July 1st 2026
New mandatory evacuation issued yesterday for Aspen Acres Fire.
A new mandatory evacuation was issued yesterday for the Aspen Acres Fire. The
evacuation is in effect for The North Creek Area encompassing Central Road to The
Custer County Line. Pueblo County Sheriff David Lucero says that an estimated 155
structures have been lost in The Aspen Acres Fire burning near Bealah in Pueblo County.
Of those structures, 55 are in Custer County and 100 are in Pueblo County. The fire
remains at 28,314 acres and has zero percent containment as of now. The acreage is
expected to be higher today due to the unexpected growth of the fire on the northwest
side last night. All other evacuations remain in place. One firefighter was injured in the
fire on Monday. No other injuries have been reported so far.
Big Sheep Fire reaches 50% containment in Huerfano County.
The Big Sheep Fire has reached 50% containment and has burned about 1,100 acres. No
structures have been lost and no injuries have been reported. Firefighters continued to
monitor hot spots and flare ups overnight and will continue to do so throughout the day
today. Pre-evacuations remain in effect currently, but are expected to be rescinded by the
end of the day today. A cause for the fire has not yet been determined.
CO AG Weiser wins Dem nomination for Governor.
Coloado Attorney General Phil Weiser yesterday won the Democratic nomination for
Governor of Colorado, beating out U.S. Senator Michael Bennet. Weiser will now face
the winner of the Republican primary for Governor in November. The Republican
Primary was too close to call last night between State Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer and
Victor Marx.
CO Gov Polis issues statement praising voters last night.
In a statement last night, Colorado Governor Jared Polis praised Democrats, Republicans
and Unaffiliated voters who cast ballots, saying voter participation strengthens
Colorado's Democracy. He also congratulated the candidates who secured their party's
nominations. For Secretary of State: Amanda Gonzalez, a Democrat and James Wiley, a
Republican. For State Treasurer: Jeff Bridges, a Democrat, and Kevin Grantham, a
Republican. And for Attorney General: Jena Griswold, a Democrat and Michael J.
Allen, a Republican.
Election results from yesterday’s Primary Election in Colorado.
Taking a look at election results from yesterday’s primary election... only looking at
contested races...
In Huerfano County, in the Huerfano County Sheriff’s race on the Republican side, Jim
Chamberlain has won with 692 votes. Will Everhart received 292 votes.
In Conejos County, in The Conejos County Commissioner District 2 race on the
Republican side, Colton Sutherland has won with 687 votes. Mitchell Jarvies received
577 votes. In The Conejos County Treasurer race on the Democratic side, Donald Valdez
has won with 589 votes. Cathy Flores received 545 votes. And in The Conejos County
Coroner Race on the Republican Side Ashley Crowther has won with 733 votes to
Richard Martin’s 543.
In Costilla County, in The Costilla County Commissioner District 2 race on The
Democratic side, Patrick Roybal has won with 406 votes, Lorraine “lorrie” Quintana
received 350 votes and Patrick Maestas received 252 votes. In The Costilla County
Assessor Race on The Democratic side, Pamela Vigil has won with 552 votes. Angelina
Espinoza received 442 votes. And in the Costilla County Sheriff race on The Democratic
side, Jason Maestas has won with 797 votes. Cruz Soto received 139 votes.
In Alamosa County, in The Alamosa County Clerk and Recorder race on The Republican
side, Tina Espinoza has won with 816 votes. Jamie Greeman has received 796. For
Alamosa County Assessor on The Democratic side, Jason Duncan has won with 889
votes. Adam Lauer has received 630.
In Las Animas County, in The Las Animas County Commissioner District 3 race on the
Democratic Side, Phillip Rico has won by 3 votes with 1,059 votes votes. Jim Montoya
has received 1,056 votes. With only a 3 vote margin, or about a .2% difference, there
should be an automatic recount in this race.
In Rio Grande County, in The Rio Grande County Commissioner District 2 race on the
Republican side, Tyler Ratzlaff has won with 1,076 votes. Kurt Holland has received
753 votes. In the Rio Grande County Sheriff Race on the Republican side, Anne
Robinson has won with 1,289 votes. Patrick Martinez received 556 votes.
In Saguache County, in The Saguache County Commissioner District 3 race on The
Democratic side, Liza Marron has won with 732 votes. Tim Lovato received 270 votes.
