COLORADO SPRINGS — The next time you’re looking for a job in Colorado, take a closer look at the job posting and see if the pay aligns with your expectations. Employers in the state are being fined if they don’t provide that pay transparency. Since 2021 it has been the law and the standard in the state.

”I was at a point where not only am I starting a family, but I was looking for a career change and something that was stable and concrete. So, I was looking for my career, my official career. I was tired of job-hopping. I was a serial job hopper for a while,” said Drew Moreno, who just wrapped up an intense job search.

He is now working at the Pikes Peak Workforce Center to help others do the same.

”There were a few applicants who were coming in who were not English speaking. I myself am bilingual and to be able to help the community in that way, that experience moving forward propels me even further day to day,” said Moreno.

He says Colorado’s requirement for employers to post the pay for each job he applied for completely changed his approach and his willingness to apply for more challenging work.

”It’s almost taboo,” said Moreno. “When I would get advice from people from previous generations like my parents and my grandparents they would always say just take what they give you. Be happy you have a job. I had that mindset going forward. I think with this policy change I think there’s going to be a change in the way this generation thinks about what your worth is as a worker.”

Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows Colorado’s average hourly wage grew 11.5% between January 2021, when the wage transparency law started, and May of this year. Other states like California and New York have taken notice; following Colorado’s lead, they are two of at least 20 states with some type of pay transparency law on the books now.

Leaders at the Pikes Peak Workforce Center say while some employers were frustrated by having to include salary ranges in job postings, many employers are evolving and reaching out to see what positions should actually pay.

”We have access to national databases that span all different job postings and really give us the industry standards. With businesses who are questioning it and wondering what they should pay, providing the actual data to them really gives them a foot in the door to be able to offer a quality job,” said executive director and CEO of the Pikes Peak Workforce Center Traci Marques.

As other states look to duplicate this kind of pay transparency, job seekers believe it’s making a difference.

”I know what they’re offering me. I know I can either ask for more and if they’re not willing to accommodate, I know there are other options,” said Moreno.

The inspiration and ultimate goal for this pay transparency law in Colorado is to try to close the pay gap for women and minorities.

While a majority of companies in the state have complied, some are being fined and still aren’t being transparent with pay scales.

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This article was written by KOAA.

The suspect in a mass shooting that killed five people at a Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ nightclub last year has pleaded guilty in the attack. Monday’s plea by Anderson Lee Aldrich comes just seven months after the shooting and spares victim’s families and survivors a long and potentially painful trial.

Aldrich pleaded guilty to five counts of murder and 46 counts of attempted murder. Aldrich also pleaded no contest to two counts of bias-motivated crimes, one a felony and the other a misdemeanor.

The defendant faces life in prison on the murder charges under the plea agreement.

“I intentionally and after deliberation caused the death of each victim,” Aldrich told Judge Michael McHenry.

People in courtroom wiped away tears as the judge explained the charges and read out the names of the victims.

The plea entered during a court hearing follows a series of jailhouse phone calls from Aldrich to The Associated Press expressing remorse and the intention to face the consequences for the shooting.

Several survivors told the AP about the plea agreement after being approached about Aldrich’s comments to AP. They said prosecutors had notified them that Aldrich, who is nonbinary and uses they and them pronouns, would plead guilty to charges that would ensure a sentence of life behind bars.

Aldrich originally was charged with more than 300 state counts, including murder and hate crimes. The U.S. Justice Department is considering pursuing federal hate crime charges, according to a senior law enforcement official familiar with the matter who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing case.

The attack at Club Q came over a year after Aldrich had been arrested for threatening their grandparents and vowing to become “the next mass killer.” But, charges were ultimately dropped in that case.

Victims’ family members and survivors are expected to speak at Monday's hearing about how their lives were forever altered by the terror that erupted just before midnight on Nov. 19 when the suspect walked into Club Q and indiscriminately fired an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle.

Aldrich had been arrested over a year before the attack for threatening their grandparents and vowing to become “the next mass killer.” But, charges in that case were ultimately dropped.

The line to get through security early Monday snaked through the large plaza outside the courthouse as victims and others queued up to attend the hearing. One man wore a t-shirt saying “Loved Always & Never Forgotten” in honor of victim Daniel Davis Aston, a 28-year-old bartender and entertainer at Club Q who was killed in the shooting.

