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New info on Oak Ridge Fire.

Despite rain over the weekend, The Oak Ridge Fire remains at zero percent containment as of last night with a total of 1,190 acres burned. Regardless, fire officials said the weather shift was good news for the firefight, allowing firefighters to focus on their efforts to implement strategic tactics including constructing indirect fire lines to suppress the fire in areas where terrain, fuels and conditions affecting firefighter safety are more favorable. 535 firefighters are currently assigned to the fire. Residents living along middle creek canyon road remain under a mandatory evacuation order. Those living on vine mesa, cascade avenue, pine avenue and beulah highlands road are on pre-evacuation order. The fire was first reported on Saturday, June 23, and is burning 3 miles northwest of the town of Beulah. The fire was caused by lightning.

Drought conditions beginning to return to Colorado.

Abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions are beginning to creep back into Colorado, with 40% of the state in one of the two categories. According to The U.S. Drought Monitor, the western slope is either in abnormally dry or moderate drought conditions. The northern front range, including Denver and Fort Collins, and the south eastern plains, are all in either abnormally dry or moderate drought. The remainder of the state, including the mountains and north eastern plains, and most all of the KSPK listening area remains in normal conditions for now. The hot and dry weather is causing moisture to leave plants faster than usual throughout most of the state, and with a predicted dry summer in Colorado, drought may likely return to most all of Colorado in the next few months.

Trinidad man arrested for attempted murder.

Adam Martin, of Trinidad, has been arrested for attempted 1st degree murder and aggravated assault in connection with the shooting that took place in the 500 block of Baca Street in Trinidad on June 9th. According to Trinidad Police, a group of people, including Martin, had been hanging out at 513 west Baca before the shooting. At some point in the evening, Martin left the house and encountered the victim who was sitting in his car across the street. The two exchanged words and Martin then shot at the vehicle, hitting the victim. Martin is being held on a $100,000 cash only bond at the Las Animas County Detention Center.

CPW issues reminder on Black Bear safety.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials want to remind residents that Colorado is home to a large population of black bears, estimated at 17 to 20,000 in the state. As humans venture into Colorado's great outdoors, it is important to take active steps to avoid conflicts with bears. CPW says that "properly storing your food, using bear boxes and bear-resistant canisters and locking your property keeps you safe and can save a bear's life. If a bear does come into your camp, try to scare it away by yelling, banging pots and pans, or use your car horn, air horn or a whistle, and make sure the bear has an escape route. If backpacking or camping in an undeveloped area, secure your food properly and avoid attracting bears.

2024 Cuchara Community Dinner taking place tomorrow.

The 2024 Cuchara Community Dinner and fundraiser and annual meeting will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, July 2nd, at the Cuchara Community Center. Everyone in the Cuchara Valley is welcome. The smash burger and hotdog cookout will begin at 5:30pm. Monies raised will go toward needed work for The Cuchara Community Center building. Bring a desert to share and your own preferred drink - lemonade and water will be provided. A short meeting will take place around 6:45pm. All donations are appreciated.

June 28th 2024

New update released on Oak Ridge Fire.

The Oak Ridge Fire continues to burn 3 miles northwest of Beulah and has increased in size to 1,071 acres, as of last night. A total of 445 fire personnel are on scene working the fire. The fire is now burning in both Pueblo and Custer counties. The fire began in Pueblo county but crossed the county line on Wednesday. No new evacuations or pre- evacuations have been issued despite the fire's growth, and firefighters have successfully worked around the clock to keep the blaze from advancing towards the town of Beulah. The rocky mountain area complex incident management team #3 took over control of the fire on Wednesday. The transition opens up state and possibly federal resources to help fight the fire. Fire crews are anticipating the potential for more fire growth in the coming days, so expect to see more smoke in the area.

Sunset Inn Motel shooting suspect currently in custody.

Henry Corral, the suspect from the Sunset Inn Motel in Alamosa, is currently in custody in The Alamosa County jail on at least one murder charge and two counts of attempted murder. According to the arrest affidavit, Corral allegedly shot a father and son inside a hotel room in Alamosa early on the morning of June 24th, then shot a third man 5 times after running into him in the hallway. One of the victims has been identified as 61-year- old Aurelio Pina, who was shot in the head while sitting in a chair. He died at the hotel from his injuries. The other two victims, who were not identified, were airlifted to front range hospitals. The affidavit says that corral fled the scene, but soon ran off the road and got his vehicle stuck. He then tried to carjack another driver. He was identified from that driver's description and from the license plate on his vehicle. Anyone with information that might be helpful to the investigation is asked to call 719-589-2548.

