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• Halfway house director answers questions about overdose death Play Video

  May 14, 2013 10:02 PM

  PUEBLO - The state agency that oversees halfway houses believes managers at Pueblo's Minnequa Community Corrections followed all the proper procedures after an offender in their custody died 18 months ago of a drug overdose. Adam Beauchamp, 27, took a lethal amount of Fentanyl back on November 20, 2011... more »

• Gurule says state embellished audit Play Video

  May 8, 2013 8:52 PM

  PUEBLO - When parole officers relocated some 60 offenders from the Community Corrections Services Inc. (CCSI) facility in Pueblo last Friday, owner Al Gurule told News 5 at the time that he had simply decided not to renew his contract. Then on Monday, we discovered a report by state... more »

• State ranks Pueblo halfway houses least safe in Colorado Play Video

  May 7, 2013 7:56 PM

  PUEBLO - All of the community corrections programs in Pueblo have a history of inadequately following state regulations, consequently increasing the risk to public safety. As recently as September , the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) with the Colorado Department of Public Safety ranked Minnequa Community Corrections and Crossroads... more »

• Report details history of security concerns at closed halfway house Play Video

  May 6, 2013 7:50 PM

  PUEBLO - The Pueblo halfway house Community Corrections Services Inc. (CCSI) that closed suddenly Friday morning had a history of security issues. In August, state auditors found "concerning public safety issues" at CCSI and determined that "escapes were not managed appropriately." The report details instances where head counts were... more »

• Questions about sudden closure of Pueblo halfway house

  May 3, 2013 8:28 PM

  PUEBLO - Using trash bags and cardboard boxes, around 60 men living at Pueblo's Community Corrections Services Incorporated packed up their belongings Friday morning and moved to another facility to serve out their time. "All they did was gave them a bags and said pack up, yous are leaving,"... more »

• Pueblo commissioners unimpressed by Springs stormwater spending Play Video

  May 2, 2013 8:21 PM

  Colorado Springs city leaders announced this week they will spend $46 million dollars improving their aging stormwater system. Many of the projects are aimed at better controlling the increased run-off from the Waldo Canyon Burn Area. "We want to move it forward as quickly as we can," said City... more »

• Same sex couples exchange vows at Pueblo Courthouse Play Video

  May 1, 2013 9:40 PM

  COLORADO SPRINGS - Civil unions officially became legal across Colorado Wednesday and as gay and lesbian couples celebrated across the state, a community rally and mass ceremony marked the occasion in Pueblo. At least 16 couple's applied for and received the first civil union licenses to be granted in... more »

• Pueblo police search for fugitive sex offender

  November 2, 2012 12:10 PM

  PUEBLO - The Pueblo Police Department is asking the public to be alert and quickly report a fugitive. Robert Ilae, 40, is a registered sex offender and has open felony warrants for kidnapping, assault and menacing. Ilae is described as being approximately 5' 5" tall, 205 pounds with black... more »

• Catholic school teacher builds character with academics Play Video

  November 1, 2012 7:48 PM

  At Saint John Neumann Catholic School in Pueblo, 3rd grade teacher Jean Starcer isn't shy about her expectations. "I expect politeness, I expect neat papers, I don't take messy work," she said. "They have to hand in work on time or they get deducted for points." Our October... more »

• Pueblo Sheriff closes fireworks business, charges pending

  July 4, 2012 11:36 AM

  Deputies with the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office have closed the Big Top Fireworks at 1400 Santa Fe Dr. after investigators observed illegal and legal fireworks being sold at the location despite a county wide fire ban. According to Deputy Laurie Kilpatrick, a public information officer, the business is sealed... more »

• Teens say parents are biggest influence about sex Play Video

  May 2, 2012 9:53 PM

  Today is the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and a new survey shows parents are the most influential group on their children's choices. According to The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unintended Pregnancy when it comes to sex, a majority of teens say they're listening to their... more »

• D.A.R.E. no more in Pueblo

  April 24, 2012 7:17 PM

  The DARE program has reached it's last stop in Pueblo. The police department is ending the drug and violence resistance courses in the fall in order to put more officers out on the streets. Captain James Gowin of the PPD's Services Bureau says the change was prompted by in-depth efficiency... more »

