As Colorado Springs grapples with housing affordability, rising costs and the need for good-paying jobs, the regions economic future will take center stage at the 30th annual UCCS Economic Forum on Oct. 28.

News5 will carry the event online and across streaming platforms starting at 1:00 p.m.

The event, hosted by the University of Colorado Colorado Springs College of Business, will bring together business, government and industry leaders to discuss economic development, the defense industry, tourism and the regional economic outlook.

The forum is scheduled for 1 to 4 p.m. at the Ent Center for the Arts at UCCS on Oct. 28. A welcome reception is planned from noon to 1 p.m., followed by a happy hour from 4 to 5 p.m.

Multiple keynote speakers will be speaking, and two streams will be available below.

Main Stream Secondary Stream

The program will include a plenary session on economic development in the Pikes Peak region, panel discussions on the defense economy and tourism, and an update on the regions economic outlook, according to the university.

Since its beginnings as the Southern Colorado Business Economic Outlook Forum in 1997, the annual event has served as a resource for residents, business leaders and policymakers seeking data and analysis about the regional economy. Reeder Kleymeyer said the region has diversified its economy over the years, with aerospace and defense remaining its largest primary industry alongside cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing. But she acknowledged that local families and businesses continue to face economic challenges.

We see headwinds just like in most of the country, she said. You know, families are struggling, so jobs are important to a strong economy and a strong tax base.

Get a Full Breakdown of What to Expect Below

Registration information and additional details about the 30th annual UCCS Economic Forum are available at business.uccs.edu/economic-forum.

News5's Tony Keith helped contribute to this report.

____

Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. Friday Football Fever continues this week! The games kick off Thursday night, followed by plenty of action on Friday.

Get the latest scores and highlights in the video player below:

_____

Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.

Two Pueblo police officers who were shot during an officer-involved shooting over the weekend were struck by friendly fire from fellow officers, police said.

The shooting happened the night of Saturday, October 10. Officers say they were responding to a home invasion call on Gaylord Avenue.

Previous coverage below

The suspect in the home invasion was armed and led police on a chase to a nearby apartment complex. Police eventually shot and killed 36-year-old Luis Morales.

While officers exchanged gunfire, two officers were hit by gunfire. Officer Jonathon Woehler was shot in both legs, and Officer Justin Ortiz suffered a graze wound to the ankle. Both are expected to be OK.

Details surrounding how the officers managed to hit each other have not been released at the time of this update.

The Pueblo police chief says the department strives to grow and learn from the incident to become a better agency.

As the facts are established, we will examine the incident carefully, including tactics, positioning, communication and decision-making. Then this will determine how we improve our training, equipment and procedure for the betterment of the Pueblo Police Department and the community we serve, said Pueblo Police Department Chief Chris Noeller in part in a news release Friday.

___

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.

___

____

Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. Friday Football Fever continues this week! The games kick off Thursday night, followed by plenty of action on Friday.

Get the latest scores and highlights in the video player below:

Friday Football Fever 2026: Week 6 Highlights and Scores from across Southern Colorado

_____

Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.