KSPK NEWS
January 15th 2026
The 2026 Colorado Legislative session convened yesterday.
The Colorado State Legislature convened for the first day of the 2026 legislative session
yesterday. The legislative session is starting with new Republican leaders in both The
House and Senate. Former Senate Minority leader Paul Lundeen resigned in June. Sen.
Cleave Simpson, of Alamosa, was selected as the next minority leader. Simpson has a
strong friendship and working relationship with Senate President James Coleman, of
Denver, and is well-liked among Democrats and Republicans. In The House, former
minority leader Rose Pugliese of Colorado Springs resigned abruptly in September. The
GOP House caucus elected Republican Rep. Jarvis Caldwell, also of Colorado Springs, to
be the new house minority leader. Governor Jared Polis, who is term-limited, will get a
chance to highlight his own priorities for the session today in his final state of the state
address.
Suspect identified in UCCS Campus Shooting.
Jonathan Lee Sovine, 25, has been identified by Colorado Springs Police as the suspect in
Monday night's shooting on The UCCS Campus. Sovine is a former UCCS student who
is not currently enrolled at the school. According to arrest papers, police allege that
Sovine was claiming to be a resident assistant on campus and got into an argument with
the victim, a UCCS student, about where he parked his car. Police say the victim was
helping his girlfriend move into a dorm and parked his vehicle near the building around
8:30pm Monday night. Again around 10:15pm, Sovine reportedly approached the victim
saying he couldn't park his car by the building, then pulled a revolver out of his coat.
The victim then ran away with Sovine firing three shots toward him, two of which missed
and one that hit the victim's jacket sleeve. Sovine was arrested on charges of attempted
murder, attempted assault, menacing and disorderly conduct.
Threats against CO Schools yesterday deamed not credible.
Threats made against a number of schools in Colorado yesterday morning caused
lockdowns at the schools until the threats were deamed "not credible". The Colorado
Division of Homeland Security and emergency management says that the following
schools received threats over the phone: Academy of Urban Learning Denver, Abraham
Lincoln High School, Alamosa High School, Arapahoe High School, Aspen High School,
Brighton High School, Buena Vista High School, Delta High School, Douglas County
High School, Durango High School, Frisco Independent School District, Montbellow
Career and Technical High School and Mountain Range High School. No information
regarding potential suspects has been released.
DEA Rocky Mountain field division announces fentanyl seizer.
The drug enforcement agency's rocky mountain field division has announced that it
seized 6.7 million fentanyl pills in Colorado last year. In November alone, Colorado saw
the largest fentanyl and methamphetamine busts in state history with the DEA seizing 1.7
million fentanyl pills alone. According to The DEA, 10% of all fentanyl pills seized in
the united states came from Colorado, and 29% of the fentanyl recovered in the state
contained a lethal dose of the drug.
CO homeowners can now apply for property tax deferral program.
Colorado homeowners who qualify can now apply for the property tax deferral program
through the county they live in until April 1st. The program offers qualified seniors aged
65 and older, and active military service members, to defer property tax payments with
low-interest loans from the Colorado Department of the treasury. Taxpayers who
deferred their property taxes in previous years must reapply to continue their loans.
Eligibility requirements and application details can be found by going to your county
treasurer’s website.
January 14th 2026
2026 legislative CO General Assembly session begins today.
The Colorado General Assembly begins the 2026 legislative session today in Denver, the
2nd regular session of the 75th General Assembly. There are 23 Democrats and 12
Republicans in The Colorado State Senate and 41 Democrats and 22 Republicans in The
Colorado State House. Legislators are preparing to look at bills related to housing
affordability, artificial intelligence regulation, and other regulatory and affordability bills
that seek to lower the cost of living for Coloradans. The General Assembly is also faced
with a unique budgetary challenge, which includes dropping revenue and an unbalanced
budget. Governor Jared Polis has already submitted a series of budget amendments and
supplements for the legislature's approval. This year's legislative session will run
through May 13th.
