Indy - June 8, 2023 Vol 31. No. 22

Our mission is to deliver the truth, build community and engage citizens.

PUBLISHER

Fran Zankowski

COVER DESIGN BY Dustin Glatz

EDITORIAL

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Bryan Grossman

MANAGING EDITOR Helen Lewis

COPY EDITOR Mary Jo Meade

SENIOR REPORTER Pam Zubeck

CULTURE REPORTER Nick Raven

CONTRIBUTORS

Rob Brezny, Jim Hightower, Mike Littwin, Matthew Schniper, Andrew “Shaggy” Warren

SALES

AD DIRECTOR Teri Homick

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

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PHOTO BY Bryan Oller

Courtesy Pony Bradshaw

Matthew Schniper

THE WIRE

President Joe Biden gave the commencement address at the U.S. Air Force Academy on June 1, a sendoff to 921 graduating cadets. Of those, 398 are tapped to continue training to become pilots. Twentynine percent of this year’s graduating class are women.

MOBOLADE PICKS CHIEF

Newly elected Mayor Yemi Mobolade announced May 31 that his chief of staff will be Jamie Fabos, former communications director for Mayor John Suthers and Colorado Springs Utilities’ general manager of public affairs. She formerly worked in a communications post for USA Swimming but has no broad administrative experience (unlike her predecessor, Jeff Greene, who served as El Paso County administrator before being tapped by Suthers in 2015).

No word in response to the Indy ’s question about if or how much Greene will be paid to leave, but his agreement calls for six months’ pay, or $115,922. If he’s paid for all 425 accrued vacation hours, that’s another $47,372.

The incoming administration has not disclosed Fabos’ salary, but her annual pay at Utilities is $220,147.

The new mayor also outlined his priorities for the next three months:

• Build support within government — at city, county and state levels

• Engage the community and build public confidence

• Public safety, including homelessness, and to identify and pursue solutions to police recruitment and retention

He also said he plans to address housing affordability and continue infrastructure improvements with an emphasis on water and roads, and to focus on both job creation and talent development under his 100-day plan. While he has repeatedly articulated those topics as priorities, Mobolade has yet to give details about how he will address those issues.

He was to take his oath of office for his four-year term at 10 a.m. June 6, after the Indy ’s press deadline.

SPACE FORCE ASSET ANNOUNCEMENT

Rep. Doug Lamborn announced on May 31 that the Air Force secretary has designated Colorado Springs as the permanent location for four Space Force entities, staffed with more than 500 guardians.

Space Delta 12; Space Delta 15; the 74th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Squadron; and 75th ISR Squadron, to be activated in late 2023, will be permanently based at Peterson and Schriever Space Force bases.

Colorado Springs is currently home to Space Operations Command, the National Space Defense Center, Space Delta (DEL) 2, DEL 3, DEL 6, DEL 7, DEL 8, DEL 9, DEL 10, DEL 11, DEL 12, DEL 15, and Space Base Delta 1.

It is the provisional location of Space Training and Readiness Command, and the current home of the SSC Transition Division, Space Systems Command Product Support/ Defensive Cyber Operations/Rapid Reaction Branch, 1st Space Brigade, 310th Space Wing, and 138th Space Control Squadron.

The permanent home of U.S. Space Command remains in dispute after former President Donald Trump awarded the command to Huntsville, Alabama.

REDISTRICTING MEETINGS SET

The El Paso County Commissioner Redistricting Commission, composed of sitting county commissioners, will hold “listening sessions” in all five commissioner districts as part of redrawing their own district boundaries.

“We invite members of the public to attend these meetings and make their voices heard,” said Redistricting Commission member Cami Bremer, county commission chair.

The meetings, in chronological order:

• District 1 (north): Monday, June 12, 5:30 p.m., LewisPalmer High School, 1300 Higby Road, Monument

• District 2 (east): Wednesday, June 21, 5:30 p.m., Mountain View Academy Charter School, 2103 Meadowbrook Parkway

• District 4 (southeast): Thursday, July 6, 5:30 p.m., Mesa Ridge High School, 6070 Mesa Ridge Parkway

• District 3 (west/northwest): Monday, July 10, 5:30 p.m., Cheyenne Mountain High School, 1200 Cresta Road

• District 5 (central): Monday, July 17, 9 a.m., Pikes Peak Regional Development Center, 322 S. Cascade Ave.

Matter of Record

Colorado rose five positions to land in the top five states for LGBTQ+ equality, according to Out Leadership, a platform used by companies, nonprofits and governments to drive equality through business. Introduced five years ago, the access and equality index shows Colorado as fifth highest, behind New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey — all East Coast states.

Colorado Springs moved up in its ParkScore ranking, as judged by the Trust for Public Lands, to 51st out of 100 cities in the nation, with a rating of 51.5. Last year, the city ranked 58th with a rating of 49.9. In both years, the city scored slightly below the national median, which was 53.2 in 2022 and 51.8 in 2023. The ratings are based on assessments of park access, park acreage, investment and amenities, among other factors.

StoryCorps, the national nonprofit that records, preserves and shares stories from people of all backgrounds and beliefs, will be in Colorado Springs until June 28. In its 17th year, the StoryCorps Mobile Tour has facilitated thousands of conversations between people who know and care about one another. To make a reservation to record, call StoryCorps’ 24-hour line at 1-800-8504406 or visit storycorps.org.

Most of Colorado’s U.S. House delegation voted in favor of the debt ceiling bill on May 31. Voting for were Democrats Yadira Caraveo, Diana DeGette, Jason Crow, Joe Neguse and Brittany Pettersen. Republican Doug Lamborn, Colorado Springs, also voted for the measure. Ken Buck (R) voted against it, while Lauren Boebert (R) didn’t cast a vote (she says unintentionally), though she opposed the bill; CBS News reported she filed a form saying she would have voted “no.”

Compiled by Pam Zubeck

Trevor Cokley

Justin Pacheco

ON THE HOOK

Church For All Nations ordered to pay defendant’s attorney fees in hangar case

BY PAM ZUBECK | zubeck@csindy.com

CHURCH FOR ALL NATIONS MUST PAY attorney fees and court costs totaling $86,699 incurred by a defendant the church sued over an airplane hangar two years ago, District Judge Michael McHenry ruled on May 29.

That expense adds to the roughly $650,000 the church has already shelled out trying to secure a hangar at Colorado Springs Airport for its aircraft, which ferry Mark Cowart, the church’s pastor, to speaking engagements.

The church contended that by paying certain fees over the years, totaling some $400,000, it had a right to build a hangar but was blocked from building one by COS Owners Association Inc., which oversees the hangars, and its developer Hoag Construction.

COS Owners Association and Hoag disputed that.

The church sued Hoag Construction, its owner Tom Hoag, and the association more than two years ago but lost in District Court when McHenry dismissed the case in March on the defendants’ motion.

The church has now appealed that decision to the Colorado Court of Appeals.

After McHenry dismissed the case, Hoag and his company sought reimbursement from Cowart’s church for $68,022 in attorney fees and $18,677 in court costs, which includes mediation and expert fees.

The church opposed the motion for fees and costs, saying that a court may award attorney fees by statute only if the action “lacked substantial justification (substantially frivolous, substantially groundless, substantially vexatious),” its court filing said.

In response, McHenry cited his prior ruling dismissing the case against Hoag and COS Owners Association.

“Per the court’s Order,” he wrote in his decision awarding fees and costs, “Plaintiff [church] has no rights in E-12 [the hangar site at issue]. Accordingly, the Defendants Hoag cannot interfere with rights that do not exist.... Accordingly, the court hereby finds Plaintiff’s claims to be groundless, frivolous, and vexatious.”

McHenry further ruled Hoag’s attorney fees “reasonable.” Hoag Construction had noted in its motion for attorney fees that its attorney bill was reasonable in light of the church’s attorney fees having totaled $254,271 as of

February, by the church’s admission amid the litigation. Those fees continue to pile up, presumably, considering the church has appealed the lower court’s decision.

On April 17, COS Owners Association submitted a list of its court costs, which total $2,487. It did not submit a total for attorney fees. The court has not ruled on that submission.

Mark Cowart at Church For All Nations

TR H

Westside neighborhood demands action to curtail homelessness crisis

BY PAM ZUBECK | zubeck@csindy.com

JUDITH DALEY AND HER WESTSIDE

neighbors live near a “homeless highway,” and they’ve seen it all.

Trash. Drug syringes. Human feces. Piles of blankets and clothes. Tents. A cave dug into the side of a hill as a shelter. Aggressive dogs. And, most recently, “Hail [sic] Hitler” and racial slurs sprayed in black paint on the sidewalk and around the playground of Blunt Park in their area in mid-May.

One neighbor, Nancy Robinson, awoke in the wee

Indy comment is obviously a reflection of his

hours in early May to find a homeless man shooting up between his toes in her bathroom before he climbed into the shower. When she screamed for him to get out, he told her, “They told me I could be here.” Robinson tells the Indy comment is obviously a reflection of his detachment from reality.

Daley and her husband, Bill Morris, live on West Vermijo Street just north of Fountain Creek, where the Midland Trail interrupts for several blocks on a detour to Cucharras Street. In that intervening four- to five-block area along the creek, they’ve seen hundreds of homeless people congregate and set up what resemble living quarters, using blankets for tents or whatever they can dig from trash cans or steal, the neighbors say.

north of Fountain Creek, where the

than their neighbors are also long-term

The couple have lived there for more than 35 years, and many of their neighbors are also long-term residents.

But in the last two years, the homeless situation has become more acute, to the point where Daley and her neighbors often call police and submit complaints to the city multiple times a week.

the point where Daley and her neighbors

They’ve pleaded for authorities to do something, but when Robinson’s home was invaded, that was the last straw, and the neighborhood decided to organize and to not be ignored.

something, but when Robinson’s home

They’ve reached out to the Parks, Recand to newly elected District 3 City

They’ve reached out to the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Office, to police, to the city’s complaint website and to newly elected District 3 City Councilor Michelle Talarico.

And they’ve proven the old cli-

And they’ve proven the old cliché true. “I am a really good squeaky wheel,” Daley says.

But while some things were accomplished within a couple of weeks of their activism, time will tell whether things have changed for good.

plished within a couple of weeks of

Photos by Rich Duquet

Makeshift shelters (top) and the aftermath of a recent fire in a camp

Bryan

Not only has Amnet been recognized nine times as the Best IT Firm by Colorado Springs Business Journal readers and made its way into Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado’s Excellence in Customer Service Hall of Fame — They also have the cutest dog!

BESIDES THE CONSTANT PRESENCE OF HOMELESS PEOPLE who knock on their doors, look in their windows and hang out in the park — some with aggressive dogs that scare neighborhood kids — residents in the Blunt Park area have another complaint.

It seems that more and more of the homeless people there are armed with knives; one man had a machete, another carried a bow and arrow.

“They all walk around with big knives strapped to their legs,” Daley says. One group was seen throwing a hatchet at trees, over the tops of one another’s heads, she says.

Residents also recount screaming fights at 2 a.m. between homeless people dickering over shopping carts and other disputes.

“We’re talking three to five times a week,” Daley says.

Jamie Mills says one homeless woman came to her back fence yelling that she couldn’t find her way out from the area around Fountain Creek.

Then there’s public urination — that’s fairly common — and people looking to swipe whatever they can sell, residents say. Some neighbors say they don’t feel comfortable opening their windows during the summer for fear of a break-in.

Sean “Shanti” Lally, Robinson’s son, says the neighbors aren’t unfeeling. They’ve often helped when asked. One homeless woman came to his door in the rain. He allowed her to sleep on the porch and gave her a blanket.

“We’re a compassionate bunch and look at people as individuals,” he says. They exchange names with homeless people sometimes, he says, and try to get to know them. In return, they find bags of drug needles, a befouled creek and a city park spray-painted with racial slurs.

On top of all that, four fires have erupted near the creek since last October.

Something of a night owl, Daley happened to be rambling in her house at 2:30 one December morning when she saw flames shooting 15 to 20 feet in the air from the creek bed. Apparently, a propane tank people were using for heat or to cook exploded, she says. Then, ammunition starting popping. “There were bullets going off,” she says.

Colorado Springs Fire Department responded quickly, but it took two hours to extinguish the blaze, Daley says.