• National championships signal new trend in Pueblo tourism strategy Play Video

  February 22, 2012 7:07 PM

  Hundreds of the nation's best college athletes will come to Massari Arena at Colorado State University-Pueblo next month for the NCAA Division II National Wrestling Championships. Even more will be in town in May for the National Track and Field Championships. Niki Whitaker, Associate Athletic Director for CSU-Pueblo, says... more »

• Jalapeno held clue to missing cash caper Play Video

  January 27, 2012 7:14 PM

  It took two acts of honesty to return a Pueblo West couple their $400, and the restaurant owners who held the cash for the past month couldn't be happier to give it back. During the hustle and bustle of the pre-Christmas days of late December, Cris and Arlene Beltran... more »

• Making a better cheddar: specialty store is big on cheese

  January 26, 2012 7:25 PM

  The pride of Wisconsin is hoping to please palates in Pueblo. The new Springside Cheese Shop in downtown features the award winning cheeses of the Hintz family. Owner Keith Hintz says his family has been making cheese in O'Connell Falls, Wisconsin for over a century. He says he... more »

• Teacher draws on personal adversity to help students succeed Play Video

  January 26, 2012 7:11 PM

  Melanie Austin couldn't be happier to be in the classroom. Working with special education students has literally been her life's ambition. "When I was 10 years old, I was going to school in Jefferson County and I was at one school and across the way was a special... more »

• Witnesses describe arrest of kidnapping suspect

  January 20, 2012 5:31 PM

  Witnesses who were waiting for a bus at the Colorado Springs Metro Terminal downtown say they watched a man being arrested who matched the description of Jose Garcia, 29, the lone suspect wanted in connection with the kidnapping of a Pueblo girl. At a joint news conference later in... more »

• Robberies on the rise in Pueblo Play Video

  January 16, 2012 7:53 PM

  There have been a dozen banks, convenience stores and fast food restaurants robbed in the city of Pueblo in the first two weeks of 2012. At this rate, the community will double the number of those crimes over 2010, the most recent year on record. Detective Glen Fillmore of... more »

• More powerful Powerball starts Jan. 15

  January 2, 2012 8:17 PM

  The price of a Powerball ticket is going up, but so are the jackpots and the odds of winning. According to the Colorado Lottery , a $2 ticket now buys you a chance of winning jackpots of at least $40 million. The game also improved its odds of winning from... more »

• Pueblo rodeo star cashes in at NFR Play Video

  December 26, 2011 7:16 PM

  Casey Colletti doesn't have much to say about his time at the National Finals Rodeo. His brief response, "it's been awesome," may sum up what a whirlwind season it's been. "It's hard explain," Colletti said. "To watch it on TV every year to then being there and watching myself... more »

• Meatless tamales, a sweet spin for your taste buds Play Video

  December 21, 2011 4:58 PM

  For a lot of Southern Colorado families it's just not christmas without a savory plate of tamales smothered in chile. Typically the Latin American entree is filled with meat, but we found a twist on this popular dish: sweet tamales! Hand-made tamales, but these don't have any pork. Instead... more »

• Celebrity stylist to speak at PCC

  December 2, 2011 1:12 PM

  Reality TV star and internationally acclaimed hair stylist Tabatha Coffey will speak to cosmetology students at Pueblo Community College Monday evening. Tabatha hosts the show Tabatha Takes Over , now in its third season on the Bravo Network. Beth Nipps, chair of the college's cosmetology department, says the visit... more »

• Home burns on Pueblo's east side

  December 2, 2011 10:30 AM

  Fire crews are still putting out hot spots at a house fire on the east of Pueblo. The fire was reported at around 7:30 Friday morning at a home in the 800 block of East 5th Street. Jose Trujillo, a neighbor, says the home had been vacant for several... more »

• Pueblo teacher prefers classroom to boardroom Play Video

  November 30, 2011 6:08 PM

  Not all teachers start their careers in the classroom, and often that outside experience can prove invaluable. Linda Kliesen has taught third grade at Sunset Park Elementary in Pueblo for 11 years but began her career as an operation manager for Montgomery Ward. In fact, she says her... more »

• Council found nothing in violation of law or city policies in City Manager investigation