In Pueblo County, in The Pueblo County Sheriff Race on The Democratic Side, Allen
Medina has won with 51.5% of the vote. David Lucero received 48.5% of the vote.
June 30th 2026
Aspen Acres Fire sparks to life in Pueblo County yesterday.
The Aspen Acres Fire grew to 23,123 acres in size with no containment after sparking to
life around 6:45am yesterday in the vicinity of Colorado 165 at mile marker 17. More
than 2,700 homes have been evacuated and four homes have burned, although no specific
areas were given. Evacuations are currently in place for the town of Beulah, the town of
Rye and the town of San Isabel. Evacuations are also in place for Burnt Mill Road east to
Interstate 25, south of Lake Isabel to Rye, from Lazy Acres to Bishop's Castle along
Colorado 165, on 12 Mile Road and on 3R Road to Crow Cutoff. Colorado 165 is
currently closed from Highway 96 at Mackenzie Junction to Colorado City. Colorado 78
is also closed. However, Colorado 96 remains open, according to The Custer County
Sheriff's Office. The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control has taken
command of the fire.
Big Sheep Fire sparks to life in Huerfano County yesterday.
The "Big Sheep Fire" in Huerfano County got started around 3:30pm yesterday afternoon
east of Sheep Mountain near County Road 531. The fire had burned 314 acres and was
0% contained as of last night. The Huerfano County Sheriff's Office has ordered pre-
evacuations for those living between the fire and Highway 69 at Farisita. Those in the
pre-evacuation zones are urged to gather essential items and clothing for a day or two and
be ready to leave when and if necessary.
CO State Supreme Court blocks all attempts to redraw congressional districts for 2028.
The Colorado State Supreme Court yesterday blocked all attempts at redrawing
congressional district boundaries for the 2028 election from reaching the ballot. In so
doing, the court concluded each of the proposed ballot measures saying they violated the
constitutional single-subject requirement. The court considered 5 distinct but related
ballot measures. Half of the proposals would have redrawn U.S. House of
Representatives districts to give Democrats an overwhelming advantage, while the other
half would have alternatively given Republicans a slightly larger advantage over the
status quo. There was also a separate measure to alter the redistricting commission that
drew the current boundaries. Ultimately, The State Supreme Court ruled that changing
Colorado's process for redistricting and approving new maps, either together or through
separate interlocking initiatives, violated The Colorado Constitution.
City of Alamosa announces section of water main replacement today.
The City of Alamosa has announced that, beginning today, Gardner Excavating will be
replacing a section of water main on Alamosa Avenue between Main Street and Third
street. During construction, the roadway will be closed between the hours of 7am and
5pm. The road will be reopened to residents only who live within the closure area after
5pm. Please note that water service in this area will be shut off at 8am today, for the
entire day. Residents should ensure that no vehicles, rv's or trailers are parked on the
street or in the public right-of-way. Please avoid the construction area during working
hours from 7am to 5pm. For questions, please contact the public works office by calling
719-589-6631.
Colorado's Primary Election Day is Today.
Don't forget that today is primary election day. If you have not yet voted, do not mail
your ballot today. Instead, take your ballot to your local county clerk's office, or use a
drop box in your county to turn in your ballot. All ballots must be received by 7pm
tonight or they will not be counted. You may also vote in person today until 7pm if you
desire. Then tonight, beginning some time after 7pm, we'll have election results right
here on KSPK-FM.
June 29th 2026
Pueblo County Judge reduced bond on Cotter brothers Friday.
A Pueblo County Judge on Friday reduced bond for both Brian and Cristopher Cotter
from one million dollars to 500-thousand dollars cash, surety or property bond, with
enhanced supervision during the Cotters' advisement hearing. Both Cotters were arrested
on Thursday and were being held on more than 150 felonies each. The judge said Friday
that the Cotters are not a community safety risk. Both of them will be in court again this
Thursday, July 2nd. On Friday, Brian Cotter's legal team argued that while he and his
counsel "understand the seriousness of these charges and the gravity of the allegations",
they believe he was neither a flight risk nor a risk to the safety of the community.
Christopher Cotter's attorney made a similar case. Both men posted bond and were no
longer in jail as of around 8:45pm on Friday.
SOCO smoke coming from fire in New Mexico.
