Colorado Springs Independent: June 27, 2024

CSINDY.COM | Vol. 1 Issue 4 | 06.27.2024 | FREE

UPHILL BATTLE IN THIS ISSUE: | WATER UTILITY EYES THE ARKANSAS PAGE 6 | MAYOR YEMI REFLECTS ON YEAR ONE PAGE 13 | REMEMBERING SCOTT O'MALLEY PAGE 17

A ROOKIE DRIVER TAKES ON AMERICA'S MOUNTAIN PAGE 8

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A Pikes Peak Media Company

"...raising a ruckus with his cowbells"

CONTENTS

17

COVER DESIGN by

Adam Biddle

COVER PHOTO by

Nam Phan

namphan.com

PUBLISHER

Mackenzie Tamayo PUBLISHING CONSULTANT Fran Zankowski

EDITORIAL EDITOR IN CHIEF Ben Trollinger REPORTERS Andrew Rogers and Cannon Taylor CONTRIBUTORS Adam Leech, Lauren Ciborowski, Camille Liptak, Owen Perkins and Emily Dieckman

SALES AD DIRECTOR JT Slivka ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Parker Sullivan, Monty Hatch, Erin Cordero AD COORDINATOR Lanny Adams

Waddie Mitchell hosts the Scott O'Malley Celebration of Life| Credit: Owen Perkins

06 NEWS City Utility Pivots as Colorado River Runs Dry 14 FOOD Philanthropic Food Hall Closes Abruptly

ART & PRODUCTION

08 COVER Lofty Ambitions for Hill Climb Racers

SENIOR EDITORIAL DESIGNER Adam Biddle

17 MUSIC Remembering a High Lonesome Legacy

AD DESIGNER Catherine Higley

OPERATIONS DIGITAL/SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST Sean Cassady DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Kay Williams

EMAIL Submit a letter News tip Calendar Editor Advertising Distribution Publisher

letters@ppmc.live news@ppmc.live calendar@ppmc.live editor@ppmc.live advertising@ppmc.live distribution@ppmc.live publisher@ppmc.live

15

FEATURED.

SECTIONS.

04 EDITOR'S NOTE

16 MUSIC LISTINGS

24 EVENTS

27 ARTS & CULTURE

28 OPINION

29 OUTSIDE

+ Letters to the Editor

Things to do in The Springs Thru July 10

Insurance in an Age of Disaster

Wild card street tacos| Credit: Andrew Rogers

29

Local and Statewide

Tattoo Expo Brings Artists to The Springs

The Return of "Hiking Bob"

Bob's Back!| Credit: Bob Falcone

4 | Colorado Springs Independent | CSINDY.com

EDITOR’S NOTE

LETTERS.

PLEASE READ THE LETTER

I

By BEN TROLLINGER • ben.trollinger@ppmc.live

suspected calling Colorado Springs a friendly, inviting place in a recent column might stir up a little controversy. To be sure, I received several short, encouraging emails affirming my basic premise. But, as is often the case, a small dose of optimism can spark more than a little outrage, particularly when the Pollyanna in question (i.e., me) is new to town.

As I wrote in my May 30 column, “The City of Surprise,” I’ve been bowled over by the kindness and generosity of the town since moving here in late March. I stand by that seemingly anodyne opinion. However, a few readers were quick to set me straight—yes, the city used to be great, but that was decades ago. “It had low crime, little traffic and the cops actually showed up for a call,” one particularly incensed reader informed me.

But today? Not so much.

“I mean, really, how can anyone like living here?” the reader told me in an email. “City of Hate and Bigotry is only a start, lest we forget the City of Drug Addiction, potholes, vehicle break-ins, traffic jams, constant road work, high cost of living, out-of-state license plates (TEXAS), Trump flags, daily shootings, lousy schools, unreliable public transit … and last, but not least—the Windy City!”

This email stood out. It was angry. It was funny. It was a Platonically perfect example of a uniquely American art form—the

letter to the editor. Ultimately, the writer didn’t want me to run the letter in full if I planned to use his name, which, of course, is our policy. But that won’t stop me from excerpting a few of the choice bits: “To say that this is the friendliest city you’ve ever been to would suggest that you’re writing your column from an ivory tower,” he wrote. “So, if you want to know what it’s really like to live in the 719, I suggest a transposition: We swap residences. You spend a week here at beautiful [Garden of the Gods]—where you will find a new meaning of nastiness—and I spend a week at the coffee shop, where I might actually meet a decent person. If you limit the welcoming committee to people you meet at trendy downtown cafes and nowhere else, you really are in for a surprise when you leave that enclave.”

To be clear, I don’t relish that someone in The Springs bemoans the state of the city they once loved. That’s nothing to celebrate. What I appreciate about the note is the sheer brutality of the honesty—a primal yawp mixed with withering reproval. A letter to the editor is the ideal vehicle for these short bursts of white-hot ire. Letters can be like a blistering guitar solo that lasts only a few bars but leave you wanting more. But go beyond the 300-word limit and you’re in Nigel Tufnel territory.

So, be critical or be kind—just keep them concise and keep them coming.

"TO SAY THAT THIS IS THE FRIENDLIEST CITY YOU’VE EVER BEEN TO WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU’RE WRITING YOUR COLUMN FROM AN IVORY TOWER"

FRIENDLY YES, BUT...

Re: Ben Trollinger column “The City of Surprise,” published on May 30, 2024.

My husband and I left our beautiful home in California and moved to Colorado Springs. We have been here for about 2 years.

I agree with you in that there are a lot of individuals who live here and are very kind. They say hello and smile.

My husband had a stroke over 4 years ago and when we go out and about, he is in a wheelchair. He has fallen several times, and I am amazed at how many people will come to help me get him back up and into his wheelchair. We even had a young boy who held open the doors of a restaurant for us.

However, I long to go back to California. I miss our home so very much.

This is what I detest about Colorado Springs: • The wind blows constantly, and it is driving me bonkers. If I knew before we moved here how often the wind blows, I would have never moved here.

• There are no streetlights in housing tracts. A light may be at the end of the block and another at the other end of the block, but the rest of the block is dark. You can’t even walk your dog once the sun goes down because it is too easy to trip and fall.

• The street signs are so very small. I am practically on top of the street before I can even begin to read the street sign, which, of course means, I get lost often and must make a U-turn.

• Have you not heard of vinyl fencing?

These wooden fences look terrible, they must be painted, and they don’t last very long.

