Author: KRDO

Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — A Rampart High School senior says she was denied the chance to paint a Bible verse on her parking spot, and now a national religious liberty group is stepping in.

Sophia Shumaker is a senior at Rampart High School. She requested to paint her parking space as a shepherd on a hill, a staff, and a sheep, along with a Bible verse, according to First Liberty Institute, the legal group now representing her. However, they say the school denied her design.

First Liberty Institute says Rampart High School denied the request, pointing to a school policy restricting political and religious paintings. First Liberty Institute argues that this is inconsistent across Colorado Springs Academy School District 20 schools, so the law group sent a demand letter to the district.

Rampart-High-School-Demand-Letter13_RedactedDownload

Shumaker tells KRDO13 she wanted to leave her mark for her senior year.

“It usually is kind of like a reflection of who they are and just something a way to express themselves before leaving the school.” Shumaker continued, “My original inspiration was the shepherd and the sheep, from Psalms.”

But when Rampart High School denied her request, she said she was devastated.

“Honestly, really upset because I’d been planning, like, this parking spot with, like, my best friend for forever, and then it just didn’t work out. It was kind of like a piece of me was missing, and it almost felt like I had to, you know, kind of hide my faith in a way,” explained Shumaker.

The high school rules outline no religious or political paintings.

Senior Parking Spot Info and ContractDownload

But Shumaker says she draws inspiration from recently deceased activist Charlie Kirk. 

“Charlie Kirk has honestly changed my life, and he makes it so easy for me to want to go out and fight for what I believe in,” shared Shumaker.

She and First Liberty Institute say other schools in District 20 have faith-based parking spots.

“It’s very confusing to see other people being able to express their faith. And then at your school, you can’t,” said Keisha Russell of First Liberty Institute.

Academy School District 20 sent KRDO13 this statement in response to our questions.

“Academy District 20 is aware of an attorney letter regarding a Rampart High School student parking spot design. We do not comment on potential legal matters or individual student situations but confirm that we are reviewing the information provided. Although Academy District 20 was not contacted by a family or student about this concern and did not receive the attorney’s letter prior to Oct. 22, we can share that Rampart High School’s senior parking-spot program is a school-sponsored activity with content guidelines and a staff approval process.”

-Academy District 20

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Police said that one of several devices used to compare drivers’ speeds to posted speed limits and reduce speeding is working in an eastside neighborhood.

But a viewer who contacted KRDO13’s The Road Warrior and lives in the area isn’t so sure.

Approximately a month ago, police placed a speed radar trailer on the shoulder of westbound Constitution Avenue, just east of the Sierra Drive intersection.

“We placed it here because we’d received numerous complaints about speeding,” Ira Cronin, a police spokesman, explained. “And since it’s been here, we haven’t had one complaint. Our goal isn’t to write tickets, but to try to convince people to slow down.”

The speed limit on that stretch of Constitution is 35 mph.

Still, The Road Warrior noticed drivers regularly exceeding the speed limit by more than 10 mph, prompting a “Slow Down” warning on the radar’s message board.

The placement of the trailer came after a crash at the intersection in late July, in which a motorcycle rider collided with an SUV, was ejected, and killed.

Cronin said that the crash remains under investigation and fault hasn’t been determined.

Lynne Mahan is the viewer who contacted The Road Warrior; she said that she worries about speeders following too closely and causing rear-end collisions when drivers slow to enter the shoulder and turn right on Sierra.

“I’ve asked them if they could move it forward to where there’s not a turn lane, or to the east side, where there’s not a turn lane either,” she said. “It still would accomplish what (police) say they are trying to accomplish, which I fully support.”

Cronin outlined the procedure for the placement of speed radars.

“When an officer comes out here to place a trailer like this, they’re going to look at the lay of the land,” he said. “They’re going to look at, in this particular case, it’s a curve. Where can we get drivers’ attention, and where can we safely park this trailer? And here on the shoulder of a road is legally safe for anyone to park in this section because it is a shoulder of the road and not a turn lane.”

It’s unfortunate, Cronin added, that drivers who obey traffic laws are often the victims of drivers who violate those laws.