The Fire Chiefs of El Paso County last fall urged county commissioners to do something about fires in homeless camps that endanger homeless people, property, firefighters and other citizens. It’s especially a problem during drought conditions, given the city’s large wildland urban interface, they said. CSFD reports that firefighters responded to 851 fires in homeless camps last year, and to 603 so far this year.

“

“

I am a really good squeaky wheel.

— Judith Daley

John Spengler points to where a homeless camp was recently cleaned up.

Pam Zubeck

As one neighbor put it, “We’re kind of a neighborhood under siege.” Another says, “You’re constantly having to be on guard.”

John Spengler, a longtime resident who moved to another neighborhood about 10 years ago but whose son still occupies his home near Blunt Park, suggested the Midland Trail be routed through the park to encourage more traffic from cyclists and hikers, which might deter homeless people from malingering.

But another neighbor, Rich Duquet, who walks his dog on the Midland, said the trail itself has become a magnet for homeless people and their shopping carts.

“As soon as you pave it,” he says, “you have made a homeless highway.”

THE ANNUAL POINT IN TIME SURVEY THAT counts people experiencing homelessness was taken in January, but results won’t be released for several weeks. The 2022 survey showed an increase in homeless people living in Colorado Springs and El Paso County compared to the prior two years. The survey showed 1,443 homeless people were counted, compared to 1,156 in 2021 and 1,339 in 2020. The highwater mark was 1,562 in 2019.

The 2022 survey also showed a record high number since 2011, at 396, of those considered as “chronic homeless.” That’s defined by the Department of Housing and Urban Development as a homeless person with a disability who lives in a place not meant for human habitation or in an emergency shelter who’s been homeless for at least 12 months or homeless on at least four separate occasions in the last 3 years with that duration lasting at least 12 months.

Blunt Park neighbors say city officials have told them some people who have lingered in their neighborhood and along Fountain Creek have been homeless for 10 years.

Crystal Karr, the city’s homeless prevention and response coordinator, says she doesn’t recall making that statement, but she acknowledged there are tough cases.

“We have a working group comprised of nonprofits providing services to people experiencing homelessness, hospitals, senior service agencies, and we are working to include mental health and substance use providers as well,” Karr says via email. “There are some individuals and families that due to high medical, behavioral/mental health, and substance disorders that are not able to obtain shelter. Often these are the individuals the public sees on our streets and living outdoors. This group is working to create both immediate, short-term, and long-term solutions. The difficulty is that there is not a one fits all solution; this takes time and joint efforts.”

The neighbors say that while they’re aware that police do issue citations for illegal camping and other offenses, they’ve learned that many homeless people don’t show up for court, and they continue to commit the illegal acts.

It’s something of a game of whack-a-mole, residents say.

Although the municipal court doesn’t keep data specifically on homeless people and can’t say how many individuals cited for illegally camping miss their court dates, Chief Municipal Judge HayDen Kane reports in an email that only 40 percent of people cited show up for their criminal arraignment dates.

“There are serious challenges with ensuring that people facing homelessness appear in court,” Kane writes. “The court can and does issue warrants that allow police to take an individual into custody overnight and escort them to their arraignments.”

Though illegal camping could carry a sentence of up to 180 days in jail, he says, “oftentimes the first goal of the city is to get the individuals to agree to participate in outreach services that hopefully would provide them support to provide a path out of homelessness.”

That was the goal in the city starting its Homeless Outreach Court Program. In 2022, 28 defendants were sentenced to probation via Outreach Court, totaling 59 cases.

ASKED ABOUT ALL THAT, SPRINGS RESCUE

Mission’s director of Communications Cameron Moix says he can’t explain why some people choose not to avail themselves of programs and opportunities pro -

vided by the mission that would break the homelessness cycle. “It’s complicated,” he says.

“The reality is in these summer months, we might have 150 empty beds, and so it’s not for lack of space,” he says. “The things keeping people away from shelters oftentimes are people don’t want to seek help. It’s a difficult thing.”

Moix noted the 2022 Point In Time Survey showed the highest number of sheltered homeless persons in at least a decade, at 1,176.

“People seeking services are getting help but some people, for whatever reason, can’t bring themselves to seek help,” he says.

The Westside neighbors say it seems that there’s no shortage of materials — tents, blankets and bedrolls — for homeless people to re-establish camps after sweeps remove those materials from time to time.

Says Moix, “We don’t give out bedding generally because we try not to promote camping. But there are a lot of groups around that provide sleeping bags and blankets. I think part of it is lack of understanding of the services that are available.”

Persuading someone who’s lived without shelter for years to get into programs to break the cycle is daunting, Moix says.

“It’s really tough. It’s a complicated thing,” he says. “I feel like getting to know those people enough to understand what would get them on a pathway out of that is a really good start. And then match them to whatever programs and services they’re willing to seek out.

“How do you get someone to want something for themselves?” he says. “A lot of people feel they’ve been pushed around, and they’re trying to get to a place to fight for a better life. We try to remind people they matter and deserve better for themselves.”

During a May 18 meeting of the neighbors with Councilor Talarico, some residents wondered if Colorado Springs’ homeless population has grown due to an abundance of services offered.

In response to a question about what state has the best homeless resources on the website Squat the Planet, one man posted this on Jan. 29, 2023: “I find Colorado Springs, Colorado a [sic] easy place to regroup and get back on your feet…YOU CAN GET FOOD STAMPS AND MEDICAL VERY QUICKLY..YOU CAN FLY A SIGN AND MAKE GREAT MONEY AT HOME DEPOT, WALMART AND MOST OFF RAMPS AND TRUCK STOPS..BUSING IS DESCENT [sic] AND YOU CAN GET A BUD TENDER JOB EASY.”

A load of trash was hauled out of the homeless camp next to Fountain Creek.

A recent cleanup of a homeless camp adjacent to Blunt Park

A defaced sidewalk in Blunt Park

Photos by Kate Modzelewski

➔ continued from p. 7

Moix says he’s unaware of Colorado Springs being a draw for homeless people from other states due to service availability, and there’s no evidence he’s aware of that homeless people are being directed here by authorities in other states.

“There were people who came here after being evacuated from natural disasters,” he says. “But they just came. Nobody put them on a bus.”

Moix says that Springs Rescue Mission is seen as a model that other cities want to emulate, including Aurora. “We would always encourage communities to develop programs like we have, so they can support their own communities,” he says.

Evan Caster, senior manager of Community Health Partnership’s Homeless Initiatives, says via email that reports regarding the local homeless situation show that during the last reporting period (Oct. 1, 2021 to Sept. 30, 2022) there were fewer people who had previously exited homelessness who then later returned to being homeless. And that’s a good thing.

However, those reports for the same period, show that the “number of people experiencing homelessness for the first time” increased here by more than 500.

DALEY AND OTHERS HAVE GROWN increasingly demanding after Robinson’s home invasion. Morris, Daley’s husband, went to the Parks Department office and waited until he could speak with someone about possible resources available to better secure Blunt Park.

The parks employee referred him to CSPD’s Gold Hill Division, which referred him to Officer Wesley Wilkerson, a member of the department’s Homeless Outreach Team.

The officer inspected the premises and mobilized a roll-off dumpster as well as a loader, which bulldozed the flimsy living structures and cleared out blankets, clothing and other materials. That was in mid-May.

Previous cleanups haven’t lasted long. The campers move back in within days, the neighbors say.

But residents have a list of ideas they think might help:

• Extend fencing across residents’ backyards to create a barrier between yards and the creek. (Daley says the Parks Department promised to do that nine months ago. The Parks Department says the materials were purchased in December, but the ground was too

frozen to install the fence posts. The posts got installed the week of May 15, and chain link was erected on May 23 and “seems to be working so far,” she says.)

• Undertake fire mitigation of the heavily wooded area along the creek to discourage people from nestling in.

• Declare the creek a riparian area, a bird sanctuary and wetland worthy of protection. During a recent tour there, a crane was spotted, along with several ducks. Residents report seeing all kinds of wildlife — beavers, foxes, deer, geese, ducks and an occasional wildcat. They wonder if the Fountain Creek Watershed, Flood Control and Greenway District could adopt the area as a project.

Asked about that, the district’s Executive Director Alli Schuch says in an email, “Unfortunately, we are quite limited in our abilities as we do not have sustainable funding.” Funding comes from member governments, she says, and creek restoration work has been mostly funded by Colorado Springs Utilities via $50 million provided in 2009 to offset impacts from the Southern Delivery System.

“Those funds may only be spent on new projects, south of the Pueblo County line and will be exhausted in the coming years,” Schuch says.

She acknowledged the watershed needs work in various places, but that the district doesn’t have staff or resources to deal with a creek project as envisioned by the Blunt Park neighbors.

• Create more HOT teams. The residents and the Rescue Mission staff had only good things to say about the HOT team officers they’ve dealt with.

Typically, CSPD’s senior public communications supervisor Robert Tornabene reports via email, the HOT Team is broken down into two three-person teams. But the unit has a vacancy at present, so Sgt. Olav Chaney has created two two-person teams and a shift for a lone officer, and Chaney helps as well.

“Staffing is an issue throughout the department,” Tornabene’s email says. “The goal would be to add personnel to the unit. But until staffing increases in patrol they can not add more people to the HOT team.”

Asked about adding more dedicated police personnel to work on homeless issues, City Council President Randy Helms demurred, saying via email, “Ultimately adding more HOT Teams is a budgetary consideration.

Per Charter, the new Mayor will propose a budget to the Council during the first week of October. Traditionally the Council has been supportive of more funding for CSPD, but I cannot speak for the entire Council until we have these conversations over the summer.”

MAYOR YEMI MOBOLADE HAS NAMED

homelessness as one of his top three priorities as a subset of public safety. (The others are infrastructure and economic vitality.)

He’s said those living unhoused represent various societal ills, including substance abuse, poverty, escape from domestic violence, mental illness, and the lack of affordable housing.

Vowing to support the Pikes Peak Continuum of Care, a consortium of local providers with expertise in specific areas of homelessness, Mobolade has said he will try to find a balance between providing services to homeless people “while meeting the public safety needs of our residents.”

To that end, he promises to double down on partnerships with local providers of mental health care and supportive housing case management services.

“In addition,” he wrote in the Indy ’s election candidate questionnaire, “I will increase street outreach to address homeless camps through cost-effective, innovative city service personnel who are trained to work with homeless individuals and provide them with assistance.“

Talarico, who took office on April 18, told residents she’s new to office and “can’t intervene.”

“I don’t feel I have that power yet,” she said, but added, “I want to be an advocate for this community.”

She said as she becomes more familiar with the various city departments, she’ll have a greater understanding of what the city can and can’t do.

When Daley reminded her, “You need to know you are our elected official,” Talarico responded, “I want to leverage that when I know more. I’m six weeks into this job.”

Residents responded they want to reclaim the area and take ownership as a community. “We would love the city to get creative to provide resources to support us,” one person said. “It’s on us to show up, but without fear and threat we will be assaulted.”

Talarico acknowledged that a city park that residents termed “under siege” seems worthy of prioritizing, as well as protection of an ecosystem.

But, she noted, “It’s easy for people to say, ‘Not my problem.’”

Despite not being promised much at the meeting, Daley says she felt “wonderful” about the gathering with Talarico.

“We have all been cowed into our houses,” she says. “Then we all came out from our fortified nests to be together and say, ‘We’ve got to change this.’ I think everyone felt invigorated with her presence.”

I want to be an advocate for this community.

— Michelle Talarico

Pam Zubeck

City Councilor Michelle Talarico (facing the camera) met with neighbors in May.

BY MATTHEW SCHNIPER

ALL THE FUSS OVER CASA BONITA’S RETURN

Appetizers

SO I DROVE TO DENVER on May 26 for a sneak peek at the imminently opening Casa Bonita (6715 W. Colfax Ave., Lakewood, casabonitadenver.com). Yes, the legendary “greatest restaurant in the world” immortalized by the TV show South Park. That one, yeah. The one with the waterfall divers — and sopaipillas.

I’d received an invite the week prior with the most strict media embargo I’ve yet encountered in my nearly two-decade journalism career. If I squealed, I’d be booted off the island (uninvited, shunned and blacklisted for eternity). And I should note that I’d actually never been to Casa Bonita. Before we were allowed in at 10 a.m., I went under a secondary embargo until 1 p.m. And we had to agree to strict photography terms — meaning no shots except in one permitted area.

