Indy - Nov. 22, 2023 Vol 31. No. 46

Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | ALWAYS FREE

SHOP LOCAL PAGE 11

A PUBLICATION OF CITIZEN-POWERED MEDIA

THE BIG

SQUEEZE

Housing Authority rental waitlists reveal vast need for affordable housing

BY PAM ZUBECK

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CONTENTS

Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | Vol. 31, No. 46

Photo illustration, stock.adobe.com

Courtesy Colorado Springs Housing Authority

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

PUBLISHER

Fran Zankowski

COVER DESIGN BY Zk Bradley

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EDITORIAL EXECUTIVE EDITOR Bryan Grossman MANAGING EDITOR Helen Lewis

Courtesy CHAPARELLE

COPY EDITOR Mary Jo Meade SENIOR REPORTER Pam Zubeck CONTRIBUTORS Rob Brezsny, Bill Forman

SALES AD DIRECTOR Teri Homick ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Monty Hatch, Sean Cassady, David Jeffrey

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ART AND PRODUCTION GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Zk Bradley, Rowdy Tompkins

OPERATIONS ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Lanny Adams DIGITAL/SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST Sean Cassady EVENTS, MARKETING & DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR Tracie Woods

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FEATURED 4

CANDY

THE BIG SQUEEZE: Housing Authority rental waitlists reveal vast need for affordable housing

NEWS 3

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THE WIRE: News in brief

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ASTROLOGY

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PUZZLE PAGE

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NEWS OF THE WEIRD

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 6 6 7 9

PLAYING AROUND CHAPARELLE BIG GIGS CALENDAR (HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS, P. 13)

27 Check out content from this week’s Colorado Springs Business Journal and be sure to visit csbj.com for more...

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The Indy is a publication of Citizen-Powered Media.

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

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INDY | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | NEWS

THE WIRE File photo

Compiled by Pam Zubeck

Matter of Record The Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center in Divide said in a release it’s received an American red wolf — an endangered species — selected through the Saving Animals From Extinction program.

The 1½-year-old male came from Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington.

Let this one-year anniversary be an opportunity for us all to recommit ourselves to being examples of hope and love — that is how we can honor Raymond, Kelly, Daniel, Derrick, and Ashley and keep their memories with us. Though we will always mourn for those we lost, I find hope in the Colorado Springs community today. Every time this community faces tragedy we come back stronger and I want to thank the community and applaud you for your incredible strength. We can continue to build a Colorado for All, where everyone can thrive no matter who they are, who they love, or how they identify.

— Gov. Jared Polis on Nov. 19, the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting at Club Q

TAX RELIEF State legislators produced Senate Bill 23B-001 to deal with rising property values, which residents fear will drive tax bills up. (The last reappraisal of property showed home values skyrocketing by 40 percent and more.)

The bill emerged during a special session called by Gov. Jared Polis to start Nov. 17, after Proposition HH was soundly defeated by voters in the Nov. 7 election. HH would have lowered property taxes by amending the assessment rate and other steps, and used Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights refund money to supplement budgets of special districts and schools that stood to lose tax money due to HH. SB23B-001, adopted by the Senate on Nov. 19, and the House on Nov. 20 would raise the property value exemption for multi- and single-family properties from $15,000 to $55,000 and lower the assessment rate from 6.765 percent to 6.7 percent for the 2023 tax year only.

To offset revenue losses to certain agencies, the bill would authorize transfer of $146 million from the general fund to the State Education Fund and appropriate $54 mil-

SPRINGS UTILITIES PREVAILS City Council voted on Nov. 14 to side with Colorado Springs Utilities over the construction of Wilson Tank up to 20 feet taller than permitted by its own development plan.

The tank, already built in Mountain Shadows, looms over the neighborhood and triggered opposition from neighbors, who said they felt deceived when the tank, permitted at 40 feet, rose to a height of 60 feet this summer. Utilities apologized for not keeping neighbors informed.

The Council decision came in response to Utilities’ appeal of an Oct. 11 Planning Commission decision to deny a major development plan amendment to allow for the taller tank.

The Council vote was 5-2, with Councilors Nancy Henjum and Michelle Talarico voting against. Councilor Mike O’Malley was absent, and Councilor Dave Donelson recused from the vote, citing his previous contact with residents which he said could be seen as bias, The Gazette reported.

Attorney Murray Weiner, who represents Flying W Ranch that sits below the tank, had previously urged Council to declare a “non-waivable” conflict of interest and

lion from the general fund for local governments and other taxing entities.

Douglas Bruce, the author of TABOR, which limits new revenue governments can collect to inflation and local growth factors, has said the panic over rising tax bills is misplaced. That’s because TABOR requires agencies to reduce mill levies in order to not collect more tax money than is authorized by TABOR. However, some agencies’ voters have “de-TABORed” revenues, which means they’re not required to lower mill levies at times of growing property values.

Meantime, Colorado Concern, a coalition of business and community leaders, proposed a ballot measure for the November 2024 election that, if approved, would reset property values to 2020 levels “so that property owners would not endure runaway property tax bills,” the group said in a release.

Values would reset only upon sale or due to major improvements, which Colorado Concern says would “set Colorado back on track for affordability and greater economic competitiveness.”

stand aside from deciding the matter due to its role as the Springs Utilities Board.

But Council produced an Oct. 24 legal opinion on Nov. 14 that wasn’t previously disclosed. The opinion stated, “City Council is not conflicted. Because the Charter of the City of Colorado Springs (the “City Charter”) specifically assigns City Council dual duties as the Board of Directors and the appellate body for land use decisions, it cannot have a legal conflict. Further, even if a technical conflict were to exist, the “rule of necessity” requires City Council to hear Utilities’ land use application or appeal because no other body has authority to decide the matter.”

Dozens of residents contacted Council about the pending decision. Barbara Treacy, for example, called the tank in an email “a monstrosity” and urged Council to not allow the development plan change.

“The deception and dishonesty surrounding the water tower in Mountain Shadows is emblematic of a disturbing pattern of behavior by our leadership to ignore the people, vote against our public safety and interests ignoring our own laws all to serve the development special interests who have an obscene stranglehold over our City,” she wrote in an email to Council and copied to the Indy.

On Nov. 19, Gov. Jared Polis opened the new 8-mile trail to the 9,633-foot summit of Fishers Peak State Park near Trinidad.

Mayor Yemi Mobolade said in a Nov. 17 release he’s hired Jessie Kimber as the city’s economic development officer following the retirement of Bob Cope, who’s taken a job with Norwood Development Group. Kimber, who will be paid $188,000 a year, starts Jan. 2 and currently serves as the vice president of defense development at the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC. A Navy vet who served for 24 years, she also worked for former Mayor John Suthers.

Fort Carson Culinary Specialist Soldier volunteers have partnered with Colorado Springs Salvation Army to cook 2,700 holiday meals at Fort Carson. The meal will be taken to the Salvation Army for distribution to its serving centers in the Springs, Manitou, Fountain and Woodland Park on Thanksgiving Day. Reps. Joe Neguse, a Democrat, and Doug Lamborn, a Republican of Colorado Springs, sent a letter to the chief of the National Guard, seeking disbursement of outstanding enlistment bonuses to soldiers. The letter follows reports that thousands of National Guard troops have not received promised enlistment bonuses, and that nearly 4,000 service members have left the military without being paid promised bonuses.

On Nov. 17, Denver District Court Judge Sarah Wallace ruled that Donald J. Trump is eligible to be placed on the March 5 Presidential Primary Ballot in Colorado, though she also ruled that he engaged in insurrection at the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol.

The City Attorney’s Office concluded last week that there were no “reasonable grounds” for a violation of the city code or city election code to initiate court action. The review followed a complaint from Integrity Matters that cited various irregularities in the city’s April 4 election. Integrity Matters called the findings “false,” noting, “We continue to maintain that the City should never be allowed to manage another election and will continue to work towards that outcome.”

NEWS | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | INDY

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THE BIG

SQUEEZE Housing Authority rental waitlists reveal the vast need for affordable housing BY PAM ZUBECK | zubeck@csindy.com

THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OVERsees thousands of rental units.

It has the ability to issue 2,313 traditional Section 8 vouchers but currently has about 1,900 vouchers in use.

A voucher, funded with federal money from HUD, is good for up to a certain amount, say $800 a month. That means renters must use their own money to supplement the voucher, because the local market has few if any apartments available to rent for that price. The authority

Photo illustration, stock.adobe.com 4

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OR A PEEK INTO HOW dire our affordable housing situation is, check in with Chad Wright, executive director of the Colorado Springs Housing Authority.

There’s such a shortage that his agency keeps waitlists. As of early November, there were 3,327 households waiting for a Section 8 voucher, so named for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s program that helps fund housing for those who meet low-income guidelines.

Wright says that years ago, the authority allowed the waitlists for various programs to accumulate year after year.

Now, it periodically reopens programs for those wishing to be on the waiting list to keep the lists from becoming stale with names of people who perhaps have found housing since signing up.

“The old way of doing a waitlist, you kept it open for weeks, and you may have 6,000 to 8,000 people on the waitlist, and that remains static for years,” he tells the Indy in a phone interview. “The problem is waitlists can age fairly quickly. People move, find housing — just various reasons why things change.”

In July, the Section 8 list was reopened for a couple of days. In October, the authority opened the waitlist for studio apartments.

All together, there are nearly 7,000 people on the Housing Authority’s waitlists in need of government assistance.

“We have much more demand for affordable housing than we do supply,” Wright says.

The city’s Chief Housing Officer Steve Posey calls the waitlists “another indicator we have a lot of families or individuals in our community whose incomes haven’t changed much while the housing market has skyrocketed.

“As long as we have that mismatch, those wait lists are going to be big, and we’re not going to have enough units,” he adds.

While the current situation means those who qualify must wait an undetermined amount of time for subsidized housing, there are a few bright spots, including possible construction of a new senior housing project.

INDY | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | FEATURE

doesn’t use all the vouchers assigned to it, because it doesn’t have enough money to cover all of them, Wright says.

“Let’s say we’re in a period like several years ago where rents were lower and the per voucher cost was lower,” he says. “We could lease more, up to 2,313.”

But now rents have soared, so the authority is unable to cover all of the vouchers with the funding allocation it’s been given by HUD. “The number of vouchers can be a moving target, based on rent and the amount of funding HUD provides,” he says.

Vouchers are supposed to reduce housing expenses to 30 percent of the renter’s income. (The Housing Authority conducts a rigorous analysis of applicants to assure they meet income guidelines and other requirements.)

Then, renters wanting to use a voucher must meet the “reasonableness standard.”

“Say someone gets a voucher for a onebedroom,” Wright says. “They can’t go out and say, ‘I’m going to rent a brand new apartment for $6,000 a month, and the voucher will pay 70 percent of that cost.’”

Here’s an example of how vouchers work: If someone earns $21,000 a year, they are expected to pay 30 percent of that, or $7,000 ($580 a month), for housing. “Let’s say for a 1-bedroom, it’s $900.

That’s a gap of about $300. In theory the household has to spend their 30 percent of income, and the voucher is supposed to cover the difference. It’s supposed to be a gap filler.”

Surging rental prices have eroded the authority’s ability to fund all the vouchers, which must cover more of the rental cost than in a lower-rent market, he says.

“A rental market that’s hot with rapidly increasing rents is going to affect voucher utilization in the community,” Wright says.

A government shutdown — when Congress is in a standoff over spending — would leave the authority stuck not knowing what its HUD allocation would be.

The authority keeps a reserve of about $3 million to cover gaps in funding so people don’t have to surrender their voucher and, perhaps, end up homeless during a government shutdown, he says. Its monthly expenses total around $1.6 million, so you can see the authority couldn’t function indefinitely without receiving its HUD allocation.

The Housing Authority owns 706 apartments for which there is a waiting list of about 1,430.

“It’s very reflective of a housing market that has a pronounced need for affordable units,” Wright says, noting that he believes if the agency had more units to rent, the waitlist would be much longer, due to more people signing up for waiting lists because they might have a

Courtesy Colorado Springs Housing Authority

Shooks Run Apartments is a 40-unit affordable project owned by the Colorado Springs Housing Authority.

better chance of getting an apartment.