  November 22, 2011 12:40 PM

  Pueblo City Council members say they found City Manager, Jerry Pacheco, did not violate any laws or city policies in their own investigation into the allegations surrounding their top administrator. Pacheco is accused of having an affair with a subordinate, abusing his power as the City's Top Administrator and... more »

• Rodeo Star has Pueblo roots Play Video

  November 17, 2011 5:39 PM

  You won't find many professional athletes who string fences on the family farm, but that's the way it is in professional rodeo. There's no draft, no signing bonuses, and the farm system is literally a farm system. "It's not the easiest sport on your body," explains professional bareback rider... more »

• Pueblo's Boston Market closed

  October 10, 2011 9:44 PM

  Pueblo's Boston Market location on Highway 50 near Elizabeth has closed. News 5 viewers let us know via Facebook this afternoon. Calls to the company were not returned. The building has been gutted and the signs taken down. more »

• Homeowners open doors for historic tour

  October 2, 2011 5:58 PM

  Folks in Pueblo are got to see inside some of the area's historical homes. A total of six homes in the Aberdeen neighborhood were opened to public as part of the Historic Pueblo Home Tour. This is the eighth year the group Historical Pueblo has put on the tour... more »

• Child abuse cases double in Pueblo

  October 2, 2011 2:45 PM

  Board members for Pueblo Child Advocacy Center say child abuse is on a sharp increase this fall. The center typically helps around 200 children a year, but in the past three months that number has doubled. The center held a Run or Ride fundraiser Sunday morning at the Pueblo... more »

• Pueblo man arrested for child sex assault

  October 2, 2011 2:32 PM

  A Pueblo man was arrested early Saturday morning on charges of sexually assaulting a child. Jared Austin Eppens, 23, is being held without bail at the Pueblo County Jail. He's suspected of having sex with a 14 year old girl in the bushes near a motel in the 2000 of... more »

• Pueblo teen killed on Beulah Highway

  October 1, 2011 3:39 PM

  An 18 year old from Pueblo was killed in a car accident on Colorado Highway 78, the Beulah Highway, about 10 west of Pueblo early Saturday morning. State troopers report that Carlos Torres was driving in a 1996 Jeep Cherokee when, at around 4:50 a.m., he lost control at a... more »

• Patients in Pueblo receive free surgeries

  October 1, 2011 12:38 PM

  Uninsured Pueblo residents are receiving a $4,000 to $7,000 gift today as the Pueblo Surgery Center, Health4Haiti, the International Surgical Missions and Colorado Technical University work together to perform free surgeries as part of the annual Surgical Day of Giving event. The procedures range from hernia repairs to cyst... more »

• Teacher stays sharp by connecting with peers

  September 29, 2011 4:35 PM

  Early in the school year, third grade teacher Jene Herrera noticed something about her students at Highland Park Elementary, a Pueblo City School. "They can read very well, but they can't always tell me about what they've read," Herrera said. So this morning, her reading lesson involves a... more »

• Alcohol and Speed are factors in deadly accident in Pueblo

  September 10, 2011 3:03 PM

  Pueblo Police have determined that alcohol and high speed are factors that contributed to a fatal traffic accident on the north bound exit from I-25 to the Highway 50 Bypass shortly before 2:00 am Saturday. The Pueblo Police Traffic investigation unit reports that a 23 year old unidentified male was... more »

• Roasting chile at the ranch

  September 3, 2011 3:33 PM

  A popular flavor from Pueblo County is heating up appetites in Colorado Springs. The Historic Rock Ledge Ranch hosted their first Chile Chili Festival this afternoon. Farmers from Milberger Farms in Pueblo fired up the roasters and served up samples of three varieties of chile; the Pueblo Chile, Anaheim... more »

• State Fair parade nearly underway

  August 27, 2011 12:15 PM

  The annual Colorado State Fair parade is just minutes away from beginning in downtown Pueblo. The route will travel along Main St. downtown. Spots are filling up fast, but there's still time to come out and enjoy the festivities if you're in the area. more »

• Fair manager says Indiana tragedy has put stage safety in spotlight

  August 15, 2011 6:15 PM

  The tragedy at the Indiana State Fair over the weekend has event planners in our community double checking the safety of their concert venues. Five people died and over 40 were injured when a stage rigging collapsed prior to a Sugarland concert at the Indiana State Fair Satuday night. ... more »