Aldrich hinted at plans to carry out violent attacks at least a year before the Club Q assault. In June 2021, Aldrich's grandparents told authorities that they were warned not to stand in the way of a plan to stockpile guns, ammo, body armor and a homemade bomb to become “the next mass killer.” Aldrich was then arrested after a standoff with SWAT officers that was livestreamed on Facebook and the evacuation of 10 nearby homes, telling officers “If they breach, I’m a f----ing blow it to holy hell!” Aldrich eventually surrendered.

However, the charges against Aldrich were thrown out in July 2022 after Aldrich’s mother and grandparents, the victims in the case, refused to cooperate with prosecutors, evading efforts to serve them with subpoenas to testify, according to court documents unsealed after the shooting. Other relatives told a judge they feared Aldrich would hurt their grandparents if released, painting a picture of an isolated, violent person who did not have a job and was given $30,000 that was spent largely on the purchase of 3D printers to make guns, the records showed.

Aldrich was released from jail then and authorities kept two guns — a ghost gun pistol and an MM15 rifle — seized in the arrest. But there was nothing to stop Aldrich from legally purchasing more firearms, raising questions immediately after the shooting about whether authorities should have sought a red flag order to prevent such purchases.

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said it would not have been able to seek a court order stopping Aldrich from buying or possessing guns because the 2021 arrest record was sealed after the charges were dropped. There was no new evidence that they could use to prove that Aldrich posed a threat “in the near future,” the sheriff’s office said.

Video below: Vigil pays respect to Club Q shooting victims

Investigators later revealed that the two guns Aldrich had during the Club Q attack — the rifle and a handgun — appeared to be ghost guns, or firearms without serial numbers that are homemade and do not require an owner to pass a background check.

Aldrich told AP in one of the interviews from jail they were on a “very large plethora of drugs” and abusing steroids at the time of the attack. But they did not answer directly regarding the hate crimes charges. When asked whether the attack was motivated by hate, Aldrich said only that was “completely off base.” Aldrich's attorneys, who have not disputed Aldrich's role in the shooting, have also pushed back on hate being the reason.

Some survivors who listened to the recorded phone calls saw Aldrich's comments as an attempt to avoid the death penalty which still exists in the federal system. Colorado abolished it in 2020 and life without prison is now the mandated sentence for first-degree murder in the state. They objected to Aldrich's unwillingness to discuss a motive and their use of passive, general language like “I just can’t believe what happened” and “I wish I could turn back time.”

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (KOAA) — The suspect in the deadly mass shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, Colorado, made a virtual court appearance Wednesday morning.

Andreson Lee Aldrich, who identifies as nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns, appeared in a wheelchair for an advisement hearing. Aldrich only spoke when directly questioned by the judge on whether they had watched a video on their advisement before the hearing.

The suspect's public defenders waived having charges read aloud. They will be held without bond with a next appearance on December 6, 2022. That date could change due to a scheduling conflict with a public defender.

El Paso County Court

Normally, a bond would be set. However, District Attorney Michael Allen had already stated the suspect is being held without bond. Allen said his office will continue to work to keep the suspect jailed without bond.

The alleged gunman was moved from a hospital to the El Paso County Jail Tuesday afternoon.

The suspect was arrested on 10 counts, including first-degree murder and bias-motivated crime, according to court records.

First-degree murder carries a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted in Colorado.

State law on bias-motivated crimes refers to "unlawful acts against persons or groups because of a person’s or group’s race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation for the purpose of inciting and provoking bodily injury or damage to property."

The local and federal investigation into the mass shooting is ongoing, and additional charges could be filed.

Five people were killed and 17 others were wounded in the attack at Club Q late Saturday night. Two patrons are credited with stopping the gunman, potentially saving countless lives.

This story was originally reported on koaa.com.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — A section of the historic Rainbow25 flag was unfurled outside City Hall in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to honor the lives lost, those wounded and a community impacted by Saturday's shooting at Club Q.

The "Sacred Cloth" pride flag is a section of the historic flag sewn by Gilbert Baker in 2003 to mark the 25th anniversary of his 1978 creation of the original pride flag.

The original flag was 1.25 miles long. After being displayed in Key West, Florida, it was cut up into sections, with section 93 declared the 'sacred cloth.'