• I think this state should be renamed to “Pothole City.” The potholes on every single street are ruining my tires and the alignment of my car. Does the city not know how to repair potholes?

Joan Romero Bigtooth Maple Drive

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR must be signed with full name and include daytime phone number, full address, or email address. Letters should be no longer than 300 words. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. | EMAIL ADDRESS: letters@ppmc.live

PICKING ON PICKEBALL? I’m writing in response to Camille Liptak’s article “Soured on Pickleball.”

I’m saddened to hear that somebody who did not take the time to even try Pickleball has written a negative article.

I would expect that at a minimum— prior to throwing shade on something that is an absolutely welcome and positive contribution to our community in countless ways—you would at least play first. The positive physical, mental and community building opportunities in this sport are tremendous.

Over the years, I have dabbled in a few different sports. However, like many during the pandemic, I was not participating in group sports for some time.

At the suggestion of a friend, I came out to my local rec center with a pair of sneakers and a borrowed paddle to see what all the fuss was about.

I have to admit I was more than a little intimidated to step into a room to try something that I had never done before in front of a group of people.

It is true that it does combine elements of other racquet and paddle sports, but it has its own feel and rules. More importantly, I found a welcoming community of players—people who are excited to share their joy for this sport and who are very encouraging of a newbie like me.

It can be played by most people, whether young or old, and the cost is generally reasonable to get started. So, the barrier to entry is low compared to many other sports.

Since starting to play Pickleball, I have met dozens of new players, ranging from teenagers to octogenarians.

I have spent countless hours outside learning new skills, making new friends and finally shedding those pandemic pounds!

So I encourage Ms. Liptak to dust off her court shoes, grab a paddle and take a couple of lessons in Pickleball to see what all the buzz is about!

Vivian Voehl Arcadia Street

CORRECTION. In the June 13 edition, we misstated the seating capacity of the Ed Robson Arena.

The seating capacity is 3,800.

June 27 - July 10 | 5

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6 | Colorado Springs Independent | CSINDY.com

NEWS IN BRIEF PUBLIC SAFETY City council votes down city ambulance service proposal In a 5-4 vote on June11, the Colorado Springs City Council rejected a proposal from the city administration and fire department to have the fire department assume emergency medical services.

“I am incredibly disappointed to say the Colorado Springs City Council voted against the proposal for an Ambulance Transport Enterprise. This proposal would have been a historic step for our community and would have been the best possible outcome for our community,” said Fire Chief Randy Royal.

The city’s current contract with American Medical Response (AMR) will expire in April 2025. Colorado Springs is just one of four of the nation’s 40 largest cities to rely on privatized ambulance services.

The other cities include Portland, OR, Las Vegas, NV, and Fresno, CA. Within Colorado, Colorado Springs is the largest community to not have ambulance services handled in-house. The council members said their opposition to the city EMS service was due to the potential financial risk involved.

“We will continue to make decisions that are in the best interest of the citizens of Colorado Springs,” the five council members said in a written statement.

The five council members who cast no votes were Lynette Crow-Iverson, Dave Donelson, Michelle Talarico, Mike O’Malley and Brian Risley.

CSPD K9 officer arrested on child abuse charges Colorado Springs Police were called to a medical call on June 1 just after 9:30 p.m.

Off-duty CSPD Canine Officer Jonathan Yelvington was found unresponsive and appeared to be intoxicated, according to reports. The CSPD Crimes Against Children Unit investigated the matter following allegations of Yelvington being intoxicated and unreasonably placing a child in a situation that posed a threat of injury. Yelvington was charged with misdemeanor child abuse. The child involved was temporarily placed with a responsible adult. Yelvington is currently on paid administrative leave during this investigation.

River LOW AsbasinColorado runs dry, city FLOW pivots on water policy

By ANDREW ROGERS • andrew.rogers@ppmc.live

John Martin Reservoir | Courtesy Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District

T

he Colorado River is the region’s main double in the past four decades, uses the same Gortz said. water source, but experts fear persistent amount of water now as it did in the 1980s.

As of June 2, Colorado Springs’ water stordrought related to climate change could Those savings are due in part to the “Water age capacity sits at 79%, or roughly 206,500 close the spigot for many cities in the Western Wise Rules” implemented by Colorado acre-feet. K, said that equates to approxiU.S., including Colorado Springs. Seventy Springs Utilities in 2021. The policies limit mately three years of demand and storage. percent of Colorado Springs’s water supply outdoor watering to certain hours and allow Gortz said that one acre-foot of water currently comes from the Colorado River. But for no more than three days a week for resi- stored can sustain the needs of three to four with the basin’s reliability in question, the city dential watering. Jennifer Jordan, a spokesaverage families. Picture the area between the is now looking to alternative sources like the woman with Colorado Springs Utilities, goal lines on a football field covered in a foot Arkansas River. said other conservation-minded efforts have of water. been in place for the past two decades. Those Gortz said that Colorado Springs Utilities “Water is one of those things that has alefforts have included transitioning away from bases storage decisions on the need to ensure ways been there…It's really the one thing that we truly can't live without,” said Travis Deal, high water usage turf in favor of native grass the city has enough supply for one year of CEO of Colorado Springs Utilities during his landscaping in city parks as well as promot- usage and storage continuously. ing things like more water-efficient toilets.

“That's to make sure we can serve indoor State of the Utility presentation on June 6.

“Indoor water use used to account for 40% use 100% of the time,” she explained.

Deal explained that climate variability Jordan said that a combination of longhas played a key role in long-term water use of our water use and outdoor usage was 60%, that has since flipped over the past 20 years,” term planning and ongoing efforts has put the planning locally. Because the Western U.S. she said. utility in a position to deliver more water than has been in a drought for the past 20 years, In the past two decades, Kim Gortz, mancustomers are using. many cities like Colorado Springs have taken “Today, the Colorado Springs Utilities proactive measures to limit water usage, but ager of water resources at Colorado Springs water system can reliably deliver 95,000 acrethe time has also come to diversify the city’s Utilities says the city has seen conservation programs reduce demand by 30,000 acre-feet. feet of water each year,” she said, noting that water portfolio.

"Over the next 50 years, we think we’ll the 5-year average of water use between 2018 SPRINGS SUPPLY only have about 8000 acre-feet of conserva- and 2023 is 70,000 acre-feet annually.

According to the municipal utility, Colotion savings to achieve because our customThe utility’s water resources managers rado Springs, despite seeing its population ers are really good at conserving their use,” took climate variability into account as they

June 27 - July 10 | 7

NEWS. developed the most recent 50-year plan in water, removes it, and then leaves the land to 2017, which is guiding the city’s water use blow and grow weeds,” he said. needs and policies through 2070.