CSP announces hands free law citations statistics.
The Colorado State Patrol says that it gave out 935 citations last year for people who
were using their cellphones while driving. If you do use your cellphone while driving in
Colorado, you must do so hands-free, thanks to the "hands-free law" that passed the state
legislature in 2024 and took effect last year with the goal of reducing distracted driving
crashes. Drivers who are caught holding or using a cellphone while driving face a $75
fine and license suspension points for a first offense. CSP says enforcement has
increased significantly since the law took effect. The law applies even if drivers are
stopped in traffic or at a red light. The only exception is when the vehicle is legally
parked.
CBI announces additional bodies identified for Davis Mortuary.
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation has announced that three additional bodies from
The Davis Mortuary in Pueblo have been identified, bringing the total number of bodies
identified to 9. CBI says the last three identifications were made by using rapid DNA
technology. The remaining 15 bodies found at the funeral home are undergoing forensic
genetic genealogy, which uses public DNA databases to find distant relatives and to build
family trees. CBI says this option was chosen due to poor record-keeping by Davis
Mortuary and the condition of the remains. CBI says it is still investigating the multiple
containers of bones, cremains and possible human tissue found, which represent an
unknown number of individuals. Former Pueblo County Coroner Brian Cotter, and his
brother, are accused of hiding bodies in a secret room of the privately-owned funeral
home.
Investigation continues after Shooting on the UCCS Campus Monday night.
UCCS and Colorado Springs Police responded to the UCCS campus just before 10:30pm
on Monday night following reports of a shooting. According to police, a suspect had shot
at a student after a confrontation in a campus parking lot. The suspect reportedly grew
agitated when the student pulled into a parking space, then confronted the student,
brandishing a gun. The student then reportedly ran away with the suspect firing three
rounds in the victim’s direction before he fled. The suspect was arrested as of 11am
yesterday. He has not been identified. There were no injuries or property damage due to
the shooting. The incident remains under investigation.
US DHS arrests Tren de aragua gang member in Colorado Springs.
Yorvis Michel Carrascal Campo, a tren de aragua gang member, has been arrested by The
U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Colorado Springs. Campo has been charged
with murder, racketeering and drug trafficking stemming from crimes he reportedly
committed in New Mexico when multiple TDA members kidnapped a man, tortured him
and strangled him to death. The body was buried in a remote location in New Mexico.
Officials say Campo is from Venezuela and was in the country illegally.
January 13th 2026
Trail set in Morphew murder case after suspect enters plea.
Barry Morphew made an appearance yesterday in Alamosa District Court to enter a not
guilty plea to one count of first degree murder in connection with the death of his wife,
Suzanne, who went missing in May of 2020. Morphew's defense attorney entered the not
guilty plea and also said that Morphew waives his right to a speedy trial. Morphew's trial
is currently set to begin on October 13th. A status conference is set for March 9th with a
motions hearing set for July 6th. Suzanne Morphew went missing in 2020 from the
couple's Chaffee County home. Barry Morphew was arrested and charged with her
murder in May of 2021, however that case was dismissed. Suzanne's remains were
found about 50 miles south of the Morphew home in the Moffat area of Saguache County
in the San Luis Valley in September of 2023. Last June, a grand jury returned an
indictment to charge Barry Morphew with murder.
First victim identified in Pueblo County explosion.
The man who died in an explosion at a home in Eastern Pueblo County last week has
been identified as 79-year-old Daniel Dale Conner, according to The Pueblo County
Coroner. The woman who died has not yet been identified, however, the coroner's office
says the woman's identity will be released at a later time. The couple died last Thursday
after an explosion took place around 2:45pm in the home located near 57th Lane and
Cherry Road. When sheriff's deputies arrived on scene, the found the structure fully
engulfed in flames. The investigation into the cause of the explosion remains ongoing.
