PAGOSA SPRINGS, Colo. Some Pagosa Springs residents will be allowed to return home this weekend after heavy rainfall led to flooding in Archuleta County over the past couple of days.

Evacuation orders were lifted Saturday for Hermosa and San Juan streets in Pagosa Springs and both areas have returned to pre-evacuation status as a precaution. Town officials urged residents to remain alert and prepared should conditions change.

Denver7's Tyler Melito has the latest in the video below:

Denver7's Tyler Melito has an update on flooding in southwest Colorado

US 160 also opened back up to traffic between Pagosa Springs and Durango, officials said in a news release. Traffic between both towns will be alternating in a one-way direction along a damaged section of the highway in Aspen Springs, they added.

Please use caution, expect delays and follow traffic control instructions, town officials said in the news release.

A flood watch remains in effect through Sunday morning for portions of southwest Colorado, including the Animas River Basin, Four Corners/Upper Dolores River, San Juan River Basin and Southwest San Juan Mountains, National Weather Service officials in Boulder said.

Though conditions are improving, town officials said they will continue monitoring conditions and providing updates as needed.

Earlier Saturday, Gov. Polis expanded a flood disaster emergency to 12 counties in southwestern Colorado

The declaration unlocks state resources, including authorizing unarmed members of the Colorado National Guard, the release said. The state is also coordinating with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe on flooding affecting tribal land.

Polis thanked first responders and urged residents to follow emergency orders.

I urge Coloradans in Southwest Colorado to follow emergency orders and ensure you prioritize your and your familys safety, Polis said.

The State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating the response, the release said. State officials said:

Colorado Search and Rescue groups have been deployed. The Department of Natural Resources is supporting swiftwater rescue. Helicopters from the Division of Fire Prevention and Control are helping people stranded by the flooding. Colorado State Patrol troopers and four Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management area field managers are supporting local emergency operations centers and shelters. The Colorado National Guard is assisting with swiftwater rescues and search efforts. Flooding strands dozens of people in Archuleta County as river peaks with more rain in the forecastRoad closures

The Colorado Department of Transportation is monitoring road damage and managing these closures:

US 160 mile point 150 to mile point 183 is closed due to large amounts of debris following flooding. Expected to be an extended closure.  CO 112 mile point 1 to mile point 13 is closed eastbound and westbound due to flooding.  Del Norte to Center.  US 285 mile point 51.2 to mile point 55.85 is closed northbound and southbound due to flooding. North of Monte Vista between US 160 junction and CR 5N.   CO 151 mile point 22 to mile point 34 is closed due to flooding and debris. Chimney Rock to Arboles, between Forest Service Road 613 to the US 160 Junction. Expect Delays.

Drivers can check cotrip.org for current road conditions and closures. The governors office reminded people not to drive through floodwaters when they cannot see the road beneath.

Colorado 211 can connect residents with information on evacuations and shelters and help people in mandatory evacuation zones register for temporary housing vouchers. People can call 2-1-1 or visit 211colorado.org/disaster-response.

The Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado has activated the Community Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) to assist the Town of Pagosa Springs and surrounding areas affected by this weeks flooding.

Individuals who want to support the community are encouraged to donate to the fund, officials said.

Online donations can be made through the Community Foundations website, and checks made out to the Community Foundation Memo: 2026 Archuleta Flood can be mailed to P.O. Box 1673 Durango, CO 81302.

DENVER Gov. Jared Polis has added Conejos County to a disaster emergency declaration for flooding in southwest Colorado, bringing the order to 12 counties, as about 100 people have evacuated and many others are stranded in their homes by floodwaters, his office said.

Polis first declared the disaster emergency verbally in 11 counties: La Plata, Archuleta, Montezuma, Dolores, Hinsdale, San Miguel, Ouray, San Juan, Mineral, Alamosa and Rio Grande. He then amended the verbal order to include Conejos County, according to a news release from his office.

Watch Denver7's latest update on this story in the video below:

Flooding strands dozens of people in Archuleta County as river peaks with more rain in the forecast

The declaration unlocks state resources, including authorizing unarmed members of the Colorado National Guard, the release said. The state is also coordinating with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe on flooding affecting tribal land.

Polis thanked first responders and urged residents to follow emergency orders.

I urge Coloradans in Southwest Colorado to follow emergency orders and ensure you prioritize your and your familys safety, Polis said.