It was displayed in Orlando, Florida following the 2016 Pulse nightclub shootings and has returned to the city every year on the anniversary of the attack.

“As Colorado Springs mourns, we are heartened that this historic flag has been offered for display,” said Jessie Pocock, Inside Out Youth Services executive director and CEO. “We are grateful for this incredible demonstration of compassion.”

This story was originally reported on KOAA.com.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Inflation has hit the holiday season causing many of shoppers to look even harder for a good sale. But this holiday season, experts are urging people to think local more than ever before.

"Big retailers as well as small retailers are recognizing people are worried about inflation,” said Stephan Weiller, a professor of economics at Colorado State University. "The holiday season is pretty important in terms of the economy. As a country, we are supposed to spend over a trillion dollars on holiday sales. That's 5% of the GDP, or 5% of what we produce is actually sold during the Christmas season, which is pretty unbelievable."

With inflation increasing the price of goods by sometimes 8%, many people are turning toward shopping online and in big chain stores.

"That’s what big box stores are doing; they’re discounting deep and often and that's what people are seeing,” Weiller said.

"The big box stores and Targets and Walmarts are really captivating the toy businesses,” said Richard Skorman, the owner of Little Richard’s Toy Store in Colorado Springs. “They used to have two or three aisles of toys, but now they have 15 or 20. So, it's hard for small business owner small toy store owner to compete sometimes. We have to innovate."

Economists are now trying to inform consumers to consider small privately owned toy shops for their holiday spending.

"If you're shopping for example at big chains all of that money goes away from the community, it goes to corporate headquarters,” Weiller said. “Spending locally keeps dollars flowing in that community.”

"So, Christmas is a big part of our sales,” Skorman said. “It could be up to 60% of our sales for the whole year, so it's really important for us."

Skorman has kept his business alive by carrying things big box stores might not actually carry.

"We've been preparing for this for months and months,” Skorman said. “We weren't sure if the supply chain was going to be hurt this year because last year, toys were hanging out on boats from China, so we bought a lot local, and we have a good full stock right now."

Economists say that it's hard for small businesses to compete with big chain prices, but Skorman believes stores like his can get through inflation by investing in their customer service.

"You'll find that people who work in locally-owned stores are really knowledgeable,” Skorman said. “And in some cases, local stores can talk you into something cheaper than what you were going to get so that could be an inflation buster. If you lose your small businesses in a community, you really lose your sense of character, your sense of place and a fair amount of money that would be invested and that community goes away."

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — An elementary school in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is one step closer to a zero-waste lunch program.

"Students threw about 500 foam trays in the landfill every week," said Buena Vista Elementary kitchen manager Tammy Burghart. "I got tired of seeing all the waste. We went from five to six trash cans down to one."

After 13 years, Burghart said she was happy to finally get reusable lunch trays last month.

Buena Vista Elementary School is the second school in District 11 to get reusable lunch trays.

The next step in the sustainability initiative is replacing plastic utensils.

Burghart said she hopes other schools can follow her school's lead.

"Now, if I could get the kids to eat their vegetables, I would be in Heaven," she said.

This story was originally reported on KOAA.com.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — An after-school activity has the power to change a person's life. Wrestling did exactly that for one Colorado veteran who is sharing that same passion with kids today.

Wrestle Like A Girl is a non-profit organization that started in Colorado Springs and has expanded across the nation.

"I'm a two-time world bronze medalist in women's wrestling, a combat veteran in special operations, and the founder and CEO of Wrestle Like A Girl," said retired Sgt. Sally Roberts.

Roberts said she first started wrestling in middle school while living in Washington.

"My mom had been married five times, and I didn't like being at home after school. So, I would go out and shoplift and break into houses," Roberts said. "I actually got arrested so many times that I was given an ultimatum by the juvenile detention officer: I could either find an after-school activity, or I would face going to juvenile detention."

Roberts said she was cut from several sports because coaches said she did not know how to play well with others.

"When I looked at the list of offerings, I saw that wrestling was a no-cut sport. And I thought, 'That's it, as long as I go out and wrestle and I don't quit, then I won't face juvenile detention,'" Roberts said. "And that one single decision forever changed the trajectory of my life.

Without wrestling, Roberts does not know if she would have become the person she is today.

