Category: krdo-local-news

Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Residents in unincorporated areas of El Paso County may see faster snow removal on their roads and highways for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

On Tuesday, the county’s transportation department told KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior that it has virtually erased a worker shortage that had affected operations during the outbreak.

“We’ve got 140 total that will go on a full call-out, and we are probably around that 135 mark right now,” Scott Hall, a training manager, revealed. “We’re very close again.”

As he prepared to lead the 50 newest employees on a three-day training session for snowplow operations, he elaborated on why the pandemic caused the worker shortage that was also experienced by other local governments in the Pikes Peak region.

“When you put people in close vehicles and have people together, we were all told to get away from each other,” Hall explained. “We can’t do that here. So, it was hard. No one knew what to do. We’ve moved past it and now we know how to play the game.”

The lack of employees led county officials to take several measures that have solved the problem.

Officials dropped the high school diploma requirement, while offering to help new hires earn their equivalency diploma (GED) if they sought to earn it.

In an effort to save applicants time and expense, the county also dropped the requirement to have a commercial driver’s license (CDL) — and now provides in-house training to receive it.

Finally, county commissioners approved increasing worker pay and benefits to be more competitive with other employers.

“Most of our employees are staying and not leaving,” Hall said.

Another factor in the turnaround is that the county now leans on high school students as an underutilized labor force.

The county holds career day events at the transportation complex on Akers Drive, and also sends transportation representatives to local schools — exposing them to the possibilities of a career in public works.

Students can enroll in paid internships during the school year and even be hired after they graduate.

“Not every kid is going to college or joining the military,” Hall said. “This is an opportunity for us and for them. I was exposed to all of this when I was a kid, but how are kids exposed to it now?”

One of thse kids, Angel Bustamante, was hired after graduating from Sand Creek High School.

“I was going to do concrete work,” he said. “Then, I met (Scott Hall) at his job fair. I got hired full-time after I worked a few hours a week in the program. I learned how to drive a snowplow and it was easy. I like working here. I’m here because of the people. We have fun.”

The annual training covers lasts ten hours daily for three days; trainees will learn snowplow driving, maintenance and tire chain installation.

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Josh Helmuth

MONUMENT, Colo. (KRDO) – High schoolers in Monument will certainly have a leg up on the competition when entering the workforce, thanks to a new center focused on innovative careers.

Lewis-Palmer School District 38 recently cut the ribbon on its new Career and Innovation Center. It’s already open to students from both district high schools who hope to learn valuable skills and gain certificates in trades such as advanced manufacturing, welding, homebuilding, electronics, and aerospace engineering. There’s even a Transitions program for 18 to 21-year-olds with special needs, who are taught life skills that set them up for a successful career.

Amy Sienkowski oversees the CIC. She says the program gets students “work-ready,” upon graduation.

The CIC will also soon offer programs in computer science and healthcare.

Is there something or someone remarkable at your school? Email us! SchoolBuzz@KRDO.com.

 

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Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – KRDO13 Investigates was contacted by several residents at the Soaring Eagles townhomes who said they were in danger of losing their homes if they couldn’t afford an up to $20,000 reassessment from their HOA to pay for hail damage.

Letter sent to Soaring Eagles HOA members.

Heather McBroom says she was shocked when she got this letter from the legal team representing the Soaring Eagle HOA, saying that she would have to pay thousands out of pocket to cover hail damage from August 2024.

“My first reaction was shock. This was the first time I’d heard anything about [the hail damage], and it’d been a year.” KRDO13 Investigates spoke to McBroom and a dozen other residents protesting this assessment on their street on Monday morning.

“Our current declarations state we cannot be passed on an assessment of more than $10,000,” McBroom added.

McBroom said many people in the group of 50 units against this assessment have coverage up to $10,000. But this assessment is for $20,752.12, which would require even those with coverage to pay a little more than $10,000 out of pocket.

An excerpt from section 7.3 of the Soaring Eagles HOA Rules.

McBroom and 49 other households say the $20k assessment itself is not allowed due to rules and regulations outlined in the ‘Declaration of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions of the Soaring Eagles Townhomes.’ In that document, it says that the HOA will subscribe to any insurance policy “greater than the lesser of $10,000 or one percent of the face amount of the policy.”

“Most people feel very confused. There wasn’t a lot of transparency during this process. They don’t know what their rights are. So we have all decided to rally together, and hire an attorney, and try to fight any fines or penalties,” McBroom said.

KRDO13 Investigates brought these concerns to the Soaring Eagles HOA attorney, Anthony Smith. Smith said he agreed that the rules governing the community clearly go against assessing a deductible this big, but says it’s impossible to find this kind of coverage for this price in Colorado.

