Colorado Springs News

54-year-old woman arrested in human-trafficking, pimping probe

News: Local News Published: Fri, Dec 13, 2013

A 54-year-old woman was arrested Thursday on allegations of human trafficking, pimping, pandering and money laundering, Colorado State Patrol said. State troopers said a seven-month human trafficking investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies led to the arrest of Sona An Blair of...

Side Streets: Antenna towers divide Broadmoor residents tired of asking 'Can you hear me now?'

News: Local News Updated: Fri, Dec 13, 2013

Dozens of antenna towers are popping up across the Broadmoor area to provide wireless service for Internet, cellphone and data transmissions, leaving neighbors sharply divided over the project. Some, like Sara Lynn Thomas, are thrilled to think they may finally get reliable cellphone service...

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Video: Livestream coverage from Arapahoe High School

Here is a livestream video courtesy of KRDO from the scene at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, where a shooting was reported Friday afternoon. Click here for the video.
Peyton woman dies in Highway 24 collision

A 68-year-old Peyton woman was killed Thursday in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 24, near Judge Orr Road, Colorado State Patrol said. The crash happened around noon, near Falcon. Troopers said the woman was driving a 2013 Kia soul eastbound on Highway 24, when a 2006 Chevrolet Suburban traveling west on the highway swerved into the...
Report: 2 injured in shooting at Denver-area high school

A dispatcher with the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said Friday afternoon there has been a shooting at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, according to The Denver Post. There are also reports of a fire at the school. Two people were injured, according to 9News. Arapahoe County dispatch is reporting that a molotov coctail has been found...
UPDATE: State Patrol ID's victim of fatal crash

The Colorado State Patrol identified the 68-year-old woman who died Thursday in an eastern El Paso County crash as Glenna Rohr of Peyton. Rohr was prounounced dead at the scene after the 2013 Kia she was driving was struck by a Chevrolet Suburban that apparently drifted into oncoming traffic. According to the State Patrol, the head-on...
Arvada councilwoman becomes Colorado state senator

DENVER — A former Arvada city councilwoman has been sworn in to replace a Colorado state Democratic senator who resigned to avoid a potential recall election driven by gun rights advocates. Rachel Zenzinger, also a Democrat, took the oath of office Friday in the state Senate chambers. With her appointment, Democrats maintain a one-seat...
New Mexico drive-by shooting claims life of Colorado dog

FARMINGTON, N.M. — A drive-by shooting in northwestern New Mexico has claimed the life of a Denver couple's dog. The Daily Times (http://bit.ly/1dwImJo) reports that the shooting occurred Thursday while Estevan Quintana was walking three dogs along a dirt road in the Crouch Mesa area of San Juan County. Quintana said he was walking...
It's all aboard the Snowball Express for families of fallen troops

About six years ago, Jennifer Freitas and her son were offered a holiday vacation to Dallas on the Snowball Express, a four-day, all-expenses-paid getaway for families of fallen U.S. troops. The wife of a fallen Marine helicopter pilot almost turned it down. It wasn't that the offer was too good to be true. But "the thought of a flight...
Funeral director admits forgery, theft

GREELEY — A former funeral director has admitted he sold fake funeral arrangements to 14 elderly people in Greeley. Paul Acuna pleaded guilty in Weld County District court on Thursday and agreed to pay restitution to all victims as part of a plea agreement. As owner and operator of Paul's Funeral Service in Greeley, Acuna presold funeral...
Air Force Academy superintendent wants overall review

The Air Force Academy superintendent plans a top-to-bottom review of admissions, recruiting, graduation and disenrollment following a Dec. 1 investigation by The Gazette that showed the Air Force operated a system of cadet informants. Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson's plans were summarized in an email that the chairman of the Association of...
3 dead in Mesa County crash of small plane

GRAND JUNCTION — The Mesa County Sheriff's Office says three people have been found dead following the crash of a small plane on Grand Mesa. Authorities say the plane took off from Mesa-Mack airport to check on livestock. The wreckage was found early Friday. According to KJCT-TV (http://tinyurl.com/mbk4t6o ), the high altitude National...
Calendar, cold leave Salvation Army kettles emptier than usual

Cold weather in the Pikes Peak region and a late Thanksgiving have put a dent in Salvation Army kettle collections, with bell-ringers bringing in $50,000 less than expectations. The charity hopes to raise $600,000 this year through its 55 donation kettles. But cold weather that rolled in last week and stuck around made shoppers stay home,...
Windsor meat company expands recall

WINDSOR — A Windsor meat company is expanding a recall of meat and poultry that was produced in unsanitary conditions. The U.S. Agriculture Department announced the expanded recall Thursday. There have no reports of illness from the recalled products. Products subject to this recall and expansion may be identified by the following brand...
Empty Stocking Fund: Tri-Lakes Cares helps woman with school, job

This is one of a series of stories about the nonprofit agencies that receive money from The Gazette/El Pomar Foundation Empty Stocking campaign that runs through the holidays. Wendy Krueger is a native of the Tri-Lakes area, and thanks to Tri-Lakes Cares, she has been able to live in her home state, go to school and find work as a home health...
State prison officials aim to reduce solitary confinement numbers

DENVER - The number of Colorado inmates in solitary confinement is declining and prison officials said Wednesday they're looking at changing policies to continue the trend. Colorado Department of Corrections officials told lawmakers Wednesday that there were 662 inmates in solitary confinement in September, compared to 1,505 in September 2011....
Lamborn votes in favor of bill to increase federal spending

Colorado Springs U.S. Rep. Doug Lamborn supported a pair of bills that passed the House Thursday to set a 2014 federal spending and set a Pentagon budget plan. Lamborn said he was enticed to back the bipartisan spending plans by a move to boost Pentagon spending by $20 billion in 2014 and send the lion's share of a diminished military...
Peak Vista gets new grant for health insurance marketplace guides

Peak Vista Community Health Centers received another federal grant this week to help sustain its network of experts trained to help people navigate the state's health insurance marketplace. The nonprofit received $25,000 from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, which targets the administrative costs of helping people enroll...
EMPTY STOCKING FUND: Mercy's Gate volunteer has been on the receiving side too

This is one of a series of stories about the nonprofit agencies that receive money from The Gazette/El Pomar Foundation Empty Stocking campaign that runs through the holidays. Sitting in a "room no bigger than a postage stamp," Carole Newhouselearned how to ask for help. "The Lord was really dealing with me with heart issues and pride," she...
Balloon Classic likely to remain in Colorado Springs next year, 2015 uncertain

Organizers of the Colorado Balloon Classic took the first step in November to ensure that the annual Labor Day event will take off once again in Colorado Springs. The organization that has run the five-day show at Memorial Park since 1977 submitted its application Nov. 27 for the 2014 event. The move comes less than a year after the long-time...
Academy District 20 high school takes gaming approach to teach computer coding

Lisa Bejarano's first-period geometry class seemed like all fun and games Wednesday, but it was actually pretty serious stuff. Students at Aspen Valley High School played a computer game involving an "Angry Bird" character chasing a green pig through a maze. Junior Kim Garber described it as "a little hard, but fun." "It's like a puzzle,"...
Coroner: mix of alcohol and meth killed Monument man

A combination of methamphetamine and alcohol killed Rodney Tigges, 42, the man found in a suspected meth lab in a home near Monument on Nov. 13, according to an autopsy report from the El Paso County Coroner's Office. Tigges' body was discovered in a house on the 2800 block of Hunters Glen Road, east of Interstate 25 and south of County Line...