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RG National Forest massive search effort came to an end yesterday. US Census Bureau report shows uninsured CO children jumps to 10 year high. 12th Judicial DA office confirms Costilla County evidence removal. Walsenburg Police Chief announces police presence at weekly protest. Fort Garland announces plans to reinstate water sales. For older News stories please scroll below today's headlines.

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KSPK-FM is a locally owned and operated country music radio station that is located in Southern Colorado, and broadcasts to most of Southeastern Colorado and the San Luis Valley. KSPK's format consists of the new country hits with some of the older country favorites mixed in. KSPK-FM carries various High School Athletic Games from various High School's in Southern Colorado. KSPK's coverage area extends from Colorado Springs Colorado in the North to Raton New Mexico in South; South Fork Colorado in the west and Lamar Colorado in the east. With such a large area of coverage KSPK remains to this day Southern Colorado's Largest Radio Station.

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KSPK NEWS

September 19th 2025

RG National Forest massive search effort came to an end yesterday.

The massive search effort that has been underway to find two missing hunters in The Rio Grande National Forest came to an end about 11am yesterday when the two men were found dead. According to family members, Andrew Porter, of Asheville, North Carolina, and Ian Stasko, of Salt Lake City, Utah, both 25, were found dead about a week after family lost contact with them while they were on an elk hunting trip in Conejos County. The Conejos County Sheriff said that the bodies were recovered 2 miles from The Rio De Los Pinos Trail Head. Over 170 personnel assisted in the search for the two men. No additional information was released regarding the cause of death of the men. The investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

US Census Bureau report shows uninsured CO children jumps to 10 year high.

The U.S. Census Bureau has reported that the number of uninsured children in Colorado has jumped to the highest level in more than 10 years. The bureau, in a new report, says that 6% of Colorado children had no health insurance coverage in 2024, compared to 4.1% the year prior. That means that there were 15,000 fewer insured kids from 2023 to 2024. In Colorado, 6% amounts to 77,000 children without health coverage, which is up from 62,000 children without health coverage the year prior. Colorado is home to about 1.2 million children. Some believe the drop off is a result of the ending of the health emergency over Covid-19. During the health emergency, states did not require families to renew health insurance coverage - instead, it was done automatically. However, once the emergency ended, coverage was not automatically extended.

12th Judicial DA office confirms Costilla County evidence removal.

The 12th Judicial District Attorney's Office has confirmed that the Colorado Bureau of Investigation arrived at the Costilla County Sheriff's Office yesterday to remove evidence following allegations that it was being mishandled. That evidence will be transferred to the District Attorney's Office where it will be reorganized and labeled. The change in custody comes after DA Anne Kelly told Costilla County Commissioners in July that the sheriff's office had not been providing her office with evidence to prosecute crimes in a timely manner. Kelly says the failures had forced her to dismiss 15 to 20 criminal cases, including one involving a domestic violence victim.

Walsenburg Police Chief announces police presence at weekly protest.

Following an altercation at last Friday's political protest, taking place on Main Street in front of the old courthouse, Walsenburg Police Chief Bill Vinelli told City Council this week that there will now be a police presence at what has become a weekly protest and at any future demonstrations. Vinelli says that, regardless of people's political persuasion, the police will now intervene as necessary to enforce the law and to keep the peace. Vinelli said that protesters will be cited for stopping and impeding traffic. Motorists as well will be cited if they are rolling cold on the protesters. Last Friday, two demonstrators were injured and one was arrested following several violent incidents at the protest.

Fort Garland announces plans to reinstate water sales.

45 days after cutting off water without warning, Fort Garland says it is making plans to reinstate water sales to Costilla County residents who live outside the town limits. Following pleas from rural residents and state officials, the town's water board has reversed course and decided unanimously to bring water sales back for county residents who have filled up tanks in Fort Garland for years. Water sales will resume once the board finalizes a new waiver that customers will have to sign before purchasing water. That could happen as soon as next week.

September 18th 2025

New Colorado safety labels law headed to court.

