Indy - Aug. 16, 2023 Vol 31. No. 32

PACKED

A push to add police has run into crowded conditions at the existing academy

5

August’s First Friday Art Walk welcomed new shows and said goodbye to old friends

BIG, BUSY, EMOTIONAL 10

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

PUBLISHER

Fran Zankowski

COVER DESIGN BY Zk Bradley

EDITORIAL

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Bryan Grossman

MANAGING EDITOR Helen Lewis

COPY EDITOR Mary Jo Meade

SENIOR REPORTER Pam Zubeck

CULTURE REPORTER Nick Raven

INTERN Marynn Krull

CONTRIBUTORS

Rob Brezsny, Mike Littwin, Matthew

Schniper, Tom Tomorrow, Andrew “Shaggy”

Warren

ONLINE CONTRIBUTOR

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CELEBRATING for your favorites thru Sept. 5 PAGE 15 Vote

MOVING AHEAD

Local planning agency green-lights Seven Falls sewage disposal plan

BY PAM ZUBECK | zubeck@csindy.com

APLAN

TO HAUL TRUCK-

loads of sewage from Seven Falls to a facility just south of Downtown got the green light, on two conditions. The Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments approved the plan Aug. 9, but the long-term solution of connecting a wastewater line to the city’s system might not happen for a while.

One way Seven Falls, owned by The Broadmoor, could obtain city sewer service is through annexing the tourist attraction into city limits. Another way is through a contract with Colorado Springs Utilities.

Both would require the attraction to fund the extension to city pipes.

Joe Goode, president of Entech Engineering, which is handling the sewage disposal plan for Seven Falls, said at the Aug. 9 meeting the objective is to “eventually” tie it into the city’s system, but he gave no timeline.

“If The Broadmoor would tie in Seven Falls’ septic system into the city’s sewer facilities, that would vitiate the need for any more discussion on this issue,” former El Paso County Commissioner Jim Bensberg, who lives in Cheyenne Cañon, tells the Indy. “There is no timeline that The Broadmoor has proposed for this future tie-in to occur. It’s like trying to nail a container of Jello to a tree.”

SEVEN FALLS WAS ACQUIRED BY

The Broadmoor in 2014. It’s been served by a septic/leach-field system, but the attraction added a full-service restaurant some time ago, and effluent from the restrooms and kitchen have exceeded the system’s capacity.

Thus, Seven Falls sought approval to install eight 2,500-gallon storage tanks on the property from which effluent would be pumped into 4,000-gallon trucks and hauled to Springs Utilities’ Las Vegas Street wastewater treatment plant.

The proposal has stirred opposition from neighbors who weren’t notified directly of the proposal. That’s because the initial application went to state regulators who don’t require notices be mailed to neighbors, but rather require only a sign be posted at the property, which was done when the application was filed in 2020.

The plan then went to the PPACG. Nothing happened with the request due to the COVID pandemic’s impact on the attraction’s operations, Goode said.

But recently, the plan was revived and assigned to two PPACG subcommittees for consideration — the Water Quality Management and Community Advisory committees. Both reviewed it twice and ultimately recommended approval, which the PPACG board granted on Aug. 9.

The board imposed two conditions: that The Broadmoor meet with neighbors about disposal routes, and that the resort outline for neighbors and the PPACG board its emergency plan in case of a spill. One way Seven Falls could obtain sewer service from the city is through a special service contract, Springs Utilities’ spokesperson Jennifer Jordan tells the Indy in an email. Such a contract “shall be subject to the terms and conditions as Utilities may see fit to impose,” Utilities’ rules say.

The other way is through annexation, she says.

Several residents have suggested to

PPACG and City Councilor Dave Donelson, a PPACG board member, that the best solution is to annex Seven Falls. Making the tourist attraction part of the city would enable a hook-up to city pipes while also affording the city sales and property taxes from the attraction, citizens said.

Judith Rice-Jones, a member of PPACG’s Community Advisory Committee, which at first recommended against the sewage trucking plan but later recommended approval, wrote to Donelson in mid-July.

“Wouldn’t it be mutually beneficial to our city and the Broadmoor to annex Seven Falls which would provide them with CS Utilities and CSFD services???” she wrote. “Would also provide the city with sales tax revenue.”

Either method, Jordan says, requires Seven Falls to fund design and installation of the extension.

ANNEXATION APPEARS TO BE

entirely up to the property owner, Seven Falls, Donelson told constituents in midJuly via emails obtained by the Indy through an open records request.

“By Colorado state statute a municipality (Colorado Springs) cannot unilaterally (involuntarily) annex property that is not already an enclave within the city limits (unincorporated county inside the city limits),” Donelson wrote.

“The Broadmoor would have to request annexation for it to even be considered.”

The city’s conditions for annexation include a judgment that the land in question is a “logical extension of the city’s boundary,” that development of the area will be beneficial to the city, and that existing facilities are sufficient for the present and projected needs for the foreseeable future to serve present users.

In addition, the landowner must agree to transfer title to all groundwater underlying the land and cede rights of way or easements required by Utilities for extension of service, among other things.

So far, there’s been no application for a contract or annexation, a records request showed, though Jordan says, “Preliminary conversations have been high level and noted requirements for eligibility to receive service.”

Another advantage to annexation could be automatic responses from the city’s first responders. While city public safety responders have received calls to Seven Falls on occasion, a check of those records shows 21 service calls within the last three years.

“The majority were cell phone hang ups with no response at all,” the city wrote in response to the Indy ’s records request. “The others consisted of theft, trespassing, medical and fire calls. All continued on p. 4 ➔

It’s like trying to nail a container of jello to a tree.

— Jim Bensberg

of those calls were transferred to EPSO [El Paso County Sheriff’s Office] and handled by EPSO and Broadmoor fire [department] since Seven Falls is not in our jurisdiction,” the city said.

DURING THE AUG. 9 PPACG DIScussion, a board member noted that the connection to the city’s lines “is not on the horizon or planned” and in any event wasn’t relevant to whether the sewage disposal plan should be approved.

Though the board didn’t directly discuss annexation, Goode said he didn’t know if a lift station would be required to tie into the city’s sewer line or whether that tie-in would create the possibility of back-flow into houses in that vicinity.

“It [new sewer line] wouldn’t be tied in to any houses initially,” he said. Goode added that the decision to seek approval for the trucking plan was based, at least in part, on the cost and time required to tie into the city’s system.

The sewage tanks project is estimated to cost $250,000, compared to $1.5 million to extend a line from Seven Falls to a city sewer line, Goode said, noting the nearest tie-in point lies 1.4 to 1.7 miles away.

Goode said he’s unaware of discussions within The Broadmoor about connecting to a city line. “As far as I know, the timeline has not been determined,”

WHEN YOU’RE SERIOUS ABOUT REAL ESTATE

he said.

Meantime, PPACG board member El Paso County Commissioner Stan VanderWerf noted that septic systems are common; in fact, he said, there are more than 30,000 such systems in the county, meaning trucks frequently haul effluent from

septic systems, he said.

Goode also assured PPACG that tanker trucks are safe.

After the PPACG board’s approval, VanderWerf reported to Bensberg in an email, saying Broadmoor CEO Jack Damioli told him the two conditions of

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the board’s approval were “very reasonable.”

“Let’s call this a verbal agreement with both of these items to be presented at a future PPACG meeting with the Director of the Broadmoor in agreement,” VanderWerf wrote.

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PACKED

BY PAM ZUBECK | zubeck@csindy.com

WHEN 42 TO 48 POLICE RE-

cruits finish working up a sweat during physical training, they’re faced with taking turns accessing a mere seven showers — four in the men’s locker room and three in the women’s.

If supplies are needed for training, officers have to travel from the facility at 725 N. Murray Blvd. to a storage area on South Academy Boulevard to get them — and some classes must be held at substations around the city and even at Fort Carson.

Why? Because the Colorado Springs Police Department’s training academy is bursting at the seams. That’s leading Mayor Yemi Mobolade to seek voter approval to retain $4.75 million in 2022 revenues collected in excess of the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights revenue caps to start gathering funds to replace the facility.

With recruits squeezed into classrooms that must serve dual purposes while police officials also try to wedge in training for existing officers, the 36,619-square-foot facility is simply too small, officials say.

It’s especially too small to accommodate year-round training academies as the city tries to catch up on hiring — it’s 80 officers short of its authorized strength of 821 officers.

Mobolade wants to either buy and remodel another building or build from the ground up, but either way, more space won’t be made available for several years.

The crowding issue hit some City Councilors with an unpleasant reality during a briefing on Aug. 7, prompting Councilor Nancy Henjum to say, “I’m kind of speechless about the conditions our current police force are having to train in and wonder how the hell did we get here. We are a world-class Olympic city that is training our police force in horrific conditions. It’s just, wow.”

She and others suggested moving forward with what could become a $45 million project, depending on the option chosen, despite what voters might say at the Nov. 7 election.

But even if the project is fast-tracked, it can’t be built overnight. Thus, it’s unclear how quickly more cops

can hit the streets to improve response times, which Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez blames on a staffing shortage.

Data reported by local media show that responses to top priority calls — those involving life-threatening situations — increased from an average of 11 minutes, 40 seconds in 2020 to 13 minutes and 34 seconds last year.

THE CITY ACQUIRED THE EXISTING two-story academy building, on 1.34 acres, in 2001, records show.

Unfortunately, beyond its limited size, the current academy building also needs upgrades that could cost $4 million, Vasquez says.

Vasquez says not only have training requirements intensified over the years to incorporate everything from evidence recovery to medical intervention, but the department, like many others across the country, has lost officers due to social upheaval stemming from George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police and the COVID pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

Trying to fill those slots has been a challenge when the training facility was never envisioned to host classes year-round.

Records show that even as the mayor and City Council have authorized more officers, CSPD has been losing them from 2020 through Aug. 9 to retirements (114) and resignations (167).

During those three-plus years, CSPD hired 276 officers for a net loss of five officers.

While the department has stepped up hiring — adding 243 officers since 2021 — departures are also increasing. Through Aug. 9 this year, the department had hired 33 officers but lost 45.

If those trends continue, the job of recruiting and training won’t end any time soon.

Meantime, the rising level of sophistication in policing continues to demand more of officers, Vasquez says.

“The environment they train in becomes critically

important,” Vasquez told Council on Aug. 7.

In response to recommendations from CSPD’s 2022 Transparency Matters study, the department acquired an interactive training simulator that teaches officers, for example, how to continuously evaluate a situation and make judgments about the level of force necessary.

“It allows officers to go through four different rooms and go through different scenarios,” Vasquez said. “We’re asking the company to develop other modules for us, so officers don’t get used to what they’re walking into every time. We can’t do that right now, because this is packed into the room we have right now and curriculum enhancements require more space.”

He also said the room used for lunch breaks must be cleared out for training, and training time is lost when recruits have to drive across town to any one of four substations or the Police Operations Center on South Nevada Avenue for classes.

— Nancy Henjum

Then there’s the supply problem. CSPD relies on a 4,600-square-foot facility on South Academy to store items used in the training process. “We want a facility that will have our supply function in the building,” Vasquez said.

Driver training has been conducted in a parking lot at Woodmen Road and Interstate 25 or on Fort Carson, he said, where recruits learning “precision intervention training” must drive at high speeds that can create noise. But Fort Carson recently told the city it needs the space back for its own training.

Training also has become a key benefit in recruitment and retention, Vasquez says, as CSPD competes

A push to add cops has run into crowded conditions at the police training academy

“I’M KIND OF SPEECHLESS ABOUT THE CONDITIONS OUR CURRENT POLICE FORCE ARE HAVING TO TRAIN IN.”

Photo illustration assets from stock.adobe.com

for personnel with other departments, many of which are experiencing similar staff turnover.

In addition to the basics required by the Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training board for certification, the department also provides specialized training in de-escalation, human trafficking and ICAT (Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics), which gives first responding police officers tools, skills and options that are especially helpful in situations where someone who is unarmed or has a non-firearm weapon may be having a mental health or other crisis.

