(SOUTHERN COLORADO) — It's been an interesting year, and Southern Colorado has been impacted by multiple events including severe weather, memorable occurrences and businesses coming and going. Below, FOX21 News takes a look back on the stories that made headlines, in no particular order. Weather What's that saying? "If you don't like the weather in Colorado, wait 20 minutes." Well, some Coloradans waited a little longer than that in November when a winter storm broke out across Southern Colorado. The storm, which began on Nov. 7, closed I-25 south of Pueblo to New Mexico due to heavy snowfall and unsafe conditions, causing hundreds of semis to be stranded across the area. Courtesy: FOX21 Chief Photojournalist Dez RoweCourtesy: FOX21 Chief Photojournalist Dez RoweCourtesy: FOX21 Chief Photojournalist Dez Rowe During the closure, commercial vehicles were forced to camp out and either park at the Pueblo Dog Track or at the Pueblo Mall. Now, as for the weather in 2025... it is definitely starting with a bang as the FOX21 Storm Team is watching a storm set to impact Colorado on Saturday night, Jan. 4, and Sunday, Jan. 5. Fires Three main fires impacted Pueblo, Teller County, and Colorado Springs, and although these fires were not the only ones that impacted the area, they were the top three biggest in Southern Colorado. Sparking in late February, the West Monument Creek Fire began west of the Pine Vallet Housing Area, and on the eastern border of the Pike National Forest. The fire quickly grew to 168 acres, before being knocked down and contained to 90% two days after it sparked. Following a couple of warm and stormy days in June, the Oak Ridge Fire began when lightning struck a single tree in the National Forest northwest of Beulah Highlands. While fire crews fought to extinguish the fire starting on June 22, the fire quickly grew in size two days later when winds drove its expansion. The fire quickly grew from two acres to 30, to 275, prompting evacuations and pre-evacuations of nearby homes and trails. By the time it was contained on Aug. 2, the fire had spread to about 1,310 acres. During the fire, hundreds of firefighters from different areas, including the Beulah Volunteer Fire Department helped battle the flames Most recently, a fire in Teller County broke out when one structure became engulfed in flames in October. The fire then spread to 98 acres, and the Teller County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) determined it was human-caused. The fire was knocked down in less than a few days, and right before Halloween, those living in the Highland Lakes subdivision were able to go back home. Highland Lake Fire evacuees return home Rescues Oct. 10 started with an announcement from TCSO responding to an "incident" at the Mollie Kathleen Mine near Cripple Creek. As more information came out, FOX21 News learned the incident was due to an equipment failure. According to TCSO Sheriff Jason Mikesell, a malfunction in the elevator system created a "severe danger" for those on board. 11 people had been rescued, one died during the incident, and 12 others were trapped inside the mine. Timeline of Mollie Kathleen Mine rescue After eight hours, all 12 people were out of the mine safe and uninjured. The Mollie Kathleen Mine remains closed and has no timeline of opening anytime soon. Military Matters Colorado Springs received a special visit from Vice-President Kamala Harris in May when she was announced as the 2024 commencement speaker at the Air Force Academy Class of 2024 graduation ceremony. Family united in military service at 2024 USAFA graduation 974 cadets were commissioned at the graduation. Earlier in 2024, USAFA graduate Madison Marsh was crowned as the first active-duty Air Force officer to have won the Miss America pageant. Business Southern Colorado saw many businesses come and go this year. A hot topic of 2024 in the Springs was the opening of the Ford Amphitheater back in August. Like some songs, some were jamming, and others weren't when the new concert venue opened. The City and the amphitheater's owner, VENU, saw some pushback from the community, and as of the end of the year, both are collaborating to increase the depth of the existing sound wall and to provide other physical mitigation efforts. Local businesses boarding up after car rampage in downtown Colorado Springs While many stores opened, 23 stores said goodbye to their storefront throughout the year. Many of them cited relocations, fires, financial strain, legal issues, lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and more. A