We received a tour only — no interview opportunities with the big players, so I don’t have any fresh quotes for you. That’s by their design. Presenters said they want the public to experience the space anew, with a mix of nostalgia and surprise at the new upgrades, all intended to elevate the game. They made numerous refer-

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South Park creators Matt Stone (left) and Trey Parker with Casa Bonita Chef Dana Rodriguez

The iconic pink building

Courtesy Casa Bonita

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JOSÉ MULDOON’S

222 N. TEJON ST. | 719-636-2311 | 5710 S. CAREFREE CR @ POWERS | 719-574-5673

Since 1974. Features authentic Tex-Mex & Mexican fare in contemporary Sante Fe-styled establishment. Across from Acacia Park, and west of Powers & Carefree. Josemuldoons.com. Support local restaurants! We are open for delivery, carry out, and dine-in at both locations! Please check our Facebook page for hours daily, as they are subject to change.

THE FAMOUS 31 N. TEJON ST. | DOWNTOWN | 719-227-7333

Colorado Springs’ finest upscale steak house and lounge located in the center of downtown. Dine in an elegant and classic steak house environment. Award winning prime steaks, fresh seafood, premium wines, craft brews and piano bar provide a provocative mix of atmosphere and entertainment. Reservations suggested.

MACKENZIE’S CHOP HOUSE

128 S. TEJON ST. HISTORIC ALAMO BUILDING | DOWNTOWN | 719-635-3536

Offering half off all bottles of wine under $100! Voted Best Power Lunch, Steakhouse and Martini! Downtown’s choice for quality meats and mixed drinks. Mackenzieschophouse.com. Open Mon.-Fri. 11:30am-3pm for lunch, and 5pm- close every day for dinner!

ences to improved quality. (A dig at the past and promise for the future.) We even got to stroll through the expansive kitchen, which we were told was excavated down 2 feet to build an entirely new culinary arena. It’s being led by James Beard Award-nominated Chef Dana Rodriguez, formerly of Denver’s fine-dining outfits Rioja, Bistro Vendome, Work & Class as well as more recent projects Super Mega Bien and Cantina Loca.

What I learned during my brief tour was that guests will enter and be guided to what used to be lengthy queues toward the kitchen window. Instead, they’ll be ushered into a newly built area of ticket booths for ordering food (think: how picking up tickets at a box office works, except for food). That area’s designed in a Oaxacan style with all touches toward authenticity.

Next comes a bend past a viewing area where, behind glass, an employee makes fresh tortillas for public view. Then comes a long hot line where plates are assembled and picked up at the end (think moving down the line at Chipotle, but longer, with more anticipation). We were told everything has been streamlined for efficiency and cleanliness. They’re expecting thousands of guests daily, once ramped up fully.

(so I don’t get into legal trouble, ahem). Amongst the chaos of reporters and camera people tripping over one another, I think I also heard the words “puppet plaza” in relation to an area that wasn’t yet ready for the public’s eyes.

And perhaps that’s the best hint we all received on the hugely anticipated and yet still unknown opening date. They gave us nothing, only a directive to sign up for updates on their website.

22 S. Tejon · 630-1167 fujiyamasushi.com

After food’s obtained, diners will be ushered to wherever they’re fortunate enough to be seated. (It wasn’t made clear to us if any requests were taken, or you just get what’s available.) Some tables are inside a faux mountain, behind the waterfall. Others span around the plaza area with a replica wishing well and the sopaipilla station. Again we were told how much effort went into restoring features to maintain the 1970s feel (the spot opened in ’74). And we were told that everything has been brought up to code in terms of ADA compliance, meaning it’s all fully accessible.

We were restricted from using direct quotes by our tour guides, but let’s just say someone said something like “step into another world” but not exactly that

As of the day I’m writing this, on May 31, Casa Bonita has still given no official launch date. Even though a note on their homepage says “reopening May 2023.” A Denver Post article published May 30 announced that “Casa Bonita will open in stages, with a public lottery and then tickets.” How they knew that? Well, a good old-fashioned Colorado Open Records Act request. They obtained an email from Lakewood Police Department to other city employees related to security procedures and parking capacity concerns. Brilliant.

So in the end, I drove up to Lakewood not for direct interviews, not for samples, not for a definitive launch date. But instead for a rapid tour culminating in a mini performance of cliff divers launching themselves from faux rock platforms into the 14-foot-deep lagoon below. As I stood above it at a bridge overlook, the

Lagoon divers entertain visitors.

The taco salad; Casa Bonita reps insist all the food has improved in quality.

Matthew Schniper

Courtesy Casa Bonita

➔ continued from p. 9

waterfall mist and palpable humidity washed over my face like a cool breeze from the past laced with pent-up nostalgia and the promise of campy good days to come. “Splash!” (Not an actual quote, again don’t sue me.)

But to actually quote Cartman from the Casa Bonita South Park episode, when he’s finally apprehended by authorities after diving off the waterfall: They tell him he’s going to juvenile hall for a week and ask: “Was it worth it?”

“Totally,” he replies, floating in the pool, blissfully gazing skyward.

I later posted my tour experience across social media and observed many an amusing and poignant comment. I’m sharing some of my favorites here:

“My favorite Casa Bonita story was a colleague who worked there in high school and got fired for hiding in one of the caves and eating sopapillas.” — Nate

“At around 8 or 9 years old I stole coins out of the fountain near the entrance. Don’t worry, the police came & I returned them. You live and learn!” — Jenny

“My parents met there in 1975.” — Chris

“Where the food tastes like shoelaces and the atmosphere is an amusement park. Iconic.” — Zach [Editor’s note: Supposedly that food is improved; we’ll see, someday.]

“I went there as a kid in the late ’70s. I thought it was magical. The cliff and waterfall seem[ed] skyscraper high. I still have this ceramic bird I got at their gift shop, which I carried in my pocket for years.” — Laurel

WET DOGS

LAKESIDE DAWGS & CONES (619 Prospect Lake Drive, lakesidedawgs.com) is back open for the season (through October’s end) at Prospect Lake in Memorial Park.

The waterside refreshment stand inside the YMCA swim pavilion originally opened in the summer of 2021. I stopped by a couple weeks ago for a quick preview and to sit down with owner Brandon DelGrosso, who also owns Switchback Coffee Roasters and soon-to-launch Provision Bread & Bakery.

Lakeside’s menu remains largely the same as in prior years, but it has added a new stadium-style nachos bowl and DelGrosso’s mindfully expanded veggie and vegan options with hot dog substitutes. As soon as Provision ramps up to full speed,

it will start providing buns for the dogs as well. The kiosk also sells Pikes Peak Lemonade, local craft beers ($5) and Lee’s Spirits Canned Cocktails ($8), to be enjoyed on the patio that overlooks the water. There’s free beach access all summer for swimming and paddle boarding and such. And DelGrosso says he hopes the community will take advantage of affordable events/ meeting space on the premises.

MUCH ADO ABOUT VOODOO

VOODOO BREWING CO. (808 Garden of the Gods Road, voodoobrewery. com) grand opened May 27. Visit Side Dish partner Focus on the Beer’s Substack page (focusonthebeer. substack.com) to hear a full podcast with Voodoo’s local franchisee/owner Micah Maffeo.

Matthew Schniper is the former Food & Drink editor and critic at the Indy. You can find expanded food and drink news and reviews at sidedishschnip. substack.com.

The plant-based Vegan/Veggie Dawg with tomatoes, mushroom and feta

Matthew Schniper

HELIO

PLAYING AROUND

WEDNESDAY, 6/7

Acoustic Hour, local musicians; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge, bicycleresort.com.

Boostive, dubhop/reggae/world/soul, with Get Some; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

Sarah Brunner, singer-songwriter ; 5 p.m., The Well, wellinthesprings.com/ happenings.

Colorado College Summer Music Festival, June 7-23, kicks off at 7:30 p.m. in Packard Hall with the Festival Artists Concert. See tinyurl.com/CC-summer23 for full festival lineup and tickets.

The Drones Band, ’80s; 6:30 p.m., Limbach Park, Monument; tinyurl.com/ monument-sum23.

Deirdre McCarthy & Friends, fi ddle, mandolin, bass and guitar; 6:30 p.m., Front Range Barbeque, frbbq.com/ events.

Manitou Library Lawn Concert: Edie Carey, singer-songwriter ; 6 p.m., Manitou Carnegie Library, ppld.org/ library-lawn-concerts.

Sunset Patio Session: Randy Keira, acoustic; 6 p.m., Boot Barn Hall, bootbarnhall.com.

Craig Walter, singer-songwriter/guitarist; 7 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, tinyurl.com/ music-at-Quinns.

Wirewood Station, country; John Wise & Tribe, New Orleans R&B/blues/jazz/ island; John Hewitt, singer-songwriter; 6 p.m., Hillside Gardens, hillsidecolorado.com/upcoming-events.

THURSDAY, 6/8

Barely Sky Frogs, “slinging tunes by The Grateful Dead, Little Feat, and more” ; 6:30 p.m., Soda Springs Park, Manitou, manitousprings.org/2022summer-concert-series.

Mike Coy, “Red Dirt Texas Country and some Nashville Gold”; 6 p.m., Notes, notesbar.com/events.

De’Wayne, hip-hop/rap, with Not A Toy, Crooked Teeth, Strung Short; 8 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

The Long Run, Eagles tribute; 6 p.m., Banning Lewis Ranch Vista Park Pavilion, tinyurl.com/BL-music-23.

Out Loud, Colorado Springs Men’s Chorus: One Night Only, cabaret experience; 7:30 p.m., Stargazers Theatre, outloudcsmc.com/tickets.

Red Moon Rounder, indie folk-rock /album release, with Deirdre McCarthy; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

Silver Moon Riders, country/rock/funk/ blues; 8 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com/events.

CREEPING

The Sleeping Giants, traditional Irish; 6:30 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, facebook.com/ quinnspub/events.

Ricky Sweum Quartet, jazz; 7:30 p.m., Summa, dizzycharlies.com/schedule.

Aaron Tippin, Collin Raye & Sammy Kershaw, “Roots and Boots tour”; 7 p.m., Boot Barn Hall, bootbarnhall.com.

Westrock, country/bluegrass/originals; 5 p.m., The Well, wellinthesprings.com/ happenings.

FRIDAY, 6/9

The Bushcocks, alternative Southern rock ; 7 p.m., Mash Mechanix, mashmechanix.com/events.

Tim Cappello, sax, with DJ RIVT; 8 p.m.,

Koe Wetzel brings his red dirt country/rock to Broadmoor World Arena on Thursday, June 15.

Dog House, doghousecos.com.

Tim Costello, American jam music; 7:30 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, tinyurl.com/musicat-Quinns.

Daft Phish, Daft Punk/Phish tribute; 9 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com/events.

DeadPhish Orchestra, “A seamless web of Phish and Dead”; 8 p.m., Lulu’s, lulusdownstairs.com.

Forever Man, a tribute to Eric Clapton; 7 p.m., Stargazers Theatre, stargazerstheatre.com/upcoming-events.

Goldpine, Americana; 7 p.m., Black Forest Community Center, blackroseacoustic.org/comingsoon.

Incendio, Spanish pop/dance/world; 7 p.m., University Village North, uvcshopping.com/concert-series.html.

Jazz in the Garden: TRĒO, jazz; 7 p.m., Grace and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, gssepiscopal.org/jazz-in-thegarden.

Joe Johnson, singer-songwriter/guitarist; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge, bicycleresort.com.

Nekrogoblikon, death metal, with Inferi, Aether Realm, Hunt the Dinosaur; 7 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks. com.

The Runners Band, cover band; 5 p.m., First & Main Town Center, firstandmaintowncenter.com/stories-events.

Soapdish, cover band; 7 p.m., Notes, notesbar.com/events.

Chad Tepper, alternative/indie, with Juno Rossa; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

Titonic Band, funk; 5 p.m., Promenade Shops at Briargate, tinyurl.com/Promsummer-23.

SATURDAY, 6/10

Austin Allen, acoustic; 6 p.m., Whiskey Baron Dance Hall, tinyurl.com/whiskdh.