Moreover, it’s no small task to update critical skills training for 750 currently serving officers, which further cramps quarters at the academy.

And officers want this training. The Colorado Springs Police Protective Association’s 2022 survey showed that hiring more officers and tapping enhanced training opportunities ranked in the top three officer concerns. The third was better pay.

In fact, nearly 85 percent of the 331 officers taking part in the survey said it was very or somewhat important that CSPD “broaden and enhance current training offerings.”

“Our officers are asking for help and it’s upon us as a community to help them do their jobs better,” the mayor said.

WHILE NO ENGINEERING OR ARCHITECTURal studies have yet been performed, Councilor Brian Risley, who’s an architect, helped Mobolade’s administration draft an initial needs assessment.

That assessment shows the department needs 65,100 square feet, which would more than triple classroom

space (currently, there’s just one classroom that can hold a full recruit class), double space used for defensive tactics and for weight training, nearly triple locker room space and triple storage space. It also shows growing, from 0 to 5,000 square feet, space dedicated to reality-based scenario training.

Chief Financial Officer Charae McDaniel told Council Aug. 7 the dearth of specifics for the project, including a site, “does not mean we don’t have a plan.”

The plans they have are thanks, in some part, to Risley, she said. He offered his expertise to get the project mapped out after some Council members on July 10 questioned whether to refer a ballot measure for a project lacking details.

Risley helped Mobolade’s staff put together estimates, which show land cost for a new facility could range from $3.3 million to $6 million, and new construction could range from $36 million to $39 million.

If an existing facility is purchased, the acquisition could range from $8.5 million to $16 million, and construction/renovation could cost from $4 million to $5 million.

Bottom line: A new facility’s cost is estimated at a high of $45 million, while the high end of buying and revamping an existing building is $21 million. Either way, the city doesn’t have that much extra cash available.

Hence, McDaniel pointed to the $4.75 million TABOR refund as a way of “getting this project launched.”

Other revenue sources:

• $1.8 million from the Public Safety Sales Tax earmarked for the academy.

• $500,000 to $1 million in PSST reserve funds as a one-time draw.

• $2 million to $4 million from the city’s General Fund reserve account as a one-time draw.

That’s potentially a total of $11.5 million, including the TABOR money.

The balance would be financed — the city has used certificates of purchase in the past to fund public safety and other projects by pledging city facilities as collateral; this method allows sidestepping voter approval to borrow money required by TABOR.

Money to repay that debt would have to come from annual budgets going forward.

But more money would be available in the future if voters approve the $4.75 million TABOR retention, because the second part of the ballot measures asks to reset the city’s TABOR revenue cap to include that $4.75 million forever.

But no site has been identified, much less purchased, and the cost estimates remain estimates only, McDaniel said.

As a pitch for why voters should approve the measure, McDaniel noted that if the $4.75 million is refunded to residents, it would appear as a onetime credit of about $21 on electric bills for all Colorado Springs Utilities electric customers. For “master metered” apartments, the refund would appear as a single $21 credit to the complex’s owner, she noted.

CITY COUNCILOR DAVE DONELSON SAID the question of whether a new academy is necessary is separate from whether voters should be asked to give up TABOR refunds.

He challenged polling results cited by Mobolade without a source saying most voters would approve the $4.75 million TABOR retention measure.

Mobolade said the poll was conducted using private money and that he would provide the pollster’s name to Donelson later.

We asked the city to identify the pollster, number of voters polled and other details. A city spokesperson says via email, “The polling was conducted by American Pulse. The info you’re seeking is the property of that group.”

Training takes place wherever there is space, including in the lunch room.

“OUR OFFICERS ARE ASKING FOR HELP.”

— Yemi Mobolade

➔ continued from p. 5

Donelson also wondered if, given the urgency of the project, the city could simply dip into its reserves to fund it and abandon the TABOR retention ballot question.

His concern, he said, is that the question once again asks voters to raise the city’s TABOR cap, meaning the city would retain the extra $4.75 million annually in the future. “This is not a one-time $4.75 million impact,” he said. “It has an impact every year after that.”

And that’s on top of $35 million voters exempted from the TABOR cap in a 2021 ballot measure that earmarked $20 million of that total for a fire mitigation fund and refunded the other $15 million. That means the city keeps the $35 million each year going forward.

Donelson also renewed his idea that the city ask taxpayers to voluntarily forgo their refund if they wish to contribute to the project, while others could opt out.

CHIEF VASQUEZ TOLD COUNCIL

the department wants to engage with El Paso County Sheriff Joe Roybal to explore ways to share a new facility with the Sheriff’s Office, and the mayor said he’s already reached out to Roybal, because, “Regionalization is always at the top of my list.”

The Sheriff’s Office trains recruits at facilities at 2743 E. Las Vegas St. near the county jail.

Spokesperson Cassandra Sebastian says via email that although the office has faced recruitment issues in the past, it graduated three academies this year and recruitment/retention numbers are “trending well.” In fact, the sheriff’s website says it is not hiring at this time.

“As for combining recruit training efforts with CSPD, Sheriff Roybal has not had any formal conversations with Chief Vasquez or Mayor Mobolade,” Sebastian says.

The Sheriff’s Office, she notes, recently set up a regional academy approach and is working with the Teller County Sheriff’s Office, Manitou Springs Police Department, and Monument Police Department in training their recruits. More agencies could be added, she says.

The Sheriff’s Office training center recently upgraded to add a tactical intervention simulator, a gas house where deputies learn to deal with pepper spray, and a new turf field. “We have partnered with [D1 Sports Training] to ensure our cadets are physically prepared for the job ahead of them,” Sebastian says, adding a second shooting range recently opened and the academy has been remodeled to better accommodate arrest control training.

CSPD’s training academy typically runs for 26 weeks, while the EPSO’s spans 22 weeks.

It remains to be seen if surrounding smaller departments would be interested in sending officers to the city’s new facility. But Fountain’s unlikely to be involved: Fountain Police Chief Mark Cristiani tells the Indy that his department requires applicants be POST certified in order to be hired, negating the need for its own academy, or any academy.

Currently, his department is three officers short from its authorized strength of 61, not including six new officers voters authorized in a recent ballot measure and school resources officers funded by school districts.

“Right now, our system is working pretty well,” he says. “We don’t have high attrition rates. We can be choosy about who we bring on board. If there came a time when I couldn’t get lateral officers, I would entertain a regional training academy.”

Cristiani said it’s not easy to compete with larger departments, like CSPD and EPSO, which pay more. Fountain’s starting pay for newly hired officers is $30 an hour, adding up to $62,400 a year if no overtime hours are worked. After three years, the pay goes up to $35 per hour, or to $72,800.

The Sheriff’s Office’s starting pay is $63,337 a year, and $70,428 after one year following academy graduation.

CSPD pays $62,496 a year to a recruit who’s in training and $69,336 for a newly minted officer.

In any event, Mobolade told Council that public safety is voters’ top priority and that “residents are asking for better response times and more officers.”

In a preview of what could be used by advocates as a slogan for the TABOR retention measure, Mobolade’s presentation was labeled, “A vote for retention is a vote for public safety.”

Several Council members indicated support for the project, including Council President Randy Helms and Councilor David Leinweber.

“We have a lot of infrastructure that’s been pushed down the road so we can deliver low taxes,” Leinweber said. “Those things are starting to catch up. I think this is the time we need to do this, because we need to invest in critical infrastructure if we want to stay a world-class city.”

And Henjum said, “We count on our police officers to save our lives, and now they need to count on us.”

City Council will vote on whether to refer the TABOR retention issue to the Nov. 7 ballot on Aug. 22.

Year-round training is needed to fill vacant positions and grow.

These sweaty recruits will have to share a total of seven showers.

Classroom space must also be used to train existing officers.

“THIS IS NOT A ONE-TIME $4.75-MILLION IMPACT.”

— Dave Donelson

X-RAIDED

PLAYING AROUND

sus, jazz; 7 p.m., Grace and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, gssepiscopal.org/jazz-in-the-garden.

SATURDAY, 8/19

Big Sky, Grateful Dead tribute; 8 p.m., Mother Muff’s, mothermuffs.com/calendar.

Colt 45, hip-hop; 7 p.m., Oskar Blues, coloradosprings.oskarbluesfooderies. com.

DJ Piranha Non Grata, dance variety, with DJ Biggie, DJ Nic Fit; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

The Eternal Temples, jam rock/space funk; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge, bicycleresort.com.

Keep Britain Irish, Celtic; 7:30 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, facebook.com/jackquinns/ events.

The Rocket Man Show Night 2, Elton John tribute; 7 p.m., Boot Barn Hall, bootbarnhallco.com.

Roma Ransom, “eclectic bohemian world folk”; 7 p.m., Mash Mechanix Brewing Company, mashmechanix. com.

Roots and Rhythm, blues/jazz/R&B ; 6 p.m., Momma Pearl’s Cajun Kitchen, tinyurl.com/mommapearlscajunkitchen.

THE SIDS: 40th Anniversary Dance Party, “legendary Colorado Springs garage rockers”; 8 p.m., Lulu’s, lulusdownstairs.com.

WEDNESDAY, 8/16

Academy Jazz Ensemble, jazz; 6 p.m., Bear Creek Regional Park, tinyurl.com/ elpasoparkconcerts.

Al Chesis, blues; 7 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, facebook.com/jackquinns/events.

Collective Groove, funk/soul/rock; John Wise & Tribe, R&B/blues/jazz; Brandon Henderson, singer-songwriter; 6 p.m., Hillside Gardens, hillsidecolorado. com/upcoming-events.

Countywyde, bluegrass; 6:30 p.m., Front Range Barbeque, frbbq.com.

The Dave Matthews Tribute Band; 7 p.m., Brues Alehouse, Pueblo, bruesalehouse. com.

ZookRaught, alternative/indie, with Sponge Cake, Glitter Porn; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

THURSDAY, 8/17

Alex Williams, R&B/soul/country ; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

The Country Music Project, country ; 6 p.m., Viewhouse, viewhouse.com/ events.

Frog and Fiddle, folk; 8 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

Kevin McDeviant, celtic rock; 6:30 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, facebook.com/jackquinns/events.

New Vintage Jazz, “Hard Bop” era; 7:30 p.m., Summa, dizzycharlies.com/ schedule.

X-Raided, hip-hop/rap; 7 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

FRIDAY, 8/18

Barely Garcia, Garcia/Dead tribute, 9 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

Ben Younger Band, country ; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge, bicycleresort.com.

Cement Stage Series, with Jesse Cornett & The Revolvers, Hickabee, Jordy Smith, Joe Johnson, Brian Parsons Trio; 8 p.m., City Auditorium, communityculturalcollective.org/events.

Jacob Christopher, country ; 7:30 p.m., Back East Bar and Grill, backeastbarandgrill.com/events.

Dalonious Funk, jazz/funk; 7 p.m., Summa, dizzycharlies.com/schedule.

The Frickashinas, punk rock, with Reno Divorce, Strike Twelve; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

Gimme Gimme Disco, disco; 8 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

Missy & The Dirty Secrets, rock ; 8 p.m., Good Company Bar, goodcompanybar.com.

Musketeer Gripweed, rock; 6 p.m., Vista Park, banninglewisranch.com.

Ninety Percent 90s, ’90s variety ; 6 p.m., Viewhouse, viewhouse.com/ events.

The Rocket Man Show Night 1, Elton John tribute; 7 p.m., Boot Barn Hall, bootbarnhallco.com.

RiuDolç Brass, winds quartet; 7:30 p.m., Brue’s Alehouse, Pueblo, bruesalehouse.com.

Runaway Grooms, funk/psych rock ; 8 p.m., Lulu’s, lulusdownstairs.com.

The Shrikes, rock/blues, with Second Wind, Wilted Greens, Dr. Bob; 7 p.m., Dog House, doghousecos.com.

SOAPDISH Glow Party 2.0, dance variety; 7 p.m., Stargazers Theatre, stargazerstheatre.com.

Tim and Friends, acoustic Christian; 7:30 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, facebook.com/ jackquinns/events.