"It teaches you resiliency, bravery, courage. You're going to get knocked down countless times in wrestling, and all you have is yourself to get back up," Roberts said.

Roberts said she started Wrestle Like A Girl around five years ago.

"I wanted to name the organization 'Wrestle Like A Girl' because it was taking this derogatory term that girls felt shameful about, and we gave it power, we gave it position, we gave it authority," Robert said.

Cheyenne Dyess, 16, is one of the ambassadors of Wrestle Like A Girl. Dyess began wrestling around six years ago.

"When I was in middle school, there was no girl's program that I could enter. So, I wrestled only boys or the occasional girl that would come in," Cheyenne said.

Now, Cheyenne wrestles at Vista Ridge High School, where the boys' and girls' teams practice together.

"Being on this team is like no other. You are there for each other, just like you're there for your family," Cheyenne said.

Cheyenne was diagnosed with cancer in January of 2015 and has been cancer-free for about four years.

"Fighting cancer definitely taught me that things are temporary, and you can go through anything and fight through it," Cheyenne said. "It's really just your mindset. The pain is only temporary, and one of our practice rules is you can always do one more. So, that's really instilled just throughout wrestling, and I had that mindset throughout cancer."

Roberts said Wrestle Like A Girl bridges the gap between access and opportunity when it comes to wrestling.

This story was originally published by Colette Bordelon on Scripps station KOAA in Colorado Springs.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A suspect was shot and killed by Colorado Springs police Thursday morning after allegedly ignoring officers' commands while walking around a parking lot with an AR-15.

The shooting occurred along the 500 block of W. Garden of the Gods Road, which is just west of Interstate 25.

The Colorado Springs Police Department and the El Paso County Sheriff's Office, which is investigating the shooting, said at around 6:30 a.m. local time, officers located a stolen vehicle in the parking lot of a Quality Inn. Officers attempted to contact a suspect, but he fled in his vehicle before it got stuck in a parking lot when the vehicle got "high-centered."

The suspect then got out of the vehicle with an AR-15 pointed at his chin, the sheriff's office said.

The suspect walked across the parking lot of a gas station toward a person pumping gas as officers commanded him to drop the weapon. The suspect ignored the officers, according to the sheriff's office.

Police attempted to use a Taser on the suspect, but it was not effective, police and the sheriff's office said. At that point, an officer fired at least one round at the suspect. He was struck at least once.

The suspect was transported to a local hospital, where he later died.

The sheriff's office said the man's identity would be released by the coroner once his next-of-kin was notified.

This story was originally published by Stephanie Butzer on Scripps station KMGH in Denver.

DENVER — Less than an hour after media shared the story of a military family who had a moving truck full of their belongings stolen, an observant viewer spotted the truck and called the police.

The Salas family had just made a four-day move from Virginia to Colorado. Evan Salas received orders for a new job at Buckley Air Force Base, but the family stopped at a hotel near the Denver International Airport to spend the night before making their way down to Colorado Springs.

The family woke up to find the 26-foot Penske truck gone.

"I was hoping, hoping that maybe it had just been towed, but that, unfortunately, was not the case," Salas previously told KMGH. "Somebody came in the middle of the night with the intention, specifically, of stealing, and they stole from us everything."

The truck had all their belongings inside, including furniture, clothes, and outdoor gear they bought for their adventures in Colorado. There were also boxes full of family heirlooms, photos, and their collection of Christmas ornaments.

Friends, family, and new neighbors immediately started stepping in to help, and KMGH started a fund to help the Salases get back on their feet.

“These last 24 hours have felt like days,” Salas said. “It’s been packed with people trying to help us. Friends reaching out, family reaching out, tons of people offering their support and helping us get back onto our feet.”

But thanks to that observant viewer, they got their truck back. Although at least half of their belongings were missing, personal items like picture frames, a hard drive full of digital photos, and their kids’ toys all remained.

“We’ve gone on this extreme roller coaster of lows and highs. Loss of faith in humanity to a few hours later, understanding that humanity is the greatest thing ever,” Salas said.

It’s a restoration in humanity Salas said wouldn’t have been restored if their story wasn’t shared.

“Your story was the cause of this happening. Shortly after it aired, I think it was about 30, 45 minutes after it aired, we were getting a phone call letting us know that they’ve located the truck because people had called in to ask what was going on with this, and it ended up pressuring the right people to get a move on it,” Salas said.

