Category: krdo-local-news

Bradley Davis

CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo. (KRDO) – Donkey Derby Days returns to Cripple Creek this weekend, 95 years after the gold miners released the former pack animals from the tunnels.

“It’s our only true living connection to our history here in Cripple Creek, said Two Mile High Club president Annie Valades. “They’re our ambassadors. They’re our mascots. They are the direct connection to our past, and they’re living to tell about it.”

It’s one of the most unique festivals in Colorado, where the donkeys are the stars of the show. Celebrations start Friday with food trucks and live music. The Donkey Derby Races kick off on Saturday with more live music and activities, followed by more performances on Sunday.

The festival is free for everyone. You can find a full schedule here.

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Scott Harrison

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Precious few parking spaces are available here, especially during the busy summer tourist season.

But some street parking and sidewalk access near Memorial Park were closed last week and will be again this week for a project around the historic Hiawatha Gardens building.

Crews are currently improving sidewalks and repaving around the west and north sides of the building, at the intersection of El Paso Boulevard and Old Mans Trail.

Only one lane of eastbound traffic is allowed on the El Paso side.

Officials hope to finish the project by the end of the week.

It’s unclear whether the current project is related to, or separate from, scheduled paving projects reported on by KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior earlier this month.

However, the project appears connected to a broader effort that began in February to renovate the Hiawatha Gardens building to include restroom facilities and to improve the 150-space parking lot.

That $3.3 million project is scheduled for completion in late summer or early fall; a second phase, not yet funded, will create an outdoor pavilion and plaza on the property

Manitou officials acquired the former dance hall property — which dates back to the late 1800s — in 2016 but needed time to plan, design, and acquire funding for the project.

Meanwhile, officials have created 12 parking spaces as part of an assessment of parking across town.

“Yeah, so we’re just taking a comprehensive look at all our downtown parking spots, making sure the requirements are being met,” said Ben Schmitt, Manitou’s public services director. “But there’s going to be some reconfiguring of some spots, some adding of some spots, some removing of some spots.”

A year ago, the town opened the converted Dillon Motel as the Dillon Mobility Hub, with restroom facilities, more than 90 parking spaces, and shuttle bus access.

Officials say the lot has been a success so far, even though it is on the east end of town and isn’t conveniently located near downtown.

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Michael Logerwell

FOUNTAIN, Colo. (KRDO) – Monday was a wild day for severe weather in Southern Colorado. In several Fountain neighborhoods, a hailstorm hit residents hard.

It wasn’t as bad as some of the historic hailstorms Fountain suffered in the past decade, but just about every car around the Fountain Mesa Park is polka-dotted with small dents caused by rock-hard hail.

More than a dozen small dents cover the hood of this car parked outside in the hailstorm.

“I was on a speaker-phone with my friend, and it ended up getting so loud that the phone actually picked up the hail instead of me talking,” Jace Mueller said. He was in the basement playing video games and talking to a friend over the phone, and still heard the hail hitting the home.

The Mueller family is relatively new to the Fountain area and tells KRDO13 this is the worst hail they’ve seen in their time here.

“We’ve only lived here for a couple of years, so I don’t think I’ve seen it [hail] that big before,” Lura Mueller said.

Even those who’ve seen some bad Fountain hailstorms say Monday’s storm was pretty bad.

“We just had to watch from the door and be like, oh, everything’s wrecked,” Holly Gillespie said.

“[My car’s] got a lot of dings in it, and I haven’t looked up on the roof. I can see it starting up there. So I imagine everybody’s car that was out looks like this,” Christy Gillespie said.

Monday could prove to be just the start of severe weather impacts Southern Colorado sees this week. StormTracker13 is following daily storm chances.

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Rob Namnoum

On Monday, Rockies outfielder Troy Johnston celebrated his 28th birthday. He also played the role of reporter before the Rockies game against the Boston Red Sox. Johnston helped us interviewed Rockies outfielder Mickey Moniak.

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Rob Namnoum

Rockies general manager Josh Byrnes spoke before the Rockies game against the Boston Red Sox on Monday. Byrnes says he likes the progress the team is making but feels they have a long way to go.

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Heather Skold

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — In a late-night release Monday, El Paso County says Buc-ee’s EPCO, LLC has requested a C-1 zoning, which would classify it as a convenience store under the county’s land development code.

The plot of land along I-25 near County Line Road has been the source of heavy speculation and controversy for years now.

A consultant for Buc-ee’s confirmed that they are planning to build on this land, should the project be approved by the county.

