Category: krdo-local-news

Julia Donovan

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The halls of schools in Harrison School District 2 were buzzing Monday as some students returned to classrooms for the first day of school.

At Panorama Middle School, sixth graders got their first chance to settle into their new surroundings before seventh and eighth graders joined them.

“You kind of get to get comfortable with the school before going all in,” explained former Panorama student Marissa Donjuan.

School staff helped set the tone for the first day by lining up outside to clap students into the building.

The first-day excitement continued at Sierra High School, where freshmen were among the first students heading into classrooms.

And while starting high school can sometimes come with worries about older students, Donjuan, who is now a senior at the school, said freshmen have plenty of people they can turn to.

“If a freshman needs help, you can ask anybody,” the now senior said.

Sierra High School senior Marissa Donjuan

Students have a voice in the district

Student involvement is also a major focus for Harrison School District 2.

Superintendent Dr. Wendy Birhanzel, who was named Superintendent of the Year, has emphasized giving students a seat at the table when decisions are made.

“We have input from our students about what should be served for school lunch, what classes we should offer,” Birhanzel said.

D2 Superintendent Dr. Wendy Birhanzel

Building relationships beyond the first day

While the first-day energy was high, district leaders say the support students receive goes well beyond the excitement of returning to school. The district is focused on building strong relationships between students and staff so students never feel alone.

“When they are having a rough day, they have a trusted adult that they can go to to make sure that they can bounce back the next day,” Panorama Principal Phillip Herfendal said.

Panorama Middle School Principal Phillip Herfendal

With plenty of first-day smiles, cheers and new beginnings, the back-to-school buzz is officially underway in Harrison School District 2.

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Alexander Brunet

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – A local school district is believed to be the first in the Pikes Peak region to use propane fuel instead of diesel fuel to transport students to and from school.

At Harrison District 2, work to gradually convert the fleet of 60 buses to propane buses has been in the works since at least February of 2024.

The district currently has four propane buses, and a fifth is on the way; officials said that propane buses are much cheaper to operate and maintain than diesel buses, and are easier to start in cold weather.

Josy Campbell, the district’s transportation director, said that she learned of the potential of propane buses during a trip to Reno, Nevada.

“They have a green summit there where they talk about different ways of going green with our buses,” she recalled. “Electric just wasn’t in the cards for us, so we decided to go propane — and that has been a great decision for us.”

Campbell asked Kyle Jackson, the bus fleet manager, to research and implement the acquisition of propane buses.

“Buying a propane bus now would be about $40,000 less than if you bought a diesel bus now,” he explained.

Jackson mentioned new, stricter emission requirements for school buses taking effect next year, as a factor in the propane decision.

“Potentially, if you took the same bus I’m standing with right now, and you were to put the new emission system on it, you probably see about a $40,000 difference,” he said.

Jackson added that the cost of electric buses, especially for battery storage and maintenance, made them economically unfeasible for the district.

“Our overall cost savings for propane far outweigh the slightly better fuel mileage that we get with diesel,” he said.

The district plans to acquire three propane buses annually to replace older diesel buses that will be taken out of service and sold at auction.

Part of the transition included installing a propane storage tank on the bus lot.

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Michael Logerwell

Update: The Colorado Springs Fire Department initially stated that 35 patients were treated and 10 were transported. The updated information is that 72 total patients were treated, with 7 patients transported to area hospitals experiencing serious symptoms of dehydration and/or intoxication.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The high temperatures hammered people at the Tacos and Tequila Festival in Colorado Springs on Saturday.

Organizers describe the festival as “throwback hip-hop, tacos, margaritas, games, contests, and great summer memories–all in one day.”

The Colorado Springs Fire Department says they treated 35 people for heat-related illnesses at Saturday’s event. 10 of those cases were so severe that they required hospitalization.

A fire department spokesperson is reminding the community that they need to take precautions when spending time outdoors in hot temperatures. Stay hydrated by drinking water, take breaks from the heat if you can, and check on those who may be more vulnerable to high temperatures.

CSFD also wants you to keep in mind the different symptoms for heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

Signs of Heat Exhaustion:

Excessive sweating

Dizziness

Thirst

Nausea

Weakness

Muscle cramps

Headache

Signs of Heat Stroke:

Confusion

Slurred speech

Nausea

Rapid pulse

Loss of consciousness

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Michael Logerwell

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office says one of its K9 units was killed while off-duty along Royal Melbourne Circle in Falcon Saturday afternoon.

In a press release, the sheriff’s office says the 911 dispatch center received a call just after 12:30 p.m. Saturday from a man who says he and his dog were attacked by an unknown canine. The caller reported being bitten by the unknown dog and then told dispatchers he had shot the animal with a firearm.

The sheriff’s office says that before deputies arrived, they were notified by an off-duty K9 deputy that the dog involved in the incident was El Paso County Sheriff’s Office K9 Styx.