The Springstown Shakers, blues; 7 p.m., Mash Mechanix Brewing Company, mashmechanix.com.

U.S. Air Force Academy Band’s Pega-

Spit; 7 p.m., with The Hivemind, Flak; Dog House, doghousecos.com.

SOAPDISH, dance variety ; 7:30 p.m., Back East Bar and Grill, backeastbarandgrill.com/events.

Wildermiss, indie rock , with Holdfast; 7 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks. com.

Jess Williamson, alternative/indie; 8 p.m., Lulu’s, lulusdownstairs.com.

SUNDAY, 8/20

John Spengler Trio, singer-songwriter; 5 p.m., Goat Patch Brewing Company, goatpatchbrewing.com.

Hipbone, blues; 1 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

Sundressed, indie rock , with Diva Bleach, Krew; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

Traditional Irish Music ; 3 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, facebook.com/jackquinns/ events.

MONDAY, 8/21

Adam Gang, jazz; 5:30 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

Megatheria, post-metal, with ABANDONS, Vandhali; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

New Vintage Jazz, “Hard Bop”; 6 p.m., Green Mountain Falls Gazebo Island, discoverutepass.com/monday-musicseries.

TUESDAY, 8/22

Bastardane, rock ; 7 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

Bryan Raymond, dark-folk , with 86-B, Jared Schmidt; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

Subcaste Sound, DJ, “subversive Hi-Fi art reinforcement and sound installation experience”; 6 p.m., Bancroft Park, occpartnership.org.

The Acacia Strain and their “emotional doom songs” take The Black Sheep stage Wednesday, Aug. 23.

The Acacia Strain

PLAYING AROUND

WEDNESDAY, 8/23

The Acacia Strain, metal, with Mugshot, No Cure, Sewerslide; 6 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

Davenports, rock; John Wise & Tribe, New Orleans R&B/blues/jazz/island; Roma Ransom, “eclectic bohemian world folk”; 6 p.m., Hillside Gardens, hillsidecolorado.com/upcomingevents.

Falconaires Alumni Band, jazz; 6 p.m., Bear Creek Regional Park, communityservices.elpasoco.com.

Kendall Street Company, electric rock; 8 p.m., Lulu’s, lulusdownstairs.com.

Harry Mo & The Cru, reggae; 6:30 p.m., Front Range Barbeque, frbbq.com. Springs Contemporary Jazz Big Band, jazz; 6 p.m., Bancroft Park, facebook. com/SCJBB/events.

Craig Walter, acoustic ; 6 p.m., Jack

Quinn’s, facebook.com/jackquinns/ events.

THURSDAY, 8/24

Blackthorn, Celtic rock ; 7 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, facebook.com/jackquinns/ events.

Dotsero, pop/contemporary instrumental; 6 p.m., Fox Run Regional Park, communityservices.elpasoco.com.

The Lisa McCall Band, blues; 6 p.m., Mash Mechanix Brewing Company, mashmechanix.com.

Love Mischief, jam variety ; 8 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

Narrow Gauge, country ; 6 p.m., Viewhouse, viewhouse.com/events.

Susan Rissman and Jana Lee Ross, jazz; 7:30 p.m., Summa, dizzycharlies.com/ schedule.

BIG GIGS

Upcoming music events

Beck and Phoenix, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Aug. 16

Foreigner, Ball Arena, Denver, Aug. 16

Weyes Blood, Boulder Theatre, Boulder, Aug. 16

Alex Williams, Vultures, Aug. 17

Mt. Joy, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Aug. 17-18

Dominic Fike, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Aug. 18

Leo Kottke, Chautauqua Auditorium, Boulder, Aug. 18

Sam Smith, Ball Arena, Denver, Aug. 18

Reggae on the Rocks, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Aug. 19

Jess Williamson, Lulu’s, Aug. 19

Ed Sheeran, Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Aug. 19

THE SIDS 40th Anniversary Dance Party, Lulu’s, Aug. 19

Wildermiss, Black Sheep, Aug. 19

Santa Fe Klan, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Aug. 20

Bastardane, Black Sheep, Aug. 22

Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Aug. 22-23

The Acacia Strain, Black Sheep, Aug. 23

Pantera, Lamb of God , Ball Arena, Denver, Aug. 23

Five Finger Death Punch, Weidner Field, Aug. 25

Gavin DeGraw, Gothic Theatre, Englewood, Aug. 25

Corey Taylor, Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, Aug. 25

Ziggy Alberts, Boulder Theater, Boulder, Aug. 25

Rupert Wates, Lulu’s, Aug. 25

My Morning Jacket, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Aug. 25-26

Lil Durk, Ball Arena, Denver, Aug. 26

Jake Loggins Band, Stargazers, Aug. 26

Tinashe, who’s touring with Shygirl this fall, will make a stop at Denver’s Mission Ballroom on Nov. 13.

Incubus, Weidner Field, Aug. 27

Damn Tall Buildings and Red Room Rounder, Lulu’s, Aug. 27

Vance Joy, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Aug. 27

Tessa Violet, Gothic Theatre, Englewood, Aug. 27.

Duran Duran with Bastille, Nile Rodgers & Chic , Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Aug. 28-29

LL Cool J, Ball Arena, Denver, Aug. 29

Goo Goo Dolls with O.A.R., Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre, Englewood, Aug. 30

Continued at csindy.com

Courtesy Tinashe

SUNSHINE AND CANVASES

August’s First Friday art walk was big, busy and emotional

BY NICK RAVEN | nick@csindy.com

THE LOOK UP GALLERY City Series by Clay Ross

11 E. Bijou St. • Through August

The Look Up Gallery’s setup magnifies the large-scale paintings they hang above the viewer each month, so Clay Ross’ new solo show was a great way to really soak in the beauty of Colorado Springs. Across 11 paintings with twilight and nighttime settings, you get to point and say, “Oh look, that alley (or that building, or...) is just over there.” You don’t need to be a local to admire the warmth and detail of these large tributes to Downtown and places nearby, but it certainly helps.

THIS MONTH BROUGHT A LOT OF NEW art and warm welcomes on First Friday, but also a few goodbyes. Brian Tryon held his last First Friday as director of The Garfield Gallery in July and will be moving into his new space with business partner Chris Bacavis as Shutter and Strum in Knob Hill. (Stay tuned for our cover story on Knob Hill’s growing art scene.) Art 1eleven Gallery owner Robin Schneider also announced that this would be his and the gallery’s final show, his future adventures still to be determined.

These are just a few of the highlights from the August First Friday that you can experience all month long.

LIGHTSPEED CURATIONS

Celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop by various artists

306 S. 25th St. • Through August

As a hip-hop dancer, LightSpeed curator Jessica de la Luna knew it was important to use their venue to celebrate the genre visually. The result was a wildly vibrant collection of art celebrating icons like Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan and more, but also cleverly spray-painted and surreal works. Need some beautifully painted skateboards? What about the Grim Reaper with a boombox? LightSpeed’s got you covered this month with dreams of an annual exhibition going forward.

SURFACE GALLERY

Ordinary Fields by Betony Coons, PARTS by Jes Moran and Connections: A Fibers Exhibition by Art Quilters with Altitude

2752 W. Colorado Ave. • Through Aug. 26 Jes Moran’s new exhibit lives up to its name, but “Acrylic on stitched canvas” undersells them as a descriptor. These small artworks present a visual turbulence — a warning that any kind of judgment or summation won’t be easy. The strokes of her paintings are rough and ragged like pages torn from a book, but so are the surfaces they’re painted on with their frayed and roughly cut edges or outright Frankensteined canvases. Presented in thematic triplets, it’s hard to imagine them separated. The Ordinary Fields of Betony Coons are… not. They’re just not. These fantastical collaged paintings have so much to say at a distance, but as they draw you in, you notice more and more details. The borders of its elements are obfuscated, allowing ideas, concepts and textures to flow through their whimsical compositions effortlessly. If pinching to zoom actually worked on these physical canvases — and didn’t ruin the work — it would be very tempting to seek out even deeper layers and hidden elements here.

ART 1ELEVEN GALLERY

Bill Stone exhibition

111 E. Bijou St. • Through August

It was bittersweet to run into Jesse Stockwell in the doorway of Art 1eleven Gallery, which was flanked by a pair of his paintings on easels. It may be Robin Schneider’s last First Friday, but he went out in style with a packed room and live entertainment. It seemed fitting that Bill Stone was this month’s featured artist because his large, bright and textured paintings have long been visual anchors in the gallery. While the centerpiece of the show had to be shipped to Austria, Stone still delivered a series of dreamy, cool compositions in which you can lose yourself.

“Cassiopeia” by Betony Coons

“We Are Stars 22” by Bill Stone

“City Center” by Clay Ross

“Red Balloon” by Johnny Larson

MANITOU ART CENTER

Father & Son by Cris and Nikos Pulos

513 Manitou Ave. • Through August

Hagnauer Gallery hosts the beautiful art of two generations of photographers this month with the works of Cris and Nikos Pulos. The show, with its rustic, melancholy photos, serves as a silent tribute to Cris, who passed away last year. The scenes portray stark landscapes, soft details, beautiful hood ornaments from old cars and other interpretations of what looks like a somber parallel reality.

Key to their aesthetic is their carbonprint-on-glass process alongside other hands-on printing techniques featured around the exhibit. With a helpful display featuring the inks, gelatin, film and other components used in the process, Nikos demonstrated how they could create unique prints each time. The stark black carbon on glass can then be placed over a variety of backgrounds to alter the temperature or mood — even masking out portions of the composition for dramatic effect.

KREUSER GALLERY

Curse You, Tiny Paintings and Master Copies by Chris Alvarez and Neon Arcade by Jon Francis

125 E. Boulder St. • Through Aug. 25

Somehow, Chris Alvarez managed to paint, ship and have Abigail Kreuser curate 100 of his tiny paintings for his massive exhibit this month. They’re small, but don’t think for a second that they lack impact.

Individually, they’re studies. The thicker strokes reduce the resolution of what you see just a tad compared to a photograph, blurring the reality just enough for you to slip in your own imagination. There’s a skull here, a VW Bus and farm equipment there, a car stopped at an intersection over there. As a whole, the scenes paint a warm, innocent Midwest America that celebrates the seemingly mundane.

Of course, stepping into his separate Master Copies exhibit in the South Gallery is like upgrading your display from a cell phone to an IMAX theater screen. There, he uses much larger canvases to study and re-imagine the work of famous painters such as N.C. Wyeth and Vincent Van Gogh, among others

Seemingly conspiring with Clay Ross a few blocks away, Jon Francis presented an epic study of the Springs’ vintage signage with an aim to preservation in Neon Arcade. A centerpiece is his painting of the iconic Michelle’s ice cream shop sign, once lit with neon and 248 light bulbs, that went missing from storage last November. Locals will have a fun time picking through his array of painted signs and dilapidated billboards and his re-interpretations of Manitou Springs Penny Arcade machines.

Mother Nature Series: “Lady of the Lake” by Nikos Pulos

“End of the Trail” by Jon Francis

Appetizers

AMERICAN

TONY’S 326 N. TEJON ST. | 719-228-6566 | TONYSDOWNTOWNBAR.COM

Winners of 70+ Independent “Best of Awards” in 20 yrs. A great Midwestern Tavern with warm beer, lousy food & poor service!!! Pabst, Fried Cheese Curds, Leinenkugle’s, Walleye Fish-fry, cocktails, burgers and more. 11am-2am daily. HH 4-6. GO PACK GO!

FUJIYAMA

22 S. TEJON ST. | 719-630-1167

OG CERBERUS CHEF RETURNS

Beautiful, award-winning downtown restaurant with a full-service bar. Enjoy authentic sushi & creative rolls, teriyaki, tempura, udon & more! See our ad or call for great lunch, Happy Hour, & Ladies night specials! Fri. & Sat. 11am-2:30pm lunch & 5-10pm dinner. Sun. 5-9pm dinner.