Avalanche triggered in RMNP over the weekend.
The Colorado Avalanche Information Center says that a group of skiers and
snowboarders is safe now after the got stuck in an avalanche at Rocky Mountain National
Park over the weekend. The avalanche reportedly occurred in haiyaha couloir when a
group reported ski cutting the upper chute, which triggered the avalanche. One of the
skiers got caught in the slide. He was carried down and was briefly buried under the
snow. He dislocated his shoulder while grabbing a tree. A second skier was also caught
as the group attempted to help the first skier. The group was able to safely exit the area,
according to the CAIC.
Rocky Ford firefighters respond to structure fire yesterday.
Rocky Ford firefighters responded to a structure fire on north Main Street about 1am
yesterday morning. Firefighters doused the blaze using handlines. The building was not
occupied and there were no injuries connected to the fire. Crews remained on scene to
monitor the structure through the night. The incident remains under investigation.
CPW announces expansion of CO range riding program.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is expanding the Colorado range riding program and has
opened requests for proposals for the 2026 season through the Colorado vendor self
service. The RFP's will be open through February 6th with interviews taking place later
in February and contracts awarded in early spring. In 2025, the Colorado range riding
program contracted 11 riders and focused on Northwest Colorado. With continued wolf
dispersal, CPW is hoping to expand the program into the southwest and increase the
number of contracted riders. An information session will take place this Friday, January
16th, at 10am at the CPW Grand Junction office in the hunter education building, and also
online. For more information, go to the CPW website at cpw.state.co.us and search on
"2026 range riding season".
January 12th 2026
CO and other states file lawsuit over freeze of federal family assistance programs.
Colorado, along with the States of California, Illinois, Minnesota and New York, have
filed a lawsuit against The Trump Administration after it froze some benefits for low-
income families. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says that the
freeze is related to fraud concerns, however, officials in the five states say the move is
unconstitutional and violates regulations linked to federal aid programs. The states are
asking a court to halt the funding freeze. The freeze impacts the child care and
development fund, which helps families access childcare in Colorado. The lawsuit says
the Trump Administration has not given any "legitimate justification" for stopping the
funds. A judge in the case on Friday paused the freeze for 14 days.
CSP announces 2025 marked third consecutive year of decline auto thefts.
The Colorado State Patrol announced on Friday that 2025 marked the third consecutive
year of a decline in auto thefts in Colorado. CSP says that Colorado saw a 34% decline
in auto theft within the past year compared to 2024, representing a 61% reduction in auto
theft incidents since 2022. CSP says that the top cities where auto thefts occur are
Denver, Aurora, Colorado Springs, Pueblo and Lakewood. The vehicles most often
stolen in 2025 were Chevrolet Silverado, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai Sonata, Ford F-150
and GMC Sierra. CSP urges Coloradans to continue their theft prevention routines,
including locking their car and taking their keys or faub every time.
Two people found dead after house explosion in east Pueblo Last Thursday.
Two people were found dead following the house explosion east of Pueblo in the Boone
Area of Pueblo County last Thursday. According to The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office,
law enforcement and fire crews responded to a report of an explosion near 57th lane and
cherry road around 2:45pm Thursday. When deputies arrived, they found a structure
fully engulfed in fire. An adult male and adult female were in the home at the time of the
explosion. After firefighters extinguished the fire, they found one of the individuals. The
second person was found Friday Morning. Neither has been officially identified. The
Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control and The Pueblo County Sheriff's
Office were on scene Friday investigating the cause of the explosion.
Snow totals from First major winter storm of the season.
The first major winter storm of the 2025-2026 winter season last Thursday and Friday
brought impressive snowfall with it, especially for January, which tends to be a drier
month in Colorado. Storm totals around our area include 6 inches for Alamosa, 3 inches
in Trinidad, 6.5 for Walsenburg, 10.2 in Rye, 6 in Colorado City, 4.8 in Pueblo, 13.3 in
Colorado Springs, 4 inches in Westcliffe, and 6.5 in Monument.
