Friday Night Blitz Part 1
Rob Namnoum
Pine Creek wins and CSCS beats Woodland Park.
Pueblo County considers five candidates for coroner position
Celeste Springer
PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Pueblo County is considering five different candidates to replace Brian Cotter as coroner.
The candidates are as follows, according to a county spokesperson:
Gregory Grahek
Zolanye McCulley-Bachicha
Justin Dean Youngren
Felicia McQueen
Jessica Martinez
The search to fill the position comes after Pueblo County Coroner Brian Cotter made headlines last month.
During a first-annual inspection at his privately-owned funeral home, Davis Mortuary, inspectors had noticed a foul smell, according to records.
A report by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), inspectors said they noticed a door was hidden by a cardboard display. When they went to remove the display, inspectors say Cotter asked them not to go inside, according to DORA.
Inspectors entered the hidden room and reportedly found bodies in various states of decomposition.
“Mr. Cotter stated that the bodies were awaiting cremation and admitted that some bodies had been in the room for approximately fifteen years,” DORA suspension records say. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation later said they also found bones and suspected human tissue in containers.
In the weeks since, Cotter filed a letter of resignation. In the meantime, the El Paso County Coroner and the Fremont County Coroner have picked up his cases.
To read all of our reporting on this case, click here.
Jon Hallford of Return to Nature rejects plea deal, case now heads to trial
Celeste Springer
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Jon Hallford has rejected a plea deal, and his case now heads to trial, court records indicate.
Jon Hallford and his wife, Carie, are accused of leaving close to 200 bodies to stack up and decay in their funeral home, Return to Nature. The couple was also accused of giving fake cremated remains to families.
Hallford is currently facing 191 counts of abuse of a corpse.
According to an email sent to the victim’s families by the district attorney’s office, the prosecution offered Hallford a plea deal to serve 30-50 years.
Rejecting this plea deal was arguably a gamble for Hallford, as there is a chance he could face even more time with the case heading to trial.
Hallford’s jury trial is set for Feb. 9, 2026, according to court records.
Lane closures scheduled this weekend and next, on US 50 east of Interstate 25 in Pueblo
Scott Harrison
PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — The next step in the ongoing project to build five bridges along two highways will require lane closures for the next two weekends.
The first closure begins at 5 p.m. on Friday and ends at 7 a.m. on Sunday, along a half-mile stretch of US 50, east of I-25 to the Bonforte Boulevard/Hudson Avenue intersection.
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will manage a full closure of the eastbound lanes and conduct a similar closure of the westbound lanes next weekend.
Scott Dalton, CDOT’s project director, said that the closures will allow crews to safely install wastewater lines under the highway.
“Part of the project is that since we’re realigning US 50-B, we have to connect to the existing storm and sanitary sewer,” he explained. “And with the old alignment going away, we have to make sure the existing system still works. So, this pipe will be part of the existing system, but it’s a new portion.”
Workers also continue to install new stormwater lines through the area.
Three of the five new bridges are currently under construction: One over Fountain Creek and two across the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.
The two remaining bridges — comprising an overpass on I-25 — are in poor condition and will be replaced after the first three bridges are finished.
Another part of the project is to realign three-quarters of a mile of I-25, between the US 50 and 29th Street interchanges.
CDOT expects to complete the $114 million project by mid-2027.
For detours and more information, visit: http://codot.gov/projects/us50i25interchange.
Teller County Sheriff’s Office increases security Thursday in wake of recent shootings
Mackenzie Stafford
WOODLAND PARK, Colo. (KRDO) – In the wake of the Evergreen High School shooting on Wednesday and the political assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the Teller County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) tells KRDO13 there will be an increased presence of deputies in the county.
Kirk was slated to speak at the Truth & Liberty Conference in Woodland Park on Thursday night. He was scheduled to speak just after seven at Charis Bible College. Instead, there will be a special tribute with a panel discussion at the college.
As of 3 p.m. MT, the suspected assassin has yet to be apprehended.