SAIGON CAFÉ

20 E. COLORADO AVE. | 719-633-2888 | COLORADOSAIGONCAFE.COM

Open for Lunch and Dinner Mon-Sat. Welcome to the Saigon Café the award winning Vietnamese restaurant in Colorado Springs. Our cuisine is cooked with fresh vegetables, herbs and meats in authentic Vietnamese style. Try our renowned noodle bowl, a lunchtime favorite. M-Th 11AM–3PM; 4PM–8:30PM F-Sat 11AM–3PM; 4PM-9:30PM

BIRD DOG BBQ

ASIAN BBQ

3 LOCATIONS + CATERING | BIRDDOGBBQ.COM | 719-573-7671

Bird Dog now offers online ordering from the location of your choice! Order and pay online, then skip the line when you pick it up! Visit our website at www.BirdDogBBQ.com and click ORDER ONLINE to place your order. We also offer our award-winning catering services in individuallyboxed meals! Call 719-573-7671 for details.

CRAFT PUB

ODYSSEY GASTROPUB

311 N. TEJON ST. | 719-999-5127 | ODYSS EYGASTROPUB.COM

Voted Best New Restaurant 2015 by Indy readers. Specializing in an eclectic mix of craft food, craft beer, and craft cocktails. Odyssey Gastropub is a downtown gem with a warm, intimate atmosphere and awesome staff. Start your adventure with us! Mon.- Fri. 11am - 10pm, Sat. & Sun. 10am - 10pm

CHEF MARK LEFEBVRE HAS JUST RETURNED TO HIS FORMER post at Cerberus Brewing Company (722 W. Colorado Ave., cerberusbrewingco.com), taking up the title of culinary director. Those in the know should be excited. His new menu dropped Aug. 8.

“I’m going to get Cerberus back on track and bring it back to its glory days,” he told me during a short phone chat the week prior. “The new menu is fun and fresh again.”

Admittedly, I take heart in hearing that, because I tell him the place hasn’t been the same since he left it. His early food rose far above brewery basics and his successors — despite a nice bite here and there — couldn’t match the high bar set at the beginning.

LeFebvre is a former chef de cuisine at The Broadmoor. He opened Cerberus and ran the kitchen between 2016 and 2019, leaving only for a job in Missoula, Montana, at a fine steakhouse named 1889. He’d grown up in a small southern Montana town named Red Lodge and attended the University of Montana in Missoula before heading to CIA in Hyde Park, New York. So there have been reverse homecoming aspects to his recent postings.

Now, he says he and his wife Melisa — who’s Cerberus’ GM — are happy to be back in the Springs. “I’m excited to see folks I haven’t seen in several years.”

When we speak, the menu’s still under development, but LeFebvre provides a few teasers as well as an image of one completed dish: a vegan appetizer. It’s a cannellini bean and artichoke dip with crudité vegetables, tapanade, lemon oil, micro herbs and lavosh. Just look at the photo at the top of this page: It’s a gorgeous color bomb.

LeFebvre says that some “mainstay stuff” will stick around, and that he’s finalizing a 2.0 version of his bestselling smoked brisket grilled cheese. (Yes and please.)

There’ll be the OG cheddar ale and crispy pork lettuce cups plus more entrées coming soon, to include a salmon plate. But one more dish he enthusiastically teases for now: something he’s calling Hell’s Shells. “It’s our version of a mac n’ cheese,” he says, describing how he smokes wheels of brie and turns them into a rich cream sauce with chorizo and truffled breadcrumbs over pasta shells. (Hell yeah, I’m in.)

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MATTHEW SCHNIPER

Chef Mark LeFebvre

Gorgeous color bomb — LeFebvre’s cannellini bean and artichoke dip

DIAVOLO POPS UP AT BINGO

SIDE DISH WITH SCHNIPER IS PRESENTing its first pop-up!

In collaboration with the Downtown Partnership, I’m presenting a one-day-only takeover of Bingo Burger’s COS location (123 N. Tejon St., bingoburger.com) by Diavolo Pueblo Hot chicken (400 S. Union Ave., Pueblo, diavolopueblo.com). It’s Tuesday, Aug. 22, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The popular Fuel & Iron Food Hall (fuelandironfoodhall.com) vendor will serve its fiery Hot as Hell Red Bird Farms chicken sandwich, featuring 15 different dried chiles in the seasoning, including New Mexican red and green, habanero, guajillo and a Pueblo chile variant (two times hotter than the one you’re familiar with) named the Mirasol Giadone Pueblo Hot Chile.

Not a hothead? That’s OK, there’s milder options available. And awesome side items. Plus, Bell Brothers Brewing (114 N. Tejon St., #100, bellbrothersbrewing. com) has brewed an exclusive “Joule’s Law-ger” Pueblo fire-roasted chile-infused beer for the event. It’s gonna be hot action. Join us!

MAYOR’S CUP

JUST BECAUSE I WROTE THIS CLEVER headline, let’s go ahead and clarify out of the gate that yes, Mayor Yemi Mobolade remains a co-owner in Wild Goose Meeting House (401 N. Tejon St., wildgoosemeetinghouse.com), but he’s completely removed from day-to-day operations to focus on running the city. (Big job.)

time experienced employees like GM Heather Moake at the helm. (And, yes, one more clarification: Ware’s name should be familiar; he moved into an owner ship stake after his dad, Russ, stepped out of the business in mid-2022.)

The Goose will turn 10 later this year, in November (actu ally on Black Friday, ran domly). But it hasn’t aged without refreshes to overall programming along the way. The staff has just done some redecorating on the front dining room and converted the rear Nest space into a comfortable lounge (free to use for meetings, by reservation).

Schaeffer tells me he spent roughly a month designing the new menu; the last refresh was in October 2022. He says about 60 percent of the items are new, or in some cases returned from an old menu with new iterations.

“Our focus is on bringing in good ingredients to come up with fun menu items,” Schaeffer says. “It’s rounding out what we offer. But our biggest focus

I enjoy an oat milk latte and taste a couple of the Goose’s popular mocktails, partly because I’m not craving a true boozy sipper at the moment. Heather pours me through a quick tasting of neat sips of their Ritual Zero Proof spirit selection — wow the tequila alternative nails the flavor, in particular. They make a sweet Margarita with it, Triple Sec syrup, lime and simple. We also try an Old Fashioned (with the Ritual whiskey and local Dram bitters) which finishes with a slight, but not unpleasant, apple cider vinegar edge.

For bites, the team serves us samples of several new items. They make a nice fresh hummus in-house and plate it with crisp fixings and pita wedges on a thin

That leaves co-owner Schaeffer Ware and other long- continued on p. 14 ➔

He’s candid that they’re limited in what they can do with their tiny kitchen area — which also supplies Brooklyn’s on Boulder — so smart cura tion of commercially procured items is key. Still, they take time to make what they can in-house and buy from a number of area businesses, including Black Girl Salsa (who uses the Goose as her commissary), Raquelitas, Lockhart Honey Farms, Charcutnuvo and Sourdough Boulangerie.

Roastedredpepper and Gouda soup

GERMAN

EDELWEISS RESTAURANT

34 E. RAMONA AVE. | (SOUTH NEVADA & TEJON) | 719-633-2220

For 50 Years Edelweiss has brought Bavaria to Colorado Springs. Using fresh ingredients, the menu invites you to visit Germany. Support local business! We’re open and doing drive-thru and takeout with a limited menu that can be found on our website! www. edelweissrest.com.

SOUTHWESTERN/MEXICAN

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.

STEAKHOUSE

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!

YOUR RESTAURANT HERE

Call your sales rep today to advertise your establishment.

➔ continued from p. 13

charcuterie board. The Almost A BLT Wrap (a riff on an old menu item) gets bacon, lettuce and tomato of course, joined by chicken, arugula and honey mustard on a flour tortilla. A float of house-made scallion oil and almond slivers garnish the hearty roasted red pepper and Gouda soup that’s ideal for a sandwich dip. They do offer a soup and half sandwich option for just this reason.

Next up, pulled pork nachos (available in single or shareable portions) with queso, black beans, jalapeños, green onions and a house chipotle mayo (actually vegan on its own) with a side of Black Girl Salsa. These beg for a beer pairing. And while leaning Mexican, we’re then treated to the Tijuana panini. It’s composed with roasted bell peppers, provolone, jalapeños, chipotle mayo and gooseberry relish on Sourdough Boulangerie’s levain. It delivers a respectable spice bite balanced with the touch of sweetness. Schaeffer says this sandwich has been with the business since opening, in one form or another, but this latest update smacks closest to the original rendition. For our outro dessert, we’re served the chia pudding with granola, made in-house with simple ingredients: coconut milk, chia seeds and maple syrup. Granola and berries go atop and so does a drizzle of Lockhart honey plus toasted pepitas.

Related: Wild Goose sister outfit Good Neighbors Meeting House (505 E. Columbia St., goodneighborsmeetinghouse.com), where Mobolade is still part-owner, continues to host Food Truck Fridays from 5 to 8 p.m. with guest businesses. That started in February and they’re tentatively planning on keeping it going year-round.

PAELLA STILL ON THE PATIO

TAPATERIA’S (2607 W. COLORADO AVE., TAPATERIA.COM) popular Paella on the Patio series is back in action this summer. (Visit tapateria.com/events-paella-on-the-patio for more.)

It’s totally a thing worth doing. If you’ve never been to one, you have my vote for remedying that situation. The next one’s Aug. 20, and the link above will direct you to more dates ahead.

Visit csindy.com (Dine & Dash, May 11, 2022) to read what I had to say about my last experience at the Basque-style event.

Final teaser: blood orange sangria. Yup.

Related: Chef/Owner Jay Gust’s sister outfit Pizzeria Rustica (2527 W. Colorado Ave., pizzeriarustica.com/wp) does Wine Wednesdays, where guests can get half-priced wine bottles plus “our open bottle special” (half-price on all open bottles, by the glass, until the bottle’s kicked).

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 Margarita mocktail

GM Heather Moake and co-owner Schaeffer Ware

RULES

From Aug. 2 to Sept. 5, vote for your favorites to determine who is the Best Of Colorado Springs! Fill out this ballot or vote online at csindy.com. Vote in at least 20 categories for your vote to count. Winners will be announced in the Best Of magazine inserted in the Oct. 25 Indy !

BACK TO BASICS:

1. One ballot per reader, including online. All paper ballots must be postmarked by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5; online ballots must be submitted before midnight Sept.

5. Paper ballots must be sent via U.S. Postal Service. Faxed, handdelivered or photocopied ballots will not be accepted.

2. You must vote in at least 20 categories for your ballot to count.

3. For verification purposes, ALL BALLOTS MUST INCLUDE NAME, ZIP CODE AND A VERIFIABLE EMAIL ADDRESS.

4. If we can’t read it, it doesn’t count. Spell check is a thing; please use it.

5. Take time to review this year’s categories. Some are new. Some are gone. Quick heads-up — there must be at least three businesses operating in a given category in order for that category to appear on our ballot.

6. Cheaters never prosper so don’t even think about it. We see you and you’ll be excommunicated from future Indy love.

All fields required NAME CITY STATE ZIP

EMAIL

Mail completed ballot to: Best Of Colorado Springs · Colorado Springs Independent 235 S. Nevada Avenue., Colorado Springs, CO 80903 · Or vote online at csindy.com

When categories specify a region (North, South, East, West, Downtown), vote based on these boundaries in order for your vote to be valid: North/South dividing line: Pikes Peak Avenue.; East/West dividing line: Cascade Avenue.; Downtown: between Uintah Street and Fountain Boulevard and from Wahsatch Avenue to I-25.

HOME & GARDEN

Hardware Store

Store for Houseplants

Interior Design and Décor

Roofing Company

Remodeling Contractor

Garden Supply/Nursery

HVAC Company

Kitchens and Bathrooms

Flooring Company

Windows and Doors

Used Furniture

Electrical Contractor

Deck Builder

Sustainable/Environmental Home Improvement Co.

