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Gov Polis requesting additional funds be set aside by CO State Legislature.

While Colorado lawmakers were successful in balancing a $1.2 million budget deficit a few weeks ago, Governor Jared Polis now wants $4 million to be set aside for the governor's office in case there are federal funding cuts ahead for Colorado. A bill to do so, that is supported by Colorado Democrats, has already passed the state house and its second reading in the state senate with no amendments. Democrats say the $4 million will go to protect Colorado from some of the random federal cuts being seen so that the state is ready for whatever comes its way. Republicans say they have questions that weren't answered in the house, adding that the money should not go to the governor's office, and they want to make sure the money is spent responsibly. Polis says "we believe that to properly defend the free state of Colorado from unlawful and adverse federal actions... It's critical to ensure we have adequate resources to meet the moment.

CO Gov Polis signs new Abortion access and funding laws into law.

Senate Bills 183 and 129 were signed into law by Governor Jared Polis yesterday, making colorado one of the most expansive states in the nation for abortion access and use taxpayer dollars to help fund the procedures. The law also prohibits any local government from limiting access to abortion and explicitly states that a fertilized egg or embryo does not have independent legal rights under state law. Supporters say the new laws ensure equitable access to reproductive care, especially for low-income residents. Proponents say the funding forces Coloradans who morally oppose abortion to contribute financially to providing abortions against their will. The governor's office says these laws position Colorado as a safe haven for reproductive healthcare amid growing restrictions in other states.

Man shot to death in Walsenburg Wednesday night.

A man was shot to death on Wednesday evening in Walsenburg. According to the Walsenburg Police Department, officers responded to a shooting in the 800 block of west 7th street on Wednesday around 6:40pm. After officers entered the home, they found a male with a gunshot wound to his chest, lying on the ground. Officers and medical personnel attempted to save the man's life, but were unsuccessful. The victim has not been identified and police have not identified a suspect or motive. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has been called in to investigate the incident.

CPW announces death of another British Columbia Gray Wolf.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials announced yesterday that Female Gray Wolf 2514- BC died on April 20th in Rocky Mountain National Park. A final determination of the cause of death will not be made until an investigation takes place by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service. The wolf was another of the 15th wolves that were translocated to Colorado from British Columbia in January that has died. No additional details about the death were released yesterday. The two other wolves from British Columbia that have died, died in Wyoming.

City of Alamosa announces public forums guidelines.

The City of Alamosa says that it upholds the constitutional right to peacefully assemble in public forums to make your voice heard, however, the city expects all demonstrators and the general public to adhere to local ordinances and laws, maintaining public safety and order. The following are considered offenses in Alamosa: making coarse and obvious offensive gestures or utterances, threatening a person in an offensive manner, making noise which is unreasonable, fights, discharging a firearm in a public place, and displaying a deadly weapon in public with intend to alarm. The city says violence, threats and intimidation will not be tolerated and will result in a citation.

April 24th 2025

4th Rep Boebert asking DOGE for investigation into front range rail service.

4th Congressional District U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert is asking Elon Musk and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to stop federal funding for the project that aims to bring passenger rail service to the front range. In a letter released on Tuesday, Boebert is asking doge to re-evaluate the federal funds going towards construction of the front range passenger rail, calling it a "potential misuse of federal taxpayer dollars". Boebert is asking that all funding for the project be stopped immediately pending an investigation by DOGE. The proposed rail service would connect cities along the front range such as Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Denver and Fort Collins. State officials have long advocated for the project. Boebert argues that the project is "fiscally irresponsible", a waste of taxpayer dollars, and a threat to the private property rights of residents in Douglas County.

Gov Polis signes more efficient government executive order.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis on Tuesday signed an executive order that outlines Colorado’s priorities in fostering a greener, more efficient government. Polis' executive order outlines the following goals: to add more electric vehicles to the state fleet. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% in state operations. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state fleet by 32%. And, to reduce energy use by a square foot in state facilities by at least 20%. Polis said in part "with his executive order, we're making good on this commitment by raising the bar for state government to lead by example and contribute to this important work". Polis says "efficient Government practices save taxpayers money and are one piece of the puzzle in protecting our state for future generations while cutting costs". Polis hopes to achieve the goals by 2034.

US Army sergeant from Trinidad killed during Korean war to be buried in Trinidad.

The defense POW/MIA accounting agency yesterday announced that a U.S. Army sergeant from Trinidad, who was killed during the Korean war, has been accounted for. U.S. Army Sgt. Orace J. Mestas, 22, from Trinidad, was accounted for on January 31st of 2024. Mestas' family recently received a full briefing on his identification, and additional details about Mestas’ life have now been released. Mestas was a member of company 1, 3rd battalion, 21st infantry regiment, 24th infrantry division, and was reported missing in action on April 25th, 1951. His remains could not be identified and were buried in Honolulu, but were disinterred in 2019 for further analysis and were eventually identified using mitochondrial DNA analysis. Mestas will be buried in Trinidad in June.

Jury finds Murder suspect guilty Friday.

