Author: KRDO

Julia Donovan

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – This week’s Restaurant Roundup is an investigation into a cockroach problem that has neighboring restaurants in one plaza off Barnes Road begging for change.

“No roaches, no nothing, no bugs of any sort when I first started – then they moved in, and it was just Armageddon,” said the manager of the Cheba Hut, which shares a wall with this week’s low-scoring restaurant: Pho Express #1.

Pho Express #1 was caught with 18 violations, including a cockroach infestation, back in April.

The owner, Duy Nguyen, had told us he thought they were coming from shipments and said they couldn’t get things under control.

Well… apparently they never did!

Pho Express #1 recently failed its routine health inspection again – this time with 23 violations! 

Those violations include – you guessed it – cockroaches. 

“It’s on and off,” owner Duy Nguyen told us when we stopped by.

The inspector also noted a gap under the back door, employees not using soap when washing their hands and some dishes, and one employee wiping their nose and not changing gloves afterward. There were also no thermometers in the entire restaurant! 

The inspector decided that all of this was enough to warrant a temporary closure.

But Duy seems to deny any wrongdoing when it comes to the roaches; he says pest control can confirm that.

“They’re saying it’s actually the whole building,” Duy argued.

After Duy made that claim, we checked in with the Cheba Hut next door.

While the problem might be building-wide now, Cheba Hut Manager Emily Render says Pho Express started it!

“They like burrowed a hole from them to over here,” Emily said.

Now, Emily and her crew are working overtime to combat the catastrophe!

“We have people come out once per month to spray everywhere. Every time we get a sighting, we immediately take care of it,” Emily explained. “We constantly have to clean up their mess in our shared dumpster area, same with Parry’s.”

Parry’s GM, David Garcia, corroborated Emily’s story. 

Note: there’s a small alleyway between Pho Express #1 and Parry’s.

“We end up having to pick up some items for them just so we don’t have any of those issues coming into our building,” Dave said in an interview with KRDO13.

“I’ve literally scooped up maggots off the ground in a trash bag before that they threw out, and they would leave animal bones outside,” Emily added.

We asked health department officials if they’re looking into these allegations of ongoing negligence.

They reiterated what we already knew from inspection reports: all the neighbors passed recent inspections with no roach notes.

Cheba Hut

Parry’s Sliceria & Taps

Tokyo Joe’s

The El Paso County Public Health Department also said Pho Express #1 passed its re-opening inspection with no cockroaches.

“Instead of [being] open seven days per week, we’ll close Wednesday now so we do a deep clean every week,” Duy explained some new changes.

Duy admitted the handwashing violations came from a quote, “lack of supervision,” and said they’re doing more training.

He also said they’ve remodeled the kitchen and installed a metal baseboard.

Still, managers at Cheba Hut, Parry’s, and Tokyo Joe’s are worried this won’t be the end of the cockroach wars.

“I’m happy they’re trying to find the root cause, but I also feel like they might be the root cause and they’re just trying to play it off,” Emily worries.

We asked Pho Express if they had any response to neighbors’ claims about them disposing of their trash improperly. They said they’ll talk to their kitchen staff about that.

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Josh Helmuth

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — If you’ve ever thought about working in education, D-11 has an event this weekend that could be your chance.

Colorado Springs School District 11 says this weekend’s job fair will be the largest hiring event in its history. The district is looking to fill 162 “essential” positions, representing several departments: teachers, paraprofessionals, crossing guards and administrative positions, just to name a few.

The hiring fair runs Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Doherty High School. Spanish-speaking support will also be available.

District 11 says it means more than just accepting a job. It means helping create safe, supportive learning environments where students can thrive. If that sounds like you, give them your resume.

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

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – All across Rampart High School, students and teachers continue to feel the presence of Senior Cora Fogle. The book she wrote, the art she created, the friends she made, and the t-shirt she designed just eight days before she died from Leukemia.

“Cora is just an unapologetic person. She’s so resilient, she’s always herself, and she was always there for everybody, even when she was going through times of her own,” said Cora’s friend and Bald 4 Bucks student chair, Ella Harrison.

Fogle is Rampart’s 2026 “Bald 4 Bucks Hero Child.” Every year, students and staff raise tens of thousands of dollars to support cancer research, culminating in a massive pep rally where hundreds shave their heads in solidarity with those who don’t have a choice.

Despite her diagnosis, Fogle was active in the Rampart community. Perhaps her strongest reputation was in her creative writing. She was a published author at 14, and her poetry book is still available on Amazon.

She loved dinosaurs almost as much as she loved writing and the color teal.