The authority manages about 800 units owned by other entities that are considered affordable but aren’t directly subsidized by the authority. The waitlist for these totals 2,082.

Occupancy rates on all the authority’s units reach to nearly 100 percent, and turnover is rare. Reasons include death, moving for a job or family reasons, or someone no longer qualifies due to increased income.

“That’s a great thing for that household,” Wright says of earning more pay.

“They’ve benefited from their time [in subsidized housing] and now have a situation that’s improved.”

Wright says the Springs is one of the biggest markets in the nation for newly constructed units or those soon to be completed. So far, though, the apparent glut of new complexes hasn’t translated to high enough vacancy rates and low enough rents to serve low-income populations, he says.

NOW FOR A LITTLE GOOD NEWS. The authority is hoping to build 83 units of low-income senior housing on 1.6 acres at Institute Street, just south of Pikes Peak Avenue, near the historic Fire Department building in that area.

The complex would contain units available to seniors who have incomes at 40 to 60 percent of area median income, he says.

But it remains to be seen if that complex will be built as planned due to high-

er than normal interest rates and material costs, he says.

The authority has submitted its proposal to the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority, which invests in affordable housing and community development through tax credits that theoretically make multifamily projects feasible to build and own. (The Housing Authority senior project is separate from the Myron Stratton Home’s plan to build another senior living complex on its site on South Nevada Avenue, as recently reported by The Gazette.)

Posey also notes that nonprofit housing provider Greccio Housing will open a 192-unit affordable housing project in the city’s southeast sector in coming months.

He sings the Housing Authority’s praises, because unlike some housing authorities, the Colorado Springs agency develops new affordable housing on its own.

“They are a really important developer and provider of affordable housing in the community,” he says. “They own just over 700 units; they manage about 2,000 rental vouchers and they have property management contracts for another 1,500 units, so they’ve got quite a large inventory of apartments and vouchers in Colorado Springs.”

Posey sees the greatest need for affordable housing in the senior community.

“Over a third of people who are helped by the Housing Authority are low- or extremely low-income seniors,” he says.

The project on Institute, called Village at Homewood Point, will help, he says, but won’t entirely fulfill the need. ”We know we’ve got a fair number of seniors who live on a fixed income and housing is really challenging for them,” Posey says. “We can’t seem to build enough of that fast enough.”

Meantime, Posey says 2022 was a “banner year,” with over 5,000 marketrent apartments permitted for construction, which means they’re being built this year.

Just over 1,000 of those are “rent restricted” affordable apartments, meaning the developers agreed to set aside a certain number for lowerincome renters.

“Those are very positive numbers,” Posey says.

However, only about 2,500 apartments were permitted this year, so construction is apt to slow down.

“I will say one of the downsides right now is, because we have so many apartments ready to lease out either late this year or into 2024, we’re likely to see that downturn continue,” he says. “Developers want to see those leased out first before bringing on any more.”

Also, development costs — cost of borrowing and of materials — have ballooned, “and that’s going to put a damper

on the market as well.

“Unfortunately, even though production is going to drop, the demand and need for affordable apartments in particular isn’t going to go away,” Posey says.

While some reports say the city has an affordable housing shortage that reaches into the tens of thousands, Posey isn’t willing to quantify that.

“I don’t think we have an accurate number of shortage of apartments, because the markets are dynamic,” he notes. “You have people moving in, leaving, people whose incomes go up or down — many factors that influence what the demand for apartments will do.”

But Posey forecasts a “softening” of rents in some sectors of the city early next year, such as in the northeast that’s seen construction of hundreds of units in the last two years alone.

“We may not see rent come down, but you’re likely to see waivers on deposits or a free month’s rent to get tenants into the building,” he says.

THE EL PASO COUNTY HOUSING Authority doesn’t build or manage housing units but rather advises the Board of County Commissioners on matters regarding the issuance of bonds for the acquisition, construction and rehabilitation of single- and multifamily residential housing to provide more affordable housing opportunities for residents, according to its website.

For example, the authority makes recommendations on issuance of tax-free private activity bonds, which usually means developers’ borrowing rate is lower. But the IRS limits the amount of bonds issued, so it’s a competitive process.

The county’s Housing Authority didn’t respond to a request for comment, but the website names nu mer ou s pr o j ects that obtained assistance from the — Chad Wright county’s department.

Those include Village at Solid Rock, Academy Heights Apartments, Shooks Run Apartments and Villas at Mesa Ridge, among others.

The county used to run a program for first-time homebuyers who could get help with a down payment if they bought a home in a targeted neighborhood and lived in it for five years. But Posey says that program has all but shut down, considering home prices have skyrocketed out of reach of lower-income first-time buyers, who also would be confronted with historically high mortgage rates, putting the goal of home ownership out of reach.

“We have much more demand for affordable housing than we do supply.”

FEATURE | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | INDY

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PLAYING AROUND SHOW PREVIEW

GASOLINA REGGAETON PARTY JAN 26 (ON SALE NOW) GIDEON - FEB 25 (ON SALE NOW) Sat, Nov. 25 - 6:00pm

BLEED YOURSELF ALBUM RELEASE SHOW

MOUTH FOR WAR MUGSHOT, CANDY APPLE, SEWERSLIDE, BACKLIP Wed, Nov. 29 - 6:00pm

FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, EXODUS DARKEST HOUR, UNDEATH

Thu, Nov. 30 - 7:00pm, Ages 18+

RENE VACA WITH SPECIAL GUESTS

Fri, Dec. 1 - 8:00pm, Ages 21+

THE EMO NIGHT TOUR CRASHCARLETON TEST STONE DUMMIES Sat, Dec. 2 - 7:00pm

Thu, Dec. 7 - 6:00pm

THE DIVINE INNER TENSION TOUR

HAIL THE SUN

TSOSIS, GLASSLANDS, SEMIFICTION Fri, Dec. 8 - 8:00pm, Ages 18+

TAYLOR’S VERSION: A SWIFTIE DANCE PARTY Sat, Dec. 9 - 6:00pm

A KILO 45 YEARS OF ROCK SHOW

WEDNESDAY13 GEMINI SYNDROME, INFECTED RAIN, BLACK SATELLITE

Thu, Dec. 14 - 7:00pm

2ND ANNUAL CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE

MINDLESS VITALITY CELL 23, CLEMENTINE, STRUNG SHORT Fri, Dec. 15 - 7:00pm

JON WITH WAYNE & THE PAIN SPECIAL GUESTS

ZELLA DAY & JESSE WOOD AS CHAPARELLE @ Lulu’s Downstairs, Manitou Springs

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IVE YEARS AGO, SINGERsongwriter Zella Day found herself at a crossroads between commercial success and artistic fulfillment. It was a journey that had started out a decade earlier in her small Arizona hometown, where she recorded and released her debut album, Powered by Love, at the age of 14.

From there, things accelerated rapidly.

The album caught the attention of BMG Publishing Group, who signed her to a songwriter contract. Meanwhile, she continued to release her own singles and EPs before landing a record deal between her own Pinetop Records and Hollywood Records, a division of the Disney empire, which means you can pretty much guess where this is going.

“I have been released from my label

and production deal and, as you can imagine, everything surrounding these relationships has been sensitive,” Day wrote in a handwritten letter posted to social media in December of 2018.

By this point, she’d been largely absent from the public eye for three years, despite the fact that her sophomore studio album Kicker had reached No. 7 on Billboard’s Top Alternative chart, resulting in an appearance on Last Call with Carson Daly and reviews from highprofile critics who used words like “gorgeous,” “intimate” and “charmed.”

“I learned so much about who I am as a person and as an artist by fighting for what I believe,” wrote Day. “I am proud and excited to announce this next chapter of artistic freedom.”

Now able to record and tour again,

Day quickly made up for lost time. She moved to LA’s Silver Lake neighborhood, went out on the road with Lana Del Rey (who recorded a cover of Joni Mitchell’s “For Free” featuring Day and Weyes Blood), released an EP produced by Dan Auerbach, and reinvented herself as a borderline dance-pop diva for Sunday in Heaven, her first album in more than six years.

All in all, it was a far cry from the breakthrough album she’d once described as having a “spiritual resonance clearly influenced by the Northern Arizona mountains that sheltered my creative energy from any outside implications.”

It’s a relief, she now says, to no longer be confined to her “sad girl” singer-songwriter role.

Or maybe not. Just months after her Hot Summer Dreams Tour, which included a stop at Denver’s Ball Arena, Day has gone back to playing smaller venues as a duo with Jesse James Wood (son of Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood), who’s also the bassist in Mick Jones and Tony James’ band Carbon/Silicon.

Billing themselves as “Zella Day and Jesse Wood as CHAPARELLE,” the duo has yet to release any music. But their publicity materials do offer some clues, from the Dust Bowl vibe of their blackand-white promo photo to their bio’s promise of “a musical tapestry that harkens back to legendary duets of icons like George and Tammy or Gram and Emmylou, a partnership that channels the enduring allure of Country music’s golden age, weaving a melodic narrative that resonates with themes of love and the indomitable Texan essence.”

All of which suggests that Day’s sadgirl singer-songwriter years may not be behind her. — Bill Forman

Zella Day & Jesse Wood as CHAPARELLE, Saturday, Dec. 9, 8 p.m., Lulu’s, 107 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs,$20, ages 21 and up, lulusdownstairs.com; listen — tinyurl.com/Day-Wood

Sat, Dec. 16 - 7:00pm X103.9 HOLIDAY BASH

THE BEACHES

THE DRAWN OUT, JAKE’S A GENTLEMAN Fri, Dec. 29 - 7:00pm

THE IRON MAIDENS DIRTY KINGS Sat, Dec. 30 - 8:00pm, Ages 21+

GIMME GIMME DISCO A DANCE PARTY INSPIRED BY ABBA JAN 25 - GUTTERMOUTH JAN 26 - GASOLINA JAN 27 - VEIL OF MAYA JAN 31 - CHARLIE FARLEY FEB 2 - CATCH 22 FEB 16 - EARLY EYES FEB 23 - THE GREEN, MIKE LOVE

1-866-468-3399

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WEDNESDAY 11/22 Aaron Bubeck, acoustic rock/folk; 8 p.m., ICONS, exploretock.com/icons-co.

Care and Share Benefit, food donation drive, with Melody Ranch, The Mitguards, Carmen and Lewis, The Honey Buns, Begley, Mock & Murphy; doors 5:30 p.m., show 7 p.m., Stargazers Theatre, stargazerstheatre.com.

Gavin Grant, jazz piano; 7 p.m., Analogue, Pueblo, analoguepueblo.com.

Dylan Tiefer and guests, Americana/ jam; 6:30 p.m., Front Range Barbeque, frbbq.com/events.

FRIDAY 11/24 Tim Bergsten, all original set; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge, bicycleresort.com.

INDY | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Clay Cutler, rock/pop/covers/originals; 6 p.m., Bell Brothers Brewing, bellbrothersbrewing.com.

Duelling Pianos, players take requests; 7 p.m., Boot Barn Hall, bootbarnhallco. com.

Kenny Feidler and The Cowboy Killers, “cowboy songs”/rock, with Kade Hoffman; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

Hummdingers, “the annual post-turkey- day- dance - of f-the - s tuf f ingnight”; 8 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

LOOK’EE HERE!, blues/jazz; 6 p.m., Mash Mechanix, mashmechanix.com/events.

Tadhg Ó Meachair and Joanna Hyde, Irish traditional/American folk, with Ava Grace, Brittany Jean; 7 p.m., Black

Rose Acoustic Society, Black Forest Community Center, blackroseacoustic. org.

Tim Meegan Jr. & The 105s, country/Special Forces Foundation fundraiser; 7 p.m., Ivywild School, timmeeganjr.com.

Record Store Day — find Colorado participants at recordstoreday.com/ Stores.

Totum Colloquium Improv Jazz; 7 p.m., Summa, tinyurl.com/Totum-23.

