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 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 StreamSecondary 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.
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"We've had it described as a great place to take a nature bath," said Mike Thomas, Boardmember of the nonprofit: Friends of Roxborough State Park. "Just a place to really enjoy the quiet and the solitude of nature."
Denver7's South Metro reporter Danielle Kreutter has the story in the video below:
Name change being considered for Roxborough State Park
Before Roxborough State Park was a State Park, it was around 1,400 acres of land that late Governor Richard Lamm felt was worth saving.
"He bought the land. He encouraged people to go there. He went there himself and hiked. And when he saw a piece of property that he thought should be protected, he was finding ways to make it happen," said Gail Klapper, who ran the Department of Regulatory Agencies and Department of Personnel for former Governor Lamm.
She described the former Governor as an avid outdoorsman whose passion for nature and the environment was infectious.
She is now one of the several petitioners who are hoping to change the park's name to the Richard D. Lamm State Park at Roxborough after also gathering support from Lamm's family.
"I think it's so easy to forget the incredible amount of work and effort and passion, and history is part of us. We need to remember both: Who these people were, why they did what they did, and who they inspired to do more," Klapper said.
Friends of Roxborough State Park told Denver7 that while the petitioners looped in the nonprofit shortly before the request was filed, they were shocked to hear of the potential change.
"The park has had its name for 51 years now. The area has been called Roxborough for over 125 years. So to have anybody even suggest that the name be changed just really surprised us a lot," said Thomas.
For more than 30 years, the nonprofit has helped raise money for park improvements, amenities, education and even expanded the park back in the 1990s.
"There was a lot of people involved in creating and and acquiring that other 2,000 acres to make the park what it is today," said Thomas.
Friends of Roxborough State Park said the amount of volunteering and fundraising efforts that made that possible should not be overshadowed.
"We just don't believe that one person should have their name on this State Park," said Thomas.
The petitioners for the name change said they tried to incorporate that concern into their suggestion.
"They like that name, and so we combined the names. We said Richard D. Lamm Park at Roxborough, so everybody could call it whatever they wanted, but Dick Lamm would be honored," said Klapper.
The group opposing the name change also notes the logistical and financial strain involved in changing the name.
"There's a lot of cost that would come with a name change. On maps, signage and brochures. And that's just what CPW would have to change, but also the fact that Roxborough State Park is in hundreds of thousands of guidebooks, we're in textbooks for geology classes," said Thomas.
Denver7's South Metro Reporter Danielle Kreutter asked Klapper about those concerns.
"Because we're looking at Roxborough as a place of honor for Governor Lamm, I think would help us philanthropically pay for whatever it was that was going to make Roxborough as good as it could be," she said.
The petition to change the name to honor Governor Lamm has gathered support from former governors, mayors, congressmen and other notable figures across the state.
Read the list of supporters for the Richard D Lamm State Park at Roxborough name change here or in the embed below:
Friends of Roxborough State Park have outlined their full concerns on their website and have said they believe they have a lot of public support behind their stance.
"Responses we've gotten from either our our public opinion survey or social media, 99% of that 1,500 [responses] is opposed to the changing of the name to one person's name," said Thomas. "One thing we understand about Governor Lamm is that he was for listening to the citizens of the state and the people of the state, and not bow down to political pressure, so we're hoping that Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the commission, will see what the public is really saying about this and how much in opposition they are of this name change."
Supporters of the name change said it's important to recognize Lamm's contribution that helped establish the park.
"To have a piece of nature be something that echoes you, that's really special," Klapper said.
While opponents are hopeful that the late governor can be recognized in a different way.
"We would like [Colorado Parks and Wildlife] to deny the petition," said Thomas.
CPW is set to discuss the issue at their Nov. 5 meeting around 12:15pm.
Amendment 81 on Colorado's midterm election ballot would require local law enforcement to notify the U.S. Department of Homeland Security within 72 hours when certain people charged with crimes are in the country illegally or their citizenship status cannot be determined.
Right now, state law limits what information local police and sheriffs can share with immigration enforcement officials and bars them from holding someone solely on an ICE detainer.
Watch the full story in the video player below:
Amendment 81 would require local law enforcement to report more information to ICE
If approved by voters, Amendment 81 would change the state constitution to require officers to alert DHS about people whose immigration status cannot be confirmed or are in the country illegally if they are charged with a violent crime or are charged with any crime and already have a felony conviction.