TCSO says they are in contact with their partners at the Colorado Springs FBI office to track any potential threats. Deputies are also working with Charis Bible College security, where the conference is being held.
The Woodland Park Police Chief tells KRDO13 they have extra personnel all over the city. He says the event at Charis is a large-scale response by multiple law enforcement agencies. Chief Deisler says he cannot get into specifics, but he says the event is getting the attention it needs.
A vigil was held to honor the life of Charlie Kirk on Wednesday night at Memorial Park. On Thursday, a single candle was left behind. The flag was flown at half-staff on Thursday for the victims of the 9/11 attacks. However, President Trump also ordered all flags to be flown at half-staff through Sunday to honor Kirk. It’s something Woodland Park resident Jake Ethington appreciated.
“It’s been a bit of a heavy day, but also, I guess, just also been good to see the people who cared about him. And with the flag at half staff, little things, people just showing, you know, that, we all respected what you’re doing,” shared Jake Ethington.
He spoke to KRDO13 about his experience seeing Kirk at Charis Bible College in years past.
“It was impressive. And I guess more than anything, it was just that I could tell I felt like he really believed what he was saying was trying to help people and help America. He was just very driven and, you know, I remember he was talking about just the importance of reading books and educating yourself and people of all different types on so many different subjects. He was just a very driven and, you know, educated man, and just wanted to learn. And so even to this day, I think I probably read a few extra books just because of how he talked about that. So that was it was impactful,” explained Ethington.
He says he still might try to secure a ticket for tonight’s event to honor Kirk.
KRDO13 spoke with one woman who created the Turning Point U.S.A. chapter at Charis Bible College, where the Truth and Liberty conference is being held. Turning Point U.S.A. is the organization Charlie Kirk founded, sparking a major youth conservative movement.
“I came across Charlie and Turning Point USA a couple of years ago. My mom and I went to America first, and I remember that was the first time that it really sparked a fire within me. What Charlie was doing, what his heart was for this country. Because I’ve always had a heart for politics, a heart for this country. And so that was the first time it really ignited something within me. And that’s when it really started. I got connected with a representative here in Colorado, a field rep, and she got me connected and said, Yeah, you can have a chapter at your Bible college. And I was like, that’s amazing. And so that’s kind of when I started,” explained Mandy McNulty.
She touched on how he inspired so many and the lasting impact he will leave behind.
“Charlie left a huge legacy not only for me, but for this country. The fearlessness as a leader, how selfless he was to put himself on the line, to speak the truth and not be afraid. He cared so much for people. And I think that’s something that really stood out to me, that he was so willing to put himself out there on college campuses where he knew that his life was on the line all of the time, and to speak the truth, but to unite people and just seeing what the movement that he started in my generation is truly incredible,” McNulty continued, “He was an inspiration to me. He still will be. And I believe his legacy has only begun from what’s happened.”
McNulty said she had the opportunity to meet and interact with Kirk in 2023. McNulty says she and others will carry on his legacy.
“He just started something in this country, and it will never be forgotten,” shared McNulty. “I really believe that this is a turning point, and I’ve heard a lot of people say that this is going to be a turning point in this country. Just because he’s gone doesn’t mean that that has ended.”
Prosecution presents new plea deal for Jon Hallford in Return to Nature case
Celeste Springer
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — With court set to reconvene on Friday, disgraced funeral home director Jon Hallford will need to decide whether to accept or reject a new plea deal.
Jon Hallford and his wife, Carie, are accused of leaving close to 200 bodies to stack up and decay in their funeral home, Return to Nature. The couple was also accused of giving fake cremated remains to families.
Hallford is currently facing 191 counts of abuse of a corpse.
According to an email sent to the victim’s families by the district attorney’s office, the prosecution is offering Hallford a plea deal to serve 30-50 years. A judge will need to determine the final number within that range and also decide whether the sentence will run concurrently or consecutively with his sentence for wire fraud.
