Category: krdo-local-news

Scott Harrison

TELLER COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Flashing message signs along two streets in Woodland Park previously displayed June 1 as the starting date for repaving work on Fairview Street and Thunder Ridge Drive.

But nearly three weeks later, those projects have yet to begin.

The electronic sign on Thunder Ridge has been turned off, while the Fairview sign simply displays “Road Work.”

There is construction happening at the south end of Fairview, but it isn’t laying new asphalt.

“We’re doing the concrete work,” a crew member told KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior on-site Thursday. “The repaving probably won’t happen for two weeks.”

If you’re familiar with The Road Warrior’s coverage during the past two years, you know that concrete work — building new sidewalks, curbs, gutters and ramps — usually happens well in advance of a repaving project.

The crew member didn’t elaborate on why the concrete work is happening late in the process, and town officials haven’t responded to The Road Warrior’s request for details on the matter.

Thunder Ridge, which was paved with cobblestones when it was built through what was a private subdivision 20 years ago, may present a different challenge.

The street now is within the town’s jurisdiction, and it’s unclear whether crews will simply pave asphalt over the crumbling stones, or remove them first.

Meanwhile, in Colorado Springs, crews continue repaving roughly a mile of Costilla Street, from its west end in the Gold Hill Mesa community, to 8th Street.

As The Road Warrior previously reported, crews are rebuilding parts of that street that have unstable bases, or subgrades, because of possible groundwater infiltration.

A crew member on-site said that the base on the east end of Costilla isn’t as bad as on the west end, so only smaller segments will be rebuilt there and regular paving will suffice on the rest of it.

Click here to follow the original article.

Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Professional Bull Riders (PBR) introduces us to a couple of their competitors, both human and bull, live on KRDO13 before Saturday’s Freedom 250 event.

Saturday’s event is called “PBR Space Cowboys.” It’s a collaboration between PBR and the United States Space Force (USSF) to bring fun and education about the branch to Colorado Springs. Country stars Tim McGraw and Chris Janson headline the event.

The “Launchpad” fun zone opens outside the stadium starting at 2 p.m. with live music, games and Space Force activities. The Launchpad is free to the public.

Janson takes the stage at 6:45 p.m. to kick off the bull riding. PBR said it trucked in four million pounds of dirt to transform Falcon Stadium, and its bulls and riders will take to center field following Janson’s performance.

McGraw closes out the Space Cowboy celebration with a live concert following the bull riding around 9:45 p.m. You can find a full schedule and ticket information here.

The Space Cowboy celebration is part of the White House’s Freedom 250 initiative directed by an executive order from President Donald Trump. It’s a separate group from the bipartisan America250 organization charged by Congress in 2016.

Tune into Good Morning Colorado, where KRDO13’s Bradley Davis introduces us to a couple of the bucking bulls for you live!

Click here to follow the original article.

Bradley Davis

PEYTON, Colo. (KRDO) – It’s a real airstrip where pilots fly real planes. They’re just too small for all but the lightest plastic passenger.

“I can’t fly real planes yet because you have to be 17, so getting to fly little ones is so cool because you have the whole thing under your control,” said Pikes Peak Radio Control member Cade Huskisson.

The Pikes Peak Radio-Control (RC) Club flies at its small airstrip off Judge Orr Road. It has over 125 members and welcomes anyone who would like to learn the hobby.

“They are scaled warbirds, any type of airplane. You can actually get a real scaled aircraft with just incredible detail and everything,” Pikes Peak RC club president Kirk Jester said.

The Pikes Peak RC club hosts its first event of the summer on Saturday. It’s inviting pilots and spectators to fly or watch T-28 and Big Stik model planes take to the skies. It’s $5 a person and includes a burger, chips and a drink.

Click here to follow the original article.

Scott Harrison

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — You can already see the early stages of a wastewater improvement project on the south side of the entrance to Confluence Park.

That section of the park is closed off, with construction equipment operating, and what appear to be long pipe segments are stretched out nearby.

Pueblo’s Wastewater Department is investing nearly $8 million to place liners inside two existing concrete mains that will cross under a fairly busy intersection at Stockyard Road and La Crosse Avenue, a block south of the city limits.

Officials said that drivers should expect temporary traffic control closures or detours there until the project’s expected completion in mid-July.

The pipe segments referred to above are actually the bypass line that will convey wastewater while the liners are installed in the existing mains.

The longest main will stretch more than a half-mile east to the treatment plant.

Crews also will work on several manholes along the main.