Painting Contractor

CANNABIS

Place for CBD Products

Recreational Marijuana Dispensary

MMJ Dispensary-Downtown

MMJ Dispensary-West

MMJ Dispensary-North

MMJ Dispensary-East

MMJ Dispensary-South

Head Shop

MMJ Dispensary-Pueblo

FOOD

Neighborhood Restaurant-West

New Restaurant (since 7.1.22)

Diner Vietnamese Chocolatier/Confections

Vegetarian/Vegan

Food Truck

Brunch Wings

Caribbean

Donuts

Green Chile

Chinese

Latin American

Indian

Neighborhood Restaurant-East

Mediterranean/Middle Eastern

Cajun

Frozen Treat

Seafood

Chef

Dessert Menu

Neighborhood Restaurant-North

Italian

Local/Regional Chain

Your guide to events in the Pikes Peak region CALENDAR

ART EVENTS

Agents of Care: A Collections Transparency Project, an opening celebration garden party for an exhibit that “highlights the often unseen, behindthe-scenes collections-based work of the museum.” Friday, Aug. 18, 5 p.m.; free; in newly transformed galleries at Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St.; 719-634-5581, tinyurl.com/FAC-agents.

Craft materials swap, presented by Pikes Peak Library District and Who Gives A SCRAP. Trade your new/gently used crafting items for new stuff. Saturday, Aug. 19, 1-4 p.m.; East Library, 5550 N. Union Blvd.; tinyurl.com/aug-artswap.

ART EXHIBITS

45º Gallery, 2528 W. Colorado Ave., Suite B, 719-434-1214, 45degreegallery.com. Gourd artist Dawn Healy and painter Michelle Lopez.

Academy Art & Frame Company, 7560 N. Academy Blvd., 719-265-6694, academyframesco.com, How Do You See God? — works by artists of “all faiths and beliefs, as well as all media, all ages, and 2D or 3D works.” Through August.

Anita Marie Fine Art, 109 S. Corona St., 719-493-5623, anitamariefineart.com. Past and Present — “original works by artists that have studied with Chuck Mardosz or Richard Dahlquist.”

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

Bella Art and Frame, 251 Front St., #11, Monument, 719-487-7691, bellaartandframe.com. Nature and Wildlife, photography by Tom Ulmer. Opening reception Thursday, Aug. 17, 5-8 p.m.; through Aug. 31.

The Bridge Gallery, 218 W. Colorado Ave.,

#104, 719-629-7055, thebridgeartgallery. com. Clayprints, monoprints created by using clay as the printing medium Through Aug. 26.

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W. Dale St., 719634-5581, fac.coloradocollege.edu. Solo(s):

Krista Franklin. Franklin “creates books, poetry, collages, handmade paper, installations, murals, performances, sound works, sculptures, and lectures.” Through Dec. 16. In Conversation: Krista Franklin and Ionit Behar, Thursday, Aug. 31, 6 p.m. Contested Terrains — Carolina AranibarFernández “looks at sites of extraction across the Americas.” Through Sept. 16. FAC museum free day, Aug. 18.

Cottonwood Center for the Arts, 427 E. Colorado Ave., 719-520-1899, cottonwoodcenterforthearts.com. Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, a juried show by artists from the Pikes Peak region and beyond who were asked “ to study their subject with a faithful eye, showing us a glimpse of modern life, culture, and/or experience. The goal is to communicate essential qualities that get at the ‘real’ and not the ‘ideal.’” Through Aug. 26.

Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region, 121 S. Tejon St., #111; facebook.com/ artsculturefun. Stone Boats, O Vases, and Other Fleeting Things, “stoneware ceramic pieces by local artist and educator Jeremiah Houck.” Through Aug. 25.

G44 Gallery, 121 E. Boulder St., 720-9510573, g44gallery.com. Suz Stovall: A Conversation with Color : “Manipulating layers of paint to reveal themselves, I allow the paint to be in control and be authentic.” Memento by Felicia Kelly, “who works mainly with ‘traditional women’s craft’ mediums with a current focus on collage. Inspired by Victorian photocollage she almost exclusively uses second-hand, used, and upcycled materials.” Artist talk Aug. 17, 5:30 p.m.; through Aug. 25.

Gallery 113, 125½ N. Tejon St., 719-6345299, gallery113cos.com. Karen Standridge’s contemporary abstract paintings, and works by Mary Sexton, a rural-landscape painter working in pastels.

The Garfield Gallery, 332 E. Willamette Ave., 719-227-8836, garfieldgallery.com. Playtime by Jeffrey Allan Rozell. Using photos of ’90s-era Playboy and Playgirl models “to envelop the awareness of fleeting beauty,” the exhibit “serves as a time capsule of exuberance that blends the body with disorder, color, and an occasional unclear form. We live in our skin as it fades with us.”

GOCA (Galleries of Contemporary Art, UCCS), Marie Walsh Sharpe Gallery, Ent Center for the Arts, 5225 N. Nevada Ave., gocadigital.org. Martha Russo’s Caesura

ART EXHIBIT

12 Hands: Works in Clay, by six Bemis School of Art ceramic instructors, shares “the joys of the many facets of the ‘mother earth’ medium — clay.” Commonwheel Artists Co-op, 102 Cañon Ave., Manitou Springs, 719-685-1008, commonwheel. com. Through Aug. 28.

“her sculptural investigations appear at once fragile and potentially dangerous, cautioning one away while hypnotically drawing one in — ever closer — for intimate examination.” Through Dec. 2. Visiting artists and critics lecture, Sept. 28, 6 p.m.

Kreuser Gallery, 125 E. Boulder St., 719464-5880, kreusergallery.com. Curse You,

Tiny Paintings: “Through a collection of 100 miniature oil paintings, Chris Alvarez invites viewers into a world that weaves together his life experiences and his deep connection to the landscapes of Colorado, New Mexico, and New England.”

In Master Copies — “a curated selection of master copy paintings,” Alvarez “takes on the role of interpreter, allowing us to experience the artistic vision and technique of iconic artists.” Neon Arcade, new works by Colorado Springs native Jon Francis: “I am currently focused on painting urban landscapes as a way to record, preserve, and savor what has shaped my childhood and shaped Colorado.” Through Aug. 25; artist talks Wednesday, Aug. 16, 5:30 p.m.

LightSpeed Curations, 306 S. 25th St., 719-308-8389, lightspeedart.art. Celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop, with works by Brian Tryon, Johnny Larson, Dreamscaper, Elizabeth Juvera and more.

The Look Up Gallery, 11 E. Bijou St. (inside Yobel), thelookupgallery.com. City Series, a solo show by Clay Ross: “11 large-scale paintings of Colorado Springs from a townie’s perspective.”

ART EXHIBIT

Connections: A Fibers Exhibition by Art Quilters With Altitude — a group show. “Our futures are frequently based on the foundations laid by our previous connections. Sometimes, we’re the catalyst for these welds. Other times, we’re the result.” Surface Gallery, 2752 W. Colorado Ave., 719-359-6966, surfacegallerycos.com; through Aug. 26.

Manitou Art Center, 513/515 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs, 719-685-1861, manitouartcenter.org. Father & Son, a commemoration of the life’s work of photographer Cris Pulos, who died in 2022, and a celebration of new work by Nikos Pulos.

The Peake Gallery, 14 S. Tejon St. (inside The Perk Downtown), instagram.com/ Peake_Gallery. Solo show by Aurora artist Ryan Secora upstairs and a quarterly group show on the first floor.

Portraits of Manitou by C.H. Rockey, features original town views and significant historical buildings. Manitou Springs Heritage Center, 517 Manitou Ave.; manitouspringsheritagecenter.org; through November.

Surface Gallery, 2752 W. Colorado Ave., 719-359-6966, surfacegallerycos.com.

Ordinary Fields, “paintings by Betony Coons exploring Midwestern iconography in richly storied environments both personal and collective.” PARTS, new abstract works by Jes Moran, “explores the multifaceted identities in a world that often demands simplicity.” (Artist talks for Moran and Coons, Aug. 26, 11 a.m.)

Connections: a Fibers Exhibition by Art Quilters With Altitude: “Our futures are frequently based on the foundations laid by our previous connections. Sometimes, we’re the catalyst for these welds. Other times, we’re the result.” Through Aug. 26.

True North Art Gallery, 31 E. Bijou St., 210-842-2476, truenorthartgallery.com. New work by 18 local artists.

UCCS Downtown, 102 S. Tejon St., downtown.uccs.edu/our-space. The Urban Animalz, a themed group art exhibition

ZoneFIVE, 1902 E. Boulder St., zonefivecs.com. Idiom: Works by Warren Arcila, “a collection of paintings, drawings, and sculptures created throughout the years.” Through August.

FILM

Underdog, a Vermont dairy farmer risks his farm and home to chase dreams of dog mushing in Alaska. Monday, Aug. 21, doors open at 6:30 p.m., film at 7; Ivywild School Auditorium, 1604 S. Cascade Ave.; rmwfilm.org/pop-up-cinema.

Back to the Future, outdoor movie night at UCCS’ Heller Center (bring a chair and a blanket). Thursday, Aug. 24, 8:30 p.m.; free, snacks provided; 1250 North Campus Heights Drive; heller.uccs.edu/ events.

KIDS & FAMILY

A’Buzz: Annual Honey Harvest & Pollinator Celebration Day — “watch beekeepers harvest honey from hives, see bees in action in their observation hive,

Cara McKinley Javernick

“Imagine” by Rose Legge

CALENDAR

➔ continued from p. 19

and learn about the importance of bees and other pollinators. Visit pollinator gardens and learn about native plants from the Broadmoor Garden Club. Activities, crafts, samples of honey and local honey available for purchase. Food vendors onsite.” Saturday, Aug. 26, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; $2; Bear Creek Nature Center, 245 Bear Creek Road; tinyurl.com/epco-fun.

Once Upon a Sign: ASL Storytime, “early literacy activities and stories signed in American Sign Language by a deaf role model, and spoken aloud in English.” Thursday, Aug. 17, 9:30-10:30 a.m., PPLD’s Library 21c, 1175 Chapel Hills Drive; lpowers@ppld.org, librarymarket.com/onceupon-sign-asl-storytime-8.

MUSEUM EXHIBIT

Black Wings: American Dreams of Flight is “the story of African Americans who, despite facing tremendous racial barriers, attained amazing achievements in aviation history. ... stories and artifacts from local Tuskegee Airmen will be on exhibit to highlight the many Black heroes in our community.” Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; free; Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum Annex, Plaza of the Rockies, 121 S. Tejon St., #100; cspm.org.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Cement Stage, with music, film and more, outdoors at City Aud, presented by Community Cultural Collective. Friday, Aug. 18, 6-10 p.m.; free; 221 E. Kiowa St.; tinyurl.com/cementstage-a18.

Happy Trails BBQ Fundraiser, “join El Paso County Nature Centers for an evening of great food, music, wine, incredible desserts and friends.... Support the nature centers and the future Fox Run Nature Center!” Friday, Aug. 18, 6-9 p.m.; $50, $300/table; 245 Bear Creek Road; 719-520-6387, see tinyurl.com/coparksfundraiser for tickets.

Manitou Springs Heritage Brew Festival, an afternoon of (unlimited) craft beer tastings from 20+ breweries, along with live music and vittles from local vendors. Saturday, Aug. 19, 1-5 p.m.; Memorial Park, 502 Manitou Ave., manitouspringsheritagecenter.org/heritagebrewfest.

Health & Wellness Festival, “with a 5K fun run, yoga on the field, kids zone, live music, subject matter experts and 50+ organizations offering health- and wellnessrelated services.” Saturday, Aug. 19, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; free; Weidner Field, 111 W. Cimarron St., tinyurl.com/wf-health.

Urban Living Tour — wondering what’s inside all those new Downtown apartment blocks? The self-guided tour includes new (VIM, Fiona, The Mae on Cascade, The Plaza at Pikes Peak) and existing multifamily properties. Saturday, Aug. 19, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; $15 (includes copy of urban living guidebook); tickets/registration at tinyurl.com/cs-urban.

