Category: krdo-local-news

Julia Donovan

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – One drive-thru taco favorite is expressing its feelings after being temporarily closed by the health department. Meanwhile, a bar on the Westside was caught with moldy food.

Low Scores:

The Taco Express at Centennial Boulevard and Garden of the Gods Road was temporarily closed after failing its recent routine health inspection with 18 violations!

The violations include raw shelled eggs temped at 64 degrees, the cheese was also too warm, the inspector couldn’t find dates on multiple food items, and there was a gap under the back door big enough for pests to get in.

The manager told us over the phone that what put the nail in the coffin was not having a certified food protection manager on staff.

“We hosted everybody to come in the day after we got shut down, and we all did the course together,” the restaurant’s manager said in the phone interview with KRDO13.

Taco Express passed its re-inspection and is now back open with three certified food protection managers on staff!

“[We’re] just doing our best to make sure that doesn’t happen again,” the manager told us.

Benny’s Restaurant & Lounge on W Colorado Avenue failed its routine inspection with over half a dozen violations, including hand washing problems, an employee garnishing drinks with bare hands, and moldy celery!

Benny’s passed its re-inspection.

Next up, Evergreen on N Tejon Street failed with nine violations: old food, the mashed potato scoop handle was touching the mashed potatoes, and raw beef was stored above cooked food, which can lead to cross-contamination.

Evergreen also passed its re-inspection.

Now to the fun part – our high scores:

Wackadoo Brewing at Centennial Boulevard and N 30th Street

Summa on W Colorado Avenue 

Armadillo Ranch in Manitou Springs

Armadillos are known to be nocturnal, and so are this bar’s patrons!

“We’ve got such a rocking live music scene here,” Armadillo Ranch owner Jason Wells said in an interview with KRDO.

However, Wells told us he’s glad the kitchen is finally getting the spotlight.

“It always disappoints me that we don’t get talked about more when it comes to our culinary offerings,” Jason stated his frustrations. “We like to call it high-end bar food.”

In a small mountain town, it’s probably no surprise that they’re working with a small staff. Armadillo Ranch only has three cooks, so sometimes Jason hops on the line to help.

“It doesn’t take much to realize what a tough job these guys all do day in and day out,” he said.

They’re busting their buns to keep this place spotless – and it’s paying off!

The pulled pork sandwich with homemade BBQ sauce is super tasty. We’re told one of the cooks has been perfecting the sauce recipe for years.

Keep an eye out for the KRDO13 Restaurant Roundup awards at your favorite restaurant to know the kitchen inside is clean.

Reminder: all of our high and low-scoring restaurants are based on routine health inspections conducted by the El Paso County Health Department.

Click here for a look at all the most recent health inspection scores.

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Bradley Davis

CAÑON CITY, Colo. (KRDO) – A local author recently released a book chronicling the life of Albert Di Nardo, the 96-year-old owner of Di Nardo’s Cider Mill, who has only taken one vacation since he was 12 years old.

Former Fort Carson police officer and award-winning author Zach Fortier recently released his book, “Albert DiNardo, The Last DiNardo.” He released the book last month after extensive interviews with Albert and his longtime friend and business partner, Heidi Willard.

Read more about the cider mill’s origin story here.

The book starts with Albert’s father, Ubaldo Di Nardo, and his immigration to the United States in 1921. Fortier tells of the family’s run-ins with heartbreak, racism, hard work, and a series of coincidences that led Albert to become Colorado’s longest-standing business owner.

You can find a link to the book here.

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Scott Harrison

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Crews are in their fifth month of making $8 million in improvements to a 2/3-mile stretch of Beacon Lite Road between Bricker Road and Wakonda Way, a mile south of the Douglas County line.

In a release issued on Monday, county officials said that the project is still in its beginning phase, including trench excavation, utility relocations, and storm sewer installations.

The goal is to increase safety along the hilly, winding, and fairly narrow stretch, having several bends, bumpy road conditions, steep banks, and issues with erosion and drainage.

Crews will also remove the sharpest bend on the south end of the construction zone by building a new road segment there.

However, some neighbors have told KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior that they are surprised by the number of trees removed for construction.

According to those neighbors who declined to be interviewed, the trees blocked the sight of traffic on Interstate 25 less than a mile to the east, and absorbed much of the traffic noise.

Neighbors can now see and hear that traffic, as they watch the rumbling of large trucks involved in earthmoving through the construction zone.

“This isn’t what we expected,” said one homeowner. “I wish we had…known more about what the impacts would be.”

The construction has also required crews to temporarily remove fences along Beacon Lite in the construction area.