While fighting for her life, Cora still dedicated strength to the Bald 4 Bucks cause. She designed the t-shirts and the color scheme. She made an appearance at a Bald 4 Bucks meeting, despite her demanding treatment. The final product couldn’t be more “Cora.” Teal mixed with orange for blood cancer awareness, with dinosaur balloons everywhere, and her dinosaur design centered proudly on the orange and teal tie-dye Bald 4 Bucks t-shirt.

“Having her there was super impactful,” Rampart junior Shyla Ayen said before shaving her head. “Seeing her there was so amazing, that she was fighting through all the struggles she was having, just to have her visit us as we were planning the event.”

Rampart has raised about $35,000 of its $50,000 goal. You can find their donation page here.

Before today’s 10 a.m. pep rally, where participants will cover the gym floor in hair, two students will shave their heads live on Thursday morning, exclusively on Good Morning Colorado.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — A two-year, $280,000 project to improve safety on streets and roads was released to the public on Thursday morning.

The Transportation Safety Action Plan is designed to benefit drivers, motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

Local leaders provided more details in a 10:30 a.m. news conference at the City Administration Building downtown.

To formulate the plan, officials received a grant from the federal Safe Streets for All program, which provides funding to communities to reduce traffic-related deaths and injuries.

The plan has four main objectives: Reduce motorcycle crashes; prioritize infrastructure projects to focus more on safety; take advantage of existing community partnerships; and develop a list of safety projects from existing planning efforts.

“In our opinion, we believe it will improve safety for all users, and will have some impact on your driving,” said Todd Frisbie, the city’s chief traffic engineer.

City officials also want to highlight some of the improvements they’ve already made and are currently making.

Among them: Better lighting and visibility at intersections, using a neighborhood traffic calming program with roundabouts and other measures to reduce speeding, and increasing safety in school zones, at trail crossings, and in left-turn lanes.

Frisbie referred to a 2021 list from the city that ranked the most dangerous intersections.

“I’m happy to report that in mid-2025, we have implemented almost all of those (safety) changes at those intersections that we had identified,” he announced.

The plan’s main objective, Frisbie added, is to reduce traffic deaths and fatalities by 35% over the next decade.

“53% of our crashes occur on 5% of our roadways,” he said. “In the southeast part of Colorado Springs, there is a disproportionate number of those types of roadways.”

Trish Trent-Iaquinta, who represents Drive Smart Colorado and the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, explained what everyone can do to promote safety.

“Parents teaching their young kids, starting at the elementary school age, and modeling that behavior,” she said. “They see it if mom and dad don’t buckle them up. Don’t have your phone. Really pay attention to pedestrians.”

To view the link to the plan, visit: https://coloradosprings.gov/SafetyActionPlan.

Included on the page is a dashboard with crash statistics used by planners to help formulate the action document.

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Rob Namnoum

The Lamar boys basketball team fell to Timnath in the Class 4A Great Eight on Wednesday morning 42-40.

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Rob Namnoum

At Pueblo East High School on Wednesday, they celebrated the wrestling team winning another Class 4A State Championship.

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Alexander Brunet

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Colorado Springs Fire Department said that law enforcement reported a house fire at the corner of East Pikes Peak and Dudley avenues, just before 5 a.m. on Wednesday, March 11.

Fire departments response

“There was a law enforcement presence before we got here,” said Ashley Franco, a CSFD spokesperson. “We’ll take the lead on the fire, and the FBI will take the lead on the scene.”

Franco said that fire was showing at the front and in the garage of the home, and that the flames were extinguished within two minutes.

The fire department confirmed to KRDO13 that one person suffered minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital.

“There were no injuries to law enforcement or firefighters,” Franco added.

Police departments response

The FBI later released a statement that its agents were executing a federal criminal search warrant, unrelated to immigration enforcement. A CSPD blotter post confirmed that their Metro Narcotics Unit and the FBI began a joint investigation into a drug trafficker who had a history of vehicular assaults, aggravated robbery and felony menacing. 

CSPD says that a search warrant was used, and when they arrived, several residents exited the home; however, the suspect refused to come out. Police say the suspect, who has been identified as Benjamin Greenfield, then began lighting several fires within the home, running.

Courtesy: CSPD

Police say after a shot chase, Greenfield was taken into custody and was treated for smoke inhalation and burns. He has since been released from the hospital and remains in custody under several charges, including arson.

Neighbors told KRDO13 that before the pursuit, they heard the explosion of “flash-bang” devices and orders from a law enforcement bullhorn for the man to surrender.

Neighbors say they recently noticed suspicious activity at the house, with vehicles coming and going, and people constantly walking in and out.