The man was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the scene and later traveled to a local urgent care facility for additional treatment. K9 Styx was taken to a local veterinary hospital but did not survive his injuries.

A neighbor told KRDO13 Styx had gotten out and been roaming around chasing other dogs in the neighborhood. Styx reportedly made his way to the man’s garage, attacking his dog, and when the man tried to separate the two, Styx turned on him and latched onto his arm. That’s when his wife ran to the car to get her gun and shot Styx.

The sheriff’s office says they are investigating the incident. No charges have been filed.

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Levette Sanchez

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)– The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) is currently investigating a fatal traffic crash at the North Powers Boulevard/Palmer Park Boulevard intersection.

According to medical personnel on the scene, one female died as a result of the crash.

The preliminary investigation shows a vehicle traveling northbound on Powers struck a pedestrian at Palmer Park.

Police found her body in the Powers merge lane from westbound Palmer Park.

Northbound Powers between Palmer Park and Constitution Avenue was closed between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m.

CSPD’s Major Crash Team is in charge of the investigation and says that alcohol and speeding are not factors in the accident.

“We’ve been speaking with the driver,” said Sgt. John Monaghan. “Sounds like he was on his way to work this morning, so they’re working with him to get all of that information, and reconstruct the scene to see exactly what happened.”

Police said that you can avoid a similar tragedy by crossing busy streets only at designated crosswalks and wearing light-colored or reflective clothing so that drivers can better see you.

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) — Academy Boulevard, Fountain Boulevard, and 8th Street offer recent, current, and future examples of road projects that can frustrate drivers — in some cases, unexpectedly so.

Traffic alignments change often on the north end of 8th Street, where crews are replacing a water main; for several weeks, traffic in both directions had to navigate two sharp turns and share the northbound side in front of Walmart to get through the work zone.

Later this week, however, the pattern changed again, this time to a straighter alignment in which traffic squeezes into the southbound lanes.

In late July, many drivers were surprised to see repaving work happening on stretches of Academy Boulevard between Austin Bluffs Parkway and North Carefree Circle.

That area is known for having particularly heavy traffic and crumbling streets; in fact, it was a target of the city’s recently completed “pothole surge,” with crews focusing on additional pothole patching.

A city spokesman said that the resurfacing was maintenance paving intended to stabilize the street until it receives a full repaving under the city’s 2C expanded paving program.

Also in late July, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) performed maintenance paving on segments of eastbound Fountain Boulevard between Academy and Powers boulevards; the agency did similar repaving in the westbound lanes last summer.

Fountain Boulevard and Expressway — four miles between Interstate 25 and Powers — is scheduled for repaving by CDOT in 2028.

Additionally, drivers have noticed a second straight year of maintenance paving on US 24 between Powers and Peterson Road.

Back on 8th Street, a significant traffic change starts Monday and will last for two months: The closure of the east southbound temporary lane on the Fountain Creek bridge.

Earlier this spring, crews found that more repairs than expected were needed to the railing, sidewalk, and bridge deck.

It has taken crews this long to engineer and design the repair project.

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Julia Donovan

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – A Colorado Springs taco shop that earned a perfect health inspection score last year is now working to correct more than a dozen violations after its most recent inspection.

Taco Express cited for 13 violations

The Taco Express on Voyager Parkway received a perfect score during its health inspection in February 2025. However, its latest inspection resulted in 13 violations.

According to the inspection report, health officials observed several food safety concerns, including:

Fresh cilantro being stored in a handwashing sink

Raw meat stored above vegetables, creating a risk of cross-contamination

Raw meat thawing on a countertop instead of in a temperature-controlled environment

Cutting boards only being sanitized once per day

A manager at the restaurant said the owner was out of town during the inspection and that the employee overseeing operations was managing the restaurant for the first time.

The manager said the restaurant has since increased employee training and is working to address the issues.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of or concerned. Our past customers have always seen how clean we are,” she assured. “We always try to keep everything clean, everything organized and we already spoke to our workers so everything is going to be good.”

Taco Express is awaiting a follow-up inspection.

Restaurants earning high scores

Several other Colorado Springs restaurants received top health inspection scores, including:

Chick-fil-A on Garden of the Gods Road

Cleats Bar on Rockrimmon Boulevard

Chuy’s earns a perfect score

Chuy’s, located near Briargate and Chapel Hills Drive, also received a perfect health inspection score.

Known for its generous portions of Tex-Mex favorites, the restaurant pairs its menu with a strong emphasis on cleanliness and food safety. Even small details, such as individually sanitized silverware, reflect that commitment.

Kitchen Manager Laura King said the restaurant’s consistent staff plays a major role in maintaining high standards.

“My team’s amazing,” she gushed. “Whenever you have that consistency, it’s really easy to kind of build a good routine and make sure that everything’s perfect and clean.”

Keep an eye out for the KRDO13 Restaurant Roundup awards at your favorite spots to know the kitchen inside is clean!