The State Emergency Operations Center is coordinating the response, the release said. State officials said:

Colorado Search and Rescue groups have been deployed. The Department of Natural Resources is supporting swiftwater rescue. Helicopters from the Division of Fire Prevention and Control are helping people stranded by the flooding. Colorado State Patrol troopers and four Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management area field managers are supporting local emergency operations centers and shelters. The Colorado National Guard is assisting with swiftwater rescues and search efforts.Road closures

The Colorado Department of Transportation is monitoring road damage and managing these closures:

U.S. 550 over Red Mountain Pass between Silverton and Ouray (mile points 75 to 80.2): one lane open, with traffic alternating directions. U.S. 160 in both directions west of Pagosa Springs (mile points 133 to 136.8), from Deer Trail Road to Elk Canyon Ranch Road/Hersch Avenue. U.S. 160 in both directions over Wolf Creek Pass (mile points 157 to 183), from the Treasure Falls chain-up station on the west side to South Fork. Colorado 17 in both directions over Cumbres and La Manga passes (mile points 0 to 38), from the New Mexico state line to Antonito. Colorado 151 in both directions at Chimney Rock (mile points 22.8 to 33.6), from the U.S. 160 junction to Arboles. Colorado 112 in both directions between Del Norte and Center (mile points 1 to 13).

Drivers can check cotrip.org for current road conditions and closures. The governors office reminded people not to drive through floodwaters when they cannot see the road beneath.

Colorado 211 can connect residents with information on evacuations and shelters and help people in mandatory evacuation zones register for temporary housing vouchers. People can call 2-1-1 or visit 211colorado.org/disaster-response.

The Community Foundation serving Southwest Colorado has activated the Community Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) to assist the Town of Pagosa Springs and surrounding areas affected by this weeks flooding.

Individuals who want to support the community are encouraged to donate to the fund, officials said.

Online donations can be made through the Community Foundations website, and checks made out to the Community Foundation Memo: 2026 Archuleta Flood can be mailed to P.O. Box 1673 Durango, CO 81302.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. Two people were killed following two separate vehicle crashes in Colorado Springs overnight, and police said impairment may have been a contributing factor in both.

The first crash was reported at around 12:13 a.m. at the intersection of S. Chelton Road and Marlow Circle.

A preliminary investigation into the crash revealed a single vehicle was traveling west on S. Chelton Road at a high rate of speed when it failed to negotiate a curve. Police said the vehicle then struck a curb, rolled over and came to rest on Marlow Circle.

The passenger was ejected during the rollover and was declared dead at the scene, according to a news release.

The driver, 20-year-old Karen Bustos, was later arrested for vehicular homicide and driving under the influence. The driver was booked into the El Paso County Jail.

Both speed and impairment are suspected contributing factors, police said.

The intersection of S. Chelton Road and Marlow Circle was closed for several hours while investigators processed the scene.

The second crash happened at around 12:47 a.m. at the intersection of E. Platte Avenue and Space Center Drive.

At the scene, officers found two vehicles had collided with each other. A preliminary investigation revealed a black car was traveling west on E. Platte Avenue approaching Space Center Drive, while a grey truck was traveling east on E. Platte Avenue and attempting to turn left onto northbound Space Center Drive.

The two vehicles collided within the intersection, according to a news release.

At this time, impairment may be a contributing factor, police said in a news release.

The intersection of E. Platte Avenue and Space Center Drive was closed for several hours while investigators processed the scene.

The investigation into this second crash remains ongoing.

The El Paso County Coroners Office will release the identity of the deceased once family has been notified.

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Todays Forecast:

A cold front dropping across the region brings a dramatic temperature drop and widespread rain to the eastern plains. The flash flooding threat along the Continental Divide has eased, as the heaviest rainfall shifts east. Pockets of the far eastern plains could see an additional 1 to 2 inches of rain today and tonight. Snow levels will drop over the high country, bringing 5 to 8 inches of fresh snow to the highest mountain peaks. Highs today reach the 50s to low 60s for the plains, before overnight lows drop into the 30s across the high valleys and the upper 30s to low 40s for the plains.

Watch News5's full forecast in the video below:

Cold front moves in and brings more rainfallLocal City Breakdown

Colorado Springs: Low: 40 | High: 54

Expect a chilly Saturday as a cold front knocks temperatures down by nearly 20 degrees. Clouds will thicken through the morning, with light rain showers building by the afternoon and evening. Northerly winds gusting up to 15 mph will add an extra chill to the air.

Pueblo: Low: 42 | High: 60

A damp, cool day is ahead with highs topping out in the lower 60s. Rain chances increase through Saturday afternoon and evening, accompanied by an easterly breeze. Periods of steady, moderate rain will continue through the night.

Canon City: Low: 43 | High: 58

Cool, fall-like weather takes over today with highs struggling to reach the upper 50s. Skies remain mostly cloudy, with scattered rain showers developing during the afternoon alongside a persistent easterly breeze.

Woodland Park: Low: 33 | High: 45 Raw and chilly conditions keep highs locked in the mid-40s. Rain showers build during the afternoon. As overnight temperatures fall near freezing, showers could mix with a few snow flurries late tonight.

