KSPK NEWS
September 1st 2026
Initiative to prohibit out of cycle redistricting qualifies for the November ballot.
Initiative 256, a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit Colorado's
Congressional maps from being withdrawn outside of election cycles, has qualified for
the November ballot, according to The Colorado Secretary of State's Office.
Congressional districts are typically redrawn every decade based on census data. Under
Initiative 256, redistricting changes for the 2028 election and beyond would be prohibited
unless approved by the congressional redistricting commission and the supreme court.
Backed by the group "Advance Colorado", Initiative 265 was introduced in response to
proposed ballot measures that would have redrawn Colorado's congressional districts for
the 2028 election. The Colorado State Supreme Court blocked those proposed measures,
ruling they violated the single-subject requirement. Because Initiative 256 is a
constitutional amendment, it requires a 55% vote to pass.
Proposition 137 to ask CO voters to redirect sporting goods sales tax.
Proposition 137 will ask Colorado voters in November whether or not to redirect sporting
goods sales tax for conservation efforts. Supporters say that Proposition 137 will put a
significant dent in the reported $100 to $200 million shortfall when it comes to
conservation, wildfire and recreation efforts. Voters are being asked if they want to
redirect already existing sales tax revenue. However, the proposition is not directing
actual dollars received by tax on sporting goods and equipment, but instead identifies the
amount of money the state receives from the existing sales tax, then would exempt that
same amount of money from the taxpayer bill of rights budget cap. So, when revenue
exceeds the tabor budget cap, the state can keep and spend the additional money
identified by Proposition 137, exempting it from tabor refunds, an amount that is
expected to be around $175 Million each year.
CDPHE released Arkansas River test results following sewage leak.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment yesterday released test
results following the release of 4.25 million gallons of raw sewage into The Arkansas
River last week. The release took place near Confluence Park. On Thursday, upstream
samples showed 64.4 colony-forming units (or cfu) per 100 ml, which is normal.
However, downstream at Baxter Road, the reading was greater than 2,419 cfu/100ml. On
Friday, upstream samples showed 28.8 cfu/100ml, which is normal. Downstream at
Baxter road, the sample showed 1,119.9 cfu/100ml. Further downstream at Nyberg
Road, the sample showed greater than 2,419 cfu/100ml. The state standard for a safe
swim beach is 235 cfu/100ml. The Department of Agriculture has alerted farms in
communities downstream of the spill. Whether or not they use the water for crops is the
responsibility of the individual farmer. It is not known when the water will be safe again.
Pike and San Isabel National Forests to reduce some closure areas.
The Pike and San Isabel National Forests will reduce previously established closure areas
associated with The Aspen Acres Fire today. The reductions reopen several popular
destinations while still restricting access where fire activity and firefighter operations
require additional space. Areas reopened include The Mingus Ranch Cabin, Ophir Creek
Campground, Lake Isabel, La Vista Campground, South Side Campground, and The
Lake Isabel Cabin. Other areas that were previously closed remain closed at this time.
Alamosa Farmers Market taking place this Saturday in Alamosa.
The Alamosa Farmers' Market welcomes locals and visitors to downtown Alamosa this
Saturday at the corner of Ross Avenue and 6th Street. Vendors will be selling regional
farm fresh food products, various foodstuffs and hand crafted goods. For more
information, go to www.alamosafarmersmarket.org.
August 31st 2026
Update to CO SOS website leads to a data leak.
An update to The Colorado Secretary of State's website earlier this month made voter
profiles available to the public. According to The Secretary of State's Office, the breach
took place after the "find my voter registration" tool was updated earlier this month.
voter information shown included: a voters full name, party affiliation, address, and birth
year. The breach was discovered last Tuesday and was fixed within an hour. The
Secretary of State's Office says that 59 confidential voter profiles were accessed while
the information was available to the public, and that most of the people affected have
been contacted. Secretary of State Jena Griswold apologized on Friday for the breach.
this is not the first time there have been breaches involving The Secretary of State's
website. In 2024, partial passwords for voting systems were posted in a spreadsheet that
anyone could download from The Secretary of State's website.
