The Colorado Avalanche score a franchise record nine goals in their game one win against the Minnesota Wild
Rob Namnoum
The Colorado Avalanche scored a franchise record nine goals in their game one victory against the Minnesota Wild.
The School Buzz: Colorado Springs middle school launches massive Meow Wolf inspired art project
Josh Helmuth
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Students in Colorado Springs District 11 are taking a page straight out of Meow Wolf’s playbook.
North Middle School students are taking learning to a whole new level with an immersive art experience called “unconscious mind.” The installation is entirely student-created. It’s the result of a year-long collaboration between advanced drama and advanced design students who handled everything from the story concept to building the set.
D-11 says the installation aims to blend theater, visual art, and design into an interactive journey through the human mind. The project was inspired by a field trip to Meow Wolf in Denver. And now the annual installation has become a signature project for North Middle School, which has been doing this art project for the past four years.
Teachers say the experience helped students build real-world skills like collaboration and creative problem solving, all while giving them a chance to express ideas through art.
Know something or someone remarkable at your school? Email us! SchoolBuzz@KRDO.com.
City officials in Colorado Springs respond to citizen complaints about potholes
Scott Harrison
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Among the most common pothole-related questions to KRDO13’s The Road Warrior are: Why do crews fill some, but not all of numerous potholes at an intersection, and why are pothole reports listed as “closed” when they actually still need repair?
Two examples of intersection potholes are at Academy and Dublin boulevards, and at Union Boulevard and Mirage Drive, both on the northeast side of town.
Crews recently patched the worst potholes at those locations, but officials said that filling all of the potholes on such crumbling pavement would waste time and resources.
“We’re going to put that on a list that says in a month or two, or whenever we can build up the resources to tackle it, we’re going to go out, we’re going to close that area, we’ll do a full dig-out, we’re going to repave the whole thing.”
The city would use its own crews for that work, rather than hiring contractors already hired for the annual 2C expanded paving program.
As for the second complaint regarding the status of pothole reports, the city says it will list a report as “closed” after more than one person has reported it, because repairs are already scheduled at that point.
In mid-March, The Road Warrior filed reports on three locations, including the two mentioned above, and received an initial email response that repairs were scheduled for April 1, but a follow-up notification indicated that the repairs were completed on April 8.
While many citizens likely expect more of an immediate repair response, the city says it may take more time for a crew to respond, depending on other locations that may have a higher priority, on other duties the repair crew may have, and weather conditions.
Officials also said that some pothole reports don’t have the correct location, which can also lengthen the time for a response.
The city said that its crews filled more than 78,000 potholes last year, and that pothole reports have decreased by 30% since the 2C program began in 2016.
Officials also say that only around 10% of pothole repairs are to those reported by citizens, and Mayor Yemi Mobolade urges more citizens to report potholes promptly.
“Fixing potholes is important,” he said. “But it’s only a Band-Aid solution. 2-C repaving is the long-term solution. Residents, please hear me. You hear me clearly. We will take care of what we already have. We will stay focused on our fundamentals, and we will continue to invest in maintaining and rebuilding our roads.”
Citizens can report potholes to the city in three ways: On the Go COS smartphone app, on the city’s online public works page, and by calling 719-385-ROAD (7623).
Colorado’s largest birding hotspot open to guests for next five weeks
Bradley Davis
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – Chico Basin Ranch welcomes birders to spot over 330 bird species across its 87,000 acres during Spring migration until June 6.
According to the Aiken Audubon conservationist group, Chico Basin Ranch is the largest birding hotspot in Colorado. Birders can access the Banding Station, Headquarters Pond and Rose Pond. You can find a map here.
Aiken Audubon president Jessica Miller was hooked 13 years ago after a woodpecker landed in her window.
“I got a camera, got a picture, ID’d it, and from then on out, I caught the bug. I was trying to identify everything,” Miller said, before interrupting herself. “Oooh! I just heard a Northern Parula! That’s another good bird! It goes BRRUUUU-RUP-BUP!”
Miller said the trees and water at Chico Basin Ranch act like an oasis for the migrating birds.
