Author: KRDO

Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — For the third time since last fall, a bridge over Shooks Run Creek, on the eastern edge of downtown Colorado Springs, is getting repair work.

The bridge is on Pikes Peak Avenue, and although it was built just 23 years ago, it has a variety of routine maintenance needs.

One lane in each direction will be closed during the project, which began last week and is scheduled to be completed in late October.

Concrete barriers are in place to close the eastbound and westbound right lanes, as well as the westbound sidewalk.

A crew will repair the concrete bridge deck and cover it with a polyester material to protect it from weathering; address broken and missing stones on the bridge pillars; and restore cracked and broken sidewalks.

The city says that one sidewalk will remain open during construction, and the lane closures will occasionally shift.

Use of the Shooks Run Trail under the bridge won’t be affected by the project.

A city bus stop in the area will close late next month and won’t reopen until the project ends.

Because of the tight squeeze for drivers through the lane closures, officials advise drivers to slow down, expect traffic delays, and allow extra time to get through — especially during rush hour periods.

Workers will be on duty between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. weekdays.

Sales tax revenue from the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority is covering the project cost of nearly $924,000.

Two previous repairs to bridges over the creek were an emergency repair last month on Uintah Street, and routine maintenance work on Cache La Poudre Street; both bridges are more than a century old.

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Bradley Davis

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – A local photographer has created a new portfolio, but it’s less about his camera and more about identifying the images behind his lens.

Earlier this year, Jason Fazio created the El Paso County Wildflower Project. Anyone can add to it, though Fazio gave it a pretty strong start.

On the index, you can search through the different images to find more information about the flowers you see along your hikes.

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Rob Namnoum

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The following are unofficial results from the first performance of the NFR Open at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, Tuesday, July 14.

Bareback: 1. Garrett Blackwell, Yeso, NM, 83 points 2. Donny Proffit, Diamondville, WI, 81 points   3. Jacek Frost, Browns Valley, CA, 79.5 points. 4. Clay Jorgenson, Watford City, ND, 75 points. 

Breakaway Roping: 1. Bradi Whiteside, Longview, AB, 2.7 seconds 2. Taylor Munsell, Alva, OK, 3.7 seconds. 3. Taylor Engesser, Spearfish, SD, 3.8 seconds.

Steer Wrestling: 1. Cody Devers, Perryton, TX, 3.3 seconds, 2. Ty Erickson, Helena, MT, 4.1 seconds. 3. (Tie) Jesse Brown, Baker City, OR, 4.5 seconds and Grant Peterson, Livermore, CA, 4.5 seconds.

Team Roping: 1. Cole Eiguren, Fruitland, ID / Breck Ward, Jerome, ID, 6.0 seconds. 2.(Tie) Bubba Buckaloo, Kingston, OK / Joseph Harrison, Marietta, OK, 6.3 seconds and Logan Olson, Flandreau, SD / Jade Nelson, Midland, SD, 6.3 seconds. 4. (Tie) Garrett Tonozzi, Lampasas, TX / Trey Yates, Pueblo, CO, 10.6 seconds and Blake Hirdes,Turlock, CA / Jake Edwards, Fort Ann, NY, 10.6 seconds.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1. Kade Bruno, Challis, ID, 86 points 2. Reed Neely, Clovis, CA, 82 points. 3. Ira Dickinson, Rock Springs, WY, 80.5 points. 4. Ross Griffen, Tularosa, NM, 80 points

Tie-Down Roping: 1. Luke Potter, Maple City, KS, 8.8 seconds 2. Mason Stueve, Newton, KS, 9.7 seconds. 3. Tate Talkington, Scottsbluff, NE, 9.8 seconds. 4. Tom Crouse, Gallatin, MO, 10.1 seconds.

Barrel Racing: 1. Emily Beisel, Weatherford, OK, 17.32 seconds 2. Megan McLeod-Sprague, Marsing, ID, 17.32 seconds 3. Molly Otto, Grand Forks, ND, 17.86 seconds 4. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, Redcrest, CA, 17.95 seconds

Bull Riding: 1. Hayden Welsh, Gillette, WY, 84.5 points 2. Cole Hill, Klamath Falls, OR, 82.5 points 3. Gavin Knutson, Polson, MT, 79 points.

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Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – For many families in southern Colorado, the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo (PPOBR) is an annual tradition.

Whether it is getting a new hat, being enthralled in the races or participating in them yourselves, there’s something for everyone.

The Walters family says they were so excited to be back at the rodeo. They tell KRDO13 they brought their kids growing up, and now they’re watching their grandkids participate in the same events.

“Just watched our young ones do some mutton bustin’, so the tradition is carrying on,” John Walters says.