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Josh Helmuth

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Every school needs teachers willing to go the extra mile to help all students succeed – especially those with reading challenges. D-20 has two teachers being nationally recognized for doing just that.

Jodi Champagne and Kim FitzPatrick just won the Aylett R. Cox ALTA Educator Award. It’s a national award that recognizes teachers making a major difference in the lives of students with dyslexia. What makes this recognition unique is the fact that the award is usually given to one teacher, but this year, because they’re both so great for all of D-20, Champagne and FitzPatrick are being honored together. It really shows the impact of their partnership in the district. 

“Jodi and Kim make a meaningful difference for students and families each day,” said Andie Ruskin, Director for Literacy. “This national recognition reflects their expertise, compassion and commitment to helping every student grow.”

They both help screen for characteristics of dyslexia. They support school teams, helping families navigate the challenges and make sure the students still succeed wildly. They even train teachers across the district. 

Champagne and FitzPatrick will officially receive the national award next month at a conference in New Orleans.

Is there someone remarkable at your school? Email us! SchoolBuzz@KRDO.com

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — By now, drivers should be accustomed to lane closures along busy Austin Bluffs Parkway that are part of the ongoing construction of a new power substation by Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU).

This week, crews closed the right westbound lane between Goldenrod Drive — near the future substation site — and the Union Boulevard exit.

Workers are installing new underground electric lines that will connect to the substation.

“It will eventually eliminate the need for above-ground power lines around the substation,” said CSU spokesperson Cassie Melvin/

This phase of the project was supposed to begin a month ago, but CSU decided late on the morning of the start date to delay work.

“They wanted to do a little bit more prep work and inspection work,” Melvin explained. “Just to get some more of the materials here as well, before we close the road. Because they wanted to close the road as close to the project beginning as possible.”

Alternating lane closures in both directions of Austin Bluffs in that area will continue through the end of May.

For this round of work, crews will not use steel barriers that were installed previously to separate crews from traffic.

“They’re using cones and barrels because it’s a shorter duration of a closure,” Melvin said. “Crews will need to move them quickly to the next two phases (lane closures).”

That makes slowing down in the work zone more important than ever.

There were similar lane closures between August 2024 and April 2025; during that period, crews performed other utility line relocations, including an above-ground natural gas line.

That phase was delayed four months when crews discovered an unexpected utility line that had to be identified and required other existing lines to be relocated around it.

CSU hopes to begin operating the substation — that will replace several older stations — next January.

The project costs around $40 million, including $6 million for utility line relocations.

After the project ends, the winding, narrow corridor will need a good repaving.

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Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Gas prices skyrocketed to a national average of $3.47 on Monday, up nearly 50 cents from last week, according to data from AAA. Plus, oil prices on Monday surpassed $100 a barrel for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 before falling lower later in the day.

President Donald Trump has dismissed the higher cost, telling ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce it’s “a little glitch.”

“I think it’s fine. It’s a little glitch. We had to take this detour,” Trump told ABC’s Bruce in an interview on Sunday before going on to tout the U.S. military campaign against Tehran.

In a social media post on Sunday night, Trump wrote: “Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace.”

On Tuesday, Colorado Springs passed the national average for the first time in months, according to GasBuddy. The gas tracking website also recorded data that outlines Tuesday’s average price in Colorado Springs is the highest gas price in the past year.

Drivers here tell KRDO13 they’re finding any way they can to cut costs, whether that is only filling up half a tank or considering a new form of transportation. 

“I really hope that they come down because, because if not, I’m going to get a motorcycle just to make it much easier for gas,” explained Connor Rohrman.

Rohrman shared how it’s difficult to balance paying rent with other rising costs. One driver told KRDO13 they scrounged up all the change in their car just to go pick up their girlfriend. He told us he came up with 7 dollars, and that it barely made a dent in his tank. 

“You kind of have to pick and choose which, which is the most important thing at the time,” shared Katie Henry.

Henry told KRDO13 she has to cut spending on things that are not necessary to afford gas.

According to GasBuddy, the last time Colorado Springs surpassed the national average, prices were around $3.22. On Tuesday, prices averaged $3.58, according to GasBuddy. 

“If we can start pulling things out of our own ground rather than outsourcing, that would be beneficial,” said Alex Davidson.

Others say rising costs could be worth it for world peace.

“World peace would be good. Gas prices, I don’t care if they get up, but if they’re not bombing each other, that would be nice,” shared Sergio Perez Delgado.

It’s worth noting that while these prices are rising, they are still cheaper than they were a few years ago. 

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