Author: KRDO

Josh Helmuth

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Hundreds of local students are building their home libraries thanks to a special giveaway inspired by one beloved teacher.

The giveaway happened on the birthday of Debbie Leivers, a longtime elementary school teacher who loved her students and believed in the power of reading. After she passed away in 2021, her family started a nonprofit in her honor to carry on her mission. And now, four years after first partnering with Widefield School District 3, they’re back, celebrating her birthday in a pretty incredible way.

It took 27 volunteers in 68 classrooms across 11 schools in just two days. It all equaled to 1,091 students receiving books — more than 5,600 books given out!

“61 percent of low-income households do not have age-appropriate books in their homes. So that’s why we focus on Title 1 schools and Head Start preschools,” said Carl Leivers.

“It’s the only behavioral metric that corresponds to reading scores later in life, so we feel like it’s very important to make sure every kid has the opportunity to have those books in their home.”

And here’s the best part — every single preschooler and kindergartener in the district got to pick out five books to take home and keep — completely free.

A lasting gift, inspired by a teacher who believed every child deserves a story.

Is there someone or something remarkable at your school? Email Josh! SchoolBuzz@KRDO.com

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Bradley Davis

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) invited KRDO13 on board as staff and volunteers continue to collect fish during its annual Walleye Spawn.

CPW said it collects about 127 million Walleye eggs statewide each year. At the Pueblo Reservoir, the agency gathers 32 nets each day, brings the Walleye to the reservoir boathouse, sorts the fish by gender and allows their biologists to collect what they need for controlled fertilization.

“It’s basically our way of giving back. We end up helping out the spawn, and that makes for good fishing throughout the year,” volunteer Russ Dewey said. “You’ll see some in the tank, and you go, ‘Boy I hope we see that one again this summer!”

CPW said Walleye are the second-most popular sport fish in the state, behind Trout. CPW says the Walleye spawning is crucial to keep the population healthy and fishermen happy.

CPW said the warmer water temperatures have not had a large impact on the spawning efforts this year. However, the agency said the recent dry spell could impact the 2027 spawn.

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Josh Helmuth

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — It was a week full of wacky outfits, fun themes and a whole lot of reading at one local elementary school last week.

Students at Manitou Springs Elementary School spent the week celebrating Read Across Manitou, and they did it in style. Each day had a fun theme to get kids excited about reading.

Monday was Cat in the Hat Day — with plenty of wacky hats.

Tuesday brought Fox in Sox Day — with mismatched socks all over campus.

Wednesday was Green Eggs and Ham Day — so naturally, lots of green.

And Thursday wrapped things up with Buddy Book Day — where students dressed up as their favorite characters.

The celebration also brought in members of the Manitou Kiwanis Club and other volunteers who stopped by to read to students, all sharing their love of books. 

And the fun didn’t stop at school. Students took home reading bingo cards, with the class earning the highest participation winning a pizza party.

Is there someone or something remarkable at your school? Email Josh! SchoolBuzz@KRDO.com

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Arc of the Pikes Peak region (The Arc-PPR), the non-profit beneficiary of the Arc Thrift Stores, is hosting a movie night at Roadhouse Cinemas on Thursday to celebrate Developmental Disability Awareness Month.

The Arc-PPR is screening “Standout: The Ben Kjar Story” multiple times on Thursday. It will be the theatrical debut of the award-winning documentary in Colorado Springs.

The movie follows the story of Ben Kjar, a standout wrestler who overcame Crouzon Syndrome to find success on the national level. Crouzon syndrome causes facial deformities. Ben is now a motivational speaker after a successful professional wrestling career.

The screenings are at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Roadhouse off of N. Nevada. Tickets are $7 and include popcorn and soda.

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Scott Harrison

EL PASO/DOUGLAS COUNTY LINE, Colo. (KRDO) — When the express lanes opened in the Interstate 25 “Gap” between Monument and Castle Rock in December 2021, the major concern was drivers illegally weaving in and out of the lanes by crossing the double-white-line boundary.

Recently, however, that concern has apparently been replaced by tailgaters — drivers following too closely.

The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) admits that Gap tailgating is “a problem,” but doesn’t have statistics to show how often it happens.

Trooper Gabriel Moltrer of the CSP said that most tailgating happens with drivers who are in a hurry, and that when troopers see it happening, they stop offenders, try to educate them, and then cite them.

But what if the driver being tailgated is at fault for driving too slowly?