Colorado Springs Utilities has received Gortz said that the city uses 25 storage 3000 acre-feet of water from the Arkansas reservoirs spanning from the Continental River basin over the last seven years.

Divide in the high country to more familiar The Lower Arkansas Valley Water Conlocal reservoirs like Catamount Reservoir servancy District was established in 2022 on Pikes Peak. There are projects currently by voters in Pueblo, Crowley, Otero, Bent, underway from Colorado Springs Utilities to and Prowers counties to protect future water upgrade and preserve many of those reserneeds along the Arkansas River after years of voirs. By improving the reservoir infrastruc- drought. ture Colorado Springs Utilities can increase Deal said that Colorado Springs Utilities usable water yield for the city due to the lack is working to help Arkansas River Valley of new water rights being granted along the farmers to help them manage their water Colorado River. rights and grow their businesses by providing Colorado Springs Utilities doesn’t financial assistance, equipment and tools to rely heavily on groundwater. However, improve the output of their farms. groundwater levels do affect surface water “What that allows us to do, is acquire any sources. Dr. Rosemary Carroll, a professor of excess water [rights] that they're not using for hydrology research with the Desert Research their agriculture benefits and bring that into Institute, said that the drying groundwater our system,” he said. Notably, that has meant is also wreaking havoc on nature’s ability to helping farmers upgrade to center-pivot replenish the river. irrigation tools.

“I think one of the things [that] is a mys“You typically have a rectangular field, tery is that we're not getting the same amount and they're basically paying the farmers of stream flow for a given amount of snow enough for the water off of the corners,” input. You can have an average water year explained Goble. and not necessarily get average stream flow,” Goble said that potential lease revenue she said. coming into the Arkansas Valley could According to the study, published in the replace some of the lost economic develjournal Nature Water, the drying ground is opment, especially as the need for water in having a hard time recovering from a single the more urban Front Range communities low-precipitation year under current warming continues to grow. trends. Researchers say that in 2021 the Up- DRYER DAYS AHEAD per Colorado River Basin had 80 percent of Thanks to what was described as a “wetter the usual snowpack in states like Colorado, than average winter,” most of the state is no Utah, and Wyoming—only 30 percent made longer considered to be in an active drought. its way into streamflow that feeds the river.

“We had a couple of really big storms up DOWNSTREAM IMPACT against the front range and over the mounDuring this presentation on June 6, Deal tains and that really helped with snowpack,” emphasized the need to develop other water said Matt Meister, Fox 21 storm team chief sources beyond the Colorado River. meteorologist.

“The Colorado River is definitely closed Meister said that mountains had seen down for business on future water rights,” below-average snowpack through the winter he said. before storms in February and March that That has led the local water provider to helped to increase not only the snowpack but look for new partnerships along the Arkansas subsequently reservoir levels.

River in Southern Colorado, finding a way to He did say that some of those big late balance the needs of the urban communities winter and spring storms, however, didn't and not compromising the agriculturally do much for the southeast corner of the state based economies in the more rural areas. leaving that area still dealing with drought “They’re our breadbasket. You know, evconditions. erybody likes local produce. Everybody likes Meister said that the weather pattern shift to have what we need,” he said. will from an El Nino to La Nina pattern Jack Goble, general manager of the Lower during the summer and into the early fall, Arkansas Valley Water Conservancy District, bringing it with warmer temperatures. said that as the water needs of more urban “That will be above average temperacommunities grow it's critical to look for more mutually beneficial ways to get water ture-wise and below average precipitation-wise, which from a water perspective out of the Arkansas River. is never good in the Western U.S., Colorado “The traditional way was called buy and dry, where the city just goes in and buys the included,” he said.

PUBLIC SAFETY

OUTDOORS

Club Q shooter pleads guilty to avoid death penalty Anderson Aldrich accepted a plea deal on June 18 to avoid the death penalty under federal charges. In accepting the plea agreement, the sentence will not include the death penalty but rather 55 concurrent life sentences without the possibility of parole, followed by an additional 190 years. Federal court documents also outline several events that led up to the shooting that took place around Transgender Day of Remembrance, including Aldrich’s purchase of $9,000 in weapons-related purchases between September 2020 and the attack and Aldrich patronizing Club Q eight times before the attack to familiarize themselves with the club’s layout. They were also fired from a job in late October 2022 and their former supervisor said that Aldrich sent multiple spam emails that included racist and anti-LGBTQIA+ rhetoric. After the shooting, investigators also found hand-drawn maps of the club and a binder of training material entitled, “How to handle an active shooter” in Aldrich’s apartment. Aldrich, who identifies as nonbinary, is currently serving five life sentences in state prison on five first-degree murder convictions, plus an additional 2,208 years in prison, 48 years for each of the 46 counts of attempted first-degree murder, following November 2022’s mass shooting at Club Q.

City polling residents over e-bikes on city trails The Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services department will be asking the public for their input about e-bikes on city trails. Currently, motorized use (including e-bikes) is not permitted on many park properties including, properties acquired under the Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS) program.

“We recognize the growing popularity of e-bikes and the desire for expanded access on our trail system,” said Lonna Thelen, TOPS Manager.

“This public process will allow us to gather valuable input from the community and make informed decisions that balance the needs of all trail users.”

Residents can share their thoughts online through August 4.

26th pedestrian of year dies in accident at Palmer Park Blvd.

Colorado Springs police were called to a crash between a motorcycle and pedestrian shortly after 10 p.m. at the intersection of Palmer Park Boulevard and Powers Boulevard June 2. The pedestrian was found dead at the scene while the motorcycle rider was hospitalized with serious life-threatening injuries. This accident marks the 26th traffic fatality in of the year.

CSPD says at this time last year, there were 20 traffic fatalities in Colorado Springs.

City council approves Blodgett Open Space master plan The Colorado Springs City Council has approved the Blodgett Open Space Master and Management Plan.

The document will guide city planners to enhance and protect the 384 acres in northwest Colorado Springs Recommendations include the creation of larger wildlife corridors, three trailheads with visitor amenities, neighborhood connections, wayfinding nodes, and a sustainable trail system featuring multi-use, single-use, and directional trails.

“The adoption of this Master and Management Plan is a significant milestone in our efforts to preserve and enhance the natural beauty and cultural significance of Blodgett Open Space. The adaptive management strategy outlined in the Plan will allow us to respond to changing circumstances and continually improve our stewardship of this unique and valuable resource,” said Britt Haley, director of Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services department.