Front Range Passenger RDBOD voted to place sales tax measure on November Ballot.
The Front Range Passenger Rail District's Board of Directors on Friday voted to place a
sales tax measure on The November ballot to fund the expansion of the Colorado
Connector, also known as COCO, between Denver and Southern Colorado. If approved,
the tax would add new daily trips and would bring the passenger rail project one step
closer to linking front range communities by train. The Colorado Connector website says
that service is expected to begin in 2029 between Denver and Fort Collins. Then, a route
south to Colorado Springs and Pueblo is expected to be added by 2032. Eventually,
although no date has been given, service is expected to reach Trinidad. The new tax
would add .33 cents to existing sales tax within the front range rail district.
Residents urged to avoid Arkansas River following sewage leak.
Residents are being urged to avoid The Arkansas River from where it meets Fountain
Creek on the east side of Pueblo to where it enters John Martin Reservoir near Las
Animas. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued a statement
yesterday following testing of water samples after the City of Pueblo accidentally
released 4.25 million gallons of untreated sewage into The Arkansas River between
Wednesday and Thursday of last week. Testing results show that the river is highly
contaminated. If people come into contact with the water and experience diarrhea,
nausea, vomiting, cramps, fever, rash or irritated eyes, individuals should seek a medical
evaluation.
Gardner man identified as man killed in Kansas crash.
William Duran of Gardner has been identified as the man who was killed on Friday in a
crash that involved a three-wheeled motorcycle and a van on U.S. Highway 50 in Reno
County, Kansas. According to The Reno County Sheriff's Office, deputies were
dispatched shortly before noon on Friday to the intersection of US 50 and Salem Road.
Upon arrival, Duran was found deceased near the motorcycle and a passenger van with
rear-end damage was in the westbound lanes. The van reportedly stopped behind a
westbound semi preparing to turn south from US 50 when the Motorcyle struck the rear
of the van at a high rate of speed. The van's two occupants were treated at the scene and
were released.
2026 SLV Economic Summit taking place Wednesday.
Regional leaders, business owners and community members will gather at The Outcalt
Event Center in Monte Vista on Wednesday for the 2026 San Luis Valley Economic
Summit. The daylong event will run from 8:45am to 3:30pm and will highlight
innovative strategies, workforce solutions and regional collaboration across the valley.
There will be keynote addresses and a panel discussion entitled "regional cooperation in
action". Registration remains open. Sign up online by searching on SLV Economic
Summit 2026.
August 28th 2026
CO Gov debate between Dem and UA nominees took place yesterday.
Two of the three candidates for Colorado Governor faced off last night in a televised
debate. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, the Democratic nominee, and former
U.S. Rep. Greg Lopez, who is Unaffiliated, attended the debate, while Republican
Nominee Victor Marx declined to participate. During the debate, Weiser argued that
building more "starter" homes and lowering the barriers to buying them is the right
approach. Lopez, who agreed with Weiser that affordability is a problem, said
understanding land use is key. He said he would sit down with builders and developers
to reduce costs. Weiser advocated for a state law to regulate data centers, saying the goal
is to protect community interests, clean energy standards and utility rates. Lopez said the
jury is still out on data centers, adding he too is worried about their water use. Mail
ballots will go out to Colorado voters on October 2nd and are due back to your local
County Clerk by 7pm on Tuesday, November 3rd.
City of Pueblo announced unplanned sewage discharge yesterday.
The City of Pueblo Wastewater Department announced yesterday that an unplanned
discharge of untreated sewage was dumped into The Arkansas River near Confluence
Park earlier in the day. State officials as well as users and neighbors of the river have
been informed of the incident. State and Pueblo City stormwater officials were notified
early yesterday of the discharge and stopped the issue by 11:45am. A wastewater pipe
inside of a stormwater pipe had a hole cut in it several years ago that was patched, but
had reopened. The downstream communities of Avondale, Boone, Fowler, Manzanola,
Rocky Ford, Swink, La Junta and Las Animas are being advised to avoid any river
activities through Monday.
