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Nov 29, 2024 | 
koaa.com | Lindsey Jensen
WATCH: Eighteen students across the U.S. will be receiving 20 thousand dollars each for their culinary arts education. The organization, U.S. Foods, says this scholarship aims to fill the overarching labor shortages, and the Colorado Restaurant Association reported eight out of ten locally owned businesses are struggling to find enough staff in 2024. One recipient of the scholarship is a Colorado native and attends Pikes Peak State College.
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Nov 28, 2024 | 
koaa.com | Lindsey Jensen
OLD COLORADO CITY — It can be difficult for people in recovery to navigate the holidays. "Holidays usually equal family time," said Peak Vista Community Health's director of Behavioral Health, Sharon Oates. "Recovery is usually closely tied to family trauma."Gratitude in Old Colorado City is one option where people can be sober and still celebrate. Co-owner Michele Garrett wanted the bar feel without the alcohol.
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Nov 27, 2024 | 
koaa.com | Lindsey Jensen
COLORADO SPRINGS — Men of Influence (MOI) has been working to prevent juvenile crime in Colorado Springs for a decade. MOI leaders presented new and improved actionable solutions to the rising youth crime rates. "We will no longer tolerate gun violence in our community," said one group leader during the presentation Tuesday night. Now, group leaders are putting words into action. "A solution is an education, a curriculum that MOI is going to pilot called the ILE," said another group leader.
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Nov 25, 2024 | 
koaa.com | Lindsey Jensen
COLORADO SPRINGS — More families are requesting extra hours with LearningRx trainers during Thanksgiving break. one family i spoke with says they want to keep up with their program here to stay sharp and not lose focus. nat soundStephanie Evans said her 8-year-old son takes three sessions a week, even during the break.
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Nov 23, 2024 | 
koaa.com | Lindsey Jensen
COLORADO SPRINGS — Pikes Peak United Way (PPUW) is helping provide Christmas presents for 228 families in need this year. But time is running out to help, with nearly a third of them still needing donors. It's through what's called the 'Adopt A Family' program with Harrison School District Two (D2). Sign up to 'adopt' a family online before December 6th. "With that 80 number left to support, we're a little bit anxious," said PPUW's senior VP of Community Impact, Elizabeth Quevedo.
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Nov 21, 2024 | 
koaa.com | Lindsey Jensen
WOODLAND PARK — Woodland Park School District (WPSD) took the third-biggest enrollment hit among our area school districts last school year. That according to Colorado Department of Education (CDE) pupil count data. "I'm not on board with how decisions are being made, we just wanted something a little more steadfast and not so chaotic all the time," said Amber Ray, former WPSD mom of three. Ray said there were a lot of factors in deciding to "choice out" of the district.
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Nov 18, 2024 | 
koaa.com | Lindsey Jensen
COLORADO SPRINGS — Thanks to a voter-approved property tax increase, Harrison School District 2 (D2) will receive about $9 million every year for the next decade. The top priority; increasing teacher pay. "Easy yes," said Southeast resident, Kimberly Gold. For Gold, voting for this mill levy override was a no-brainer. "My kiddo doesn't even go to school in D2 but I'm happy for my property tax revenue to go towards D2 because when we fund education and we invest in students . . .
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Nov 16, 2024 | 
koaa.com | Lindsey Jensen
COLORADO SPRINGS — UCCS students and staff can now text campus police in emergencies. Dispatch will send back a link to share camera access so officers can survey the area if needed. It's called Prepared911. The UCCS campus police chief Diana Cooley said the texting and video features allow dispatch to track a user's location. "That is completely on the user to give us consent to do that," said Cooley.
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Nov 15, 2024 | 
koaa.com | Lindsey Jensen
COLORADO SPRINGS — The El Paso County Department of Human Services (DHS) had to stop enrolling families in a state childcare assistance program, known as CCCAP. It provides subsidies in child care for eligible low-income families. With no end to the freeze in sight, there are concerns families will have to make some sacrifices. DHS said nearly 3,300 children are in care with CCCAP. "This is the first time we enacted a freeze," said DHS' Adult and Family Services Division Director, Yesenia Torres.
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Nov 14, 2024 | 
koaa.com | Lindsey Jensen
COLORADO SPRINGS — News5 wanted to gauge how some young people are truly doing, mentally, in our community. There are feelings of loneliness, frustration and stress from two high school students News5's Lindsey Jensen spoke with. A junior high school counselor said a lot of kids need help navigating social and academic anxiety right now. More than a fifth of high school students reported their stress levels were not manageable most days in 2023, according to theColorado's Healthy Kids Survey.