One highlight in the plan is the “Park to Peak Trail,” which will connect Palmer Park, Austin Bluffs Open Space, Ute Valley Park, and Blodgett Open Space.

8 | Colorado Springs Independent | CSINDY.com

NEWS.

MAN VS. MOUNTAIN A Colorado Crew Takes on Pikes Peak and Major Car Companies

Sterling Chase, Jack Penley and team | Courtesy of Jack Penley

T

By ANDREW ROGERS • andrew.rogers@ppmc.live

he numbers speak for themselves: A 12.42-mile course featuring 156 corners, an elevation gain of 4,725 feet, and a finish line perched at 14,115 feet above sea level. Factor in the unpredictable mountain weather and the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb stands out as one of the most daunting races in motorsport. It’s where major auto brands go to test new technology and compete for bragging rights and market position. It’s where some of the best drivers in the world come to test their mettle.

Although it might not seem like a welcoming environment for rookie drivers, the Hill Climb, founded way back in 1916, is one of the only races where you can see multi-million-dollar, factory-backed cars share the same pit

row with local garage-built hot rods. For every purpose-built supercar from brands like Ford, Porsche, and BMW, there are first-time drivers like Jack Penley and his humble, but speedy Volkswagen. With the help of his team manager Sterling Chase and a small crew, Penley was set to compete in the race on June 23.

‘SUPER FAITH’ After unsuccessfully applying to race Pikes Peak over the past three years, Penley finally got his acceptance letter early this year.

“In January when we got that letter, I was like there’s no way we can make it, there’s no way we can pull it off,” he said.

Penley would not describe himself as an adrenaline junky, exactly, but he admits there is nothing that quite compares

to getting behind the wheel of a race car. His love for motorsport dates back as far as he can remember. As a child, he was inspired by real-life drag racers and, yes, even pretend ones like Burt Reynolds.

“It was so cool, growing up watching Smokey and the Bandit, watching him tear around a dirt road—seemed awesome,” he said.

Penley was a co-driver in the 2011 Hill Climb, but this year he is among the 21 rookies looking to tackle America’s mountain. He’d thought racing Pikes Peak was out of the cards for him until

Jack Penley| Courtesy PPIHC.org

June 27 - July 10 | 9

NEWS. long-time friend Sterling Chase stepped forward to provide the car, the team, and, most importantly, the much-needed encouragement.

“He has super faith in himself. He has faith in other people, he really has a positive force to keep this thing going,” Penley said.

Chase is known for his cheerleader-like positivity in the pit row as well as at the starting line, where he can often be seen, and heard, raising a ruckus with his cowbells. But he doesn’t just cheer on his team. He offers up support for just about everyone. After all, the race isn’t just about who wins. Making it to the summit in one piece is accomplishment enough.

“The main competition is the mountain itself because she can throw out so many curve balls,” Chase said.

Yokohama booth at hill climb pit area at 2023 | Credit: Larry Chen

INTERNATIONAL DRAW Each year, the Hill Climb creates a buzz louder than any engine. First, in the week leading up to the race, there’s Fan Fest, the 10-block street party where 35,000 people will descend upon Tejon Street to get a chance to meet drivers, and their cars, up close. Meanwhile, spectators hustle to secure camping permits for the only night of the year you can pitch a tent on the side of Pikes Peak. Then, on race day, lines form in the early morning hours at the gate to the Pikes Peak Highway. Race fans wait hours to get their spot to witness the action in person.

As its name suggests, the Hill Climb is international in its allure. High-caliber drivers from all over the globe set their sights on what is the second oldest auto race in the U.S. This year, Hyundai will have multiple cars racing at the event to help market their Ioniq 5 model, one of which is being piloted by last year’s overall “King of the Mountain” Robin Schute, a racer out of the United Kingdom. Ford is outfitting three-time “King of the Mountain” and overall Hill Climb record holder Romain Dumas of France with a specially built Ford F-150 electric pickup truck to tackle the route – in the same division as Penley and his VW. In 2018, Dumas conquered the course in 7 minutes and 57.148 seconds in a purpose-built, all-electric Volkswagen.

Such a glut of talent, and money, could be intimidating for some of the local crews, but that isn’t how Penley sees it.

To him, the chance to race against the best is a privilege.

“There are a lot of homegrown Colora-

Cody Vahsholtz participating in drivers parade down Pikes Peak in 2023 | Credit: Larry Chen do teams,” Penley said. “I appreciate that they still let us in into play with the big boys.”

Melissa Eickhoff, the CEO of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, said that even with traveling and attending other races, it’s not hard to drum up interest in the event among racers.

“I went to a couple of races and talked to all of the racers, and nobody’s not interested in coming here… unless they’re afraid of heights,” she said.

Eickhoff said that since the full road was paved in 2012, the race has seen a larger resurgence in popularity among major automakers.

“They’re wanting to prove technology that goes into our everyday cars,’ she said.

THE CAR Penley will take on the mountain this year in a blue and yellow 2004 Volkswagen R32, a parts car turned mean machine. Modding the car has been a labor of love for the team.

“It’s been a little bit of a joint effort … on getting this thing together,” Chase said. “Its main idea is saying there is still the Cinderella story of the locals competing against the international guys.”

Chase, who has been a member of Hill Climb crews for 16 years, is now taking on his first race as the head of a team. That means he’s managing the sponsorships, finding crew members, and working on the car out of his shop in Lakewood.

Chase, a 2000 graduate of Colorado

Springs’ Liberty High School, grew up in awe of Pikes Peak and of motorsport. The Hill Climb brings both of those things together in one aerodynamic package.

He said that when building a car for Pikes Peak, reliability and safety are paramount. That’s because the mountain presents unique challenges for cars and builders alike.

“A lot of rallies don’t have 10,000-foot drop-offs, so I’ll definitely do a little bit of an overbuild on the safety factor,” he said.

He said the extreme elevation changes along the course play a major factor in the car’s overall performance.

“As you climb the mountain, the air gets thinner, which leads to lower power,” he said. “The power, and everything else, is going to get almost cut in half as soon as you get to certain altitudes.”

Some of the larger, corporate teams have the financial means to secure time for private testing in the month leading up to race day. That’s a stark contrast to garage-based teams like Penley and Chase, who get a little less than a week.

Penley got his first taste of Pikes Peak on June 8, with early morning testing in the lower section of the course, between the starting line and Glen Cove.