One of the letters sent to homeowners about their HO6 Insurance.

Smith also says the HOA and the management company, RowCal, have sent out numerous notifications to members about updating their HO6 insurance policy to cover more.

This letter to your right is one example, Smith said, of a notification sent out to homeowners.

He said the letter says homeowners should have HO6 coverage for loss assessment of $30,000. Smith says this letter was given to every member of the Soaring Eagles HOA, and it’s just one example of notifications sent out.

Smith also identified the group fighting back against this assessment as a vocal minority and said that the majority of the HOA members had the right amount of insurance coverage.

KRDO13 Investigates asked why the HOA provision locking the amount hadn’t been updated in almost 20 years; the document was written in 2006. Smith said that it takes 2/3 of homeowners to amend the master document. In the Soaring Eagles community, there are 150 units, meaning it would take 101 units to agree.

In email communication, Smith wrote that the HOA board did not make this decision lightly and said this is not a unique problem in Colorado or the rest of the country.

“This problem is not unique to Soaring Eagles. Rather, it is a statewide problem that affects HOAs across Colorado. The insurance industry continues to increase the cost of property insurance for HOAs while simultaneously increasing the deductibles under those policies. In other words, HOAs are paying more money for less coverage.”

Smith urged people to reach out to their state representatives and ask them to cap wind/hail deductibles for HOA policies, require HO-6 policies with loss assessment coverage for HOA members, and hold insurance companies accountable for offering fair and accessible coverage.

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Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (KRDO) – The 2025 Colorado Springs Cool Science Festival has arrived – and the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs (UCCS) kicks off the celebrations Saturday with the annual free Cool Science Carnival.

At the carnival, educators from dozens of organizations will bring around 100 interactive stations to entertain children using the magic of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). UCCS said over 8000 people came through the Carnival in 2024.

There will be chemistry magic shows, robots, slime, virtual reality stations, live animals, rockets and more. Parking and carnival entrance are free, though some of the activities charge a fee.

The carnival will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. throughout the core campus of UCCS, with a special precursor magic chemistry show at 9 a.m.

While the carnival is tailored to children in elementary and middle school, the 16-day festival features events for both children and adults, like the Chemistry of Fermentation Winery Tours.

The festival has over 100 events scheduled from September 26 through October 12. They are scattered across the Pikes Peak Region, from various Pikes Peak Library District locations to The Cave of the Winds and multiple museums. Click here for the full schedule.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — On Monday, for the second time in a month, construction crews scheduled daytime lane closures for the ongoing 8th Street improvement project at the bridge across Fountain Creek.

However, the difference between the two is that the closure did not occur last time, and is happening this time.

City officials said that there will be occasional lane closures for the next several weeks on northbound 8th Street over Fountain Creek.

The closures will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The planned right lane closure last month didn’t happen as scheduled; at the last minute, crews decided it wasn’t needed because they were able to access an area that required heavy equipment near that lane.

And the initial decision to close that lane was made only the day before.

For the closure that started Monday, officials announced it last Thursday via the project newsletter, so drivers had more advance notice this time.

The reason for this closure is continued maintenance work on the bridge.

Progress has been slow because of the rainy weather last month.

Crews are widening the bridge’s east side for two reasons: They’ll add a dedicated right turn lane to the US 24 frontage road, and build a wider sidewalk for pedestrians and bicycles.

Officials said that during this phase, one northbound lane will always be open.

The latest closure will likely affect traffic in and out of the Take 5 car wash and the Arby’s restaurant.

The bridge work continues into early next year.

After that, crews will replace a water main on 8th Street, between Cimarron Street and Motor City Drive, install some sidewalks and curbs where they don’t currently exist, and install stormwater drains on two hills above, to eliminate flash flooding.

Paving, the final step, should happen next summer.

The $12 million project, approved by voters in 2012, is funded by sales tax revenue from the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority.

Officials said that the project area carries 30,000 vehicles daily.

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Marina Garcia

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – September is kinship care awareness month, and it’s the first year since a new state regulation has gone into effect that allows foster care agencies to better help families and children.

For the first time in Colorado, non-traditional families will have access to the same resources in foster care. That means a grandparent, aunt, or neighbor can now obtain a new kinship foster care license.

A foster mom I spoke to says it’s transformed her family’s lives.

“It was a whirlwind from the beginning. We didn’t know what we were getting into. We just knew that these boys needed somewhere to go, somewhere safe, and somewhere they could be loved. And that’s what we’re willing to do,” says foster mom Stacie Tshabalala.

Stacie is a single mom who is fostering two kids who were previously her neighbors.

She has been taking care of these children for two years and now has access to a wealth of resources since getting her kinship licensing through Kids Crossing.

