Author: KRDO

Karla Sosa

WOODLAND PARK, Colo. (KRDO)- Students from Woodland Park will get to talk with Astronaut Nichole Ayers. She’ll answer questions about science, engineering, and more, all from aboard the International Space Station. It’s been over a month since Woodland Park’s very own NASA pilot, Major Nichole Ayers, went off to space.

According to NASA, the school wants to show students that even though they live in a small town, they can achieve big goals.

Ayers said that growing up next to the Air Force Academy during the shuttle era caught her eye.

“I was like, oh, so that’s what I want to do. I want to be a pilot in the Air Force and at the Air Force Academy. Right there, the thunderbirds [are] flying every year. It was just a natural decision for me,” said Ayers.

Ayers along with three crew mates went on a mission to relieve astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who found themselves spending 9 months in space after an issue with their return capsule.

In a previous interview, Ayers told KRDO13 about some challenges. 

“One of the most challenging parts of our training here in Askern is the neutral buoyancy lab and learning how to do a spacewalk. You know, as a F-22 pilot, we were kind of on the operational tip of the spear in the military, and now we get to go do things that are on the operational tip of the spear for humanity,” said Ayers.

Guests can also watch the 20-minute Space-to-Earth call on Monday at 9:55 a.m. on the NASA STEM YouTube Channel.

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Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – New records obtained by KRDO13 provide more context to a flight that had to make an emergency landing at the Colorado Springs Airport (COS) after a service dog reportedly bit a child.

On Tuesday, a SkyWest Airlines flight operating under American Airlines was on its way to Dallas, Texas from Provo, Utah when it was rerouted to COS.

Audio from air traffic control showed that a 10-year-old boy had reportedly been bitten in the genitals by the service dog.

Vaccination records submitted to the airport that were obtained by KRDO13 say that the dog was a Belgian Malinois.

The owner of the service dog told emergency responders the “child returned from the restroom and accidentally stepped on the dog’s paw, resulting in the dog biting the child,” according to an airport medical report.

The report says that the child was taken to Children’s Hospital for further evaluation. No other information about his condition is available at this time.

American Airlines released this statement concerning the flight:

“We’re aware of an incident involving a service animal on American Eagle flight 4980 on April 15 and have been in contact with the family of the injured passenger to offer support and apologize for their experience.”

American Airlines also added that its policies adhere to U.S. Department of Transportation regulations. Those federal regulations require that, before boarding, handlers attest that their service animal is trained to behave. Handlers must also attest that the animal is trained to perform a task that assists with a disability. The form handlers have to fill out prior to boarding can be read here.

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Heather Skold

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – 27 schools in Colorado, 26 of them in Southern Colorado, just received the state’s first-ever Purple Star School Designation.

The designation sets apart schools that cater to military-connected students who have to navigate multiple location changes dictated by their parents’ service to the country.

“It’s a wonderful recognition, and we’re so excited that the state of Colorado has added this designation to the possibilities for schools,” said Principal Jamie Lester of Eagleview Middle School, where 20% of the student population is military-connected.  “For our military students, it’s heightened because some of them might only be here for a year or two, and so, we try to do everything we can to have students connect meaningfully during that time with our school and academically, but it can also be through clubs and sports.”

This is the first year schools were eligible to apply and gain the status, in the hopes of attracting more military-connected students to their campuses.  Colorado was one of the last states to approve the designation, with the passage of House Bill 24-1076.  At present, 43 states have Purple Star School laws on the books, according to the Military Child Foundation Coalition.

In order to be considered for the designation, schools were required to have a website dedicated to military students listing resources, have a student-led transition team, and implement student-driven clubs that engage the military community, among other requirements.

For 8th Grade Language Arts Teacher, Dr. Amanda Trimillos, it starts by making a study of her students. 

“I often talk about military-connected students, that we need to build their connections so they can reach the academics,” said Dr. Trimillos.  “I’ll ask the student, ‘Something’s changed. Has anything changed at home?’ And oftentimes it’s, ‘Well, we don’t have orders to move yet, but we’re expecting orders any day.’ And I’m like, okay, now I understand why their change of character — and sometimes it’s ever so slight.”

Dr. Trimillos, having taught military students at a base overseas, even co-authored the book, “Seasons of My Military Student,” geared towards equipping parents and educators about the challenges that inherently come with guiding military-connected kids.

But it’s not just about those military-connected children who sacrifice stability with schools and friends, the impact is also felt by those who stay behind.

“With 20% of our student population being military, that means 80% aren’t. And we like to remind those students that they’re still impacted when their best friend gets orders and moves,” said Dr. Trimillos.

Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 was the first district in Colorado to earn the Purple Star School Status for all its K-12 schools, which include: 

Abrams Elementary School

Aragon Elementary School

Eagleside Elementary School

Jordahl Elementary School

Mesa Elementary School

Mountainside Elementary School

Patriot Elementary School

Weikel Elementary School

Welte Education Center

Carson Middle School

Fountain Middle School

Fountain-Fort Carson High School

Other schools that attained the Purple Star Designation include:

 Academy School District 20

Douglass Valley Elementary School

Eagleview Middle School

Ranch Creek Elementary School

Aurora Public Schools

Edna and John Mosley P-8 School

Colorado Springs School District 11

Jenkins Middle School

James Irwin Elementary School – Howard

McAuliffe Elementary School

Charter School Institute

Colorado Military Academy

District 49

Bennett Ranch Elementary School

Falcon Middle School

Ellicott School District 22

Ellicott Elementary School

Harrison School District 2

James Irwin Charter Middle School

James Irwin Elementary School–Astrozon

Widefield School District 3

Grand Mountain School

Widefield High School

The Purple Star School Designation is valid for three years; additional schools can apply each year for consideration.

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Julia Donovan

LONGMONT, Colo. (KRDO) – Wildfire danger is top of mind ahead of what officials are forecasting to be an unusually active season. KRDO 13’s Julia Donovan caught a ride on a military Black Hawk helicopter during wildfire training up in Northern Colorado to learn more about the efforts crews are making to prepare, and how you can help make their job a little easier.

KRDO13 Reporter Julia Donovan flying in a military Black Hawk helicopter

From massive buckets that carry upwards of one thousand gallons of water, to much-needed walkie-talkies, hundreds of firefighters and military personnel packed up and headed to the hills outside of Longmont Thursday, with the mentality that practice makes perfect.

When it comes to wildfire season in Colorado, mistakes can be costly – and not just monetarily.

It’s their job to try and keep flames from taking lives. Firefighters also need to keep track of the weather, including wind direction, to keep themselves safe.

“Weather is great right now. It’s going to be awesome for the morning,” Eric Shelton with the Colorado National Guard addressed his team early Thursday. “As stuff does start to build up and roll in, make sure we’re communicating with each other. We want to make sure that we’re making the right decision.”

Local fire officials told KRDO they’re expecting an impactful wildfire season, considering snowpack levels in the mountains are lower than normal, so grass and other fuel are likely to dry out quicker.

Local and U.S. Forest Service Firefighters team up for training in NoCo

Firefighters say you can help prevent fires by adhering to local burn bans and fire weather warnings. They also warn drone pilots not to fly when firefighting aircraft are up. And, they say if you see a helicopter filling up its bucket in a reservoir, stay away!

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Michael Logerwell

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – A grandma is facing a child abuse charge after arrest records allege she put nicotine patches on her 4-year-old grandson in an attempt to cure his autism.

Tammy Eddings-Dion, 53, was arrested by El Paso County deputies on charges of child abuse and crimes against an at-risk juvenile.

El Paso County Sheriff’s Office arrest records obtained by KRDO13 Investigates reveal the little boy became “lethargic and started vomiting” on April 3. The boy and his mother were transported to Memorial Hospital Central in Colorado Springs by an ambulance. Hospital staff found a nicotine patch on his leg, and the 4-year-old was treated for nicotine poisoning. The mother found another nicotine patch on the boy’s back later in the day, after the boy was discharged from the hospital.

In an interview, the boy’s mother told detectives that Eddings-Dion sent her a text informing her she had received a 30-day supply of 24-hour release nicotine patches in the mail. Arrest records say the mother responded, asking the grandmother not to use the patches on the 4-year-old boy.

Arrest records say the child has the brain development of a 2-year-old, cannot form complete sentences, and struggles with behavioral episodes.

The mother called the grandmother after the little boy was released from the hospital. According to arrest records, the grandmother apologizes in the recording and says she would never hurt her grandson, and it was not intentional.

In an interview on April 7 with detectives, Eddings-Dion “admitted to buying the nicotine patches approximately one month ago because she had researched that nicotine would help with autism.” She told authorities she never opened the patches because the boy’s mother asked her not to use them. The grandma said she didn’t even know where the patches were inside her house because she put them away and forgot about them, but she knows her grandson wouldn’t have been able to reach them. She told detectives the only “sticky” thing the 4-year-old got into that day was band-aids from the first-aid kit.

KRDO13 Investigates reached out to Eddings-Dion’s attorney, who declined to comment on Friday.

The Autism Science Foundation (ASF) categorizes nicotine patch treatment as one of several “Biomedical Non-Evidence-Based Treatments.”

ASF says, “Proponents of nicotine patch use in individuals with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) believe that the nicotine released into the body from the patch activates and upregulates receptors, and thereby reduces ASD symptoms.” However, “use of this treatment is not supported by scientific evidence,” and no clinical trials have shown nicotine patches are a safe or effective treatment for autistic spectrum disorders.

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