“The first run was terrifying,” Penley said.

By the time he had his 4th attempt he was starting to pick up some speed, although he was still moving a bit slower than he’d hoped for. Averaging 59 miles an hour, he was well below his goal of 65-70 mph for the bottom section of the course.

Chase and Penley said that there were some minor mechanical issues during that testing session (“a little bit of oil seepage around the turbo”). That isn’t uncommon for a car whose track time has been limited to about four of five runs over the past five months.

RACE PREP That man-against-the-mountain nature of the Hill Climb has created a more collaborative environment than the traditional hyper-competitive and adversarial atmosphere of other races. Several Pikes Peak veterans have taken the time to ensure rookies like Penley make it to the finish line.

“I’ve talked to other racers, and they’ve mentioned things that I didn’t even consider,” he said. “Telling me that at the top, the road will move 6 inches during a day, CONTINUED ON PAGE 10...

10 | Colorado Springs Independent | CSINDY.com

NEWS. ...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

up or down. A big lump that’s there in the road in the morning may not be there in the afternoon or vice versa.”

Traction areas on the road can differ depending on whether you’re in the uphill lane or the downhill lane of the sightseer’s highway turned racetrack. Traction is also dependent on where the mountain snow drains across the road. Many seasoned racers are also challenged by having to forgo what is thought to be the optimal racing line—the traditional path

one would take approaching the corners of a track or course.

“On a road course or regular racetrack, it stays pretty stable. You’ve got your line, and everybody runs pretty much the same line. There’s always attraction in certain spots and not in other spots and it’s predictable, with Pikes Peak it’s completely random,” Penley said.

Chase said that success on the course starts with him making sure the car is ready technically. He also urges the drivers he’s working with to do their homework ahead of race day.

“Always tell the drivers, ‘Just make sure you watch your videos and everything else.’” he said.

He noted that even driving the Pikes Peak Highway in a passenger car can give drivers a better understanding of road conditions, which can change from minute to minute and year to year.

“Especially on the top section, just because the mountain is a living organism—it will shift,” he said.

Penley has gladly taken on Chase’s homework assignments. However, he admits that no amount of recon will fully prepare him for race day. While he hopes to be competitive against the other drivers in his division, the race still comes down to a game of one-on-one—man versus the mountain.

“Mother Nature—that’s a huge part of the race,” Penley said.

Counterclockwise from top Car in Devil’s Playground | Credit: Larry Chen Chase analyzing data | Credit: Nam Phan Penley and the VW R32 | Courtesy: Jack Penley #76 VW at inspection | Credit: Nam Phan

June 27 - July 10 | 11

NEWS.

COURSE TO THE CLOUDS

PPIHC Finish Line

• FIRST RACE HELD IN 1916 • 156 TURNS •12.42 MILE LONG COURSE • 4,725' ELEVATION GAIN • 61 RACERS ACROSS 6 DIVISIONS

Devil’s Playground

• 13 COUNTRIES REPRESENTED •18 US STATES REPRESENTED • 21 ROOKIES • 21 DIFFERENT VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS • 6 DIFFERENT FUEL TYPES • OVERALL TIME RECORD: 7:57:148 (R. DUMAS, 2018)

Pikes Peak Highway

Top: Michael Whiddett finishing in 2023 | Bottom: Car in Devil's Playground | Credit: Larry Chen

Crystal Reservoir

PPIHC Start Line

Sterling Chase with cowbells at startline Credit: Larry Chen

Penley during testing in lower section Credit: Nam Phan Spectators at Devil's Playground | Credit: Larry Chen

Number 76 is Jack's initials inverted Credit: Andrew Rogers

12 | Colorado Springs Independent | CSINDY.com

June 27 - July 10 | 13

NEWS.

REFLECTIONS ON THE FIRST YEAR Mayor Mobolade looks back at groundbreaking election, charts course for next three years

B

By ANDREW ROGERS • andrew.rogers@ppmc.live

lessing Yemi Mobolade made history and sent political shockwaves across the state after being elected mayor of Colorado Springs last year.

The independent political newcomer survived a mayoral race that started with 12 candidates, including several well-known local politicians. The race was eventually narrowed to two, Mobolade and Wayne Williams, a seasoned Republican whose resume boasted tenure as the state’s Secretary of State and a stint on the Colorado Springs city council. Mobolade is Colorado Springs’ first elected African American Mayor and the first immigrant elected to the office.

We spoke with him to reflect on his first year in office and to look ahead at what’s in store for the next three years.

Mr. Mayor, take us back to June 6, 2023.

What went through your mind before the swearing-in ceremony at the Pioneer’s Museum?

Am I going to wake up and then realize this whole experience was a dream? The best comparison is like your wedding day where so much is going on. You’re tired, you’ve been working towards this day and you’re not fully present, but you are there.

Everybody is there from every walk of your life, there to celebrate you. I don’t think I recognized the significance of that moment. I was in work mode—“we have things to do.”

There is a new campaign to have 1,000 Neighborhood Gatherings across the city, tell me why this is important to you, your administration, and the city.

One of the things I’m trying to change is our thinking and imagination. That’s where mental health comes in and the cultural action is to move our residents from isolation back into living connected lives and more connected society because social isolation is the biggest public crisis of our day. So, with 1,000 Neighborhood Gatherings, let’s get our residents connected, and let’s watch the magic of our collective mental well-being happen.

Your election was seen as a watershed mo-

ment, not just for Colorado Springs but the state, showing that the area is much more independent and unaffiliated than once thought. As the face of that, what do you see for the city and state moving ahead?

This wasn’t just my story; this was the story of Colorado Springs, because it not only got state attention but got national and global attention. I was on News Nation a couple of days ago. They were interested in Colorado Springs’ story, as a story of where voters are in terms of their appetite. I often say it’s complicated, “Like you have Republicans, you have Democrats, and you have unaffiliated, and we unaffiliated—there are 48% of us. We are the largest political party if I may say that.” I get many of the independent groups reaching out to me to ask, how did you guys do it in Colorado Springs?

Your story is somebody who came to the United States seeking that better life, but even during the course of this year, with the migrant conversations, basically saying that Colorado Springs won’t be a sanctuary city. How do you reconcile that within yourself?

One of the things you see about my leadership is I’m very, very pragmatic and I’m very objective. I am an immigrant …

An immigrant who came here [and] found opportunity, and became a citizen [and] six years later became mayor of a top US city.