Blankslate, indie rock , with The Sum Beaches; 8 p.m., Lulu’s, lulusdownstairs.com.

Boostive, dubhop/reggae/world/soul; 7:30 p.m., Brues Alehouse, Pueblo, bruesalehouse.com.

Chatham County Line, Americana; 7 p.m., Lulu’s, lulusdownstairs.com.

Colorado College Summer Music Festival, Faculty Artist Concert, 7:30 p.m., Packard Hall. See tinyurl.com/CC-summer23 for full festival lineup and tickets.

Colorado Floyd, music of Pink Floyd; 7 p.m., Stargazers Theatre, stargazerstheatre.com/upcoming-events.

KD Davis & Friends, rap; 9 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch. com/events.

Grizzly Gopher, cover band; 4 p.m., Palmer Lake Pub, palmerlakepub.net. Keep Britain Irish, Irish pub rock; 7:30 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, tinyurl.com/musicat-Quinns.

Nube Nueve, Latin jazz; 7 p.m., Jives Coffee Lounge, dizzycharlies.com/schedule.

John Spengler, singer-songwriter/guitarist; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge, bicycleresort.com.

Stamped, hardcore/grunge, with Euphoria, RVBOMB, Bad Anatomy, Civil Disobedience; 8 p.m., Dog House, doghousecos.com.

Wayne Wilkinson Trio, jazz ; noon-3 p.m.; Joe Slivik, DJ, 6 p.m.; The Well, wellinthesprings.com/happenings.

SUNDAY, 6/11

Blue Frog with Rob Fulton, Americana/ jam; 6 p.m., Front Range Barbeque, frbbq.com/events.

Steve Langemo, blues; 1 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com/ events.

Psychotic Reaction, rock/heavy psych, with The Short Term, Grimmly; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

Summer Music Series: Clay Cutler, “blend of music and storytelling”; 3 p.m., Goat Patch Brewing Co., goatpatchbrewing.com/events.

Uncle Lucius, rock; 7 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

MONDAY, 6/12

Academy Jazz Ensemble, jazz ; 7 p.m., Soda Springs Park, Manitou, manitousprings.org/2022-summer-concertseries.

Brett Darby Price Jazz Trio, jazz; 6 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com/events.

Junior Retreat, “A band from Kansas that makes sad music,” with Viewfinder, Strainer; 7 p.m., Dog House, doghousecos.com.

Sundiver CA, alternative/indie, with Yungatita; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

Courtesy Koe Wetzel

PLAYING AROUND

TUESDAY, 6/13

Chamber Mage, heavy metal, with Blind Oath, Wiseman & The Wicked Ones; 7 p.m., Dog House, doghousecos.com.

Colorado College Summer Music Festival, Festival Orchestra Concert, 7:30 p.m., Celeste Theatre. See tinyurl.com/ CC-summer23 for full festival lineup and tickets.

Combs, Milo & Blackmore, multigenre; 6 p.m., Bancroft Park, tinyurl.com/classic-Bancroft.

Danielle Nicole Band, blues/roots/soul; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

WEDNESDAY, 6/14

Acoustic Hour, local musicians; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge, bicycleresort.com.

Gus Clark & The Least of His Problems, country ; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

Cari Dell, variety ; John Wise & Tribe, New Orleans R&B/blues/jazz/island; The Barefoot Family Caravan, psychedelic rock ; 6 p.m., Hillside Gardens, hillsidecolorado.com/upcomingevents.

Grits & Greens, rock/jam; 6:30 p.m., Front Range Barbeque, frbbq.com/ events.

Mike Love & Full Circle, acoustic/folk/ reggae, with Keilana, A-Mac, The Height; 8 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

Manitou Library Lawn Concert: Jeremy Facknitz, singer-songwriter; 6 p.m., Manitou Carnegie Library, ppld.org/ library-lawn-concerts.

Mimic, covers from ’60s to ’80s; 6:30 p.m., Limbach Park, Monument; tinyurl.com/monument-sum23.

Joe Sciallo & Al Chesis, blues; 6:30 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, tinyurl.com/music-atQuinns.

THURSDAY, 6/15

Colorado College Summer Music Festival, Festival Orchestra Concert, 7:30 p.m., Packard Hall. See tinyurl.com/CCsummer23 for full festival lineup and tickets.

Crystal and The Curious, “whimsically sophisticated lounge music” ; 6:30 p.m., Soda Springs Park, Manitou, manitousprings.org/2022-summer-concert-series.

Roma Ransom, psychedelic folk jazz; 7 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, tinyurl.com/musicat-Quinns.

Sun-Dried Vibes, reggae, with Ghost.wav; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com. Koe Wetzel, red dirt country/rock, with Pecos & The Rooftops, Dylan Wheeler; 7 p.m., Broadmoor World Arena, broadmoorworldarena.com/events/detail/ koewetzel.

Wayne Wilkinson Trio, jazz; 7:30 p.m., Summa, dizzycharlies.com/schedule.

BIG GIGS

Upcoming music events

King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 7-8

Nekrogoblikon, Black Sheep, June 9

The Sisters of Mercy, Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, June 9

Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 10

Rodrigo y Gabriela, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 11

Barenaked Ladies, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 13

Mike Love, Black Sheep, June 14

Koe Wetzel, World Arena, June 15

Umphrey’s McGee, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 16-17

Giovannie & The Hired Guns, Black Sheep, June 17

Oliver Tree, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 20

Cody Johnson, Weidner Field, June 22

Shakey Graves, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 22

Widespread Panic, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 23-25

AJR and Jeremy Zucker, Weidner Field, June 24

George Strait with Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town, Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, June 24

Erykah Badu, Ball Arena, Denver, June 26

Zach Bryan, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 26-27

Charlie Puth, Bellco Theatre, Denver, June 27

Lyle Lovett, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 28

Continued at csindy.com

Pony Bradshaw, dubbed “country music’s newest rambler” by Rolling Stone, plays Lulu’s on Aug. 31.

Courtesy Pony Bradshaw

Focus Health Care

to promote wellbeing. We are encouraging people to reach out if they need help; it’s a strength to reach out if you’re hurting, if you need help. I’ll be the first to say if I’m struggling, if I’m having mental health concerns — I will model the way and reach out for help, and not be shy about it. We all need help at different points in our lives. Mental health and wellbeing is extremely important — and it was extremely important prior to the pandemic. The pandemic has thrust us into an arena where we don’t yet understand the impacts, but we do know that our area has some challenges. But we also have partnerships and people that care, that are doing phenomenal work — and we need to keep up the momentum because I don’t want to come across as saying, ‘We have all these problems, and nothing is being done about it.’ There’s a lot of important work going on.

What I said during the pandemic is just what Mr. Rogers used to say: that when there’s tragedy happening around you and things coming at us like a tidal wave, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’ I say, look for the helpers, be a helper. That’s how we work within public health in our community — we organize and we have a lot of collaborations, and that’s important. How can people get connected? What can you do? There is a lot that’s within our control.

Post-pandemic, Public Health pushes on Susan Wheelan talks mental health, collaboration and the road ahead

BY AMELIA ALLEN AND HELEN LEWIS

Susan Wheelan’s been with El Paso County Public Health for the long haul — since 1999 in fact. She saw, up close, the drastic budget cuts and layoffs of the Great Recession, and she led the agency through the unprecedented trials of the global COVID pandemic. Before being appointed director in 2019, she served as environmental health specialist, then communications director, public information officer, administrative hearing offi-

cer, program manager, deputy director and interim director. When we asked her, ‘What now?’ she had all the details — so what we can’t fit in these pages you’ll find online at csbj.com.

What do you want the community to understand about the health issues — including mental health issues — the county faces now?

Mental health was a top issue before the

pandemic, and the pandemic has exacerbated that. Suicide is one area of tremendous concern. There are also numerous others, because everyone had their own experience — some folks are more traumatized than others with the loss of life, and there were just so many different dynamics. There’s still a lot of concern for well being and mental health, and we are heavily partnering with different organizations, such as the Lyda Hill Institute for Human Resilience,

As our community grows, we are going to deal with more complex problems — we dealt with complex problems prior to COVID, and they’ve been exacerbated. We have been recognized for different efforts within our county and one of them is care coordination and navigation, and how we get people connected to services they need. How can you be healthy if you don’t have a place to live? Or if you don’t have adequate food? Those are all issues in our community that we’re dealing with, and what we’re trying to do is increase the level of collaboration and the collective impact always for the entire county. You know, we’ve got eight towns and cities within the county. We don’t have limitless resources to throw here and there, so we are data driven. We look at what the data says, we look at the populations, and then we figure out how we work with others in the community to have an impact, and then we evaluate as we go. We also take in qualitative data to

determine how we’re doing. We’re in the process now of doing the assessment plan, our strategic plan, our Community Health Improvement Plan, so we’re really refreshing on all fronts.

We have a number of community collaborations — for example, we have a teen suicide prevention group that I spearheaded with the [El Paso County] coroner, Dr. Leon Kelly, and we have multidisciplinary groups that are working together. What’s important is knowing the resources, what’s available — and also communicating what’s not available, so we can figure out how to address those issues in our community to make improvements. It’s not just about bringing up issues, it’s about bringing up solutions, then seeing how can we work together to address those … and truly understanding what the data says, so that our agency can be a resource and work with different organizations on collaborations.

I want the community to know that Public Health is strong. We are a team of very passionate, caring people that have a lot of technical experience. And we are here

to work together and to collaborate — we know that we can have a greater impact when we’re working together.

Before the pandemic, your department was already underfunded and short-staffed thanks to severe cuts during the Great Recession. What’s the situation now?

I was here during that, and in 2009 — January — we laid off, I think, almost 40 [full-time equivalent employees]. It was budget cut after budget cut. So in 2018, I went before the Board of County Commissioners to ask for critical needs funding. They gave us some critical needs funding — this was for the 2019 budget — which allowed me to hire an additional public health nurse to develop a data analytics office. The nurse has been critical in expanding our capacity to do mobile vaccinations and Sir within vaccinations, especially during COVID — and then for folks that have access barriers, transportation barriers. In terms of data analytics, we gained national recognition for our COVID data dashboards making real-time data easily accessible, and we also received a lot of positive feedback from elected officials,

state representatives. So that allowed us to hire epidemiologists for our data analytics office, and it allowed us to hire an additional emergency preparedness and response coordinator for El Paso County, because our grant funding has been to oversee a five-county region — the South Central region within the state of Colorado. That also allowed us to hire an additional retail food establishment inspector, an inspector for environmental health, some support staff, and a wellness planner.

So with that being said, the county commissioners have been supportive. And we have a phenomenal development officer who has been aggressive in trying to seek grant funding from [the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], and various different sources. And we secured one of the highest dollar amount grants for public health infrastructure at nearly $8 million over the next five years. But I do want to emphasize that there has to be core funding — that is not grant funding — to allow us to meet our statutory responsibilities. Grant funding is specific to certain criteria, and it has limitations. So while we have been successful in seeking grant funding, we still need core funding to meet our statutory responsibilities.

What is the state of that core funding at the moment, and where does it come from?

The core funding comes from El Paso

County — it’s usually around a little over 20 percent — and then also there is state funding, which comes through the state legislature through the state health department. And that’s all for core public health.

We need to maintain that for the growing population that we have, paired with complex issues and the need to keep up the momentum providing the level of service with reasonable timeframes. We need that core funding in addition to the grant funding — the majority of our funding comes from grants and contracts. The core funding is essential to delivering core public health — core public health is the work we’re statutorily obligated to do.

In the past few years, people had to be more engaged with El Paso County Public Health because of the pandemic — whether through the dashboard or the guidelines that were issued. Why do you think that people should stay dialed into Public Health now that the emergency has passed?

