Category: krdo-local-news

Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Pikes Peak State College (PPSC) says that it has allocated money to help fill the gap for military students who would lose educational funding if there were a government shutdown.

“We’re prepared to step in and provide financial support to our military students. We’ll award scholarships to service members who have their approved Tuition Assistance Requests cancelled due to a government shutdown,” said Director of Military and Veterans (MVP) Programs Paul DeCecco in a release.

If a government shutdown were to occur, officials with PPSC say that students would lose their Department of Defense Tuition Assistance funding, which the college says equates to about $20,000 of their tuition.

PPSC says they are reaching out to students ahead of time to let them know that resources will be available. They also say they have come up with different classroom locations in case locations on base become unavailable.

College officials say those who rely on Department of Defense Tuition Assistance funding would be impacted by a shutdown, but note that those on VA Education benefits should not be.

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Scott Harrison

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — In the past few weeks, KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior has heard from several viewers unhappy about what they describe as “terrible” roads long overdue for repairs.

The complaints seem to focus on the stretch of Purcell Boulevard, south of US 50, and on connecting neighborhood streets.

Neighbors said that there are too many potholes to count — or even avoid.

They also noted that it takes a long time for crews to fill the potholes, and the patches often don’t last very long.

One resident reported that he has had potholes on his street, Maher Drive, for the past year.

“I think the metro did a pretty good job,” said resident Tom Pineda. “I thought they were on it. Once they went over to the county, it seemed like it took forever to get things done.”

But some pothole issues also are prevalent on Purcell, north of US 50, on Sequoya Drive, where, instead of individual potholes, large sections of the pothole-infested road have been repaved.

Several residents said that they have complained to the Pueblo West Metro District, without realizing that, as of January 2024, Pueblo County has assumed responsibility for road maintenance in that community.

“It angers me, because no matter where you go in Pueblo West — and I go quite a few places out there — you deal with potholes,” said resident Mayme Thayer. “Some of them are just huge, some of them are smaller, but you can’t get around them because there’s another pothole in your path.”

There are mixed feelings from residents about whether road maintenance is any better or worse since the switchover.

The Road Warrior has received no response to requests for information about road conditions in Pueblo West.

A certain irony to the situation exists in that the south end of Purcell passes the west end of the new Medal of Honor Boulevard, between Pueblo Boulevard and Joe Martinez Boulevard.

The new road represents the first direct connection between Pueblo and Pueblo West, but many Pueblo West residents likely wish that some of the new asphalt could be used to fill potholes or repave roads.

As KRDO 13 reported in 2022, there have been past discussions in Pueblo West about the possibility of raising taxes or creating fees to fund road and drainage repairs, but it’s unclear whether such a tax or fee has widespread support.

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Bradley Davis

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – It’s more of a museum than a man cave, but with all the perks of the latter.

“It’s getting pretty filled up,” Broncos superfan Kevin Nunn said.

A big screen TV, a working locker room and a tricked-out Broncos golf cart that can hit 50 miles per hour. It’s the place to watch the Denver Broncos, and to admire the thousands of signed and one-of-a-kind Broncos memorabilia.

“Everyone says, ‘Are you done?’ You’re never done,” Kevin said.

Signed footballs, jerseys and playing cards. Game-worn gear, vintage orange crush player cans, and props from the stadium. Kevin and Sue Nunn work hard to fill their Broncos Firehouse with the unique.

“We don’t want stuff you can go to the store and buy. We want stuff that is authentic,” Kevin said.

“The older stuff’s fun,” Sue added.

The building used to be Pueblo Firehouse Engine 9 before the Nunn’s, both truckers, bought it from the city about 15 years ago for their semi trucks. They moved on from that idea after the purchase and set their sights on something a little more orange.

“What do we do with this building? What should we do with it? And then we decided, well, let’s just put all the Bronco stuff in there, take it out of the house, and bring it over here,” Kevin said.

If it were Disney telling Kevin and Sue’s story, they probably would have met at a Broncos game. Instead, the Broncos Firehouse didn’t get its start at Mile High, but on the side of the highway.

“Well, we actually met while I was a truck driver, and she was doing some deliveries, and I was walking home, and she picked me up,” Kevin said.