Rhythms & Motions of Africans in the Diaspora, an African drumming and

KIDS & FAMILY

Cool Science: The Magic of Harry Potter, “levitate feathers and other objects; look into the Mirror of Erised; taste Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans; find out what Hedwig has eaten; use the Sorcerer’s Stone to turn pennies into gold.” Saturday, Aug. 26., 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; general admission required; Space Foundation Discovery Center, 4425 Arrowswest Drive; tinyurl.com/cs-harryp.

dance festival. Including: Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, Youth Ethiopian Dancers of Colorado, Norma Johnson (poet), Santemu Aakhu (storyteller), plus vendors. Saturday, Aug. 19, noon to 4 p.m.; Ent Center for the Arts, 5225 N. Nevada Ave.; cospringskwanzaa.org.

Prohibition at the Castle, “dancing, drinking, and diversion in the Speakeasy atmosphere of Miramont Castle!” FridaySaturday, Aug. 18-19, 6-8:30 p.m.; Miramont Castle Museum, 9 Capitol Hill Ave., Manitou Springs; see facebook.com/miramontcastlemuseum for ticket info.

Pasta in the Park: A Black & White Affair, fundraiser for TESSA of Colorado Springs. Teams compete for the best pasta sauce while guests enjoy live music; sample the sauces; try specialty cocktails, wine, whiskey/spirits and beers from local vendors; and bid on auction packages. Saturday, Aug. 26, 5:30 p.m.; TESSA, Myron Stratton Home, 2525 Colorado Hwy. 115; see tessacs.org for tickets.

STAGE & THEATER

The Odd Couple, Neil Simon’s classic comedy about divorced sportswriter Oscar who moves in with finicky Type A Felix and funny things happen. FridaySunday through Aug. 20; First United Methodist Church, see tinyurl.com/ FUMC-OddCouple for times and tickets.

School of Rock: The Musical, Community Cultural Collective presents the fully staged play that’s based on the movie. Three shows Aug. 25-26; $13; Colorado Springs City Auditorium, 221 E. Kiowa St., see tinyurl.com/cityaud-rock for tickets.

Lights Out: A 24 Hour Play, Lightbulb Theatre Co. will write 10 plays, rehearse them and perform all 10 — in 24 hours. It’s a fundraiser partnership with Ute Pass Cultural Center to buy a new stage curtain. Saturday, Aug. 26, doors open at 6:30 p.m.; $10; 210 E. Midland Ave.; Woodland Park; tinyurl.com/LightsOut-24.

FAIR AND UNBALANCED

By Mike Littwin Courtesy The Colorado Sun

THE FOUNDING FATHERS DIDN’T HAVE GHOST GUNS

YOU PROBABLY SAW THAT A FEDERal judge has blocked the new state law raising the age for all gun purchases to 21. I wish I could say I was shocked or even surprised by the ruling, but that would be to deny the reality of the maddening times in which we live.

Passing gun safety laws has always been difficult. But in the face of a gun-violence epidemic, when mass shootings seem to be an every-day occurrence, our rightwing, Trump-McConnell-delivered Supreme Court has been doing all it can to make passing any beneficial gun laws that much harder.

The ruling blocking the age requirement is officially a temporary injunction — in force only until the full case brought by the vile cranks at Rocky Mountain Gun Owners (RMGO) can be heard and resolved — but U.S. District Judge Philip Brimmer made it pretty clear he thinks that the law is, well, toast.

The age requirement was one of five gun-safety laws the state Legislature passed in the last session, with the memory of the Club Q massacre in Colorado Springs all too fresh. The other four laws are still standing, for the moment. And the Legislature was expected to take up a possible assault weapon ban next year. Who knows what happens next?

We do know the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners — a group that has managed over the years to make the NRA look progressive — will be back. This may be the RMGO’s biggest moment since the historic 2013 legislative recalls when two Democratic lawmakers lost their jobs after helping to pass major gun-safety legislation. That was a time, of course, when Republicans still had some small amount of political juice in the state.

If you think blocking the law is an outrage, you may not be alone. According to a Quinnipiac poll last year, nearly three in four Americans believe you should be at least 21 before you’re able to legally purchase any gun. That’s what can happen when enough disturbed young men shoot up way too many schools.

But it may be even more outrageous than you think, and not only because there is apparently very little — and maybe nothing — that you or I or Gov. Jared Polis or the Colorado Legislature or three in four Americans can do about it.

What’s truly outrageous is the, uh, reasoning behind the ruling.

I’M NOT ENTIRELY BLAMING JUDGE BRIMmer, although another judge might have ruled differently. Where the blame squarely belongs is with the Supremes and particularly with Justice Clarence Thomas’ majority opinion in a case last year called New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn. v. Bruen

That case involved a 106-year-old New York law on concealed carry, which the court overturned. That would have been bad enough. But in deciding the case,

Thomas wrote that gun laws must be “consistent with this Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation” in order to pass muster with the Second Amendment.

And, yes, I’ll bet you caught it, too. It seems that 106 years of history and tradition, as in the New York law, were not sufficient. Just as, on another issue, 50 years of history and tradition weren’t enough to save Roe v. Wade

No, you have to go back, back, back. Way back. In arguing for the age-requirement law, Colorado had to invoke 18th-century law and traditions. For the state, which didn’t exist in the 18th century, to prevail, the judge ruled it had to show there were laws and traditions at the time that would allow a modern-day government to raise the age of purchasing a rifle from 18 to 21. But, sadly, neither Alexander Hamilton nor James

Madison ever got around to writing about that issue. They were struggling, if memory serves, about what to do about, say, slavery.

In other words, Thomas went all originalism in his ruling, which was joined by the other five conservatives on the court. And in doing so, Thomas decided that judges must now be historians. But as several judges have pointed out since, there is no “standard” history. Just ask any historian. In some places — like, I don’t know, maybe Ron DeSantis’ state of Florida? — a state board of education can require middle school students to be taught that some “slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit.”

continued on p. 22 ➔

Is that the kind of history a judge should rely on? Is that any kind of history at all? For that matter, what about the history of technology? That history doesn’t seem to matter much, either. For example, in the 18th century, if you were a really proficient marksman, you might get off as many as two shots over the course of a minute. Should that be the standard for determining whether we should be using AR-15s today?

IT’S SAFE TO say that not all judges are happy about the ruling, or about their roles as would-be historians. According to an article published by the liberal-leaning Brennan Center for Justice, judges appointed by presidents from Reagan to Biden have criticized Thomas’ decision.

The Brennan Center article quoted Judge Robert Miller Jr., a Reagan appointee, who said he hoped he had “misunderstood” the Bruen ruling because “most of the body of law Congress has passed to protect both public safety and the right to bear arms might as well be unconstitutional.”

That all makes sense. And so does this from Judge Aleta Arthur Trauger, a Clinton appointee, who says the ruling

“seems to rely on the assumption that the past was little more than a differently-dressed version of the present, ripe for easy one-to-one comparisons without regard for deep changes in political structure, unspoken institutional arrangements, or language.”

Back in the day, as you may recall, many people didn’t have the right to bear any arms — say, slaves and even freed Black people and also Native Americans. Since the Bruen case, there have been rulings on whether it’s constitutional for a state to deny guns to a domestic abuser. In the 18th century, a wife had no legal standing to accuse her husband of abusing her. There has been a ruling on guns and the need for legible serial numbers. I’m thinking guns had no serial numbers in 1791.

Should we go on?

There’s definitely historical irony here. In 2008, the Supreme Court changed everything about gun law with its monumental District of Columbia v. Heller ruling, which said the Second Amendment guaranteed the individual right to possess a gun. That has long been the holy grail for the NRA and the gun-rights movement. Before Heller, courts had ruled the Second Amendment was about, you know, guns and militias.

But that particular history and tradition had no impact on deciding Heller, which led, once the court was packed with conservatives, to the point where Thomas, in between all-expenses-paid vacations, would make his ruling that we should decide 21st-century issues based on 18th-century life.

It doesn’t matter that the Second Amendment was written with ink on a scroll or that today you can not only reproduce Judge Brimmer’s ruling on a laser printer, you can make so-called ghost guns on a 3D version.

As you may remember, the Legislature banned those copier-made guns in one of the five gun bills it passed this year. You might now rightly wonder whether that law has a ghost of a chance of surviving.

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.

The age requirement was one of five gunsafety laws the state Legislature passed in the last session, with the memory of the Club Q massacre in Colorado Springs all too fresh.

Club Q casts a long shadow.

➔ continued from p. 21

Free Will ASTROLOGY

(July 23-Aug. 22): Unless you are French, chances are you have never heard of Saint-John Perse (1887-1975). He was a renowned diplomat for the French government and a poet who won the Nobel Prize for Literature. Now he’s virtually unknown outside of his home country. Can we draw useful lessons for your use, Leo? Well, I suspect that in the coming months, you may very

well come into greater prominence and wield more clout. But it’s crucial for the long-term health of your soul that during this building time, you are in service to nurturing your soul as much as your ego. The worldly power and pride you achieve will ultimately fade like Perse’s. But the spiritual growth you accomplish will endure forever.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “Life is not so bad if you have plenty of luck, a good physique, and not too much imagination.” Virgo author Christopher Isherwood said that. I’m offering his thought because I believe life will be spectacularly not bad for you in the coming weeks — whether or not you have a good physique. In fact, I’m guessing life will be downright enjoyable, creative and fruitful. In part, that’s because you will be the beneficiary of a stream of luck. And in part, your gentle triumphs and graceful productiveness will unfold because you will be exceptionally imaginative.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “You know how crazy love can make you,” write Mary D. Esselman and Elizabeth Ash Vélez in their book Love Poems for Real Life. “On any given day, you’re insanely happy, maniacally miserable, kooky with contentment, or bonkers with boredom — and that’s in a good relationship.” They add, “You have to be a little nuts to commit yourself, body and soul, to one other person — one wonderful, goofy, fallible person — in the hope that happily-ever-after really does exist.” The authors make good points, but their view of togetherness will be less than fully applicable to you in the coming months. I suspect life will bring you boons as you focus your intelligence on creating wellgrounded, nourishing, non-melodramatic bonds with trustworthy allies.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “I don’t adopt anyone’s ideas — I have my own.” So proclaimed Scorpio author Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883). Really, Ivan? Were you never influenced by someone else’s concepts, principles, art or opinions? The fact is that all of us live in a world created and shaped by the ideas of others. We should celebrate that wondrous privilege! We should be pleased we don’t have to produce everything from scratch under our own power. As for you Scorpios reading this oracle, I urge you to be the anti-Turgenev in the coming weeks. Rejoice at how interconnected you are — and take full advantage of it. Treasure the teachings that have made you who you are. Sing your gratitude for those who have forged the world you love to live in. You now have the power to be an extraordinary networker.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The Tibetan term lenchak is often translated as “karmic debt.” It refers to the unconscious conditioning and bad old habits that attract us to people we would be better off not engaging. I will be bold and declare that sometime soon, you will have fully

paid off a lenchak that has caused you relationship problems. Congrats! You are almost free of a long-running delusion. You don’t actually need an influence you thought you needed.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): If you’re like many of us, you have a set bathing routine. In the shower or bath, you start your cleansing process with one particular action, like washing your face, and go on to other tasks in the same sequence every time. Some people live most of their lives this way: following well-established patterns in all they do. I’m not criticizing that approach, though it doesn’t work for me. I need more unpredictability and variety. Anyway, Capricorn, I suspect that in the coming weeks, you will benefit from trying my practice. Have fun creating variations on your standard patterns. Enjoy being a novelty freak with the daily details.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In July 1812, composer Ludwig van Beethoven wrote a 10-page love letter to a woman he called “My Angel” and “Immortal Beloved.” He never sent it, and scholars are still unsure of the addressee’s identity. The message included lines like “you — my everything, my happiness ... my solace — my everything” and “forever thine, forever mine, forever us.” I hope you will soon have sound reasons for composing your own version of an “Immortal Beloved” letter. According to my astrological analysis, it’s time for your tender passion to fully bloom. If there’s not a specific person who warrants such a message, write it to an imaginary lover.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): At age 32, artist Peter Milton realized the colors he thought he used in his paintings were different from what his viewers saw. He got his eyes tested and discovered he had color blindness. For example, what he regarded as gray with a hint of yellow, others perceived as green. Shocked, he launched an unexpected adjustment. For the next 40 years, all his paintings were black and white only. They made him famous and have been exhibited in major museums. I love how he capitalized on an apparent disability and made it his strength. I invite you to consider a comparable move in the coming months.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): The Lincoln Calibration Sphere 1 is a hollow globe of aluminum launched into Earth orbit in 1965. Fifty-eight years later, it continues to circle the planet — and is still doing the job it was designed to do. It enables ground-

