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JULY 2, 2014 VOLU M E 49 | I S S UE 24 | 7 5 ¢
Tri-LakesTribune.net
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T R I - L A K E S R E G I O N , M O N U M E N T, G L E N E A G L E , B L A C K F O R E S T A N D N O R T H E R N E L P A S O C O U N T Y
A publication of
Beer garden part of the festivities for the first time Events pack the Independence celebration schedule By Rob Carrigan
rcarrigan @coloradocommunitymedia.com Breweries all over this independent nation claim Ben Franklin presented the idea that “Beer is proof that God loves us, and wanted us to be happy.” Unlikely that he really said that — but as Independent revelers descend on Monument this July Fourth, they can at least embrace the sentiment. For the first time, a beer garden has been included in the Tri-Lakes celebration. Barriers will fence off an area in Limbach Park over the Friday holiday and Coors, Coors Light, Killian’s, and Blue Moon will be offered at $5 per glass, starting at 10 a.m. Two varieties of Mike’s Hard Lemonaid will also be available and the area will close at 9 p.m. Appropriate I.D. is required for drinks, but everyone is welcome in the park Bands and food trucks from the street fair will still be available in the evening and the tip jar will be shared with TriLakes Relay for Life. “It is the first time, and it really should be an exciting, fun activity,” says TriLakes Chamber Office Manager Julie Matalus. Franklin would approve, and did write, “Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards, there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine, a constant proof that God loves
The Annual Children’s parade begins at 9:30 a.m. followed by the Main Parade at 10; both sponsored by the Monument Hill Kiwanis Club. Courtesy photo us, and loves to see us happy.” Other events include: The Barn Dance with live music at Sibell’s Barn behind 231 Front St. in Monument is sponsored by Dorothy and Si Sibell night before on July 3rd to kick-off the holiday celebration. Tickets at the
door: $10 per person; $15 per couple. The Palmer Lake July 4th 33rd Annual Fun Run, sponsored by Palmer Lake Elementary School, is a fast four-mile run on the Santa Fe Trail. Participants are to begin at Palmer Lake and end in Monument in time for the parade and festivities. This
is a point to point race. Bus transportation back to Palmer Lake will be available after the race. Register at either the Palmer Lake or Monument library or online at
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Williams, staff try to make it easier for Tri-Lakes voters to cast ballots Drop-off boxes and voter service polling centers are strategically placed POSTAL ADDRESS
TRI-LAKES TRIBUNE (USPS 418-960)
OFFICE: 325 Second Street, Suite R Monument, CO 80132 PHONE: 719-687-3006 A legal newspaper of general circulation in El Paso County, Colorado, the Tri-Lakes Tribune is published weekly on Wednesday by Colorado Community Media, 1200 E. Highway 24, Woodland Park, CO 80863. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID AT WOODLAND PARK, COLORADO. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: 9137 S. Ridgeline Blvd., Suite 210 Highlands Ranch, CO 80129 DEADLINES: Display: Thurs. 11 a.m. Legal: Thurs. 11 a.m. | Classified: Mon. 10 a.m. G ET SOCIAL WITH US
P L EA SE R ECYC L E T H I S C OPY
By Danny Summers
dsummers @coloradocommunitymedia. com The June 24 primary had many registered voters in El Paso County keeping a close eye on the GOP congressional race between incumbent Doug Lamborn and retired two-star Air Force General Bentley Rayburn. But it was just another night at County election headquarters for clerk and recorder Wayne Williams and his trusted staff. Williams ran unopposed in his bid to earn the GOP nomination for November’s secretary of state election, so he didn’t have to sweat out any race or attend a party. Instead, Williams spent time making sure the whole election process ran according to plan for voters around the County. “This went very smoothly” said Williams, a Tri-Lakes area resident. “We plan for each election more than a year ahead of time and we began planning for this before last November’s election and made adjustments as we needed to.” The election was all mail-in, meaning that every vote was essentially absentee. Williams noted that there were 11 drop-off boxes throughout the county to assist voters in saving postage to mail-in their ballots. According to Williams, 2,081 ballots were collected at the Monument drop-off box, located near the Monument Town Hall along Highway 105 — across from the busy Safeway shopping
GOP Congressman Doug Lamborn won his primary on June 24 and will run in the November election. Courtesy photo center. There was no drop-box in Palmer Lake. “We typically see the Tri-lakes area vote very strongly,” Williams said. “Last November there was a bond issue and the Tri-Lakes area had the highest turnout for any area in the County. “The more people have to vote on the more likely they are to vote. And when they see how it directly impacts them they seem to get out and vote.” Williams noted that the Palmer Lake vote may have been even stronger this go-around since the U.S House District 20 from that area was gerrymandered with the Broadmoor area of town. “Terri Carver was elected (June 24) to be the Republican candidate in Palmer Lake, Rockrimmon, the Broadmoor and Mountain Shadows.,” Williams said. The details and location of the drop-off box in Monument was actually worked out earlier this year when Travis Easton was still may-
or of Monument,” Williams said. “That turned out to be a very popular location.” Williams and his staff have spent many hours and chatted with a lot of folks regarding where the best areas in the County would be for drop-off boxes. “We only have 11 drop-off boxes county-wide and the goal was to try and get everybody within about 10 minutes,” Williams said. “Because the Monument drop-off box is on that northwest corner of Monument it’s actually fairly easy for Palmer Lake residents to cast a ballot there as well. Plus, in most instances they’re likely to be coming up or down Highway 105 to get to places.” The drop-off boxes and voters service polling centers for November’s general election will be expanded to reach even more voters in the Tri-Lakes area. In addition to Monument Town Hall, Tri-Lakes area votes can find drop-off boxes and voter service polling centers
at Donald Westcott Fire Protection District (main station off Gleneagle Blvd.), Forestgate Presbyterian Church (970 North Gate Road) and Black Forest Fire/Rescue (11445 Teachout Road.) “We want to space them out so we make it convenient for everyone,” Williams said. “We hit 96 percent of the people in 10 minutes.” The western part of the County (Green Mountain Falls and Cascade) is taken care of by the Manitou Springs drop-off box and voter service polling center at Monument Town Hall. Despite running for office in November, Williams will still run the election. “There are lots of safeguards in place,” Williams said. “I don’t actually handle or program any of the machinery. I don’t have codes to the rooms where the ballots are. I have to have a staff member go in a room with me if I do go in one. We go to great measures to take proper security precautions.”