May 19th 2026
Bomb threat causes Walsenburg schools evacuation yesterday.
Walsenburg Junior and Senior High School was evacuated yesterday after a bomb threat
was called into the Walsenburg Police Department yesterday morning, including reports
of weapons at the high school. Students and staff were sent home out of an abundance of
caution with both Walsenburg Police and The Huerfano County Sheriff’s office on scene.
While students at Peakview Elementary School next door were not part of the threat,
students there were also sent home as a precaution. Police said that the scene had been
cleared just before 1pm yesterday. No threats were located and school and surrounding
area have been determined to be safe. All students were successfully reunited with their
parents or guardians during the incident yesterday.
CO Gov Polis declared disaster emergency for Sharpe fire Sunday.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis late Sunday declared a disaster emergency for The Sharpe
Fire burning in Baca County near the Colorado/Oklahoma state line. The Pueblo
Interagency Zone Type III team took command of the fire yesterday. The fire is burning
on Pike and San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron and Comanche national
grasslands, according to The U.S. Forest Service, and has burned 28,200 acres with no
containment. US 287 and US 160 east were both closed yesterday due to high wind and
low visibility due to the smoke, but both reopened as of 8:10pm last night. 108
firefighters are helping fight the fire using engines, dozers and graders. As of last night,
no evacuation orders remain in place. The US Forest Service confirmed yesterday that
lightning caused the fire and that the fire was being fueled by grass, shrubs, juniper and
cactus.
Alamosa PD asking public's assistance in locating individuals.
The Alamosa Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in locating two
individuals, David Brown, 25, and Jenayalee Valdez, 21, both of Alamosa. Ms. Valdez
was last seen in the early morning hours of Saturday, May 16th, leaving her Murphy
Drive residence on foot. She was last known to be wearing a black jacket and blue pants.
David Brown was reportedly with Ms. Valdez at the time of her disappearance. He was
last seen on Friday, May 15th, and is believed to be wearing dark clothing. Neither
individual has access to a vehicle and both are believed to be traveling on foot. APD is
asking anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Valdez or Brown to contact
the Alamosa Police Department's investigations division at 719-589-2548.
Accidental fall at Bishop's Castle occurred yesterday.
Multiple emergency responders were on scene at Bishop's Castle, north of Rye,
yesterday, for a medical emergency. A person visiting the Castle yesterday reportedly
fell into a hole in the drawbridge on the property that you must cross to get to the castle,
getting their leg caught. The person was taken to the hospital via ambulance. The
incident took place around 11:45am yesterday. The condition of the injured person and
the extent of their injuries was not available last night.
Earthquake took place near Walsenburg yesterday.
A 3.0 magnitude earthquake struck about 6:30am near Walsenburg yesterday morning,
according to The U.S. Geological Survey. The earthquake reportedly struck at a depth of
5.9 km and was located about 2-1/2 miles southwest of the City of Walsenburg. A 3.0
quake is considered weak and typically does not result in any damage. This is the second
earthquake in Southern Colorado over the past couple of weeks. A 4.0 magnitude
earthquake struck near Weston on May 7th.
May 18th 2026
CO Gov Polis announces clemency for Tina Peters Friday.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis, on Friday afternoon, granted clemency to Former Mesa
County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters, who was given a 9 year prison sentence in 2024
after she allowed an individual unauthorized access to certain parts of Mesa County's
election systems. Peters, who is 70, will be released from prison on Monday, June 1st.
The move comes after a Colorado Court of Appeals upheld her data breach conviction
last month, but found that Peters' sentence violated her first amendment rights because,
in sentencing her, District Judge Matthew Barrett took her political beliefs into account.
Peters was indicted in 2022 on 10 counts, both felonies and misdemeanors, after she
allowed another election integrity activist to attempt to find if fraud had been perpetrated
in the 2020 election. While the case had been referred back to Mesa County for re
sentencing, Polis actions on Friday put an end to further legal maneuvering. Polis said
Friday that 9 years "is an extremely unusual and lengthy sentence for a first time offender
who committed non-violent crimes.
CO State Lawmakers pass bill to require police shooting recordings to be shown to family first.