The large amount of smoke being seen in Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico
Saturday and Sunday is coming from The Beehive Fire burning about 15 miles west of
Tres Peidras in The Carson National Forest in New Mexico. The fire was first reported
about 1pm on Thursday and was caused by lightning activity in the area. Thanks to hot
temperatures and high winds on Saturday, the fire began putting up a huge plume of
smoke south of The San Luis Valley and grew from 80 acres to 1,864 acres. Winds and
high temperatures on Sunday increased fire activity once again with the fire growing to
2,236 acres yesterday with 0% containment. A New Mexico type 3 incident management
team is scheduled to take command of the fire this morning.
CPW approves two emergency public fish salvages in SOCO.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife has approved emergency public fish salvages at two state
properties in Southern Colorado. The Wahatoya State Wildlife Area in Huerfano County
is a Coldwater Fishery east of La Veta. The City of Walsenburg plans to draw down the
reservoir to meet water needs for the city. Mountain Home Reservoir State Wildlife Area
in Costilla County is a Coldwater Fishery near Fort Garland. The Trinchera irrigation
company is draining the water for irrigation purposes due to drought and low snowpack.
A valid 2026 Colorado Fishing license is required for anyone over the age of 16 and all
bag and possession limits will be lifted at each location.
Wildlife north of Canon City forcing some residents to evacuate.
A wildfire to the north of Canon City is forcing some residents to evacuate. According to
The Fremont County Sheriff's Office, first responders responded to the 11 fire around
7:30pm last night. Evacuations were ordered for a 1-1/4 mile radius around High Park
road (also known as county road 11) and county road 352A. An evacuation center has
been set up at pathfinder park in Florence. County Roads 69 and 11 northbound and
County Road 11 southbound have all been shut down so that fire crews can access the
area. As of last night, the fire has burned 43 acres.
Colorado's Primary Election Day is Tomorrow.
Don’t forget, tomorrow is Colorado's Primary Election Day. If you have not yet returned
your ballot, do not mail your ballot today, as it is too late for your ballot to make it to
your county clerk's office. Instead, take your ballot in person to your county clerk's
office, or use a ballot drop box in your county to return your ballot. And, if you prefer to
vote in person, you can still do that too today and tomorrow by going to a polling location
in your local county.
June 26th 2026
New Poll shows jump in support for AG Phil Weiser.
A new poll released yesterday by the group "fighting for Colorado", Attorney General
Phil Weiser leads U.S. Senator Michael Bennet among likely Democratic voters, 45% to
36%. 19% of respondents are undecided. "fighting for Colorado", who commissioned
the poll, is a state super pac that was formed to support Weiser. The survey was
conducted yesterday and on Wednesday by democratic firm public policy polling. The
poll has a margin of error of 4%. 600 likely voters were interviewed including
Democrats and unaffiliated voters who said they'll cast ballots in the Democratic
primary. The new poll shows a big jump in support for Weiser in the three weeks since
the same firm conducted and released a poll showing Bennet leading Weiser 36% to
30%, with 34% undecided.
Davis Mortuary owners officially arrested yesterday.
Brian and Christopher Cotter, the former co-owners of Davis Mortuary in Pueblo, were
officially arrested yesterday and charged with more than 150 felonies. Each is facing the
following charges: 125 counts of abuse of a corpse (including 24 bodies, 83 cremains, 16
sets of bones, and 2 containers of human tissue), 9 counts of forgery, and 27 various
counts of theft. As of now, the 10th Judicial District Attorney says that 19 bodies have
been identified out of the 24 that were found at Davis Mortuary. Officials say that the
human tissue was found in buckets and was from 2016 and 2017. The bodies were from
around 2010 to 2012. Investigators say that in addition to the physical abuse of remains,
the investigation identified evidence of systemic financial and administrative misconduct,
including the fabrication of death certificates and the misappropriation of funds from
preneed funeral contracts.
Colorado City awarded grant from the USDA.
Colorado City has received a $15.9 million grant from The USDA to support
infrastructure improvements for drinking and waste water within the community. The
monies are earmarked to build a water pre-treatment system and to resolve past water
issues with water quality from the city's source, a nearby lake. The environmental
protection agency says that Colorado City's history is plagued by poorly planned
infrastructure built in the 1960s and 1970s with subpar materials, leading to expensive
maintenance. It is hoped that the money from The USDA will be able to fix the problems
with the water system.
Raton residents pushing back on proposed data center.
