Author: KRDO

Scott Harrison

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The history of Manitou Springs dates back to the 1870s, and much of its infrastructure is nearly as old.

Some of the town’s water and sewer network has shown its age recently, with four emergency repair or regular maintenance projects since early spring.

The latest repair work happened late Saturday morning when a water main ruptured at the intersection of Ruxton and Osage avenues.

Ruxton is the only direct route to and from the Cog Railway and the Maitou Incline, two of the area’s most popular attractions — especially during the summer tourist season.

Crews temporarily closed the intersection to traffic and scrambled to perform a temporary fix, and the intersection reopened by mid-afternoon.

However, town officials will have to decide on a permanent repair strategy at a later date.

Meanwhile, crews had their first weekend off in three weeks at the intersection of Manitou Avenue and Crystal Park Road, since a sanitary sewer line collapsed underneath the street on June 12.

Due to complications with the project, officials rescheduled the completion date to Monday, June 30, but announced that the repairs were completed on the prior Friday.

Officials said that crews will spend the next week repaving and conducting other surface repairs; the traffic impacts that were in place during the sewer repair will continue.

The completion of that project will allow crews to resume work on replacing a water and sewer line along Midland Avenue and Arizona Road; that project was scheduled to start in January but didn’t begin until April because of weather delays and is now expected to be finished in late July.

Officials said that such maintenance work reduces the possibility of breaks such as those mentioned above that will require more expensive emergency repairs.

Finally, crews will eventually need to return to Manitou Avenue between Pawnee and Canon avenues to finish temporary repairs to a water main break in February.

Crews temporarily paved over the excavated areas last month to prepare the street for busy summer traffic.

The rash of construction projects has been challenging for nearby business owners.

“People didn’t know if we were open because all of the construction was going on in front of our building,” said Vanessa Bobian, manager of a Subway restaurant. “So, it affected us a lot. How much? Like, I would say almost 90% of our business.”

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Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Two people are dead after a motorcycle crash at Barnes and Austin Bluffs Sunday afternoon.

The driver and passenger on the motorcycle were killed after a crash with a car.

The Colorado Springs police department’s major crash team responded to the scene. Police say the initial investigation leads them to believe the motorcycle was eastbound on Austin Bluffs and the car was attempting to turn left from a parking lot into the westbound lanes when the crash happened.

No charges have been filed at this time.

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Karla Sosa

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO)- In the first summer of the new Waterworks Park in Pueblo, first responders have already had to rescue people who weren’t wearing life jackets. Now the city is looking to stop that from happening again.

The Pueblo City Council is preparing to update the municipal code to include Waterworks Park as one of the areas along the Arkansas River where life jackets are required.

“We have people in general in that area, and the water’s moving like it is. And if you don’t have a life jacket and you go over in the tube or whatever. You’ve got problems. So I think we’re trying to be very vigilant about protecting people’s lives,” said Joe Latino, Council Member for District 2.

Felicia Bertaud was at the Waterworks Park with her family and said she agrees with the new rule the city is working on.

“So it’s definitely a great idea to implement any kind of rules or laws to make sure everybody always has a life jacket,” said Bertaud. “We always spend a lot of time in the water, and so when my kids were little, they always, always had a life jacket on because, you know, how dangerous the water could be.”

Currently, Colorado state law requires personal flotation devices for children under 13.

Full statement from the City of Pueblo:

“The City of Pueblo recently updated signage near WaterWorks Park. While Pueblo Parks and Recreation and the Pueblo Conservancy District continue to work on the City Park and Arkansas River Trail Master Plan, it was obvious in the meantime that new signage was necessary right now in the summer months. In July, the Law Department is preparing to update the Municipal Code with approval from City Council to include WaterWorks Park as one of the areas along the Arkansas River where life jackets are required per municipal code. 

Currently Colorado state law required personal flotation devices for children under 13. With increased activity and safety concerns, the City of Pueblo wanted to ensure individuals utilizing WaterWorks Park also wore personal flotation devices, regardless of age. Many surfers, rafters and other recreators are in the area and we want to encourage a high level of safety of all those enjoying the area.”

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Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – On Saturday afternoon, just before 2 p.m., Colorado Springs police were called to an injury crash in the 5400 block of Constitution Ave.

Police say that during the investigation, officers learned that the driver of the car that caused the crash had been involved in a shooting call for service from earlier this week.

The investigation led to an incident on Tuesday, June 24, at about 1:00 a.m. in the 5600 block of Palmer Park Blvd., where a vehicle was shot, according to CSPD.

The officers say they were able to develop probable cause and arrest the driver, later identified as Clea Jamerson, of Saturday’s crash for the shooting from earlier in the week.

Police say a separate vehicle, which was believed to be involved in the shooting incident, was searched, and additional evidence was located tying it to the shooting. CSPD reports that several handguns were recovered from a vehicle. The crash vehicles were not involved in the shooting incident, according to police.

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Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – On Saturday, June 28, the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) was working to investigate reports of a felony menacing just before 3 p.m.

Officers say the crime happened at a business complex on Southgate Road. Police later found the suspect at a different business in the area and took him into custody.

CSPD identified the suspect as Cameron Brown. When police brought Brown to the station, they say that as they were moving him into a holding area, he assaulted an officer.

Police say additional officers jumped into action and helped to move Brown into the holding area.

Brown was booked into the El Paso County Jail, where he faces both menacing and assaulting a peace officer charges.

Police say the officer remained on duty.

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Mackenzie Stafford

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Manitou Springs Fire Department (MSFD) is set to hold a wildland fire training exercise on Sunday, June 29, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in Deer Valley Park.