That story is true. I came here for opportunities. It’s the same value that is driving many of these migrants. Now our stories are different because I came more in a traditional pathway of immigration. I took an oath on June 6 to be a mayor for the residents of Colorado Springs, a half million people who are looking to the mayor for help and assistance, and to ensure that the mayor is running a great city, and that is what I’m committed to. I have no option of being a sanctuary city because that’s not what I signed up for.

And neither do I have the resources to even care for migrants. Denver is a different story than Colorado Springs. Denver is both a city

Mayor Yemi at inauguration | Courtesy City of Colorado Springs and a county. They have the Department of Human Services, which I don’t have.

As the mayor, what keeps you up at night, worrying about the city of Colorado Springs?

I say housing is at the top of the list. I feel like that’s one of our biggest enduring challenges. It affects everything from economic development opportunities to workforce development opportunities to our nation’s national defense. As our military partners are saying, that is one of the top issues and if soldiers are worried about where to live or the affordability, then they are distracted from their mission. We all saw what’s happened in the last seven years, how housing prices have skyrocketed. The other thing I would say is I worry about is the angst around growth and the appetite of our residents. There’s a growing movement of

residents who say no to just about anything and sometimes decisions that will be in the best interest of our city. And they’re saying no because they’re worried about the city growing too fast. If we keep saying no, that does have major consequences.

What’s on the agenda now for the next three years as mayor since we’ve hit the first-year mark?

Public safety, infrastructure, housing, economic vitality and housing solutions—so I’m going to be heavily focused on those. With public safety, getting to authorized strength is a big one. When we have a full number of police officers, that really helps improve our response time. I’m happy to say that we’re going to get there. With infrastructure, ballot initiative 2C is at the top of my mind. That’s coming up this November and all those dollars that we get from 2C will allow us to extend the road improvement program from 2025 to 2035. With housing, ensuring that we are closing a gap on the deficit between the 1,600 to 2,700 homes and keep working on more housing innovation, which means just new types of housing. With economic vitality, ensure that we are supporting our small businesses, keeping US Space Command in Colorado Springs, and continuing to help foster the record economic development agreements that we’re having.

Finally, Colorado Springs has been known by so many nicknames or monikers over the past years. What do you currently see as Colorado Springs’ identity?

We are a city with many identities, I’ve said many times before. One of our primary identities is Olympic City USA. We made that decision because why not attach your own brand to one of the most recognizable logos in the world? So, it instantly gives our city a branding boost. But beyond that, we are “Military City USA.” We’re also an outdoor city; we are also “Cyber Mountain,” and we welcome the myriad of identities as part of who we are as Colorado Springs.

This interview has been edited and condensed. The full version can be found at CSIndy.com.

14 | Colorado Springs Independent | CSINDY.com

FOOD

PHILANTHROPIC FOOD HALL CLOSES

The Well at Pikes Peak and Weber | Credit: Andrew Rogers

"WE ARE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN THE DECISION AFTER THE INVESTMENT WE MADE"

Vendor signs at The Well | Credit: Andrew Rogers

A

By ANDREW ROGERS • andrew.rogers@ppmc.live

fter being open for just over two years, The Well, a food and beverage hall at Pikes Peak Avenue and Weber Street, closed on June 15. That came just days after the ownership group made an announcement on Facebook on June 11.

The Well was started in April of 2022 by the 315 Collective team, a group made up of five local philanthropic foundations: The Lane Foundation, Pikes Peak Community Foundation, Bloom Foundation, Pikes Peak Real Estate Foundation and

Edmondson Foundation.

The Well was founded with the mission of assisting up-and-coming restaurateurs in establishing a presence in Colorado Springs. It has been the home to several vendors who rent the space from the 315 Collective, including Formosa Bites, Gift Horse Bar & Cafe, La’au’s Taco Shop, Giddy Up & Go and Weber Street Kitchen.

La’au’s and Weber Street Kitchen are owned by the Blue Star Group, a local

company that owns do that. We said we several other eateries can’t stay open losing including The Printwo of our stalls, so cipal’s Office, Gold we came to a comproStar Bakery, Ivywild mise of this Friday,” Kitchen and Decent she said.

Pizza, all of which are The Blue Star Group housed in similar food said they are actively hall space, the Ivywild -THE BLUE STAR GROUP looking for a new School. La’au’s and location and will be Weber Street Kitchen offering catering services through La’au’s. have been located at The Well since “We are extremely disappointed in the March 2024. decision after the investment we made The 315 Collective said in a Facebook to have La’au’s Taco Shop and Weber post this month that it is “no longer viable St. Kitchen open for only three short to be Owners/Operators of a restaurant months,” the company said in an online business,” saying the decision to close announcement. “We looked at The Well was influenced by the need to “ensure our as a long-term investment and partnership operations are meaningful and sustainand are sad to see what was on its way to able,” according to a press release sent by being a well-loved and attended Colorathe operating group. do Springs community gathering place Susan Pattee, a trustee for Bloom Founclosing its doors so abruptly.” dation, spoke on behalf of the collective The Independent has reached out to about the discussions with the various the Blue Star Group, as well as Formosa food vendors before the closure. She said Bites, about what the future holds for their the decision to close was first addressed operations. No one on-site on Wednesday, with the vendors on Friday, June 7.

June 12 would speak on the record regard“We proposed staying open through June 30, but Blue Star Group did not want to

ing the closure, deferring to Pattee and the statement issued on June 11.

June 27 - July 10 | 15

IN BRIEF DONUT SHOP FEATURES “CRONUT” STYLE PASTRIES

A ribbon cutting was held on June 7 for Dad’s Donuts at 29 E. Moreno Ave. The business is the brainchild of Colorado Springs entrepreneur Mitchell Yellen, who was inspired by similar confectionary shops in Florida that feature “cronut” style donuts.

Dad’s is forgoing the deep fryers and opting for 109 layers of dough made with imported European butter. Dad’s Donuts pastries are also free of additives, preservatives, or hydrogenated oils. The team says it takes four days to make the donuts.

Dad’s Donut is also joining the wider family of food businesses owned by Yellen, including The Pinery at the Hill, Pinery North, Till, Vine and Wheel, Trainwreck, and Garden of the Gods Café.