“Because this one seems to be working, we may move it to another location soon,” he revealed. “We have a limited number of these devices and many areas where speeding is an issue.”

Mahan is also concerned about the risk of broadside crashes at the intersection, as drivers try to enter or exit Sierra.

“Sierra, north of Constitution, is the only way in and out of the neighborhood,” she said.

In July’s fatal crash, police said that an SUV was turning left at Sierra onto eastbound Constitution; the motorcycle was in the westbound right lane on Constitution, and the collision happened as the rider veered left to avoid the SUV.

Late on Monday morning, police were conducting speed enforcement on Constitution.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Hundreds of people in Southern Colorado have made donations to the Comfort and Joy Cat Cafe in downtown Colorado Springs after the local business asked the community for help last month.

“It kind of blew our minds how much the community rallied together to support us,” employee Naiya-Marie Greve said.

In September, the cat cafe said it was struggling financially and posted a GoFundMe link in the hopes of raising some money to help with supplies for the cats and business operations to keep their foster shelter open. Comfort and Joy Cat Cafe fosters cats for the Teller County Regional Animal Shelter (TCRAS) and Safe Place for Pets.

“It’s just tremendous to know that they have this space available, and they can be more themselves and find that special person who is going to be their forever person,” co-owner Sharon Mullally said.

Since then, over 250 people have donated over $12,000 to help the cafe stay open. It’s a private business and not a non-profit, as the owners make clear on the GoFundMe page.

The cafe said it has helped nearly 100 cats find new homes since opening.

Tune into “Good Morning Colorado” to watch KRDO13’s Bradley Davis speak with the owner and play with some cute adoptable cats!

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Michael Logerwell

UPDATE 10/24/2025: A spokesperson with El Paso County says that El Paso County Health Plan Trust Board has requested that the board reconsider its decision on the retiree plans. The board plans to discuss the topic on Wednesday, Oct. 29 at 8 a.m. in the District Attorney’s Office, 105 E. Vermijo Avenue, 4th Floor, Main Conference Room. Members of the public may attend.

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – On October 8, retired El Paso County Sergeant Emil Lucero received a letter from El Paso County alerting Lucero to a change in the retiree healthcare plan.

“I felt really disappointed. I felt like I was being left behind as a retiree who served this county for 20 years,” Lucero said.

Lucero worked for the sheriff’s office from 2002 to 2022. After spending years working in the county jail, Lucero then provided security at the courthouse and during El Paso County Commissioners’ meetings.

“A lot of things stand out, especially being attacked, having my front teeth broken. All the injuries that occurred with the sheriff’s office,” Lucero said. “Mostly the things that stand out are the injuries and stuff that I incurred over my 20 years with the office, defending and supporting the citizens of El Paso County.”

Now, to keep medical coverage to treat those injuries as he ages, Lucero is going to have to pay.

Chart provided by El Paso County

In 2026, Lucero will be on the hook for $56.08 a month, then in 2027, he will pay the same amount as active employees, $112.16. Lucero said that the monthly payment is just for him and not the rest of his family.

El Paso County will still be paying more than $1,000, but that won’t cover it all, and Lucero says that doesn’t include extra coverage for his family. He would have to pay extra for that.

For years, Lucero says, sheriff’s employees were promised free health coverage if they served 20 years or more for El Paso County.

“Every year, they would dangle a carrot in front of our face[s] so that they would keep retention so that people would stay. And it was a good benefit, and that’s one of the reasons why I stayed for 20 years,” Lucero said.

Lucero also shared this letter with KRDO13 from El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal. In it, Sheriff Roybal writes that he is adamantly opposed to this change and says he will continue to advocate for quality benefits for the sheriff’s office retirees.

An El Paso County spokesperson said this move is projected to save the county $600,000 across 2026 and 2027.

This decision was made by the El Paso County Health Plan Trust Board. The board provided a statement on the decision:

“The El Paso County Health Plan Trust Board acknowledges the concerns raised by retirees regarding recent changes to retiree health insurance premiums and associated subsidies. We deeply value the dedicated service retirees have provided to our community and want to provide clarity on this matter.

