Author: KRDO

Bradley Davis

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Eight years ago, two hardcore boardgamers came together to create the Pikes Peak Gamers. This weekend, the pair and their volunteers are hosting their sixth-annual board game convention with over 1,500 games from their personal stock.

The convention starts Friday, April 10, and stretches until 2 a.m., for those night owl players who constantly find themselves saying “just one more game.”

The con is at the Manitou Springs City Hall from Friday to Sunday. Tickets for the whole weekend are $70. They’ll release single-day passes starting Friday for $40, but only if there are still available spots.

Full schedule

Friday: 5 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Saturday: 8 a.m. – 2 a.m.

Sunday: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

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Josh Helmuth

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — A whopping $80,860 was raised during the KRDO13 USAA Honor Flight of Southern Colorado Telethon.

Two veterans shared why honoring those who served is more than a mission — it’s personal.

Ken Wasoba and Tammy Baugh sat down surrounded by aviation history, talking about another kind of journey — one that takes southern Colorado veterans to Washington, D.C., to see the memorials built in their honor.

Both are leaders with Honor Flight of Southern Colorado. Both are veterans themselves. And both say the impact of these trips is something you have to see to understand.

“You see a change during those two days,” Wasoba said. “It’s just a total change.”

A mission that changes lives

Honor Flight of Southern Colorado, established in 2011, is part of a nationwide network of more than 130 hubs dedicated to flying veterans — at no cost — to Washington, D.C.

Every flight, meal and hotel stay is paid for entirely through community donations.

The organization has flown more than 350 World War II, Korean War and Vietnam veterans on 21 missions. But the need remains high, with more than 300 veterans currently on a waitlist that can stretch two to three years.

“We love the organization,” Wasoba said. “It just does such great things for the veterans, for the guardians, and for the people who support us. The sendoffs, the welcome homes — it’s very emotional.”

That emotion, he says, often turns into something deeper.

“The bonding starts immediately,” Wasoba said. “You talk about that experience — at dinners, at lunch, at the memorials.”

‘The single best day of my life’

For Baugh, an Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, the mission hits especially close to home.

Her uncle, a Vietnam veteran from Wisconsin, went on an Honor Flight and came back changed.

“The way he talked about his time in service, his time in Vietnam, it was different,” Baugh said. “He said that [Honor FLight] was the single best day of his life.”

She says that transformation is part of a larger responsibility, especially for her generation of service members.

“I think it’s very important to recognize that the country we live in is because of people who’ve gone out and done things,” Baugh said. “In Ken’s case, he was drafted. He didn’t volunteer.”

Wasoba, who served during Vietnam, was among those called to serve without a choice, and often without support when they returned home.

“I do believe that our veterans today — my generation and beyond — owe a great deal of credit to the Vietnam veterans,” Baugh said.

Many Vietnam veterans, she added, say the Honor Flight trip is the first time they’ve ever truly been thanked or welcomed home.

The need and the goal

Right now, Honor Flight of Southern Colorado is working toward a $130,000 fundraising goal as part of its annual telethon.

The money raised helps fund two trips each year, including a larger charter flight planned for the fall that could send about 30 additional veterans beyond the usual capacity.

The organization is also always looking for volunteers to help with everything from logistics to supporting veterans during the journey.

A community effort

From the moment veterans depart to the moment they return, the experience is designed to honor their service. Flights begin with a celebratory sendoff and end with a hero’s welcome home — often with large crowds cheering them on.

Guardians, many of them family members, often describe powerful moments as they watch loved ones visit memorials for the first time. Veterans, in turn, describe something harder to put into words: closure, connection and camaraderie.

For the veterans waiting for their turn, the hope is simple: that more people will step up to help make that journey possible.

How to help:To donate or volunteer, click here.

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Scott Harrison

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Overnight Tuesday, The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) began the fist summer road project planned for the Pikes Peak region.

CDOT will make various upgrades to traffic safety along a six-mile stretch of I-25, from Exit 114 just south of the El Paso /Pueblo county line, to Exit 108 (Pueblo West/Pueblo Boulevard interchange).

The major objective of the $3.5 million project is to install cable guardrail along the V-shaped median, which currently has no barriers to prevent vehicles from rollover crashes into it, or from ending up in opposite traffic lanes.

It’s a continuation of work CDOT started in 2018 when several fatal rollover crashes in the median led the agency to install guardrail between Fountain and the county line.

Workers also will repair some traditional guardrails along the shoulders of the freeway.

Other goals include improving drainage by cleaning out culverts and inlets, and installing a weed barrier.

Theres even one area where concrete trim on the Pinion Bridge, on southbound I-25, is buckling.