Well, public health is integrated into every aspect of everyone’s lives, if you think about it — from the air we breathe, to the food we eat, where we live, where we work, where we play, where we worship — there’s so many different aspects of public health. We are like a utility: We’re steady at work while some people might not even be aware that we’re at work. When they’re dropping their kids off to childcare

1.47 acre lot at end of quiet cul de sac with sweeping unobstructed mountain & Pikes Peak views. Flat at front of lot & moving back the lot gently slopes to allow for a walkout. Backs and sides to open space. Easy commute to both Colorado Springs or Pueblo. MLS# 5628454

Pueblo

Investor special with a lot of potential! 1620 sq. ft. stucco 2-story new build on 1.17 acres with no back neighbors. 3 beds, 2 baths, 2-car garage. Granite counters. White cabinets. Wood laminate floors. Stainless steel appliances. UL is master suite with custom bath & walkout to 36x8 deck. A/C. Priced to reflect what still needs to be done: lights, trim, baseboards, & hardware installed; master bath finishes; concrete driveway poured; & septic installed. MLS# 5769245

729

Cheyenne Addition - $289,900

Fix me please! Cute 1108 sq. ft. 2 bed, 1 bath rancher. Den or office. Carport. Shed. 600 sq. ft. exterior basement for storage. Bring your paint brush & imagination to make it own. Sold as is & priced accordingly. Walking distance to Memorial Park. MLS# 8675884

2336 Conservatory Point

Springs Canyon - $549,900

Open concept 2673 sq. ft. 3 bed, 3 bath rancher townhome with total 1-level living. No neighbors behind or in front – only deer, pines, & scrub oak. Finished walkout basement. Spacious master suite. A/C. Gas log fireplace. Vaulted & 9’ ceilings. Attached 2-car garage. Stucco & stone exterior. Trex deck & covered patio. $300/mo HOA covers everything outside for you. Move-in ready. Seller will contribute $5000 towards buyers closing costs. MLS# 8308112

WHEN YOU’RE SERIOUS ABOUT REAL ESTATE

1601 N Billy the Kid Lane Pueblo West - $28,500

S. Institute Street

1954 E Frying Pan Drive

West - $299,900

... and if you’re not uncomfortable, I’m not sure how much growth can happen.

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESOURCES

Based on 2021 suicide mortality data by state from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Colorado had the sixth highest suicide rate in the nation. El Paso County Public Health provides this list of resources for prevention and response.

Responding to Behavioral Health Concerns in El Paso County

A comprehensive resource list with both crisis and non-crisis community resources. tinyurl.com/EPCresponse

Protecting youth from suicide: written by local parents for all parents tinyurl.com/EPCprotectingyouth

Mental Health First Aid/Youth Mental Health First Aid

A skill-based training course that teaches participants about mental health and substance use issues, covering risk factors, protective factors, warning signs, a 5-step action plan, and where to turn for help in crisis and non-crisis situations. mhfaco.org

Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training

A two-day interactive training on suicide first aid, with a focus on identifying elements of a suicide safety plan, for anyone 16 and older, regardless of prior experience. tinyurl.com/trainingASIST

Question, Persuade, Refer

A 90-minute training with instructions on asking someone about suicidal thoughts, persuading them to get help, and referring them to community resources. qprinstitute.com

Soul Shop

An interactive workshop that equips faith community leaders and other people of faith to train their congregations to minister to those impacted by suicidal desperation. soulshopmovement.org

For local training opportunities, visit: spcollab.org/events

centers, I mean, we’re in there providing education and doing inspections and working with those entities — and our kids are our most precious assets. We’re interwoven into every facet of our county. To have increased quality of life, and to be able to thrive, there has to be a strong public health effort. And I think that is essential not only to a thriving economy — people’s health has to thrive. … And mental health and physical health cannot be separated. Mental health and physical health are symbiotic; they are connected. And I think there’s a lot of things that money can buy, and health is critical to helping us have the happiest and productive and thriving community. I think it’s essential.

How have the past three years changed your personal view of public health agencies in general?

I am passionate about public health, and local public health, and seeing the positive impacts of the tremendous work done by my entire team. We do a lot with what we’re given, and although there were no perfect solutions leading through the COVID pandemic, my view is only strengthened. I have a tremendous amount of respect for so many in my agency, and the fortitude that they have shown, the compassion that they’ve shown. The recognition that my agency has been given at the national level, the state level, and the local level — that is completely a team effort. We’ve got doctors, we’ve got nurses, we’ve got epidemiologists, we’ve got communication experts, we’ve got so many different areas of disci-

pline and technical knowledge — and seeing my team come together with community partners for the good of the whole, I have a lot of hope. While I’ll note too, that there was a tremendous amount of turnover in the state of Colorado — I want to say more than 40 percent or 50 percent of the public health directors have either resigned or gotten fired [since the COVID pandemic began in 2020], so it’s been like a tidal wave or a rollercoaster at times — I think the future is bright. I know that with my team, we’re focusing on resetting, refreshing, rebooting, rejuvenating, regenerating.

How did the COVID pandemic change you, personally and professionally?

I feel that being director is a gift. I feel that being able to be of service to my county is a gift. And yes, it was extremely trying; it pressed me to my limits. But I always try to look at the positive side, the solutions. I try to know areas of improvement, and how things could have maybe gone better — and what’s in my control or not in my control. I appreciate all of the experiences that I’m able to have in my professional career and I think that through every experience, it’s growth. To have growth, it’s uncomfortable — and if you’re not uncomfortable, I’m not sure how much growth can happen. But one of my phrases is, ‘Lessons will be given until learned.’ I like to think that I learn lessons pretty quickly. I’m a flexible leader, I’m an adaptable leader, I’m a collaborative leader. This experience has been a gift, and although it’s pressed me to my limits, I’m grateful. n CSBJ

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Your guide to events in the Pikes Peak region CALENDAR

weighs a person down; a relationship, children, mortgage, job, commitments, chores, addiction, this list is endless. ... the choice to carry them is met with grace and beauty even as they drag us to the depths.” Chelsea Boucher’s Ghosts in the Blood, “a journey through ... my own selfhood and experiences, interpreted through themes of nostalgia, societal and personal expectation, neurodivergence, death, and whimsy.” Artist talks with Kearston Corey and Chelsea Boucher, Wednesday, June 21, 5:30 p.m.

The Look Up Gallery, 11 E. Bijou St. (inside Yobel), thelookupgallery.com. Paintings by Boulder artist Steve Morrell: “Steve is currently enthralled with the human form, in his perspective the ultimate vehicle for expression, in all its infinite shape, shadow and color.”

Manitou Art Center, 513/515 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs, 719-685-1861, manitouartcenter.org. Hiraeth: A Longing for Home That Never Was, K8E Orr’s “stories of being raised by an untreated schizophrenic mother.” In the Hagnauer Gallery through July 1. Plus a new show in the First Amendment Gallery.

ART EXHIBIT

Pikes Peak Pastel Society’s annual members show, Colorado Colors, features works by 17 society members in soft pastel. Commonwheel Artists Co-op, 719-685-1008, 102 Cañon Ave., Manitou Springs, commonwheel.com; through July 3.

ART EXHIBITS

45º Gallery, 2528 W. Colorado Ave., Suite B, 719-434-1214, 45degreegallery.com. Works by soft pastels artist Patrick Kochanasz and potter Clyde Tullis. Through June.

Art 1eleven Gallery, 111 E. Bijou St., 719493-5084, facebook.com/Art1elevenGallery. Large abstract oil paintings by Faith Gilbert.

Bella Art & Frame, 251 Front St., #11, Monument, 719-487-7691, bellaartandframe. com. 2023 Spring Show, with works by oil painter Steve Weed. Through June 24.

Bosky Studio, 17B E. Bijou St., 719-6405282, facebook.com/bosky.studio. Almost Maybe by Kurt Kieffer: “My goal is to create pieces that evoke emotions and inspire viewers to reflect on instances in their own lives that have enabled them to become better versions of themselves.” Through June.

The Bridge Gallery, 218 W. Colorado Ave., #104, 719-629-7055, thebridgeartgallery. com. Assemblage/Found Art, 2D and 3D art made from everyday objects and materials by Chris Alvarez, Dave Armstrong, Betty Atherton, Michael Bailey, Ron Burnham, Alan Burton, Nancy Burton, Jana Bussanich, Michael Cellan, John Lawson, Bob LeDonne, Marc Shereck and Phil Vallejo. Through July 1.

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W. Dale St., fac. coloradocollege.edu. Contested Terrains, the work of five artists reflects “how human intervention has shaped landscapes across the Americas.” Nina Leo and Moez

Surani’s Lullabies for a Waning Empire, through July 7. Museum free admission days: June 10 and 16.

Commonwheel Artists Co-op, 719-6851008, 102 Cañon Ave., Manitou Springs, commonwheel.com. Colorado Colors, the annual member show by Pikes Peak Pastel Society, and Belonging, featuring sculptural works by Patti Paiz-Jones, inspired by the “rugged and resilient beauty of cacti.” Through July 3.

Cottonwood Center for the Arts, 427 E. Colorado Ave., 719-520-1899, cottonwoodcenterforthearts.com. Pantone Color of the Year, a juried show with works of all styles and mediums incorporating Pantone’s Viva Magenta, which, says Pantone, “represents reassurance, confidence and connection in a world trying to get back on its feet.” Through July 1.

The Compulsion to Find Order in Disorder, a new series from artist/photographer Robert Gray. The Carter Payne, 320 S. Weber St., tinyurl.com/Gray-45th. Through June.

Day Dreamers, featuring works by James Jerel Anderson — “the small day dreams that we experience throughout everyday life. The little things we see. And the inspiration that comes with them.” Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region, 121 S. Tejon St., #111; 719-634-2204, info@culturaloffice.org; through June 30.

G44 Gallery, 121 E. Boulder St., 720-9510573, g44gallery.com. Around Us Swirls Dust, mixed-media works by Brenda Stumpf “are archetypal and symbolic and came about through deep and somber introspection about memory, loss, loneli-

ness, aging, and ultimately, death.” Sites of Transformation, works by abstract painter Becca Day: “I aim to capture the essence of life’s transformations — the sometimes messiness and wrestling involved.” Through June.

Gallery 113, 125½ N. Tejon St., gallery113cos.com, 719-634-5299. Featured artists: jeweler and sculptor Suzy Gardner, and Wendy Iaconis who creates both functional and horse-hair pottery.

The Garfield Gallery, 332 E. Willamette Ave., 719-227-8836, garfieldgallery.com. Not That You’d Care, a fundraiser featuring photography and paintings from visual artist Brian Tryon; proceeds benefit Shutter and Strum — “Empower Youth with Expressive Arts!” Having a Sense of Confidence, photography by Community Prep student Bernardo Rascon Jr.

GOCA (UCCS/Galleries of Contemporary Art), Xi Zhang/Exit: Childhood, “affords an opportunity to take stock of the enormous evolution in Zhang’s work through the single largest collection of paintings from within the Metallic Leaf Garden series delivered to the public to date.” Through July 1; gallery talk with Ivar Zeile, Saturday, June 17, 4 p.m., Marie Walsh Sharpe Gallery, Ent Center, 5225 N. Nevada Ave., 719-255-3504, gocadigital.org.

Hunter-Wolff Gallery, 2510 W. Colorado Ave., 719-520-9494, hunterwolffgallery. com. Featured artist: Kathy Beekman, who works in soft pastels.

Kreuser Gallery, 125 E. Boulder St., 719464-5880, kreusergallery.com. Anchors that Weigh, featuring works by Kearston Corey: “Anchors can be anything that

Portraits of Manitou by C.H. Rockey, “features original town views and significant historical buildings including The Cliff House, Barker House, The Wheeler Town Clock, Miramont Castle, Craftwood Inn as well as individual residences, parks, bridges and neighborhood scenes.” Manitou Springs Heritage Center, 517 Manitou Ave.; manitouspringsheritagecenter.org; through November.

Surface Gallery, 2752 W. Colorado Ave., surfacegallerycos.com. Walking in Wonder, monotypes by Tricia Soderberg: “Much of the work in this exhibition is inspired by my love of botanical gardens. I’ve always felt a spirit of energy and renewal when visiting these places. I think of my process as being akin to planning and planting a garden.” Reaching In, by Joseph Liberti, includes “28 pieces of art (includes 14 miniatures) infused into metal and wood prints ... about exploring the nature of the moment using a closer look into the essence of flowers, plants trees and landscapes of Colorado.” Through June.

True North Art Gallery, 31 E. Bijou St., 210842-2476, truenorthartgallery@gmail. com, truenorthartgallery.com. Works by the collective’s 14 member artists and a rotating community exhibition.

