Author: KRDO

Celeste Springer

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — A Security couple is in the running for a nationwide competition dubbed “America’s Favorite Couple,” but they need your votes to make it to the finish line.

“We rescued each other,” wrote Jose Martinez.

Martinez says he met his wife, Casey, when he was experiencing homelessness. He says that even still, she opened her heart to him.

“We didn’t meet in perfect circumstances—we met when life had knocked us both down. But together, we rose,” said Jose.

The winning couple will receive $20,000. The Martinez family says they hope to use the money to pay off debt, free up monthly income, and live life with less stress.

You can vote for the couple by clicking here. Casey and Jose are currently 3rd in their group and have roughly 24 hours to get more votes to make it to the next round.

A first vote is free, but additional votes can be purchased with a monetary donation. Proceeds benefit the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and Oceana, according to the contest website. KRDO13 reached out to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, which confirmed they are a beneficiary and the contest is legitimate.

“These resources are especially critical as we continue responding to the increased need following the Greater Los Angeles Wildfires earlier this year,” said a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank.

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Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) has publicly released the identity of the victim of a suspected road rage homicide.

35-year-old Jacob Martinez was run over by a suspect on July 24, police said. CSPD says the suspect fled the scene.

A photo of the victim, 35-year-old Jacob Martinez, provided by family and distributed by CSPD.

On the day of the incident, security footage showed Martinez getting out of his car, standing in the road, only for the other car to run him over and drive off. Martinez died at the hospital three days later, police said.

Two weeks ago, CSPD identified and arrested the suspect, 39-year-old Daniel Nations. Investigators found him with the car used in the crash, police said.

The suspect, 39-year-old Daniel Nations, in his mug shot (Photo: CSPD).

Nations has an extensive criminal background, according to records. He was sentenced to three years of probation for threatening people with what appeared to be a weapon along Mount Herman Road in Monument in 2017. He was also arrested and charged with possession of a gun as a previous offender in Woodland Park that year.

Nations is a convicted sex offender, too, after local media outlets reported he exposed and pleasured himself in a Walmart parking lot in South Carolina back in 2006.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The Colorado Springs Downtown Partnership has debuted a new way to enjoy the downtown culinary scene with 11 unique pairings of gourmet hot dogs and specialty martinis across 11 participating restaurants.

At Downtown Partnership, our job is to drive people to our small independent businesses, and what a more fun way than a Weenies and ‘Tinis passport!” said Downtown Partnership marketing director Kelsee Swenn. “The chefs got really creative and made gourmet hot dog and martini pairings at each restaurant, and it’s been a fun time!”

Each restaurant crafted its own combination. Participants can sign up for the Weenies and ‘Tinis food pass for free on the Downtown Partnership website.

Once you sign up, you’ll get an email or text with each restaurant and combination. Show the food pass to each restaurant you visit, and you will get points that qualify you for discounts and prizes.

“There wasn’t a single thing that we didn’t like,” local food critic Matthew Schniper said. “It was just fun to work our way through and check out the variety, see how each place interpreted it and spun it in their own direction.”

The participating restaurants will serve their Weenies & ‘Tinis combos through August 17. Below is a list of participating restaurants and their combinations:

Avenue 19 (The Joint): Vegan Dog/The Bean Martini

Chiba Bar: Terimayo Dog/Thom Kha-cktail

Coati Uprise (Toasted Bunz): Classic Mini Hot Dog/Dirty Martini (River Bar)

ICONS: Dirty Martini Weenie/Tini Weenie Martini

Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar: The Sea Dog/Mell Vodka with Caviar Bump

Odyssey Gastropub: Chipotle Chicken Sausage/Caprese Martini

Red Gravy: Italian Sausage Dog/Filthy Dirty Martini

Shame & Regret: Chicago Dog/Malort Martini

Streetcar 520: Mini Pretzel Dogs/Weenie Teenie

The Crooked Cue: Spicy Hawaiian Dog/Pit Boss Martini

The Wobbly Olive-Downtown: Venice Beach Dog/Watermelon Sugar Martini

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Mackenzie Stafford

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — A new law aims to step in for military veterans falling behind on their mortgage payments.