A new Colorado law that requires safety labels on new gas stoves is headed to court. Lawmakers passed HB25-1161 this year that requires safety labels on new gas stoves being sold. The law requires labels in both english and spanish. Advocates say this would help people understand the impact of gas stoves on the air quality inside their homes. If a company doesn't comply, they could face a $20,000 fine for deceptive trade practices. The same day the law was supposed to go into effect, the association of home appliance manufacturers filed an emergency injuction, preventing the law for going into effect. The association says the law violates the first amendment and would force retailers and manufacturers to stigmatize their own products. The association also questioned the science behind the new law. The new law cannot be enforced until the court rules on the motion for preliminary injunction.

Trial underway for Custer County murder suspect.

Trial got underway yesterday for the man accused of killing three people and causing a multi-state manhunt in November of 2023. Hanme Kim Clark, 45, is accused of killing 3 of his neighbors in Custer County on November 20th of 2023. What allegedly began as a property dispute between Clark and his neighbors turned into a deadly shooting, resulting in the deaths of 63-year-old Rob Geers, 73-year-old Beth Wade Geers, and 58-year-old James Daulton. Patty Daulton was not injured in the shooting. Clark and his girlfirend, Nancy Rae Medina-Kochis, fled colorado following the shooting, but were both captured in New Mexico the next day. Both tried to fight extradition back to Colorado but were unsuccessful. Clark appeared in Custer County Court on January 7th of this year and entered a not guilty plea to each of the three first degree murder charges, as well as an attempted murder and assault charge.

Pueblo County Coroner replacement selected by PCC.

Dr. Gregory Grahek has been chosen as the new Pueblo County Coroner by the Pueblo County Commissioners. Grahek will take over the position for the next 15 months. Then, an election will be held to decide who the next coroner will be. Grahek was chosen over four other candidates who were: Zolanye Mcculley-Bachicha, Justin Dean Youngren, Felicia Mcqueen, and Jessica Martinez. None of the 5 candidates owns a funeral home. Dr. Grahek will replace Brian Cotter, who recently resigned. Cotter is currently under investigation after inspectors found decomposing bodies hidden in a room of his privately-owned funeral home.

RG National Forest missing hunter search marks 5th day.

Yesterday marked the 5th day that The Conejos County Sheriff's Office has been conducting an intensive search for two men who were reported missing in The Rio Grande National Forest. The two men, Andrew Porter, 25, of Asheville, North Carolina, and Ian Stasko, 25, of Salt Lake City, Utah, were in the San Juan wilderness area west of Trujillo meadows reservoir a week ago with plans to go elk hunting in the area. The two men sent a message via Garmin last Thursday evening, but had not checked in on Friday as agreed, and haven't been heard from since. Anyone with any information on the men is asked to call The Conejos County Sheriff's Office at 719-376-2196.

Colorado's vibrant leaf peeping season well underway.

With Colorado's vibrant "leaf-peeping" season underway, Colorado Parks and Wildlife welcomes outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy the changing fall colors at Colorado's world-class state parks and encourages visitors to play a proactive role in protecting them. CPW says to have a backup plan in case your desired trail or park is crowded. Stick to the trails and leave it as you found it. And, keep wildlife wild, remembering that elk and moose are in their annual rut, or mating season, so give them plenty of space and do not approach them.

September 17th 2025

CBI investigation announces expectation to reach goal.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced yesterday that it expects to reach its goal of processing sexual assault kits within 90 days by September of next year. That is almost 6 months ahead of schedule, as the agency continues working to clear one of the worst rape kit backlogs in the country. The extensive backlog is largely the result of CBI’s need to review hundreds of cases previously handled by former dna analyst Yvonne “missy” Woods, who is facing over 100 felony charges tied to the alleged mishandling of DNA evidence through much of her almost 3 decade career with the CBI. With the backlog, CBI’s turnaround time was averaging over 500 days. As of the agency’s last report on August 31st, CBI’s average turnaround time was down to 359 days. CBI’s goal is to reduce that time to 90 days. The goal was initially projected to be met in the spring of 2027.

RTN Funeral home owners file for divorce.