Smoke Gets in Their Eyes

FOOD&DRINK

Local pitmasters vie for Famous Dave’s Golden Ticket

Wild card entry of street tacos and corn salad Wild card entry of Wagyu brisket

LONGTIME TAQUERIA REBORN AS A FOOD TRUCK

The Agular family took to Facebook to announce they’re bringing the recipes from the restaurant El Taco Rey to the streets of Colorado Springs. The family will operate a food truck, known just as The Rey. El Taco Rey closed in 2021 due to the death of the family’s matriarch after serving customers in downtown Colorado Springs for 45 years. The food truck is awaiting its final inspection from the El Paso County Health Department before hitting the streets.

MAMA PEARL’S BLAMES ECONOMY FOR CLOSURE

Mama Pearl’s Cajun Kitchen announced its closure on June 17 after 11 years of business in Colorado Springs. In a social media post, the restaurant’s owners Robert “Chef BB” and Becky Burnet cited several economic factors leading to the closure and a “severe drop in attendance” in recent months. The restaurant was featured on the Food Network show “Restaurant: Impossible” in 2021.

Jacob Gavin with golden ticket Story and photos by ANDREW ROGERS • andrew.rogers@ppmc.live

T

he sweet smell of smoked meats filled the air on Saturday, June 15 as Famous Dave’s held their second annual All-Star BBQ Series BBQ competition in Colorado Springs.

“It's really an opportunity where we get to see some of the most amazing originality and creativity that we normally don't see,” said Famous Dave’s founder, “Famous” Dave Anderson.

Jacob Gavin, owner of Ribs n Whiskey BBQ in Denver, started his smoker just after 7 a.m. on June 15, well before the first of three entries was due before the judging panel at noon. Competitors were judged on their submissions in chicken, ribs and a wild card entry ranging from street tacos to brisket and brownies smoked in a BBQ pit.

The five teams, including Gavin, competed not only for bragging rights—the winner

of the All-Star BBQ Series in Colorado Springs received a golden ticket to the World Food Championships in Indianapolis and a chance for a grand prize purse that exceeds $300,000. The second place and winner of the People’s Choice wing contest also received golden tickets.

“It's a dream come true, I've been competing for a few years now, and I've been looking to get my first grand championship, and this is my first one,” he said.

Gavin said that he made BBQ his full-time focus after losing jobs in catering due to the COVID pandemic.

The goal of going from a weekend warrior to being a national figure in the growing BBQ scene is not only something Jack dreams of—it’s the story of Famous Dave’s’ Dave Anderson.

“I think my first contest [in the seventies] was like at a Lions Club, and there were probably about twelve of us all with our little charcoal grills. My first trophy was probably all of 6 inches tall, and I think it was probably a bowling or softball trophy,” Anderson said.

Anderson would quickly rise among the ranks of the competitive barbecue circuit and eventually start what would become one of the largest national barbecue chains in the nation.

He says that the growth of barbecue in the county is no surprise.

“Any weekend barbecue warrior wants to have not just the best ribs on the block, but they want to have the best ribs in the city, the best ribs in the state, the best ribs in America, the best ribs in the world, the best ribs on the planet, the best ribs in the universe,” said Anderson.

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June 27 - July 10 | 17

HAPPY TRAILS

MUSIC

Six months after Scott O’Malley’s passing, his iconic “secret” theater dims its lights

By OWEN PERKINS Special to the Independent n its characteristically quiet manner, an era came to an end earlier this month. The Western Jubilee Warehouse Theater hosted what will likely stand as its final show, a celebration of the life of Scott O’Malley, the founder and visionary force behind the Western Jubilee Recording Company, its namesake studio and performance space, and the artist agency O’Malley helmed for most of his professional career.

O’Malley’s enduring legacy is in the field of cowboy music, representing, recording, and hosting the cream of the crop of cowboy singers and poets, including winners of Western Heritage Awards, artists recognized by the Cowboy Hall of Fame, and world-class musicians nominated for multiple Grammy awards.

The original Blues Brothers movie famously references “both kinds of music,” noting the roadside honky-tonk features both “country and western.”

O’Malley spent much of his life showing that country and western are two distinct forms of music. And as his longtime client, collaborator, and co-conspirator cowboy singer Don Edwards said in a documentary short about Western Jubilee, “The country-western thing was neither of either.”

O’Malley was an Indiana kid who dreamed of becoming a cowboy and saw singing cowboys like Gene Autry and Roy Rogers the way other kids saw the Beatles. He put together a concept band called Buffalo Brothers, steeping their act in the 1880s and heading west to Colorado in 1975 to find their niche.

He moonlighted with Keith Case at the prestigious Stone County agency, repre-

I

"O’MALLEY WAS senting acts ranging from AN INDIANA KID the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band to Steve Martin WHO DREAMED and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Leon OF BECOMING Russell. An oft-used A COWBOY AND line O’Malley recalled using in those days was SAW SINGING to tell promotors calling the office, “I’m sorry, COWBOYS LIKE Leon’s booked, but have GENE AUTRY AND you heard of the Buffalo Brothers?”

ROY ROGERS Other acts with Stone THE WAY OTHER County included The Dilliards, John Hartford, KIDS SAW THE and New Grass Revival, BEATLES." and in the early years of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, the lineup was dominated by Stone County acts, including Buffalo Brothers.

Scott O'Malley inside his Western Jubillee Recrod Comapny's studio | Credit: Donald Kallaus In 1982, he started Scott O’Malley and Associates out of Conifer, representing a roster of Grammy winning old-timey and bluegrass musician Norman Blake (and later, Norman’s wife Nancy Blake), Colorado Music Hall of Fame inductee Flash Cadillac, and the legendary auto-harp master Bryan Bowers.

O’Malley and his wife Kathie moved to Colorado Springs in 1985 to raise their three kids, Tyler, Brendan, and Becca. He teamed with Kathleen Collins from the Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra and Dane Scott from Windstar Studios to form the Western Jubilee Recording Company (WJRC) in 1996.

After some 20 years of helping his artists find a space for their music, O’Malley gave that same attention to the audience, creating the Warehouse Theater as a happy place for friends and family to explore the new musical fron-

tiers in his patented “private concerts,” intimate invitation-only performances that were far from exclusive but free from the pressure of promotion.

“We’re not just trying to get someone off the street to fill our seat,” O’Malley told the Indy 25 years ago. “We want the same kind of person you’d have over to your living room.”

Don Edwards was the first performer in the Warehouse Theater, which unofficially doubled as an eclectic museum, with O’Malley’s memorabilia filling every nook and cranny, vintage signs covering the tin walls, a massive model train set running in a hidden room backstage, and dozens of old musical instruments framing the performance space with its classic quilt backdrop dampening the tin and contributing to the unique acoustic qualities that bring the music to life.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 21...

