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Bill to raise overtime threshold for certain agricultural workers passes State House. Schwachheim fire near Trinidad now 36% contained. FSTB grants CPRG's request to withdraw railroad line abandonment request. Body found near Trinidad identified as missing woman. Peakview Elementary School student killed on I-25 last week. For older News stories please scroll below today's headlines.

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KSPK-FM is a locally owned and operated country music radio station that is located in Southern Colorado, and broadcasts to most of Southeastern Colorado and the San Luis Valley. KSPK's format consists of the new country hits with some of the older country favorites mixed in. KSPK-FM carries various High School Athletic Games from various High School's in Southern Colorado. KSPK's coverage area extends from Colorado Springs Colorado in the North to Raton New Mexico in South; South Fork Colorado in the west and Lamar Colorado in the east. With such a large area of coverage KSPK remains to this day Southern Colorado's Largest Radio Station.

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KSPK NEWS

April 17th 2026

Bill to raise overtime threshold for certain agricultural workers passes State House.

Senate Bill 26-121, a bill that would raise the overtime threshold for overtime pay for certain agricultural workers, passed on a 33-32 vote yesterday in The Colorado State House. The bill now heads back to The State Senate, which must review an amendment added on Wednesday by co-sponsors Rep. Matthew Martinez, of Monte Vista, and House Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter, of Trinidad. The amendment puts more teeth into penalties for employers who willfully do not pay overtime for their agriculture workers or who classify hourly workers as salaried to avoid paying overtime. Ty Winter said that the bill is about doing what's right for the people of Colorado in more ways than one. The Senate is expected to concur with the House amendment. The bill will then be forwarded to the Govenor's desk for his signature.

Schwachheim fire near Trinidad now 36% contained.

The Schwachheim fire, burning southeast of Trinidad near the Colorado/New Mexico border, has now grown to a total of 1,012 acres in size, and is now 36% contained, as of last night. According to the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention, the containment is on the south and southwest sides of the fire. The rugged terrain and steep topography on the north and northwest side of the fire is making it difficult for firefighters to extend containment lines on that side of the fire. A temporary flight restriction is also in effect in the airspace above the fire. The fire sparked to life on Sunday and is burning inside the lake Dorothy state wildlife area, which is currently closed to the public. A type three incident management team is currently managing firefighting efforts.

FSTB grants CPRG's request to withdraw railroad line abandonment request.

The Federal Surface Transportation board has granted the request for Colorado Pacific Rio Grande Railroad to withdraw its original request to abandon the 26.5 mile rail line from Monte Vista to South Fork. The railroad had hoped to turn the line into a hiking trail, however, following opposition from local landowners, the railroad changed directions and requested to withdraw the request. The final decision ensures that the line will not be abandoned or sold at this time and that a third party offer to buy the line is no longer valid. The decision also maintains the historical connectivity of the rail.

Body found near Trinidad identified as missing woman.

The body of Christina Annette Sanchez, 53, who had been missing for nearly a year, was found on April 7th to the west of Simpson's rest on the northwest side of Trinidad. Sanchez was identified by dental records on Friday, April 10th. An autopsy will take place to determine the cause of death. Foul play is not suspected as of now. Sanchez, who has been described as an "at-risk" adult with diagnosed schizophrenia, had last been seen by her home nurse on April 20th of last year. She was reported missing on April 23rd, 2025.

Peakview Elementary School student killed on I-25 last week.

The accident that took place 8 miles north of Walsenburg on Interstate 25 on April 9th, killed a Peakview Elementary School Student. Huerfano RE-1 schools Superintendent Bobby Howard said that the district is deeply saddened by this profound loss. He said "we stand together to support each other through this unimaginable tragedy". The Colorado State Patrol responded to a single-vehicle crash on April 9th around 3:15pm near The Huerfano Butte where a 2024 Jeep Compass traveling northbound, failed to negotiate a right hand turn in the roadway and went off the left side of the road. An unrestrained juvenile female was ejected from the vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The 31-year-old driver and a male juvenile were both transported to the hospital.