Carie Hallford, who co-owned the return to nature funeral home in Penrose, has filed paperwork to divorce her husband, Jon Hallford, according to court records. The Hallford's are accused of improperly storing 191 bodies in the funeral home while giving fake cremains to the families. The divorce petition was filed on August 5th, from jail, just one day after Carie Hallford entered a guilty plea to the federal charges against her. The petition notes that Jon and Carie separated on April 14th, 2024, the day the couple was arrested by the FBI. Carie Hallford has requested the restoration of her previous name, Carie Koposesky. A status hearing in the case is scheduled for October 9th.

Search for missing hunters in RG National Forest continues.

The search for two hunters missing in the Rio Grande National Forest continues. According to the Conejos County Sheriff's office, deputies responded to the Rio De Los Pinos trailhead to make contact with Andrew Porter, 25, of Asheville, North Carolina, and Ian Stasko, 25, of Salt Lake City, Utah. Both were reported overdue while elk hunting on Saturday. The men were in the San Juan wilderness area west of Trujillo meadows reservoir when they failed to check in at a predetermined time. The vehicle the men drove to the trailhead was located, but neither individual was there. Search and Rescue is using air operations, multi-county and state ground teams, dog teams, drone teams, atv's and local volunteers in the search. If you were in the area on or before Saturday and spotted either man, or if you have information on their possible location, contact the Conejos County Sheriff's office at 719-376-2196.

CPW announces acceptance of applications.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is accepting applications from hunters, anglers and trappers to join the Sportsperson's Roundtable. The application period is open now through October 17th. volunteering for the sportsperson's roundtable is an opportunity to share insights with CPW on critical wildlife management and recreation issues. The sportsperson's roundtable is currently accepting applications from sportspeople in the northwest, southeast and southwest regions. For more information, or to apply, go to cpw.state.co.us and search on sportsperson's roundtable.

CPW closing Larimer County Wildlife area.

Yesterday I reported that the Smith Lake State Wildlife area was now closed due to Colorado Parks and Wildlife being unable to negotiate a new contract with the landowner. that is true. However, the information we received stated clearly that the smith lake state wildlife area was located south of Blanca in Costilla County. That was not true. The wildlife area in Costilla county is actually called the smith reservoir state wildlife area, not the smith lake state wildlife area. The smith lake state wildlife area is located in Larimer county, and is the area that is now closed. The smith reservoir state wildlife area, located south of Blanca in Costilla County remains open and continues to be managed by colorado parks and wildlife. We apologize for the mistake.

September 16th 2025

CO State House Minority Leader resigns Monday.

Colorado House Representative and Minority Leader Rose Pugliese, a republican, has resigned from her position in the state legislature. Pugliese served as the representative for district 14. In her letter of resignation, Pugliese cites a "contentious" special session, as well as a "heartbreaking and challenging" week in relation to the shooting at Evergreen High School, the assassination of Charlie Kirk and the remembrance of September 11th. Pugliese's letter reads "the last day of special session was sad and disappointing for me. I had no other choice but to bear witness to the collapse of integrity in the Colorado State House of Representatives". The letter continues "the lies and hypocrisies the majority spewed were beyond what I had ever expected, even in Colorado politics. It has been degraded, and the one word that is at the top of my mind is toxic." Pugliese's resignation is effective as of Monday. An election for a new minority leader will be held by the House Minority within the next week or so.

CO Gov Office announces Colorado and Switzerland partnership.

The Governor's Office announced yesterday that Colorado and Switzerland have become state partners. According to a press release, the partnership between the Swiss Confederation and Colorado National Guard falls under the national guard state partnership program. The release continues that Colorado and Switzerland share similar geography and demographics. The Colorado National Guard and The Swiss Armed Forces also share common expertise in air defense and mountain operations. Governor Jared Polis said "I'm excited by this new partnership and our ability to support one another in strengthening key capabilities and security, as well as to build closer ties between Switzerland and Colorado."

CPW announces closure of Smith Lake State Wildlife area.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced yesterday that, following failed negotiations, the smith lake state wildlife area south of Blanca, will be closed permanently. The property that's home to the wildlife area and a lake, also known as boxelder lake number 3, is owned by the north poudre ditch company. While the area is private property, CPW had been leasing the area since 2008, with the main draw for public visitors being fishing opportunities. The failed negations to continue the lease failed, shutting down public access to the area last Friday. No additional details were provided.