Still, many residents agree with the need for the safety improvements, while worrying about the dust created by construction.

The affected stretch is unpaved, and paving will be the final step before the project’s expected completion this fall; some neighbors fear that paving the road will encourage people to drive faster on it.

It’s unclear whether the county has reached agreements with two property owners to acquire easements that would extend the project 1/3 of a mile north to the Beacon Lite/County Line Road intersection.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — City officials have spent more than $10 million on several projects to improve the busy corridors of South Nevada Avenue and South Tejon Street.

That work should end this week when crews finish installing new traffic and pedestrian signals at the intersection of Nevada and Ramona avenues; a similar installation was performed a block south, at the St. Elmo Avenue intersection.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is teaming up with the city on those projects, likely because the intersections are between Interstate 25 and Highway 115.

It’s all part of the city’s Urban Renewal efforts to revitalize a largely run-down corridor once known for vacant buildings, crumbling infrastructure and heavy transient activity.

In the past few years, the corridor has attracted new businesses — appealing to more people who drive, shop and live in the area.

Previous projects widened sidewalks and bike lanes, improved pedestrian crossings, built a pedestrian bridge and repaired two existing bridges across Cheyenne Creek, applied new striping, lengthened left turn lanes for northbound drivers heading to I-25, and added a southbound right turn lane on the I-25 frontage road.

One aspect of the upgrades that seems unpopular is the construction of a new center median that prevents westbound drivers on Arvada Street from turning left (south) onto Nevada, and from crossing Nevada to Motor Way.

Some pedestrians also expressed frustration that the southbound pedestrian activator on Nevada at the Ramona intersection isn’t installed yet.

The projects cost more than $10 million.

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Josh Helmuth

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Hundreds of local students are building their home libraries thanks to a special giveaway inspired by one beloved teacher.

The giveaway happened on the birthday of Debbie Leivers, a longtime elementary school teacher who loved her students and believed in the power of reading. After she passed away in 2021, her family started a nonprofit in her honor to carry on her mission. And now, four years after first partnering with Widefield School District 3, they’re back, celebrating her birthday in a pretty incredible way.

It took 27 volunteers in 68 classrooms across 11 schools in just two days. It all equaled to 1,091 students receiving books — more than 5,600 books given out!

“61 percent of low-income households do not have age-appropriate books in their homes. So that’s why we focus on Title 1 schools and Head Start preschools,” said Carl Leivers.

“It’s the only behavioral metric that corresponds to reading scores later in life, so we feel like it’s very important to make sure every kid has the opportunity to have those books in their home.”

And here’s the best part — every single preschooler and kindergartener in the district got to pick out five books to take home and keep — completely free.

A lasting gift, inspired by a teacher who believed every child deserves a story.

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

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Bradley Davis

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) invited KRDO13 on board as staff and volunteers continue to collect fish during its annual Walleye Spawn.

CPW said it collects about 127 million Walleye eggs statewide each year. At the Pueblo Reservoir, the agency gathers 32 nets each day, brings the Walleye to the reservoir boathouse, sorts the fish by gender and allows their biologists to collect what they need for controlled fertilization.

“It’s basically our way of giving back. We end up helping out the spawn, and that makes for good fishing throughout the year,” volunteer Russ Dewey said. “You’ll see some in the tank, and you go, ‘Boy I hope we see that one again this summer!”

CPW said Walleye are the second-most popular sport fish in the state, behind Trout. CPW says the Walleye spawning is crucial to keep the population healthy and fishermen happy.

CPW said the warmer water temperatures have not had a large impact on the spawning efforts this year. However, the agency said the recent dry spell could impact the 2027 spawn.

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Josh Helmuth

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — It was a week full of wacky outfits, fun themes and a whole lot of reading at one local elementary school last week.

Students at Manitou Springs Elementary School spent the week celebrating Read Across Manitou, and they did it in style. Each day had a fun theme to get kids excited about reading.

Monday was Cat in the Hat Day — with plenty of wacky hats.

Tuesday brought Fox in Sox Day — with mismatched socks all over campus.

Wednesday was Green Eggs and Ham Day — so naturally, lots of green.

And Thursday wrapped things up with Buddy Book Day — where students dressed up as their favorite characters.

The celebration also brought in members of the Manitou Kiwanis Club and other volunteers who stopped by to read to students, all sharing their love of books. 

And the fun didn’t stop at school. Students took home reading bingo cards, with the class earning the highest participation winning a pizza party.

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

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Arc of the Pikes Peak region (The Arc-PPR), the non-profit beneficiary of the Arc Thrift Stores, is hosting a movie night at Roadhouse Cinemas on Thursday to celebrate Developmental Disability Awareness Month.