Originally, Hallford and the prosecution had reached a deal for 20 years, but it was thrown out by a judge. The decision came as a relief for some families, who felt he should serve more time.
If Hallford rejects this new plea deal, the case could head to trial. It would be a gamble for him, as the court could potentially give him more time than what’s currently on the table.
Downtown restaurant ordered to close after failed health inspection
Bart Bedsole
This week’s Restaurant Roundup highlights two downtown-area restaurants with very different health inspection scores.
One of them had to be shut down and has yet to reopen.
Pho Sister, at the intersection of Nevada and Las Vegas, failed a previous health inspection back in March, but this time around, it was ordered to close until certain violations are addressed.
The findings on Sept. 5 include:
-There was no certified food protection manager on duty
-A food handler drank from a personal water bottle, then put on gloves without washing their hands, and also touched raw beef, then raw shrimp without first changing gloves
-Raw shrimp was only heated to 112 degrees, not at least 145 degrees as required
-Noodles and cooked meats were left out at room temperature to cool, instead of being placed in the cooler
When KRDO13 visited Pho Sister on Monday, the door and gate were locked, with signs on the door that read, “Under new ownership” and “Will be open in October or sooner.”
KRDO13 also tried to reach the owner by phone, but no one responded.
Until an inspector returns to confirm that certain violations are addressed, Pho Sister will not be allowed to reopen.
OTHER FAILING SCORES
Zocalo – 418 S Tejon (visited in a previous Restaurant Roundup)
Staybridge Suites – 7130 Commerce Center Dr
Pikes Poke Bowl – 9290 Highland Rdg Hts (third failure in a row)
HIGH SCORES
Mod Pizza – 5925 Dublin Blvd
The Springs Bagel Company – 4621 Austin Bluffs Pkwy
On The Border – 2190 Southgate Rd
Colorado Mountain Brewery – 600 S. 21st
Subway – 6616 Dalby Dr
Subway – 2499 S Academy Blvd
Domino’s Pizza – 3025 Jet Wing Dr
Sonic – 2302 S Academy
Pizza Hut – 2840 S Academy
The Warehouse Restaurant – 25 W Cimarron St
Located at Cimarron and Sahwatch, just across from Wiedner Field in downtown Colorado Springs, The Warehouse Restaurant serves Southwestern American food, with an emphasis on game meats.
“Things that you’re not going to find in every other restaurant. We serve a lot of bison, elk, wild boar, and we have nilgai antelope coming onto the menu in about a month,” says owner and chef James Africano.
The restaurant’s signature dish is a North American elk strip loin, served with bacon jam and sweet potato hash.
Africano ran the kitchen at the restaurant for about 10 years before moving to New Mexico, then returned in 2015 when the opportunity came up to purchase it, and has operated it ever since.
He holds his kitchen to very high standards and says if you’re not committed to doing it the right way, you’re probably not going to last.
“If you’re going to run a quality establishment and charge the money that we charge for people to come in here and eat, I need you to jump on board and be a part of the team all the way, and that includes health and safety,” he says.
While the restaurant is the main attraction, not all of the art takes place in the kitchen.
On nearly every wall in the dining area, as well as the attached open space for larger events, there are paintings and photos created almost entirely by local artists, all of which are available for purchase.
Africano considers it an upscale dining experience, but hopes to create an environment where guests feel like they’re in their own living room.
He recommends making a reservation on Fridays and Saturdays, but says guests can usually get a table on other nights of the week.
Keep an eye out for the KRDO13 Restaurant Roundup awards at your favorite restaurant to know that the kitchen inside is clean.
Click here for a look at all the most recent health inspection scores.
24 years later: A moment of silence at dawn on top of the Manitou Incline on 9/11
Sadie Buggle
MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – On the morning of Sept. 11, hundreds of first responders and supporters from across the state and nation climbed over 2700 steps, or about 190 flights of stairs, on the Manitou incline – a symbolic hike of the final climb hundreds of firefighters made inside the Twin Towers.