“You go five minutes in either direction, and you’re just in the middle of cholla cactuses,” Miller said. “This is like the pit stop. This is the Crackle Barrel. The Buckeys.
Birding starts at 6 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m. each day. Pre-registration is required and opens seven days in advance of each day. It’s $15 a person, or $10 a person for group rates. Aiken Audubon said all admission fees benefit the maintenance of Chico Basin’s birding operations.
After June 6, birding at Chico Basin Ranch will open again for five weeks for fall migration from Aug. 22 to Oct. 2. You can register for a spot during the spring migration here.
Chico Basin Ranch is owned by the State Land Board and leases the three birding sites out to Aiken Audubon. The ranch is not open to the public, and birders must register through Aiken Audubon to step on the property.
Alleged drunk driver injuries Colorado State Trooper on I-25 car chase
Michael Logerwell
PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – A Colorado state trooper is injured after an allegedly drunk driver speeds off, beginning a police chase.
The State Patrol says it started when a state trooper pulled over a driver who was reported to be speeding and actively drinking a beer. The trooper said they observed a shotgun in the vehicle, and shortly after, the driver hit the gas, knocking over the trooper at his window.
The Ford van wasn’t stopped until it was rammed by another state trooper. A 32-year-old from Weston was booked into jail on charges of DUI, assault of a police officer, and more.
That trooper was treated for minor injuries and released from the hospital.
Loved ones gather to honor 19-year-old killed in tragic shooting
Michael Logerwell
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Thirty minutes into Sunday, April 26, police officers sped out to a large parking lot along Powers Blvd. At the scene, the Colorado Springs Police Department says their officers found three victims, all of whom had been shot at least once.
An adult man and a juvenile girl were sent to a local hospital, where police say they are in stable condition. The third victim, a 19-year-old man, died from his injuries at the scene despite treatment from first responders at the scene.
The El Paso County Coroner’s Office is identifying him as 19-year-old Cortez Mason Jr, or as his loved ones know him, CJ.
“There are no words strong enough to describe what it feels like to lose a child. There’s a silence in my life now that is louder than anything I’ve ever known. Every morning I wake up, and I remember he is gone,” Brandi Howell, CJ’s mother, spoke through tears at the event.
Family members tell KRDO13 CJ was coming home from his second day of work at a nearby fast food restaurant when he was caught in the gunfire.
Tonight, friends and family meeting in the space of tragedy to remember a young man gone too soon
“Love should never have to fight this hard to survive,” Howell said.
KRDO13 reached out to the police department for an update on the investigation. A spokesperson for the police department said the case is a high priority. Their officers are making progress, but there is no information they can share publicly at this time.
If you have any information about the shooting and homicide, you are urged to call the Colorado Springs Police Department at (719) 444-7000. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at (719) 634-STOP (7867) or 1-800-222-8477.
‘Chaos’: Police investigating shooting outside King Soopers
Mackenzie Stafford
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – On Thursday, April 30, the Pueblo Police Department (PPD) was called to the King Soopers off of W. Northern Avenue. PPD tells KRDO13 it was around 6:50 p.m. when it responded to a shooting in the parking lot.
Police say officers located the involved individuals shortly after their arrival.
PPD says there was talk about a shoplifting incident initially, but they were not able to confirm if those involved in the shooting were also suspected of shoplifting. They also could not confirm what led up to the shooting.
Police say one person was shot and taken to the hospital. PPD says that person is in stable condition.
At this time, no one involved is facing any charges, according to PPD. However, PPD says it is still investigating the incident and that charges could be filed as a result.
KRDO13 spoke with Audra Valdez who was walking in to get groceries when everything unfolded.
“This girl came out of this white door and she was holding a white, like, almost like a small white trash can. No bigger than, like 2 or 3 feet, maybe. And she had a bunch of stuff in there,” recounted Audra Valdez.
Valdez said the woman looked like she was in a hurry and that she appeared to have bread in the recepticle.
“And, the security guard, he was already waiting for her, and he grabbed grabbed the stuff out of her hand,” said Valdez.
Valdez tells KRDO13 another man outside of the King Soopers got involved in what appeared to be an altercation.