based radar devices to perform necessary calibrations. I propose we celebrate and honor the faithfulness of this magic sphere. May it serve as an inspiring symbol for you in the coming months. More than ever before, you have the potential to do what you were made to do — and with exceptional steadiness and potency. I hope you will be a pillar of inspiring stability for those you care about.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Live as though you’re living a second time and as though the first time you lived, you did it wrong, and now you’re trying to do things right.” Holocaust survivor and author Viktor Frankl offered this advice. I wouldn’t want to adhere to such a demanding practice every day of my life. But I think it can be an especially worthwhile exercise for you in the coming weeks. You will have a substantial capacity to learn from your past; to prevent mediocre histories from repeating themselves; to escape the ruts of your habit mind and instigate fresh trends.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author Jamie Zafron wrote an article titled “To Anyone Who Thinks They’re Falling Behind in Life.” She says, “Sometimes you need two more years of life experience before you can make your masterpiece into something that will feel real and true and raw. Sometimes you’re not falling in love because whatever you need to know about yourself is only knowable through solitude. Sometimes you haven’t met your next collaborator. Sometimes your sadness encircles you because, one day, it will be the opus upon which you build your life.” This is excellent advice for you in the coming months, dear Gemini. You’ll be in a phase of incubation, preparing the way for your Next Big Thing. Honor the gritty, unspectacular work you have ahead! It will pay off.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You’re entering a phase when you will generate maximum luck if you favor what’s short and sweet instead of what’s long and complicated. You will attract the resources you need if you identify what they are with crisp precision and do not indulge in fuzzy indecision. The world will conspire in your favor to the degree that you avoid equivocating. So please say precisely what you mean! Be a beacon of clear, relaxed focus!

HOMEWORK: Make up a story about a time in the future when you will be excitedly content. Newsletter.FreeWillAstrology.com.

2 shows only!

A BIG THANK YOU!

To parents, campers, teachers and staff for making MAT’s 2023 Summer Camps the Best Ever! 20 Camps Ages 4 through High School.

7:30 FRI-SAT SEPT 8-9 Millibo’s 21st Season Kick-Off Party &

BY THE EDITORS AT ANDREWS MCMEEL

The aristocrats

Maryland’s Kimberly “Kimycola” Winter has eructed her way into history with a Guinness World Record, United Press International reported on Aug. 2. Winter broke the previous record for loudest burp (female) with a 107.3-decibel growler. That’s louder than a blender, an electric hand-held drill and even some motorcycles. She prepared for the event with breakfast, coffee and beer. Winter said to achieve the big belch, she takes a deep breath and tries to “manipulate that into something monstrous and magical.” She admitted she loves to shock strangers with her burps. “I love to be loud and proud!”

Bad trip

I bet it was better than this couple’s. Alan Stevens, 50, of Hull, England, booked a surprise 17-day trip for his wife’s birthday to the Dominican Republic for late June. When they arrived, however, it was clear the resort’s “five-star” rating was a mistake. Hull Live reported that while at the resort, Stevens and his wife observed a variety of alarming behaviors. “When we went out to the pool for the first time, we saw guests smoking weed in the pool, people having sex in the pool ... one woman being sick all over herself in the pool, and another guest

actually defecate in the pool — it was disgusting,” Stevens said. “We were approached by people offering us drugs about 10 times in the 17 days we were there. A woman fell from a balcony while we were there, and we walked past and saw her body hidden under a sheet. ... We had no idea what was going on.” He continued: “When we were out one day, I saw a man knocked clean off his motorbike. I just burst out crying because on top of everything else that had happened, it was such a shock.” The travel company Stevens worked with offered £200 in vouchers and counseling credits, which Stevens called “a joke. This was 100% the worst holiday we’ve ever been on.”

Wait, what?

Bob Blankenship of Ormond Beach, Florida, wants some answers after a May incident where he discovered airplane parts, including a windshield, in his yard, News 6 reported. Blankenship lives near the Ormond Beach Airport and is used to the noise, but pieces of fiberglass and metal falling from the sky concerned him: “It could fall on anybody out here,” he said. “Just think if it fell from 300 feet. What’s the impact going to be? Probably cut you in two.” Blankenship determined which plane had been flying over and contacted the airport, leaving his contact information. Later, he got a message from the pilot: “Hey, this is Douglas and I’m over in DeLand and I lost a piece of my airplane yesterday. ... I’m wondering if I can connect with you and come and get it.” No, said Blankenship. He reported the incident to the Federal Aviation Administration, which claimed that “the falling aircraft part situation is being taken seriously by our organization,” but he’s unsatisfied with their slow response. “The next time it could be somebody’s life,” he said.

agent Mike Rose is out on his ear in Kamloops after he was caught on video swigging milk straight from the bottle at a home he was showing. Canoe reported on July 28 that Rose was waiting for his clients to arrive for a showing; after slaking his thirst, he returned the milk jug to the refrigerator. Rose apologized, saying his behavior was out of character and he was “unusually dehydrated,” but his clients replaced him and he was ordered to pay a $22,500 fine.

BRITISH COLUMBIA REAL ESTATE

Photo Illustration assets from stock.adobe.com

Focus Health Care Quarterly

Aging out

Health care systems struggle with geriatric care as need grows

BY SARAH MCMAHON

As health care shortages continue to rise, addressing elder care is one significant piece of the puzzle. More and more Baby Boomers are aging within (or into) the 65+ population bracket, presenting unique problems for local health systems.

With aging, patients often need a variety of services to include acute care, or hospitalization, as well as outpatient care. Some need chronic care. So it’s not just a question of having enough nurses at the hospital — it’s a question of a much larger network

needing to find sustainable methods to attend to geriatric medical needs.

“There are challenges to have enough geriatric-specific providers, especially given how many ‘touches’ an elder patient may have with the health care system,” says Cara Welch, senior director of communications at the Colorado Hospital Association.

“Hospitals and health systems continue to plan and adjust for our changing population.”

Still reeling from the COVID pandemic, hospitals and nursing homes must contend

with an already strained workforce. “In the hospital setting, we reached heights of upwards of 25 percent of nurse turnover during the pandemic,” says Tamera Dunseth Rosenbaum, chief nursing officer at UCHealth. “So one in every four nurses left the organization. That’s significant when there’s 2,000 nurses in the organization in our southern Colorado region.”

And that’s just nurses. But other health care workers have also experienced burnout over the past three years. “According to the AHA, one-third of health care workers are considering leaving their profession, and 60 percent report impacts to their mental health due to the pandemic,” says Cary Vogrin, media relations specialist at UCHealth.

Moreover, Vogrin says, more of the health care workforce itself is nearing retirement age.

With the confluence of these issues, “the Colorado Hospital Association predicts an additional shortage of more than 10,000 RNs in the next five years statewide, along with a shortage of more than 54,000 other health care workers, to include medical assistants and home health aides,” Vogrin says.

Nursing homes have also been hit pretty hard with employment shortages. A 2022 study, “Long Term Care and Skilled Nurs-

ing Facilities,” from the Delaware Journal of Public Health, reveals the strain on nursing homes, with an average of 15.2 percent employment loss in the sector.

The article also details surveys showing many nursing homes are contending with high-level staffing shortages, difficulties hiring new staff and real concerns about having to close facilities all together.

In Colorado Springs, at least a dozen nursing homes have closed since the start of the pandemic nearly three and a half years ago.

“The statistics for our community, vary somewhere around between 250 and 300 post-acute care beds closed during or after the pandemic,” says Dunseth Rosenbaum. “What that means for a hospital is that our length of stay has increased significantly because we have no place to put people.”

For people who may be stable enough to remain in their own homes, Rocky Mountain PACE may be one solution.

“PACE is a program of all-inclusive care, providing all medical services including medical transportation, to people 55 and older on a limited income, who are living in El Paso County, and in need of ADL, or Activities of Daily Living,” says Carolyn M. Wilson, public relations specialist at PACE.

The nonprofit organization is currently serving 939 people in the Pikes Peak region. Not everyone is eligible, though, so the other solutions are still needed.

According to the Department of Local Affairs, 108,961 people 65+ live in El Paso County — making up about 22 percent of the local population.

To encourage people to work in health care, educational programs are ramping up across the state.

UCHealth launched its Ascend Career Program in February 2022 to address the overall shortage. While not geriatric-specific, this program aims at reducing the shortage by funding particular health care tracts.

“Some of our fully funded programs (100 percent of tuition is paid) include: pharmacy technician, medical assistant, phlebotomy technician, a [Bachelor of Science] in Behavioral Science, an associate degree in radiography, an associate degree in respiratory therapy and a master’s in clinical mental health counseling or social work,” says Vogrin.

The American Hospital Association has a program called Age-Friendly Health Sys-

tems to help foster a better understanding of elder care and help readjust systems to better address geriatric needs.

Gov. Jared Polis signed House Bill 23-1246 in May 2023 to begin the Career Advance Colorado program. The statefunded program partners with community and technical colleges across the state to provide free tuition for in-demand jobs. Nursing is on the list.

But a complete set of solutions also must address taking care of the current workforce and trying to reduce strain in hospitals.

UCHealth is currently expanding its program, Partners in Care, to its fourth Acute Care Medical Unit. The program redistributes caseloads and has nurses and techs working closer together in order to effectively care for more patients.

“One in four [nurses] leaving is not a sustainable model. When it costs anywhere between $68 and $92,000 to train a nurse, that will hamstring an organization financially beyond what you could sustain,” Dunseth Rosenbaum says. “And so we are doing things that we are trying to allow

Percent change in health care sector employment, Feb. 2020-March 2022

Percent change in health care sector employment, February 2020-March 2022 from the article “Long Term Care and Skilled Nursing Facilities” published in the Delaware Journal of Public Health

nurses to operate at the top of their scope of their license.”

With the Partners in Care program, she says, “Nurses are able to focus on the things that nurses are licensed to do, like assessments, medication passes, those kinds of activities, and not spending time doing things that a tech can do like activities of daily living, bathing, vital sign management, and so on. So it’s really allowing both the tech and the nurse to operate at the top of their scope.”

“We’ve also developed other models,” she says. “We’ve got mobility techs that get patients up and around. We’ve got vir-

THE BOBBI PRICE TEAM

213 Coffee Pot Drive

Crystal Park - $64,900

Build your dream home on this beautiful forested ½ acre lot backing to open space in Crystal Park. Towering pines & aspen. Mountain views & plenty of sunshine. Located in safe gated community of over 2000 acres with only 350 homes sites. Close to stocked fishing lake, club house, pool, & basketball & pickleball courts. Perfect mountain living close to town, located just outside of Colorado Springs. MLS# 4046587

5671 Tramore Court

Banning Lewis Ranch - $419,900

Beautiful 1766 sq ft 3-story that shows like a model. 3 beds, 2 baths, loft, flex space, & 2-car garage. Granite throughout. Stainless steel appliances. LVP flooring. All appliances included. A/C. New blinds. Covered patio, balcony, and fenced yard. Maintenance free landscaping. D49. Community club house, pool, playgrounds, and more. Close to shopping, dining, entertainment, schools, parks, and military bases. MLS# 9404662

tual health care, which is really important being able to have people from a cockpit in Denver monitor patients across our health system for things like wound care, behavioral health, sepsis, all kinds of things that we’re able to do virtually.”

