Good morning southern Colorado and here's what you need to know on your Monday morning.
If you'd like to read the full story, be sure to click on the story headline.
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Another Weather Alert Day for Southern Colorado with snow on the move starting later today followed by blowing snow through the overnight hours into Tuesday morning. We're going to see the heaviest snow in our southern mountains and southern half of the region. Expect temperatures in the 30s today that will fall into the teens overnight.
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Pueblo City Council to vote on special election ordinance
Pueblo City Council is expected to take a final vote tonight on an ordinance which will ask voters whether or not they should let the city create a municipal utility. This is part of a years-long effort to end a relationship with Black Hills Energy. Many customers have become frustrated with their high electric rates, plus disconnect and reconnect fees.
The city entered a 20-year agreement with Black Hills Energy a decade ago, but state law lets municipalities ask voters if they want to opt out at the 10 and 15 year marks of the contract. The proposed ballot question asks voters if the board of waterworks should run the day to day operations of the electric utility in a city takeover.
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News5 Investigates: Doctor shortage impacting Colorado health care
If you've tried calling your doctor, only to be told the next available appointment is a few weeks or even months away you aren't alone. It's a nationwide problem. Our investigation reveals Colorado doctors are feeling the impacts too.
News5 Investigates spent weeks digging into the numbers and speaking to the health care professionals on the front lines working to combat the impact of the doctor shortage. Local hospitals are working to find ways to utilize technology and other strategies as they prepare to care for an aging baby boomer population that will increasingly need more care in the next decade.
Tune in Monday to News5 at six to see our full investigation into the doctor shortage, what's causing it, and what can be done to improve access to care for all of us in the years to come. Our investigation reveals Colorado Springs hospitals are not immune to this shortage and they are in the process of seeking out solutions.
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Search for Gannon Stauch enters second week
The El Paso County Sheriff's Office is continuing efforts to bring home 11-year-old Gannon Stauch as he's now been missing for two weeks. Over the weekend, deputies re-canvassed the Lorson Ranch neighborhood as they work to speak with everyone in the area in the hopes of finding information to follow-up on. The sheriff's office has received more than 330 tips so far in the case and they are following up on all information.
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Colorado Springs lawmaker proposing "porch pirate" punishments
Colorado Springs Representative Larry Liston (R) is hoping to increase penalties for thieves who take mail and packages. Under Liston's original bill, the first offense would be a misdemeanor. Additional crimes would be an unclassified felony. Liston says there's interest from pharmaceutical companies and business owners who do a majority of their work online.
A committee date has not been set for the bill, Liston anticipates it will be heard in the House Judiciary committee sometime in the next couple of weeks.