His wife, Jennifer, said they’re always excited to be back at the rodeo. While she says it’s a fun tradition for them, it’s also important to support the military in the process.

“Our kids grew up coming here. And, it’s kind of been a family tradition for us over the past, probably ten, 15 years. It’s been great to bring the family. And also at the rodeo supporting, our local military is really important to us,” shared Jennifer and John Walters.

Cousins Paisley and Brinlee have been to the rodeo before. The duo said they were excited to take part in mutton bustin’ and even might want to be barrel racers when they grow up.

The pair came and saddled up on their sheep, taking part together. Paisley ended up winning the mutton bustin’ competition. Both girls thanked their parents for bringing them out to take part.

The PPORB Rodeo continues through Saturday, with gates opening for evening events at 4 p.m.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — When the bright lights of the Norris Penrose Event Center come on in mid-July, it symbolizes the start of the annual Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo.

It also generates more traffic congestion along 8th Street, particularly at the Lower Gold Camp Road intersection, which becomes a steep, winding hill that is one of the main routes to and from the rodeo.

And for the second straight summer, drivers also will cope with a major construction project on 8th Street, which currently involves a water main replacement near the intersection.

The associated traffic congestion can be occasionally confusing for drivers, with traffic reduced to one lane in both directions on the south side of the intersection, squeezed into what’s normally the southbound lanes, and no left turn allowed at Lower Gold Camp to the rodeo.

On the north side of the intersection, one southbound lane is open for through traffic, and the other serves as a temporary left-turn lane to Walmart and other businesses.

All of that may give rodeo-goers cause for concern, but officials emphasize that there’s little to worry about.

Police routinely conduct traffic control at the intersection during peak rodeo times; construction crews finish their work before rodeo traffic starts; and officials advise drivers to use 21st Street as an alternate route.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – While the world locks in to today’s semifinal match between Spain and France, the volunteers with Richard’s Rubbish Roundup will take to the soccer pitch in a different way.

The group will host its weekly trash pickup at Weidner Field on Tuesday from 4-6 p.m. From there, they will work their way West to the Fountain Creek Watershed.

The group was inspired by ‘Creek Week’ and focuses on the Fountain Creek Watershed. The Weidner Field cleanup is part of their July initiative to clean the trash downtown in an effort to stop the litter before it can reach the watershed. Later this month, they will move on to the Olympic & Paralympic Museum and America the Beautiful Park.

If you are interested in volunteering or donating, you can find their page here.

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Scott Harrison

CUSTER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — A segment of Highway 96 that had been closed during the Aspen Acres Fire will reopen on Monday so that evacuees can return to their homes, authorities said during a Sunday evening community meeting.

At 9 a.m., the highway between Siloam Road and County Road 305 is scheduled to reopen to provide access for residents of the town of Wetmore.

Twice during the fire, fire crews worked feverishly to protect the town from advancing flames, and authorities said that no homes were damaged there.

“There are no power lines or downed buildings,” said Erik Sillitoe, the county’s emergency management director. “100% re-entry, no ID cards. Wetmore will switch from a mandatory evacuation status to a pre-evacuation status.”

The Greenwood area south of Wetmore remains under mandatory evacuation, Sillitoe explained, as high fire danger persists there.

He also said that later this week, authorities hope to allow residents to visit their homes in neighborhoods along Highway 165, north of Colorado City, which has been closed for most of the fire.

The protocol, Sillitoe said, will be for residents to meet at Mackenzie Junction (the intersection of Highways 165 and 96) and be escorted by sheriff’s deputies into their neighborhoods via bus or van.

Re-entry passes will be available at Lange Hall (Hope Lutheran Church) in Westcliffe.

Highway 96 remains closed from Highway 67 west of Wetmore to Silver Cliff.

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Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – Monday is the day many Beulah residents have been waiting for. This weekend, the Pueblo County sheriff announced plans to allow Beulah residents to temporarily return to their homes.

A major caveat of the plan is that it’s dependent on the activity of the Aspen Acres Fire.

The first evacuees began lining up on westbound Highway 78 just east of Beulah long before the checkpoint manned by sheriff’s deputies and the Colorado National Guard began allowing residents in.

One of the returning residents is Evon Michelle Davis, whose home on Pine Drive was destroyed; it had been in her family since the early 1960s.

“I’m not going to rebuild this cabin the way it was built,” she revealed. “Because I don’t think that makes sense. I don’t have the financial resources to clean up the property, and there’s no insurance on it.”

Davis, who said that she lived in the home only during the summer, plans to revert the property to its natural state.

“It’s still a place where I can bring family and friends, and enjoy its beauty,” she said.