“If you are behind a vehicle and you believe it is going too slow, you do have to understand what the speed limit is in that area,” Moltrer explained. “If it is 75 mph and that vehicle may be going 70 to 75, they’re still going a reasonable speed through that area — especially if there is traffic in the normal lanes of travel.”

The CSP said that Gap tailgaters can receive tickets for following too closely (with fines starting at $100) or for speeding (with fines of up to $300 and the deduction of points from a driver’s license).

Troopers also ask that drivers leave a safe space between them, in case other drivers weave into or out of the express lanes.

Being tailgated can be frustrating and even dangerous on a city street or county road, so imagine it happening on an interstate highway with much faster traffic — particularly in a fairly narrow express lane where you can be cited for leaving before reaching a designated exit point.

Furthermore, tailgating victims face a split-second decision on whether to continue at the same speed and allow tailgating to happen, slow down, or simply leave the express lane at the next exit point.

The CSP explains what you should do if you’re the victim of tailgating in the Gap.

“If you have to pull over to the left shoulder for them to pass to ensure your safety, you can do so,” Moltrer said. “Or take the exit off the interstate and make sure that you get somewhere safe. But don’t do anything that might contribute to a potential road rage situation.”

Troopers say that you can report tailgating by calling the CSP at *277; a driver can do so after safely pulling over, or a passenger can do it during a tailgating incident.

“Provide the dispatcher with a vehicle description and direction of travel,” Moltrer said. “We can try to get a trooper to that area as soon as possible, to check it out.”

Finally, the CSP has plans in the near future to conduct targeted enforcement operations designed to catch violators or discourage tailgating.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Hollywood actors Patrick Duffy and Linda Purl greeted fans in person at the King Soopers off of North Gate as they launched their sourdough, “Duffy’s Dough,” in southern Colorado.

Duffy and Purl said 100% of the profits from their bread company will benefit organizations fighting food insecurity. At Monday’s meet-and-greet, the two will present the Care and Share food bank with a $5,000 check.

It was also a dream come true for one international fan.

“I was so emotional. I was crying, and I could not talk so much because I had something here in my throat,” fan Maria Nechtman said.

Nechtman grew up in Romania during its Communist regime. She said the popular TV show “Dallas” was the only American show the Romanian government allowed her and her classmates to watch. Her favorite character was “Bobby,” played by Patrick Duffy.

“We all got into the dormitory to just gather in one room, like a hundred girls, and we were fighting for the chair just to see Bobby,” Nechtman said. “It was the happiest days of that life when we saw him on TV.”

“Even if you go to Romania today, everyone loves him.”

Duffy said the sourdough starter recipe has been in his family for 75 years. His mother began baking after his family moved to Alaska when Duffy was only two years old.

After Duffy and Purl started dating in 2020, the two used Purl’s garage in Colorado Springs to start their bread company. Six years later, the couple is bringing their bread to southern Colorado after partnering with King Soopers to increase their production to a commercial scale.

Before their breadmaking days, both actors held roles in hit sitcoms and television series. Duffy starred in “Dallas,” “Step by Step,” and Man from “Atlantis.” Purl played prominent supporting roles in “Happy Days,” “Matlock” and as Pam’s mother in “The Office.” That’s far from an exhaustive list, and you may recognize the pair from any number of their other TV appearances!

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Scott Harrison

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — The explosion of growth in Fremont County’s “24 Fire” has led authorities to lengthen the 18-mile closure of Highway 115 that has been in place since Thursday evening.

The closure is now extended two miles north, essentially to Fort Carson’s main gate.

That’s where southbound drivers begin seeing cones, reducing traffic flow from two lanes to one.

Over the weekend, the wildfire grew significantly, from 600 acres on Friday morning to 4,600 acres as of late Sunday.

For KRDO13’s full coverage on the ’24 Fire’, click here.

With six agencies and at least 120 first responders working the fire, authorities likely want to ensure they have plenty of room to move heavy equipment back and forth.

More resources could arrive on Monday, as the fire still has no containment, although crews have been successful so far in keeping the flames from jumping west across the highway toward Fort Carson.

There was additional activity early Monday morning, as a crew was restriping lane markings on the north end of the closure.

A worker told KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior that the striping is a separate project unrelated to the fire.

The striping added another navigation challenge for drivers getting accustomed to the new lane configuration brought by the extended highway closure.

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Dylan Foreman

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)–

The women’s lacrosse team at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs is built on more than competition, it’s built on sisterhood.