The Arc-PPR is screening “Standout: The Ben Kjar Story” multiple times on Thursday. It will be the theatrical debut of the award-winning documentary in Colorado Springs.

The movie follows the story of Ben Kjar, a standout wrestler who overcame Crouzon Syndrome to find success on the national level. Crouzon syndrome causes facial deformities. Ben is now a motivational speaker after a successful professional wrestling career.

The screenings are at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Roadhouse off of N. Nevada. Tickets are $7 and include popcorn and soda.

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Scott Harrison

EL PASO/DOUGLAS COUNTY LINE, Colo. (KRDO) — When the express lanes opened in the Interstate 25 “Gap” between Monument and Castle Rock in December 2021, the major concern was drivers illegally weaving in and out of the lanes by crossing the double-white-line boundary.

Recently, however, that concern has apparently been replaced by tailgaters — drivers following too closely.

The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) admits that Gap tailgating is “a problem,” but doesn’t have statistics to show how often it happens.

Trooper Gabriel Moltrer of the CSP said that most tailgating happens with drivers who are in a hurry, and that when troopers see it happening, they stop offenders, try to educate them, and then cite them.

But what if the driver being tailgated is at fault for driving too slowly?

“If you are behind a vehicle and you believe it is going too slow, you do have to understand what the speed limit is in that area,” Moltrer explained. “If it is 75 mph and that vehicle may be going 70 to 75, they’re still going a reasonable speed through that area — especially if there is traffic in the normal lanes of travel.”

The CSP said that Gap tailgaters can receive tickets for following too closely (with fines starting at $100) or for speeding (with fines of up to $300 and the deduction of points from a driver’s license).

Troopers also ask that drivers leave a safe space between them, in case other drivers weave into or out of the express lanes.

Being tailgated can be frustrating and even dangerous on a city street or county road, so imagine it happening on an interstate highway with much faster traffic — particularly in a fairly narrow express lane where you can be cited for leaving before reaching a designated exit point.

Furthermore, tailgating victims face a split-second decision on whether to continue at the same speed and allow tailgating to happen, slow down, or simply leave the express lane at the next exit point.

The CSP explains what you should do if you’re the victim of tailgating in the Gap.

“If you have to pull over to the left shoulder for them to pass to ensure your safety, you can do so,” Moltrer said. “Or take the exit off the interstate and make sure that you get somewhere safe. But don’t do anything that might contribute to a potential road rage situation.”

Troopers say that you can report tailgating by calling the CSP at *277; a driver can do so after safely pulling over, or a passenger can do it during a tailgating incident.

“Provide the dispatcher with a vehicle description and direction of travel,” Moltrer said. “We can try to get a trooper to that area as soon as possible, to check it out.”

Finally, the CSP has plans in the near future to conduct targeted enforcement operations designed to catch violators or discourage tailgating.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Hollywood actors Patrick Duffy and Linda Purl greeted fans in person at the King Soopers off of North Gate as they launched their sourdough, “Duffy’s Dough,” in southern Colorado.

Duffy and Purl said 100% of the profits from their bread company will benefit organizations fighting food insecurity. At Monday’s meet-and-greet, the two will present the Care and Share food bank with a $5,000 check.

It was also a dream come true for one international fan.

“I was so emotional. I was crying, and I could not talk so much because I had something here in my throat,” fan Maria Nechtman said.

Nechtman grew up in Romania during its Communist regime. She said the popular TV show “Dallas” was the only American show the Romanian government allowed her and her classmates to watch. Her favorite character was “Bobby,” played by Patrick Duffy.

“We all got into the dormitory to just gather in one room, like a hundred girls, and we were fighting for the chair just to see Bobby,” Nechtman said. “It was the happiest days of that life when we saw him on TV.”

“Even if you go to Romania today, everyone loves him.”

Duffy said the sourdough starter recipe has been in his family for 75 years. His mother began baking after his family moved to Alaska when Duffy was only two years old.

After Duffy and Purl started dating in 2020, the two used Purl’s garage in Colorado Springs to start their bread company. Six years later, the couple is bringing their bread to southern Colorado after partnering with King Soopers to increase their production to a commercial scale.

Before their breadmaking days, both actors held roles in hit sitcoms and television series. Duffy starred in “Dallas,” “Step by Step,” and Man from “Atlantis.” Purl played prominent supporting roles in “Happy Days,” “Matlock” and as Pam’s mother in “The Office.” That’s far from an exhaustive list, and you may recognize the pair from any number of their other TV appearances!

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