The city wants to warn residents and visitors in the area that during the training, you may notice smoke and fire equipment. They say this is part of a scheduled training exercise and not an emergency.

Manitou Springs officials say these proactive drills are critical to ensuring that fire crews remain prepared for real wildfire scenarios.

For non-emergency questions you can contact the Manitou Springs Fire Department at 719-685-1444.

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Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – One man is now in the hospital after a stabbing early Sunday morning. 

The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) says it happened just before 2 a.m. on North Academy Boulevard. The area is just south of Constitution Avenue.  

Police say that medics arrived first and found a 31-year-old man with a stab wound to the side. 

CSPD says the man was transported via ambulance to Memorial Hospital with, what was initially assessed as, life threatening internal injuries. Medical personnel were able to stabilize the male and he is expected to survived, accorrding to police.

Officers are investigating the incident.

CSPD tells KRDO13 there is not yet a suspect.

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Karla Sosa

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – El Paso County Search and Rescue tells KRDO13 they’re seeing a big increase in rescue calls and summer has barely started. With warmer temperatures sticking around, more people are getting outdoors, but the increased heat also brings more risk if you’re not prepared.

Last year, in June, El Paso County Search and Rescue received 15 calls. This year, for the same month, they’ve already had 21 calls, and the month isn’t over.

Chris Valentine, with El Paso County Search and Rescue, said most of their rescues this year have been at the Manitou Incline. One of their busiest weekends was just earlier this month.

“Seven of them were on June 14th and 15, which is a very busy weekend. So, you know, folks who were last up at Rampart Reservoir, folks who are sick on the incline and on our trails. So, we have a number of patients on those two days,” said Valentine.

Valentine said there could be a number of reasons why there’s an increase in search and rescue calls.

“Yeah, it’s impossible to put your finger on what is happening. We have people who are getting lost in the middle of the people getting sick and injured in the wilderness,” said Valentine.

There are about 70 volunteers who are part of the search and rescue team, and every rescue is a challenge. Although they’re all volunteers, saving lives is their number one priority.

“It takes about 20 of us just to go on a simple mission of our trail with someone who hurt an ankle or something like that, it takes a lot of people, resources in the back country,” said Valentine. “We all have normal jobs, our lives, and we just kind of stop what we’re doing if we’re able to and respond to that call.”

These volunteers train all year round so they can be prepared for whenever they get a call.        

“So we’re always preparing for everything from angler rescue to backcountry rescue to a blizzard mission. So, our team trains hundreds of hours every month,” said Valentine.

Valentine said the most common calls they get are for injuries, illness, or when people get lost. 

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Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – A celebration of western heritage and a salute to our first responders and military heroes in the Pikes Peak region gets underway at 4 p.m. on Saturday.

It’s the 1st Annual Guns & Hoses City Slickers Ranch Rodeo.

The rodeo’s contestants will be made up of local law enforcement, first responders, and military teams. Event organizers say each team is made up of five city slickers and one real-deal cowboy. The cowboy rides horseback. The city slickers? They’re on foot. No experience necessary.

Teams are set to duke it out in four timed events. The fastest team overall will walk away with bragging rights, shiny belt buckles and the satisfaction of winning it all for their chosen charity.

The event kicks off at 4 p.m. at the Norris Penrose Event Center, located at 1045 Lower Gold Camp Rd.

Great for family fun, first up is touch-a-truck where you can come early and climb into patrol cars and fire engines.

The main rodeo show gets underway at 6 p.m. where event organizers say you can watch your heroes hustle, rope, race and probably rethink their life choices, all for a good cause.

After that wraps up the night finishes up with professional bull riding.

Tickets for the event are $20. If you’d like to attend tickets can be purchased here.

The rodeo is a joint effort between the Norris Penrose Rodeo Legacy Foundation, C&L Productions and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office (EPSO).

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Mackenzie Stafford

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – UPDATE at 10:30 a.m.: A major water main break near Ruxton Avenue and Osage Avenue has led to a full closure of Ruxton Avenue to all vehicles and bicycles, according to Manitou Springs officials. They say the closure is necessary to protect public safety and allow city crews to perform emergency infrastructure repairs.

The city says parking at the Iron Springs Chateau lot is temporarily prohibited. Along with that, Ruxton Avenue is restricted to pedestrian access only. No vehicles or bicycles are permitted.

Manitou Springs officials ask visitors parked at the Pikes Peak Cog Railway to exit using Capitol Hill Avenue to Waltham Avenue and then to Manitou Avenue.

They say residents and emergency vehicles only may use the internal detour route via Capitol Hill Avenue, Illinois Avenue, Mesa Avenue, and Minnehaha Avenue.

PREVIOUS REPORTING: As of 9 a.m. on Sunday, June 28, Manitou Springs city crews are responding to an active water main break near the intersection of Ruxton Avenue and Osage Avenue.

The city says the situation is ongoing, and while a formal detour route is still being finalized, a full closure of Ruxton Avenue is likely.

The city urges motorists, residents, and visitors to avoid the area and seek alternate routes until further notice. There is currently no estimated time for completion of the repair, but additional updates will be provided as more information becomes available, the city says.

Mountain Metro Transit Route 33 to the Incline will stop on Manitou Ave and Ruxton Ave until resolved.

The city says that as service returns, residents may experience discolored water or low water pressure. This is normal. They ask you to run your bathtub, or the lowest tap in your home, on cold for five minutes or until the water runs clear.

KRDO13 has a crew on the way and will update this article as more information becomes available.

For further questions, the City asks residents to contact the City of Manitou Springs Public Services Department at 719-685-2573. For water outage details in Manitou Springs, click here.

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