Author: KRDO

Scott Harrison

CAÑON CITY, Colo. (KRDO) — The hope was that the town’s $3 million Main Street Revitalization project would have been finished a month ago, in time for the 87th annual Music & Blossom Festival.

But that didn’t happen, for several reasons beyond the control of workers — such as weather and surprises not uncommon when digging up streets in a town that was founded in 1860.

“Not terrible weather, but it just hit at really inopportune times in the project when it did the most damage,” said Leo Evans, the town’s public works director. “We’ve run into a few unexpected things. Water lines being in places they weren’t supposed to be, that we’ve had to deal with in working the project.”

The project began in February to modernize five blocks of the historic downtown area: Main Street, between between 1st and 4th streets, as well as 1st and 3rd streets between Main and US 50 (which becomes Royal Gorge Boulevard through downtown).

Crews are  gutting the affected blocks to a depth of several feet and removing the old pavement and underlying base; much the construction is now happening on the north side of Main while one-way traffic and some parking have gradually returned to the opposite side.

More pedestrian space is also being added; other benefits include planting trees, landscaping, widening sidewalks and rearranging some street lights; sidewalks along the construction zone remain open to pedestrians.

However, the work is extremely frustrating to neighbors, merchants and customers who endured construction during the festival — the parade route was shortened by a block — and now are coping with it as summer tourism, the lifeblood of the town’s economy, starts.

“I had to walk through the construction just to pay a bill at City Hall,” said Jennille Spellman, who lives nearby. “lt’ll be nice and pretty — I mean aesthetically. It’ll be great. I don’t know that it’s necessary for function, but it is what it is.”

An event spokesperson said that the festival had one of its best years ever, but many business owners said that their sales are down during the project; up to 35,000 people usually attend the parade.

“We should be slamming,” said Justin Brown, a manager at Di Rito’s Italian Restaurant, on Tuesday. “But as you can see, I don’t have a full restaurant. But we do what we can. We’re doing our best.”

Evans said that the project should be completed before the end of June, weather permitting.

This is the second straight year that a project has disrupted the beginning of tourist season; last year, it was the construction of a center median and installation of new crosswalks along Royal Gorge Boulevard, between downtown and the Arkansas River.

While many residents still haven’t accepted that project, Evans said that it has increased safety by significantly reducing crashes involving vehicles and pedestrians.

Both projects were partially funded by Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) grants.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – With just two months of practice as a team, the Colorado Hopping Hawks qualified for the Junior Olympics in Texas this July.

Explorer elementary school teacher Holli Burns runs an afterschool program teaching jump rope to over 50 kids. From that group, Burns said she was approached by coaches with One Jump Ahead encouraging her to enter a local jump roping tournament. She took eight students to the competition after just 2 months of practice with a different jump rope style, and the group qualified for the Junior Olympics.

Five kids from the Hopping Hawks are planning to make the trip to Texas. The team is fundraising to support their Junior Olympics journey.

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Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – On Tuesday, the Colorado Springs City Council decided to roll the dice on roughly $20 million in funding, according to the city’s estimates.

It comes after Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed executive order D 2025 – 005, which includes blanket statewide housing requirements aimed at improving affordability.

The city claims that there are a handful of laws in the order that are not right for the Colorado Springs community. The only issue is that, as part of the executive order, not following these laws could put the city under noncompliance, which is a one-way ticket to getting those dollars pulled.

At a city hall meeting on Tuesday, councilmembers voted 7 to 2 on a resolution to reaffirm Colorado Springs’ home rule, which grants the city the constitutional right to make decisions in the best interest of the community, while also allowing public input and giving the city some separation from state law.

Prior to the vote, Council President Pro Tem, At Large, Brian Risley, read the resolution, explained his concerns and posed a question to his fellow councilmembers.

“I would like to place a call to my colleagues here on the dais and ask, are we going to uphold the oath that we took to defend the state constitution, or are we going to acquiesce to unfunded mandates and a one size fits all approach that usurps our constitutional right to establish local regulations?” questioned Brian Risley, Council President Pro Tem, At Large.

Many community members took to the podium to express their concerns regarding not being able to make their voices heard regarding the state laws, if enforced in compliance with the executive order.

“This state intrusion is the most serious threat our city and neighborhoods have ever seen,” a commenter representing the Historic Neighborhoods Partnership of Colorado Springs said.

The Historic Neighborhoods Partnership also encouraged the City Council to join a lawsuit filed by six other cities against the state in regards to this executive order.

Cutting occupancy limits and parking requirements are some items included in this order that the city disagrees with.

“Colorado Springs is not a neighborhood of Denver,” stated Councilman At Large David Leinweber.

A handful of councilmembers contend that this executive order is a band-aid approach for the state to try and fix affordable housing issues. They say it strips communities like the Olympic City of its constitutional right to rule over the area.

