Author: KRDO

Bradley Davis

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The 108th and newest AdAmAn Club member can trace his family history in Colorado Springs back further than the club’s first charter.

McReynolds “Mac” Sommers is the 2025 AdAmAn club inductee. His grandfather joined in 1963, followed by his dad in 1988. Mac’s 97-year-old grandmother, Elaine, has supported her AdAmAn family for over 60 years. For the first time, she’ll be able to see her grandson off as a full member.

“All of the memories are part of our family. We call it the AdAmAn Family,” Elaine said.

The organization is comprised of mountaineers who climb Barr Trail along Pikes Peak each year, beginning on Dec. 30 and reaching the summit on New Year’s Eve, to light off a fireworks show for the entire Colorado Springs community.

“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but the summit of Pikes Peak on New Year’s,” said Bob Sommers, Mac’s dad.

The AdAmAn club has commanded the New Years firework show on top of Pikes Peak since 1922. It has added a single member every year since, with just three exceptions: When two 1930 inductees didn’t want to be members, during WWII, and the club’s posthumous induction last year.

Its high criteria for membership and strict addition guidelines make for a pretty exclusive club. Every member since 1922, alive or passed, could easily fit in a small high school gymnasium.

“I thought it was normal growing up,” Mac said.

Mac grew up giving his dad the AdAmAn sendoff at the base of Barr Trail, and has climbed 10 times as his dad’s guest. For the first time, he’ll lead the pack as a full member.

“It’s been 30 years now since you’ve had two sommers members on the climb,” Mac said. “All the way to the top!”

Click here to follow the original article.

Scott Harrison

EL PASO/TELLER COUNTIES, Colo. (KRDO) — While checking on street repaving in two Pikes Peak area towns last week, KRDO13’s The Road Warrior found that several streets on this year’s list were not paved or left unfinished.

In Woodland Park, Pine Ridge Avenue was originally scheduled for repaving last year, but due to weather delays was rescheduled to this year; however, the bottom half was repaved while the top half was not.

The top half has large, deep potholes in the middle and at the bottom, as well as more potholes at the top.

“They (crews) were here a long time this summer, at least a month,” a resident remarked as she rode down the street on her bicycle. “I don’t know why they didn’t repave the other half.”

Another neighbor provided photos of the construction and said that crews were actually on the lower half of the avenue for three months.

“They were here every year for several years, painting markings, but after every year, nothing happened,” the neighbor recalled. “They said they had to move utility lines, and they put in a new water main. But now, I’m hearing that they might have to come back and do more work after the repaving.”

Another example is nearby Dewell Road, a gravel road that was paved last year but developed a water main leak that crews repaired this summer.

But the problem there, according to neighbor Paul Bixler, is that crews paved the road over a wet base soaked by earlier snowfall.

“In the spring, I’m going to go down there and ask (officials about it) again,” he said. “Because initially, I was told this was going to take place. And I took them at their word. If the base isn’t sound, the asphalt on top doesn’t mean anything.”

Meanwhile, The Road Warrior also discovered that at least two of the 15 streets on this year’s paving list in Manitou Springs have not been repaved.

A neighbor said that one street, which was repaved — Shoshone Place, on a steep hill — wasn’t done well.

“Some of the asphalt is already cracking, and there are bumps where the manhole covers are lower than the pavement,” he explained. “They also didn’t put new concrete curbs and gutters in.”

One unpaved street, Indian Oaks Place, is adjacent to a street that was repaved — Oak Ridge Street.

Because of the holiday, officials were not in their offices to comment on the situation.

KRDO13 will update this story as more details become available.

Click here to follow the original article.

Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – ADDITIONAL UPDATE: On Saturday at 6:16 p.m., police officers say they responded to a crash on Powers Boulevard south of Platte Avenue.

On arrival, police say they located a victim trapped in one of the involved vehicles. The victim was extricated and transported in critical condition. The victim was pronounced deceased a short time later, according to police. Due to the nature of the crash, police say the Major Crash Team responded and assumed the investigation. According to officers, the initial investigation revealed a SUV was northbound, crossed the center median, and struck a sedan that was southbound.

At this time, it is unclear if drugs, alcohol or excessive speed are factors in the crash.

UPDATE: Colorado Springs Police confirmed to KRDO13 that one person has died after a rollover crash on Powers Boulevard near Platte Avenue.

Part of the road is still shut down in that area. Law enforcement asks drivers to exercise caution in the area.

PREVIOUS REPORTING: The Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) is responding to a traffic accident on southbound Powers Boulevard south of Platte Avenue. CSFD says SB Powers is down to one lane.

CSFD said one person was extricated from the car after being trapped. That person is being taken to the hospital.

Law enforcement asks the community to continue to avoid the area and to slow down and move over for emergency crews.

CSFD responded to the incident alongside the Cimmaron Hills Fire Department (CHFD). CHFD says this was a rollover accident.