The original safety net for veterans facing foreclosure on their homes, the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase Program, was terminated on May 1st.

“Without those protections with VASP [the Veteran Affairs Servicing Purchase Program], the veterans didn’t really have any recourse to protect them,” explained Philip Chavez, a local mortgage expert.

Now, Chavez says H.R.1815, the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act, should help many veterans in our community. 

“According to the Veterans Affairs Committee, 20-25% of all foreclosures right now are VA loans. So it was clear that something needed to be done,” said Chavez.

Philip Chavez says this new law will help pick up the brunt of the mortgage payments, with the VA stepping in when the owner might default on their loan.

“It allows the VA to step in early on behalf of the veteran to make their mortgage payments if they’ve been delinquent, or even missed a mortgage payment, the VA will actually make that payment for the borrower to the servicer directly to not only make them current, but to avoid foreclosure. Because ultimately, that’s what we’re trying to do, is just avoid foreclosure,” said Chavez.

He says it will help to bring their payment up to date, avoid dings to their credit, and most of all, help them keep their home. 

“Any time somebody loses their home, right, instantly, you’re homeless, you know, and veterans have served this community for as long as I’ve been alive,” says Chavez.

Chavez tells KRDO13 that this is just another way to give back to those who put their lives on the line for us and our country.

“We have a saying in the mortgage industry: it’s a service earned, not a service given. You know, and it’s absolutely true because think about how many veterans served our community,” shared Chavez.

According to Chavez, veterans who need help can reach out to their servicer to learn about the VA Home Loan Protections Act.

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Celeste Springer

STATEWIDE, Colo. (KRDO) — Looking for something to do tonight? Residents can join local law enforcement in their area for free food and activities as part of a nationwide movement event called “National Night Out.”

Events are hosted by local law enforcement agencies for an annual community relations get-together.

“It provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances,” the National Night Out website explains.

Almost all events include free food of some sort, and many have activities for kids or live law enforcement demonstrations.

Here’s a list of some of them happening in our area:

Teller County

Where: Memorial Park — 200 N. Park Street, Woodland Park, CO

When: Tuesday, Aug. 5, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

What: Free food, snowcones, activities, games, and a giveaway of several bikes

Pueblo County

Where: Civic Center Park — 61 E Civic Center Dr, Pueblo, CO

When: Tuesday, Aug. 5, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

What: Free food, giveaways, emergency vehicle displays, community safety booths, deputy and first responder meet-and-greets

Fremont County

Where: Pathfinder Park — 6655 CO-115, Florence, CO

When: Tuesday, Aug. 5, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

What: Free food and water activities. Bring your own water gun for a showdown!

Custer County

Where: Hermit Park, Westcliffe, CO

When: Tuesday, Aug. 5, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

What: Free meal, dunk tank, bounce house, bean bag toss, fire truck, ambulance

Park County

Where: Park County Fairgrounds —  880 Bogue St, Fairplay, CO

When: Tuesday, Aug. 5, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

What: Free food, fun, games, and prizes

Douglas County (multiple dates, locations)

Tuesday, August 5th, 2025

Ponderosa High School — 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Palomino Park — 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, August 6th, 2025

Sterling Ranch — 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Civic Green Park — 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

What: Food, first responder demonstrations, K9 and horse meet-and-greets

El Paso County

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office says their National Night Out is hosted at several private homes, so they do not publish the locations publicly. According to the sheriff’s office, local neighborhood watch groups host them.

On Tuesday, the board of commissioners made a proclamation honoring National Night Out.

“These events represent an opportunity to build on what members of my Office focus on year-round: establishing positive relationships with the citizens we serve and working together to eliminate crime and reduce victimization,” said Sheriff Roybal in a release.

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Celeste Springer

TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — The National Weather Service (NWS) says that after surveying the area, they can confirm that a tornado hit Woodland Park last week.