SATURDAY 11/25 Exit West, country; 6 p.m., Whiskey Baron Dance Hall, tinyurl.com/whisk-dh.

Brandon Henderson Band, acoustic alternative rock; 7:30 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, facebook.com/jackquinns.

Just a Feeling, rock, with The Rage-

PLAYING AROUND Deirdre McCarthy Band, singer-songwriter/fiddle; 6:30 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, facebook.com/jackquinns.

THURSDAY 11/30 Blackthorn, traditional Celtic; 7 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, facebook.com/jackquinns.

Dalonious Funk, jazz/funk/fusion; 7 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

Jehry Robinson, rapper/singer-song-

The Black Rose Acoustic Society will host folk artists Tadhg Ó Meachair and Joanna Hyde at the Black Forest Community Center Friday night.

writer; 7 p.m., Oskar Blues, coloradosprings.oskarbluesfooderies.com.

Lindsey Stirling’s Snow Waltz Tour, electronic violin/holiday classics and originals; 7 p.m., The Broadmoor World Arena, broadmoorworldarena. com.

Westrock, country-rock; 6 p.m., The Well, wellinthesprings.com/events.

Wood Belly, acoustic; 7:30 p.m., Brues Alehouse, Pueblo, bruesalehouse.com.

Michael Reese, guitarist; 1 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

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

MONDAY 11/27 Julie Bradley & Friends, jazz/jazz rock; 6 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

TUESDAY 11/28 Michael Martin Murphey’s Cowboy Christmas; 7:30 p.m., Pikes Peak Center, pikespeakcenter.com.

WEDNESDAY 11/29 The Circuit: Singer-Songwriter Night, with Timone Perez, Noah Vale, JayD, Noah Daniel; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

Fit for an Autopsy, death metal, with Exodus, Darkest Hour, Undeath; 6 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

Austin Johnson, blues/rock; 6:30 p.m., Front Range Barbeque, frbbq.com/ events.

Whose Got Talent?

Refurbish the Elf and his dog visit the North Pole for a Holiday Talent Show with Dancing, Singing, Acrobatics & Elfen Magic!

Fun for the whole family!

BIG GIGS

Upcoming music events SATURDAY & SUNDAY

tones; 7 p.m., Brues Alehouse, Pueblo, bruesalehouse.com.

K Squared, country/folk/bluegrass/rap; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge, bicycleresort. com.

The Last Waltz, “honoring those who have come before and paved the way for musicians everywhere”; 8 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

The Long Run, Eagles tribute; 7 p.m., Stargazers Theatre, stargazerstheatre. com.

Mouth for War, mosh metal/Bleed Yourself album release party, with Mugshot, Candy Apple, Sewerslide, Backlip; 6 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks. com.

Mute Point, rock/jazzy punk; 7 p.m., The Fifty-Niner, tinyurl.com/MutePoint-59.

Shadow River Band, covers; Rico’s, facebook.com/PoorRichardsDowntown.

Still They Ride, Journey tribute; 7 p.m., Boot Barn Hall, bootbarnhallco.com.

SUNDAY 11/26

Santa’s Elves present

DEC 9-23

Yule Be Naughty

Courtesy Shanin Blake

...One More Time!

Musician and TikTok star Shanin Blake will play Denver’s Larimer Lounge on Dec. 7.

Care and Share Benefit Holiday Kickoff Party with Melody Ranch, The Mitguards, Carmen and Lewis, The Honey Buns, Begley, Mock & Murphy, Stargazers, Nov. 22 Leftover Salmon feat. Peter Rowan, Boulder Theater, Boulder, Nov. 24-25 Orleans, Parker Arts, Culture & Events Center, Parker, Nov. 25 The Nutcracker/Colorado Springs Symphony, Pikes Peak Center, Nov. 24-26 Brujeria: Esto Es Tour 2023, Bluebird Theater, Denver, Nov. 28 Chase Petra, Globe Hall, Denver, Nov. 28 Mammoth WVH, Gothic Theatre, Englewood, Nov. 28 Michael Martin Murphey’s Cowboy Christmas, Pikes Peak Center, Nov. 28 alt-J, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Nov. 29

Fit for an Autopsy and Exodus, Black Sheep, Nov. 29 Squirrel Nut Zippers, Parker Arts, Culture & Events Center, Parker, Nov. 29 Geddy Lee: My Effin’ Life in Conversation, Paramount Theatre, Denver, Nov. 30 Paul Cauthen, Mission Ballroom, Denver, Nov. 30 Rene Vaca, Black Sheep, Nov. 30

Join an all-star cast as we sing, dance, circus, and poke fun at the trials and tribulations of this most Merry Season.

THUR-FRI-SAT 7:30 7:30pm

DEC 14-23

Support Local Theatre !

Donate to The Millibo’s 2023 Give! Campaign

DECEMBER

Ashes to Amber, Lost Lake Lounge, Denver, Dec. 1 Matchbox Twenty, Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, Dec. 1 The Samples, Lulu’s, Manitou, Dec. 1 The Barlow & Cousin Curtiss, Lost Lake Lounge, Denver, Dec. 2

www.givepikespeak.org

Continued at csindy.com

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | INDY

7

We never recycle the news, but

please recycle us.

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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.

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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.

GERMAN EDELWEISS RESTAURANT

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

For 55 Years Edelweiss has brought Bavaria to Colorado Springs! Using fresh ingredients, the menu invites you to visit Germany. Voted Gold Best German, Silver Dessert Menu and Bronze Best Patio by Indy readers!

Reservations and menu can be found online at Edelweissrest.com.

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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!

PAID ADVERTISEMENT • 719.577.4545 8

INDY | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

CALENDAR

Your guide to events in the Pikes Peak region

B

E SURE TO CHECK OUT our holiday calendar on p. 13, where you’ll find info on art celebrations and community gatherings scheduled through the end of the year.

ART EXHIBITS 45º Gallery, 2528 W. Colorado Ave., Suite B, 719-434-1214, 45degreegallery.com.

Pottery Palooza, 750-plus pieces by 10plus artists.

Academy Art & Frame, 7560 N. Academy Blvd., 719-265-6694, academyframesco. com. The Beauty of the Earth by oil painter Joni Ware.

Anita Marie Fine Art, 109 S. Corona St., 719-493-5623, anitamariefineart.com. Storied Places, oil paintings by Chuck Mardosz, Richard Dahlquist and Joanne Lavender. Through Dec. 21.

The Bridge Gallery, 218 W. Colorado Ave., #104, 719-629-7055, thebridgeartgallery. com. Desert Dreams Revisited — “Liz McCombs’ desert-themed sculptures which explore the resilience and tenacity of life in arid landscapes.” Through Nov. 25.

Citizens Art Gallery at City Hall, works by mixed-media/encaustic artist Melissa Porter. Second floor gallery, 107 N. Nevada Ave.; enter through the ADA entrance on

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719-499-9451 JADE BAKER

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Jacob Hacker, Springs Ensemble Theatre

THEATER

The Seafarer — “It’s Christmas Eve in Dublin, Ireland. In the rundown house where Sharky cares for his blind brother, old acquaintances gather for a card game — joined by an ominous stranger. As the booze flows and the game intensifies, Sharky discovers he is playing for his soul.” Nov. 30-Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m., 2 p.m. Sunday matinees; 2409 W. Colorado Ave.; springsensembletheatre.org. the southeast corner of the building.

media painter Victoria Wekamp.

The Colony, 2 S. Wahsatch Ave., #100, thecolony.studio. New work from acrylics/watercolor painter Dan Sampson and multi-

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W. Dale St., 719-634-5581, fac.coloradocollege.edu.

Solo(s): Krista Franklin. Franklin “creates books, poetry, collages, handmade paper, installations, murals, performances,

continued on p. 10 ➔

213 Coffee Pot Drive – Crystal Park - $64,900

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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

5 lots in classy upscale subdivision of 37 homes. Complex has clubhouse with pool table, kitchen, meeting area, & indoor pool. Build to meet HOA guidelines which include stucco exterior, stucco privacy walls & tile roof. Can buy 1 to 5 lots (package deals). Each lot can be sold individually for $25,000 each. Nice area in walking distance to shopping & dining yet quiet & tucked away. MLS# 5194232

1404 Ledge Rock Terrace – Pinon Bluffs Town Homes - $525,000

1295 Winterhall Point – The Enclaves at Bayfield - $549,900

Westside 3436 sq ft 4 bed, 3 ½ bath 1 ½-story townhome with total 1-level living. Beautiful mountain & Pikes Peak views. Huge trees. Across the street from Ute Valley Park. A/C. Security system.

Gas log fireplace. Former model with vaulted ceilings. Tons of glass & sunshine. MLS# 1911501

Stucco & stone end unit 3068 sq ft 4 bed, 3 bath rancher townhome with amazing mountain & city views. Master suite with 2 walk-in closets & 5-piece master bath.

Open kitchen with wrap around bar. 2 gas log fireplace. Built-ins.

12x12 covered Trex deck & 12x12 patio. Walkout basement with large family & wet bar.

2-car finished garage. A/C. HOA takes care of everything outside for you. Move-in ready! MLS# 7912985

FOR FULL EVENT LISTINGS, AND TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN EVENTS, GO TO CSINDY.COM!

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | INDY

9

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➔ continued from p. 9 sound works, sculptures, and lectures.”

Through Dec. 16. Mi Gente: Manifestations of Community in the Southwest, with works from the FAC collection; through Feb. 3. Museum will be closed through Nov. 24; free days, Dec. 9 and 15.

Commonwheel Artists Co-op, 102 Cañon Ave., Manitou Springs, 719-685-1008, commonwheel.com. Holiday Market, through Dec. 28.

Cottonwood Center for the Arts, 427 E. Colorado Ave., 719-520-1899, cottonwoodcenterforthearts.com. Transformation — A Mixed Media Event, with works by Nancy Stage Robinson.

Disruptor Gallery, 2217 E. Platte Ave., shutterandstrum.org. Jesse Allan Rozell’s Playtime “celebrates hedonism, vanity, memory, vibrancy, and chaos — an attractive and sometimes obscured, star-studded view into the men and women of yesterday.”

G44 Gallery, 121 E. Boulder St., 720-9510573, g44gallery.com. Whiteout by Rachel Espenlaub, and Greg Johnson’s acrylic works in Unpredictable Order.

BOTOX NOW AVAILABLE! WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT!

CALENDAR

Gallery 113, 125½ N. Tejon St., 719-6345299, gallery113cos.com. Painter Kathy Jackson’s landscapes in oils and Al Bach’s wooden creations.

105 N. Tejon St. • 719.260.0216 TheDowntownDentistCS.com

GOCA (Galleries of Contemporary Art, UCCS), Ent Center for the Arts, 5225 N. Nevada Ave., gocadigital.org. Martha Russo’s Caesura. Through Dec. 2.

Hunter-Wolff Gallery, 2510 W. Colorado Ave., 719-520-9494, hunterwolffgallery. com. Works by sculptor Cheri Isgreen.

Kreuser Gallery, 125 E. Boulder St., 719464-5880, kreusergallery.com. Collateral BEAUTY: Part 1, No More Silence by Karen Mosbacher; Magnificent Wild, a collaboration of Audrey Gray and Lupita Carrasco; Finding Hope by Melissa Porter. Through Nov. 24.

REALTORS®

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FINDING YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME

LightSpeed Curations, 306 S. 25th St., 719308-8389. Now You See Me, with works by “experimental artist” Nat Feather.

The Look Up Gallery, 11 E. Bijou St. (inside Yobel), thelookupgallery.com. Flow State, new work by Springs artist Nathan Travis.

Manitou Art Center, 513/515 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs, 719-685-1861, manitouartcenter.org. Works by local artist Gary King. Through Nov. 25.

Platte Collections, 2331 E. Platte Place, 719-980-2715, plattecollections.myshopify.com. Works by artist/visual storyteller Shannon Dunn.

10

INDY | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

DANCE The Nutcracker, the holiday classic presented by the Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Oklahoma City Ballet, Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale and regional student dancers. Nov. 24-26; Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave.; pikespeakcenter.com.