Retired New York firefighter Lori Ann Santini led a moment of silence at the top of the steps at 6:46 a.m. MST, the same time terrorists flew a plane into the first tower. She did so carrying a flag with the names of all 343 firefighters who died in the attack.
“We are souls tied together by this event, ” Santini said. “It will be with us forever.”
Santini said she was sworn in as a firefighter just 10 minutes before the first tower fell. It was her first day on the job. She responded to the call, deploying to Ground Zero in the following days.
“What do you think about when you see these pictures?” KRDO 13’s Bradley Davis asked Santini while she showed him her photos from Ground Zero.
“It’s actually what I taste. Concrete.” Santini said.
Santini has had two different types of cancers and still has lung issues she said were caused by the air breathing in the toxic air while responding to the 9/11 attacks.
“It’s a humble reminder I served,” Santini said.
Before meeting Santini, Davis started his hike with 50 for the Fallen founder Chad Conely. His nonprofit supports veterans and first responders in crisis. He went up and down with a 50-pound railroad tie in his pack.
“Our job is to come out today and just let them know that they still matter, let their family know that we love them and let them know from today until forever, they’re always going to be a part of us,” Conley said.
In what has become an annual tradition, Manitou Springs firefighters also led hundreds from across the country up the stairs in their full firefighting gear.
Since 9/11, more Ground Zero first responders have died from cancer and other health complications stemming from their service than died in the attack itself.
Handmade sign, vehicle honking in Woodland Park to honor slain political activist Charlie Kirk
Scott Harrison
WOODLAND PARK, Colo. (KRDO) — The drive to work at Charis Bible College was louder than usual on Thursday morning, but it brightened an otherwise sad day for Scott Little.
Little was looking forward to meeting conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was scheduled to speak on Thursday night at a college event, until his assassination during an event in Utah on Wednesday.
As the college community arrived on campus, Little displayed a handwritten sign displaying the message Honk 4 Charlie.
And many of the drivers did.
“Some honk and some don’t,” Little explained at the time. “Some wave. The one guy flipped me off but came back and apologized.”
Little considers Kirk a hero.
“I would have said thank you,” he said. “Thank you for who you are, for doing what you do. He speaks on 330 campuses a year. He does two podcasts a day. And again, he’s got his convictions, his beliefs, and what he feels strongly about. And he communicates it and does so, eloquently and respectfully.”
Little was hiking on one of the campus trails when he learned of Kirk’s death.
“I went to our backyard and found this very heavy piece of metal and a black sharpie,” he recalled. “An opportunity to honor this gentleman who accomplished so much and gave so much, and I hope his legacy lives on.”
Little held the sign to his mobile audience for around 30 minutes, and intended to do it again around lunchtime and at the end of the campus day.
An increase in security for the campus event in the aftermath of Kirk’s death reminds us of how intense political debate and discussion have become.
Student recounts moments after two classmates shot in Evergreen High shooting
Celeste Springer
EVERGREEN, Colo. (KRDO) – The gunman in a shooting at Evergreen High School has died, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the sheriff’s office, the gunman, who is believed to have been a student, injured two other people in the shooting. Those two students, as of last update, are still in the hospital, our partners at 9News reported.
The sheriff’s office said the shooter died because of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His name has not yet been released as of this update.
As of 3 p.m., the sheriff’s office said the school is all clear.
KRDO13 spoke to one Evergreen High School student during the fallout on Wednesday afternoon. He said he was at lunch when the lockdown alarm went off. He and roughly 30 other students ran to the band room, he said.
“There was a door in the bandroom that opens to the outside. There was a guy in that window, and he yelled something and shot at us at least twice,” recalled student Silas Jewell.
Jewell’s father tells KRDO13 he’s thankful Silas had his phone to text him immediately when shots rang.
“Students should be able to attend school safely and without fear across our state and nation. We are all praying for the victims and the entire community,” a statement from Gov. Polis read in part.
This is a developing story. This article may be updated.