We went to the governor about these claims.

“Our focus as a state is that we need more housing to be affordable for people,” Polis explained. “And that means empowering property owners and property rights to make sure people can, for instance, build accessory dwelling units in their property.”

Local leaders in Colorado Springs previously imposed significant guidelines on the ability to build an ADU on your property.

During the council meeting, the mayor’s Chief of Staff Jamie Fabos emphasized that the Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) had reached out to the city of Colorado Springs following the signing of Governor Polis’ executive order to let them know that all local laws currently in place are in compliance with the order.

However, Fabos warned during the meeting that the city’s decision to introduce a regulation opposing the executive order could potentially place Colorado Springs in non-compliance, putting the city at risk of losing state funding.

“Should we lose any funding because of this resolution, it’s important for the people to understand that it was the actions of this council that impacted the loss,” Fabos said.

When asked to explain where the funding estimates were coming from, Fabos gave this explanation.

“The departments that we foresee being impacted are city engineering for $2.5 million, housing and homeless response by $1.2 million, municipal court by $150,000, stormwater by $500,000, traffic engineering $1.4 million, and transit by $4.6 million,” Fabos said. “As far as pending applications of money we’re planning or expecting to receive, that is where we see additional funding for transit to the tune of $8.9 million. And then a small bucket for parks, design and development of $300,000.”

During public comment, other concerned citizens urged the council not to compromise the city’s values for the sake of state grants.

The official list of which cities are complying comes out at the start of October.

In the meantime, the Colorado Springs City Council has affirmed they stand by home rule and could take legal action against the state if any money is pulled from the city because of this. 

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Governor’s Office sent KRDO13 the following statement:

 “We want to work with Colorado Springs to meet the moment and do what’s right by Coloradans, which is build more housing to reduce housing costs. Coloradans are demanding action from our leaders to bring down housing costs. Our state has a housing shortage, and Governor Polis and the General Assembly have passed common-sense laws that break down barriers to housing. The Governor is proud of this work, appreciates the partnership and collaboration with so many local governments, and looks forward to seeing its positive impact in communities across the state.”

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Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — A long-awaited housing project focused on keeping young people off the streets and giving them a roof over their heads is now officially open.

With Tuesday’s ribbon cutting, the Launchpad is officially accepting applications.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Housing complex for homeless youth to be built in Colorado Springs

“For many of us living in Colorado Springs. It’s a gorgeous place that we can’t dream of being anywhere else for young people who are struggling to get by, it’s unattainable,” Becky Treece, CEO of The PLACE, said.

She told KRDO13 they’re now working to change that.

The Launchpad was formed out of a partnership between The PLACE and Cohen-Esrey Development Group. The new 50-unit apartment building is located on North 19th Street, near Uintah Street.

But PLACE officials plan on it being more than just an apartment where you sign a one-year lease.

“50 units of supportive housing with wrap-around case management and other supports to help young people experiencing homelessness exit the streets and find independence,” Treece said.

Earlier this year, the Colorado Homeless Management Information System released the first annual state of homelessness survey. The survey identified 3,964 people between 18-24 who experienced homelessness statewide. In El Paso County, 600 young adults experienced homelessness in 2024, with 827 youth ages 17 or under who could also soon age into that demographic.

Wrap-around case management is more than just having the front desk staffed 24/7. The PLACE said their staff will work to build up their residents’ lives with helping them find jobs, life skills, coaching, and even access to healthcare and more.

Treece says the Launchpad won’t have set rents; instead, tenants will pay 30% of their income, no matter how much they make. However, to qualify for this type of housing, you need to make less than 30% of the median income in the area.

Treece is hopeful this type of housing will help the residents grow into a successful future, as depicted on the building.

“The mural on the outside of the building is a demonstration of the young people bursting free from the chrysalis and taking flight and launching into their beautiful futures,” Treece said.

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Emily Coffey

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Following a statewide debate about the legality of local law enforcement’s ability to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office says they have released 16 individuals to ICE custody since January, after reconsidering state law with county attorneys.

Of those sixteen individuals, five are accused of violent offenses, and three face drug-related charges.

“This is the first one [release of information]. Just at the beginning of this year, we started a new relationship with ICE, when I realized it was important to keep my community safe,” Sheriff Joseph Roybal said. “I knew I could work with ICE while following Colorado law.”

Roybal says he wanted to cooperate with ICE the day he was sworn in, but it took some time with legal review to get there, after he replaced the last sheriff.

Right now, the El Paso County Jail will ask people about their place of birth when they are booked into the jail. Their software flags this information for ICE.

ICE can then place a hold on the inmate, so EPSO will let them know when the inmate is going through release. ICE will then have six hours to come pick up the undocumented immigrant and take them into their custody.

Five times over the last five months, EPSO says ICE has missed that six-hour window, and they have released the individual wanted by ICE into the public.

