Author: KRDO

Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — How close is a grocery store to you? It’s a question that may not typically cross your mind, but some southeastern Colorado Springs residents say it’s on their minds all too often. 

They’re in what the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers a food desert. An area where it’s difficult to access a grocery store or fresh, healthy foods, so some neighbors are taking it into their own hands.

Today, the Southeast Food Coalition held its second-ever farmers market near Stompin’ Groundz coffee shop along Jetwing Dr. The event brought farm-fresh food to the community, allowing neighbors to stop in and get something healthy with ease. 

“We started the food coalition to create equitable food systems in Southeast Colorado Springs because we don’t have a lot of healthy food options. And we do want our community to live longer and healthier. And by providing access to healthy food options, we can do that,” explained Southeast Food Coalition Director Yevgeniya Tsyganok.

Yevgeniya Tsyganok tells KRDO13 that she was fed up with the barriers her community was facing.

“Our community has asked for one for a long time, but nobody’s brought one here,” said Tsyganok, speaking about a farmers market.

So Tsyganok and others took it into their own hands, creating the Southeast Food Coalition.

“I live, I work, and I raise a child in this community, so I understand the barriers. We shouldn’t have to go outside of our community to get access to healthy food options and to resources and tools that will help us thrive and live longer and healthier lives,” explained Tsyganok.

The nonprofit held a pilot farmers market in October, which was a huge success. After seeing the positive community response, Tsyganok says they had to keep it going.

“We had people crossing coming across the street, and they’re like, oh, we could access a farmer’s market right here. And I just cried because I’m like, they’ve been deprived of that, and they deserve access to healthy food options,” recounted Tsyganok.

So now they’re back, bringing local farmers, vendors, and fresh produce with them. The Southeast Food Coalition plans to hold the farmers market every other Sunday through the end of September.

Tsyganok says the coalition also holds community gardening events and has a free community fridge.

Click here to follow the original article.

Mackenzie Stafford

LAS ANIMAS COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – The Apogaea festival was set to be held June 4-8, but it was cut short due to alleged non-consensual drugging involving fentanyl. On Sunday, the Apogaea Board of Directors released a statement to clarify the weekend’s events.

The festival is known as a Colorado Burning Man regional event held near Trinidad, just north of New Mexico. What was expected to be a weekend full of art and music was quickly shut down.

On Thursday afternoon, event organizers say two festival goers came to a department tent, saying they had been gifted a substance that they tested positive for fentanyl. They say a volunteer notified the Apogaea Incident Command System (ICS), which in turn alerted the County emergency coordinator. Apogaea says they never had custody of the substance and did not test it.

The next morning, on Friday, organizers say a participant noticed an undissolved gelcap in their clear water bottle. This tested positive for fentanyl via two strip tests. Organizers say that since the bottle had been on volunteer premises, there was immediate concern that somebody might be targeting the volunteers. Apogaea says they tested the gelcap again with multiple reagent tests, which resulted in confirming the presence of multiple substances.

Field test methodologies are not 100% accurate, and they can result in false positives, shared the Apogaea board. With the presence of the gelcap reagent tests and the multiple positive fentanyl results, Apogaea says their teams had a high confidence that this was a situation of non-consensual drugging.

Organizers say that as a precaution, community water in the nearby Center Camp Café and Ranger Station was dumped. The board says they updated the County and worked with the Las Animas County Sheriff’s Office (LACSO) to come to the decision to close the event.

The Sheriff’s Office tells KRDO13 it was aware of the incident, however, it was not contacted by anyone to initiate a formal investigation of the alleged incident, nor have any suspects been identified.

KRDO13 spoke with Joe Richards, the Las Animas County Emergency Manager, who was in contact with the event organizers. Richards says the incident commander contacted him initially on Thursday to make him aware that two people at the festival had tested for and found fentanyl in a substance someone had given to them.

He says that after they had another instance with someone finding a capsule in their water the next day, which tested positive for fentanyl, that’s when they became more concerned and contacted him.

Richards tells KRDO13 the incident commander said they’d like to shut the event down to prevent any further risks, and he said it’s up to you, but I support it wholeheartedly.

So he says, as a group, they came to the conclusion to shut down the event, and although some are upset, he’s grateful there were no serious injuries. Richards says the incident commanders were proactive and took the right steps to handle the incident.

