Author: KRDO

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.

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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.

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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.

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Bradley Davis

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – The foster animals with the “From Forgotten to Forever” (FFTF) non-profit look pretty adorable in their adoption pictures. The group said it’s thanks to a local photographer who photographs their animals for free, and their adoption rates are increasing.

Allison Hall takes pictures of animals for a living. She has a business called Golden Iris Portraits, but she takes photos for FFTF for free.

This month and next, Hall is scaling up her involvement.

FFTF hosts an annual pet photo contest for its calendar. This year, the top 12 amateur photographers will win a free professional photography session with Hall. FFTF and Hall hope the prize will incentivize more people to submit and donate to the foster home operations.

Voting ends May 31 at 9 p.m. It’s $5 to submit a photo. The overall winner will be featured on the cover of the calendar.

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Danny Mata

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Family and friends of a crane operator killed at a Colorado Springs job site are remembering the man they say left a lasting impact on everyone around him.

On April 28, the Colorado Springs Fire Department responded to the construction site of Forge at Peak Innovation Park after reports of a crane operator trapped inside his equipment. Alex Disher was pronounced dead at the scene.

KRDO13 has reached out to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for more details on the incident; however, OSHA says it cannot discuss ongoing investigations. OSHA has six months to complete the investigation, according to officials.

In a text message to KRDO13, Disher’s wife, Brandy, shared the following statement about her husband.

“Alex is the love of my life, my best friend, my whole world. This man did anything and everything he could to see us smile. He worked so hard so I could be a stay-at-home mom. I will forever be grateful to him and the love we shared. He was the most goofy, life-loving person I have ever met.

He always had us on an adventure always. Always had get-rich schemes. Loved our kids with everything he had.”

Tera Hill, a friend of the family, said, “Alex was probably one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. You could call Alex at any time, and he’d help with anything. Anything from [being] a handyman, to a simple task, to somebody to talk to. He would be there, available, no matter what.”

Alex, remembered for his humor, kindness and unwavering devotion to his family, left an indelible mark on those who knew him. “Alex was funny. He was so funny. He was kind, and he was endlessly generous,” Hill said.

His loved ones say they cherished his ability to brighten any room and his unique approach to parenting. As tributes pour in, his legacy as a devoted husband and incredible father continues to shine brightly.

“Brandy’s a spitfire, and Alex matched that energy,” Hill said. “They were so devoted to each other. It’s genuinely like once-in-a-lifetime kind of love. He loved those boys, and he loved his girl. He’s an incredible dad, he really is. He’s a silly guy, and he really incorporated that into his parenting style. He was the foundation of their family.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Alex’s family. There is also a Meal Train page to help provide for his wife, Brandy, and their three children.

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Josh Helmuth

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Colorado Springs may be the Olympic City. But Monument has the latest local athlete pushing to make Team USA.

Lilly Lundy recently won her weight class in the Under-17 division at nationals in Spokane last week. In doing so, she earned a spot to represent Team USA at the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, this summer.

In fact, Lilly will be one of just 10 athletes competing for the United States. To top it off, Lilly has been wrestling at 100 pounds and qualified at 94 pounds. During the high school season, she only lost to state champions or nationally ranked wrestlers. Those few losses were actually a good omen.

Her coach says she’s everything you’d want in an athlete. 

“Lilly’s a great kid. Leader. .. She’s like a one-percenter. Does everything right. Never complains. Very coachable, “said Cole Jackson, Lewis-Palmer High School’s head wrestling coach.

Lilly has a week-long camp at the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center this week. July through August, she’ll be in Azerbaijan. Her goal is to be an Olympic wrestler. 

Not bad for a girl who’s only been wrestling for 5 years. 

“It feels amazing. It feels so unreal because I never thought I was going to be in this position, and I’m just super grateful too,” said Lilly.

Have a champion at your school? Tell us all about ’em! SchoolBuzz@KRDO.com!

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Sadie Buggle

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – On Tuesday, Colorado Springs city councilmembers voted unanimously to dissolve the Law Enforcement Transparency and Advisory Commission (LETAC), marking the end of a body created nearly six years ago to strengthen trust between police and the community.

The decision follows an earlier unanimous vote on April 14, when councilmembers advanced an ordinance to eliminate the commission ahead of final approval this week.

LETAC was created in the summer of 2020, in the wake of nationwide protests for police reform following the highly publicized death of George Floyd, and locally, the 2019 police shooting of De’Von Bailey.

According to a now-removed city webpage, the commission’s mission was to “make recommendations to City Council which would promote improved understanding and relationships between the police department and the public.”

Its goals included collecting community concerns, providing feedback and policy recommendations to the City Council, and offering input on budgeting and resource allocation based on audits of law enforcement performance.

Earlier this year, LETAC members themselves recommended that the city disband the commission and replace it with a new citizen-led body that reflected “the evolved needs of our growing city.” That recommendation, passed by the city council in March, ultimately led to Tuesday’s vote.

In a joint statement, Mayor Yemi Mobolade and Police Chief Adrian Vasquez thanked commission members for their service and said the Colorado Springs Police Department has already implemented several recommendations since completing an independent audit in 2021. Those changes include updated use-of-force policies, expanded de-escalation training, and increased transparency through data sharing.

Mobolade also emphasized that he remains responsible for overseeing the police department, adding that “ensuring that all voices are heard; clearly, respectfully, and consistently” remains a priority.