Under the amendment, local law enforcement would have to make an effort to verify the citizenship status of people charged. Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson said that's not something his deputies are trained to do or currently responsible for.
"That's the responsibility of the federal government, and so we would have to completely re-frame how we make arrests and what information we gather," said Johnson. "If my employees can't determine whether you're in the country legally or not, they will have to report you to ICE, even before you've been convicted of a crime."
Johnson said he fears the amendment could lead to racial profiling and deny crime victims the justice they deserve.
"People will assume that just based on color of skin, or their nationality or their origin, that automatically they're going to be assumed to be in this country without legal documentation, and my fear is that people will get lumped together, whether they have committed a crime or a serious crime or not," he said. "If somebody gets arrested for committing a crime of violence against a community member, if they're deported before that case ever goes to trial, I'm concerned that the victim never gets the outcome that they want, and individuals who are quickly deported from our country often find their way back with no consequence."
He said he also worries the amendment would erode trust with immigrant communities.
"People will no longer trust us, no longer want to come forward or work with us to solve crime in the community because they will fear that relationship that we now have to have with ICE will get in the way," Johnson said.
Jon Caldara, the president of the Independence Institute, who supports the measure, disagrees.
"This is not about racially profiling. This is about having cooperation between law enforcement agencies. It's just that simple," he said. "It's for those people that they arrest for violent crimes, and good God, don't we want violent criminals if they're here illegally to be notified that, or to have ICE notified of them? Of course we do."
The conservative group Advance Colorado is responsible for getting Amendment 81 on the ballot. Denver7 reached out to the group multiple times for an interview but never heard back.
Caldara said the vote may come down to how people feel about ICE under the current administration.
"My suspicion is, if Donald Trump were not president right now, that something like 81 would pass pretty easily," Caldara said. "I guarantee you, people will be using this as a proxy vote on how they feel about how Trump is running immigration and customs, and that's too bad because we really should be thinking about the law, not the president," Caldara said.
Police were called to a reported burglary north of downtown Colorado Springs on Tuesday, leading to a large law enforcement response.
Very few details were available the last time this article was updated at about 10:10 a.m. Police tell News5 they received a call for service at about 9:15 in the morning for a home in the 1300 block of N. Weber Street. The neighborhood is near E. San Miguel Street and N. Nevada Avenue. There were concerns that someone may have been armed, but that has not been confirmed.
A suspect was barricaded in the garage of a home in the area, according to police.
At about 11:20 a.m., a shelter-in-place alert was issued for the neighborhood.
"The Colorado Springs Police Department has issued a SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER for E San Miguel St to E Caramillo St, and N Nevada east to N Wahsatch Ave due to LAW ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY near 1300 N Weber St," a post on Peak Alerts read. "SECURE your home/business and STAY AWAY from doors and windows. SHELTER in a safe place until further notice. You will receive an alert when the order is lifted."
This is a developing story, and as more information becomes available, this article will be updated.
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Visiting Colorado Springs parks is free, but parking illegally could now cost you. Rangers with Colorado Springs Parks have been given the authority to issue parking tickets at the city's largest open space parks, most of which are on the city's Westside.
Mount Cutler Trail in North Cheyenne Caon is one example of why the change is happening. The trail is very popular, but it has only about 20 parking spaces. When those fill up, people often get creative and park along the side of the road, creating traffic jams and safety issues.
Locals who frequent Colorado Springs open space parks know how crowded some can get.
"This place for sure, yeah, yeah, Cheyenne Canon definitely does. I mean, it's helped a little bit. They added more parking spaces here than they used to have, but it's still not enough. But, I mean, where are they gonna put them?" Troy Linnebur said.
Linnebur, who had the day off and came to Mount Cutler Trail to hike, said he prefers visiting on weekdays to avoid the crowds and the roadside parking he sees on busy days.
"Sure, yeah, when they're parking along the side of the road, it's sketchy," Linnebur said.
For years, parks rangers were limited to giving warnings and having conversations with parking violators.
"Now we have a way to deal with those issues," Colorado Springs regional parks, trails, and open space manager Scott Abbott said.
"Giving those explanations to individuals sometimes only goes so far," Abbott said.
Because the issue kept getting worse, parks leaders joined with police and parking enforcement. Park rangers are now credentialed to give parking citations.