The tornado was ranked an EF-1, indicating that it caused only moderate damage with winds of about 110 miles per hour.

This is yet another tornado to hit Teller County this year. The NWS confirmed an EF-1 tornado was in Teller County, 2 miles north-northeast of Divide, in June.

The NWS says reports of damage for this latest tornado were delayed, so they only went out to assess on Monday.

According to the latitude and longitude coordinates provided by the NWS, the tornado started near the intersection of County Road 5 and Forest Service Road 357.

The NWS believes the tornado took off around 1:55 p.m. on July 30. During their assessment, crews found widespread damage to nearby woodland, with trees uprooted and some snapped. The NWS believes the tornado traveled about an eighth of a mile.

The NWS did not indicate there was any damage to man-made structures.

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Celeste Springer

MONUMENT, Colo. (KRDO) — A water main break has shut down the intersection of Jefferson and 3rd Streets in Monument, according to town officials.

Town officials say water service in the nearby area (pictured below) has been shut off as repairs are underway.

Courtesy: Town of Monument

“We appreciate your cooperation & understanding as we work to resolve the issue promptly,” read a post from the Town of Monument.

The initial release did not include a timeline for project repairs.

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Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS Colo. (KRDO) — The City of Colorado Springs says they’ve welcomed 13 students from Japan as part of a larger “sister city” program.

The City of Colorado Springs has had a decades-long partnership with Fujiyoshida, Japan. Since its establishment in 1962, Colorado Springs and Fujiyoshida have participated in community festivals, pen-pal programs, and exchanges, city officials said.

This latest arrival marks the 34th time students have left their homes to participate in cultural exchanges overseas.

“It is an extraordinary privilege to host this delegation of bright and thoughtful students,” said Mayor Yemi Mobolade in a press release. “Colorado Springs and Fujiyoshida share more than scenic beauty at the base of iconic mountains, we share a deep commitment to cultural exchange and mutual respect. As a city that values cultural richness and global connection, we are proud to foster these relationships that enrich our community. These young ambassadors inspire us with their curiosity and remind us that the bridges we build today lead to a more peaceful and connected world of tomorrow.”

In total, about 500 students have flowed through the program, city leaders said.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Numerous citizens have asked when projects on Galley Road, one of which started early last year, will end the road closures and detours they’ve endured.

Galley cuts through several neighborhoods and is a convenient east-west route for drivers between Academy and Powers boulevards, but citizens have been frustrated by the impacts from three infrastructure projects.

The latest started Monday and was expected to continue through Thursday at the intersection of Galley and Potter Drive, where Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) is repairing a faulty valve on a 24-inch water main.

CSU initially said that the intersection would be closed, but daytime eastbound traffic was open on Monday, and it appeared that one lane in each direction was open overnight.

However, crews repaved the area late Tuesday morning, and CSU said that the intersection would fully reopen on Wednesday morning.

The utility is also replacing an old water main on Galley between the west fork of Sand Creek bridge and Powers Boulevard.

It’s a three-phase project that began early last summer, and crews have finished the first two phases to bring the new main to Space Center Drive; CSU hasn’t finalized when the final phase across Powers will start.

But the project that is most frustrating to many citizens is the demolition and replacement of the 60-year-old creek bridge, which has closed several blocks of Galley in both directions.

Crews made significant progress earlier this summer when they finally tore down the old bridge.

However, the project has been delayed — first, by the late arrival of some construction materials in the beginning, and then by challenges in relocating utility lines.

Citizens complaining about the project may also be unaware of the weather slowing progress.

As one construction worker told KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior on Monday: “Every time we get ready to pour concrete, we get a rainstorm that floods the creek and bursts the dams that we build to control the flow. We end up having to start over.”

But crews are hoping for a period of dry weather to meet their goal of finishing the project this fall.

Many citizens hope that Galley will be repaved after all utility projects are completed, although this will likely result in additional traffic impacts.

City and CSU officials have said that they understand the public’s frustration with the length of the projects, but are trying to complete them as soon as they can.

A local church found a creative way to grin and beat the construction.

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