FILM

The Quiet Epidemic, Saturday, “A paper trail of suppressed scientific research, and buried documents reveals why ticks — and the diseases they carry — have been allowed to quietly spread around the globe.” Saturday, June 17, 5 p.m.; Manitou Art Center, 513/515 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs; see tinyurl.com/rmwf-lyme for tickets and more info.

Being Michelle, presented by Rocky Mountain Women’s Film. “Follows the astounding journey of a deaf and disabled woman who survived incarceration under

“Red Rocks Evening” by Katie Cassidy

unimaginable circumstances by a system that refused to accommodate her needs as a deaf person with autism.” Tuesday, June 20, 6:30 p.m.; RMWF Screening Room at Lincoln Center, 2727 N. Cascade Ave., #140; see tinyurl.com/rmwf-Michelle for tickets and more info.

KIDS & FAMILIES

Summer Adventure, Pikes Peak Library District offers a truly massive list of activities for young people ages 0 to 18 in three broad categories: read, imagine and move. Runs through July 31; register an individual, family, class or group for free at ppld.org/summerkids or download the app.

Summer Fun Moonlight Hike, “drop off your child (ages 7-12) for an evening of exploration, fun activities and night hiking. Dinner is included.” Friday, June 16, 5:30-9 p.m.; $25 ($20 member), prepaid registration required; Bear Creek Nature Center, 245 Bear Creek Road, tinyurl.com/epcofun.

Juneteenth, Pride and Black Music Month Story Time, at the Southern Colorado Juneteenth Celebration, Sunday, June 18, noon; main stage, America the Beautiful Park, 126 Cimino Drive; see lilmissstoryhour.com/2023-communityevent-schedules for more information.

Unique & Differing Needs Camp, “spe-

cially designed for campers ages 7-11 with autism spectrum disorders, sensory processing disorders, developmental disabilities/delays or medical fragility. Saturdays, June 10 and July 15, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; registration required online; Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road; cmzoo.org/events.

Summer of Discovery: Back to the Moon, includes workshops best suited to kids ages 6-12. On Saturdays through Aug. 5, “we will discover new facets of space travel, examine the importance of returning to the moon, learn how to use robotic technology, test our creative skills in engineering design challenges, and much more!” Space Foundation Discovery Center, 4425 Arrowswest Drive; see discoverspace.org/summer-of-discovery for fees and other info.

Sustainability Series: Watershed Wonders, “join staff from the Fountain Creek Watershed District for a presentation and activities to learn about our watershed then visit Bear Creek with nature center staff to search for life in the water!” Saturday, June 10, 10 a.m. to noon ; $5/person, $4/member; Bear Creek Nature Center, 245 Bear Creek Road, tinyurl.com/epcofun.

Milkweed Magic, “Milkweed is an important plant to many creatures (more than

continued on p. 20 ➔

ART EXHIBIT

Altoids, a collaborative exhibit with two works by each local artist — Chris Alvarez, Deb Bartos, Lupita Carrasco, Pam Holnback, Julie Kirkland, Deb Komitor, Joanne Lavender, Lisa Lister, Ed McKay, Rita Salazar Dickerson and Terri Sanchez — one created in an Altoids container and one 10-by-10-inch work. Kreuser Gallery, 125 E. Boulder St.; through June.

“Little Ivy” by Rita Salazar Dickerson

CALENDAR

June

Scan QR code to purchase tickets or visit CSBJ.com/events

Presented by:

Try Something New!

SPECIAL EVENTS

Southern Colorado Juneteenth Festival, with a car show, talent show, live music, food and drink, boxing showcase, Father’s Day Tribute, Gospel in the Park, Emancipation ceremony, 719 Poetry, Lil Miss Story Hour, and more. Friday-Sunday, June 16-18 at America the Beautiful Park, 126 Cimino Drive; see csjuneteenthfestival.com for more info and the full schedule.

Red, Wine & Blue BBQ, an indoor dinner and outdoor dance (and cornhole!) to raise money for Palmer Lake’s Fourth of July fireworks. Saturday, June 10, 5:3010 p.m.; Palmer Lake Town Hall, 42 Valley Crescent St.; see awakepalmerlake.org/ events/red-wine-blue-bbq-2023 for details and tickets.

SPECIAL EVENT

Feast of Saint Arnold, a family-friendly festival honoring the patron saint of beer, with most of the profits going to Westside Cares. Highlights include “Colorado’s best craft beers, wines and distilled spirits,” plenty of food options, a family fun zone for kids, live music, and an appearance by Saint Arnold. Saturday, June 10, noon to 4:30 p.m.; Chapel of Our Saviour Episcopal Church, 8 Fourth St.; see feastofsaintarnold.com for tickets and more info.

➔ continued from p. 19

just the Monarch). Geared towards all ages!” Saturday, June 24, 10 a.m. to noon; $5/person ($4/member), prepaid registration required. Fountain Creek Nature Center, 320 Peppergrass Lane, Fountain, tinyurl.com/epco-fun.

LEARNING & LECTURES

Orienteering at the Heller Center, with Professor Michael Larkin of UCCS’ Department of Geography & Environmental Studies. “Learn the basics of orienteering while hiking Heller’s gorgeous 34 acres.” No experience or equipment necessary; wear closed-toe shoes. Saturday, June 17, 10-11:35 a.m.; Heller Center/UCCS, 1250 North Campus Heights; call 719-255-6277 for more info.

Art

“Early Electric Car History & Electrics in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb,” a presentation by J. David McNeil. Saturday, June 10, 11 a.m.; Manitou Springs Heritage Center, 517 Manitou Ave.; free, but reservations required at tinyurl.com/mshc-electric.

PROSE & POETRY

Colorado Center for the Book’s Colorado Book Awards — Celebrate the finalists and this year’s winners with awards in 16 categories. Saturday, June 10, 4-7 p.m.; $30 (includes drinks, heavy hors d’oeuvres and dessert); Penrose House Pavilion, 1661 Mesa Ave.; see tinyurl.com/ CO-books-23 for tickets and more information.

Pikes Peak Gem, Mineral, and Jewelry Show, presented by Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society: “over 50 vendors offering gems, minerals, and fossils from Colorado and around the world, as well as jewelry, sculptures, meteorites, and more!” Friday-Sunday, June 9-11; Norris Penrose Event Center, 1045 Lower Gold Camp Road; see pikespeakgemshow.com for times and more info.

THEATER

The Boys in the Band, the Mart Crowley play presented by Springs Ensemble Theatre, “revolves around a group of gay men attending a birthday party in New York City. When it premiered off-Broadway in 1968, it was groundbreaking for its intimate portrayal of gay life. SET is proud to put this show on as part of Pride Month.” Through June 18; PPSC’s Downtown Studio, 100 W. Pikes Peak Ave. See tinyurl. com/SET-June for times and tickets.

Free-For-All: Pericles, PPLD and Theatreworks’ traveling (through July) production of the Shakespeare play: “a fast-paced journey of heroes, villains, shipwrecks, pirates, jousting and more.” Partial schedule of upcoming (mostly outdoor) shows: Colorado Springs Senior Center, indoors with seating, Friday, June 9, 2 p.m., 1514 N. Hancock Ave. Bell Tower Arts Center, Saturday, June 10, 10 a.m., 201 E. Second St., Florence. Meadows Park Community Center on behalf of Cheyenne Mountain Library, Saturday, June 10, 2 p.m., 1943 S. El Paso Ave. Antlers Park on behalf of Penrose Library, Saturday, June 17, 11 a.m., 31 W. Pikes Peak Ave. Simla Public Park on behalf of Simla Public Library, Saturday, June 17, 6 p.m., corner of Caribou Street/Highway 24 and Pueblo Avenue, Simla. Manitou Springs Memorial Park , 502 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs, Friday, June 23, 5 p.m. See entcenterforthearts.org/theatreworks/ events/free-for-all for more info.

Abandon: The Gladys Aylward Story, Left alone in rural China, Aylward must navigate the Chinese feudal system, the Communist takeover and invasion by the Japanese during World War II while taking care of a growing number of orphans. Thursday-Saturday, June 15-17; Village 7 Presbyterian Church, 4040 Nonchalant Circle South; see villageartscs.org for times and tickets.

Saint Arnold

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CALENDAR

Pikes Peak Pride “honors the active and diverse achievements of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities of Colorado.” Two days of festivities include vendor booths, food trucks, a beer garden and entertainment, including Sunday morning’s Downtown parade. Saturday, June 10-11, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days at Alamo Square Park, 215 S. Tejon St.; parade Sunday at 11 a.m., on Tejon from Acacia Park back to Alamo Square Park. See pikespeakpride.org/event-info for details.

Out Loud – One Night Only, “a cabaret experience featuring: Out Loud Colorado Springs Men’s Chorus, Outlandish, solo performances by chorus members and our special guests, LGBTQIA recording artists, Alpha The Musical, Stoney Bertz and DMINQ.” Thursday, June 8, 7:30 p.m.; Stargazers Theatre, 10 S. Parkside Drive; tickets available online only at outloudcsmc.com.

6th Annual Rosie Run 5K, a family-friendly walk/jog/run by the National Association of Women in Construction , Pikes Peak Chapter 356. Saturday, June 10, 8:30 a.m.; Legacy Loop Gateway Plaza, 1800 Recreation Way; see tinyurl.com/Rosie-2023 for more info and registration.

Pride Month in Pikes Peak Library District, with Rainbow Storytime, reading lists for young kids and teens, 3D-printed Ziggy Stardust/David Bowie earrings, archival treasures that tell stories of the LGBTQ movement in the Pikes Peak region, plus a panel discussion, “El Paso County’s Diverse Voices,” in person and livestreamed on June 14. See ppld.org/PrideMonth for more info.

SET’s The Boys in the Band, through June 18, see details in Theater, p. 20.

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A GayOld Time

The Boys in the Band is a strong mixed drink of a show

BY NICK RAVEN | nick@csindy.com

IT’S 1968, A YEAR BEFORE the Stonewall riots, and a group of gay friends are coming together for a birthday party in Manhattan. The setting is swanky, the music is smooth, there’s a Pan Am lowball glass on the coffee table, a liquor cart for cocktails and Michael (Erick Groskopf) is dancing around the scene, preparing his apartment for the special guest who will be fashionably late.

Kicking off Pride Month with swagger and filthy mouths from Mart Crowley’s original play, the final production of Springs Ensemble Theatre’s season found a home at Pikes Peak State College’s Studio West black box theater. Having rehearsed and prepared in advance of the recent eviction from their longtime Cache La Poudre home, the scramble was on to find an interim location to set up The Boys in the Band before they move into The Fifty-Niner in Old Colorado City.

The show opens and closes in much the same way: with talk therapy between Michael and his partner Donald (Kyle Dexter) on what it means to be out and open, but not necessarily proud about it. Donald’s the first guest to arrive and he won’t be staying the night: He’s got a commute back to the Hamptons.

And then the party shows up with a medley of characters: the older “butterfly in heat” Emory (Stephen Alan Carver), the self-flagellating Black man Bernard (Robb Williams Jr.) and feuding lovers Larry (Jacob Hacker) and Hank (Jude Bishop). It’s a sophisticated scene with sophisticated people who rib each other about cracked crab and which homosexual playwright wrote which play. But it’s also incredibly funny, enhanced by the reactions of a near-capacity crowd in the theater.

Amidst their own interpersonal conflicts and flirtations with existential dread is an interloper: Michael’s old friend Alan (Sean Verdu) who wears “constipated Ivy League apparel” and calls crying to see him before his own dinner party. As Alan arrives, Michael must play “hide the gays” with his other guests to avoid escalating his old friend’s homophobia, which happens anyway. When the charismatic Harold (Matt Radcliffe) finally shows up to dominate the room in a purple suit and mirrored aviators, Michael uses the opportunity to set them all to task and un-knot their issues right then and there.

“Sommelier, connoisseur, pig,” Harold calls him, while cradling a young male prostitute named Cowboy the party guests “got” for him.

Behind the scenes and onstage, SET knocked it out of the park. The whole production looked like it could’ve been shot in the era with grainy 35-millimeter film and it would be difficult to spot the difference. The period-appropriate set dress — outfits in earthen golds and browns with plaid and plenty of stressful hair care — was evocative of a time that looked and sounded different, but the message was still very much the same.