Some drivers would rather see paving in that area — or at least pothole patching and crack filling — because the pavement is in rough shape there.

CDOT expects to finish the project in August.

If you happen to drive through that area overnight, from Sundays through Thursdays, be aware of occasional shoulder and lane closures.

Doing the work at night allows crews to avoid much heavier weekend, daytime and summer tourist travel.

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Scott Harrison

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — We often see makeshift memorials created along local roads, streets and highways where loved ones died in vehicle crashes, and many friends and relatives take pride and find comfort in those creations.

However, El Paso County officials say that the collection of crosses, photos, flowers, stuffed animals, and other items poses a concern because there is no policy to manage them, maintain them and keep them consistent.

The county is in its second week of a new policy approved by commissioners to address that concern, a policy that many local governments already have.

Joshua Palmer, the county’s chief engineer, said that the policy helps the county remain accredited by the American Public Works Association.

“There’s hundreds of different items that (we) had to go through and determine, ” he explained. “Do you have a policy? If you do, does it need to be updated? How does it apply? You need to improve it.”

Currently, a citizen is not required to register to create a memorial, to seek permission to do so, or to pay for establishing and maintaining it.

The new policy requires a citizen to submit an application; if it’s approved by the county’s chief engineer, the applicant must pay a $100 fee and receive a blue, personal sign for the lost loved one that will remain at an approved location for five years.

County employees will make and install the sign, return it if it has to be moved for roadside work, and replace it if it becomes damaged.

The fee covers some but not all of the cost of providing signs to replace handmade memorials, the county says.

Officials say that a sign honoring the victim of a crash will include the victim’s name, or be sponsored by another person or entity authorized by a family member.

However, a sign remembering an impaired driver will not bear that person’s name, but will be allowed to include a safety message.

There are 15 memorials along county roads, and those memorials are grandfathered in and not required to follow the new policy.

Some of those memorials include different types of signs, but the county seeks more consistency in that regard.

The county also says that no photos or other personal items can be placed around memorials, under the new policy.

OTHER LOCAL ROADSIDE MEMORIAL PROGRAMS

Colorado Springs has no formal process regarding roadside memorials, but if officials receive a complaint about them and an inspector determines that they pose a safety hazard, they will be removed and stored by the Operations and Maintenance Division for at least three months.

People who installed the removed materials can reclaim them by contacting the city.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) has a formal program that requires an application and a fee of $150 if approved; signs are installed for a maximum of two years and can only be placed on state highways.

Pueblo allows a free placement of a roadside memorial for a maximum of 45 days; for a $200 fee, the city will erect and maintain a sign for up to six years; citizens can pay more for a memorial bench or a tree plaque on city property.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – In a new report, Colorado ranked first in the country for Disc Golf availability as the sport continues to surge in popularity, according to UDisc.

UDisc is a popular disc golf scorekeeping and course-finder app. It releases a report every year based on user data. In its 2026 report, it found Colorado has surpassed 320 disc golf courses statewide, with Denver becoming a nationwide powerhouse. The app found the Cottonwood Creek Park course to be the most popular spot to play in Colorado Springs.

UDisc said its users played over $20 million rounds of disc golf in 2025.

Local disc golf mobile store owner Alan “Disczilla” Corbin has played the sport for almost 50 years. He said he picked it up while in the Marines in the late 1970s, and he’s watched the sport blossom.

“I moved to Colorado from Florida, and the first thing I did was look up on the internet and found the Cottonwood course,” Corbin said. “I came out here and made about 10 friends on the first TeePad, and my wife said, ‘I’ve been in the military for 20 years and don’t know that many people!’ And I said, ‘Well, you’ve got to get out and play disc golf!'”

He said he’s seen the sport transform from localized pockets to a nationally televised event. He said some of his former mentees have gone on to travel the world and make money from the sport.

“I played in Denver with the deaf disc golf players,” Corbin said. “When they throw and hit a tree or something, they turn and start explaining, and I know what they’re saying because I’ve been there before.”

Corbin’s course is off East Blaney Road in Peyton, and his mobile RV store travels all across Southern Colorado.

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Josh Helmuth

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — For 96 years, Al Duran has lived a life most people would write books about, but has never talked much about.

How about the fact that he lied his way into the U.S. Marine Corps at 16? Let’s start there.

Duran, a Pueblo native who grew up with seven brothers, six of whom served, built a military career spanning three wars: WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

“I was born in a barn,” Duran said with a laugh. “For real.”

His story, much like his home, is filled with history if you know where to look.

Inside, there are glimpses of a life well-lived: old photos, prayer books, keepsakes.