April 16th 2026

CO Gov Polis recommendeds no tabor refunds for next two fiscal years.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis has recommended withholding tabor refunds in both the 2026-27 and 2027-28 fiscal years. Polis says the state accidentally overpaid $306.1 million in refunds during the 2025-26 fiscal year, and by canceling tabor refunds, the state can show $306.1 million in savings. The governor's office says the overpayment stemmed from federal budgetary changes that affected how the state calculated revenue for 2024-25. Those revised calculations led to higher-than-appropriate refunds being issued in 2025-26. The request argues that if the federal budget's impact on 2024-25 state revenues had been known at the time, the state would have fallen below The Referendum C cap that year, meaning that no tabor refunds would have been issued in the first place. Joint budget committee staff say that keeping the $306.1 million – spread across the 2026-27 and 2027-28 budgets - would not be legal. Therefore, The JBC decided to use the over-refund to help balance the budget for the next 2 years, however, a bill to do so has not yet been introduced.

Pikes Peak region firefighters called into help with the Schwachheim fire.

Multiple firefighters from The Pikes Peak region have been called in to help fight the Schwachheim fire burning along the Colorado/New Mexico Border southeast of Trinidad. The fire, which began on Sunday inside the Lake Dorothy state recreation area, is a total of 1,003 acres in size with 0% containment as of last night. The fire's intensity decreased yesterday with light winds and cooler temperatures, giving fire crews "a good window in which to work before warmer and windier weather returns". Colorado Parks and Wildlife has closed The Lake Dorothy state wildlife area to the public. Turkey hunting license holders are being notified directly.

SLV Animal welfare society asking community to be on lookout for stolen trailer.

The San Luis Valley Animal welfare society is asking the community to be on the lookout for a trailer loaded with kennels that was stolen from the shelter. According to the society, an 18-foot flatbed trailer loaded with flattened metal kennels was stolen from their location near San Luis on Monday night. The trailer and kennels are believed to have been stolen between dark and 11pm. The trailer is reportedly worth $15,000 and the kennels were picked up in Colorado Springs. No description of the trailer was made available. If you see the trailer and kennels, you're asked to call Alamosa dispatch at 719-589-5807, or the animal welfare society at 719-588-5560.

Longtime Trinidad Resident secures Dem nod for CO HD 47.

Longtime Trinidad Resident Vic Meyers, a Democrat, has secured the Democratic Party nomination for Colorado House District 47 and will advance to the November 2026 general election. Meyers announced the nomination after facing no competition at the county assembly and receiving no challengers through the petition process. Meyers was born and raised in Pueblo County and has lived in Trinidad for the past 25 years. He is an army veteran and former Colorado Department of Corrections Officer. Meyers will face Incumbent Ty Winter, a republican, in November. Winter is also unopposed for the June primary.

US 160 wildlife safety project set to resume on Monday.

Following a break for the winter, work on the wildlife safety project along US 160 east of Fort Garland is set to resume on Monday. Road crews will resume with backfilling, grading work, installation of additional game fencing and a new resurfacing of about two miles of highway. Work will take place between mile markers 258 and 265. Motorists should watch for shoulder closures as traffic control re-installs electronic message boards. the project is expected to be completed this June.

April 15th 2026

CO AG Weiser announced Albertsons settlement yesterday.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser yesterday announced that grocery chain albertsons has agreed to pay nearly $774 million to address its role in driving the opioid epidemic. Of that money, a total of $32 million is earmarked for the State of Colorado. While the settlement resolves all opioid-related claims against albertsons companies – which also operates Safeway grocery stores in Colorado – it does not include an admission of wrongdoing or liability from the company. Albertsons is the most recent retailer to finalize a settlement related to the opioid epidemic. Kroger (which operates King Soopers and City Market stores in Colorado), Walgreens and Walmart have each announced similar settlements in recent years. Negotiations with Albertsons has been led by Attorneys General from Colorado, California, Illinois and Oregon.

CO Gov Polis faults Trump Administration for rejecting CO appeals.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis on Monday faulted The Trump Administration for rejecting Colorado's appeals for assistance following last fall's fires and flooding in the state. The state initially filed for a major disaster declaration for the Elk and Lee fires in Rio Blanco County and the flooding in the western part of the state last year. FEMA denied the requests in December. The state appealed the decisions in January only to be rejected again. Polis called the rejection "disappointing" and blamed The Trump Administration for denying funding to help Colorado communities recover.