Richards says with 1,400-1,500 people at the event, the possibility of someone non-consensually drugging others was highly concerning, especially with how deadly fentanyl is. He says there were multiple EMTs at the festival, along with a local fire department on scene for nearly the entire event.

Apogaea says that to their knowledge, no one was dosed or harmed physically at the event, and there were zero medical transports from the site during the event.

Click here to follow the original article.

Karla Sosa

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO)- In an effort to curb injury and death in the water this summer, a local business owner in Pueblo is doing his part and loaning out extra life jackets for free.

Bob Walker, the owner of The Edge Ski, Paddle and Pack, said that after hearing about the recent water rescues, it was time for him to do something, and that’s why he’s loaning life jackets for free. 

Walker said he would hate to see more people get hurt while having fun out in the water, something which has already happened multiple times in Pueblo. 

RELATED: Adult man, not wearing a life jacket, dies in Lake Pueblo

RELATED: Coroner identifies boater who died in Lake Pueblo

RELATED: Witness recalls cold and windy conditions on day father presumably drowned at Lake Pueblo

He told KRDO13 he has an abundance of life jackets at his shop, and instead of them being in his storage, he feels they can be helpful to the community. So he’s loaning them out for free.

“People are spreading the word. You know, it shows that other people are kind of concerned, but, yeah, just the people that have gone on board and are kind of concerned or worried about our community and want to keep, you know, do what they can to keep it safe,” said Walker.

Walker said if people are interested, they can go to his store and sign up to get a free life jacket. However, the life jackets must be returned by the end of business hours. 

The store is located at 685 S Union Ave, Pueblo, CO 81004.

Click here to follow the original article.

Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – Another person has died in Lake Pueblo this summer. Colorado Parks and Wildlife Officials say an adult man died after he was found floating in the water unconscious at Rock Creek Cove.

The victim’s identity or cause of death hasn’t been released, but witnesses say the man was with a group of people out swimming and skiing on the lake when he jumped in the water to cool off. Shortly after jumping in the water, the rest of his group saw him floating unconscious.

The unconscious man was pulled into the boat, and CPR was performed while others called 911. Just over five minutes after receiving the call, CPW rangers arrived and transported the man to the North Boat Ramp, where CPR continued.

A flight for life was called in, but CPW says the man was dead by the time the helicopter arrived.

“This death is under investigation, but it appears to be a tragic accident,” said Lake Pueblo Park Manager Joe Stadterman. “We offer our condolences to the family and friends of this victim.”

CPW says the man was not wearing a life jacket. The Pueblo County Coroner will be investigating the official cause of death.

“This is yet another heartbreaking loss of life,” he said. “It underscores the message we have been stressing to recreate responsibly and to wear life preservers when on or near the water.

Click here to follow the original article.

Celeste Springer

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning for east central El Paso County early Friday evening. The warning expired shortly thereafter, just after 4 p.m., several viewers reported seeing what appeared to be a funnel cloud.

Source: Nick Gonzales in Fountain

Much of Southern Colorado is under a tornado watch until 11 p.m.

Source: National Weather Service (map as of 4:36 p.m.)

Baca County Emergency Management says residents could see large hail tonight.

Click here to follow the original article.

Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) has released the identity of a motorcyclist killed in a crash along Hancock Expressway.

The coroner’s office has identified the victim as Elvin Jose Irizarry Iglesias, age 28.

CSPD says they believe Iglesias was heading northbound, but crossed over the double yellow line when taking a curve. CSPD says he hit another vehicle traveling southbound and was ejected from the bike.

The department says he was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The driver of the other car was taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

CSPD says this is the 14th traffic fatality in their jurisdiction in 2025. Of the 14, CSPD says seven involved motorcycles.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, motorcycle fatalities in Colorado were up 22% last year.

Here’s a look at some previous incidents this year:

March 12: Hit-and-run crash kills 22-year-old motorcyclist

April 11: Motorcyclist hospitalized with severe injuries after hitting a pedestrian who was allegedly crossing the road illegally (nonfatal)

April 17: 20-year-old motorcyclist dies in crash on Platte Avenue

May 1: Motorcyclist dead after crash near I-25 and West Bijou Street

Click here to follow the original article.

Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Mayor Yemi Mobolade of Colorado Springs announced Friday that he was admitted to UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central.

The mayor says he was diagnosed with double pneumonia, or pneumonia that affects both lungs.

He said that alone was a shocking diagnosis, as he went into the emergency room with only a cold – but the medical surprises didn’t end there.

