Category: krdo-local-news

Michael Logerwell

SALIDA, Colo. (KRDO) – Every holiday season, many plan to get together with friends and family, but when those loved ones are gone, new traditions can help keep their memories alive.

For friends and family of Suzanne Morphew, that tradition is a tree planted in her honor that they decorate every year at Holiday Park in downtown Salida.

Many of the ornaments represent someone who was touched by Suzanne’s story. Tisha Leewaye, one of Suzanne’s friends, says people from outside of Colorado sent them in to show their support.

Leeway says it started 5 years ago after Suzanne went missing on Mother’s Day. Her body was found three years later in a shallow grave an hour south of her Salida home.

Now this tree in Salida has become a symbol of her life and the impact she made in her community.

“Because she doesn’t have a voice anymore. She didn’t deserve what happened to her, and so somebody has to be her voice, and there’s a handful of us that will continue to be her voice for her,” Leewaye told KRDO13.

“I hope that people understand what it represents. It is her getting her justice, because that’s the ultimate goal at the end of this.”

Suzanne’s husband, Barry Morphew, is now facing a second murder trial as the suspect in her death.

RELATED: Barry Morphew out of jail, supporters post $3 million bond

RELATED: New evidence leads to Barry Morphew’s arrest in the alleged murder of his wife

He was released on a $3,000,000 bond in September. Barry Morphew has maintained his innocence since his wife’s disappearance.

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Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – Tonight, the Pueblo Police Department proved that fire and ice just don’t mix.

Every year, the Pueblo Police Department and Fire Department take to settle their differences on the ice and raise money for a good cause. This year, the police department won the match 7 to 5.

All proceeds from the event go toward Heroes and Helpers. That’s a holiday event when Pueblo’s first responders take local kids on a shopping spree.

This is a repeat victory for the police department, who won the Ice Cup last year too, with a score of 5 to 2.

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Mackenzie Stafford

PEYTON, Colo. (KRDO) — A Peyton man is aspiring to be the best car builder in the world, creating a first-of-its-kind hydrogen-powered car.

The new build was recently showcased in one of the biggest national car shows in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“So SEMA is the world’s largest automotive trade show. So, anybody that’s anybody is in the show, and you have to be one of the best builders in the world to get it,” detailed Scott Anderson. “We did actually extremely well in the show. So they have what’s called the Battle of the Builders competition. So, there are usually anywhere from 300 to 3,000 cars entered into this competition. And, they picked the top 40 cars out of the entire show to be a part of that competition. And this was one of the cars that got chosen.”

Scott Anderson tells KRDO13 he started working on cars when he was around age 6 or 7, which quickly amounted to him completing his first car build at age 11.

“As soon as I got a driver’s license when I was 16, I went and started working at a local shop in town. And that’s where I learned a lot of stuff. And then, he [the owner] basically told me, I’m too gifted and I need to go out and do my own thing. And so here we are,” explained Scott Anderson, “I’ve always wanted to do this and own my own business. You know, I knew since I was a little kid that cars were where I was going to end up. And, so, you know, and I think hearing that was just the extra, extra little bit I needed to get out and do my own thing.”

Anderson created Twisted Iron Performance Shop and runs the business at only 21 years old. Not only that, he’s working with cutting-edge technology to build cars that run on hydrogen. He says he’s grateful for the support system surrounding him to make this progress happen.

“Anytime that we’re building one of these and you hear it come to life, it’s just an unreal experience,” shared Anderson.

One important figure who helped introduce Anderson to the world of cars was his grandfather.

“So my grandfather was a large part of the reason why I’m here today. And he, he had he had this car when I was a kid, so I think he bought it about the same time that I was born. So it’s been in our family for about 20 years,” explained Anderson.

Anderson said his grandfather used to take him for drives on the weekends, and they used to spend a bunch of time in this (the now hydrogen-powered) car, working on it. He tells KRDO13 he tried to keep a classic interior and rebuild the car in honor of his grandfather. He even put his name on the bottom frame of the car.

“When he passed away, he gave me this car. He taught me a lot. And then the gift of him giving me this car. This car will never go anywhere. And in my lifetime, I’m sure of it,” stated Anderson.

Now he’s taking the lessons his grandfather passed down and using them to drive the world of car creation forward. He hopes to create more hydrogen-powered cars and educate the community on how they are zero-carbon.

“The big reason is hydrogen is made out of water. So this car is zero carbon; it burns clean. There are hardly any emissions with this car,” explained the Twisted Iron owner. “You’re still, you’re still feeling the rumble. You’re still hearing the sound. And I think that the hydrogen has an extremely long runway to run. And I think that it can move the industry forward in a clean and good way.”