Extended Forecast

An upper-level low tracking out of Arizona keeps Southern Colorado cold and wet through the weekend. A steady warming trend returns by mid-week.

Saturday Sunday: A strong cold front holds daytime highs in the 50s and low 60s across lower elevations. Widespread rain showers, isolated thunder, and heavy rain focus along the eastern plains, while high mountain peaks pick up several inches of snow. Sunday will be the coldest day of the stretch with lingering, trapped cloud cover and showers.

Monday: The storm system weakens and pulls away to the northeast. A few early morning showers may linger near the Kansas border before clearing skies take over. Temperatures begin to recover with highs reaching the upper 50s and low 60s.

Tuesday Friday: Drier southwesterly flow settles over the region for the rest of the workweek. Expect a stretch of pleasant, mostly sunny days with highs rebounding back into the upper 60s and lower 70s.

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The Pueblo County Coroner has identified a man found dead along West B Street on Wednesday afternoon in Pueblo.

Jesus Ramirez, 88, was reported missing and was last seen on the evening of Monday, October 19, 2026, according to Pueblo Police.

The circumstances surrounding Ramirez's cause of death remain under investigation.

The Pueblo County Coroner will release more information as it becomes available.

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DENVER (AP) Nathan MacKinnon had a goal and three assists, Nazem Kadri scored his first goal of the season and the Colorado Avalanche beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-3 on Friday night.

Devon Toews, Fedor Svechkov, Artturi Lehkonen and Martin Necas also scored as Colorado rebounded from back-to-back road losses. Mackenzie Blackwood made 31 saves.

Jake Guentzel scored twice and Charle-Edouard DAstous added another for the Lightning, who saw their three-game winning streak halted. Nikita Kucherov was held in check and remains a goal or assist away from becoming the franchises career points leader. He has 1,137 points and is tied with Steven Stamkos.

Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 18 of 23 shots, including one off the mask on MacKinnons liner.

Guentzels goal with 42.7 seconds left in the second period made it 4-2. The Avalanche unsuccessfully challenged the play for a missed stoppage. The Lightning went on the power play but couldnt score. They struggled on the power play all evening.

MacKinnons goal with 15:42 remaining gave Colorado a 5-2 cushion. Necas sealed it with a late empty-net tally.

Logan OConnor returned to the lineup after missing the start of the season with a lower-body injury. He recently lost his father, Myles, a former NHL defenseman, at age 59.

The game featured the leagues currently longest-tenured coaches in Jon Cooper and Jared Bednar. Cooper took over the Lightning in March 2013 and has won two Stanley Cups. Bednar was hired by Colorado in August 2016 and captured one Cup in 2022 over the Lightning.

Wyndham Clark, the 2026 U.S. Open champion, was in attendance and brought his trophy. Clark drank from the cup while receiving an ovation from the crowd.

Up next

Lightning: At Utah on Saturday night.

Avalanche: At Nashville on Sunday night.

KOAA News5 is the proud Southern Colorado home of the Colorado Springs Switchbacks!

KOAA will stream all non-nationally exclusive Switchbacks FC matches on our mobile app, connected TV apps, and website for Southern Coloradans to enjoy.

Saturday night, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks will be hosting FC Tulsa for the last game of the USL Regular Season. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m.

More information about watching the games live can be found on our website.

For tickets, click here.

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Colorado Springs has been named the No. 1 city in the nation for small business growth, according to a new ranking from BlueVine, a national bank that caters to small businesses.

BlueVine ranked 100 metro cities to find where small businesses are growing with the most momentum and Colorado Springs topped them all. Local business owners say this ranking means a lot for the small business community.

More than 90% of downtown Colorado Springs businesses are locally owned.

Watch the Full Story Below

"I think it's a win for all of us I think is a great opportunity for all of our entrepreneurs to continue to show up to build small businesses and to just give back to our community," Uyen Le, owner of Beauty Bar, said.

Since the start of 2023, there have been more than 120 small business openings in Colorado Springs. Overall, downtown hosts more than 1,500 business establishments and that number keeps growing.

Not everyone saw the recognition coming at first.

"I was surprised, once you start reflecting on it, not too much I guess," Leif Anderson, co-owner of Mash Mechanic Brewing, said.

Peri Bolts, co-owner of Eclectic Co., said the variety of what downtown has to offer is a major draw for customers across the city.

"Colorado Springs is big geographically, so if you come from Briargate or you come from Powers, we really want you to stay downtown. Have a meal, have coffee, get your hair done, get a massage. Do some retail therapy. There's everything that you could want downtown, so you park once and you check all of the things off your list," Bolts said.

Getting the community excited about shopping local is one piece of the puzzle.

"It's all about being a community and people generally do support local businesses and want us to grow because if we're not growing they're not growing and we're not growing the city is not growing," Le said.