The Boys in the Band is raucous, vulgar and replete with mean contemporary slurs that run as raw as the characters themselves. By the end of the show, the party has exhausted the cast and the viewer, with only a contemplative whimper to go out on, like the long drive home after an energetic night with friends. Fifty-five years after its Off-Broadway debut, it’s tragic how stressfully relevant this show still is and how far the road to equality still stretches on.

“I think it’s time for a 2023 Stonewall riot,” says director Tim Muldrew.

Photos by Emory John Collinson

FAIR AND UNBALANCED

By Mike Littwin Courtesy The Colorado Sun

BIGGEST DEBT LIMIT LOSER? LAUREN BOEBERT

HERE HAS BEEN MUCH DEBATE

in recent days about who, in fact, was the big winner in the phony-but-ultimately-dangerous debt ceiling fight that would nearly — but somehow didn’t —

You could say the winner was Speaker-fornow Kevin McCarthy, who stared down the House crazies to get the bill passed and survived. Or Joe Biden, who clearly didn’t trip on this one, for seeing that the long-believedto-be-extinct bipartisan agreement was only nearly dead. Or, I don’t know, maybe the American people, or at least those Americans who don’t necessarily rely on food stamps. We’ll get back to that in a minute.

But first, let’s go to the big loser, because there’s no real dispute here. It has to be, by unanimous decision, Colorado’s own Lauren Boebert.

It’s not because the bill passed against Boebert’s wishes. Sure, Boebert was on the losing end of the fight, as she so often is, but so were most of the House extremists, not to mention other various pro-defaulters, like Ron DeSantis, Donald Trump, Tim Scott and much of the GOP presidential field, Sean Hannity and much of Fox News world and, for that matter, anyone else who believed the disastrous debt

ceiling/hostage-taking scheme would result in rolling back the entire Biden agenda.

That’s where we are in America now. But our question for today is where Boebert was.

Because Boebert, as you know, didn’t vote against the bill. That’s because she missed the vote altogether. It’s a mystery why she was a no-show. It’s a mystery only because Boebert has declined to explain how she could miss a House vote on a bill that she had loudly maintained would push America over a financial cliff.

“Once we fall off that cliff,” Boebert had tweeted, “there’s no going back.”

Well, she was close. For Boebert, there was just no going.

It was a now-disgraced movie director/actor/writer/possible child molester who probably first said that “90 percent of success is just showing up.” By that reasoning, 90 percent of failure would be missing a critical House vote, especially when a huge percentage of your job is, you know, just being there.

People do miss votes. Dianne Feinstein and Mitch McConnell have both missed a lot of votes this year, but they were hospitalized at the time. As far as I know, Boebert didn’t have a doctor’s note.

Could Boebert have been polishing her guns for the next family Christmas card? Was she on another 911 call? Was she busily debating the merits of the bill with her old buddy Marjorie Taylor Greene, who called it a “s**t sandwich,” but who voted for it anyway as a not-so-yummy favor to Greene’s new buddy, Speaker McCarthy?

Boebert wasn’t saying, although multiple media outlets reported she was seen running up the Capitol steps when the voting closed. If there’s video [there is: tinyurl.com/missed-the-vote], that could be a surefire campaign ad for Adam Frisch, the Democrat who very nearly upset Boebert in her reelection run last year.

BOEBERT’S NO-SHOW LEFT KEN BUCK AS the only Colorado representative to vote against the bill. All the state’s Democrats voted for it, as did Republican Doug Lamborn. Of course, Buck has voted against every bill to raise the debt ceiling — a vote that allows Congress to pay its bills for stuff it has already purchased — since he has been in Congress. So we couldn’t have really expected anything else.

But you might give Buck credit — I’m sure Boebert would, if maybe in absentia — for giving a series of interviews to say that McCarthy, in negotiat-

Gage Skidmore

ing this bill, had gone back on his word from the time of his marathon election as speaker and that the speaker might just be facing a coup.

In an interview on Newsmax, Buck said that people were already calling for McCarthy’s head. On Fox News, he compared McCarthy to the captain of the Titanic running into the iceberg, which might be a cliché, but at least he was there on time to deliver it. On CNN, Buck said House Republicans who voted against the bill — presumably including those who called the bill a “betrayal” — might be willing to vote for a “motion to vacate,” and to “stay tuned.”

Of course, the motion to vacate allows any House member to call for the speaker to be removed and to receive a vote. It was one of the things that McCarthy agreed to in order to finally win as speaker. But I wouldn’t count on McCarthy losing his job. Not yet, anyway.

According to The Washington Post, Buck was among those also saying it might be premature to consider ousting the speaker. Is that enough to make McCarthy a winner?

As I said, he survived. So, yeah. He survived, in part, by insisting he had won, telling his skeptical caucus that the bill produced “the largest savings in American history.” It did not. It produced almost no significant savings, beyond a few cruelly gratuitous swipes at the safety net — making it more difficult for some people to qualify for food assistance is just one example — and a $20 billion give-back on the $80 billion that was supposed to go to the IRS. He won because the Democrats, back when they were in control of both houses of Congress, passed up the chance to get rid of the debt ceiling forever.

If Biden hadn’t been forced to negotiate, he

wouldn’t have had to give Sen. Joe Manchin — of his own party, sort of — a pipeline that environmentalists strongly oppose.

In the end, though, the bill did produce, with more Democratic votes than Republican, an easy House victory.

Meanwhile, Biden won by saying the word “bipartisan” so many times that you couldn’t hear anything else. He won, even though he had insisted for months that he would not negotiate with Republicans on the debt ceiling. He won, as The Washington Post ’s Aaron Blake pointed out, by pretending to be the “owned lib” so that McCarthy didn’t have to admit Republicans might have lost, meaning there was an actual chance to make a deal.

Biden played it smart. Still, he had no choice but to negotiate, particularly once GOP presidential candidates started lining up to say they were actually prepared to default on America’s debt. Fortunately, McCarthy apparently saw he didn’t have much choice either, and so here we are, with a bill that saved the country’s economy and gave Biden a two-year runway — in other words, well past his reelection run — without a debt ceiling fight.

We probably shouldn’t be surprised at the outcome. After all, the United States has never voted to default on its debts. And yet, I wish I could say — but I can’t — I was 90 percent sure that a certain Colorado congressional no-show would never get another shot at it.

Mike Littwin’s column was produced for The Colorado Sun , a reader-supported news organization committed to covering the people, places and policies of Colorado. Learn more at coloradosun.com.

Unmasking Moms for Liberty: A Trojan Horse for Christian Nationalism

by Rob Rogers

Underneath the facade of parental concern and advocacy lies a movement with an insidious agenda: the establishment of Christian Nationalist ideology within our public education system. Moms for Liberty, an organization gaining significant traction, presents itself as a grassroots assembly of conscientious parents. In reality, however, it is part of a broader Christian Nationalist movement that threatens to infuse our policy-making with hard-line Christian beliefs. This situation brings to mind the resistance faced during the desegregation of schools in the wake of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling over half a century ago. This resistance gave rise to school voucher programs, a mechanism to continue segregation under the banner of “educational

choice”. Today, Moms for Liberty champions a similar rhetoric, advocating for parental control and choice as a veneer to conceal a divisive agenda. Contrary to their selfpresentation, Moms for Liberty is far from a grassroots organization. A Media Matters report exposes them as an “astroturf” group, a faux grassroots organization bolstered by powerful, hidden funding sources, one of which is the Heritage Foundation. But the connections run deeper than financial backing. On a local level, Moms for Liberty collaborates with Christian nationalist entities like Church for All Nations and the Truth and Liberty Coalition, an umbrella organization pioneered by Andrew Wommack. This union substantiates their commitment to the Christian Nationalist

Could Boebert have been polishing her guns for the next family Christmas card?

WAS SHE ON ANOTHER 911 CALL?

cause and underscores the peril they pose to a secular, inclusive education system. The Heritage Foundation’s genesis traces back to Paul Weyrich, a central figure in the evolution of Christian Nationalism in American conservatism. His input was crucial to the birth of the Moral Majority and the Council for National Policy, signifying the marriage of evangelical Christianity and conservative politics.

In the early 70s, Weyrich articulated a strategy that is strikingly evident in the operations of organizations like Moms for Liberty. In a letter he wrote, later shared by Politico, Weyrich stated, “The new political philosophy must be defined by us [conservatives] in moral terms, packaged in nonreligious language, and propagated throughout the country by our new coalition. When political power is achieved, the moral majority will have the opportunity to recreate this great nation.”

Indeed, Moms for Liberty seems to be following this playbook: asserting moral superiority, speaking in secular terms to broaden appeal, and propagating their agenda nationwide. Yet, this isn’t just about influence over education; it is subterfuge designed to destabilize public education, curtail diversity, and propagate a Christian-centric worldview.

The existential threat posed by Moms for Liberty, and similar organizations, cannot be understated. They are weaponized deceptions by those intent on tearing down public education and imposing a narrow, sectarian worldview on our children. Recognizing them for what they are – a vehicle for Christian Nationalist influence – is crucial to counter their narrative and uphold the integrity of an inclusive, diverse, and secular educational system that truly serves all children, irrespective of their religious or ideological backgrounds.

Rob Rogers is an Air Force veteran, an ardent advocate for the separation of church and state, and a staunch defender of democracy.

LOWDOWN

By Jim Hightower jimhightower.com

STARVING HOLLYWOOD’S CREATIVES

HOLLYWOOD! GLAMOUR! Riches!

Yet, people who make a living writing movies, TV shows and streaming programs are on strike. Most people find it hard to relate to complaints about working on projects with multimillion-dollar budgets, A-list stars, and famous studio moguls. So what’s wrong with this picture?

It’s a faded picture taken in the long ago golden age of Hollywood when creative writing was prized by the industry’s barons and writers got respect and decent paychecks. In today’s reality, projects are rich, but writers are poor, for Hollywood has shifted to the same model of plutocratic inequality that has swamped banking, high-tech and other monopolistic sectors.

gigification of yet another workplace, go to wga.org.

MEANWHILE... EVEN WHEN large numbers turn out with a high level of outrage directed at abusive corporate or governmental elites, the Powers That Be usually just hunker down and wait for the fury to pass.

Practically all of the money flows UPSTREAM TO

But the one form of protest that really gets to even the most aloof elite is cultural caricature. In recent decades, the creative deployment of giant puppets, satirical songs, pop-up parodies and other forms of social mockery has pierced the ego shields of haughty corporate chieftains and puffedup politicos. They ignore angry speeches, but public ridicule stings them personally, energizing the larger community.

Wall Street now rules. While we consumers still pay top dollar for tickets and monthly fees, practically all of the money flows upstream to financiers and corporate pooh-bahs. This has sunk the real creators (writers, directors, actors, tech crews and craftspeople) into the quicksand of low-wage temporary jobs. Legacy production giants like Disney, Paramount and Universal, (along with überrich new players like Amazon, Apple, Comcast and Netflix), kowtow to Wall Street, stiffing the people who actually have talent, squeezing corporate profits from their labor.

This is the blue-collar reality of Hollywood you don’t hear about, and battling the same old rank greed of elite bosses is what this strike is about. Instead of making art, today’s industry is focused on slashing labor costs to artificially jack up corporate stock prices.

The pay increase sought by the 10,000 members of the Writers Guild of America is easily affordable by studio powers. Indeed, just one big boss, David Zaslav at Warner Brothers, gets $250 million a year — enough to pay every WGA writer the minimal annual income asked for in this strike.

To help stop the financialization and

Consider how common household utensils can rally the people’s discontent, rattle the establishment and deliver a message of revolutionary protest. In recent years, mass rebellions, armed with nothing but kitchenware, have noisily made their points in such disparate places as Chile and Iceland.

And today, the people of France are bedeviling their country’s aristocratic wannabe, President Emmanuel Macron, with a ceaseless mass clanging of skillets, saucepans, spoons and other plebian cookware brought from their kitchens into the streets of every region. They are protesting the president’s imperious decision to undercut their pensions, as well as his tone-deaf refusal even to hear their complaints. So their “voice” has become the banging of pots. Now, Macron can’t go anywhere without being greeted — and often drowned out — by the cacophony of “cassarolades” (the saucepan movement).