CDOT announces limited opening of US 50 at Blue Mesa.

The Colorado Department of Transportation has announced the limited opening of the U.S. 50 Blue Mesa middle bridge ahead of the fourth of July holiday weekend. With the first phase of repairs complete, emergency vehicles and those in smaller vehicles can begin crossing over the U.S. 50 middle bridge beginning at 6:30am next Wednesday, July 3rd. County Road 26 will remain open and maintained as a detour. Kebler pass is also now open as well as a seasonal route. For the holiday weekend, one lane will be open on the bridge, and pilot cars, at slow speeds, will lead single-direction traffic between the hours of 6:30am and 6:30pm, through Sunday, July 7th. Beginning on July 8th, a twice-a- day opening schedule will be used for the bridge to allow crews to continue to work on repairs throughout each day.

CSP offering free wheel locks in effort to prevent auto theft.

In an effort to prevent auto theft, The Colorado State Patrol is offering free wheel locks for your car. The program is part of the Colorado auto theft prevention authority. Locks are available in Alamosa at 3110 first street, in Castle Rock at 4600 Castleton Court, in Colorado Springs at 1480 Quail Lake Loop, and in Florence at 600 west 3rd Street, Suite C. You must bring a valid vin number for your vehicle, and there is a two lock limit per person.

US Forest Service announces tips for campers.

The U.S. Forest Service says that if you're going camping this weekend or next, there are some things you need to remember. If you create a campfire, make sure your fires are put out completely. Drown your fire with water and then use a tool like a shovel to dig through the fire to cool it down. The majority of wildland fires come from abandoned campfires, so it is important that you put out your campfire completely before walking away from it.

June 27th 2024

Effort to remove CO GOP Chairman move forward.

Now, following Tuesday's primary election, the effort to remove Dave Williams as the Colorado Republican Party State Chairman is moving forward. A letter was sent to Williams yesterday by state central committee member and El Paso County Vice-Chair Todd Watkins asking Williams to call a special meeting for the purpose of a vote for his removal. The letter requests that the special meeting be held in person, with closed paper ballot voting, on a Saturday, and at an acceptable time and place, so all state central committee members will be able to attend. The letter asks for a response within 10 days for a meeting no later than 30 days from yesterday. Ethic violations and recent pride month rhetoric are being cited as reasons to oust Williams. 60% of the 400-plus members of the state central committee would need to vote to remove Williams. Watkins says he's confident the votes are there.

New info released on Oak Ridge Fire.

The Oak Ridge Fire burning 3 miles northwest of the town of Beulah continued to grow yesterday and is now and estimated 1,008 acres as of 7:30pm last night. There is no containment. The Rocky Mountain Area complex incident management team 3 assumed management of the fire at 6am yesterday. Fire crews are working to construct both direct and indirect fire line with a primary focus on structure protection. A direct fire line has been put in place on the eastern edge of the fire perimeter to keep the fire from advancing toward the town of Beulah. The Middle Creek Canyon road is currently closed and homes along Middle Creek Canyon road are under a mandatory evacuation. Vine Mesa, Cascade Avenue, Pine Avenue and Beulah Highlands Road all remain in pre-evacuation status. 267 personnel are currently working the fire. The fire was determined to be caused by lightning.

Shooting takes place in Alamosa late Tuesday night.

Another shooting took place in Alamosa late Tuesday night. According to the Alamosa Police Department, a call came in about 11:15pm Tuesday that a shooting had taken place in the 1100 block of Denver Avenue in Alamosa. Upon arrival, officers located a man who had sustained a gunshot. The man was transported to SLV Health where he underwent surgery. The man was later transferred to a front range hospital for further treatment. The suspect was not located and only a vague description was provided to investigators. The incident remains under investigation. Police are asking anyone who lives in the area to check doorbell and surveillance cameras to see if they captured anyone walking or suspicious activity in the area between 11 and 11:30pm Tuesday Night. Anyone with any information about the shooting is asked to call Alamosa Police at 719-589-2548.