Like many employers nationwide, the County has faced rising healthcare costs. Each year, thoughtful work goes into evaluating all our benefit offerings. This process involves careful analysis, thorough research, and collaborative effort.  Our ongoing goal is to provide a robust and comprehensive benefits package that supports the health and well-being of our employees, retirees, and their qualified dependents at an affordable cost.

We strive to enhance our plans annually, while balancing affordability, access, and our responsibility to be good stewards of tax revenue received from the taxpayers of El Paso County. These efforts help ensure that our employees and retirees continue to receive meaningful benefits that meet their needs.  To maintain the integrity and long-term sustainability of the plan, adjustments were necessary, and these changes were made to help preserve access to retiree medical coverage well into the future.

We remain committed to supporting our retirees and ensuring they continue to have access to quality healthcare options.  Retirees with questions about their coverage or payment amounts are encouraged to contact the Benefits Division of the Human Resources Department at 719-520-7486 (option 2) or email employeebenefits@elpasoco.com“

“When I was a sergeant over at the board of county commissioners, I used to put myself in between them and the irate public during those meetings, and now I feel like they just left me, left me out to dry,” Lucero said.

KRDO13 is working to find out the full extent of the impacts of this decision and what those saved monies will be put towards.

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Rob Namnoum

Pueblo Centennial high school receives the Qdoba Friday Night Blitz Spirit Award plaque on Tuesday. The Bulldogs were our week five winners of the Qdoba Friday Night Blitz Spirit Award.

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Samantha Hildebrandt

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)– Local veterans say they got the help they needed on Tuesday.

Mount Carmel’s annual “Homeless Veterans Stand Down” event gives those who’ve served our country access to food, clothing, and vital services before winter hits.

In Colorado Springs, more than 100 veterans came through to get everything from winter coats to housing support and haircuts. Organizers say the goal is simple: make sure no veteran is left in need. 

“We have equipment upstairs, sleeping bags, coats, socks, pants, you name it, boots– it’s up there,” said Mark Smith, director of programs and evaluations at Mount Carmel.

The event name comes from a World War II term, when troops were told to “stand down” for rest after combat. Now, it’s a call for veterans facing homelessness to pause and find support.

This was the 27th year Mount Carmel has stepped up to serve vets for the event, and they say their partners really stepped up this time.

“It was the largest group of collaborative community partners that we’ve ever had, which is most important,” said Bob McLaughlin, executive director at Mount Carmel.

Mount Carmel tells KRDO13 their doors stay open year-round— meaning any veteran who missed today’s “stand down” can still visit the veterans center for help with housing, employment, or counseling.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — A block of Hopeful Drive closed Monday and will remain closed until next summer as crews demolish an existing bridge and build a new one.

The Hopeful bridge is between North Blissful Circle and Sedate Lane, north of North Carefree Circle and east of the Academt Boulevard/Austin Bluffs Parkway intersection.

A crew began using a concrete saw to slice the structure into sections to make demolition easier.

The bridge is small and was occasionally overtopped by heavy flows in the Templeton Gap Creek; the bridge is in the upper section of the drainage channel.

Flows have become heavier in the creek with recent growth and development in the area.

The bridge replacement is part of the overall Park Vista drainage improvements that began in February.

Crews are widening the channel, increasing its capacity, and adding drop structures to slow the velocity of stormwater during storms.

Another improvement was to close the intersection of Siferd Boulevard and Date Street, which served as a low-water crossing for the channel.

During heavy rainfall, the intersection would flood and occasionally require emergency rescues of people trapped in their vehicles.

The city later installed closure gates that were managed by a nearby fire station during flash flood warnings.

The former three-way intersection now has cul-de-sacs at each end to prevent vehicles from entering a new channel in which water can safely flow to an inlet under Academy Boulevard.

Neighbors have adjusted to street closures required for the project, and a detour is in place for the Hopeful bridge closure.

“It’s a good deal, it really is,” said Robert Tafoya, who lives beside the bridge. “We’ve been here, and the water’s been pretty high at times. So yeah, it’s needed.”