“Was your shared fandom something that you two bonded about when you first met, when she picked you up at the truck stop?” I asked the two.

“No, it was more about the trucks!” both said at the same time.

Their shared love for trucks quickly evolved into a family obsession with everything Broncos. They took KRDO13 around to do what they love most: share their collection with other fans.

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Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — A second American Furniture Warehouse is coming to Colorado Springs, according to the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD).

The department says that permits have been issued for a location off Powers and Dublin Boulevards. PPRBD says the 345,000 square foot project will cost roughly $45 million, making the furniture superstore larger than the other existing location near I-25 and Filmore Street.

“Crews have been moving dirt and prepping the site for several weeks. Now with the permit in place they can start to build,” said a spokesperson with the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department.

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Scott Harrison

FOUNTAIN, Colo. (KRDO) — On Monday morning, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) gathered with representatives of the U.S.Department of Transportation (USDOT) and some local elected leaders to demonstrate a new automated attenuator.

The event was scheduled for 9 a.m. on the north end of Fountain near the intersection of Highway 85/87 and Duckwood Road.

An attenuator is a device attached to the back of a truck that follows work crews to protect them from traffic.

In the past, someone would normally drive the attenuator truck, also known as an impact protection vehicle.

Colorado is the first state in the nation to test automated trucks, ensuring that the people who drive non-automated trucks are protected in the event of a crash.

“Last year, here in the state of Colorado, there were 23 crashes in work zones,” said Shaz Umer, a representative from the USDOT. “They resulted in 31 fatalities. “With this vehicle, this can stop that from happening. It can save lives.”

Oklahoma, Minnesota, and Wisconsin are partnering with Colorado to learn about the technology.

CDOT will test the attenuator during road re-striping operations for future use in southern Colorado.

The automated truck follows a manned leader truck — the truck involved in doing actual work on a highway.

CDOT received $1 million in federal grant funding to acquire one of the state’s three automated attenuators, but the one on display Monday is assigned to the southern Colorado region.

At the Monday morning event, CDOT and federal transportation officials joined Fountain Mayor Sharon Thompson and El Paso County Commissioner Cory Applegate.

“We are super-concerned about roadside safety and our workers on the roads,” Thompson said. “So, it’s a great addition to our team to have this vehicle.”

They talked about how technology like this. increases safety for highway workers.

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Marina Garcia

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – On Saturday, Charmea Campos-Sprague was on her way to have breakfast with her family when a car suddenly brake-checked her in the middle of the street on the east side of Pueblo.

But it didn’t end there, the man got out of the car shirtless and tried to pull Charmea out of her car, but she resisted. The man then goes around to the passenger side and gets in before Charmea takes off.

The video was posted to Facebook in a Colorado Springs-based group.

Charmea says she had no choice but to eventually flee her vehicle, before he continued to drive the car to Douglas County.

“I was scared, but more than anything, I was mad. I was so mad because he was in my car, swerving my wheel…trying to wreck into other people, and I was honking, making sure that everyone was getting out of my way,” says Charmea Campos-Sprague.

Charmea says she’s extremely disappointed because she got the car less than a week before the incident, and now, her damaged car is sitting in a lot in Castle Rock, which she says she can’t afford to get out.

However, she is thankful the man did not harm her.

“I was so anxious. I was scared, and it was just terrible. It was a terrible situation…It could have happened to anybody, you know. So I’m just thankful that it didn’t go any further than what I did. 

Charmea has started a GoFundMe to support anyone else he hit while in her car, which you can find here.

Pueblo County has identified the attacker as Daniel Kenneth Aasen and confirmed that he is currently being held in Douglas County Detention Facility.

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Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – It’s more than a walk for many at Memorial Park on Saturday.

“What Alzheimer’s does is it changes your life,” Richard Helstein said at the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Helstein lost his wife, Sue, to Alzheimer’s.

Helstein said that despite his wife’s diagnosis, she never let the disease define her by taking up hobbies like dancing until she couldn’t anymore. While Sue is gone, Helstein says he’s thankful for his family and the community that comes together during events like the Alzheimer’s walk on Saturday.

“There’s a feeling that Sue is looking down, is seeing all of these things, and is smiling at the love from this particular family,” Helstein said.