CO State Health announce first case of west nile virus.

Colorado State Health Officials yesterday announced that the state's first human case of west nile virus this year has been confirmed in Arapahoe County. CDPHE says that most human cases of west nile virus are reported in August and September. While most people infected with west nile virus don't experience symptoms, some can become seriously ill and even die. People aged 60 years and older and those with certain medical conditions are at greater risk of serious illness, according to health officials.

US Fish and Wildlife Service conducting limited fire operations in SLV wildlife refuges.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be conducting limited prescribed fire operations on the Alamosa, Baca and Monte Vista National Wildlife refuges to remove slash piles of natural materials. Professional fire personnel will conduct the fire operations. Target dates for burning are this month and next. Smoke will be visible to local residents, towns and highways during the day and may last for a few days following burning operations. For more information, call Refuge Manager Suzanne Beauchaine at 719-589-4021, Extension 1003.

June 26th 2024

New numbers on Oak Ridge Fire released.

The Oak Ridge Fire burning three miles northwest of Beulah was estimated to have burned a total of 787 acres as of 7:30pm last night with zero containment. The fire is burning in steep terrain, making it difficult for firefighters to get access to it. The fire was first reported on Saturday and remained small over the weekend, however, increasing winds have caused the fire to grow significantly over the past several days. Fire crews do anticipate the potential for more growth in the coming days and a lot of smoke should be expected to be visible in the area. The red cross has opened an evacuation shelter at the St. Charles Mesa Recreation Center at 1650 Cooper Place in Pueblo. The Rocky Mountain complex incident management team #3 will assume command of the fire this morning.

Results From CO US Congressional District Primaries yesterday.

Jeff Hurd an attorney in Grand Junction, has won the Republican primary race for the 3rd Congressional District with 41.5% of the vote against his 5 opponents. Ron Hanks was the next-closest vote getter at 28.5%. Hurd will face Democrat Adam Frisch for the seat in November. Current 3rd Congressional Seat Representative Lauren Boebert has won the Republican Primary in the 4th Congressional District with 43.3% of the vote. Of her five opponents, Jerry Sonnenberg got the closest to her with 14.5% of the vote. Boebert will most likely face Trisha Calvarese in the fall. Calvarese received 45.3% of the vote in the Democratic Primary for the 4th District. Ike Mccorkle received 41.1% of the vote in the race. Jeff Crank is the winner of the Republican primary race in Colorado's 5th Congressional District. Crank received 66% of the vote. Dave Williams received 34%. Who Crank will face in the fall isn't for sure just yet. On the Democrat side River Gassen has received a total of 19,080 votes. Her opponent, Joe Reagan, received 19,022. Those numbers are unofficial, but if they hold, they are close enough to bring about a mandatory recount.

County election results from yesterday’s primary election.

Taking a look at County election results from yesterday’s primary election…

In Pueblo county, there were no contested races.

In Huerfano County, in The Huerfano County Commissioner District 1 race on the Democratic side, Dale Lyons has won with 59.0% of the vote. Travis Nelson received 41.0% of the vote.

In Alamosa County, there were no contested races.

In Conejos County, in The Conejos County Commissioner District 1 race on The Democratic side, Erwin Placido Romero has won the 75% of the vote. Guillermo A. Deherrera has receive 25% of the vote. In the Conejos County Commissioner District 3 race, on the Republican side, Justin Rogers has won with 61.6% of the vote. Lucas Moroni Larson received 38.4% of the vote. In Costilla County, in The Costilla County Commissioner District 1 race on the Democratic side, Robert Espinoza has won with 73.6% of the vote. Frank Martinez received 26.4% of the vote.

In Custer County, in The Custer County District 3 race on the Republican side, Lucas Epp has won with 66.3% of the vote. Veronica L. Nicholson received 33.7% of the vote.

In El Paso County, in the El Paso County Commissioner District 2 race on the Republican side, Carrie Geitner has won with 63.9% of the vote. Kristoher Guido received 36.1% of the vote. In the El Paso County Commissioner District 3 race on the Republican side, Bill Wysong has won with 32.5% of the vote. Don Wilson received 30.7%, Brandy Williams 18.9% and David L. Leinweber 17.9% of the vote. In the El Paso County Commissioner District 4 race, on the Republican side, Cory Applegate has won with 50.8% of the vote. Brenda Delgado miller received 35.3% and Raymond Garcia 13.9% of the vote.