Colorado State Lawmakers on Wednesday passed SB26-190, which would require law
enforcement agencies to share recordings of deadly police shootings with the family
members of the person killed prior to sharing the recordings with the public. The
legislation would also require police departments to make every effort to notify the
family of a person who died in a police shooting within 24 hours, and requires law
enforcement to proactively provide relevant unedited video and audio recordings when
officers kill a person to their immediate family within 21 days of the incident. The bill
now awaits Governor Jared Polis' signature before it can become law.
Pueblo county traffic stop leads to discovery of fentanyl Thursday Morning.
A traffic stop in Pueblo County on Thursday led to the discovery of more than 150 grams
of fentanyl. According to the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office, a deputy was on patrol just
before 1am Thursday when he initiated a traffic stop at La Crosse Street for a vehicle
with no registration. A second deputy noticed drug paraphernalia in the vehicle during
the stop, along with another adult and child. Deputies initiated a probably cause search
of the vehicle and found 135 grams of fentanyl pills, 32.5 grams of fentanyl powder,
more than $1,000 in cash and drug paraphernalia. The driver, Jacob Rodriguez, 33, was
booked into the Pueblo County jail two counts of distribution, possession of a controlled
substance and child abuse.
Alamosa woman arrested following traffic stop Wednesday.
Anna Pacheco, 55, of Alamosa, was arrested Wednesday following a traffic stop in the
500 block of La Due Avenue in Alamosa where officers discovered a large amount of
methamphetamine in the vehicle. The discovery prompted the execution of a search
warrant near the 7000 block of wild acres lane, which yielded approximately 30 grams of
methamphetamine, a large amount of U.S. currency and items used to conceal, distribute
and transport illicit narcotics. Pacheco was transported to The Alamosa County
Detention Center on charges of possession and distribution of a controlled substance.
Town of Campo in Baca county evacuation orders lifted yesterday other areas still under evacuation.
The town of Campo, in Baca County near The Oklahoma border, and the surrounding
area, were under evacuation orders yesterday as a wildfire was burning in a southerly
direction near the Oklahoma Border. Baca County Emergency Management said there
was an active threat to life and asked those living nearby to move quickly. Late last
night, emergency management lifted evacuation orders for the town of campo, however,
evacuations did remain in place for anyone living in rural areas nearby.
May 15th 2026
CO Senator Hickenlooper endorsed by various labor unions.
Saying that Colorado Senator John Hickenlooper is a proven champion of the state's
workers and their rights, three local labor unions on Tuesday endorsed Hickenlooper's
bid for re-election. The three endorsements are from smart sheet metal workers local 9,
pipefitters local 208 and the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters Association. Those
three joined the American federation of state, county and municipal employees and
western states carpenters in supporting the former two-term governor. Hickenlooper is
facing a primary challenge from State Senator Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat who
also says she has prominent labor endorsements, which include The Colorado AFL-CIO,
Colorado wins local 1876, service employees international union local 105, The Colorado
State Association of Letter Carriers, and Communications Workers of America.
Bill to place heavier restrictions on sports betting passes CO legislature.
SB26-131, a new bill aimed at placing heavier restrictions on sports betting apps has
passed The Colorado State Legislature with bipartisan support. The bill would limit
deposits on sports betting apps to 6 per day. It also includes a ban on using credit cards
for placing bets and prohibits push notifications from these applications. Not everyone,
however, agrees with the new restrictions. The sports betting alliance is encouraging
people to advocate against the law on its website, saying in part that they have concerns
about personal financial autonomy and people not being told how they can or cannot
spend their money. The bill still allows prop bets and doesn't impose a limit on the
amount of money a person can deposit in a single transaction. If Governor Jared Polis
signs the bill, Colorado will join nine others states that have banned the use of credit
cards for deposits for sports betting.
Alamosa County commissioners agree to ask voters to eliminate DA term limits Wednesday.
Alamosa County Commissioners on Wednesday agreed to ask voters to eliminate term
limits for the 12th Judicial District Attorney's Office. Commissioners also adopted a
second resolution voicing their own support to remove term limits from the DA's office.
All six boards of county commissioners in The San Luis Valley have to approve the
question for their ballots for the question to get on the ballot. Mineral County and Rio
Grande County have adopted similar language as Alamosa to get the question on the
November ballot. Conejos, Costilla and Saguache County Commissioners all need to
take similar action before July 24th, otherwise the idea of eliminating term limits for the
DA goes away for this election cycle.