In January, Governor Polis pointed out that this relationship exists within state law.

RELATED: Polis says Colorado ‘Not a Sanctuary State’ after sheriff, congressman ask for immigration changes.

Moving forward, El Paso County will continue to release information about their cooperation with ICE.

The full statement from EPSO can be read below.

Media Release- Sheriff Roybal Releases ICE Custody Transfer List, Continues Transparency with CommunityDownload

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Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The Air Force Academy is mourning the loss of an 18-year-old cadet candidate who died in a tragic lake incident over Memorial Day weekend.

According to the Air Force Academy, Ava Moore was killed while kayaking on Lake Grapevine in Texas.

(Photo: Air Force Academy)

“We lost an exemplary teammate this weekend – Cadet Candidate Ava Moore, whose passion for leadership and service left an impact on everyone she met. Ava’s constant happiness and attitude helped her squadron get through the challenges of the Prep School, and her drive to excel was on display as she sought out leadership positions to improve herself and her team,” said Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, U.S. Air Force Academy Superintendent in a press release.

Her death made national headlines after the woman who allegedly hit and killed her fled the scene. According to the Grapevine Police Department, the female suspect was on a jet ski when she hit Moore, who was on a kayak.

Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez (pictured) allegedly hit Ava Moore and fled the scene, according to the Grapevine Police Department. (Photo: Grapevine Police Department)

Police said a passenger on the jet ski stayed at the scene, but the female driver allegedly ran off and left in a car with a man. Police say the man and the female suspect even hit another car while allegedly fleeing the scene.

On Tuesday, Grapevine Police identified the suspect as Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez. Police say she was taken into custody and “more details (would) be available later.”

Police say they have taken Daikerlyn Alejandra Gonzalez into custody. (Photo: Grapevine Police Department)

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Tyler Cunnington

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The Manitou Springs Police Department is asking for help identifying two suspects who allegedly used a drill in an attempt to break into a change machine.

According to the department, the alleged attempted burglary happened on May 19 around 4:35 a.m.

They say two suspects arrived at the Pikes Peak RV park and made their way to the laundry facility. Once inside, they allegedly used a drill to try and crack open a change machine that converts cash to coins. The drill, police said, appeared to be a red Milwaukee brand power drill.

Police say the two suspects were not able to open the machine, but RV park managers arrived later to find the damage.

The department has provided videos of the incident, which can be seen at the top of this article.

Police believe the suspects were in a white Chevrolet Equinox, though no license plate was captured.

Anyone with information about this case is urged to call El Paso County dispatch at 719-390-5555. Callers may remain anonymous.

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Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The City of Colorado Springs says a study for a roundabout at Platte and Nevada Avenues found the project unfeasible.

City officials say the amount of traffic coming through Platte and Nevada is too heavy for a roundabout.

Last year, residents petitioned for a roundabout, citing concerns over traffic and pedestrian safety.

“The study shows that (a) roundabout with a four-lane Nevada Avenue and a two-lane Platte Avenue, a vital east-west corridor, is technically feasible, but westbound queues would extend past Weber in peak hours,” said Todd Frisbie, city traffic engineer, in a press release. “Initial cost estimates show a roundabout would be cost prohibitive, likely in the $5-6 million range.”

Adding to complications, officials say, are building plans at Palmer High School. District 11 plans to construct a new academic wing in the area. Those plans will likely impact Boulder Street and create higher traffic volume on Platte Avenue, the city said.

In 2023, the city made it illegal to turn left from Platte Avenue onto Nevada Avenue due to issues with drivers seeing past the statue of city founder Gen. William Jackson Palmer in the middle of the intersection.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – dozens of local clubs, businesses and non-profits will meet with the public at the Bristol Brewing Company Saturday to help residents find their next summer outdoor adventure.

There will be a bike maintenance station, a free showing of the Ritual Mountain Bike film, a rock climbing wall and outdoor survival demonstrations from Survival University.

The expo is from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., followed by the movie showing at the Ivywild School. Bristol Brewing said the groups specialize in running, climbing, hiking, biking, fishing, water sports, wildlife and all things outdoors.

An instructor from Survival University met with KRDO 13 to show us four different ways you can prepare and make a fire in the wild.

Tune into Good Morning Colorado to watch a Tyler Milligan from Survival University show KRDO13’s Bradley Davis four different ways to make a fire on live TV!

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — City officials announced late last week that they are delaying two closures on busy Dublin Boulevard, west of Marksheffel Road, that were to start Tuesday morning and continue through the end of July.

The closures were to be at the intersection of Dublin and Peterson Road, and on several blocks of Dublin between Fieler Drive and Mustang Rim Drive.

A city release Friday afternoon — going into the Memorial Day holiday weekend — did not explain the reason for the closure, but stated that more information will be available later this week.

The closures are part of the Dublin Improvements Project first reported last year by KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior

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