FILM The Nightmare Before Christmas, Tim Burton’s holiday classic. Thursday, Nov. 30, 7 p.m.; Ivywild School, 1604 S. Cascade Ave.; tinyurl.com/Nightmare-23.

Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour & Indigenous Short Film Tour 2023, two collections showcasing all of the best short films from Sundance. Saturday, Dec. 2, 4 p.m.; Cottonwood Center for the Arts, 427 E. Colorado Ave.; indiespiritfilmfestival.org.

KIDS & FAMILIES For American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month, Pikes Peak Library District offers picture (tinyurl.com/ppld-picture) and chapter book (tinyurl.com/ppldchap) reading lists, and you’ll find more at americanindiansinchildrensliterature. blogspot.com.

Bear Creek by Candlelight, a walk on luminary-lit nature trails, music, a bowl of chili, Santa, and holiday crafts. Local children’s author Susan Permut will read The Christmas Camel (copies available for purchase/signing). Friday, Dec. 1, 5-8 p.m.; $8/$7 member, prepaid; Bear Creek Nature Center, 245 Bear Creek Road, tinyurl. com/epco-fun.

ELF The Musical, “Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole. The would-be elf is raised, unaware that he is actually a human until his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities cause him to face the truth.” Nov. 30-Dec. 31; Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St., tinyurl.com/FAC-ELF. Ice skating in Acacia Park, through the end of January; 115 E. Platte Ave.; check downtowncs.com/event/skate for prices, dates/hours and special events.

THANKSGIVING Turkey Trot 5K: Huffin’ for the Stuffin’, the annual pre-feastin’ sweat-fest and fundraiser for YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region. Thursday, Nov. 23; race times — Kids’ Tiny Trot (free), 8:15 a.m.; 5K run ($45), 9 a.m.; Briargate YMCA, 4025 Family Place; register at tinyurl.com/TurkeyTrot-CS.

Surface Gallery, 2752 W. Colorado Ave., 719-359-6966, surfacegallerycos.com. A husband-and-wife show... The Heralds of Unwanted Wisdom by Riley Bratzler; Brett Andrus’ Remembering How to be Human.

Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center Thanksgiving Day Turkey Toss, “be a part of feeding the wolf, coyote and fox families.” Thursday, Nov. 23, 9-11 a.m.; $20$40, reservations required, call 719-6879742; Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center, Divide; wolfeducation.org.

ZoneFIVE, 1902 E. Boulder St., zonefivecs. com. Daydreams and Night Lights, a juried photography exhibition presented

by Radiant Aberration and ZoneFIVE. Through Nov. 30.

Fresh Air Friday Hike, a slow-paced 1-mile, naturalist-led nature hike. Friday, Nov. 24, 10 a.m. to noon; meet at Wapiti

continued on p. 23 ➔

FOR FULL EVENT LISTINGS, AND TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN EVENTS, GO TO CSINDY.COM!

SHOP LOCAL | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | INDY

11

SHOP LOCAL: GUIDE TO THE HOLIDAYS

Adam’s Mountain Cafe 26 Manitou Avenue 719-685-1430 AdamsMountainCafe.com

L

et us make your holiday desserts! Vegan Spice Cake, Pumpkin Pie, Pecan Pie, Dutch Apple Pie, Vegan Chocolate Cake, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Vegan Apple Cake.

Order cut off for Christmas Eve is Thursday, December 21st at 3pm.

Pick up is Sunday, December 24th, 9am - 3pm.

No online ordering. Please call 719-685-1430 or 719-658-4370 to place your order.

Adam’s gift certificates and Marketspice Tea make great stocking stuffers or last minute gifts.

Al Kaly Shrine Feztival of Trees 1150 Panorama Drive Colorado Springs, CO

F

Made Fresh Every Day!

un for the whole family! $2.00 —Children under 10 are free. The Feztival of Trees is a prime holiday event which highlights local businesses and their support for Al Kaly Shriner’s philanthropic mission. It allows local Raffle participants to purchase tickets in an opportunity to win a decorated tree with associated presents from sponsors.

Colorado Springs Masonic Center – at the corner of Fillmore and Panorama Drive, located in Colorado Springs.

When – 18-25 November 2024, 10am to 7pm (Closed Thanksgiving Day).

Purchase a raffle prize chance for a tree at $1 each during open hours. Raffle Prize winners will be selected after close on 5 pm, 25 November. The Raffle winners will be responsible for removing their Tree and associated decorations and presents once the Raffle draw occurs.

The Cliff House at Pikes Peak

306 Cañon Ave, Manitou Springs, CO 80829 719-785-1000 thecliffhouse.com

C 724 Manitou Avenue 225-435-4369 Find us on Facebook 12

INDY | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | SHOP LOCAL

elebrating 150 years since opening in 1874, The Cliff House exhibits all the warmth, charm, and hospitality that conjures up romantic images of the Old West. Our 55 distinctly appointed rooms, many with spa tubs and or steam showers, are the perfect backdrop for connecting with your special someone. Away from the pressures of everyday life you will be transported to a world including the utmost in wining, dining, Victorian elegance and comfort.

Enjoy your favorite drink on our veranda with the majesty of Pikes Peak as your backdrop. We can have fun here too. Every Thursday evening you can let your hair down and join the Karaoke festivities offered in our Red Mountain Bar and Grill.

We offer a number of craft beers on tap along with specialty drinks. Tempt your palate with our locally raised Yak burgers or even Rocky Mountain Oysters.

stock.adobe.com

Celebrate!

Courtesy Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce

HOMETOWN CELEBRATION Manitou Springs: Santa at Wheeler Town Clock, Friday, Nov. 24, 4-6 p.m., with tree lighting at 5 p.m. Christmas Parade (includes a Toys for Tots collection), Saturday, Dec. 9, 6 p.m.; Manitou Avenue from Ruxton Avenue to El Paso Boulevard; manitouchristmasparade.com. (See full events list at manitousprings.org).

2 and 7 p.m.; Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave., danceinthesprings.com/ tickets.

FREE AT PPLD! Pikes Peak Library District is offering (free!) winter holiday resources and experiences, from season-celebrating books, movies and music, to audio and video studio equipment to help you preserve holiday memories, to maker sessions for snow globes, ornaments and cards, gingerbread houses and more. See what’s on offer at ppld.org/celebrate-holidays.

KIDS & FAMILIES

M

ANY OF THE PIKES PEAK REGION’S HOMETOWNS HAVE THEIR OWN WINTER HOLIDAY TRADItions — like Calhan’s Christmas parade and Palmer Lake’s tree lighting fest — where neighbors can gather to enjoy this season of celebrations. We’ve included some of those local festivities here, along with music and dance, theater, family-friendly events and more, to help you make a fresh batch of holiday memories.

HOMETOWN CELEBRATIONS Downtown Colorado Springs: Festival of Lights Parade, includes two foodtruck villages (with toilets). Saturday, Dec. 9, 5:50 p.m.; Tejon Street from St. Vrain Street south to Vermijo Avenue; coloradospringsfestivaloflights.com. See a full list of events at downtowncs.com/holidays.

Woodland Park: Winter Day in the Park includes a “petting zoo, candy cane lane, pictures with Santa, hot chocolate & candy, and Elf Scramble.” Friday, Dec. 1, 3:305 p.m.; Memorial Park, 200 N. Park St.; tinyurl.com/WinterDay23. Lighter Side of Christmas Parade, is also a fundraiser for Rotary Club of Pikes Peak and Divide Mountain Girl Scouts. Saturday, Dec. 2, 6 p.m.; downtown Woodland Park; lightersideofchristmas.com.

Black Forest: A Black Forest Christmas, with music and caroling, kids crafts, hot

drinks, Christmas cookies, a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus, and the Christmas tree lighting. Saturday, Dec. 2, 3-6 p.m.; Black Forest Community Center, 12530 Black Forest Road; tinyurl.com/BlackForest-23.

Monument: Tree Lighting, with live music, dancing, choir music, holidaythemed activities, food trucks, a food drive benefiting Tri-Lakes Cares — and Santa arrives at 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, 2 p.m.; Limbach Park, 151 Front St.; tinyurl. com/Monument-Lights.

Palmer Lake: Tree Lighting on the Village Green, with carolers, holiday music and dancing, ugly sweater contest, food trucks and photos with Santa. Saturday, Dec. 2, 5-8 p.m. with tree lighting at 6 p.m.; 42 Valley Crescent St., tinyurl.com/ PalmerLake-Lights.

Calhan: Christmas Parade of Lights, with a Christmas movie theme for the float competition. Saturday, Dec. 9, 6 p.m.; El Paso County Raceway, 366 10th

St.; tinyurl.com/Calhan-parade23.

Cripple Creek and Victor: A Whoville Christmas in the Gold Camps, includes a deep list of holiday activities, with Victor’s Christmas parade on Friday, Dec. 8, and Cripple Creek’s on Dec. 9; visitcripplecreek.com/event/christmas-in-thegold-camps for a full list of events.

DANCE The Nutcracker, the holiday classic presented by Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Oklahoma City Ballet, Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale and regional student dancers. Nov. 24-26; Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave.; pikespeakcenter.com.

A Colorado Nutcracker, in this Colorado Ballet Society performance, Clara is transported to 19th-century Colorado Springs for Christmas Eve with city founder Gen. William Palmer and his family. Tuesday, Dec. 19, 7 p.m. and Wednesday, Dec. 20,

Limitless Littles: Milk and Cookies with Mrs. Claus, “show them the future is LIMITLESS by joining us for a FREE special series showcasing diverse women from diverse fields. Will include crafts, activities, and lots of fun! For preschool and early elementary-age children with their caregivers.” Saturday, Dec. 2, 10 a.m.; Deerfield Hills Community Center, 4282 Deerfield Hills Road; tinyurl.com/Limitless-23.

Winter Wonderland at Panorama Park, “family activities, games and crafts, eat s’mores, visit with surprise guests.” Saturday, Dec. 9, 2-4 p.m.; free; 4540 Fenton Road; tinyurl.com/Pano-winter.

Yule Ball, for witches, wizards and all other magical (and non-magical) beings.

“Get sorted into your Hogwarts House, participate in magical crafts and activities, mingle with fellow fans, and dance the afternoon away. Costumes and cosplay are encouraged.” Saturday, Dec. 16, 2-4 p.m.; The Hall at PPLD, 20 W. Pikes Peak Ave.; registration required at tinyurl.com/YuleBall-23.

Santa’s Elves Present: Who’s Got Talent?

A family-friendly show wherein “Refurbish the Elf returns to the North Pole just in time for the annual Talent Show judged by the Big Guy himself.” Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 9-23, see themat.org/the-most-

continued on p. 15 ➔

SHOP LOCAL | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | INDY

13

SHOP LOCAL: GUIDE TO THE HOLIDAYS

COLONEL MUSTARD’S SANDWICH EMPORIUM 1412 S. 21st St. - Colorado Springs 719.203.4743 colmustardsandwich.com info@colmustardsandwich.com

C The smiling faces of small business!

Your source for: Giant, LIV, Trek, Pivot, Transition, Surly, Electra, Momentum bicycles.

426 S Tejon St • (719) 475-8589 oldtownbikeshop.com

KNOWLEDGE + INTEGRITY + QUALITY PRODUCTS

Your headquarters for Gardening, Indoor Growing, Landscape and Indoor and Outdoor Garden Decor Your local Independent Garden Center since 1948!

Christmas Trees, Wreaths, Garland, Swags and Boughs!

Open 7 Days a week, see RicksGarden.com for hours

WE CARRY LOCAL RAW HONEY!

GOLD garden supply/nursery SILVER store for houseplants

MILITARY DISCOUNTS

1827 W. Uintah Street • 719.632.8491 ACROSS FROM KING SOOPER SHOPPING CENTER

14

INDY | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | SHOP LOCAL

olonel Mustard’s Sandwich Emporium, voted BEST SANDWICHES in town, offers Boar’s Head deli meats & cheeses on locally baked bread. We have GLUTEN-FREE, vegetarian and vegan options, including tasty soups and fresh salads. BREAKFAST and LUNCH are served all day. We serve LOCAL CRAFT BEERS, wines and MORNING COCKTAILS and have a kid and dogfriendly BACK40 patio with AWESOME views. Order ON-LINE, PHONE or ON-SITE for DINE-IN, PICK-UP or DELIVERY and WE CATER!