building downtown was also closed for a few months after a car rampage that left businesses like Skirted Heifer, AT&T, and Boulder Street Gallery unrecognizable. The man responsible was recently given his sentence: probation. Crime In the topic of closures, a hotel in northern Pueblo was closed by the City of Pueblo in early February after police, the local health department, and several other agencies conducted an operation at the Rodeway Inn, west of I-25 off Highway 50. Large police presence at Pueblo hotel closed by City Police said the operation had begun weeks prior due to criminal activity, and several safety and security regulations. While agencies conducted the closure, five people were arrested. Also in February, the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) responded to a shooting that led to a lockdown at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) campus. UCCS Police and CSPD announced later on Feb. 16 that it was an isolated incident and two students were dead. Independent review of UCCS response to deadly shooting The alleged shooter, Nicholas Jordan, pleaded not guilty to the murder of the two students, Samuel Knopp and Celie Montgomery, in November. Another headline that topped the lists not only in Colorado, but the whole country was the Return to Nature Funeral Home case where the owners, Jon and Carie Hallford, mistreated nearly 200 bodies. Disturbing details revealed in court about Return to Nature Funeral Home case The story broke out in Nov. 2023, and in Nov. 2024, the Hallfords pleaded guilty to 191 counts of abuse of a corpse. Sentencing will occur on April 18, 2025. FILE - A hearse and debris sit behind the Return to Nature Funeral Home, Oct. 5, 2023, in Penrose, Colo. (Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette via AP, File)Courtesy: FOX21 News file photoThe owners of the Return to Nature Funeral Home were arrested on suspicion of committing multiple felonies. (KDVR)Courtesy: FOX21 News file photoCourtesy: FOX21 News Reporter, Cindy CentofantiCourtesy: Environmental Protection Agency The funeral home was also demolished in 2024. Sports Switchbacks victory rally planned The Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC made history in late November after their victory over Rhode Island FC. After their win, the Switchbacks became first-time USL Champions. Unique Content Some news in Colorado made top headlines by just being unique and trendy. For what reason? We are not exactly sure, but FOX21 viewers enjoyed these stories the most! At FOX21 News, we would never condone speeding and while the majority of drivers may think it's okay to go 5 mph over the speed limit, the Colorado State Patrol (CSP) doesn't exactly agree. So, “How fast can I go over the speed limit before I get pulled over? CSP says definitely not over 5 mph or 10 mph. If CSP's response wasn't enough to convince you to go the speed limit, also in 2024, a motorcyclist was charged with Speed Exhibition after driving at 150 mph from Colorado Springs to Denver. The man was arrested in Texas, extradited back to Colorado, and sentenced to 14 days in jail. His driving privileges were suspended in the state and he'd have to pay nearly $2,300 in fines. Security also got involved in another trendy case, this time at Scotty McCreery's show at the Colorado State Fair in August. Watch below: Here’s why Scotty McCreery stopped his show at the Colorado State Fair According to the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the country singer briefly stopped his concert after a man in the crowd allegedly assaulted a woman. Colorado State Fair Security and the Department of Agriculture investigated the case. Another story that made heads turn was a historic mansion built on what was once known as "Millionaire’s Row" and was for sale in Colorado Springs. The home featured nine bedrooms, seven fireplaces, six full and two partial bathrooms, and totaled nearly 15,000 square feet. The home also had a .87-acre lot where individuals could find pickleball courts, a carriage house with three additional bedrooms, multiple fountains, mountain views, and more. Closures 2024 could not have gone quietly, on Dec. 29, a large rockslide blocked the intersection of Highway 96 and Highway 165. Since then, it has made the intersection of both highways impassable. WATCH: Video of the rock slide as it happened: Turns out, that area is right on top of an ancient fault zone that was active billions of years ago and it is highly likely that additional rockslides could occur if slope mitigation is not performed in the area.