Reminder: all of our high and low-scoring restaurants are based on routine health inspections conducted by the El Paso County Health Department.

Click here for a look at all the most recent health inspection scores.

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Bradley Davis

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – The Fresh Wind Ministries of Pueblo has almost tripled its annual backpack giveaway on Saturday thanks to the help of dozens in the community.

In the past, the Ministry called it’s givaway the “Back to School Bash.” On Saturday, it debuts its first “Unity in the Community” with 250 free backpacks packed with school supplies, food, and a fun time.

“Bringing all of the community together, we don’t see that enough where people come together and help each other, but really the best part is the families that come out and really get an experience,” said Fresh Winds Ministries Pastor Mark Griego. It’s really an event that you would want to be at.”

In previous years, the ministry said it had to buy the school supplies out of its budget. The community’s support has allowed them to expand the donations without paying out of pocket.

No reservations are required. It’s first-come, first-served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Fairmont Park in Pueblo. Families can also get free haircuts and enjoy live music.

Full list of partner groups funding the giveaway:

Fresh Winds Ministries of Pueblo

City Gate Ministries

Vision Ministries Family Christian Church

Arise Fellowship Church

Truth and Fire Ministries

Lioness Project

Elks Lodge

Adullam Pueblo

Restoration and Redemption Ministries

DVine Connections

Walk on me Flooring

Dirty Deeds Tractor Service

Felix Gallegos

Chris and Cindi Ruybal

Mark and Danette Griego

Barrel Brothers

The Works Express Cuts

Living Tower Food Bank

Reliable Cleaning

Keller Williams Realty

Brooklyn’s Beauty Longe

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Scott Harrison

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — With the start of the new school year less than two weeks away, crews at two locations are scrambling to finish construction on safety projects.

Haaff Elementary School and Park View Elementary School received grants in 2022 and 2024, respectively, from the Safe Routes to School program administered by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).

The purpose of the grants is to increase safety, mobility, and visibility on pathways surrounding and leading to schools.

In the Pueblo grants, crews are building longer and wider sidewalks and curbs, and installing bike lanes and crosswalks; it’s all designed to make students and parents easier for drivers to see.

Construction began roughly a month ago, and officials said that both projects should be completed before students return to District 60 schools on Aug. 18.

The projects didn’t happen last summer as originally planned because the CDOT funding didn’t arrive in time to complete them before classes began.

Officials explained that the current work couldn’t happen until later this summer because that’s the earliest contractors could fit it into their schedules.

The grant for Haaff was for $176,000, and the grant for Park View was $328,000.

While most of the Haaff project is happening in front of the school, the Park View project encompasses five blocks along Monument Avenue between 7th and 12th streets.

Officials hope to apply for future grants that would make traffic improvements near Haaff at the Chinook Lane/Jerry Murphy Road intersection and extend the Park View upgrades south to 2nd Street.

An additional benefit of the current projects is that they are adjacent to parks and can be utilized by the general public.

Neighbors around the Park View project are eager to regain use of an alley behind their homes that is closed because of construction — meaning garbage trucks can’t pick up trash cans there.

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Dylan Foreman

MONUMENT, Colo. (KRDO) — The pain of falling just short has lingered throughout the offseason for Palmer Ridge football. After coming within one victory of a perfect season and a state championship, the Bears have spent months reflecting on what went wrong and how they can come back stronger.

“I definitely think it didn’t end the way we wanted to,” senior Drew Japp said. “But every loss has a lesson.”

For Palmer Ridge, that lesson was simple: never take an opponent for granted.

While the disappointment of last season’s ending still resonates, it has also fueled excitement for what comes next. Players are eager to get back between the lines and begin another journey toward a championship.

“Honestly, the first thing on my mind is I just can’t wait to get back on the field and just play again and have that feeling of playing football again,” senior Zak Crisler said.

The road ahead will look different. Palmer Ridge graduated a large and talented senior class that helped lead the program to another championship appearance. Their departure leaves big shoes to fill, but also provides opportunities for a new generation of players.

“We had great seniors, so it was great learning from them and also getting to work with them,” a returning player said. “That was the biggest thing last year.”

Still, those inside the program believe their success has never been built solely on talent. Instead, it’s rooted in a culture that has helped establish Palmer Ridge as one of Colorado’s premier football programs.

That culture revolves around what the Bears call their “gold standard.”

“Toughness, hard-working and competitive,” senior Trek Leonard said when describing the program’s core values.

Japp added, “The gold standard is just doing the little things right.”

Those principles have helped Palmer Ridge consistently compete at the highest level. The Bears have finished as 4A state runners-up in 2020, 2023 and 2025, proving they can reach the championship stage year after year.

Now, the goal is finding a way to take the final step.

“Everyone is ready to buy in again just like the year before,” Leonard said. “We’ve got a bunch of great guys and we know they’re all committed. Nothing’s changed.”

If the foundation is still strong, Palmer Ridge believes another championship run could be right around the corner.

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