Arts Crafts Colorado College, Worner Campus Center 902 N Cascade Ave. (719) 389-6000 coloradocollege.edu/offices/artsandcrafts

T

he Colorado College Arts and Crafts fair is a longstanding community event that celebrates local and regional creative makers working in a variety of media. The Fair is unique in that it brings together artists at all different points of their careers, including Colorado College students as well as artists from our region. This year we will have over 80 artists participating creating works in ceramics, jewelry, textiles, print, photography, sculpture, and more.

Come support your local artists and join us for two days of incredible art, art making activities, and fun!

For more information visit www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/artsandcrafts.

Downtown Colorado Springs 111 S. Tejon St., Suite 703 Colorado Springs, CO 80903 719-886-0088 DowntownCS.com

T

he one square mile of Downtown Colorado Springs is home to more than 65 local shops, boutiques, and galleries and over 140 restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and breweries (the largest concentration of independent eateries in Southern Colorado). When you shop local, you never have to worry if your gift will arrive on time or wonder about the quality, and more of every dollar spent in a local business stays in the local economy. When you Shop Small you make a big impact! Don’t know what to buy? Get a Downtown gift card valid at more than 170 locations and available in any amount $10+ with every dollar going to the business where you redeem it.

Purchase at DowntownCS.com/giftcard for pick up at the Downtown Partnership offices or shipped directly to the recipient for a small fee.

Celebrate!

Courtesy Old Colorado City Associates

HOMETOWN CELEBRATION

Old Colorado City: Christmas Stroll with a chance to meet Santa and his reindeer at Bancroft Park, nibble holiday cookies, and have encounters with costumed characters and strolling Dickens carolers along Colorado Avenue. Saturday, Nov. 25, 5-8 p.m. Bring the kids for photos with Santa at his cabin, weekends from Nov. 25 to Dec. 23, noon to 4 p.m.; tinyurl.com/OCC-Stroll.

➔ continued from p. 13 magical-gift-2 for times and tickets; Millibo Art Theatre, 1626 S. Tejon St.

home for a family solstice celebration.”

Thursday, Dec. 21, 4:30-6:30 p.m.; $5/$4 members, prepaid registration at tinyurl. com/epco-fun; Fountain Creek Nature Center, 320 Pepper Grass Lane, Fountain.

Nature Hikes with Santa, with an interactive reading of Twas the Night Before Christmas, a hike with Santa to see the gifts nature gives us, a paper snowflake craft and seasonal music with the band Peppergrass. Saturdays, Dec. 9 and 16, 1011:30 a.m. and 1-2:30 p.m.; $5/$4 members, prepaid registration at tinyurl.com/epcofun; Fountain Creek Nature Center, 320 Pepper Grass Lane, Fountain.

Art Guffaw’s Big Bubble Circus, New Year’s Eve giggles for families, with “dancing soap bubbles, daring aerial acrobatics, assorted ‘wild’ animal tricks, and belly laughs galore.” Three shows on Dec. 31, see themat.org for times and tickets; Millibo Art Theatre, 1626 S. Tejon St.

Solstice Celebration, “investigate old and new ways to celebrate this celestial event and demonstrate traditions to bring

Michael

Adam’s gift certificates Order your Holiday Dessert and in time for the Holidays!

Marketspice Place your order by phone: 719-685-1430 Tea make great stocking AdamsMountainCafe.com stuffers or last 26 Manitou Avenue | 719.685.1430 minute gifts.

Visit us at

MUSIC Martin

Murphey’s

Cowboy

continued on p. 17 ➔

EXPLORE THE MYRIAD OF OFFERINGS AT THE CLIFF HOUSE!

Whether it’s KaraoKe Nights aNd a temptiNg NeW meNu at red mouNtaiN Bar & grill or iNdulgiNg iN romaNtic getaWays accompaNied By exquisite diNiNg , t he c liff h ouse at p iKes p eaK has it all .

HOMETOWN CELEBRATION

Courtesy Downtown Partnership

Holiday festivities Downtown include: Skate in the Park (through Jan. 31), a Holiday Art & Gift Market (Saturday, Nov. 25), A Very Merry Downtown Market (Dec. 2-3), holiday strolls with characters, caroling and more live music, plus the Festival of Lights Parade (Dec. 9). Details at downtowncs.com/holidays.

THECLIFFHOUSE.COM SHOP LOCAL | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | INDY

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Christmas Stollen

SHOP LOCAL: GUIDE TO THE HOLIDAYS

Edelweiss Restaurant

34 E. Ramona between South Nevada & Tejon 719-633-2220 edelweissrest.com

F

G Resetarman u ra n t

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RESERVATIONS: edelweissrest.com • 719-633-2220 34 E. Ramona between South Nevada & Tejon Locally owned & operated for over 55 years!

Edelweiss Gift Certificates make a great gift!

Unwrap the Beauty Within!

or over 50 years this family-owned German Restaurant on the south side of Colorado Springs has served over a million happy customers. The restaurant invites guests to dine in one of its several rooms decorated with artifacts from Europe. With strolling musicians on Friday and Saturday nights, three blazing fireplaces in winter, and an authentic “Biergarten” in summer, you are sure to enter into another world as a guest at Edelweiss.

The authentic menu with a variety of Old World German dishes includes Schnitzel, Bratwurst, and Sauerbraten, with newer-age items such as Flammekuchen and Maultaschen. For those not so adventurous palates Edelweiss offers other Continental fare such as Chicken Cordon Bleu, Filet Tournedos, or Fresh Salmon Filet. Imported German Beers and Wines can be ordered to compliment any of the flavorful dishes. The European-trained Swiss Pastry Chef bakes all of the desserts from scratch, so save room for one of the rich Tortes or pastries, or take some to go.

Gallery113

125 1/2 N. Tejon 719-634-5299 gallery113cos.com

G

allery 113 downtown is your award-winning, go-to local gallery for beautiful and affordable holiday art and gifts. Meet the artists and enjoy a pleasant, unhurried shopping experience 11 am to 5 pm daily. Find fine original paintings from small to extra large wall pieces, pottery both decorative and practical, silk scarves, wooden bowls, jewelry, glassware, leather goods, and more. Shop in store or online at www.gallery113cos.com. Come see why we were voted one of the top three galleries in the Springs by Indy and Gazette readers! Happy Holidays!

Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub and Restaurant ENJOY THESE SPECIAL OFFERS

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timelessaestheticsllc.com Monday - Friday 10a.m. to 5p.m.

INDY | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | SHOP LOCAL

21 S. Tejon Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80903 719-385-0766 jackquinnspub.com

J

ack Quinn’s Irish Pub has you covered for the holidays! Get a free $5 gift card with every $25 gift card purchase! We have JQ Merch too, T-shirts, beanies, scarves and more! If you want someone else to do the cooking for your Christmas dinner, we will be offering a catered meal for 6 people featuring Prime Rib or Turkey. As always, we will be decked out for the holidays; so be sure to come by for a cozy experience at the Indy’s Best Of 2023 Gold winning Irish pub and get away from the hustle and bustle!

More at jackquinns.pub.com or email your questions to mklube@jackquinnspub.com

Celebrate!

➔ continued from p. 15

Christmas, a multimedia production that includes the Rio Grande Band and Rocky Mountain Vintage Dancers. Tuesday, Nov. 28, 7:30 p.m.; Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave.; pikespeakcenter. com.

Lindsey Stirling’s Snow Waltz Tour, the “classically trained musician/songwriter/ dancer/author finds herself fully in her element, sharing a selection of holiday classics and original songs.” Thursday, Nov. 30, 8 p.m.; Broadmoor World Arena, 3185 Venetucci Blvd.; broadmoorworldarena.com.

Blue Violin Candlelight Christmas, “original music and covers in a multimedia format, all using a single violin.” Saturday, Dec. 2, 7 p.m.; Ent Center for the Arts, 5225 N. Nevada Ave.; blue-violin.com.

The Magical Music of Christmas, “a musical journey of Christmas through the ages” by Out Loud: The Colorado Springs Men’s Chorus. Friday, Dec. 1, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 2, 2 and 7:30 p.m.; First Congregational Church, 20 E. St. Vrain St. Also: Friday, Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m.; Community Congregational Church, 103 Pawnee Ave., Manitou Springs. Tickets at outloudcsmc. com/events.

Colorado Springs Youth Symphony Holiday Concert, Saturday, Dec. 2, 7:30 p.m.; Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade

Courtesy Flying W Ranch

MUSIC

Flying W Ranch Christmas Jubilee comes with a zillion twinkling lights and a musical show by the Flying W Wranglers, noted for their “stunning three-part harmonies, superb instrumentation, and clean bunkhouse humor.” Dec. 8-23, various times; 3330 Chuckwagon Road; see flyingw.com for times and tickets.

Ave.; csysa.com/special-events. ’Tis the Season: A Choral Christmas,

by Colorado Springs Children’s Chorale along with Pikes Peak Philharmonic, Soli Deo Gloria Choir, First Congregational Church Choir, Calvary United Methodist Choir, and members of community choirs including Abendmusik, Colorado Springs Chorale and college choirs. Includes a Messiah sing-along: “Join your

own voice with the choirs and make Handel’s masterpiece come alive.” Sunday, Dec. 3, 3 p.m.; Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave.; kidssing.org.

Home Free for the Holidays, “country music fans’ favorite a cappella group” will get you in the holiday spirit. Thursday, Dec. 7, 8 p.m.; Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave., pikespeakcenter.com/ events/detail/homefree.

Exodus & Impact: Jewish Culture and the World, “Art Song Colorado explores the touching and gorgeous music created at the intersection of Jewish culture, composers and librettists.” Thursday, Dec. 7, 7 p.m., artists reception follows (free); First United Methodist Church, 420 N. Nevada Ave.; tinyurl.com/ArtSong-CO. O Come, Emmanuel Christmas Concert,

continued on p. 19 ➔

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AURORA | WESTMINSTER | BOULDER | COLORADO SPRINGS | PARK MEADOWS | LITTLETON | FRISCO SHOP LOCAL | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | INDY

17

SHOP LOCAL: GUIDE TO THE HOLIDAYS

Miracle At Trainwreck

812 South Sierra Madre Street Downtown Colorado Springs, CO trainwreckco.com 719-266-2090

G

et Ready for a “Christmas Off the Rails”! Kicking off Nov. 18-Dec. 31, Miracle at Trainwreck will feature a holiday oasis with over the festive décor and a themed cocktail menu with fan favorites such as a Snowball Old-Fashioned, Yippie Ki Yay Mother F****r!, Jingle Balls NoAdveru know us for such as our gaming, golfing, and sports broadcasted on our 25-foot television. Must be 18+ years to play our games, or a guardian present; 21+ years only after 10pm. Due to high demand and popularity, Trainwreck will not be accepting reservations.

All seating is first come, first served with your entire party present to be seated.

Follow us @trainwreckcs for updates.

Old Colorado City

ShopOldColoradoCity.com

W

ith over 100 locally owned shops, galleries, restaurants, inns, and service providers, Old Colorado City is the place to be this Holiday Season. Dozens of shops and boutiques showcase unique gifts, fashions, and jewelry. Fifteen galleries feature local artists.Our restaurants offer the best in fine dining, international cuisine, live music, and late night entertainment. Our specialty businesses pamper your body and soul.

Don’t miss upcoming Holiday Events: Small Business Saturday (Nov. 25th), Christmas Stroll (November 25th, 5-8pm), Photos with Santa (Weekends, Nov 25th – Dec 23rd, 12-4pm), Holiday First Friday ArtWalk (December 1st, 5-8pm).