Stockyard Road is an industrial area, and La Crosse Avenue passes the park entrance and crosses where Fountain Creek flows into the Arkansas River.

Click here to follow the original article.

Rob Namnoum

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — While some dads will spend Father’s Day on the golf course. The Father-Son Duo of Dan and Trevor Aweida will be going pedal to the metal, side by side, up America’s Mountain.

“It’s unbelievable. I wouldn’t be here without my dad,” says Trevor Aweida.

Trevor started out as his dad’s crew chief, but over time, that role shifted-putting him behind the wheel as a driver himself.

While some racers will share the moment together. Others will be carrying their Fathers with them in spirit.

Ben Ryan is racing in honor of his dad, who passed away just days before his first Hill Climb run back in 2023.

“Decided to build this car as a legacy build dedicated to our dads this year, and ironically, Richard still had his dad’s original 1968 Roadrunner,” says Ryan.

Ryan teamed up with Richard Tomlin, whose father was killed in the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Together, they built a car inspired by their dad’s favorite rides, nicknamed “Big Bird.”

The car is more than just a race machine.

“We have no expectations as far as a time. We just want to go up there, put on a show for the fans, and do it for our fathers,” says Tomlin.

Click here to follow the original article.

Scott Harrison

FOUNTAIN, Colo. (KRDO) — The ongoing saga of Southmoor Drive should be over soon, as crews in the past week have completed most of the repaving work needed there.

A half-mile of the street overlooking Fountain Creek — from the American Legion on the south end to Paladin Place on the north end — has been closed to traffic since the spring of 2020 because of severe erosion concerns.

Remaining work includes striping (applying new lane markings) and installing a guardrail on the creek street at its nearest point to the creek, and a city spokesman said that the street should officially reopen before the 4th of July holiday.

Earlier this year, the Fountain City Council allocated $450,000 for the project, after $7.5 million in erosion mitigation in the creek was performed by the Fountain Creek Watershed District.

The city saved money on asphalt costs by using a process that recycled the old pavement with new asphalt on-site.

“It means that our voices have been heard,” said Tracee Spencer, a member of American Legion Post 38. “This has been an ongoing issue for the last, maybe, six years or so. And it’s caused a burden for the neighborhood and to the businesses around here. So, we’re very excited to have it open.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The annual Western Street breakfast starts bright and early Wednesday morning with a hot breakfast and live music in downtown Colorado Springs.

The breakfast starts at 5:30 a.m. so early risers can load up on their way to work. The festivities end around 9 a.m.

It’s $5 for a hot plate of pancakes, eggs, sausage and a drink served by military volunteers. The morning will be filled with live singing and dancing performances, all hosted by KRDO’s very own Heather Skold!

Map of festivities at the Western Street Breakfast

The morning all leads up to the start of the Pikes Peak Rangers and Rangerettes’ “Peak Ride.” The riders will saddle up and gallop around town to kick off their week-long trek through the Colorado Springs backcountry. The end of their ride signifies the start of the Pikes Peak or Bust rodeo.

Click here to follow the original article.

Dylan Foreman

CASCADE, Colo. (KRDO) — Driving up Pikes Peak provides the kind of scenery that can pull your attention away, even in the middle of a race. Just ask Phillip McGilton, who’s experiencing Pikes Peak for the first time.

“The view… I gotta keep telling myself, pay attention to what you’re doing,” McGilton said. “Because I’m looking around, look how beautiful, where am I at? This is awesome, right? But wait a minute… focus on racing.”

It’s a fair reminder for a newcomer. McGilton has never raced his vehicle on Pikes Peak, or even on paved roads like this. That’s because this year introduces a brand-new class to the mountain: Ultra4.

Ultra4 vehicles are known for their versatility, built to tackle just about any terrain imaginable.

“Ultra4 is unique in that we build trucks that can do anything,” driver Paul Wolff said. “That’s the point; they’re unlimited four-wheel drive.”

“We race not just desert, not just woods, we race everything,” McGilton added.

Typically, an Ultra4 race involves rough terrain, crawling through rocks and mud, or powering across open desert.

But Pikes Peak presents a completely different challenge.

Instead of dirt and obstacles, drivers now face a fully paved course climbing one of Colorado’s most iconic mountains, forcing teams to adjust in real time.

“It’s a massive learning curve, definitely for us Ultra4 guys,” Wolff said.

Teams are constantly tweaking their setups to match the new environment, while drivers adjust their approach behind the wheel.