Anderson hopes to be one of the first to bring this technology to the public.

“From a business aspect, I think that there’s a huge amount of potential, but also personally, you know, I think it is about being good stewards of God’s earth that he’s given us. I think that moving towards something better than what was in the past, but still not losing the feeling of, again, the horsepower and the feel and the rumble and the sound, is really what I want to do, I want to make sure that generations beyond mine do not lose what I’m able to do today,” shared Anderson.

He says to move forward with this progress, they need public support.

“We need carb support, we need EPA support to move this industry forward. So that’s a main focus of ours,” said Anderson.

He shared an example of what may happen in the case of a crash and a new technology he’s working on for other vehicles.

“A lot of people ask, well, what happens in an accident? Or a line breaks open or something like that. And when you get into a gasoline accident or you get into a gasoline car and you’re rear-ended and your fuel tank breaks open, what happens to the gasoline? It goes on the ground, and then the fumes sit there,” he said. “And, well, with hydrogen, you actually mitigate a lot of that risk because hydrogen is the lightest element known to man. So when hydrogen is released to the atmosphere, where does it go? It goes straight up.”

Anderson is planning to take this small-town business and share it with the world, starting with making strides in Colorado.

“We are going to bring the first hydrogen public fuel station to Colorado Springs in 2026. So, working with our partners at ElektrikGreen, they’re going to have their first hydrogen fuel station in Colorado Springs. It’ll actually be the first public fuel station in Colorado,” added Anderson.

Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Work to modify center medians and reduce left turns enters its second month on Garden of the Gods Road between Interstate 25 and Chestnut Street.

City officials hope to reduce crashes and injuries from drivers who try to cross six lanes of traffic while making left turns across the busy corridor.

However, the project has been a significant adjustment for westbound drivers, who are unable to turn left through the construction zone, and for popular businesses on the south side of the road, which report seeing fewer customers.

“It’s kinda slowing everything down,” said Samuel Welch, manager at the Super Star Car Wash, which opened only a few months ago. “Our business is down 40%. (The city said) Three weeks, and it’s been five. So, we’re hoping just one more week, at least.”

During construction, left turns are allowed only on westbound Garden of the Gods at the Chestnut Street intersection, and one of the two turn lanes is closed.

That leads drivers to cut through parking lots to turn around and reach In-N-Out, Village Inn, The Juicy Seafood, and other restaurants on the south side of Garden of the Gods.

Shane Beauseau works along the road and said that traffic congestion caused by construction adds 20 minutes to his drive home.

“I understand the need for safety, but I’m not sure this project is the best way to provide it,” he said. “I think people in this town notoriously take bigger risks than they should, just trying to get where they’re going a little bit quicker, instead of going to a safer place to make the turn they need to turn.”

When finished, the medians will be longer to make left turns safer, and left turns will not be allowed when leaving businesses along the road.

Meanwhile, another traffic safety project scheduled to start this week is being delayed while the city awaits approval of a state permit.

That work will upgrade traffic signals on Garden of the Gods Road, east of I-25, at the North Park Drive and Mark Dabling Boulevard intersections.

Both projects will cost a total of $2 million and are scheduled for completion by the end of the year.

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Rob Namnoum

The Rampart girls volleyball team advances in the Class 5A state tournament. They beat Niwot 3-1 and Legend 3-1 on Thursday. They will play Fossil Ridge on Friday.

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Rob Namnoum

ALAMOSA, Colo. (KRDO) — The Alamosa girls volleyball team defeated Sterling on Thursday afternoon 3-1.

The team will play The Village in round three on Friday afternoon.

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Rob Namnoum

SIMLA, Colo. (KRDO) — The Simla girls’ volleyball team advances to the third round of the Class 2A state tournament.

The Cubs beat Wiggins 3-0.

The volleyball team will play against Holyoke on Friday afternoon.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Officials held a ceremony late Thursday morning to celebrate the opening of the new westbound bridges on South Circle Drive.

Westbound traffic is still using the two old bridges, which will be demolished eventually; traffic on the two eastbound bridges opened last year.

Officials said that the westbound bridges won’t open for traffic until just before Thanksgiving, to give crews time to finish paving and lane striping.

The bridges also feature wide sidewalks, which the previous bridges lacked.

Thursday’s celebration comes as crews wrap up construction on the two-year, $45 million project to replace the bridges that were rated in poor condition and were built in 1963.

The project was among the city’s highest priorities, as those bridges now carry much more traffic than they did 60 years ago.