“This is more of my wife’s decor,” Duran said, walking through his home. “I had prayer books like this.”

Outside, even his yard tells a story.

“You can’t imagine the leaves that this place gathers,” he said, impressive landscaping for a man 96 years young.

But it’s what Duran rarely shares that may define him most.

A war he wasn’t old enough to fight

During World War II, Duran was just a teenager when his brother was killed in Germany. Determined to serve, he found a way in, even if it meant bending the truth.

“Like any 15, 16-year-old, I wanted to be a part of it,” he said.

Duran used a backdated baptism certificate; his sister helped him edit, changing his birth year to appear older.

“I got in the Marine Corps by presenting my baptism certificate, which my older sister backdated,” he said. “The guy looked at me and said, ‘Your hard luck,’” he added with a laugh.

Duran joined at the tail end of World War II and went on to serve in both the Korean War and Vietnam — three wars in total. Yet, those closest to him say you wouldn’t know it.

“He’s a really humble guy,” said his son, Michael Duran. “He doesn’t talk a whole lot about what he did and how he did it.”

One more mission: Honor Flight

After decades of quiet service, Duran finally took a different kind of journey.

At 95 years old, he traveled to Washington, D.C., with Honor Flight of southern Colorado — an organization dedicated to flying veterans to see the memorials built in their honor.

He made the trip alongside his son.

“The one thing that I was more impressed with was the willingness of guardians to take us older people around,” Duran said. “And the kindness that the flight people showed us.”

For a man who spent much of his life out of the spotlight, the experience left a lasting impression.

“Seeing people of all nationalities going and coming and then being able to treat some of those guys — welcome them home or help them get by on their wheelchairs,” he said. “I don’t know what else to think about the Greatest Generation, but I think that was it for me.”

A life worth remembering

Although largely independent, Duran’s family helps care for Duran at home in Pueblo.

“We help look after him, make sure he has what he needs,” his son said.

And while Duran may never seek recognition, those who know his story say it deserves to be told — a reminder of sacrifice, humility and a generation that rarely asked for thanks.

Not bad for a man born in a barn.

If you’d like to donate to Honor Flight of Southern Colorado, please click here.

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Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Tonight, Mayor Yemi Mobolade kicked off his campaign for re-election.

In 2023, running as an Independent, candidate Mobolade bested Republican Wayne Williams in a run-off election. The final vote totals:

Mobolade – 71,491 (57.51%)

Williams – 52,812 (42.49%)

Now, years later, Mayor Mobolade is going back to the voters, this time with a track record.

“What I wanted to do, [with announcing early] was truly to call attention to this. To this day and a year from now, because April elections, Colorado Springs elections, we’re lucky if we get 40% turnout. I want people to remember this day and to show up for me, but also truly for the city of Colorado Springs,” Mayor Mobolade answered when asked why he announced his campaign so early in the election cycle.

The election for the mayor’s office is slated for April 6, 2027. For voter information and resources, click here.

KRDO13 also asked the mayor about the recent auditor’s report, which KRDO13 Investigates learned about.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Colorado Springs Mayor responds to audit regarding use of city resources

On Friday, Mayor Mobolade said that he supported a policy regulating the use of the city’s resources by elected officials.

Tonight, we asked him what tangible steps had been made.

He said his team has already begun looking into a policy to regulate the use of city resources by an elected official and found that Colorado Springs was behind the curve.

“Many large cities have already figured this out. We have not. So this is an opportunity for us to, to grow up in many ways. The city auditor is actually sorry to research other cities and then went, yeah, Colorado Springs. This doesn’t have any clear rules around this. But the good news is we have a lot of great examples of top 50 cities that are already doing this. And it’s not this is not this is not new or an issue for them,” said the Mayor.

The Mayor did not provide a specific timeline for when that policy could be introduced.

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Scott Harrison

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — A highly-anticipated project that took nearly two years to complete and cost almost $40 million, officially ends on Friday when officials hold a grand opening for the new Medal of Honor Boulevard.

The 3.3-mile, four-lane road will provide the area with its first direct route between the Pueblo Boulevard/24th Street intersection on Pueblo’s west side, and the intersection of Joe Martinez and Purcell boulevards in Pueblo West.

Workers built the road through the Honor Farm Open Space, and is part of a larger project to build a new Pueblo County Jail at the east end of the road.

Officials announced late last Friday afternoon that the road will open to traffic after an 11:30 a.m. ceremony this Friday morning, beside the jail at the intersection of Medal of Honor Boulevard and Dockum Road.

The opening of the new road — which essentially is an extension of Joe Martinez Boulevard — may ease traffic congestion on US 50 to the north, which has long been the only direct connection between Pueblo and Pueblo West.

