Latest news with #FOX21
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
The 3-Degree Guarantee approaching $100,000
(COLROADO SPRINGS) —FOX21's 3-Degree Guarantee is coming up on a huge Milestone of raising $100,000 for local charities. FOX21's Chief meteorologist Matt Meister recapped how it works: 'We're doing it $60 a time… When we are within plus or minus three degrees, FOX21 donates $30 and Wire Nut donates $30. So it seems like a small amount on a daily basis, but $100,000 is a huge difference to the community.' Wire Nut Home Services has teamed up with FOX21 News for going on six years to give to 60 local non-profits. Wire Nut father-and-son duo Gavin and Trent Urban said this is what Wire Nut is all about. 'One of our core values is care, and I think that that means a lot for us,' said Gavin. 'We want to exude that by showing that we care for our community and the people in our community.' One of the charities they have given to is the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMDHC) in Colorado Springs. The FOX21 Storm Team only missed one day, racking up their donation to $1,800. 'That $1,800 paid for 24 nights for a family to stay within eight months, in eyesight of where their critically ill child is being treated,' said Sam Milan, the development director for RMDHC. The 3-Degree Guarantee is expected to hit that $100,000 mark by the end of the month. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
How much precipitation did the May storm bring to Southern Colorado?
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — May showers bring May flowers? Moisture made its appearance in Colorado on Monday, May 5, and while it was much-needed, the system will finally conclude on Wednesday evening, May 7. Snow and rain impacted various parts of Southern Colorado, with most of the precipitation impacting the area on Tuesday. 'We forecast a widespread 1.5″ to 3″ of liquid, with this storm,' said Matt Meister, FOX21 Storm Team Chief Meteorologist. 'We also thought a few spots right up against the mountains could get between 3″ and 5″. We nailed it.' The latest U.S. Drought Monitor, released on May 1, showed that areas in Southern Colorado were facing drought conditions. This May storm had the chance to help, and even erase some of the drought conditions that surfaced in Southern Colorado after the winter months. 'We've seen drought conditions develop over parts of the region through the winter,' said Meister. 'This probably erases the drought in most cases.' The latest snow totals across the region show that various areas west obtained the bulk of precipitation, with Victor getting more than a foot of snow. Parts in Southwestern Colorado are still under a Winter Storm Warning or Winter Weather Advisory until noon on Wednesday. The Pikes Peak area also received quite a bit of snow, with Pikes Peak – America's Mountain forecasting between 47-52 inches of snow between Tuesday and Wednesday. Viewers across the area shared a few pictures with FOX21 News, showing off how much precipitation their area had received. 'The nice thing about this storm is the water was able to soak into the ground,' added Meister. 'It fell over an extended period of time versus a quick 20 to 40-minute dump like we sometimes get from seasonal thunderstorms.' According to the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS), accumulated precipitation was also the highest in the western area, with Manitou Springs and areas of Cañon City accumulating more than 3 inches. While the bulk of the rain and snow has passed, cities are cautioning individuals about flooding due to the prolonged rainfall. Manitou Springs, which has retained the most rainfall in the Pikes Peak region, reported that due to high turbidity readings, it had paused operations at the water treatment plant and switched to a second water storage tank to continue providing safe and reliable water. After Wednesday, though, the weather improves for Southern Colorado, with 70s and sunshine on tap for the weekend. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Yahoo
Locals react to DEA's operation of illegal nightclub
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Many community members spent Sunday making calls to immigration lawyers to help those who are in custody, as they try to figure out where their loved ones are being held after Sunday morning's operation at a nightclub that resulted in the arrest of more than 100 illegal immigrants. Emotions were high for hundreds of people across Colorado Springs on Sunday, April 28, as many people woke up to learn their friend or family member had been arrested during the early morning hours. 'We have to be united,' said Patricia Rodriguez, a family member of four people who were arrested. On Sunday, she returned to the nightclub with her niece, who had been detained the night before. 'I got a call that they started to take citizens and non-citizens,' said Rodriguez. 'I was worried for my family, four members of my family were taken. My niece was taken, they placed her in handcuffs, another nephew who is also a citizen was also arrested, and he doesn't have nothing to do with what happened.' She returned on Sunday to get their cars, because many of the vehicles were being towed. Her nephew is in the hospital from injuries he received during the event. 'My nephew is in the hospital because he has a condition where he breathes through his neck, and the gas affected him. They did not care; they just wanted to grab people and did it in a discriminatory way against the Latin community,' she added. She described the treatment from officers 'like animals and abuse'. 'What I saw, what I heard, and was told is that it didn't matter who you were, they were just grabbing any person, and people trying to run were held at gunpoint and arrested immediately, no questions asked. No one could escape; they threw smoke grenades,' said Rodriguez. People who were not involved also visited the nightclub on Sunday, with one supporting the operation. 