Though the trauma experienced by these kids may have everlasting effects, she says the counseling and 24/7 hour crisis care, which are a few services, have put her in a more stable position to work towards adopting the boys.

“Many benefits that we weren’t aware of, that we’re now having, make it. It’s such a load off, and it makes it so much easier. And so even though we might not have the perfect home, a lot of times people think, you know, that it has to be perfect. It it’s less than that and made it to where we’re able to do it, where we wouldn’t have been able to keep it out for much longer before.” says foster mom, Stacie Tshabalala.

If you are thinking about fostering and want to learn more about this new licensing program, you can view the full list of foster care agencies in El Paso County here.

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Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – You’ve heard of a telethon, a read-a-thon, and even a marathon, but what about a tattooathon?

On Saturday, Fallen Heroes Tattoo and Piercing, located off Colorado Ave, tattooed and pierced more than 200 people nonstop between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m.

The shop says that in all, they raised $20,097 in that 12-hour timeframe. That money will go to Sue’s Gift.

Sue’s Gift is a Colorado-based non-profit that supports women who’ve been diagnosed with gynecologic cancer. The non-profit says it offers women monetary support to cover the costs associated with gynecologic cancer diagnoses. In addition to funding treatments, Sue’s Gift also offers peer support and events to help women cope with their cancer diagnosis.

Fallen Heroes Tattoo and Piercing says this is the 10th year they’ve held the tattooathon, and in that time, they’ve raised $202,017.07 for Sue’s Gift.

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Marina Garcia

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The annual Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial service created an overwhelming sense of community as the lives lost in 2024 were remembered and celebrated.

Three hundred eleven names were added to the Fallen Firefighters’ Wall of Honor in Colorado Springs on Saturday morning.

Whether a local to Colorado Springs or having traveled from Canada or further, people gathered for one reason: to remember the lives of firefighters who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

“When you hear a hundred bagpipes, you know, playing Amazing Grace, it puts shivers down your spine,” says Frank Lima, the general secretary treasurer of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).

The sound of bagpipes, firefighters marching in unity, and chairs filled with mourning families was a beautiful tribute to the impact these fallen firefighters have left behind.

And it reminds active firefighters of their enduring responsibility to the community.

“Being able to wear this flag and honor the people that I work around, and all the fallen. It’s just a great honor, privilege to be able to wear this uniform and do what I do,” says Oscar Navarro, a captain of the Goodyear Fire Department.

A widow we spoke to says being embraced by the IAFF has given her and her family a new appreciation for her late husband and his colleagues.

“I think that’s a big part of grieving is connecting with other people. And, you know, finding out how they…felt about him and how they interacted with him and just things you were never aware of before,” says widow, Kristen Silvestrich.

The IAFF says they have been coming to Colorado Springs for over twenty years, and the welcoming community is why they always come back.

When they come back next year, at least one Colorado Springs firefighter will have his name added: retired captain Patrick Rogacki, who died from job-related cancer this summer.

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Michael Logerwell

DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) – On Saturday, Colorado Republicans elected their replacement for Rep. Rose Pugliese, who represented parts of El Paso County, after she stepped down last week.

RELATED: Rep. Rose Pugliese resigns from Colorado’s House District 14

This person won’t be the new representative for District 14; rather, this is the new House Minority Leader. A position that Pugliese held before stepping down.

Rep. Jarvis Caldwell, also representing a part of El Paso County, is the new House Minority Leader.

Map from the Colorado General Assembly.

The orange area makes up Colorado House 20, the area that Rep. Caldwell currently represents.

In a press release announcing Rep. Caldwell as the new minority leader, the GOP leader pledged that Republicans will continue to unify and put forward the best ideas to make Colorado a place where the next generation can thrive.

According to Rep. Caldwell’s campaign website, he previously served on the D20 School Board and worked as an aide in 2022 to Asst. Minority Leader Tim Geitner.

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Michael Logerwell

MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Some Manitou Springs residents might be without running water this afternoon.

Manitou Springs announced a water disruption for residents at Michigan Avenue and Iron Road just before 4 p.m. on Saturday.

What exactly caused the disruption is unclear at this time, but the city says its “Water and Sewer Division is actively assessing the situation and working to determine the extent of the damage.”

Maniou Springs City Officials estimate the issue will take two to three hours to fix.

While the repairs are ongoing, the city tells residents in the area that they might experience intermittent water service disruptions, which include low pressure or temporary outages. Also, they could see some water discoloration after the repairs are complete. If that happens, the residents are advised to run cold water from the lowest faucet in their home until the water runs clear.

KRDO13 has a crew in route to the incident to try and learn more about the water disruption.

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