Trinidad Police Chief announces resignation.
Trinidad Police Chief Roles has resigned his position effective on Friday, May 29th, 2026,
at 5pm. Following Chief Roles' departure, Lt. Jason Villotti will assume the role of
interim Chief of Police, also effective on Friday, May 29th, 2026, at 5pm. The City of
Trinidad says that it is committed to ensuring a thoughtful and stable path forward for the
department and the community it serves. Additional information regarding the next steps
and future leadership plans will be shared with the public as it becomes available. The
city says it appreciates the continued deduction of the officers and staff of The Trinidad
Police Department.
CDOT announces Wolf Creek Pass tunnel improvements to begin.
The Colorado Department of Transportation has announced that it will perform
preventative maintenance improvements to the US 160 Wolf Creek Pass tunnel beginning
on Monday, May 18th. Motorists will be guided by signage onto the nearby paved tunnel
bypass lanes. The tunnel, located between South Fork and the pass summit, will be
closed throughout the duration of the project. Work is expected to be complete early in
October. The comprehensive maintenance project will restore smooth driving surfaces
and will reduce the frequency of icy or slick conditions.
May 14th 2026
Lawmakers in Colorado wrapped up work for this year's legislative session yesterday.
Lawmakers in Colorado yesterday wrapped up their work in this year's legislative session
in a year that was defined by the lack of fiscal flexibility, woes over medicaid spending
and action on a host of issues ranging from artificial intelligence regulation to a failed
attempt to decriminalize prostitution. The Democratic-Controlled Legislature also
confronted a budget deficit exceeding $1 billion for the second year in a row. Of the
more than 600 bills introduced this year, those with a fiscal note were mostly rejected or
revised to decrease estimated costs. Democrats have argued that decisions made by The
Trump Administration contributed to the state's financial strain. Republicans countered
that the shortfall stemmed from years of overspending and the failure by legislators to
make the hard decisions.
CO State Senate passes bill to require CSHC to provide abortion access on site.
The Colorado State Senate yesterday passed a bill that requires student health centers on
college campuses to provide access to on-site abortion medication services. The bill
requires that any campus that has an on-campus pharmacy or health center to make
abortion medication available to enrolled students. If a campus does not have an on-
campus pharmacy, healthcare providers would be required to submit a prescription for
abortion medication to an off-campus pharmacy. The legislation applies to both public
and private colleges. The bill also requires institutions to follow applicable privacy laws
for personally identifiable information. Critics have raised concerns about the cost of the
program to taxpayers. The bill is now headed to Governor Jared Polis for his signature.
CO AG's office announces indictments against petition circulators.
The Colorado Attorney General's office says that two people circulating petitions to get
the school choice initiative on the ballot in Colorado during the 2024 election have been
indicted for submitting fraudulent signatures. Cherell Long of Nevada and Martin
Arellano of Texas, were both working as paid circulators with Victor's Canvassing, LLC,
a Colorado Springs-based canvassing company. A grand jury indictment has charged
both Arellano and Long with attempt to influence a public servant, elections forgery,
forgery, all felonies, and perjury, a misdemeanor. Several signatures reportedly did not
match voter files and several signatures were of deceased voters, or of those who had
canceled their registrations.
Conejos County Sheriff announces lifting of county fire ban.
Conejos County Sheriff Garth Crowther has lifted the county fire ban, effective
immediately. However, the announcement comes with serious reminders and requests.
Residents are asked to please complete any burning needing to be done as soon as
possible as conditions remain very dry. Please use extreme caution with any fire and
make sure to have the proper means to control it. Also, please remember that burning is
not allowed on any day a red flag warning is in effect. Remember that you are
responsible for your fire and any damage it may cause.
SCCY in Walsenburg announces closure.
The Sangre De Cristo Center for Youth (or SCCY) in Walsenburg has announced that it
will close its doors as of June 1st. The closure comes following 26 years of operation.
According to SCCY, the closure is due to ongoing financial hardship, a lack of
sustainable community support and a loss of critical funding and grant opportunities
necessary to continue operations. SCCY says they have been more than just a youth
center. They say they have offered a safe place, a second home, a mentor, an adventure
and a source of hope to young people in Huerfano County. The youth center thanked
those who have supported it over the years.
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