Colorado counties asking voters to raise taxes this November.

At least 7 counties in Colorado will ask voters in November to double or triple the local lodging tax outside cities and towns to pay for roads, police, housing and early child care. Commissioners in Chaffee, Custer, Gilpin, Routt and Park counties have finalized plans for November ballot questions seeking voter approval to triple the local lodging tax to 6%. Eagle County voters will decide whether to double the lodging tax to 4% and Ouray County voters will weigh a first-ever lodging tax of 6%. These are the first counties to deploy a law passed this year, SB1247, that allows voters to raise county lodging taxes to 6% to pay for infrastructure, conservation, emergency services and sustainable tourism policies.

Pair of Hunters missing since Thursday in Rio Grande National Forest.

A pair of hunters from Charlottesville, Virginia, have been missing in the Rio Grande National Forest since Thursday. Andrew Porter and Ian Stasko, both 25, were reportedly hunting off of the Los Pinos Trailhead in Conejos County. Neither has been heard from since last Thursday. The Conejos County sheriff's office is coordinating the search for the pair and has requested experienced hunters and hikers, on foot or horseback, aid the effort in looking for the two men. K9s will reportedly be used in the search if the pair haven't been located by this morning.

September 15th 2025

RTN Funeral Home former owner pleads not guilty.

Jon Hallford, one of the former owners of the return to nature funeral home in Penrose, has changed his plea to not guilty in the state case against him. As such Hallford's case has been set for trial at 8:30am on Monday, February 9th. Jon Hallford, along with his wife Carie, are accused of improperly storing 191 bodies at their mortuary. Hallford took a plea deal that proposed a 20-year-prison sentence, but a judge rejected the plea agreement last month. Hallford is facing 191 counts of abuse of a corpse, 85 counts of forgery, 4 counts of money laundering and 31 counts of theft. Hallford has already been sentenced to 20 years in prison for federal financial crimes connected to the case.

Pueblo murder suspected sentenced in 2024 case.

Jesus Dominguez, of Pueblo, on Friday, was sentenced to 32 years in prison after the remains of his children were found in Pueblo. In late January of 2024, the remains of 3- year-old Yesenia Domingues were found in a storage unit in Pueblo, encased in concrete. following the discovery, detectives found a suitcase in the trunk of a vehicle at a salvage yard that contained the remains of 5-year-old Jesus Dominguez, Jr. Jesus Dominguez and Corena Rose Minjarez were identified as suspects. Jesus Dominguez pled guilty to second-degree murder in July in exchange for his testimony against Minjarez, who was found guilty in august of murder and abuse of a corpse. She was sentenced to life in prison.

Friday protest in Walsenburg turned violent.

A protest on Friday in Walsenburg turned violent and required police intervention two different times. Just after noon on Friday, a man in a black car traveling southbound on main street in front of the courthouse was allegedly driving recklessly, which caused protesters to yell at him. The driver stopped and one of the protesters walked up and spat on his window, which caused the driver to get out of his car and chase the protester. Police were called, but the driver had already left. About a half hour later, a shouting incident occurred in heritage park, across the street, between protesters and a bystander, which turned into a physical assault. The bystander was arrested, then was later released after being issued a summons alleging assault.

CDOT to perform rockfall mitigation work on US 50 this week.

The Colorado Department of Transportation will perform rockfall mitigation work between Texas Creek and Parkdale, or between Mile markers 257 and 262, this week and next week. U.S. 50 will be open to traffic intermittently and traffic will alternate in a single lane, guided by flaggers. Work will take place between 6:30am and 5pm Monday through Thursday. Drivers should expect delays of up to 30 minutes.

CPW signed new LP north shore marina contract Thursday.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife on Thursday signed a new contract with The O'neil Group, the current operator of the Lake Pueblo State Park north shore marina, which will extend operations of the marina through 2045. The new agreement also allows for the replacement of the marina. The O'neil Group offers on-lake towing services, mechanical service and assistance, boat slips, food and fuel. The current contract was scheduled to end on October 31st at the end of the 2025 boating season. Plans for the new marina include 715 slips that will hold vessels up to 65 feet in length, a restaurant, laundry facility, increased fuel capacity and additional pump out stations.