"That gives them now the authority to go through all the training, have all the technical expertise, and go out there now and issue tickets in a real way," Abbott said.
Visitors who follow the parking rules will not be fined. The new enforcement starts with a short grace period before fines begin.
"Use designated areas. Don't pull off the sides of the roads. Don't park in front of closed gates. We need this accessibility for not only our visitors, our maintenance teams, our park rangers, but also first responders in case of any emergencies," Abbott said.
The reality of the parks' popularity means there will be days when parking spots are hard to find.
"I guess if there's not any space, you gotta just turn around. I've had to do it. It sucks," Linnebur said.
Depending on the violation, fines can range from $30 to $100.
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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A recall effort is underway against Colorado Springs City Councilmember Brandy Williams, with petition organizers accusing the District 3 representative of failing to respond to constituents, missing meetings, and opposing a voter-approved development authority in Old Colorado City.
Williams, who took office in April 2025, disputes the allegations, saying a serious illness limited her ability to attend meetings in person and that she continued participating virtually. She also argues that the recall effort could further disrupt a district that has experienced multiple changes in representation in recent years. The recall petition was filed with the Colorado Springs City Clerks Office by three District 3 electors: Peter Hernandez, Ali Lange and Zoe Woodruff.
In the petition, the organizers allege Williams has consistently failed to respond to emails, letters, and other forms of communication from her constituents regarding matters of concern. They also cite what they describe as a history of absences from City Council meetings and a lack of engagement during meetings she attended, including the Project Taurus appeal hearing.
The petition further alleges Williams failed to attend Meadows Park Community Center meetings despite multiple requests before its closure. Organizers also object to her role in initiating a proposal to dissolve the Old Colorado City Downtown Development Authority, which they say was widely supported by families and small-business owners in District 3.
District 3 residents who care about their community deserve a representative who responds to constituents, listens, engages, and acts in the best interest of our community by respecting public input, and demonstrating dedication to serving the community, the petition states.
Williams said she was not surprised by the recall effort, noting that rumors of a potential recall had circulated previously. However, she questioned whether a recall was the best approach for the city.
I don't think it's the best governance option for the city of Colorado Springs, Williams explained in an interview with News5.
Williams said she was hospitalized for a week in July 2025 with a kidney infection and later experienced a relapse that required another hospital stay. Her primary care physician subsequently instructed her to remain on bed rest, she said. Williams said her health prevented her from attending some council meetings in person, but she continued participating virtually.
The reason that it says that I wasn't attending council meetings is because I wasn't allowed to physically be here in person, but I did attend those meetings virtually, Williams added. So given the options that I had as a council member, I definitely exercised those.
Regarding the Meadows Park Community Center meetings, Williams said she was still recovering from her illness during the initial meeting and that other council members helped represent her. She said she later worked with city staff and the administration on the center's future. Williams also rejected the claim that she has been disengaged, pointing to her involvement in city projects and public works issues. She said she has worked to address infrastructure needs throughout the district and cited more than $40 million spent on construction in District 3 during her time in office. Williams said she understands that some residents may have difficulty receiving responses from council members, particularly when issues involve quasi-judicial proceedings that require elected officials to maintain neutrality. She said those restrictions can make it difficult to engage directly with constituents on certain matters.
On the Old Colorado City Downtown Development Authority, Williams said she believes the area needs an appropriate tool to support its future, but she does not believe a downtown development authority is necessarily the best option.
I don't believe a downtown development authority is the best option, but I would like to have the right tool for, you know, the needs of Old Colorado City, Williams said.
Williams also urged residents to consider the district's recent turnover in representation before supporting the recall. Richard Skorman, Stephanie Fortune and Michelle Tallerico held the District 3 seat before Williams, following a series of transitions that included a resignation and a completed term. Williams said another change could complicate long-term planning and development in the district.
Please don't sign the petition simply for the stability of the district, Williams said.
Williams said she plans to continue working on issues affecting District 3 and is preparing for another community town hall, which she expects to hold between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Asked whether she would resign or seek a recall election if organizers gather enough valid signatures, Williams said she has not yet decided.
The petition asks the city to initiate the recall process under Article XII of the Colorado Springs City Charter. The filing of the petition does not itself remove Williams from office. The next steps depend on the applicable city recall process and whether the effort meets the required signature threshold. The petition was filed Oct. 9, giving the petitioners until Dec. 8 to turn in about 4,300 valid signatures.