A significant community came together this weekend, with the Alzheimer’s Association reporting that they raised $200,000 at the walk, which is 60% of their $330,000 goal. To learn more or make a donation, visit their website.

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Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – Lake Pueblo State Park is brimming with wildlife. Deer, coyotes, owls, and even a salamander or two, but what about an emu?

On Sunday, Lake Pueblo State Park put out a message on social media inquiring, “If you have lost your emu, please contact the park.”

According to the Smithsonian, emus are not native to Pueblo–only Australia. One of the largest birds in the world, emus weigh more than 100lbs and stand taller than five feet.

The state park said the bird was spotted in this picture along Highway 96 at mile marker 46 on Sunday at 12:30 pm.

Now the big bird has been captured by local authorities and is being held by animal control.

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Marina Garcia

FOUNTAIN, Colo. (KRDO) – Friends and family are stepping up to help three children left behind after police found two dead inside a Fountain home.

On Thursday, the Fountain Police Department responded to a 911 call after dispatchers heard a disturbance and left the phone line open.

Upon arrival, officers found two dead in a home on the north side of town. The FPD has not released any further details, but family and friends have identified Amanda Larribas, who they say was a wonderful friend and even better mother.

KRDO13 spoke to Amanda’s best friend, who has started a GoFundMe to ensure a safety net for Amanda’s children.

“The GoFundMe that we set up is going to go towards them, towards all the kids, towards their future. And just to secure everything for them,” says Kristina Ford, best friend of Amanda.

Kristina Ford was once Amanda Larribas’ neighbor on Bonita Drive. They were two stay-at-home moms who quickly connected over their shared love for their children. Which is why once Kristina heard the news, she rushed to Amanda’s house to make sure her three kids were safe.  

“I left work, and I went straight there. And I got the kids…and I didn’t want to…let them out of my sight,” says Kristina.

Loved ones have since been bringing children toys and supplies to Kristina’s home and have set up a vigil at the front door where Amanda lost her life.

Kristina says the kids’ grandmother is working towards getting custody of the three children, and it’s a battle she hopes is won.

Fountain police are still investigating, but if you would like to donate to the GoFundMe, you can do so here.

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Marina Garcia

Colo. (KRDO) — The Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) has confirmed the end of the Wild Horse Inmate Program, which provided rehabilitative skills to inmates for 30 years.

According to CDOC, the program was a partnership with the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which provided the notice to CDOC that the program would conclude at the end of November.

CDOC says the program provided unique rehabilitative skills to the incarcerated population while supporting the BLM’s mission to manage and protect wild horses and burros.

“We are saddened by the discontinuation of this successful partnership and impactful program,” said Andre Stancil, Executive Director of CDOC. “The Colorado Department of Corrections is immensely proud of the legacy of this program and the positive impact it has had on participants, staff, and the community. While we regret the end of this chapter, we remain committed to working with BLM to ensure a smooth transition and to creating new opportunities that advance our mission of rehabilitation and public safety.”

CDOC says that it will remain committed to creating new opportunities that advance recovery and public safety.

CDOC confirms that BLM will oversee the relocation of the 100 horses in the program.

A specialist who spoke to KRDO13 says she’s seen how interacting with animals can change a person’s life.

Faithful Hearts is an equine learning center in Woodland Park, which doesn’t partner with the Wild Horse Inmate Program, but was sad to hear the news.

The organization uses horses to help people who are dealing with mental health struggles, a method they swear by. One big reason is the unique setting where the therapeutic benefits come in a barn rather than an office.

The director of Faithful Hearts says she’s witnessed it where clients struggling with substance abuse can come away with an entirely new perspective.

“Just to watch those, some of those, you know, grown men break down into tears when they realize, you know, the horse can sense everything and the horse can see right through him. And they just need to be honest and real with themselves. And it gets to the root of the reasons for the addiction, not just kind of masking,” says Stephanie Smith.

Smith says the horses are patient and submissive, but if people want their horse to cooperate, they’ve got to work for it.

“If they want that kind of response, they’ve got to learn to control their emotions and their energy in their presence. And so that’s where the real healing starts to take place. And self-awareness.”

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