According to Mobolade, tests revealed a major blockage in his main artery, which was “successfully cleared via a minimally invasive procedure on Wednesday morning.”

“I had zero symptoms. If not for the pneumonia, we would never have discovered it,” Mobolade said.

Mayor Mobolade says he spent two nights at the hospital. He’s now been discharged and is recovering.

“I am also appreciative of the dedicated city staff who carried the ball in my short absence as I prepare to make a full recovery. I am grateful for the medical staff who provided exceptional care during my stay, and I will have some follow-up evaluations to ensure my health gets back to full strength,” he wrote in a release. “I am excited to be back to my official duties and Abbey and I are so appreciative of the community’s prayers and well wishes.” 

Click here to follow the original article.

Scott Harrison

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — The $70 million project to widen a 1.5-mile segment of busy South Academy Boulevard enters its second summer, and officials assure us that there won’t be a third.

“We’re about 70% complete,” Brett Hatrzell, the project manager for El Paso County, revealed Thursday. “We’re on schedule to finish early next year. The contractor is pushing to get it done as soon as possible, working overnights and weekends. We thank the public for their patience during this project.”

As summer travel begins to increase congestion, drivers should expect occasional lane closures — and even temporary full closures — along the project area between Interstate 25 and Milton E. Proby Parkway.

Several overnight southbound closures were in place this week, and a full closure between Bradley Road and Highway 85/87 is scheduled overnight Friday.

The biggest traffic impact so far is that the southbound bridge over Fountain Creek will have only one lane open for a month, as crews do some bridge work and move barriers to prepare for paving in a few weeks.

“The week around June 15th through June 23rd, we’re hoping to start some paving on southbound Academy,” Hartzell said. “If that happens, we’ll have frequent nightly closures there. But it’s summertime, so we’re trying to take advantage of the good weather and get all the paving done now.”

He added that crews have taken measures to prepare for wet weather like what the area has experienced this spring.

“Adding additional erosion control methods, adding some items into the contract that weren’t there, to help mitigate that,” Hartzell explained. “So far, the site’s held up well.  We haven’t had any big washouts.”

Sound walls were installed along the south part of the corridor to protect neighbors in nearby Stratmoor Valley from traffic noise; the project has been particularly challenging for those residents, as that end of the boulevard is the only way in and out for them.

Crews have also significantly improved drainage, relocated active utility lines, and removed old and abandoned lines.

One neighbor said that while the project has been disruptive at times, the neighborhood is quieter with the sound walls, and she’s satisfied.

“It’s the first time I’ve heard that the project will be finished early next year,” said Olivia Piercy. “I originally voted ‘no’ on it, but it doesn’t bother me now.”

The project is the last in a series of Military Access, Mobility, and Safety (MAMSIP) initiatives aimed at increasing safety and improving traffic flow at and around local military installations.

Click here to follow the original article.

Bart Bedsole

Barbecue lovers, the wait is over for a perfect scoring restaurant. 

But first, mouse droppings are just one of 19 violations (a new Restaurant Roundup record) found at a local kitchen near the Citadel Mall.

LOW SCORES

The low-scoring restaurant this week is the First Wok near East San Miguel and North Academy. 

Among the 19 violations found: 

The inspector observed a food handler observed food handler wipe their nose with their hand and continue to cook 

Several items, including cooler handles, prep table covers, shelving, walls, and containers, had a buildup of grease and grime 

There was a large gap observed in the back screen door, potentially allowing pests inside

Mouse droppings were found in several areas, including the furnace room, storage closet, and dry storage area

KRDO13 went to First Wok to ask about the violations, and the visit was not a total surprise because the health inspector had warned the staff that KRDO13 might be stopping by due to the extensive violations. 

A worker told KRDO13 that most of the violations had to do with cleaning and were addressed. 

Regarding the mouse droppings, the worker denied having a problem with mice and said the droppings were several years old. 

He didn’t explain why the droppings were still there, but added that a pest control company came by after the health inspection and didn’t find any problems. 

First Wok passed its re-inspection on June 6 with four violations. 

Not far away, the King Buffet on North Academy also failed its health inspection. 

It was the second failure in the month of May. 

The problems here include: 

No dates marked on several items, including crab salad and seafood salad

The staff failed to put on new gloves when switching between tasks

Containers were rinsed and washed, but not sanitized, before being put away 

KRDO13’s call to the King Buffet was not returned. 