A jury on Friday found Kawanna Nelson, 58, of Alamosa, guilty of second degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of John Cossel on January 16th of 2024. According to the Alamosa Police Department, officers responded to the 200 block of state avenue about 10pm on January 16th, 2024. Upon arrival, officers found the body of a deceased man, later identified as Cossel, 58, of Monte Vista. He had been shot. Nelson and Cossel were reportedly close friends, but had reportedly had an altercation, with Cossel leaving. When Cossel returned, he did not identify himself, and nelson reportedly shot him without realizing who he was. Nelson was taken into custody and was charged with second-degree homicide.

North I-25 closed north of Pueblo yesterday due to crash.

All northbound lanes of Interstate 25 north of Pueblo were closed early yesterday morning due to a crash. The crash took place at exit 106 at mile marker 106.5. According to the Colorado State Patrol, the report of a two-vehicle crash came in at 5:46am yesterday morning. No one was taken to the hospital, although minor injuries were initially reported. Crews worked to remove the cars involved and CDOT reported that the northbound lanes reopened around 7:15am yesterday.

April 23rd 2025

New CO State Legislature vacancies bill scheduled for consideration today.

A new bill in the Colorado State Legislature, HB25-1315, the vacancies in the general assembly bill, would give colorado voters a larger role in deciding who represents them whenever a state lawmaker resigns before their term is complete. The bill would still allow vacancy committees to appoint someone initially but would require that the person stand for election within a year. Not everyone would be allowed to vote in the election, however. Only unaffiliated voters and voters registered with the same political party that held the seat could vote in the special election. The measure is drawing criticism from those who say all voters must be allowed to vote in the special election or the bill would likely violate the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The bill is scheduled to be considered today on the house floor.

Gov Polis signed junk fees bill into law Monday.

Governor Jared Polis on Monday signed HB25-1090 into law, taking aim at junk fees in the rental market. The bill standardizes transparent prices upfront, and in many cases prohibits pricing information from being offered or advertised unless the final total price is disclosed. The law also prohibits the misrepresentation of pricing information, requires the purpose of a fee that is not part of the total price to be disclosed, and restricts the fees landlords can charge for utilities and third-party services to ensure tenants are not charged additional fees. Beginning in 2026, some of the junk fees that will be prohibited include pest control and common area maintenance charges.

City of Alamosa announces State Avenue closure.

The City of Alamosa has announced that beginning today, Wednesday, April 23rd, State Avenue will be temporarily closed between main street and the alleyway to the north for planned utility work. The closure, which may extend into tomorrow, is necessary to ensure the safety of residents and workers. Please plan to use alternate routes during this time. For questions, please reach out to the Alamosa Public Works department by calling 719-589-6631.

Pueblo County Sheriffs office asking for Public's help in identifying theft suspects.

The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help in identifying two men who are connected to a theft in Colorado City. The sheriff's office says that they believe two flat bed white trucks are connected to the alleged suspects. One of the trucks is a two-door and the other is a four-door. Both men appear to be white or hispanic, one clean-shaven with dark, graying hair. The second is dark-haired with a beard. One was wearing a hat, the other a hat with a hood over it. No further information as to the incident or the date it occurred was made available. If you know who the suspects are or have seen the trucks, you're asked to call the Pueblo County Sheriff's office at 719-583- 6250, and reference #8615.

CDOT announces US 160 surface treatment project for next week.

The Colorado Department of Transportation has announced that it will begin a surface treatment project next week along U.S. 160, east of Pagosa Springs, from Treasure Falls to the Wolf Creek Pass summit. The Wolf Creek Pass project will improve about 9 miles of U.S. 160 from mile marker 158.5 at Treasure Falls to 167.7 at the summit. Work will include asphalt paving and overlay, rumble strip installation, striping, guardrail and road sign replacement. Additional work will include rail replacement and deck repairs at the bridge located at mile marker 159.3 and a culvert inlet repair at mile marker 165.8, just west of the pass summit. The project is expected to be complete by the end of October.

April 22nd 2025

Some new Police Officers at Walsenburg Police Department under investigation by other departments.

Even though Walsenburg residents voted to disband the Walsenburg Police Department years ago, the city decided to reform the department and has hired nine police officers and one administrator. However, 4 of those officers have either been investigated or fired from previous law enforcement jobs. The first is the new Walsenburg Police Chief Bill Vinelli who remains under investigation by the City of Morrison following his employment there. New officer Tre’von Perry was fired from the Monument Police department because he failed to disclose that he had been arrested on four theft charges in Las Vegas in 2021. New officer Amanda Winters was fired from the Florence Police Department following allegations of evidence mishandling and dereliction of duty. And, new officer David Baroz and nine other Fremont County Sheriff's deputies were placed on administrative leave in 2017. Records about the incident are reportedly lost. Yet, the Walsenburg Police Department says that all of its officers are post-certified and have passed their background checks.

Pueblo D70 resuming normal operations today.

Pueblo District 70 says that all schools in the district will resume normal operations today after potential threats made against some of the schools in the district were determined to be a swatting case, or a false report deliberately intended to provoke an emergency response. Investigators have determined that no student from the district was responsible for the reported threats, according to the district. There will be a "substantial" law enforcement presence at the schools and the school buildings are also being remotely monitored by the emergency operations center. The Pueblo County Sheriff's office is working with the federal bureau of investigation and District 70 to investigate the incident.