This crash is separate from the rollover incident reported earlier in the afternoon.

Click here to follow the original article.

Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) says southbound Powers Boulevard, as well as both eastbound and westbound Constitution Avenue, are closed at the intersection for a rollover traffic collision. The department is urging drivers to avoid the area and use alternate routes.

Police say traffic is being diverted at S. Carefree Circle.

The Cimarron Hills Fire Department (CHFD) is also responding to the reported accident, which is blocking traffic.

For the latest traffic conditions in the area, click here.

KRDO13 has a crew on the way and may update this article.

Click here to follow the original article.

Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – On Saturday, around 11:30 a.m., the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) was called to a possible burglary in progress. The department responded to E. Pikes Peak Avenue off of S. Academy Boulevard, where officers say a caller reported that weapons were involved in the incident.

When officers arrived, they said they found a security guard had approached people attempting to enter a condemned building. Police say the condemned building is an apartment complex with fire damage. They say the security guard was there to ensure that the building stayed unoccupied.

The security guard was assaulted by the suspects using bats and tools, according to CSPD. KRDO13 asked police what tools were involved, and they said they did not have an answer at this time.

Police say the security guard was hospitalized with serious injuries. Craig Mauro and Janel Glasgow were both taken into custody, according to CSPD.

Police are investigating this incident.

Click here to follow the original article.

Marina Garcia

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Colorado is experiencing one of the weakest snowpack levels on record for this time of year, and that slow start is being felt here in Colorado Springs. On Friday, December 26, the snowpack statewide was 54% of the median.

USDA

Our meteorologists say you can see in the photo above that we are in the 50% range, which is low. We want to be at least in the 100% to 125% range for a decent amount of water where we won’t flood, and drought is avoidable. 

December is usually a busy time of the year for ski shops, but this season, sales are lagging. One local shop tells KRDO13 that Friday was the busiest day they’ve had all year.

At The Ski Shop, the doors are open, but the people just don’t have a need for snow gear, which is usually a hot commodity at this time of the year. Unfortunately, the only thing hot right now is the weather.

This time last year is drastically different, and locals are feeling it. Walking around in t-shirts and shorts, customers tell KRDO13 it’s strange to be getting ski and snowboard rentals in 60-degree weather.

Store owners say some years, snowboards and skis are flying off the shelves, but with some of the warmest temperatures on record this year, they say shops are feeling the brunt of it.

The Ski Shop in Colorado Springs says sales have been noticeably slower, and no snowfall is delaying gear purchases. 

“I am definitely concerned, yeah. I’ve got a lot of inventory. I’ve had a lot of ski season, but the inventory can drag me down if I don’t pay enough attention to that,” explained The Ski Shop owner, Rick Uhl.

Though one skier tells KRDO13 this won’t deter him and his family from their long-awaited trip.

“We planned this trip for a long time, and we expected a little bit more snow, but we think we’ll have fun in the mountains with what we have,” shared a shopper.

Many people tell KRDO13 the fake snow will have to do until we see those colder temperatures, which will hopefully be here this weekend.

Click here to follow the original article.

Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) —     With many road projects taking a break for the holiday period, we’re updating you on the status of three projects that started this fall.

One ended earlier this week, and two are still in progress.

Among them is the 8th Street improvement project, just down the street from the KRDO 13 newsroom, affecting the Fountain Creek bridge and the US 24 Frontage Road.

The project’s contractor gave drivers an unexpected Christmas present.

As KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior reported last week, crews closed the left lane of the Frontage Road that remained open during the project.

It was supposed to remain closed for two months — but last weekend, it reopened to traffic.

According to a text alert sent Monday, the lane will stay open until Monday, January 5th; that’s likely because there won’t be much work happening until then.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, El Paso County opened motorcycle lanes at its two downtown parking garages on Sahwatch and Costilla streets.

Each garage has an entry and exit lane; the lanes will address longtime safety issues with the current gate detection system.

Riders will no longer have to activate the gate or scan a ticket.

Finally, we’re seeing the work happening on the Mel Harmon Bridge in Pueblo; we told you early last month that it would be closed until April for repairs.

But the bridge didn’t immediately close on the day of our report.

Indications were that crews were already off for the holidays.

The only traffic or road-related issues we heard about on Christmas Day were debris temporarily closing the left lane of northbound Interstate 25, near the Pueblo West exit, and a brief closure of US 50, east of Pueblo, because of a crash possibly involving livestock on the road.

Click here to follow the original article.

Heather Skold

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Colorado State Patrol confirmed to KRDO13 that a 15-year-old boy died in a dirt biking incident south of Ellicott Christmas Eve shortly after 5:00 p.m.

Two people were riding separate dirt bikes through a field near Jayhawk Avenue and Ellicott Highway and at one point, they had a violent collision.

When first responders arrived, they immediately began doing CPR on both victims, according to CSP.