Peter Hernandez did not want to comment on camera, saying the petition speaks for itself. He referred News5 to https://www.recallbrandywilliams.com/ for updates on the signature gathering process.
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Dense fog advisories will be in place through 9AM this morning for El Paso county and counties along I-70. Visibility may be reduced to less than a mile at times. Temperatures this morning are in the 30s and 40s. The sun will make an appearance later on in the morning and the afternoon. Highs will still be warm getting into the 60s and 70s.
Colorado Springs forecast: High: 67; Low: 39.
Colorado Springs will have a chance of patchy fog this morning. El Paso county will remain in this Dense Fog Advisory until 9AM this morning. Temperatures as of 5:30AM are sitting in the 40s. Expect warmer temperatures to return by the afternoon. Afternoon highs will reach the upper 60s and there will be plenty of sunshine.
Pueblo forecast: High: 70; Low: 41.
Pueblo is also dealing with some dense fog this morning, and this should clear out later in the morning. Temperatures are in the upper 40s and will rise once we reach the late morning. Afternoon temperatures will make it into the lower 70s.
Canon City forecast:High: 70; Low: 42.
Canon City will have lows this morning in the 40s. We are still expecting warm conditions over the course of the day today. Afternoon highs will reach the upper 60s. Some areas in Fremont county will break into the 70s. Calm conditions will continue over the next several days.
Woodland Park forecast:High: 61; Low: 36.
Woodland Park will have temperatures this morning in the 30s. The sunshine will be back today and will help temperatures reach the lower 60s. Winds will be calm coming out of the southwest between 5-10mph.
Tri-Lakes forecast:High: 66; Low: 39.
Monument will have lows this morning in the 40s. Once we reach the late morning hours, temperatures will be on the rise. By 11AM, temperatures will be in the upper 50s. Afternoon highs will be in the mid-60s. Winds will be calm throughout the day.
Plains forecast:High: 60s & 70s; Low: 30s & 40s.
The eastern plains will have some fog throughout the morning, but this will clear by the afternoon. Temperatures this morning are sitting in the 40s. Afternoon highs will be above average. Highs will get into the 60s and 70s. These calmer conditions will last throughout the rest of the week.
Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast:High: 66/69; Low: 42/39.
The southern I-25 corridor is luckily staying clear with temperatures in the 40s. Sunshine returns today and afternoon highs will be in the mid-to-upper 60s. Winds will remain calm throughout the day.
Mountains forecast: High: 50s; Low: 20s & 30s.
The mountains are dealing with some chilly temperatures this morning in the 30s. Afternoon highs will be similar to yesterday eventually getting into the 50s.
Extended outlook forecast:
These nice conditions will last throughout the rest of the week. Highs will reach the 60s and 70s along I-25. A shortwave will move through later this week and just bring more clouds on Friday. Halloween still looks nice with afternoon highs in the mid-60s for Colorado Springs. Pueblo will have temperatures in the upper 60s on Saturday. A pattern change arrives on Sunday and will bring rain chances on Monday.
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Manitou Springs celebrated the 32nd anniversary of the Emma Crawford Coffin Races on Saturday, drawing out thousands of spectators to watch dozens of costumed teams race homemade coffins through downtown.
Event organizers place the official start of the event in 1995; since then, the annual monster mash has drawn thousands to town near the end of October to celebrate the legend of Emma Crawford (along with the Halloween season) with costumes, fanfare, a parade and coffin races.
News5 reporter Jon McMichael has the story in the video below:
Spooky season rolls into Manitou with annual coffin races
The story surrounding Emma Crawford has it that she came to Manitou Springs in the late 1800s in search of a cure for her tuberculosis; she did not find what she was searching for, eventually succumbed to the illness, and (following her wishes) was buried atop Red Mountain.
In 1929, after years of harsh winters and spring rains, Emma and her coffin came racing down the mountainside. The young children who happened upon her remains found only the casket handles, a nameplate, and a few bones.
Now, and for more than three decades, the town remembers her final journey down the mountain via annual coffin races down Manitou Avenue; teams of coffin races construct their own macabre conveyances and task four "pallbearers" to push the coffin, while one "Emma" rides within.
This year, the event saw more than 50 teams compete.
For additional information regarding this unique event, click here.