Old Town Bike Shop

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DowntownCS.com/holiday 18

INDY | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | SHOP LOCAL

426 S Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903 719-475-8589 bikes@oldtownbikeshop.com oldtownbikeshop.com

W

e have been providing quality bicycles, accessories, and expert service since 1976. If you are interested in purchasing a new bicycle, repairing and/or updating an old favorite, we would love to work with you.

Our store showcases a large assortment of new bicycles. Find highly reliable electric bikes that feature motors from Yamaha/SyncDrive, Bosch, Shimano, Sram, Fazua, TQ, and Hyena. Our technicians are certified in these systems and can provide a diagnosis should you need it. Trek, Giant, and Liv deliver us with the largest variety of bicycles to meet your needs. If you are interested in an indestructible, all-weather commuter, or bike packing rig, Surly Bikes in your dependable go-to. You will find that our selection of Pivot Cycles and Transition Bicycles offer a best-in-class experience that will guarantee yourself a great time outdoors.

For more information visit www.oldtownbikeshop.com or call 719-287-9261.

Celebrate!

Courtesy Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

KIDS & FAMILIES

Electric Safari at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo features 85 unique light sculptures, Santa Claus and photos with illuminated inflatable animals. Open on specific dates between Dec. 1 and Jan. 1, 2024, see schedule at tinyurl.com/CMZoo-Safari; 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road.

➔ continued from p. 17 “violinist Theresa Phillips; cellist Pam Chaddon, pianist Rob Lambrech and vocalist J.J. Kaelin will perform classical, traditional and contemporary Christmas music to raise money for Tri-Lakes Cares.”

Friday, Dec. 15, 7 p.m.; St. Peter Catholic Church, 55 Jefferson St., Monument; tinyurl.com/Emmanuel-StPeter.

The Pikes Peak Philharmonic: December Concert, with “Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite No. 1, Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, Prokofiev’s Lieutenant Kije Suite, and Anderson’s beloved classic, Sleigh Ride.” Sunday, Dec. 17, 3 p.m.; Ent Center for the Arts, 5225 N. Nevada Ave.; pikespeakphil.org/upcoming-events.

Colorado Springs Philharmonic: Christmas Symphony, “let the air be filled with holiday cheer as the beloved annual Christmas tradition returns” — with Thomas Wilson conducting, and joined by the Colorado Springs Chorale Society.

Saturday, Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 17, 2:30 p.m.; Pikes Peak Center, 190

S. Cascade Ave.; csphilharmonic.org/ event/christmassymphony.

SPECIAL EVENTS A Service of Lessons and Carols, “music and dance — a night of holiday spirit and celebration.” Friday, Dec. 1, 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 3, 3 p.m.; First United Methodist Church, 420 N. Nevada Ave.; fumccs.org/news.

Festival of Lessons & Carols, an Advent service with scripture, carols and choral pieces by the Colorado College Chamber Choir and musicians from the CC community. Sunday, Dec. 3, 6 p.m.; Shove Chapel, 1010 N. Nevada Ave.; tinyurl.com/ Advent-CC23.

Festival of Lights Holiday Celebration at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum, “the Museum will have athlete meet & greets, a beer garden, indoor curling, artifact demonstrations and even service puppies.” Sunday, Dec. 3, noon to 5 p.m.; usopm.org/festival-of-lights-holiday-celebration.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

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MUSIC

A Winter’s Eve with David Arkenstone & Friends, “candlelit concert of beloved holiday classics reimagined, blending neo-classical crossover, new age, Celtic, orchestral, and world music.” Saturday, Dec. 9, 7 p.m.; Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts, 304 US-105, Palmer Lake; trilakesarts.org/event/david-arkenstone.

Electric Moonlight, for adults 21-plus, “festive holiday lights with indoor sampling areas featuring beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks while tasting delicious eats from area restaurants.” Thursday, Dec. 7, 5:30-8:30 p.m.; Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Road; advance tickets only, at cmzoo.org/events.

The Annual Colorado Springs Citywide Kwanzaa Celebration will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. each day from Tuesday, Dec. 26, through Monday, Dec. 31, at In-Balance Wellness Studio, 2820 E. Pikes Peak Ave.; cospringskwanzaa.org.

Holiday Evening at Rock Ledge Ranch, includes wagon rides, live music, barn dancing, Victorian celebrations at Rock Ledge House, and Edwardian festivities in Orchard House. Saturday, Dec. 9, 4-8 p.m.; 3105 Gateway Road; tickets at rockledgeranch.com/event/holiday-evening.

Christmas This Year, “a family variety show that highlights the gifts and talents of our community with Down syndrome and special abilities.” Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 2-3, with shows at 2 and 6 p.m. (livestream also available); Ent Center for the Arts, 5225 N. Nevada Ave.; christmasthisyear.org.

Wintersong, “combining music and spoken word and spanning the centuries from medieval to modern. Exploring mystery, timelessness, the intersection between light and dark, and the beauty of the natural world as it is revealed in winter.” Friday-Saturday, Dec. 15-16, 7:30 p.m.; Shove Chapel/CC, 1010 N. Nevada Ave.; tinyurl.com/Wintersong-23.

STAGE

Modbo Ho-Ho, a naughty local Christmas tradition (adults only!) with “lots of tawdry songs, a few dances, and perhaps a guest appearance by the big man himself.” Dec. 8-9, 7:30 p.m.; Millibo Art Theatre, 1626 S. Tejon St.; tickets at themat.org.

continued on p. 21 ➔

G if ts G alore !

PAINTINGS • PHOTOGRAPHY • SILK • WOOD • JEWELRY • POTTERY • GLASSWARE GREETING CARDS • SCULPTURE • PRINTS • ORNAMENTS • AND MORE Visit Gallery 113 for amazing, affordable, beautiful art created by our 17 local artists.

Voted one of the top three galleries in the Springs!

Can’t choose? We have gift cards!

719.634.5299 • 125 1/2 N. Tejon • GALLERY113COS.COM SHOP LOCAL | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | INDY

19

SHOP LOCAL: GUIDE TO THE HOLIDAYS

Rick’s Garden Center

1827 W. Uintah Street Across from King Sooper Shopping Center 719.632.8491 RicksGarden.com

R

ick’s Garden Center has been on the westside and serving loyal customers who travel from every corner of Colorado Springs since 1948!

Come see us for rare houseplants, gardening supplies, landscaping materials, beautiful water features, Colorado proud products and a strong native plants selection. During this holiday season, swing by for a Christmas cactus, poinsettia, Christmas tree or a festive entryway wreath. Be welcomed by our friendly and knowledgeable staff. We want your green thumb to shine through!

We are open 7 days a week and year round. Visit us at www.ricksgarden.com for our current hours and to shop our expansive and unique inventory. We offer military discounts and have a customer loyalty program.

Thank you for continuing to support your westside independent garden centerRick’s!

Happy Holidays!

Rocky Mountain Beignets 724 Manitou Avenue 225-435-4369 rockymountainbeignets.com

R

AT Come for the holiday vibes, Stay for the fun.

ocky Mountain Beignets serve fresh beignets made to order. Fresh coffee is served all day. For a limited time, there is a new holiday drink menu. RMB also sells a variety of gifts, books and souvenirs. Our new patio is the perfect place to sit and sip a hot cup of coffee and enjoy your time in Manitou Springs.

Timeless Aesthetics 1750 Telstar Drive #200 Colorado Springs, CO 80920 719-425-9336 timelessaestheticsllc.com

G Hurry Before this Miracle® Disappears!

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Trainwreck. 812 S Sierra Madre St. Colorado Springs, CO 20

INDY | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | SHOP LOCAL

ive Thanks To Your Skin with our many treatment options: OPTIMUS Has Arrived! — Lumecca (skin pigment removal) & Diolaze (laser hair removal), Aquafirme Hydration Facial & Hair Restoration, Bellafill®, Cosmetic Botox®, Cosmetic Brow & Lash Services, Chemical Peel, Dysport®, E Gift Cards, Evolvex Body Contouring, Facial Services, Hylenex®, Filler Remover, Juvederm Ultra® XC, Juvederm® Volbella XC, Juvederm Voluma XC, Kybella, Microneedling, Morpheus8, Newtox, Permanent Makeup, Plasma Pen, Prx-T33 Skin Treatment, Restylane® Defyne, Restylane® Kysse, Restylane® Lyft, Revanesse® Lips®, Restylane® Refyne, Semaglutide Weight Loss Program, Skin Care Products, Silhouette Instalift® Threads, Underarm Sweat Reduction.

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Celebrate!

DANCE

Karen J Montalvo

A Dragonfly Nutcracker: You’ll find Dragonfly Aerial Company’s version of the holiday classic up in the air! “Let us transport you from Clara’s living room to faraway lands with fascinating and magical characters....” Saturday, Dec. 9, 3 and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 10, 2 and 6 p.m.; The Dragonfly Theatre, 5780 E. Woodmen Road, #140; dragonflyaerialco. com/nutcracker.

➔ continued from p. 19 Cirque Musica Holiday Wonderland, a family-friendly extravaganza that delivers “acrobats, aerialists, hilarious hijinks and holiday cheer.” Wednesday, Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m.; Pikes Peak Center, 190 S. Cascade Ave.; pikespeakcenter.com.

Yule Be Naughty: Millibo’s Annual Holiday Cabaret, “join Babette and an all-star cast as they sing, dance, circus, and poke fun at the trials and tribulations of this most Merry Season.” Dec. 14-23, adults only; see themat.org for times and tickets; Millibo Art Theatre, 1626 S. Tejon St.

THEATER Miracle in Mistletoe Town OR Cooking the Books for Christmas Dinner, will real estate mogul Ivana Cringe replace the

town department store with a burger franchise? Through Dec. 23; Iron Springs Chateau, 444 S. Ruxton Ave., Manitou Springs; ironspringschateau.com.

The Little Prince “follows an aviator who crash-landed in the Sahara Desert where he meets a little prince who loves a rose from a distant world.” Presented by Theatreworks with local actors and puppetry.

Friday, Nov. 24 through Dec. 7, Ent Center for the Arts, 5225 N. Nevada Ave.; entcenterforthearts.org/theatreworks/current_ season.

Elf the Musical, “Buddy, a young orphan, mistakenly crawls into Santa’s bag of gifts and is transported to the North Pole.” Nov. 30-Dec. 31, see tinyurl.com/ Elf-FAC for times and tickets; Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St.

SHOP LOCAL | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | INDY

21

Wendel Torres President of Reliant Construction LLC

Hear how Wendel builds community beyond the brick and mortar residential, commercial and military structures he creates up and down the Front Range.

Dec. 13

4:30 - 6 p.m.

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2460 Montebello Square Drive

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

Presented by:

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INDY | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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LIVE ON STAGE NOV. 30–DEC. 31 MAKERS’ MARKETS Local art galleries offer one-of-akind works for gifting (or keeping!), and some have multi-artist shows/ sales during the festive season: G44 Gallery’s holiday show with works from 100 local artists and artisans (soft opening Nov. 30, g44gallery. com); Bosky Studio’s Small Works show (opening Dec. 1, boskystudio. com), and Commonwheel Artists Coop’s Holiday Market (through Dec. 28; commonwheel.com).

Cottonwood Holiday Art & Gift Market, with 30-plus local artisan vendors; Saturday, Nov. 25, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Cottonwood Center for the Arts, 427 E. Colorado Ave.; tinyurl.com/Cottonwood-mkt.

Holiday at the Hill, “over 40 local makers, creators, and artists, Santa, and a bar!” Saturday, Nov. 25, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; The Pinery at the Hill, 775 W. Bijou St.; tinyurl.com/Pinery-market.

Mountain Artists Holiday Show & Sale, Saturday, Nov. 25, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Ute Pass Cultural Center, 210 E. Midland Ave., Woodland Park; themountainartists.org.

Holiday Makers Market, a combination farm and art market. Sunday, Nov.

➔ continued from p. 10 Trailhead, Mueller State Park, 21045 CO-67, Divide; tinyurl.com/Mueller-hikes.

THEATER The Little Prince “follows an aviator who crash-landed in the Sahara Desert where he meets a little prince who loves a rose from a distant world.” By Theatreworks with local actors and puppetry. Friday, Nov.

26, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Red Leg Brewing Company 2323 Garden of the Gods Road; redlegbrewing.com/events.

Artists Sunday, with demonstrations and art for sale. Sunday, Nov. 26, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Ute Pass Cultural Center, 210 E. Midland Ave., Woodland Park; facebook.com/reserveourgallery.

Studio Nadeau Holiday Pottery Sale, with work by studio members; Friday, Dec. 1, 4-7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 2, 1-4 p.m.; 2997 Broadmoor Valley Road; nadeau.com/open-house-holiday-sale.

Colorado Farm and Art Market, offering Colorado-produced food and handcrafts; Saturday, Dec. 2, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; The Margarita at Pine Creek; 7350 Pine Creek Road; farmandartmarket.com.

Cheyenne Mountain High School Holiday Craft Fair, with 140-plus vendors. Saturday, Dec. 2, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Cheyenne Mountain High School; 1200 Cresta Road; cmhscraftfair.com/ index.html.

Very Merry Holiday Market, featuring artisans, craftspeople and boutique goods. Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Barrel Building @ Meanwhile Block, 114 W. Cimarron St.; tinyurl.com/very-merry23.

the musical

Music by Matthew Sklar | Lyrics by Chad Beguelin Book by Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan Directed by James Bruenger-Arreguin

24, through Dec. 7, Ent Center for the Arts, 5225 N. Nevada Ave.; entcenterforthearts. org/theatreworks/current_season.

Miracle in Mistletoe Town OR Cooking the Books for Christmas Dinner, will real estate mogul Ivana Cringe replace the town department store with a burger franchise? Through Dec. 23; Iron Springs Chateau, 444 S. Ruxton Ave., Manitou Springs; ironspringschateau.com.

FOR FULL EVENT LISTINGS, AND TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN EVENTS, GO TO CSINDY.COM!

TICKETS & DINNER RESERVATIONS fac.coloradocollege.edu · (719) 634-5583

Sponsored by The Tiemens Group at Morgan Stanley ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | INDY

23

If

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e.. k I l u Yo

Free Will ASTROLOGY SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) was charismatic and forceful, but also hot-tempered and prone to rude behavior. The writer Goethe, his contemporary, said, “his talent amazed me,” and described him as an “utterly untamed personality.” Beethoven seldom lived in one home for very long and loved to sing at the top of his lungs as he washed himself. Although he played piano with exquisite skill, he was quite clumsy as he moved through the world.

Can you guess what astrological sign he was?

Same as you! Sagittarius! I’m not saying you are exactly like this wild, unruly genius, but you do have tendencies in that direction. And in the coming weeks, I expect you’ll be inclined to be more Beethoven-esque than usual. Please work on emphasizing the winsome aspects.

e...

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AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): I estimate this horoscope is worth $22,225. It has been made possible by my many years of disciplined meditations, extensive reading of holy texts, and an ever-growing devotion to astrology and my readers. But here’s the fun part: You can read these words for free! No cost at all! I will, however, ask you to do something for me in return.

First, give your gifts joyously and generously in the coming weeks, holding nothing back.

Second, don’t be in the least concerned about whether you will receive benefits in return for your gifts. Find the sweet spot where you love bestowing blessings for no other reason except this one: You are expressing your gratitude for the miraculous life you have been given.

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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I hope you have developed good boundaries, Capricorn.

I hope you are so skilled at taking care of yourself that you steadfastly refuse to let people manipulate you or hurt you. Just to make sure your discernment is working at peak levels, though, I will offer you a tip. In the English language, we have the idiom “to rub salt in a wound,” which refers to the fact that daubing salt in an open gash in the skin makes the pain even worse. But did you know that smearing sugar in a wound is equally distressing? The metaphorical lesson is that you should be vigilant for seemingly nice, sweet people who might also violate your boundaries to hurt or manipulate you.

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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Do you possess gambits, tactics and knacks that we might refer to as your “bag of tricks”? I hope so, because such an asset will be extra valuable during the coming weeks. You will be wise to employ every cagey move you can imagine and call on every favor that’s owed to you and cash in on every advantage you have accrued. I don’t want you to engage in outright cheating, but I encourage you to use ploys and stratagems that have full integrity. Be on the lookout for secret shortcuts, magic cookies and wild cards.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): When we experience authentic awe, our humility deepens. This is turn tends to make us kinder, smarter and more positive. So how can we stimulate awe?

Among the many possible ways are gazing at magnificent art, hiking in a natural wonderland, or being in the presence of a beautiful human soul. In accordance with astrological omens, I recommend that you go in quest of awe and related feelings like reverence, amazement, adoration and veneration. Your mental, physical and spiritual health will flourish in response.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): It’s the Season for Cherishing and Smoking Out Secrets. So let’s talk about the subject. 1) Some secrets are sad, haunting, even risky — and worth keeping secret. 2) Other secrets can be beautiful, healing and potentially life-changing if they are revealed gracefully. 3) Some secrets are buried so deeply that only very persistent seekers dig them up. 4) Some secrets are “hidden” in plain view, and only visible to people who are clear and brave enough to identify them. I suspect you Tauruses will have a special knack for man-

BY ROB BREZSNY

aging all types of secrets in the coming weeks, including those I mentioned.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I hope you won’t fill yourself up with appetizers and hors d’oeuvres in the coming weeks, Gemini. My soul will be at peace if I see you save your hunger for the main courses. Your motto should be “Feasts, not snacks!” or “The Real Deal, not the pretenders!” or “The jubilee, not the distractions!”

If you ever find yourself feeling halfhearted or inattentive, you’re probably not in the right situation. Here’s an affirmation to go with your mottoes: “I am liberating my divine appetite!”

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Playwright Anton Chekhov (1860-1904) is regarded as one of history’s great writers. That does not mean everything he said was wise, useful or worthy of our attention. For example, he was once asked to give his opinion about ballet. “During the intermissions, the ballerinas stink like horses,” he replied. I hesitate to bring up such a vulgar reference, but I wanted to make a vivid point.

In the coming weeks, I hope you will ignore the advice of people who don’t know what they are talking about, no matter how smart or charismatic they may be. I hope you will not attribute expertise to those who have no such expertise.

I hope that as much as possible, you will rely on first-hand information, rigorous research and reliable influences.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Researchers have determined that there are two basic dispositions among tigers. One is what they call “majesty.”

Creatures with this orientation tend to be dignified, imposing and agile. The other type of tiger personality revolves around “steadiness.”

This is the opposite of neuroticism, and includes the qualities of being affable, easy to get along with and well-adjusted. I know many astrologers associate lions with you Leos, but I prefer to link you with tigers. If you agree with me, here’s my prediction: You are beginning a phase when you will be more majestic than steady — but with plenty of steadiness also available if you want it.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “It is better to entertain an idea than to take it home to live with you for the rest of your life,” wrote author Randall Jarrell. That’s decent advice, though I will add a caveat. If you entertain an idea for a while and it turns out that you love it, and you also love the benef icent effect it has on you, you may be smart to take it home to live with you. I’m guessing you Virgos are at a pivotal point in this regard. Not yet, but soon, you will know whether it will be wise to get cozier with certain influences you have been flirting with — or else decide they are not ones you want to keep.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): If I could give an award for Most Curious Genius in the World, it would be to Libran author and naturalist Diane Ackerman. She would also get my prize for Most Voracious Learner and Best Questioner and Most Exuberant Seeker and Searcher. “To hear the melody,” she writes, “we must hear all the notes.” In response to the question, “What is life?” she offers this answer: “corsages and dust mites and alligator skin and tree-frog serenades and foreskins and blue hydrangeas and banana slugs and war dances and cedar chips and bombardier beetles.” In accordance with current astrological omens, I encourage you to be like Diane Ackerman in the coming weeks.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Have you located any of your soul twins? If not, is that an interesting prospect for you? Please note that soul twins are not necessarily the same as dream lovers. They may simply be people with whom you share deep values and perspectives. They might aspire to influence the world in ways similar to you. With a soul twin, you feel at home in the world and extra happy to be yourself. I bring these meditations to your attention, Scorpio, because the coming months will be an especially likely time for you to encounter and engage with soul twins. Be on the alert!

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Edited by David Steinberg | Themeless Sunday 61 by Matthew Stock

Across 1

"All better!"

46 "Now," to a doctor

13 Means of access

47 "Mamma Mia!" star Streep

14 Fried squid

10 ___ My Friends (punny name for a succulent shop)

50 Convent resident

14 Something to type in for a discount

53 Eggs in a fertility clinic

15 Unable to decide 16 Post-course refresher?

18 Canadian coin with a bird on one side 19 Tasting of a wood barrel 20 Neither's partner 21 (I want to go for a walk!)

52 Reddit Q&A 54 Informed 58 Cleans, as a spill 60 Try to calm down 63 "The very ___!"

64 Floor exercises?

65 Suffix with "gab" or "snooze" 66 Flyers with secret information?

Down

22 Tool with teeth 1

Do some marathon training

28 Lil ___ X

2

30 Nickname that omits "vatore"

No longer racing against the clock

3

Ready for customers

4

NBA announcer Burke

5

___ condor (bird found in a South American range)

6

Physics, for one: Abbr.

7

Taboo thing

8

"The Incredibles" fashionista Mode

40 Tired person's announcement

9

Personal planner division

42 Goddess who emerged from Durga

10 Cash box, for short

43 Whimper for a treat

12 "... but I could be wrong"

24 Damp and smelly 26 #, in chess notation

31 Opera solo 32 "C'mon, would I do that?!"

37 Spirits that might be spiced 38 Sounding thin and metallic 39 Fella

44 Fix the result of

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17 Nashville auditorium hidden in "Barry Manilow" 23 Means of access 25 Bike rack attachments named for a vowel 27 Breeze past 29 Dolphins' communication method 30 Paraglider's domain 33 Let down, as your hair 34 "Great play, goalie!"

35 Dogs similar to huskies 36 Tombstone inscriptions 38 "You're it!"

41 American rival 45 "Real Sports" host Bryant 47 Recurring theme 48 Avoid via a spin move, perhaps 49 Zen garden tools 51 "___ Rae" (film in which Sally Field holds a UNION sign) 55 Bookie's calculation 56 Look before you ___ 57 Just say no 59 Lowly worker 61 Have tamales, perhaps 62 Main doctor, for short

Find the answers on p. 26 CANDY | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | INDY

25

Photo illustration, stock.adobe.com

News of the

WEIRD

BY THE EDITORS AT ANDREWS MCMEEL

Impeccable timing

Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman accompanied the mayor on Nov. 6 at a news conference where they presented a resolution to help curb reckless driving in the city, The Washington Post reported, saying the city needs to “change the daily behavior” of dangerous drivers. But after the event, as soon as Norman hit the road in his SUV, a dump truck rear-ended him, injuring both Norman and another officer. “We did not need this type of reminder that all drivers need to slow down and increase caution on our roadways,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said.

How convenient

In the Chinese province of Hunan, the Shiniuzhai Scenic Area offers stunning landscapes of sheer cliffs — perfect for climbers. And who doesn’t get a little thirsty on the way up a grueling vertical mountain face? CNN reported that perched at 394 feet above the ground, a 2-square-meter “convenience store” offers free water bottles and other sustenance to hungry and parched climbers.

The general manager of Shiniuzhai, Song Huizhou, said staff members are tasked with hauling goods up to the store every day in their backpacks. And you thought your commute was brutal.

Battle bot

The BBC reported on Nov. 8 that a man in South Korea lost his life after a robot he was working on in a factory grabbed him and crushed his face and chest onto a

conveyor belt. The employee of the robotics company, in his 40s, was working late on the robotic arm when it mistook him for a box of vegetables, which it was supposed to lift and transfer onto a pallet.

The man was taken to the hospital but later died of his injuries.

Just plane wrong

On Nov. 1, at Canberra Airport in Australia, a woman who seemingly missed her flight ran past security and onto the tarmac, trying to attract the attention of the pilot, 9News reported. The QantasLink flight was headed to Adelaide.