Their injuries, so severe that crews called two air ambulances to the scene. However, only one would leave with a passenger.

One of the riders, just 15-years-old, did not survive, and was declared dead at the scene.

The other victim, a 21-year-old man, was flown by helicopter to a hospital.

Things are still early on in this investigation and the exact cause of the crash is still unclear.

We are still awaiting an update on the medical status of that second victim.

This article may be updated.

Click here to follow the original article.

Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – It can’t fit under the tree, but that won’t stop an e-bike, e-moto, e-dirtbike, or any other variation from potentially being a popular gift this Christmas.

While it can be a thoughtful gift, some trauma surgeons, families, and local first responders say it can also be potentially deadly.

We’re talking about e-bikes and their illegal high-powered counterparts that you might unknowingly buy online.

In 2022, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said 24,400 emergency room visits were linked to e-bikes.

The Colorado Springs Police Department told KRDO13, “CSPD urges parents and guardians to carefully consider whether a child is physically, cognitively, and emotionally prepared to safely operate an e-bike.”

“These machines may look like toys, but they are powerful and can be extremely dangerous in inexperienced hands. We’ve already seen two tragic e-bike deaths in Douglas County involving adults, along with several incidents and injuries investigated by our School Resource Officers, ” said Douglas County Sheriff, Darren Weekly.

“E-bikes can be very dangerous, and we don’t want to see the tragedy of another youth dying unnecessarily,” said Dr. John Maa, a trauma surgeon in California. Dr. Maa has been tracking the rise in injuries that have followed the e-bike’s rise in popularity lockstep. He’s noticed that the injuries aren’t resembling those of an analog bike, but closer to a motorcycle.

It’s not a trend unique to the Golden State.

“That was like the worst day of my life,” Danielle Barrett still remembers what she was doing on that day in October. She’d just come inside the house and had a sip of coffee when middle school officials told her she needed to go to the hospital for her 11-year-old son, Zane.

“I saw him on this ventilator, and I freaked out,” Barrett says. The hospital staff told her Zane fell off the back of a friend’s e-bike, hitting the back of his head. He wasn’t wearing a helmet.

“He was a straight-A student. Now he’s not. He’s missed 30-plus days of school. He gets headaches, he gets highly agitated,” Barrett says his road to recovery is at least a year long.

These accidents aren’t limited to pre-teens, either.

Candi Hegenbert said her partner had purchased an ‘e-bike’ online for a little less than $1,000. It was advertised as having a top speed of 31 mph.

“I personally had no idea that he could even go 50 miles an hour on this bike. I thought it was just a little bike with a little go,” Hegenbert said. Her son soon learned its top speed was 50 mph. She tells me he took the bike for a spin on a clear day and ended up losing control of the bike, trying to hit top speed. He flipped the bike, breaking his wrist in multiple places.

“My reaction was, oh my gosh, you know, this could have been much worse than just a broken wrist.”

The Colorado Springs Police Department has some tips on how to stay safe on an e-bike:

Verify the bike’s class and top speed—ensure it complies with Colorado law.

Choose age-appropriate equipment

Click here to follow the original article.

Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is entering its third year of de-emphasizing humor on its highway message boards intended to reinforce driver safety.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHA) updated its guidelines for messaging in January 2024, as more states began transmitting basic messages such as Get Insured or Get Fined, and Christmas themes such as Ho-Ho-Hold Down Your Speed.

The messaging trend raised questions about whether messages were overly focusing on humor or making drivers uncomfortable by, for example, displaying fatality statistics.

According to the FHA’s updated 1,100-page manual, which outlines the regulations for signs and other traffic control devices, all messages should be “simple, direct, brief, legible, and clear.”

However, that directive pertains to how messaging is normally used — to relay weather conditions, crash information, or even Amber Alerts — but allows leeway for traffic safety messaging.

A CDOT communications staffer, Sam Cole, creates messages and sends them monthly to the Joint Traffic Operations Center in Pueblo.

The messages are entered into a data system by technicians and appear on message boards in real time.

“Our goal is to engage the public, and you need to engage the public cleverly,” said Cole. “And sometimes humor is a good way to do that. But we don’t want people spending the rest of their days trying to figure out what that message meant.”

To that end, CDOT has eliminated the use of pop culture references and localisms in messages that would confuse drivers instead of helping them remember the importance of safe driving.

“One of my favorites is Camp in the Mountains, Not the Left Lane,” Cole revealed. “It’s because driving in the left lane without passing is a pet peeve for many drivers.”

Drivers who spoke with KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior expressed mixed opinions about the messaging trend.

“For speeding, I don’t know how many people are going to slow down because of a sign saying something cute,” said Valerie Ray, a visitor from Texas.

Pueblo resident Chris Riggs said, “It’s getting your attention, and it’s not getting your attention in a preachy way, and they’re not beating up on you. So, I think it’s a good thing.”

Click here to follow the original article.