One Downtown Partnership initiative is the Holiday Coupon Book and this year, the print run has been upped from 9,500 to 12,500.

But that isn't the only way the organization is getting people to shop local. They're also hosting a Shop Local and Win Local event. From Nov. 6 through Dec. 13, every $50 someone spends at Downtown retailers earns them one entry to win, with five weekly $250 Downtown prize packages and a $1,000 grand prize up for grabs.

"We're a tight community and, and people do support small business in Colorado Springs, and that's a big part of it that that getting the community support behind the small business," Anderson said.

It isn't just events and community spirit Colorado Springs also has dedicated resources for business owners looking to expand.

"Small business owner life is really hard, but Colorado Springs specifically has such beautiful infrastructure for that. Our SBDC, Small Business Development Center, is one of the best in the country," Bolts said.

Still, challenges persist. The rising costs of leases, products, fuel, and insurance continue to put pressure on small business owners.

"It just keeps going up and up," Le said.

But those owners don't have to face those pressures alone.

"Every time I know a business owner is struggling with something, I always try to funnel them to the resources that are there because often they're free, often they're taxpayer funded," Bolts said.

As for whether the No. 1 ranking comes as a surprise? Bolts says it doesn't.

"I am not surprised actually. I think Colorado Springs has been small business friendly for a long time, especially since the COVID era, and I'm happy that we're recognized for it," Bolts said.

A new campground and updated recreation area is coming to the southwest side of Pikes Peak at Rosemont Reservoir, expanding backcountry opportunities on one of southern Colorado's most iconic mountains.

The reservoir sits off paved roads on a more rural edge of Pikes Peak in Teller County, offering a backcountry experience.

"I think part of CPW's mission is to provide different kinds of recreational opportunities, and this is one that's more of a backcountry opportunity," Frank McGee, Colorado Parks and Wildlife Southeast Region manager, said.

Work is underway to build the camping area and improve recreation at the site.

"This could be a place where, you know, they take their first camping trip right out of Colorado Springs, uh, or they introduce their kids to fishing for the first time," Colorado Parks and Wildlife Director Laura Clellan said.

The project is possible because of collaboration around the 600-acre site in Teller County, which is surrounded by Forest Service land and owned by Colorado Springs Utilities as a reservoir for water supply.

"When camping is allowed, they will have somebody here on site. Representing our interest, so actually our security for this area will increase," Colorado Springs Utilities CEO Travas Deal said.

Stewardship and the management of public lands are central themes of the new addition to Pikes Peak, which welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year.

Activities take place all around the mountain. Visitors drive up the Pikes Peak Highway or take the Cog Railway. The mountain challenges fitness with the Incline, the Pikes Peak Marathon and Ascent, and, next year, a new marathon on the Pikes Peak Highway.

The new camping and recreation area adds to what the mountain offers for outdoor recreation and southern Colorado.

"Create something really amazing and meaningful that everyone in Colorado and visitors will be able to enjoy," Dan Gibbs, who leads Colorado's Department of Natural Resources, said.

The new Rosemont camping area is scheduled to open in the summer of 2027.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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For Michael Williams, voter education starts with a simple question: Do people know who they're voting for, and what do those candidates actually do?

"We're not using the power we have in voting. Said Williams, one of the organizers.

The work is personal for Williams. He grew up in southeast Colorado Springs, and now he's working alongside other residents to help their community have a stronger voice through South Side Leads.

"The goal is in the name to get the southeast of the city to switch from last in voting to like lead the state in voter turn out., Williams said.

South Side Leads is trying to change that by meeting people where they are, including on their phones. The group reaches out to candidates directly.

Williams said, "we reached out to pretty much every candidate."

They interview the candidates, then post the Q&A on their social media platforms.

"we wanna be able to have people hear from the candidates, ask questions, get feedback"

When asked what he hopes people take away from the project, he pointed to three goals.

"One is just knowing, simply, what each office does. That's a huge thing. That's why I believe the first question we asked everybody was like, what does this office do, right? The second thing is people understanding, based on what each office does, how that can impact their day-to-day life. And then the third thing was like how they can connect with those legislators."

Williams said the group also wants lasting accountability from elected officials.

"We want to get people elected in the Southeast that are going to have the benefit of the Southeast in mind but they also understand this isn't a one-time, you guys do this you win an election and then you disappear we're going to hold them accountable."

The group is also partnering with other community organizations like Hey Neighbor and Men of Influence for ballot drop-off events at the Citadel Mall over the next two Tuesdays, with food and music.

"The goal is just to get people to turn in their ballots, right," William added.

The group says it plans to continue sharing voter resources and connecting residents with the people representing them, well beyond Election Day. Click here to learn more about South Side Leads.