Las Animas Counties Schwachheim fire continues to grow in size.

As of last night, the Schwachheim fire, burning near the Colorado-New Mexico state line, has grown to 1,002 acres and there is still no containment. The fire is burning in grass and brush in an old burn scar area within the Lake Dorothey state wildlife area. There are no evacuations ordered currently. A Colorado type 3 incident management team took over management of the fire yesterday morning. About 100 fire personnel were on hand fighting the fire yesterday. The wildfire sparked to life on Sunday in Las Animas County. Colorado Governor Jared Polis declared a disaster emergency on Monday afternoon, which now allows the State of Colorado to take the necessary actions to assist in response, recovery and mitigation efforts.

Former Costilla County Sheriff/Deputies appeared in court yesterday.

Five former Costilla County Sheriff's office employees, including former Sheriff Danny Sanchez, made their first court appearances yesterday. Former Sheriff Danny Sanchez is facing one county of abuse of a corpse and four counts of official misconduct. Former deputy is facing the same charges. Former Deputies Roland Riley and Caleb Sanchez are each facing charges of second and third degree assault. Former undersheriff Cruz Soto is facing charges of failure to intervene, failure to report use of force, assault and misconduct. All five men appeared out of custody. All 5 were indicted in March, and the former sheriff resigned days later. All 5 are scheduled to appear in court again on May 26th.

New Monte Vista wastewater treatment facility to cost more than expected.

After Monte Vista has been telling residents that a new wastewater treatment facility will cost $30 million, the lowest bid has now come in at $49.7 million. The need for a new wastewater plant comes in light of stricter federal and state standards for water quality. While the city has already increased sewer rates from $18.39/month to $55.17/month to help pay for the new treatment facility, more money is now needed. The city is reportedly conducting a rate study based on a 40-year repayment period for the additional $19 million, and is hoping some of that amount will also come from grants.

April 14th 2026

House Bill to prohibit colorimetric field test arrests passes CO Legislature.

House Bill 26-1020, a bill that prohibits law enforcement from arresting an individual for a level 1 drug misdemeanor based solely on a positive colorimetric field drug test, was signed into law last month after passing both the State House and Senate unanimously, making Colorado the first state in the nation to prohibit arrests based solely on colorimetric drug tests, also known as field drug tests. To conduct these tests, the suspected substance is placed into a small bag and shaken. The contents of the bag change color if an illicit substance is identified. However, research has found false- positive rates as high as almost 40% in some cases. It is estimated that about 300 Coloradans have been arrested on drug charges each year resulting from the tests’ use. The new law now prohibits law enforcement from arresting an individual based solely on a positive colorimetric field drug test.

Gov Polis issues disaster emergency for Schwachheim Fire.

Governor Jared Polis yesterday afternoon issued a disaster emergency in response to a fire that is burning south of Trinidad near the Colorado-New Mexico border. What is being called the "Schwachheim fire" began on Sunday in Las Animas County and has since grown to more than 450 acres. The fire, located in the Lake Dorothy State Wildlife area, is being battled by firefighters from The Hoehne Fire Protection District and The Raton Fire Department. The verbal disaster emergency declaration activates the state emergency operations plan and directs the department of public safety to take the necessary actions to assist in response, recovery and mitigation efforts. That support includes engine and hand crews, aerial resources and a type three incident management team to manage incident response efforts. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has closed The Lake Dorothy State Wildlife area to the public, effective immediately.

Custer County Commissioner arrested on tax evasion charges.

Custer County Commissioner Bill Canda has been arrested on a felony tax evasion charge following a months-long investigation by The Colorado Bureau of Investigation. According to The Custer County Sheriff's Office, a warrant was issued Friday for Canda who later turned himself in to The Custer County Jail. Canda was then charged with one count of tax evasion, a class 6 felony, and was released after posting a $1,250 bond. The arrest stems from an investigation by CBIi, which began back in August of 2025, at the request of The Custer County Sheriff's Office. According to CBI, the allegations against Canda center around whether he improperly used a county tax-exempt certificate to purchase materials for his private business, talon earthworks, rather than for public use.