“I think that is entirely accurate. The application was submitted for the use determination to the county, and so hopefully that’s the plan moving forward,” said Mark Waller, a consultant for Buc-ee’s.

Buc-ee’s originally tried to annex the property into the town of Palmer Lake and emphasized the potential for nearly $1 million in sales tax revenue.

However, the plan was met with heavy criticism from the community of Palmer Lake and the surrounding area. The idea of increased traffic, reduced business for locally-owned shops, and the erasure of their small-town identity was a turn-off for many. For months, community members voiced their opposition to the project in public settings.

Buc-ee’s later withdrew its offer for annexation. But the recent request made to El Paso County indicates that they’re not interested in changing their location. An idea echoed by Waller.

“It is a piece of already commercially zoned property that is on I-25. Literally on I-25 between the two largest cities in Colorado. If this isn’t the right spot, what is?” Waller said.

Many residents are still opposed to the project, and pledge to continue fighting against the development.

El Paso County underscored that the request does not approve construction or “approve a site development plan.”

The coding determination would be made by the Planning and Community Development Director and could take up to 14 days to make a ruling.

Other important items like construction, traffic access, utilities and more would still need to be approved by the county for Buc-ee’s to open its doors.

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Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – KRDO13 obtained arrest records for the man accused of stealing Howard the tortoise from Scales ‘N Tails Exotic Pet Shop. Police say a man named Justin Edwards stole the tortoise in broad daylight. KRDO13 is learning that this may not be his first turtle theft. 

PAST COVERAGE: Stolen tortoise recovered, suspect arrested in Colorado Springs

On Monday, Howard was in great spirits following his tortoise kidnapping. Only days after he was returned home, he was spotted eating a delicious salad dinner mix.

On Wednesday, June 17, police say Justin Edwards told the store owner he had to get change from his car, pulled it around, and when the owner went to get the item he asked for, Edwards took the tortoise and left. 

Officers say that someone saw the store’s Facebook post and called in a tip saying they recognized the suspect. When police spoke with that tipster, they told police that Edwards is a kleptomaniac and that he was recently arrested in Castle Rock for stealing a turtle. Castle Rock Police could not confirm that when KRDO13 asked. 

When officers were trying to quantify the cost of Howard, the Scales ‘N Tales store owner said he could be sold for a thousand dollars, but to everyone at the store, Howard is priceless.

“We all kind of broke down, and we’re a little shocked that something like that actually happened to Howard. So when we got that news [that Howard was found], we were exploding. Everybody’s calling each other. Can we be here when Howard comes? It was some of the best news, I think, we’ve ever got here. Everybody here keeps saying that it’s the best news they’ve heard in a very long time,” recounted Dustin Bohnert, store manager.

The day after Howard was stolen, police say Edwards continued on his spree. Officers say he stole a tarp and a tent from the REI on E. Woodmen Rd. 

OTHER: Beloved tortoise stolen from Scales ‘N Tails reptile pet store

Police tracked Edwards down and took him into custody. However, at the time, he was not with the tortoise. Eventually, police found Howard and brought him back safe and sound to Scales ‘N Tales. 

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Scott Harrison

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — An ongoing water main replacement has advanced to the point that it will require closing a major intersection west of Interstate 25 for several weeks.

Pueblo Water crews are doing the work along Elizabeth Street at the 29th Street intersection, and the first night of the closure was from 7 p.m. Sunday until 7 a.m. Monday.

The closure will remain in effect for the same hours Sunday through Thursday for the next two to three weeks, city officials said — which would end either just before or after the 4th of July Holiday weekend.

Crews started the project in late spring, and no projected completion date is available at the time of this writing; workers are installing several miles of the new main.

Most of Elizabeth, from 29th south to City Center Drive downtown (formerly 1st Street), will be repaved this summer after the water main project.

The closure is slightly north of the Colorado Department of Transportation’s (CDOT) ongoing project to replace five bridges at the I-25/US 50 East interchange.

Elizabeth is a primary north/south route through the city, and 29th is one of the city’s few east/west routes across town.

“You go under the highway, under the railroad tracks,” said Joe Cervi, a spokesman for Pueblo Water. “You’re dealing with the railroads, you’re dealing with CDOT, you’re dealing with your subcontractors. So, it’s a pretty massive undertaking and a pretty expansive project.”

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Rob Namnoum

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — On Sunday, Romain Dumas won the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Dumas reached the summit of Pikes Peak in eight minutes and 18 seconds. It is the fourth consecutive year that Dumas was crowned the King of the Mountain. Dumas has won six Pikes Peak Hill Climbs in all.

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Rob Namnoum

Highlights from the 104th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

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