• Fair manager says Indiana tragedy has put stage safety in spotlight

  August 15, 2011 6:15 PM

  The tragedy at the Indiana State Fair over the weekend has event planners in our community double checking the safety of their concert venues. Five people died and over 40 were injured when a stage rigging collapsed prior to a Sugarland concert at the Indiana State Fair Satuday night. ... more »

• Fair manager says Indiana tragedy has put stage safety in spotlight

  August 15, 2011 6:14 PM

  The tragedy at the Indiana State Fair over the weekend has event planners in our community double checking the safety of their concert venues. Five people died and over 40 were injured when a stage rigging collapsed prior to a Sugarland concert at the Indiana State Fair Satuday night. ... more »

• Zoo announces Cheerios drive

  August 15, 2011 1:40 PM

  Saving money on family fun this weekend can be as easy as a trip to the cereal cabinet. The Pueblo Zoo is offering half-priced admission on Saturday and Sunday, August 20-21 to each person who brings a new box of Cheerios with them. They're calling it Cheerio Weekend and... more »

• Steel mill opens gates for 125th anniversary

  August 13, 2011 3:25 PM

  The Pueblo steel mill is a landmark in our state's industrial history and this weekend the Bessemer Historical Society is celebrating their relationship with their big iron neighbor. In honor of the event, Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel opened their gates to public bus tours on Saturday. The Bessemer community... more »

• Judge to review murder suspect's police interviews

  August 13, 2011 12:54 PM

  PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) - A Pueblo woman facing murder charges in the 2009 case of a man stabbed and set on fire has won a judge's review of her police interviews after her lawyers argued she was on methamphetamine and did not voluntarily waive her rights. Attorneys for 32-year-old... more »

• Fugitive suspects booked in Pueblo jail

  August 10, 2011 8:40 PM

  The 3 Florida siblings sought by authorities from across the country are now being booked at the Pueblo County jail. Grace Lee Dougherty, Ryan Edward Dougherty and Dylan Dougherty Stanley were all captured after a police chase that started at around 9:38 a.m. Wednesday in Colorado City and ended... more »

• Law enforcement announces capture of Dougherty gang

  August 10, 2011 4:26 PM

  The Pueblo County Sheriff's Office, Colorado State Patrol and the FBI are holding a news conference to announce the capture of the 3 Dougherty siblings near Walsenburg, Colorado Wednesday morning. A sheriff's deputy began the pursuit near Colorado City when he spotted their vehicle at a convenience store. The... more »

• Witness: it looked like they they were setting it on fire

  August 7, 2011 4:03 PM

  A car fire that burned three vehicles in Pueblo Sunday morning looks like it was intentionally set. The blaze began around 9:30 a.m. inside a Cadillac Escalade that was parked at the northwest corner of Pueblo Boulevard and 11th Street. The wind caught the flames and burned two other vehicles... more »

• Pueblo man spruces up school statue

  August 7, 2011 3:38 PM

  When students at Central High School in Pueblo go back to class this fall, they'll find a cherished piece of artwork greeting them in a shiny new coat of paint. Pueblo resident Matt Capritta spent the morning repainting the base of the wildcat statue in front of the school, with... more »

• Warnings posted at 41 pools in Pueblo after parasite outbreak

  August 6, 2011 3:01 PM

  The Pueblo City-County Health Department is taking a waterborne parasite outbreak very seriously. They're posting warnings at every pool in the county, including public parks, hotels and gyms, all to warn residents about an outbreak of Cryptosporidium or "Crypto" for short. The illness spreads through water and causes severe... more »

• Police seek victims after child pornography bust

  August 4, 2011 1:52 PM

  A Pueblo man faces charges for his alleged involvement in an international child pornography network. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced 72 people were charged for possession and distribution of images of sexually abused children, some just infants. Pueblo police weren't involved in that investigation, but they're now... more »

• Drowning victim was from Pueblo

  August 1, 2011 8:42 PM

  For the second time in less than ten days, a teenager has drowned in the Pueblo Reservoir. Einn Brasher, 16, a student at Central High School in Pueblo drown Sunday evening while he was swimming in cove on the southwest side of the lake. The park ranger says investigators... more »