Austin, who said that he grew up in the neighborhood, will miss the old bridge.

(12:37) “Just ’cause it’s a lot of memories, at least from my childhood,” he explained. “I remember hearing stories from my parents’ childhood. Just being able to play (around) it. Be kids. Kill a bunch of energy, do back flips off a wall, whatever.”

But neighbor Briana Gaytan, who has two boys, disagreed.

“Even with water not in the picture, there are a lot of ways that kids can get hurt,” she said. “I mean, I did grow up in the ditch, too.”

However, her boys said that they’d love to play around the bridge if she’d let them.

The overall project is scheduled for completion late next year.

The city and El Paso County are sharing the $11 million cost, as part of an agreement for the city to annex the property from the county and end confusion about which entity was responsible for repairs.

Funding for the project is through a combination of El Paso County’s allotment of federal ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds and SWENT (Stormwater Enterprise) funds from the City of Colorado Springs.

Officials said that the remaining segments of Siferd and Date will be repaved at the end of the project.

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Bradley Davis

CASCADE, Colo. (KRDO) – For the last four years, a man from Cascade has built a “haunted forest” attraction at their home and invites students from the RiseUp school in Colorado Springs to take a walk through for free.

“It’s absolutely amazing when you have someone in the community like Kevin who steps up and gets us,” RiseUp Development Officer Kathy Stults said.

Kevin Holt grew up in Southern Colorado and said he was inspired by the late Nick Venetucci and Venetucci Farms. Holt said he carried out a free pumpkin from the farm every year while growing up and wanted to do his part to give back to local children.

“They all stand at the house, and they all collectively say, ‘Thank you, Mr. kevin!’ and it just melts my heart,” Holt said.

Many of the students at RiseUp are non-verbal, and their conditions can make it difficult for them and their families to enjoy Halloween like other children.

“He doesn’t really trick or treat. We’ve tried over the years, but it’s just not his thing,” said Catherine Buckham, whose son, Alexander, goes to RiseUp.

The Haunted Forest gives the students a safe space to have Halloween fun with their parents and teachers. Their field trip is on October 30.

“I get to bring him out here, and he can experience all of these things, at least on whatever level he gets it,” Buckham said.

Holt also hosts a free pumpkin giveaway on October 25. Anyone is welcome to stop by, see his haunted attraction and grab a pumpkin until they’re out.

Holt said it takes him over a month of daily work to set up the haunted forest. He lines the short drive/walk with huge animatronics and other decorations donated by the community.

“It’s one of the most unique, warming feelings that a guy can ever have, that truly, you’re giving back from you’re heart,” Holt said. “Somebody really does appreciate what you do, and they love you.”

His giant skeletons hover above the shoulder of Highway 24 as you head West to Woodland Park, right at the Fountain Avenue intersection, as you head up to the Pikes Peak Highway.

If you have a home that you deck out for Halloween, you can submit it to our 2025 Trick-or-Treat Trail by clicking here.

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Rob Namnoum

Top prep performances for the week of October 15th.

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Merry Matthews

FROST ADVISORY tonight for Cañon City and Penrose between the hours of 3am-8am Tuesday October 21st (Temperatures as low as 30° will result in frost formation.)

FREEZE WARNING tonight for Walsenburg Vicinity/Upper Huerfano River Basin Below 7500Feet, Las Animas and Baca counties between the hours of 3am-8am Tuesday, October 21st (Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 28 expected.

TONIGHT: Clear skies and calmer winds will result in near freezing temps around Southern Colorado

TOMORROW: Beautiful skies with highs near seasonal in the mid 60’s around El Paso county and low 70’s from Pueblo to the Eastern Plains, 50’s for local mtn cities

EXTENDED: Nice and pleasant for most of the week with sunny skies and highs in the 50’s and 60’s around the Pikes Peak region from Teller county east to El Paso county with some 70’s along the Arkansas River Valley. Thursday afternoon-evening brings a chance of moisture in the form of showers around I-25 and Colorado Springs.

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