Late Monday morning, Davis allowed a KRDO 13 crew to accompany her during her first look at her property since the fire erupted two weeks ago.

She doesn’t seem as emotionally upset as you might think.

“I’m sure different people grieve in different ways,” she reflected. “But truly, my way of grieving is to say: Let’s roll up our sleeves and let’s get to work.”

Davis has started a GoFundMe page https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rebuild-my-only-home-after-aspen-acres-fire to offset the costs of cleaning up her property.

“I’ve had estimates between $10,000 and $50,000,” she said.

To be allowed into Beulah, residents need to obtain a re-entry card from the Disaster Assistance Center at 29 Lehigh Avenue in Pueblo.

Stay up to date on the Aspen Acres Fire

Starting at 8 a.m. on Monday until 10:00 a.m., all Beulah residents who lost their homes will be allowed into the burn zone. The sheriff’s office says that fire personnel will escort families to their properties, will answer questions, and provide an informational packet. Property owners who arrive after 10 will be escorted as escorts are available.

Then, at 10:00 a.m., hour-long time slots begin to open up for specific residential streets. Those time slots are as follows:

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Central Avenue and Grand Avenue

11:00 a.m. – Noon

Mountain View, Maryknoll, Ban Street, Cascade Avenue, Catalina Avenue, Cottonwood Drive, Davis Street, Fox Lane, Harmon Lane, Lake Avenue, Middle Creek Canyon, North Creek Cutoff, Pine Avenue, Sciota Street, School House Lane, and Vine Mesa

Noon – 1:00 p.m.

8200-8700 block of Hwy 78 to include Cemetery Road, Los Escapados, Pine Crest, and Roosevelt Avenue

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

8700-8900 block of Hwy 78 to include Beulah Highlands Road, Canon Drive, Columbine Road, Curtiz Lane, Glendale Road, Morton Avenue, Pennsylvania Road, Squirrel Creek, and Woodland Avenue

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

9088 Hwy 78 to Cheyenne Drive, League Trail, Pueblo Mountain Park Road, Ula Trail, Ula Court, Watseka Avenue, and Watseka Court

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

9090 Hwy 78 to 9958 Hwy 78 to include Geronimo Avenue, Simsonian Trail, Sioux Avenue, and Apache Drive

4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

5775 North Creek to 4632 North Creek Road to include Douglas Lane

The sheriff’s office says anyone beyond 4632 North Creek is not allowed in at this time, as the area is still under evacuation because firefighters are working in the area.

Residents may still see smoke in the area, and the sheriff’s office is asking people to stay off the roads as much as possible because firefighters are still working on hotspots and property evaluations.

More information can be found here.

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Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – When Red Creek Fire Chief Lu Toxvard and his wife, Tammy, also a Red Creek Firefighter, first heard about the Aspen Acres Fire, it didn’t have a name.

“At that time, you know, you think it’s like a regular fire, and you’re going to be able to get it out before it does too much damage,” Tammy Toxvard said.

But that’s not what happened.

“It went out of control. It really did very quickly,” She said.

Stay up to date on the Aspen Acres Fire

Before the first week was over, Chief Toxvard was going door to door telling his neighbors they needed to leave.

“I told her [a neighbor] that I really think you should go, and she goes, ‘Do you really think so?’ and I say, yeah, you need to get out of here. Let me do this work. I’ll save your home. I guarantee I’m gonna do everything I can to save your home,” Chief Toxvard said.

He did save her home, and plenty more, even though he couldn’t save his own. The Toxvard’s home burned down, along with a neighboring home.

Only two homes in their immediate neighborhood fell to the fire. They attribute the 90% success rate to the rigorous fire mitigation their whole neighborhood partakes in every year.

“It’s not ideal when, of course, you want to save everybody, everybody’s homes, and make sure they’re safe. but we we were able to keep the fire from getting everybody else,” Tammy Toxvard said.

Despite the destruction, the Toxvards say they aren’t going anywhere. This fire won’t drive them off.

“The house we can replace, and we will. We will rebuild,” Tammy said.

“It’s the community that we love. It’s, you know, we love and live there,” Lu said, finishing his wife’s sentence.

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Bradley Davis

BEULAH, Colo. (KRDO) – The “Aspen Acres” fire has demanded the nation’s attention. 12 days in, over 1,900 firefighters work as one to hold the line.

12 days ago, a major burden of the blaze fell on the shoulders of a few dozen volunteer firefighters.

KRDO13’s Bradley Davis traveled to Beulah, behind the containment lines, to show the stark images of a town on the brink and the somber words of a fire crew too stubborn to let their town burn.

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