Witness Dennis Bilic said it was “weird” that no one stopped her: “People were a bit flat-footed ... that was the weird part.” Another witness said the pilot was “warned or spotted her and killed the engine.” Flights were delayed for about 10 minutes after the incident.

New baby smell

Fashion icon Dior has launched a new scent made for babies, the Mirror reported. Bonne Etoile, priced at 230 British pounds (about $281), will provide a “gentle reminder of sweet memories of early childhood,” the brand gushed, with its “light notes of fruit, pillowy cotton and velvety petals.” (Do I detect a hint of spitup?) It contains 98 percent natural-original ingredients. Parents can also indulge in hydrating body milks and bath cleansing foams. But everybody knows that babies smell amazing without the pricey perfumes!

LOSING ONE’S HEAD

W

HEN ANTIQUE DEALER BETH MEYER BOUGHT THE CONtents of a storage unit in September 2022, she was disappointed that there were no rocks inside; rocks are her specialty. However, The Washington Post reported, she did find a human skull among the items. This October, she put a $4,000 price tag on the skull and used it in a Halloween display in the store she helps run in North Fort Myers, Florida — until an anthropologist walked through and saw it. While Meyer already knew the skull was real, the scientist thought it was very old and possibly from a Native American person, making it subject to certain federal laws. So they contacted the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies deposited the skull with the medical examiner’s office, and while Florida law prohibits selling human remains, they don’t believe Meyer did anything wrong. She said she was “unaware of the skull being a Native American. I put such a high price on it that I figured no one would buy it.”

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INDY | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | CANDY

SUDOKU X

Complete the grid so that every row, column, diagonal and 3x3 box contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Focus

End-of-Year Taxes stock.adobe.com

Tax facts

Time for business owners to get their books in order

BY AMANDA MILLER LUCIANO

T

here are just a few weeks left before the end of the year, which means it’s time for small business owners to get their books together and start talking with their accountants about what they need to do to save on their tax bills.

There are not a lot of new tax laws on the books for 2023, local accountants say, but there are some new complications at the state level — and at least one big tax savings opportunity that started in 2022 — that some small business owners may not know about.

Pass-Through Entity Election

Colorado small business owners could have a huge tax savings opportunity in the Pass-Through Entity Election, and they may be able to turn back the clock and take advantage of it retroactively through their 2018 taxes.

The Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 limits the deduction of state and local taxes paid by individuals to $10,000. But Colorado enacted a law that went into effect in 2022 allowing S-corporations, Partnerships and some other entity types to pay those individual state income taxes and deduct them on their federal returns, which could result in big tax savings.

“It doesn’t make sense for everyone to do it,” says Josh Olson, senior tax manager at Stockman Kast Ryan + Company. “It really makes sense for those in the higher tax brackets.”

Those who take advantage of the PTE election are still able to itemize their personal taxes or take the standard deduction.

Of course, small business owners should be paying themselves a fair wage, Olson says. And the PTE election only applies to business income reported on a K-1, not the W2 income.

“As an example,” Olson says, “if an S-corporation generated $200,000 of taxable K-1 income, the Colorado tax is 4.4 percent or $8,800, which would be paid at the entity level instead of the individual level. This could possibly result in a federal tax benefit which would be $8,800 multiplied by the individual’s effective tax rate.”

Taking advantage of the PTE election also requires that the entity add any income that was deducted as part of the 20 percent Qualified Business Income on the federal tax return back into the total income for the state return, which would reverse some of the savings.

“It gets very complicated,” Olson said. “Taxpayers should

consult their tax adviser.”

For some high-income small business owners it may also be worth investigating Colorado’s new allowance for filers to take advantage of the PTE election retroactively, Olson says.

Beginning this September through July 1, 2024, the state will allow entities to file amended returns dating back to 2018 to take advantage of the PTE election.

“They will need to look at the numbers and do a costbenefit analysis to see if it’s worth doing,” Olson says. “It might not be worth the accounting fees for preparing the amended returns. Mostly, I think it’s important that business owners know this is an opportunity so they can talk with their accountants about whether it makes sense for them.”

Complicated payroll changes for Colorado

Beginning at the start of 2022, Colorado small business owners had to withhold for the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program, which was created when voters passed an act in 2020 to create a program that will compensate workers who have to take uncompensated leave to care for loved ones. The act includes leave for new parents. continued on p. 29 ➔

CSBJ.com | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | COLORADO SPRINGS BUSINESS JOURNAL

27

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WHEN YOU’RE SERIOUS ABOUT REAL ESTATE 28

COLORADO SPRINGS BUSINESS JOURNAL | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | CSBJ.com

➔ continued from p. 27

All employees are required to pay into the insurance program, and all employers, regardless of their size, are required to withhold the employee premiums. Those businesses with 10 or more employees are required to pay an additional employer contribution into the program.

“Colorado payroll requirements are getting a bit burdensome for the small business owner,” says John Kopenhafer, CPA and principal at Williams & Kopenhafer PC. He notes that the state also began requiring all employers to contribute to employee retirement plans beginning in 2023.

“It has gotten to the point where just about all small business owners really need to hire a professional payroll service,” Kopenhafer says. “They need someone to keep track of all the regulations and make sure they’re meeting the requirements.”

Small businesses could get into trouble if they haven’t been keeping up with the state requirements, he says.

General year-end tips

There are a few year-end tips that are relevant every year, but that warrant a mention and maybe a little heightened attention in 2023.

“If you’re thinking about buying new equipment, and it makes sense to buy it this year, you should get it done before Dec. 31,” Kopenhafer says.

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 established a Bonus Depreciation rule that allowed business owners to write off the entire amount of an investment in new equipment in the year in which it was purchased and put into service instead of depreciating it over the term of its asset life, which typically ranges from five to 20 years. The 100 percent depreciation ended in 2022 and has dropped to 80 percent in

2023. In 2024, it will drop again to 60 percent.

That means business owners will be able to write off more at once from big investments this year than they will be able to next year. So if companies need equipment and have tax liability, it makes sense to try to get the purchase made before the end of the year, accountants say.

“It’s a good opportunity assuming you need the deduction — and you need the equipment,” Olson says. “I don’t tell people to buy a truck unless they need a truck.”

He adds that any purchase under $2,500 doesn’t have to be depreciated and can be expensed in whole, so the Bonus Depreciation benefit is reserved for larger capital investments.

In addition to equipment investments, Kopenhafer says small business owners need to be sure they get their 401(k) and other qualified retirement plan contributions made before the end of the year.

Not including catch-up contributions for those over the age of 50, employees are allowed to contribute $22,500 to 401(k)s in 2023, according to the IRS. Employers can contribute up to 25 percent of an employee’s salary, up to a combined total contribution from employer and employee of $66,000. All of those contributions can be deducted from total income to reduce tax liability for small business owners, Olson says.

Another tax deduction to consider before year-end is charitable contributions, Olson says. A taxpayer needs to benefit from itemizing in order to deduct charitable contri-

butions on their taxes, meaning they will need to itemize more than the $27,700 standard deduction for those joint filers.

Olson says a good strategy for maximizing the deduction for charitable contributions is to group two years of contributions in one year and to skip every other year so the taxpayer can deduct more in an itemized tax return.

Just about all small business owners really need to hire a professional payroll service.

Hiring a professional

While there have not been any major changes to tax code in 2023, Kopenhafer says tax filing for small businesses has become increasingly complex in recent years and it’s important for business owners to consult professionals who can help.

If they aren’t working with someone who is current on tax code or new requirements, they can get into trouble or they could miss out on valuable tax deductions.

Both Kopen hafer and Olson — John Kopenhafer recommend business owners work on getting their books together — which they see many struggle to organize — before the end of the year so they can talk with their accountants about what to expect and if there’s anything they can get done before the end of the year.

“I’d say it’s a good idea to get the bulk of your tax information to your CPA before the end of the year, even if it’s not complete,” Olson says. “That way you can just work on filling in the gaps during tax season when everyone is overwhelmed.” CSBJ n

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29

Front

stock.adobe.com

The

Ask questions and ease holiday stress T he holiday season is officially here — and while this is traditionally a festive time of year, for many, it’s not a season of joy. It’s rather a time of overwhelming stress, responsibilities and reminders of trauma.

Veterans who have spent the holidays away from family on multiple deployments could be triggered by the season. Some who cope with post- Dr. Cristi traumatic stress disorder and other Bundukamara behavioral health problems stemming from decades of war may see the holidays as something to get through, rather than celebrate.

While the national suicide rate is lowest in December, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for many people, the holidays mean worrying about finances; they mean the stress of measuring up to picture-perfect lives on social media; they mean challenging family dynamics.

How can you help the veteran in your life deal with holiday stress? Talk to them. Open a genuine, sincere conversation about how they are feeling and what they need.

Here are five questions to get started: 1. How do you feel around the holidays?

Many people have stressful holiday memories. Remember that not everyone comes from a happy family, and the break from school and work can leave little room for a mental escape.

But for veterans, these memories can be of holidays spent away from home, lonely tours with chow-hall turkey and mashed potatoes, followed by their military responsibilities. Recalling opening gifts from family in the barracks can just make the holidays worse.

Asking how they feel during the holiday season can cre30

ate a safe space to talk about those feelings.

2. What is your favorite thing about the holidays?

Maybe it’s the bright lights on homes in the neighborhood, decorating the Christmas tree, lighting a Menorah — but asking about what is best about the holidays can bring a smile and ease the stress that comes during the season.

Recalling joy can bring peace. For veterans who are grieving the loss of a comrade-in-arms, talking with loved ones can help ease the pain.

3. What is your least favorite thing about the holidays?

Just as everyone has a favorite thing about the holidays, many people have something they don’t like. Gathering with family can bring back unpleasant or harmful memories; endless shopping trips with high prices and small budgets can be difficult; balancing celebrations with work can leave people exhausted. And veterans may want to avoid loud parties, fireworks or other PTSD triggers that can make navigating an already stressful time more difficult.

Talking about these triggers can make a difference.

Together, you can create a plan to avoid, or at least diminish, the unpleasant parts of the holiday season. Maybe do all the shopping at once, avoiding Black Friday crowds?

Maybe only spend an hour with that family member who you would otherwise avoid. Instead of fireworks shows, go to a low-key movie or a play.

Open conversations can lead to closer relationships and genuinely understanding others in your life.

4. What are your thoughts when people talk about family time?

For some military families, “family time” has been forever changed by an empty seat at the Thanksgiving table.

For others, holiday stress can lead to bitter arguments.

Taking the time to understand others’ struggles this time of

COLORADO SPRINGS BUSINESS JOURNAL | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | CSBJ.com

year can make it easier to process a reluctance to celebrate, or irritable behavior, or a decision to self-isolate.

5. How do you feel when people share holiday stories?

Why this question? Oftentimes hearing others’ stories about the holidays can resurrect old trauma for veterans.

Allowing those who have served in uniform to discuss what they think about other people’s holiday stories, what memories rise to the surface, can be healing and restorative.

It can ease holiday stress and worry — and bring people closer together.

So what do you do with all this information now that you’ve asked the questions? Plan ahead and experience a less stressful season. Understand the other person’s perspective and empathize. And know, if you dread the holiday season — you aren’t alone.

Dr. Cristi Bundukamara is a veteran and a nurse practitioner. She owns and operates Mentally STRONG, a Colorado Springs-based clinic that teaches resilience and mental wellness.

Editor’s note: If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, contact a mental health professional.

If it’s an emergency, call 911.

Visit mentalhealth.va.gov or bha.colorado.gov/getbehavioral-health-help for a list of resources.

The Front is a collaboration between the Colorado Springs Business Journal, Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center and its partners.

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WHEN YOU’RE SERIOUS ABOUT REAL ESTATE CLASSIFIEDS | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | INDY

31

In these changing times, let us be reminded of the beliefs held by our Founding Fathers, and remember them on Thanksgiving Day, 2023.

PROCLAMATION OF THANKSGIVING

by President George Washington, 1789

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to “recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM ALL OF US AT 32

INDY | Nov. 22 - 28, 2023 | CLASSIFIEDS