Suspect in Walsenburg death case pled guilty this week.
Eli Yelloweagle, 23, of Walsenburg, pled guilty this week to manslaughter in connection
with the death of Ruben Benjamin Bernal on April 23rd of 2025. Police found Bernal at a
home at 804-1/2 west Seventh Street, dead of an apparent gunshot wound to the chest.
Bernal was 19 at the time of his death. Yelloweagle was initially charged with second-
degree murder and first degree assault. He pled guilty this week to manslaughter and
tampering with physical evidence. Yelloweagle is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday,
September 28th at 1:30pm in Huerfano County District Court.
City of Alamosa inviting public to reconstruction celebration.
The City of Alamosa would like to invite the community to join in celebrating the
reconstruction of Pike Avenue (at the intersection of Pike Avenue and 2nd Street) on
Wednesday, September 2nd, beginning at 11am. The city is grateful to be able to use
street trust fund monies to improve the quality of the City's roads and is thankful for the
support of the community. The City also appreciates the patience of residents during
these construction projects.
TSC announces confirmed bear activity near border with property.
Trinidad State College has announced that it has confirmed that bear activity has taken
place at 610 Pine Street in Trinidad, which borders campus property. The college is
advising students to use caution when traveling in the area of The Davis/Huggins
overflow parking lot. While bears are not directly on campus property, the college says
that a patrolman is monitoring the situation.
August 27th 2026
CSP released names of troopers involved in Tuesday shooting yesterday.
The Colorado State Patrol yesterday released the names of the two troopers who were
injured in a shooting that took place just east of Woodland Park on Tuesday. The
troopers have been identified as Clark Tinan, who has been with CSP for 10 years, and
Skylar Hoehn, who has been with CSP for 15 years. Tinan was released from the
hospital Tuesday. Hoehn is doing well, but remains in the hospital with serious injuries.
the shooting took place around 7:15am Tuesday on US 24 near Piney Point Lane. The
suspect in the incident was driving a blue Subaru Impreza when he was pulled over. The
suspect shot at both troopers who pulled him over, injuring them. The Teller County
Coroner's Office identified the suspect last night as Robert Rudolf Richards Jr., 51, of
Loveland. Richards suffered a fatal gunshot wound in the incident, however, an autopsy
will take place for an official cause of death.
CO AG's Office announce settlement in Meta lawsuit.
The Colorado Attorney General's Office announced yesterday that Meta inc. will pay
over $17 billion and will implement child-safety reforms on Instagram and Facebook
under a nationwide settlement. The agreement, which still must be approved by the
court, resolves claims that Meta designed Instagram with "addictive features" knowingly
exposed young users to serious mental harms and intentionally misled the public about
the safety of its platforms. Under the settlement, officials said that Colorado will receive
close to $615 million over nine years, which will go directly to protecting and restoring
the mental health and safety of children in Colorado. The settlement also separately
resolves the states' claims against Meta for sharing nonpublic information about
Facebook users with third parties to garner support for political candidates leading up to
the 2016 election. Colorado will receive an additional $11.4 million to settle those
claims.
Aspen Acres Fire update given by Fire Officials yesterday.
Fire officials gave an update last night on the Aspen Acres Fire, which is now 82%
contained with a total of 102,004 acres burned. Officials said that 153 firefighters remain
working on the fire. With much of the areas above Colorado 165 being difficult to reach,
aircraft, drones and infrared detection are helping firefighters mop up these areas.
Ground crews have also had to leave the mountain areas at times due to lightning and
other weather conditions. Firefighters will continue working in the area until the fire is
fully contained.
CDOT releases 2026 driving behavior report.
The Colorado Department of Transportation this week released the 2026 driving behavior
report, a statewide survey of how Coloradans drive and how well they understand
Colorado's traffic safety laws. The results show measurable drops in distracted and
impaired driving alongside higher seat belt compliance. On average, Colorado drivers
reported engaging in 1.29 of the 4 unsafe behaviors in 2026, a decrease from 1.35 in
2023. CDOT surveyed 1,615 Coloradans for the report, with respondents from each of
the state's 64 counties.