“And I heard a gunshot ring out, and I’m like, okay, was that like, a taser or something. Is that like a really loud taser? Because I, I mean, I was just so surprised because I never really heard. I never really got that close to a shooting like that,” explained Audra Valdez.
She said she didn’t see who fired the gun, but immediately heard car alarms going off in the parking lot.
“Chaos that just sounded more like chaos. And it actually was because I don’t think people were thinking it was a gunshot, but they didn’t see it, so they didn’t really know what to think,” said Valdez.
Valdez tells KRDO13 she walked inside the store, where many where chattering about what had just occured outside. By the time Valdez walked back out with a few groceries she says she saw multiple police vehicles.
We asked King Soopers if it was their security guard who was injured in the shooting, they said that it wasn’t, and that they’re cooperating with police.
On Friday, yellow police tape is still scattered in some areas of the parking lot.
Part of Jerry Murphy Road in Pueblo gets repaved after decades of crumbling
Scott Harrison
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — In a follow-up to a Road Warrior report in February, crews this week repaved half of Jerry Murphy Road, on the north end of town, pleasing longtime residents who had demanded the resurfacing for decades.
“It’s such a rough road that my truck has front-end damage from it,” said neighbor Alberto Ramos. “I saw them out here working and directing traffic, and I thought it’s exactly what we need.”
Dana and Valerie Door were the first to alert The Road Warrior to the road’s deteriorating condition several years ago.
“We have never come this way,” Dana explained. “We always go through the neighborhoods back there, turn in about a block or two back, and wind our way through the neighborhood to get to our house. Anything to keep from driving on that road.”
Passing drivers honked their approval, and some drivers even paused to stop and take photos of the new asphalt layer.
The Road Warrior learned of the repaving from a viewer’s email; the city has yet to provide any details or notification.
However, drivers aren’t satisfied.
They want to see the road repaved 1/3-mile farther north, to where it becomes Overton Road, and another 1/3-mile north to the Pueblo city/county line.
The remaining unpaved segment is where cracks and potholes are at their worst.
But when that happens may depend on a developer reaching an agreement with city officials; the city said the developer earlier committed to repaving the rest of the road at an undermined point.
The city indicated in its 2026 paving list released Friday that it will repave Jerry Murphy Road to the Overton Road boundary.
Meanwhile, residents are glad that the road — named for Murphy, one of the city’s four Congressional Medal of Honor recipients — is finally in a condition befitting him.
Morning commute: Icy and foggy conditions on Highway 67 into Cripple Creek
Bradley Davis
CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo. (KRDO) – While the storm didn’t drop much snow in Colorado Springs and Pueblo, Highway 67 out toward Cripple Creek was snowy and slick Friday morning.
Our KRDO13 crews tested the roads themselves through the snow, ice and fog so you can stay safe and informed on your commute.
Reporter Bradley Davis and photographer Cameron Thornton started driving West on Highway 24 just after 4 a.m. They observed relatively clear conditions through Woodland Park, but they started to deteriorate a few miles after turning West onto Highway 67.
Snow started sticking to the road, and there was a thick fog, causing visibility issues. If you plan to drive Highway 67 on Friday morning, temper your speed and expect to add at least 10 minutes to your commute.
The main roads in Cripple Creek are pretty clear with little impact. However, the sidewalks have some ice spots. As of 6 a.m., the temperature was still in the mid-20s, and walking conditions were slick.
KRDO13 Forcaster Julia Donovan expects the temperature to quickly rise above freezing across Teller County, so we’ll likely see the snowy conditions clear out soon.
6 a.m. Friday road report in the afermath of Thursday’s snow in Woodland Park
Scott Harrison
TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — People heading to work and school today will mostly find wet pavement, melting snow, and few slick spots to contend with on major streets and roads.
KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior drove on US 24 through Ute Pass to Woodland Park and experienced no problems, with an early morning temperature of 28 degrees in “The City Above The Clouds” at an elevation of nearly 8,500 feet.
Spring snow can often be wet and heavy, but the recent snowfall was more powdery and unlikely to break tree limbs and branches — many of which already have leaves earlier in the season than usual.
Drivers should be aware that side streets and unpaved roads in the area may still have light accumulations of snow or be icy.