police tracked Edwards down and took him into custody. However, at the time, he was not with the tortoise. Eventually, police found Howard and brought him back safe and sound to Scales ‘N Tales. 

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Scott Harrison

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — An ongoing water main replacement has advanced to the point that it will require closing a major intersection west of Interstate 25 for several weeks.

Pueblo Water crews are doing the work along Elizabeth Street at the 29th Street intersection, and the first night of the closure was from 7 p.m. Sunday until 7 a.m. Monday.

The closure will remain in effect for the same hours Sunday through Thursday for the next two to three weeks, city officials said — which would end either just before or after the 4th of July Holiday weekend.

Crews started the project in late spring, and no projected completion date is available at the time of this writing; workers are installing several miles of the new main.

Most of Elizabeth, from 29th south to City Center Drive downtown (formerly 1st Street), will be repaved this summer after the water main project.

The closure is slightly north of the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) ongoing project to replace five bridges at the I-25/US 50 East interchange.

Elizabeth is a primary north/south route through the city, and 29th is one of the city’s few east/west routes across town.

“You go under the highway, under the railroad tracks,” said Joe Cervi, a spokesman for Pueblo Water. “You’re dealing with the railroads, you’re dealing with CDOT, you’re dealing with your subcontractors. So, it’s a pretty massive undertaking and a pretty expansive project.”

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Rob Namnoum

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — On Sunday, Romain Dumas won the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Dumas reached the summit of Pikes Peak in eight minutes and 18 seconds. It is the fourth consecutive year that Dumas was crowned the King of the Mountain. Dumas has won six Pikes Peak Hill Climbs in all.

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Rob Namnoum

Highlights from the 104th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

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Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – UPDATE 7:30 A.M.: The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office says the evacuation order at the Applewood Estates has officially been lifted. The evacuation center has been closed. Fire crews will remain in the area to monitor hotspots.

The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office says the Applewood Fire burned down multiple homes and other structures.

The sheriff’s office says the fire, which started at 6:20 p.m., began as a wildfire that winds swept into the Applewood Mobile Home Park, engulfing multiple homes.

No injuries or deaths are being reported. The cause and size of the fire are still unknown.

I-25 is back open to traffic, but the sheriff’s office is asking people to avoid the area so first responders can continue to work.

UPDATE 7:45 P.M.: The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office reports that multiple agencies are fighting a wildfire near Mile Marker 73-74 on I-25.

Everyone living in the Applewood Mobile Home Park in Colorado City is being evacuated. The sheriff’s Office says a shelter has been set up at 1650 Cooper Place in Pueblo.

I-25 appears to have reopened, but CO165 has closed in both directions.

Photo from Lauren Davidson

This image from a KRDO13 viewer shows flames and smoke on a patch of grass between the road and some homes.

Evacuation shelters for people and animals have been set up.

The sheriff’s office says the CART team has a shelter for large animals and livestock at the Colorado State Fairgrounds. Enter at Gate 6 on Small Ave. The Human Society of the Pikes Peak Region is operating a shelter for small pets at 1650 Cooper Place.

For anyone in need of transportation for their animals, the sheriff’s office says call Beth at (719) 251-0245.

ORIGINAL REPORT: The Colorado Department of Transportation says I-25 is shut down in both directions near Colorado City, which is south of Pueblo, due to fire activity.

Up-to-date road closure information can be found on COTrip.

KRDO13 is working to learn more about the fire and the interstate shutdown.

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Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – In the end, it was only canceled for 48 hours. Organizers say that after receiving an influx of funding from companies in Colorado Springs, the Pikes Peak or Bust Parade is no longer canceled.

On Friday, organizers of the Pikes Peak or Bust Parade made the difficult announcement to cancel the 83rd edition of the parade.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: 83rd Pikes Peak or Bust Parade canceled

They cited a difficulty in securing the proper resources to put on the parade that usually kicks off the rodeo festivities. “We simply could not secure the resources necessary to produce the event at the level our community deserves,” organizers said in a statement.

Two days later, and the parade is back on.

“[Colorado Springs City Leadership] went ahead and talked to some larger companies around town and asked them if they would participate, and they willingly did so. I found out yesterday at about 10 o’clock in the morning that the funding was there and the parade would go on,” John O’Donnell, Pikes Peak or Bust Parade Chairman, told KRDO13.

O’Donnell specifically thanked the Office of the Colorado Springs Mayor, along with City Council President Lynette Crow-Iverson and Councilor Brandy Williams.

Now the parade and related activities will be back on for July 11.

The Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo itself will continue as planned from July 14–18, with tickets currently on sale.

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