3rd CD US Rep Hurd hosting event in Pueblo tomorrow.
3rd Congressional District U.S. Representative Jeff Hurd will host a "coffee with the
congressman" this Friday, August 28th, from 9am to 10:30am in Pueblo. Hurd says he
wants to give residents and opportunity to sit down with their representative, ask
questions, and discuss the issues that matter most to their families and communities. The
meeting will take place at The Bret Kelly B Room of the Pueblo Main Library at 100
East Abriendo Avenue in Pueblo, again from 9am to 10:30am tomorrow. Everyone is
welcome.
August 26th 2026
CSP troopers hospitalized after traffic stop shooting yesterday.
Two Colorado State Patrol troopers were hospitalized and a suspect is dead following a
shooting during a traffic stop that took place on the west edge of Woodland Park
yesterday. According to The Colorado State Patrol, the initial incident took place around
7:15am yesterday when a resident reported suspicious activity in the area near mile
marker 286 along US 24. A responding trooper attempted to make a traffic stop, and the
suspect opened fire, striking the trooper. A second trooper responded to the distress call
and was also shot when he encountered the suspect. That trooper returned fire, striking
the suspect. At 9:24am, law enforcement was notified that the suspect's vehicle was in
the area. When sheriff's deputies approached the vehicle, the suspect began firing.
deputies returned fire, striking the suspect. The suspect was then flown to a hospital,
where he was pronounced dead at noon. Both troopers are expected to fully recover.
Public School enrollment trending down according to the CDE.
Data from the Colorado Department of Eduction shows that overall public school
enrollment is trending down. CDE reported a total of 870,793 students were enrolled in
Colorado public schools during the 2025-2026 school year. That's down 10,272
students, or 1.2%, from the previous year. CDE says that Colorado's enrollment trends
are being shaped by a declining school-aged population and shifts toward part-time and
online learning. At the same time, the data also shows that the number of students
reported as being in 100% home-based education has increased nearly 20 in three years,
from 8,674 students to 10,367 during the 2025-2026 school year. The latest one-year
increase was particularly concentrated in Southern Colorado. The latest statewide
numbers reflect the past school year. Numbers for this new school year won't be released
until January.
Alamosa City Council approves resolution to extend street sales tax.
The Alamosa City Council has approved resolution 7-2026, placing a proposal to extend
the municipality's half percent street sales tax ahead of its current expiration in 2029 on
the November ballot. City Councilors are asking voters to extend the dedicated half-cent
sales tax to keep pace with rising construction costs and long term maintenance needs.
Currently, the city operates on an annual street maintenance budget of about $300,000.
However, comprehensive, long-term infrastructure needs and projected street
preservation targets across the city range between $1.8 million and $2.1 million, leaving a
significant budget gap that officials hope to bridge through the extended sales tax
revenue.
Fire crews responded to single tree fire in Westcliffe last night.
Fire crews responded to a fire in Westcliffe last night, just before 5pm. According to The
Custer County Sheriff's Office, emergency crews were investigating a smoke sighting
south of 729 Navajo Road in Westcliffe, near airport road. A single tree appeared to be
on fire in the area. The Wet Mountain Fire Protection District believes a lightning strike
caused the fire. The surrounding area appeared to be damp. As of 6pm, fire crews had
reached the fire, which is in an area with heavy timber, and attached the blaze. The fire
was out and crews had cleared the scene of the fire by 7:45pm last night.
Pueblo County Sheriff's Office warning public of new scam.
The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office is warning the public about an ongoing text message
scam where fraudsters pose as reputable companies like apple and paypal and send text
messages saying there is a problem with your account or computer. The text message
will ask people to call a number of click a link. The fraudsters are hoping to gain access
to bank accounts or credit card information. Remember... don't click on suspicious lines
are call numbers in text messages if you don’t know the sender, and never give out
personal or financial information.
Click here