The bridges are part of a key corridor that links Interstate 25 at the south end of town to the center of the city.

The structures rise high above Fountain Creek, railroad tracks, Las Vegas Street, Hancock Expressway, a major utility pathway, and the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail.

Construction has been particularly challenging and frustrating at times for drivers navigating through the narrow, winding lanes, and for businesses and residents along the work zone.

Much of the zone is bordered by a mobile home park to the north and a shopping center to the south.

“We’re so happy with it being open, because it’s going to increase our front entrance much better, with access in and out of the park,” said manager Claudia Dodge. “The Janitell Road intersection is our only way in and out. There’s a second entrance to the east, but it was closed for construction, and we don’t know if it will reopen.”

Circle Drive on both sides of the bridges continues to be in rough shape, with potholes and crumbling pavement — which is why the city will repave those segments next year as part of the annual 2C expanded paving program.

Mayor Yemi Mobolade, District 4 City Council member Kimberly Gold, and Public Works Director Richard Mulledy spoke during a 10 a.m. ceremony on Thursday, and the Stockers Car Club, founded in 1958, was the first to drive across the new westbound bridges.

Some neighbors are disappointed that the sidewalks installed on the north side of the bridge don’t extend the entire length to Janitell Road, as the south side sidewalks do.

Ryan Phipps, the city’s capital improvements manager, said that the south side sidewalks are what the city recommends pedestrians use.

“There isn’t connectivity on the north side sidewalks,” he explained. “There’s further development that would construct sidewalks there.”

The area without sidewalks is along the mobile home park.

Phipps also revealed that the Willwood tunnel, a road under I-25 between Janitell and the Frontage Road near The Broadmoor World Arena — closed during the project because of traffic congestion from being used as a detour — will reopen early next year, when all traffic impacts from the project are finished.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Marine Corps Veteran Zach Tidwell lost his sight after a suicide attempt six years ago. He said he sees things better now than he ever did before.

“When you’ve reached the point of putting a gun between your eyes, you see joy in absolutely nothing,” Tidwell said. “Now, I can’t see anything going on, but I can choose to appreciate the small things like feeling the wind and the heat.”

Tidwell was one of the Veterans who took flight with the Veterans Exploration Therapy (VET) sunrise balloon launch on Thursday. He said he found salvation in movement. After leaving the hospital completely blind, he said he was skiing before being able to cook for himself and has since dedicated himself to Ju Jitsu and lifting as well.

Tidwell’s story immediately spoke to VET founder, Deke Letson.

“Giving the people purpose. Giving them memories they’re going to remember for the rest of my life,” Letson said.

Letson might not have the physical markings, but he found himself on a similar journey.

“I hit rock bottom. I lost my job. I was that veteran who was about to commit suicide,” Letson said. “I got a DUI, which was the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Letson struggled with Delayed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. he said he’s been sober since his DUI seven years ago. Afteward, he decided to go back to school at Red Rocks Community College, where he created VET as a class project. It’s turned into his life’s passion.

“We want to reach more. That’s the thing right there, it’s not just Zach. There’s so many more out there too who are struggling,” Letson said.

Letson said his mission is to help Veterans on their healing journeys through outdoor adventures, like the sunrise balloon ride.

Tidwell has put in a lot of work on his own since his attempt six years ago. Rather than needing a healing journey, he said Thursday’s ride became more of a victory lap.

“‘What was my thing I was floating away from?’ Deke had asked me, and honestly, I don’t feel like I have anything that I need to float away from. I didn’t realize that until I was asked that question,” Tidwell said.

Letson said he struggled to get care for over a year because he didn’t have the proper disability claims. He said he does not require Veterans to show any paperwork when reaching out to sign up for one of his free adventures.

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Josh Helmuth

Griffith Centers is using funds from Colorado Gives Day to support a special Food-To-Table curriculum for its students at its Colorado Springs campus.

Colorado Gives Day is an annual movement that encourages donations to non-profits across Colorado; It runs for roughly a month until December 9; Griffith Centers is just one non-profit where people can donate.

Griffith Centers – formerly Griffith Centers For Children – house, educate and treat children in need of a permanent home. Part of their mission is supporting their J. Wilkins Opportunity School. Through Colorado Gives Day donations, they will spend that money supporting their Farm-To-Table Culinary Arts Program, where 3rd through 12th grade students get hands-on learning in horticulture and gastronomy, which is the art of choosing, cooking and eating good food.

You can donate to Griffith Center’s mission through Colorado Gives Day here.

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

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