“We have to change these cars constantly for setups and adapt to these different race courses, and then adapt ourselves as drivers,” Wolff said. “To come out here, slap it on asphalt, and go hill climb racing—it shows how versatile our sport is and how versatile the car is.”

With only four competitors in the class this year, the focus isn’t just on winning; it’s about introducing the sport to a new audience.

“We’ll see how it plays out,” Wolff said. “I know slicks will be a little faster, but in the spirit of Ultra4, I kept it fully built like we would for Hammers or any other race.”

Even with their reputation for going anywhere, there are still limits.

When asked whether drivers would consider skipping the pavement and going straight up the mountain, Wolff couldn’t help but laugh.

“I would like to, but I heard the Forest Service might get a little mad, so I’m gonna leave that one alone.”

For now, Ultra4 drivers will stick to the course, learning, adapting, and proving they belong on one of racing’s most iconic stages.

Click here to follow the original article.

Michael Logerwell

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – Last Thursday, an animal shelter in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, flooded, putting the well-being of dozens of animals into question.

Photos from the City of Tahlequah

A city spokesperson says it was a member of the animal control who was monitoring the security cameras because of the heavy rain in the forecast when he heard the dogs whimpering and sprang into action.

But once the dogs and kittens were rescued from the brown flood waters, what happened next?

Some of those animals went to a shelter in California, a few stayed in the Oklahoma area, and 40 dogs made the +11 hour drive up to El Paso County, Colorado.

“We were rushing around trying to get as many animals out of there as possible,” Julie Cousino, operations director for El Paso County Canine Rescue, said.

Because El Paso County Canine Rescue is a foster-only organization, they needed to set up good homes for the impacted dogs before they could come up to Southern Colorado.

“Our team was making phone calls. We were texting fosters. We were posting on the main page. We have a foster group page that we are posting on. We are tagging everybody. It was a lot of legwork on our part to get fosters,” Cousino said.

Even with all 40 of the rescued Oklahoma dogs finding foster homes, Cousino said, foster families are still a big need for the non-profit.

“Summertime is the hardest time for fosters because people think of summer, they’re thinking vacation trips, things like that. So we have a constant need for fosters, especially in the summertime,” She said.

To learn more about becoming a foster family or about upcoming adoption events, visit the El Paso County Canine Rescue website.

Click here to follow the original article.

Dylan Foreman

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Right before my first trip up Pikes Peak, veteran driver Fred Veach leaned over from the driver’s seat and gave me a warning I didn’t fully understand at the time.

He said the race was a combination of the Indy 500 and Woodstock.

After experiencing it firsthand, it turns out he was exactly right.

The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb isn’t your typical race. It’s a global showcase, bringing together 75 drivers from multiple countries, all competing across seven classes.

Every single one of them shares the same goal: get to the summit as fast as possible

But before they ever touch the mountain, they have to get cleared to race at tech inspection.

Before engines roar to life on the 12.42-mile course, every team must prove their car is ready.

“I’ve raced different places, and there’s nothing like Pikes Peak,” driver Matus Huska said.

That uniqueness showed itself long before race day for Earl O’Maley and his team.

O’Maley’s group arrived with high hopes, but those quickly turned into a week-long battle just to get their car running.

“We’ve been fighting it for over a week,” Earl O’Maley’s wife, Katie O’Maley, explained.

The mechanical issues with the engine and other electrical issues nearly ended their race before it began.

But then, something unexpected happened.

A rookie driver from Poland, Maciej Serafin, and his team stepped in, not as competitors, but as teammates.

“We are happy that he goes close to the race. So it was amazing,” Serafin said of the opportunity to help.

The group worked together, diagnosing and fixing the issue that had threatened to sideline O’Maley’s car.

“They found the problem, and they can start it for Pikes Peak,” Gabriel Kubit, who is acting as the lead mechanic on Maciej’s car, said.

Just like that, a race entry that was nearly done was back on track.

For the O’Maley team, the moment meant more than just getting to race.

“Never in a million years did I ever think these angels would come into our lives,” Katie said. “They really are. They are truly our guardian angels. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without them.”

It’s a reminder that while every driver is chasing a clock, something bigger is happening behind the scenes.

At Pikes Peak, competition and camaraderie exist side by side.

Drivers become friends. Teams become support systems. And everyone becomes family.

“You become friends and eventually family with everybody,” O’Maley said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re in our class or not. If you need help, just ask.”

For Kubit, what goes around comes around.

“When I can help, I help,” another driver said. “Because I don’t know when I’ll need help.”

The race to the top begins June 21 on Father’s Day.

Click here to follow the original article.