In an effort to improve travel through Pueblo’s west side, officials also want to eventually build a bridge that would cross a mesa and railroad tracks on 24th street; those geographical barriers currently separate much of the west side from the rest of the city.

KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior first reported on the idea in January, and officials say that a bridge would create a direct connection between Interstate 25 ad Pueblo West.

“We were just talking about how much we need that,” said west Pueblo residents Patricia Rush and her daughter, Amanda Bull, while driving through the area. “The new road is great, but a bridge on 24th Street would be even better.

Some drivers said that they’d like to see Medal of Honor Boulevard’s wide configuration on the three miles of Joe Martinez Boulevard, west to where it ends at McCulloch Boulevard.

Officials also plan to spend $12 million over the next four years to make a variety of traffic, parking and pedestrian upgrades near the new road and elsewhere in the area.

“Oh, I’m definitely looking forward to the new road,” said Kevin Subia, of Pueblo West. “It’s gonna save us a lot of commute time, a lot of gas. We go back into Pueblo all the time, so it’s definitely gonna be a big convenience. Hopefully, we’ll also get some businesses along the roadside.”

Funding for the new road came from a voter-approved ballot measure in 2016 that allowed Pueblo to keep $66 million in surplus tax revenue.

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Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – 3 people are dead in Pueblo as police begin an investigation that stretches miles.

The police department says it started when its officers went out to investigate a shot spotter alert at 1:00 a.m. on Saturday morning in the 1200 block of East 4th Street.

At the scene, officers found two people dead, one on the street and another in a vehicle. Pueblo County Coroner Gregory Graheck is identifying those two found dead as Glenn Allen Beeman Jr., a 40-year-old man, and Amanda Leigh Manion, a 41-year-old woman.

While still at that scene, the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office was notified of another gunshot out in Pueblo West. Deputies found a man who had died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The coroner is identifying the man found in Pueblo West as 19-year-old Glenn Allen Beeman III.

At this early point in the investigation, the Pueblo Police Department says Beeman III is the suspect in the double homicide.

The case remains under active investigation.

The Manion family released the following statement on April 5:

It is with profound sorrow that the family confirms the tragic loss of Amanda Manion, her estranged ex-husband Glenn Beeman Jr., and their son, Glenn Beeman III. The events unfolded in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 4th, resulting in the deaths of all three individuals.

In the wake of widespread speculation, the family wishes to publicly clarify the circumstances surrounding this immense loss. This tragedy was the direct and cumulative result of a catastrophic failure within the mental health system. Glenn Beeman III suffered a severe and complete mental collapse, which initiated a tragic sequence of events beginning with the taking of his mother’s life.

The family wishes to acknowledge the heroic intervention of family members present on the scene. Their courageous actions successfully dissuaded Glenn III from causing further harm to others, ending with him taking his own life.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Eric Manion released the following statement:

“Unfortunately, we are here to mourn a deep and sorrowful loss. There are many questions, regrets, and conflicting feelings over the events that transpired. Although our initial thoughts naturally turn to anger and outrage, we are not here to cast judgment upon the deceased. We are here to find answers and hope—hope for a future where we can learn to function without the people we have lost. We must all come together in this time of great despair, comfort each other, and continue to live and move forward.”

The family respectfully, but firmly, requests that the media and the public respect their privacy during this period of profound shock and grief. The family will not be participating in interviews, and no further information will be released at this time.

GoFundMe for donations: https://gofund.me/17c5b6271

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Steve Roldan

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — A Colorado Springs resident who is a champion of protecting her home and her neighbors’ homes is spreading the word about fire mitigation in southern Colorado.

She’s working with other homeowners and the Colorado Springs Fire Department to get the word out about keeping their properties safe from wildfires during drought conditions.

Carol Cannon has made it a priority of hers since going through the Waldo Fire. “So many people lost their homes, and to feel helpless is a horrible feeling in the middle of a wildfire,” said Cannon. “Knowing can take some personal accountability and responsibility in doing my own yard and encouraging my neighbors to do so, is one way to get control,” Cannon added.

The Colorado Springs Fire Department has a free chipping program starting next month that allows people to dispose of brush on their property. You do have to live in the Wildland Interface District. They also go out to properties in that same area to consult with homeowners on how to better mitigate their homes.

For more information on CSFD’s Chipping Program and on the wildfire mitigation consultations for homeowners, you can click on the following sites.

Neighborhood Chipping Program | Colorado Springs Fire Department

Education Services | Colorado Springs Fire Department

Colorado Wildfire Resiliency Board

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