It has yet to be inspected for a third time. 

The Boil Daddy at Stetson Hills and Powers also failed. 

The seven violations here include: 

An employee switching tasks without first washing their hands, while another was spotted washing their hands while wearing gloves

A worker was also spotted cutting a lemon without wearing gloves at all

The restaurant was also using an improper method to thaw out frozen fish. 

No one from The Boil Daddy responded to our request for comment. 

The restaurant did pass its re-inspection on June 4 with just a single violation. 

HIGH SCORES

Several restaurants scored very well on their health inspections. 

Border Burger Bar – 934 Manitou Ave – 2 violations 

Front Range Barbecue – 2330 W Colorado Ave – 2 violations 

Arby’s – 4456 Venetucci Blvd – 1 violation

Pho Brothers II – 562 W Hwy 105 – 1 violation 

Bird Dog BBQ – 5984 Stetson hills – 0 violations

The barbecue at Bird Dog BBQ is Oklahoma-style, smoked over oak wood with sauce on the side.

“Good meat shouldn’t need sauce, but we have fantastic sauce, so we think you ought to put it on there anyway,” says owner and founder Brad Cleveland with a smile.

Cleveland worked in the industry for several years, then went back to college to finish his degree and get out of the restaurant business, but then graduated and realized what he knew best was how to run a restaurant.

He opened the location at Stetson Hills and Powers in 2004, and later added two more locations on Centennial and on Mesa Ridge Parkway in Fountain. 

However, he recently sold the other locations to two of his employees so he could focus exclusively on the Stetson Hills location. 

Cleveland says the brisket is the big seller by far, but he’s just as proud of his ribs. 

“We’ve won several awards, not just locally but nationally, for our ribs here,” he says. 

From the time it’s cooked until the time it’s cut, safety and sanitation are always critical components in the process. 

“Food safety is always top of mind, and it’s really important to us,” he says, “I think we have 8 people who are certified food protection managers, so it’s not just a one-man show doing it.  It takes a whole team of people that know how to do it.” 

The Stetson Hills location recently underwent a major makeover for the first time since it opened, helping it to look as sharp as it scored on its health inspection.

Click here to view all the recent health inspections in El Paso County.

Click here to follow the original article.

Celeste Springer

Photo: Sammi Halloran

CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo. (KRDO) — If there’s anything you can say about Gunny the English Bulldog, it’s that she is well-loved. Take one look at her owner, David Ketcham, and you’ll figure that out. Ketcham, a marine veteran, always adored bulldogs; he has one in Gunny’s likeness tattooed on his arm.

But the Ketcham family is learning something new about the pampered pooch. Turns out, she can live up to the Marine Corps nickname “Devil Dog.”

Sammi Halloran, the Ketcham’s daughter, says Gunny went missing from her parent’s rural, off-the-grid Cripple Creek home on May 3. Just two days prior, she says the pup underwent mouth surgery.

Only a few days after Gunny’s disappearance, a strong spring storm hit Southern Colorado. Halloran says her family also saw a bear on their property at one point, which didn’t help their hope that Gunny was unharmed.

Photo: Sammi Halloran

After 29 days of her being gone, whatever hope they had for her return was dwindling.

That is, until the Survival University came along. According to their Facebook page, Survival University teaches basic to advanced-level survival skills. The company confirmed to KRDO13 that they found Gunny while out teaching classes.

Jason Marsteiner, owner of the Survival University, says the class was having dinner around a campfire, and students said Gunny came and found them.

“I was quite surprised,” said Marsteiner. “She’s a survivor and she found a group of people… with the same energy as her.”

Marsteiner says his group saw a mountain lion in the area just about a week before Gunny’s appearance; it’s a miracle she is alive.

Source: Sammi Halloran

It’s impossible to know exactly how far Gunny traveled throughout her journey, but Halloran says she ended up on the opposite side of nearby Rhyolite Mountain.

Gunny’s arrival was a major blessing to Diana and David Ketcham, but also a shock.

“I just wish this dog could talk,” said Halloran.

Halloran says Gunny lost roughly 20 pounds. However, it appears she was hunting or foraging to some extent; when it was “potty time,” the family said they found animal bones. While English Bulldogs aren’t exactly known for their speed, Gunny has proven that her strength and wit aren’t something to be reckoned with.

“My family would like to thank everyone who shared, prayed, and helped look for our family dog,” said Halloran.

Click here to follow the original article.