For this team, that word is quite literal.

Siblings are everywhere on the Mountain Lions roster. Redshirt junior Brielle Fannin plays alongside her younger sister, freshman Charlotte. And from California come Julia and Allison Hoffman, twin sisters who are nearly impossible to tell apart at first glance.

“Well, I wear a high ponytail,” Allison laughed. “And then Julia, she wears a low one. But we also have different cleats; mine are bright yellow, and hers are just plain white.”

The Hoffmans’ journey to UCCS was far from straightforward. Last season, they reached a lifelong dream: earning an opportunity to play Division I lacrosse at Lindenwood University. But that dream was cut short. The House vs. NCAA settlement implemented roster limits over the summer for college athletic programs.

They were told that due to those NCAA roster limits, the program was no longer able to sign them.

“We were obviously disappointed,” Julia said. “Once we met that goal, we were like, ‘Okay, we’re here.’ After all our hard work, we finally achieved it. And for us to be told we couldn’t go there anymore, two weeks before signing, was very disappointing.”

What could have been a crushing setback instead turned into a pivotal redirection.

The turning point came when UCCS head coach Brice Queener reached out.

“Coach Queener contacted us and we thought, ‘Okay, let’s look at this school. Let’s see how the coaches are, let’s see what the team is like.’ We were actually able to come visit the school.”

The visit sealed the deal.

“Coach is very positive. He doesn’t get down. He’s very encouraging, which really helped.”

Though interchangeable in appearance, the Hoffman sisters bring different skills to the field, yet their chemistry is undeniable. Looking back, they’re confident they’ve landed exactly where they’re meant to be.

For the Hoffmans, their story is proof that talent isn’t determined by division level.

“Even if you’re D2, D3, or NAIA, you can still be a D1 player, in your head,” Allison said. “It doesn’t matter what division you play in. You can be as good as you want to be.”

At UCCS, the sisters have found not just a team, but a supportive environment where they can write a new chapter, together.

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Michael Logerwell

UPDATE – SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 11:00 a.m.: The Fremont County Sheriff’s Office says the fire has grown to 4,600 acres. No update on containment and no changes to evacuation orders.

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is issuing a pre-evacuation notice for Hwy 115/Sandy Creek Ranch HTS.

The notice comes as Fremont County officials announce the fire has grown in size to 1,923 acres, still at 0% containment.

Starting on Saturday afternoon, the winds have picked up, causing huge clouds of smoke to waft over Colorado Springs.

Stay up to date on coverage of the 24 Fire:

Smoke in Pikes Peak region caused by 24 fire off Highway 115

Evacuations ordered for ’24 Fire’ in Fremont County 

Evacuation site set up at Pathfinder Park for ’24 Fire’

Mandatory evacuation issued for Costilla County fire

Evacuations lifted in Custer County, Buttermilk fire contained

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Heather Skold

TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — One Army veteran hopes to bring relief to others in the way he found his own: archery. 

Sam Westfall was an M1 Abrams Tank mechanic in the Army from 1994-2001.  Sadly, his Army career came to an end after a horrific accident involving the large machine.

“It crushed my thigh flat, all the muscles, dislocated a hip, and the knee.  The Army said, ‘If you can’t run, we have no further use for ya,'” said Westfall. 

In the aftermath, Westfall admits he turned to alcohol and firearms as he struggled with PTSD, anxiety, and depression.

“It’s not the best combination.”

That’s when a friend urged him to try archery.  

“It takes you out of your mind, out of what you’re thinking, whatever cycle that is of depression or PTSD, it eliminates it altogether.  When you go to the gun range, you’ve got ear muffs on, earplugs in.  You can’t really have a conversation.  You’re just putting bullets in a target downrange.”

Now, going on 15 years using archery as his therapy, Westfall is inviting other active duty, veterans, and civilians alike to the Valor Archery Challenge, a one-and-a-half-mile hike that puts participants through a 30-target course.  The targets themselves are even strategically picked: a T. Rex, a honey badger, a flamingo, a mini elk, and a Sasquatch. 

“For some veterans, shooting that silhouette creates different issues.” 

The course even includes various physical challenges, like kettlebell swings and shooting while kneeling — should participants choose. 

“The biggest piece is they walk away with a little camaraderie, a little bit of connection, and a whole lotta fun.” 

The next event with Valor Archery Challenge is April 25. Early bird pricing is $35 for adults, $15 for teens. Rentals are available.

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