In Las Animas County, there were no contested races. In Mineral County, in the Mineral County Commissioner District 2 race on the Republican side, Marvin “Zeke” Ward has won with 59.3% of the vote. Jesse Albright received 40.7% of the vote.

In Rio Grande County, there were no contested races.

In Saguache County, in the Saguache County Commissioner District 1 race on the Democratic side, Tom Mccracken has won with 58.7% of the vote. Adam Kinney received 41.3% of the vote.

In Crowley County, in the Crowley County Commissioner District 2 race on the Republican side, Vicki Powell has won with 66.7% of the vote. Blaine Arbuthnot received 33.3% of the vote.

In Otero County, there were no contested races.

June 25th 2024

US Forest Service says Oak Creek Fire has reached 275 acres in size.

The U.S. Forest Service said last night that the oak creek fire has reached 275 acres in size with zero containment. The fire is located three miles northwest of Beulah. A mandatory evacuation was put in place about 3pm yesterday afternoon for Middle Creek Road. A pre-evaucation notice is in effect for residents on Vine Mesa, Cascade Avenue, Pine Avenue and Beulah Highlands Road. A reception center for evacuees has been set up at the Pueblo County parks and recreation building at 1650 cooper place in the salt creek neighborhood. Heavy winds fueled the fire yesterday. Forest service investigators have determined that the fire was caused by lightning. Fire crews remained on the scene throughout the night last night to monitor fire behavior.

Alamosa Police releases update on Sunset Inn Motel shooting.

Following the shooting that took place at the Sunset Inn Motel in Alamosa early Sunday and a lengthy search, an alert citizen contacted law enforcement around 6:20pm Sunday to let them know that they had seen a person who matched suspect Henry Corral's description north of County Road 10 south and east of the 106. According to Alamosa Police, law enforcement officers immediately had officers in the area who spotted corral. Following a lengthy foot pursuit, corral was captured and taken into custody without further incident. He was transported to SLV Health for injuries he sustained during the crash he was involved in after he fled the Sunset Inn. Due to medical complications, corral was life-flighted to a front range hospital where he was treated. Alamosa Police officers accompanies corral to the hospital, and, upon his release, transported him to the Alamosa County Jail. The two victims of the shooting remain in critical condition at front range hospitals. Anyone who has knowledge or information that may be helpful to the investigation is asked to call APD at 719-589-2548.

Kansas man arrested yesterday morning in Colorado City.

Ryan Antalek, 40, of Wichita, Kansas, was arrested in Colorado City yesterday morning. According to The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office, authorities learned that Antalek was staying at The Days inn in Colorado City. Antalek had reportedly made homicidal statements and had a criminal history. Sheriff's deputies and U.S. Marshals were able to get Antalek to leave the hotel room about 12:30am yesterday morning and took him into custody. As of yesterday afternoon, Antalek is waiting for extradition back to Kansas. Antalek was wanted for aggravated assault, felony stalking, felony fleeing and several other serious charges.

CBI identifies victims in Lake Pueblo shooting.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has identified the victims of the deadly shooting that took place last week at Lake Pueblo State Park. According to CBI, the victims are 29-year-old Dustyn Courtney and 20-year-old Trevion Lucas, both of Pueblo. The shooting took place near sailboard beach just after midnight on Friday by an unidentified man. CBI says the suspect and Courtney got into a fight that resulted in the man allegedly pulling a gun on Courtney. They say that Lucas doesn't seem to be part of the dispute. Witnesses told CBI that the suspect left the park and remains on the run. Investigators say that they are continuing to interview witnesses in the hopes of finding the suspect.

Colorado's Primary election taking place today.

Remember that today is Colorado's Primary election day. If you have not voted, do not mail your ballot today. Instead, take your ballot to your local county clerk's office, or drop it off in one of your county's ballot drop boxes. You can still also vote in person if you prefer. Remember that ballots must be dropped off by 7pm tonight. Late ballots will not be counted. And, we'll have election results for you tonight, beginning after 7pm, right here on KSPK-FM.

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