UCHealth has also integrated virtual sitters to help monitor patients during their stay. “We have virtual sitters that are able to sit with a camera in a room and watch patients, so that they don’t fall when they’re in our hospital setting,” says Dunseth Rosenbaum.

“I consider those things to be very innovative.” n CSBJ

113 Steep Road

Crystal Park - $100,000

Build your dream home on this totally private 0.7 acre lot in Crystal Park. Hard to find flat building site surrounded by towering trees & 360 degree views of the city, mountains, & rock formations. Electricity is by the lot & driveway is cut in. Less than 1 mile from the stocked fishing lake, club house, heated pool, & tennis & basketball courts. MLS# 9785523

6943 S Picadilly Street

Aurora - $1,269,000

Stunning stucco and brick 6963 sq ft custom 2-story home on over 1/3 acre private lot in coveted neighborhood! 5 beds, 6 baths, study, 4-car attached garage, & amazing 13,504 sq ft lot. Curved open staircase. Gourmet kitchen. Formal living & dining rooms. Oversized master suite. 3 fireplaces. Wet bars. Trex deck and balcony. Solar panels. Cherry Creek schools. Close to Buckley SFB, golfing, shopping, dining, parks, trails, pools, club house, playground, and tennis courts. MLS# 2560918

WHEN YOU’RE SERIOUS ABOUT REAL ESTATE

Our length of stay has increased significantly.

— Tamera Dunseth Rosenbaum

Accepting applications

Mon., Aug. 7Sun., Sept. 10

Trustees serve a 5-year term

Members serve without remuneration and must live in the PPLD service area

APPLY ONLINE AT PPLD.ORG/BOT

5 Questions:

BY KATHERINE ATHERTON

Shameeka Ford

Professionally, Shameeka Ford is the assistant to the President of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, but there are many reasons people in the Springs might know her name.

Some will recognize her performing the National Anthem at Mayor Yemi Mobolade’s swearing-in ceremony, or from her ministry work at the New Vision Christian Center. Others might recognize her from her time teaching Advanced Cake Decorat-

ing at Pikes Peak State College.

Throughout all these experiences, Ford hopes to make an impact on those around her.

“I’ve talked about ministry. I’ve talked about cakes. I’ve talked about music. I’ve talked about impact. That’s my biggest thing,” she says. “When I leave here — meaning this planet — I want to know that I moved the needle for the good. It’s my ultimate goal.”

–

Photo by Helen Lewis

What does your work with the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC look like?

I do a lot of behind-the-scenes work — a lot of my work no one will ever know about. I’m the executive administrator, so I assist [Chamber & EDC President] Johnna [Reeder Kleymeyer] directly and I deal with our board of directors. Anything that’s board of directors-related, my hands are on. …

I find that I have an opportunity to be in places and spaces that a lot of people that look like me aren’t in, and that comes with a sense of excitement because I get to open up doors and open up people’s eyes to certain perspectives that they might not have had the opportunity to hear or see at some point.

But it’s like Spider-Man, you know? ‘With great power comes great responsibility.’

There’s pressure because when you’re that one face in the room, you represent everyone — so you always want to make sure you do that to the best of your ability. I want people, especially young people, to see themselves here.

I do a lot with the youth; I’m an ordained minister. I’ve been at a ministry for about 21 years, and I worked a lot with the youth there, and what I find is that a lot of them struggle with the fact that they can’t see themselves in a position [of leadership]. If you don’t see yourself in leadership positions, you don’t see yourself being successful unless you have a basketball in your hand, or you’re singing — which is cool, I mean everyone has their thing. I’m not saying that we can’t do that, but I feel like they need to be able to see themselves in rooms that they don’t normally see themselves. ...

That’s why I feel like it’s very important for people of color to be in leadership positions — so that the younger generation of color can say, ‘I think I could be senior vice president or president or CEO or a board chair.’ So it’s very important to me to make sure that I’m in places and spaces that you don’t see too many people that look like me.

Tell us about an exciting project you’ve worked on there.

I can’t say that I have a highlight careerwise, but I would definitely say the highlight of my life is my life outside of the Chamber, which would be a life that’s dedicated to serving other people. Serving my community, serving children — it’s the reason why I do what I do. I come here, and I make an impact in the community on a bigger scale — but then when I step away from here, I’m impacting lives and that’s what gets me excited. That is what I live for.

Tell us about singing the anthem at the swearing-in ceremony. What was that experience like?

The Chamber & EDC held a debate and I did the national anthem for our event. Then we received a call from the city asking if I would sing the national anthem for the mayor’s swearing in ceremony — this was before we even knew who was gonna win — and I agreed to do it, which is out of my comfort zone. It’s completely out of my comfort zone, which is weird because I preach, you know? I’ve been on stage in front of thousands speaking God’s word, but singing in front of people is completely different to me. So, I decided I was gonna throw caution to the wind and just do it, and I’m so glad that I did.

It was such an important event for our city, and the fact that I was able to sing the national anthem at swearing in ceremony for the first Black immigrant mayor is amazing. The fact that I was even part of such a historic event brings me a sense of pride.

You’re invited to sing the national anthem at a lot of events, right? What are some of the others, and what else do you sing?

I sang for the [United States Air Force Academy] Commandant of Cadets, for the change of command ceremony. That was an experience of a lifetime for me. My dad was in the military. He was an Army man, served in Vietnam, so there’s a big sense of pride in our country. Whenever I’m in the presence of anyone in the military, it feels like a great honor, so I was probably more nervous about that than singing for the mayor. … I believe I’m going to sing the national anthem at the 9/11 ceremony that we’re holding. But other than that, as far as public singing, I sing at church all the time.

Tell us a bit about your time as an adjunct professor at PPSC.

That was the highlight, I think, of my career. I loved it. First of all, the culinary arts department there, they are some of the most amazing people you’ll ever meet — Chef Paradiso, Chef Hino, Chef Heidi [Block]. They were amazing to me when I was a student, and then the fact that I was able to come back and teach at the place where I was a student was awesome — making a difference in each person’s life and encouraging them and letting them know they could do it. Teaching is probably the most rewarding thing you can ever do, and I miss it. n CSBJ

Follow the water-wise rules.

I want to know that I moved the needle for good.

Front The

Boots to business

Powerhouses partner to support veteran-owned small business

Biz Academy administers workshops, presented in English and Spanish, covering a variety of business topics such as financial planning, accounting, QuickBooks, marketing, how to do business with the government, human resources and more.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, American veterans are nearly twice as likely to be self-employed compared to non-veterans. Thus, in combination with the services Mt. Carmel provides for veterans and their families, VBOC’s strong commitment to assisting with education and providing resources to veterans, and the mission of CEF to provide access the capital, the transition from military life to civilian life and business ownership has become much easier.

According to the 2020 Census, Colorado’s veteran population is the 17th largest in the United States. Colorado is also home to about 49,000 veteranowned businesses, a nd the Small Business Administration want to see more Veterans open businesses.

A nonprofit, Mt. Carmel is dedicated to improving the lives of members of the military-connected community by delivering support and services in a variety of areas including health and wellness, family services, housing, financial, transition and employment, and for veteran-owned small businesses.

Mt. Carmel has worked for years with the SBA in the SBA’s Boots to Business program, assisting military members by equipping them with general information about starting their own businesses.

Recognizing the need in Colorado to provide additional business development services for veterans, Mt. Carmel and other organizations — including the SBA — work together to bring the Colorado Veter-

ans Business Outreach Center to Colorado Springs.

VBOC facilitates entrepreneurial development services such as business training, counseling, and resource partner referrals to service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members, and military spouses interested in starting or growing a small business. SBA has 28 VBOC offices across the United States.

One important part to business — after the corresponding education and support from the VBOC — is to give veterans access to capital so they can open a business. This is why Mt. Carmel and Colorado Enterprise Fund have formed a key partnership to augment business education resources and provide access to loans for veterans going into business.

Colorado Enterprise Fund is a Community Development Financial Institution. It was established in 1976 to help accelerate community prosperity by financing and supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses. CEF understands traditional financing is not always available — the business might be a startup and unproven, or have limited collateral or a low credit score. CEF works to provide capital to veterans, women, minorities, people with low income or low wealth, and to underserved areas across Colorado with loans ranging from

$1,000 to $1 million. Flexible, low-barrier loans can be used for working capital, equipment, inventory, business purchase, property improvements and more. CEF offers a variety of borrowing solutions including SBA microloans. One product called VALOR for Veterans, is made specifically for veterans and offers loans from $5,000 up to $500,000 with terms up to 10 years — and there is a 2 percent discount off the standard interest rate. CEF’s main goal is to grant funding to military veterans, Gold Star families and provide access to affordable business capital and free business navigation services to veteran borrowers. To date, CEF has helped 344 veteranowned small businesses, including Colorado Springs-based Knight Watch & Jewelry Company and Brass Brewing Company. In addition to capital, CEF has a Business Navigation department that provides free educational coaching and training throughout the life of the loan. The Small

The collaboration between VBOC, Mt. Carmel, and CEF is reflected in a series of informative podcasts. The VBOC Podcast produced by Veterans Voice is available at veteransvoice.us. The three organizations are jointly offering workshops throughout Colorado including in Pueblo, Colorado Springs, Denver and Grand Junction.

For more information about VBOC and CEF services, contact Nakia “Kia” Palmer at kpalmer@mtcarmelcenter.org, veteranscenter.org/vboc, or Melba Robinson-Santa at melba@coloradoenterprisefund.org.

Melba Robinson-Santa serves as the assistant manager of the Business Navigation Department at Colorado Enterprise Fund and has more than 20 years’ experience in business development, personal and commercial banking, insurance, HR, business consultancy and sales. She holds a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in human resources.

The Veterans Voice News Service, presented by The Veterans Voice Project and Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center, provides weekly, military and business-themed news, analysis and commentary for The Front in partnership with the Colorado Springs Business Journal

Melba Robinson-Santa

In addition to capital, CEF has a Business Navigation department.

MARKETPLACE

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Lewis Ranch

- $419,900

Beautiful 1766 sq ft

3-story that shows like a model. 3 beds, 2 baths, loft, flex space, & 2-car garage. Granite throughout. Stainless steel appliances. LVP flooring. All appliances included. A/C. New blinds. Covered patio, balcony, and fenced yard. Maintenance free landscaping. D49. Community clubhouse, pool, playgrounds, and more. Close to shopping, dining, entertainment, schools, parks, and military bases. MLS# 9404662 Call Bobbi Price. The Platinum Group. 719-499-9451.

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Flat 2.34 acre lot with mountain views. Backs to a no-build area. Horses allowed. Houses on either side of this lot & across so utilities are right there. Easy 35 minute commute to Fort Carson, 15 minutes to Pueblo & 10 minutes to shopping & dining in

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– Pueblo - $25,000 4310 sq ft lot in an upscale subdivision of 37 homes. Close to I-25, shopping, and dining. Complex has a clubhouse with a pool table, kitchen, meeting area, & indoor pool. Small park. Must conform to blend in (stucco, tile roofing, & privacy walls). May purchase 1 to 5 lots. Call Bobbi at 719-499-9451 for more information. MLS# 5093736 Call Bobbi at 719-499-9451 for more information.

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213 Coffee Pot Drive

Crystal Park - $64,900

Build your dream home on this beautiful forested ½ acre lot backing to open space in Crystal Park. Towering pines & aspen. Mountain views & plenty of sunshine. Located in safe gated community of over 2000 acres with only 350 homes sites. Close to stocked fishing lake, club house, pool, & basketball & pickleball courts. Perfect mountain living close to town, located just outside of Colorado Springs. MLS# 4046587

3179 County Road 61

Cripple Creek - $80,000

Beautiful 5.25 acre lot in a small gated community called Rainbow Ridge with only 9 parcels. Pikes Peak & mountain views. Community stocked fishing pond on lot. Towering pines & aspen. Lots of sunshine. Located approximately 10 miles south of Divide off Highway 67. Easy commute & privace on several possible building sites. This subdivision is off grid. MLS# 8657980

MLS# 2560918

5671 Tramore Ct –Banning

1124 N Matt Drive

Tierra Berienda