This story originally reported by Blayke Roznowski on TheDenverChannel.com.

BENNETT, Colo. — A military family made their way from Virginia to Colorado and didn't even have a chance to move in before thieves stole their moving truck with all of their belongings inside.

Evan Salas, his wife Stacey and their three little girls were excited when he received orders that would bring their family to Colorado. Salas is in the Air Force, and he's starting a new job at Buckley Air Force Base.

"So, we moved from Virginia, moved across the country. We packed up our stuff into a 26-foot Penske moving truck," Salas said.

He and his family were exhausted after the four-day drive. They pulled into the parking lot of a hotel near the Denver International Airport just before midnight. The next morning, they would drive to their new home and unpack.

When Salas woke up in the morning, he looked outside and saw the truck was missing.

"I was hoping, hoping that maybe it had just been towed, but that, unfortunately, was not the case," Salas said. "Somebody came in the middle of the night with the intention, specifically, of stealing, and they stole from us everything."

The truck had all their belongings inside, including furniture, clothes and outdoor gear they bought for their adventures in Colorado. There were also boxes full of family heirlooms, photos and their collection of Christmas ornaments.

"Stuff from my career, stuff that I have worked hard to achieve and earn. Military coin collection is gone. We’ve lost family silverware, all of our Christmas ornaments — everything we’ve put together over time. Memories, lots of memories," Salas said.

Click here to go directly to the Denver7 Gives donation form then choose a campaign

Although he would like to recover all of their belongings, he hopes they can find some of those precious items that can't be replaced.

"We’re hoping that maybe someone in the community will see the truck, maybe find an abandoned Penske truck," Salas said.

In the meantime, other military families and complete strangers in their new neighborhood have stepped up to donate what they can. Denver7 Gives has also established an account, and donations can be made through Denver7 Gives by selecting "Help the Salas Family" in the dropdown menu. All of the funds will go toward helping this family rebuild what a cruel thief took away.

"We’re looking to get new furniture and the small stuff that makes a home a home," Salas said.

This story was originally published by Liz Gelardi at KMGH.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KMGH) — Republican U.S. Congressman Doug Lamborn is under fire for several allegations in a new lawsuit, including forcing staff members to buy his family Christmas gifts, helping him move furniture into a vacation home, and flaunting COVID-19 safety protocols.

“Not only does it look bad, it’s a violation of the congressional ethics rules,” said longtime Republican lobbyist and consultant Steve Durham.

In one e-mail obtained by Denver7, a Lamborn staff member writes, "Team – I am leaving now to run errands for Mrs. Lamborn, then I will take my lunch hour."

Another e-mail says, "…we were able to get a gift certificate for the Kennedy Center… $10 from each of us will give [the Lamborn’s] flexibility deciding what they want to attend."

“There’s no question the use of staff for personal gain is forbidden and smacks of corruption,” Durham said.

Durham believes this could spell trouble for the eight-term congressman, even in Colorado’s 5th Congressional district, which is traditionally a Republican stronghold.

“It makes him very vulnerable to a primary,” Durham said.

The lawsuit also alleges Lamborn allowed his son to sleep in a storage space in the basement of the U.S. Capitol building for weeks. It also claims Lamborn exposed his staff to the coronavirus by ignoring U.S. House rules and alleges he had an overall ‘reckless handling’ of COVID-19 protocols.

Many on Lamborn’s staff did contract the virus in the fall of 2020.

“It’s significant, but it doesn’t smack of corruption like the use of staff for personal gain,” Durham said. "The lawsuit goes on to say Lamborn’s staff helped his wife with telecom calls to family, picked up personal mail at his residence and spent lunch preparing mailers for the campaign.

“That’s not what they get paid for,” Durham said. “They’re government employees.”

Durham said this could lead to a censure of the congressman or other consequences, which could possibly put him in a tough primary battle if another Republican were to show interest and run against Lamborn.

“The hardest job in the United States is to defeat an incumbent member of Congress,” Durham said. “But frankly, I think it would be bad for the party to reelect someone to Congress who’s demonstrated a complete disregard for the ethics rules.”

This story originally reported by Russell Haythorn on TheDenverChannel.com.