CPW informing CO residents of new firearms safety program.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is informing Colorado residents about the new firearms
safety program, and is gathering feedback before the program begins on August 1st. The
new program is required under SB25-003, also known as the semiautomatic firearms &
rapid-fire devices bill, which was signed into law on April 10th of last year. Beginning
August 1st, individuals will be required to take a firearms safety course before purchasing
or transferring specified semiautomatic firearms. CPW is responsible for the
implementation of the training portions. CPW has launched a webpage dedicated to
outlining the legally required program requirements and timelines. Visit the webpage by
going to cpw.state.co.us/specified-semiautomatic-firearms.
January 9th 2026
Vote to override President Trump's AVCA veto failed yesterday.
A hail mary effort to overturn President Donald Trump's veto of the "finish the arkansas
valley conduit act" has failed in The House of Representatives. The measure
unanimously passed in both the House and Senate before it was vetoed by President
Trump. Yesterday, The House took a vote on whether to override the veto. The vote
would have needed a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers. The House vote to
override failed. The act would have reduced the payments that communities within The
Arkansas River Valley would make for the construction of a clean water pipeline from
The Pueblo Reservoir. It would have removed interest payments and extended the
repayment period to 100 years. Trump called the project unviable and said more than
$249 million has already been spent, however, total costs are estimated to be $1.3 billion.
Trump said the act would have landed further burden on federal taxpayers.
Multiple agencies respond to structure explosion in Pueblo County yesterday.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene of a structure explosion in Pueblo County
yesterday afternoon. According to The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office, law enforcement
and fire crews responded to a report of an explosion near 57th lane and cherry road in
eastern Pueblo County around 2:45pm. Upon arrival, deputies found a structure fully
engulfed in fire. Firefighters got the fire under control and there is no threat to the public.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. No further information was made
available.
Trinidad inmate pronounced dead after hanging himself.
Mitch Hall, 65, of Trinidad, was pronounced dead on December 26th after the apparently
hanged himself in his cell at The Las Animas County Detention Center in Trinidad. Jail
personnel reportedly found hall "unresponsive" about 7:40pm on the 26th. The Las
Animas County Sheriff's Office has requested that The Colorado Bureau of Investigation
investigated the death. No foul play is suspected at this time. Hall was booked into the
jail on December 24th and was facing possible charges of second-degree assault, resisting
arrested, obstructing a peace officer, disorderly conduct and public indecency.
Fremont County Sheriff's asking for assistance in locating hit and run vehicle.
The Fremont County Sheriff's Office is asking for the public's help in located a vehicle
that they say was believed to be involved in a hit and run in Canon City on Wednesday
night. The hit and run took place in the 1300 block of Sherman Avenue in Canon City.
The Sheriff's office says it believes the vehicle involved in the crash was a 2014 to 2018
Subaru forester with front passenger side damage. If you have seen the vehicle in
question or have information regarding the crash, you're asked to contact Fremont
County Deputy Will Sanders by calling 719-276-5555.
Colorado Law Enforcement to hold Winter Blitz DUI enforcement period.
Preliminary data shows that 234 people died in crashes involving an impaired driver in
Colorado last year. While impaired driving-related fatalities are down 18% since 2022,
impaired driving remains a leading contributing factor in Colorado traffic deaths. To
prevent impaired driving-related crashes, The Colorado State Patrol and 59 local law
enforcement agencies will hold the heat is on winter blitz DUI enforcement period now
through January 21st. Drivers may see saturation patrols, sobriety checkpoints and
additional law enforcement officers on duty dedicated to arresting impaired drivers and
keeping Colorado roads safe. While most Coloradans make the responsible choice and
always drive sober, last year 34% of traffic deaths involved an impaired driver, which is
higher than the national average of 30%, according to the national highway traffic safety
administration.
Click here