'I'm just driving around seeing where all the fun happened last night,' said a man who did not want to be named. He, along with others, said authorities did the right thing by taking action. 'That's a good thing, it's great to know that that many criminals are off the street,' he added. He also told FOX21 that it does not matter which president is in office; everyone should obey the law. 'There are obviously things going on in there that are illegal that nobody should tolerate. All the law enforcement agencies stepped up and evidently have a lot to work with, and they did their job to arrest people and bring justice,' he said. He also added that he does not think the operation will make the Pikes Peak Region any safer. 'I didn't feel safe yesterday, and I don't feel safer today,' he added. Rodriguez said her message to her community is unity, 'We have always been a community, but we need to be more united now because it's not fair what they do with us. We don't deserve this, we are in a free country, in a country full of opportunities, and I know we can't go over the law, but we also deserve an opportunity.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
More than 1,000 pounds of prescription drugs and opioids collected on Drug Take Back Day in El Paso County
(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo) — Within the neighborhood parks and typical Saturday activities, there were stands across Southern Colorado set up to collect prescription pills and opioids to prevent drug overdoses and accidental poisoning. 'It gives residents an opportunity to go through their unused or expired prescription drugs they may have accumulated in their homes over the years,' said Jennifer Lang from El Paso County Public Health. Pills and bottles were dropped off, filling several kitchen-sized trash bags to the brim. The collection site near the Widefield Parks and Rec Center is a small part of a nationwide event where cities across the country set up drop-off points for old and expired prescription pills and opioids. The Widefield location offered medicine cases, Narcan, and other gifts in a bag in exchange for old pills. Several other drop-off locations across El Paso County also saw trash bags fill up. In total, the Colorado Springs Police Department tells FOX21 that 1,373 pounds of prescription drugs and opioids were collected during April's take-back event. Lang says the event has been successful for the past three years. 'We've been doing our partnering with our local law enforcement, since then (2022), the Fountain and Widefield area has collected nearly 1,000 pounds of unused or expired medications,' Lang said. While there are two set drug takeback events each year, Lang encourages every day to be a takeback day where people are getting rid of their old and expired prescription drugs properly. To find a location to properly drop off unwanted opioids or prescription drugs, click here. As for the drug collection in the Whitefield and Fountain, the exact number, according to El Paso County Public Health, is 968.75 pounds collected from the last six drug takeback events at just the Widefield Parks and Rec Center and the Fountain Library. These efforts come as the most recent data shows 534 people between the ages of 15-24 visited the emergency room because of an overdose in 2023, according to El Paso County Public Health. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Firefighters urge caution during high fire danger
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The weekend of April 12-13 is setting up to be another tease of summer, with sunny skies and temperatures unheard of for early April, and with that comes an unfortunate side effect–high fire danger. 'We're likely… going to be very close to, if not tying or breaking all-time April record highs, so this is extremely warm for this time of year,' said FOX21 Meteorologist Robert Hahn. High temperatures typically mean high fire danger, and firefighters are warning that will indeed be the case over the next few days. Crews to the south have already had to battle one large fire on the south side of Pueblo on Thursday, but now fire departments are concerned other people are not as aware of the danger with winter barely on its way out. April 10, 2025: Lake Minnequa fire under control 'One of our biggest concerns when we get like that is that people aren't quite fire-ready just yet, it's only April,' said Lieutenant Will Rogers with the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD). As of April 6, much of southern Colorado is below 75% of its normal snowpack, and any remaining snowpack is set to dry up very quickly. Rogers said it doesn't take much to start a fire right now. 'Just careless disposal of some coals from a barbecue can result in a fire,' Rogers said. Coals from a barbeque are only one of the potential causes of a fire–one can start from a carelessly tossed cigarette or even welding outside, like the Silver Charm fire in April of 2022 that burned dangerously close to homes in northern Colorado Springs. April 22, 2022: SIlver Charm fire caused by welding outdoors Most fires are simply careless but costly mistakes, but when intent is involved, firefighters say the best thing you can do is speak up. 'If they see someone that looks like they're starting a malicious fire of any kind, call 911 or report it right away,' Rogers said. CSFD has a website that shows how you can prevent simple fires at your home or set an evacuation plan in the case of a wildfire burning near your home. So, if you decide to throw the rare April barbeque this weekend, firefighters ask you to be prepared to do your part in preventing a small fire from growing into a destructive one. 'You want to make sure that you've got a way to put that fire out and that you're at least 15 feet away from any sort of other combustible material, whether that's a home, a fence, or a tree,' Rogers said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