Residents of Raton are pushing back after Raton City Commissioners approved a
memorandum of understanding in February to allow Colorado-based Atterix to conduct
at 6-month feasibility study that explores the potential development of an advanced
digital hub infrastructure project, or a data center. The first phase would convert the old
Kmart on the south side of town into a new data center. The next two phases would bring
more data center infrastructure to a nearby power station in town and the city's airport
over the next 5 years. While nothing is official yet, some opponents want to hit the
brakes. More than 100 residents have joined the group "protect our resources" to put
pressure on city leaders to stop or slow down the project.
New wooden train placed in park in La Jara.
A new wooden train has been placed in the park in La Jara thanks to the dreams and
effort of a 6 year old boy named Asher. Instead of presents, Asher asked for donations to
build the wooden train structure in the park. He then got permission from town officials
and all of the appropriate permits. Then, dad helped him build it. For someone who
loves trains, Asher's birthday wish has come true.
June 25th 2026
Morphew trial officially pushed off until 2027 yesterday.
The trial of Barry Morphew, who is accused of killing his wife on Mother's Day of 2020,
was pushed off until the first half of 2027 yesterday. Morphew appeared virtually during
a status conference in Alamosa District Court yesterday afternoon, to discuss a motion to
continue the trial, with defense attorneys noting that they need more time to go through
"the mountain of discovery" in the case. Morphew's trial was set to begin in Mid-
October. Morphew is charged with the murder of his wife, Suzanne Morphew.
Suzanne's remains were discovered in a fresh grave near Moffat in 2023. Barry
Morphew, who had previous charges in the case dismissed, was indicted and re-arrested
in June of last year. He pled not guilty in January. In granting the motion, Judge
Amanda Hopkins instructed prosecutors and defense attorneys to find a trail date before
June 1st of next year, and to have that date ready for Morphew's next scheduled hearing
on July 6th.
CPW announces a collared gray wolf has crossed I-25.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife announced yesterday, that for the first time, a collared gray
wolf crossed Interstate 25 and made a large loop across the southeastern quadrant of
Colorado before it turned back and crossed again to the west side of the highway. The
wolf traveled through watersheds in Pueblo, Otero and Las Animas Counties before
returning to the west side of the interstate. While the wolf's direction isn't known, GPS
points indicate that the wolf traveled along US50 east of Pueblo to the La Junta area, and
also along US350 between La Junta and Trinidad. The most current wolf activity map,
released yesterday, shows that wolves have dispersed throughout Colorado, only avoiding
The Denver metro area and Southwest Colorado over the course of the last month.
Rye Fire Chief confirms cause of the 74 fire.
Rye Fire Chief Ross Gallegos confirmed yesterday that the 74 fire, or Applewood fire, in
Colorado City was caused by a towed trailer malfunction. Flames spread west from
Interstate 25 near Mile Marker 74 into The Applewood Estates Neighborhood on June
21st. Seven homes were completely destroyed and four were damaged. Several
outbuildings and vehicles were also damaged or destroyed. The fire was officially 15 to
20 acres in size. Officials say a trailer experienced a mechanical malfunction, during
which, hot debris dislodged and sparked the grass fire. Law enforcement has identified
the probable vehicle and has made contact with the driver. While the incident remains
under investigation, the fire is believed to have started accidentally. A number of
gofundme pages have been set up to help families affected by the fire.
MV Police and various law agencies executed drug bust in Monte Vista last week.
The Monte Vista Police Department, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Alamosa Police
and Rio Grande County Sheriff's Office, executed a search warrant on June 18th in the
600 block of Monroe Street in Monte Vista as part of an ongoing narcotics investigation.
More than 26 grams of fentanyl powder, 33 grams of methamphetamine and about $850
in chase were seized. Arrested were Leonard Trujillo Jr., 36; Flor Ochoa, 27; Leonard
Trujillo Sr., 64; and Joshua Naranjo, 34. The Monte Vista Police Department says it is
committed to locating drug distributors and keeping the community safe.
CACP recognized Alamosa Police Officer Mollee Heeney at annual conference.
The Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police recognized Alamosa Police Officer Mollee
Heeney with their valor award during their annual conference in Estes Park. The
presentation took place on June 9th when Heeney was formally commended by Chief
Adam Turk of the Greeley Police Department, who is President of the CACP, for her
heroic intervention during a critical incident last December.
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