In the mountains west of Colorado Springs, schools in Cripple Creek and Victor are changing how they teach, to emphasize technical education and career readiness. A $1.4 million dollar state grant will help. KRCC's Abigail Beckman joins us with her report and what other schools districts are doing in southern Colorado to improve learning and close equity gaps.

The district has about 350 students in kindergarten through 12th grade with a four-year graduation rate of just under 85 percent. That's higher than the state average, but the real issue is finding work after graduation — only a handful of students go on to four-year colleges.

On July 31, 1871, the city of Colorado Springs was officially born. The city is celebrating its sesquicentennial with a "Parade Through Time" and a festival, both taking place downtown. We'll be updating this page daily leading up to July 31, with conversations, stories and photos as we look back on our city.

A local photographer is showcasing re-creations of historic images of Colorado Springs in an exhibit that opens this week at Library 21C.

The Florissant Fossil Beds joins the Mesa Verde and the Great Sand Dunes national parks as a certified International Dark Sky Park.

An art installation on display this month in Colorado Springs celebrates Black creatives in recognition of the upcoming Junteenth holiday. The Juneteenth Art Gallery at Cottonwood Center for the Arts includes the work of 12 artists from across the Front Range.

Colorado is getting another seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, and that change significantly raises the stakes for the state’s new redistricting process.

And the clock is ticking.

Before COVID, teachers at Mitchell High School in Colorado Springs wanted to form deeper connections with their students — many of whom are in low income households. So, while sticking with traditional parent teacher conferences, they also began meeting with kids and parents in the students' homes.

Colorado Springs ballot measure 2A seeks to keep the local economy operating at 2019 levels in order to help the city recover from the economic crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayor John Suthers says construction continued at record levels, tourism increased toward the end of the summer and city revenues exceeded last year's levels in June and July.

Colorado Springs City Council is set to appoint members of a commission aimed at providing policy input for the Colorado Springs Police Department. Community desire for police oversight began in its current iteration last August with the death of De'Von Bailey.

Plans for development and change in Colorado Springs continue, despite the uncertainty of the pandemic. In the first annual report on PlanCOS, officials highlighted areas of key progress as well as strategies to keep the public engaged.

KRCC's Abigail Beckman reports on parents who now have to choose the right learning environment for their children.

Today on Nature’s Neighborhood, Susan Davies of the Trails and Open Space Coalition talks about a few ways to venture through Colorado Springs’ connected park system. We’re going to head into Old Colorado City and check out three historic parks, starting with the newly renovated Bancroft Park.

As school districts across Colorado make adjustments to plans for the upcoming academic year, parents are faced with choosing the right learning environment for their children.