City of Raton announces opening of baby box.

The City of Raton announced yesterday that it has opened its first baby box at Raton Fire Rescue on Clark Avenue. The box gives parents a safe way to give up a baby when they can no longer care for the baby. The climate-controlled box has an alarm system that alerts people inside the fire station when someone places a baby inside. It also dispenses resource packets for parents after they close the door. The box is the 15th baby box in the State of New Mexico. There are almost 500 baby boxes located across the United States.

CDLA announces rental assistance applications being taken.

The Colorado Department of Local Affairs has announced that applications for the April round of emergency rental assistance in Colorado are now being taken. The program helps Coloradans who've fallen behind on rent. You can receive up to 7 months of rent, or $10,000. Your income cannot exceed 60% of the median income. Applicants are entered into a random selection and then will be sent an email to complete a full application on the online portal. The window is open now until 5pm tomorrow. To fill out an application, go to doh.colorado.gov/emergency-rental-assistance.

April 13th 2026

CO Rep Bottoms and Victor Marx win spots on Republican Primary ballot.

State Rep. Scott Bottoms and Victor Marx both of Colorado Springs, both won spots in The Colorado Republican Party's Gubernatorial primary at the party assembly held on Saturday in Pueblo. State Senator Barb Kirkmeyer of Brighton is also running for Governor but didn't participate in the party assembly. Instead she has submitted signatures to qualify for the primary. Bottoms finished with 45% of the delegate vote. Marx came in second at 39%, both above the 30% required to make the ballot. Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell received 12%. The remaining candidates all came in under 1%. The Republican who wins the June 30th primary will face the winner of the Democratic primary, pitting U.S. Senator Michael Bennet against Attorney General Phil Weiser, in the fall. Current Governor Jared Polis is term limited.

CO State House passes state budget Saturday.

The Colorado State House on Saturday, after four days of work, passed the $46.8 billion 2026-27 state budget, contained in House bill 1410, along with 64 accompanying measures designed to help balance the budget, by a vote of 43-19. Joint budget committee member Rep. Rick Taggart, of Grand Junction, was the only Republican in the house to vote for the bill. One of those amendments was offered by Assistant Minority Leader Rep. Ty Winter of Trinidad and Rep. Megan Lukens, of Steamboat Springs, and would remove the ability of Colorado Parks and Wildlife to use $264,238 in general fund dollars to acquire more wolves for the state's troubled wolf reintroduction program. CPW would still retain those funds, but could only use them for wolf program management, including conflict minimization. Winter called the program a failure and said people were lied to about the program. The amendment passed. The bill now moves on the State Senate for consideration there.

NPS break ground on Great Sand Dunes project Friday.

The National Park Service broke ground on Friday on an approximately $14 million project to rehabilitate employee housing at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Funded by the Great American Outdoors act legacy restoration fund, the project will rehabilitate 13 existing park housing units located within the park. These units, originally built in the 1960s, support more than 25 park employees and their families. The project will upgrade fire protection and wastewater systems, address water damage, update both interior and exterior finishes, and ensure units meet accessibility standards.

Contractors to spray forest sites in Pike National forest.

Contractors will be spraying 17 forest service recreation sites on the Pike National Forest in an effort to minimize impact from mountain pine beetles. Treatment is expected to begin as soon as today, weather dependent, and last until April 23rd. Many of the sites are campgrounds, which are currently closed for the season, so impacts to visitors should be minimal. Forest service staff will be on site during spraying operations for safety and contract inspection. Trees were selected for protection based on tree health, aesthetic value and the ability to provide shade and animal habitat. During the treatment, the public will be asked to avoid each area for 24 hours after spraying.

Alamosa PD participating in DEA Drug take back day this Saturday.

The Alamosa Police Department is participating in The DEA National Prescription Drug take back day on Saturday, April 25th, from 10am to 2pm. Safely and anonymously dispose of unneeded medications at City Market at 131 Market Street in Alamosa, or at Walgreens at 1203 Main Street in Alamosa. For more details, visit deatakeback.com or contact the Alamosa Police Department by calling 719-589-2548.