• Drowning victim identified

  August 1, 2011 5:10 PM

  The Pueblo County Coroners offices has identified the drowning victim who died Sunday while swimming at the Pueblo Reservoir. Einn Brasher, 16, went underwater just before 5:00 p.m. in an area known as Hook's Cove on the southwest side of the lake. This is the second drowning at the... more »

• Hospital promotes a healthy Bessemer

  June 18, 2011 3:08 PM

  St. Mary Corwin Hospital in Pueblo wants people in their neighborhood to lead healthier lives. As part of the Healthy Bessemer initiative, the hospital gave around 70 people free health screenings Saturday morning. While the sum value of the screenings is estimated at around $1,500, organizer Michele DesLauriers says... more »

• UPDATE: Suspicious package in Pueblo declared safe

  June 5, 2011 2:20 PM

  A Pueblo Police Department spokesperson tells News First 5 that the suspicious package identified as a brief case has been declared safe after the owner was found. Acting on a tip that the brief case may be an item from a stolen vehicle from over night, Pueblo Police contacted the... more »

• Pueblo PD calls bomb squad for suspicious package

  June 5, 2011 12:23 PM

  Pueblo Police have called out their Bomb Squad to investigate a suspicious package described as a brief case near the intersection of Alexander Cir and Yorktown Rd near East High School in Pueblo. Police are blocking off the area now and the Bomb Squad Unit should be arriving soon. ... more »

• Fatal auto v pedestrian accident under investigation

  May 29, 2011 2:37 PM

  Pueblo Police are continuing to investigate a fatal traffic accident that occurred Saturday night on the 700 block of East 4th Street. Police say that a 44 year old man was walking on the street near oncoming traffic eastbound when a 1983 Ford LTD struck the man as he stepped... more »

• Three horse events postponed due to virus

  May 23, 2011 2:45 PM

  The Colorado State Fair has postponed three upcoming horse show events because of equine herpesvirus or EHV-1. Nine horses in Colorado has contracted the disease and there are 22 suspected cases. Two horses have been euthanized. The Zamora Roping competition was scheduled over the weekend but has been... more »

• Pilot was trained for emergency landing

  May 21, 2011 4:14 PM

  A Pueblo man is safe after making an emergency landing at the airport Saturday morning. Orlando Cuevas was flying his single engine Cessna Centurion C210 when the main landing gear jammed. With only the front wheels deployed, Cuevas made an emergency landing using the bottom of the plane to... more »

• Boil order in place at Lake Pueblo State Park

  May 21, 2011 1:29 PM

  Based on a Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) advisory, Lake Pueblo State Park, has issued a boil order for all faucets and drinking water sources in the park. Lake Pueblo State Park staff routinely samples the water in the park for safety, sends the samples to... more »

• Fast moving storm soaks Pueblo

  May 19, 2011 3:39 PM

  A strong, fast moving storm blasted across Pueblo during the early afternoon, producing lots of lightning, hail to 3/4" and locally heavy rain. The storm continues to move northeastward at 20-25 mph over mostly rural areas. Other storms are likely this afternoon and evening, and some may produce... more »

• Bald Eagles to begin second life at Pueblo Zoo

  May 16, 2011 12:49 PM

  A pair of Bald Eagles are coming to the Pueblo Zoo this week after completing their rehabilitation at a wildlife rescue center in Utah. The male and female birds of prey were recently given approval to be moved to the zoo. The male, named Parker, was found with a... more »

• Elderly fire victim was retired cop

  May 8, 2011 5:41 PM

  Relatives say they are still in shock over the fire that claimed the life of an elderly man early Pueblo Sunday morning. David "Pete" Stringer, 80, was a retired Pueblo Police Officer and had been asleep in the basement of his home on Vail Avenue near City Park Saturday night... more »

• Scanning for Facebook friends

  May 8, 2011 11:31 AM

  Just in case it was taking too long to create new friends on Facebook, there's a new app to help speed things up. Instant Friend is available for the Android market and allows the user to scan a friend's phone to become Facebook friends. But there's a catch, both... more »

• Off-duty security guards try to rescue man from fire

  May 8, 2011 11:24 AM

  "We heard somebody was down there we felt we had to help," says Anthony Porco. Porco, his brother and Gilbert Smith say they saw smoke leaving their security job but didn't see any firefighters nearby so they rushed to the burning house, kicked down the door and tried to... more »