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As our latest storm system pulls away, skies will turn mostly clear across Southern Colorado tonight. Patchy overnight and early morning fog is likely to settle into the mountain valleys and along the Arkansas River Valley. Higher water flows continue along the Rio Grande, Conejos, and Purgatoire Rivers, with minor flooding expected near Las Animas through Tuesday. Lows tonight drop into the 20s to around 30 for high valleys, and the 30s to lower 40s across the plains.
Colorado Springs forecast: Low: 41; High: 64;
Expect a mild and pleasant Tuesday with plenty of sunshine returning. Afternoon temperatures will top out in the mid-60s with a light westerly breeze picking up at times.
Pueblo forecast: Low: 42; High: 60;
Patchy morning fog gives way to a bright and warm afternoon. Highs will push near 70 degrees with light winds, making for a beautiful late-October day.
Canon City forecast:Low: 40; High: 67;
Sunny and mild on Tuesday with highs climbing into the upper 60s. High-terrain gusts will keep a light breeze over the area during the afternoon hours.
Woodland Park forecast:Low: 35; High: 57;
Mostly clear tonight with a crisp morning start in the low 30s. Sunshine drives afternoon temperatures into the mid-50s with breezy conditions developing along the higher terrain.
Extended outlook forecast:
A warm and dry mid-week pattern holds across Southern Colorado before a major pattern shift brings cooler weather and mountain snow in time for the weekend.
Wednesday Thursday: West-southwest flow keeps conditions dry and warm through mid-week, pushing Wednesday highs 5 to 10 degrees above average into the low 70s for lower elevations. A fast-moving weak cold front drops in Thursday morning, nudging afternoon temperatures down just a few degrees. Friday Sunday: A deepening Pacific trough off the West Coast sends a fresh push of moisture into the Southwest. Expect a trend toward cooler, more active weather starting Friday, with accumulating mountain snow returning to the high country Friday night through the weekend. Halloween looks to be mild and dry. The evening could have some gusty winds.
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Its been nearly two weeks since the Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) placed Lutheran High School, a private high school in Parker, on probation after reports surfaced over racist behavior taking place at its football games.
News5 obtained communication through a Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) request that sheds light on some of the conversations happening behind the scenes as schools and CHSAA were responding.
The initial reports of alleged racist incidents involved Colorado Springs High Schools, Sand Creek High School in District 49 and Rampart High School in Academy District 20. Two schools in Colorado Springs, Air Academy High School and Coronado High School later forfeited their games against Lutheran.
CHSAA is a private non-profit, not subject to CORA requests, News5 obtained records from Districts 49,11, and 20. In response to News5 Investigates request, District 49 provided pages of emails, including one from Douglas County School District, claiming initial reports from the racist incident at the Sand Creek High School game may have involved public school students.
Even though the incident occurred off-campus and at event outside of our district, our district does not tolerate a hostile environment within our schools nor does it accept disruptive conduct within another educational community, the email read.
News5 Investigates reached out to Douglas County School District to ask if it determined its students were involved. It said after a thorough investigation it determined none of its students were involved and our focus remains on ensuring our students understand the importance of treating others with dignity and respect, while making sure allegations are promptly and thoroughly investigated based on the facts.
A letter from Sand Creek High Schools Athletic Director, Mario Romero, was also included in response to News5s CORA request, in it he details frustrations to CHSAA the day after the incident over how Lutheran handled it.
In the letter, Romero calls his interaction with Lutheran concerning. CHSAA responded to Sand Creek High Schools concerns saying we dont have specific protocol because most situations are handled between schools. CHSAA said it was then forwarding his email on to its admin team.
District 49 declined to comment for News5s story.
News5 Investigates reach out to CHSAA about what it found in its CORA requests, CHSAA responded saying under CHSAA bylaws, the host school is responsible for managing the conduct of everyone at its events, regardless of which school a spectator attends (Bylaws 2240 and 2270.1). That responsibility is part of the basis for CHSAA's determination regarding Lutheran.
CHSAA is not an investigative agency. We evaluate reports provided to us by schools and districts, the organization said in its email
News5 Investigates followed up with CHSAA, asking why its process relies on member schools and districts to investigate incidents before CHSAA determines whether its bylaws were violated, and whether the organization is reviewing the effectiveness of that process.
News5 will update this article with CHSAA's response.
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