The protest is driving Macron crazy. Clearly irritated by the commoners’ cleverness, his government is now using antiterrorism laws to ban “the use of portable sound devices” in protests.

Of course, the crazier he gets about pots and pans, the more effective their “voice” becomes — and the louder people laugh at their “leader.”

Shawna Kemppainen

EmRhys Jenkins

Dr. Lynn Vidler

Dominique Robbins

Abigail Simpson

PUZZLES

All words to be constructed pertain to the topic to the right. To your advantage one word has already been traced. You must trace the three remaining words, using only the letters designated by the darkened circles. Words may begin and end from either column but each letter can only be used once.

Each puzzle has a difficulty rating (right). Four stars signify the highest degree of difficulty.

Given to the right are the point values for each word. Your words must correctly match these point values.

MINI SUDOKU X

SUDOKU X

51 Nickname that might drop -han

17 Bestie, in Bolivia

Dessert that sounds

a confession applicable to three answers in this puzzle?

50

4 Dry, as vino

5 Pamphlet or palm leaf, in a pinch

6 “100 Years ... 100 Movies” org.

WEIRD

BY THE EDITORS AT ANDREWS MCMEEL

Pole position

After crashing his truck into a Volusia, Florida, utility pole around 2 a.m. on May 21, completely severing it, 39-year-old Kevin Gardner did the obvious thing: He took off all his clothes and started banging on the front door of a home nearby. ClickOrlando reported that when officers arrived at the home, Gardner had injuries on his face and legs. The truck was registered to him, but he said it had been stolen ... and that he’d had seizures and didn’t remember anything. A breath test revealed an illegal blood-alcohol content, and Gardner was held on multiple charges.

You had one job

Residents in Halethorpe, Maryland, are frustrated with the progress of a new bridge on U.S. Route 1, WBAL-TV reported. They’ve been waiting for months for the bridge to fully open, but a tiny error stands in the way. The bridge crosses over CSX railroad tracks, which require a minimum of 23 feet of vertical clearance, and it was built 1½ inches too short. CSX has halted the remaining construction to complete the bridge, according to a Maryland Department of Transportation engineer. “I understand you get hiccups, but ... this is not a hiccup. This is a mistake. Somebody needs to be held accountable and it needs to be taken care of,” said resident Desiree Collins. “You have engineers. This should not have happened.” The State Highway Administration now estimates completion in late 2023 or early 2024.

News you can use

Beer. Need we say more? OK, there’s more. Researchers examining paintings from the Dutch Golden Age have discovered that artists preparing their canvases often used discarded material from local breweries, the Associated Press reported. They found traces of yeast, wheat, rye and barley, which would have been spread as a paste over the canvas to prevent the paint from seeping through. Scientists believe the Danish Academy of Fine Arts bought leftover mash from breweries and used it to ready canvases for artists such as Christoffer Wilhelm Eckersberg and Christen Schiellerup Kobke.

Ewwwww!

A visitor at Wonderland amusement park in Toronto, Ontario, was filled with more than wonder as he rode the Leviathan roller coaster on May 16, the Toronto Sun reported. Hubert Hsu of Toronto said as his coaster car neared the top of one of the ride’s loops, it collided with a bird — possibly a pigeon. “I looked down and saw blood on my hands and my face,” Hsu said. “There was a feather on my hand, and feathers on the girl next to me’s shirt. It seemed like the coaster car hit the bird and then it sort of exploded on us.” Hsu said attendants gave them a roll of industrial brown paper towels, and he ended up washing up in a restroom. “The kids who work in the park seemed like they had no idea what to do, and that might be an issue,” he added.

IN GEORGIA, RESIDENTS CAN NOW USE A DIGITAL DRIVER’S license, which can be uploaded to Apple Wallet and allows users to leave their IDs in their bag or pocket at TSA checkpoints. But, as United Press International reported, snapping a selfie for the ID comes with a few rules. “Attention, lovely people of the digital era,” the Georgia Department of Driver Services posted on its Facebook page on May 23. “Please take pictures with your clothes on when submitting them for your Digital Driver’s License and ID. Cheers to technology and keeping things classy!” Put your shirt on.

Free Will ASTROLOGY

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20): “All the things I wanted to do and didn’t do took so long. It was years of not doing.” So writes Gemini poet Lee Upton in her book Undid in the Land of Undone. Most of us could make a similar statement. But I have good news for you, Gemini. I suspect that during the

rest of 2023, you will find the willpower and the means to finally accomplish intentions that have been long postponed or unfeasible. I’m excited for you! To prepare the way, decide which two undone things you would most love to dive into and complete.

Summer Theatre Camps!

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Cancerian author Denis Johnson had a rough life in his 20s. He was addicted to drugs and alcohol. Years later, he wrote a poem expressing gratitude to the people who didn’t abandon him. “You saw me when I was invisible,” he wrote, “you spoke to me when I was deaf, you thanked me when I was a secret.” Now would be an excellent time for you to deliver similar appreciation to those who have steadfastly beheld and supported your beauty when you were going through hard times.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Don’t make a wish upon a star. Instead, make a wish upon a scar. By that I mean, visualize in vivid detail how you might summon dormant reserves of ingenuity to heal one of your wounds. Come up with a brilliant plan to at least partially heal the wound. And then use that same creative energy to launch a new dream or relaunch a stalled old dream. In other words, Leo, figure out how to turn a liability into an asset. Capitalize on a loss to engender a gain. Convert sadness into power and disappointment into joy.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): At age 9, I was distraught when my parents told me we were moving away from the small town in Michigan where I had grown up. I felt devastated to lose the wonderful friends I had made and leave the land I loved. But in retrospect, I am glad I got uprooted. It was the beginning of a new destiny that taught me how to thrive on change. It was my introduction to the pleasures of knowing a wide variety of people from many different backgrounds. I bring this to your attention, Virgo, because I think the next 12 months will be full of comparable opportunities for you. You don’t have to relocate to take advantage, of course. There are numerous ways to expand and diversify your world. Your homework right now is to identify three.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Most of us continuously absorb information that is of little or questionable value. We are awash in an endless tsunami of trivia and babble. But in accordance with current astrological omens, I invite you to remove yourself from this blather as much as possible during the next three weeks. Focus on exposing yourself to fine thinkers, deep feelers and exquisite art and music. Nurture yourself with the wit and wisdom of compassionate geniuses and brilliant servants of the greater good. Treat yourself to a break from the blah-blah-blah and immerse yourself in the smartest joie de vivre you can find.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Over 25 countries have created coats of arms that feature an eagle. Why is that? Maybe it’s because the Roman Empire, the foundation of so much culture in the Western world, regarded the eagle as the ruler of the skies. It’s a symbol of courage, strength and alertness. When associated with people, it also denotes high spirits, ingenuity and sharp wits. In astrology, the eagle is the emblem of the ripe Scorpio: someone who bravely transmutes suffering and strives to develop a sublimely soulful perspective. With these thoughts in mind, and in accordance with current astrological omens, I invite you Scorpios to draw extra intense influence from your eagle-like aspects in the coming weeks.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “When I paint, my goal is to show what I found, not what I was looking for.” So said artist Pablo Picasso. I recommend you adopt some version of that as your motto in the coming weeks. Yours could be, “When I make love, my goal is to rejoice in what I find, not what I am looking for.” Or perhaps, “When I do the work I care about, my goal is to celebrate what I find, not what I am looking for.” Or maybe, “When I decide to transform myself, my goal is to be alert for what I find, not what I am looking for.”

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Vincent van Gogh painted “Wheatfield with a Reaper,” showing a man harvesting lush yellow grain under a glowing sun. Van Gogh said the figure was “fighting like the devil in the midst of the heat to get to the end of his task.” And yet, this was also true: “The sun was flooding everything with a light of pure gold.” I see your life in the coming weeks as resonating with this scene, Capricorn. Though you may grapple with challenging tasks, you will be surrounded by beauty and vitality.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I suspect that your homing signals will be extra strong and clear during the next 12 months. Everywhere you go, in everything you do, you will receive clues about where you truly belong and how to fully inhabit the situations where you truly belong. From all directions, life will offer you revelations about how to love yourself for who you are and be at peace with your destiny. Start tuning in immediately, dear Aquarius. The hints are already trickling in.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The renowned Mexican painter Diego Rivera (1886–1957)

told this story about himself: When he was born, he was so frail and ill that the midwife gave up on him, casting him into a bucket of dung. Rivera’s grandmother would not accept the situation so easily, however. She caught and killed some pigeons and wrapped her newborn grandson in the birds’ guts. The seemingly crazy fix worked. Rivera survived and lived for many decades, creating an epic body of artistic work. I bring this wild tale to your attention, Pisces, with the hope that it will inspire you to keep going and be persistent in the face of a problematic beginning or challenging birth pang. Don’t give up!

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves,” said psychologist Carl Jung. What was he implying? That we may sometimes engage in the same behavior that bothers us about others? And we should examine whether we are similarly annoying? That’s one possible explanation, and I encourage you to meditate on it. Here’s a second theory: When people irritate us, it may signify that we are at risk of being hurt or violated by them — and we should take measures to protect ourselves. Maybe there are other theories you could come up with, as well, Aries. Now here’s your assignment: Identify two people who irritate you. What lessons or blessings could you garner from your relationships with them?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): In 1886, a wealthy woman named Sarah Winchester moved into a two-story, eightroom farmhouse in San Jose, California. She was an amateur architect. During the next 20 years, she oversaw continuous reconstruction of her property, adding new elements and revising existing structures. At one point, the house had 500 rooms. Her workers built and then tore down a seven-story tower on 16 occasions. When she died at age 83, her beloved domicile had 2,000 doors, 10,000 windows, 47 stairways, and six kitchens. While Sarah Winchester was extreme in her devotion to endless transformation, I do recommend a more measured version of her strategy for you — especially in the coming months. Continual creative growth and rearrangement will be healthy and fun!

HOMEWORK: What broken thing could you repair so it’s even better than it was before it broke? Newsletter.FreeWill Astrology.com.

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AN EVENING OF DANCE WITH KINECT DANCE COLLECTIVE Treasures

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Kinect Dance Collective is going full pirate with a night filled with dancing buccaneers in an swashbuckling voyage dedicated to battles, whimsy, and the ultimate hunt for gold.

FRI JUNE 16

SAT JUNE 17 7:30PM

SUMMER SONG FEST Chanteurs

en Chapeaux (Singers in Hats)

An original cabaret production by Eve Tilley and Solveig Olsen featuring antique hats modeled and exalted in song by some of the Pikes Peak Region’s finest vocalists.

Appetizers and dessert in the beautiful Millibo garden prior the program inside the theatre.

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REAL ESTATE

1408 Tierra Berienda

– Pueblo - $25,000

1820 E San Rafael Street – Grandview

Addition - $495,000

Large well maintained stucco duplex close to Memorial Hospital & the Olympic Training Center. 2753 sq. ft. total.

Main level has 3 beds & 1 bath. Lower level has 2 beds & 1 bath. Live in one & rent the other or just rent both. Has been rented for years at under market rents but both tenants are moving out.

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1954 E Frying Pan

Drive – Pueblo West - $309,900

Investor special with a lot of potential! 1620 sq. ft. stucco 2-story new build on 1.17 acres with no back neighbors. 3 beds, 2 baths, 2-car garage. Granite counters. White cabinets. Wood laminate floors. Stainless steel appliances. UL is master suite with custom bath & walkout to 36x8 deck. A/C. Priced to reflect what still needs to be done: lights, trim, baseboards, & hardware

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6943

S Picadilly

Street – Aurora -

$1,295,000

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(OTHER)Call Bobbi Price. The Platinum Group. 719-499-9451.

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(LAND) Ph: 719-4999451 OR 719-201-6749

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1601 N Billy the Kid Lane – Pueblo West$28,500

1.47 acre lot at end of quiet cul de sac with sweeping unobstructed mountain & Pikes Peak views. Flat at front of lot & moving back the lot gently slopes to allow for a walkout. Backs and sides to open space. Easy commute to both Colorado Springs or Pueblo. MLS# 5628454 (LAND) Call Bobbi Price. The Platinum Group. 719499-9451.

213 Coffee Pot Drive – Crystal Park$64,900

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RENTALS

Rentals

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT

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PLAY HARD. WIN BIG.

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