Read the full joint statement below:

“We extend our sincere gratitude to the members of the Law Enforcement Transparency and Advisory Commission for their service, their time, and their willingness to step into complex and often difficult conversations. Their work came at a pivotal moment in our city’s history, and their input helped move Colorado Springs forward in meaningful ways. We respect their decision to dissolve the commission and thank them for their commitment to strengthening our community.

In 2021, the Colorado Springs Police Department undertook an independent, third-party audit to enhance transparency and accountability. Since then, the department has implemented key recommendations, including strengthening policies around the use-of-force, expanding de-escalation training, and increasing transparency through improved data sharing. These actions reflect a continued commitment to progress and to building public trust.

As Mayor, I am accountable to the people of Colorado Springs for the performance and oversight of our Police Department. Chief Vasquez and I are fully aligned in that responsibility and in our shared commitment to leading with integrity, transparency, and results.

Looking ahead, we are committed to continuing this work by engaging former LETAC members and the broader community to identify new and effective ways for residents to share input directly with the Mayor’s Office. Ensuring that all voices are heard; clearly, respectfully, and consistently; remains a priority.

Together, we will continue to focus on what matters most: keeping our community safe, strengthening trust, and ensuring accountability remains clear, direct, and responsive to the people we serve.”

– Mayor Yemi Mobolade

Community calls for stronger police oversight

At the April 28 city council meeting, several residents voiced their support of the dissolution, but also urged city leaders to replace LETAC with a more powerful oversight body.

Brandon Rincon, with the Colorado Springs Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, criticized what he described as a lack of independent accountability.

“Currently, there is no mechanism for holding officers accountable outside of police investigating themselves, and we know that time and time again, police fail to actually act in a sense of justice when it comes to investigating other police officers,” Rincon said.

Memphis Curry, also with the group, read a statement on behalf of a family member of a man killed by Colorado Springs police last year, who echoed those concerns.

“For too long, this city has offered the illusion of oversight while families bury loved ones and officers remain protected by the same system that failed us,” Curry said. “We do not need another advisory board designed to absorb outrage and produce no real change. We need real power in the hands of the people.”

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — As the longest stretch of street being repaved this year, Circle Drive’s six miles have received considerable attention.

But segments of three other streets, each covering approximately 2.5 miles, are in equally rough condition, and they will be resurfaced, too.

Union Boulevard, from Academy Boulevard to Austin Bluffs Parkway, is one many drivers have complained about to KRDO13’s The Road Warrior, particularly the northern block between Academy and Ranch Lane.

Also being repaved is Chelton Road, between Platte Avenue and Airport Road; a sign along the street indicates that it was used as a test strip in 2006 for asphalt mixed with rubber from old tires.

The same mixture was applied a year earlier on Woodmen Road between I-25 and Academy Boulevard, but it performed so poorly that crews removed it last year and repaved the street with a more durable—and expensive—type of asphalt.

The third major street to be repaved is Palmer Park Boulevard, between Academy and Circle; the eastbound approach to the Palmer Park/Circle intersection has badly deteriorated.

It seems hard to believe that any street would be so badly deteriorated, and the 2C expanded paving program still has to address two-thirds of city streets over the next ten years.

Corey Farkas, the city’s operations and maintenance manager, understands the public’s frustration with waiting, in many instances, for years for certain streets to be repaved.

But he explains why the process can’t move faster.

“Because it is a moving target,” he said. “Because we do have so many stakeholders we coordinate with. We don’t want to promise a roadway in a specific year, and then maybe one of our stakeholders comes to us and says, Hey, we now have a project. We now have a project on that particular roadway. Can you defer that two years?”

Farkas asks drivers for their continued patience and understanding, and to drive carefully through work zones and around construction crews.

“We’re committed to 2C,” he insisted.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Four Broadway plays will tour to the Pikes Peak Center between now and April 2027. Three are Colorado Springs debuts, and two are currently running on Broadway.

KRDO13’s Bradley Davis announced the following lineup live on Good Morning Colorado.

Nov. 30-Dec 2, 2026: Hadestown

Jan. 25-27 2027: Bodyguard

Feb. 23-24, 2027: Legally Blonde

April 6-8, 2027: Book of Mormon

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Many drivers have been curious about the acceleration/deceleration (A/D) lanes that are a highlight of the improvements project on Interstate 25 between Fillmore Street and Garden of the Gods Road.

The lanes — one northbound and southbound, on the right side of the freeway — will be designed to improve the ease and safety of entering and exiting I-25 in that area, and eliminate a northbound bottleneck that can back up traffic several miles to downtown.

However, most drivers probably don’t realize they’re already using the northbound A/D lane.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) said the lane will remain a normal traffic lane until work in the center median, where a concrete dividing wall is being built, is finished.

Once that work is completed, the current traffic configuration will change, shifting toward the median; part of the median will become left lanes, creating space for the A/D lanes.

This week, CDOT crews began creating that space in the median, which requires overnight closures of two northbound lanes.

In fact, the only lane open during that time is the right lane that will be the future A/D lane.

Crews will perform similar work on the southbound side in May.

Meanwhile, repair work continues on the I-25 bridge over Garden of the Gods Road, which will require full overnight closures, alternating from northbound to southbound, through the middle of May.

The final step is repaving the 1.5-mile corridor, which CDOT hopes to finish by the end of summer.

The $62 million project also replaced twin bridges over Ellston Street and made significant drainage upgrades.

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