CDOT taking fresh look at Transportation investment priorities.

The Colorado Department of Transportation says that it is taking a fresh look at transportation investment priorities and is building a plan that helps deliver those priorities for the next 10 years. As part of that effort, CDOT will host telephone town halls across Colorado to take public comment. The telephone town halls will allow residents to join by telephone or online to share their input. All town halls will begin at 6:30pm and end at 7:30pm. In our area, town halls will be as follows: April 29th for El Paso, Fremont, Park and Teller counties; May 1st for Baca, Bent, Crowley, Custer, Huerfano, Kiowa, Las Animas, Otero, Prowers and Pueblo counties; and on June 5th for Alamosa, Archuleta, Conejos, Costilla, Dolores, Hinsdale, La Plata, Mineral, Montezuma, Rio Grande, Saguache, San Miguel and San Juan Counties. To sign up to attend or for more information, go to www.codot.gov and search on "telephone town hall".

Conejos County and CBI requesting Public's help in locating missing person.

The Conejos County Sheriff and The Colorado Bureau of Investigation are asking for the public's help in locating Rodney Allen Guilinger, of Pueblo, who was last believed to be in Conejos County. Guilinger's vehicle was located in Conejos County on forest service road 380 on April 17th, stuck in a snowbank. The driver appeared to have left the vehicle on foot. After 5 days of searching, Guilinger has not been located. Guilinger suffers from cognitive impairment and requires medication. He is 64 years old with brown hair and green eyes, is 5'10" tall and weighs 190 pounds. He was last seen wearing khaki pants, a green flannel shirt, a camo hat and tennis shoes. If you have seen Guilinger or know of his whereabouts, call 911 or the Conejos County Sheriff's office at 719-589- 5807.

CSP report shows Colorado auto thefts have decreased.

A recent report from the Colorado State Patrol says that Colorado auto thefts decreased by 25% from 2023 to 2024. The decrease amounted to 8,401 fewer thefts than 2023, which continued a positive trend, as colorado saw a 21% decrease in auto thefts from 2022 to 2023. Even with the reduction in car thefts, Colorado still ranks high in car thefts compared to the rest of the nation.

April 21st 2025

UCCS Shooter pleads guilty to assaulting El Paso County Deputy.

Nicholas Jordan on Friday plead guilty to assaulting an El Paso County Deputy while being held in the El Paso County Jail. The charge was in addition to Jordan's recent double murder trial that resulted in a jury finding him guilty on Wednesday of first- degree murder for fatally shooting Celie Rain Montgomery and Samuel Knopp in a UCCS dorm room on February 16th of 2024. Jordan received two counts of life in prison to be served consecutively with no parole as a result of that conviction. On Friday, Jordan was sentenced to two years in prison plus three years of probation if he is ever released for the assault case. Friday's sentence will run concurrently with the sentence on the murder charges. The deputy who was assaulted agreed with Friday's plea agreement.

Multiple school districts closed today after threats made.

Pueblo School District 70 has announced that Liberty Point international school, the District 70 online learning academy Pueblo West campus and swallows charter academy will all be closed today out of an abundance of caution after threats were made to the schools. School District 70 officials say that they are looking into reports of threats made through multiple channels, working with the Pueblo County sheriff's office. While the threats are not deemed to be credible at this point, the Sheriff's office will have an increase presence at all District 70 schools today. Grand Peak Academy, a charter school in District 49, has also announced that they will cancel in-person classes today out of caution after also having threats made against the school. While the threat is also not deemed to be credible, Colorado Springs Police are working alongside District 49 security personnel to investigate the threats.

Colorado postpones universal preschool quality standards.

Colorado has postponed quality standards for universal preschool for the third year. Universal preschool gives four year olds in Colorado at least 15 hours per week of free preschool, and as such, the state is supposed to require schools to have quality standards such as: a 20 student cap on class size, certain curriculum requirements and additional teacher training. The rules were supposed to take effect in the summer of 2023 when the program launched, but were pushed back to 2024, and then to 2025. A state advisory committee has now voted to postpone the requirements until July of 2026. The committee says that the state is behind on some key tasks needed to put the rules in place.

Costilla County BOCC announces special meeting.

The Costilla County Board of County Commissioners has announced that it will convene a special meeting on Tuesday, April 29th, at 6pm, to consider the mediated settlement agreement proposal with Cielo Vista Ranch regarding the ranch's high fence. The meeting will take place at the commissioner's meeting room at 352 Main Street in San Luis. For more information, go to www.costillacounty.gov and click on "meetings and public notices". Paper copies of the settlement agreement and fence map can also be obtained at 352 Main street in San Luis.

Crash shuts down I-25 South of Colorado Springs last night.

Interstate 25 was shut down last night between Exits 119 and 122, near the Pikes Peak International Raceway for a single-vehicle motorcycle crash that took place near milemarker 117 just after 8:30pm. The interstate was closed so that the motorcyclist could be airlifted from the crash site to the hospital. The highway reopened shortly after the airlift.

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