18 | Colorado Springs Independent | CSINDY.com

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June 27 - July 10 | 19

MUSIC.

DO YOU FEEL HEROIC, PUNK?

L

ast fortnight, prithee to remember, I joshed and jollied around the concept of “idols,” and how one should take care to avoid any “false ones” and the “worship” thereof. Someone else once warned us of this, and His name was… I forget. But the point is… I forget that too.

Anywhoodles, I vented some old “Mark McButthead” damage. Speaking of, the baseball at the heart of my childhood trauma was sold by my mom at our garage sale, so if you see it around, let me know; and Mom, I forgive you! I also swooned over Eddie Spaghetti and hinted at my admiration (read: fanatical obsession) with Conan O’Brien, who doesn’t know it yet, but will (someday) appear “live” at Red Rocks alongside the reunited White Stripes! (A boy can dream.)

That was all in good fun, but sometimes heroes hit a little closer to home. Such is the case with Rob and Tina Rushing, the creative force and perpetual motion of the Colorado based nonprofit coalition known as Punk Rock Saves Lives, whose stated mission is “to act as a catalyst in the music community … to promote awareness and action on health, equal rights, and human rights.”

My wife, Heather, and I had the great honor of volunteering with them at Riot Fest in Chicago a few years back, and what they do is nothing short of heroic. First and foremost, they transform “regular human” concertgoers like you and I into veritable heroes ourselves by registering them up for the National Bone Marrow Registry.

A quick “swab o’ the cheeks” adds your name and genetic profile to a list of potential donors to be matched with patients experiencing numerous life-threatening maladies and ailments such as blood cancers like leukemia and life-threatening blood diseases like sickle cell. Like I said—real heroism.

In addition to their main charge, they also use their limited resources to distribute every manner of useful and or life-saving essentials, from the trivial to the deadly serious: sunscreen, earplugs, condoms, Plan B, fentanyl test strips, Narcan, mental health resources; and the less tangible but equally important: i.e., friendship, empathy, inclusion... and even Malört (for better or worse- IYKYK)!

I myself, having been “blursed” with the uncomfortable distinction of a Bipolar 1

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diagnosis (complete with all rights and privileges appertaining), have benefited greatly from support of the PRSL family, and their mantra of “it’s okay to not be okay,” and the comfort of knowing that my struggle is not a personal weakness, rather proof of my humanity.

Since launching in 2019, Rob and Tina have logged 313,000 miles, set up shop at over 320 concerts and festivals, established chapters in 15 cities, registered over 11,000 people, and have matched 235 donors; and in doing so have cemented their place atop the list of heroes I am honored to call personal friends.

Now that you’re acquainted, let me invite you to get involved. You can register, volunteer, or make a modest (or extravagant) donation by visiting punkrocksaveslives.org and following @ punkrocksaveslives on Insta-lame™. Or for a real treat, you can meet them in person at the 3rd annual PRSL-Fest (July 5-7) at Ratio Beerworks in Denver.

The festival is a spectacular spectacle of music and community, and is a fantastic opportunity to get involved with while enjoying the auditory attestations of over 20 local and national bands including Chad Price, Spells, John Snodgrass, Vandoliers, Volores, Dead Pioneers, Hold Fast, Sarah and the Safeword, The Havoc, 1876, Middle Aged Queers, Boss’ Daughter…

The list goes on!

Most importantly, should you find yourself in need of support and wish to pursue less “institutional” avenues, do not hesitate to reach out. I know—believe me, I know— how hard it is to find a “ray of sunshine on an otherwise cloudy day." The first step is realizing that you’re not alone, and PRSL is tirelessly committed to making sure none of us walk alone. To paraphrase the legendary punkers 7 Seconds, “If we can walk together, we can rock together.”

Smell ya later.

Adam Leech is the proprietor of Leechpit Records & Vintage at 3020 W Colorado Ave.

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MUSIC.

Springs SCENE

Sexbruise? at Vultures, June 27, photo courtesy of Sexbruise?.

Local Live Music, June 27 through July 10 THURSDAY, JUNE 27 Jazz Thursdays | Free, live jazz music at the Mining Exchange Hotel. 8 S Nevada Ave. 5 p.m.

Black Forest Summer Music in the Park: Front Range Big Band | Big band performing at the Black Forest Community Center.

12530 Black Forest Rd. 5:30 p.m.

The HuCKLE BEARErS | Denver based folk duo performing at Jack Quinn’s Irish Pub and Restaurant. 21 S Tejon St. 6 p.m.

Starburn’s Tribute to 60s-80s Rock | Live rock music at Foothills Park. 853 Allegheny Dr. 6 p.m.

The Brit Pack | British cover band performing at Boot Barn Hall. 13071 Bass Pro Dr. 7 p.m.

Sexbruise?, Future Joy | Live pop and dance music at Vultures. 2100 E Platte Ave. 7 p.m.

FRIDAY, JUNE 28 The Martini Shot | Free weekly concert series at First & Main Town Center. 3650 New Center Pt. 5 p.m.

Experiencing Jazz: An American Artform Libation Lecture | Interactive jazz lecture at Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College. 30 W Dale St. 5:30 p.m.

Grizzly Gopher | Live music at The Buzzed Crow Bistro. 5853 Palmer Park Blvd. 8 p.m.

Lindsey Meyers | Acoustic musician performing at Ohana Kava Bar. 112 E Boulder St. 8 p.m.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29 Wirewood Station | Pop band performing at Greenways at Sand Creek Park as part of a free summer concert series. 3641 Greenways Main Blvd. 1 p.m.

Jeffrey Alan Band | Live music at The Whiskey Baron Dance Hall & Saloon. 5781 N Academy Blvd. 6 p.m.

Mistura Bela | Latin jazz musician performing at Rico’s Café & Wine Bar. 322 1/2 N Tejon. 6 p.m.

Colorado Springsteen | Bruce Springsteen tribute band performing at Boot Barn Hall.

13071 Bass Pro Dr. 7 p.m.

Dust Mite, Disrespect Boyz, Bigfoot Narcota, Nova Meek, Skellzdead, Joyde1k | Live music at Vultures. 7:30 p.m.

Tommy James & The Shondells | Rock band performing at Pikes Peak Center. 190 S Cascade Ave. 7:30 p.m.

Giovannie & The Hired Guns | Rock band performing at the Black Sheep. 2106 E Platte Ave. 8 p.m.

Violet Breeze | Piano and vocal duo performing at Rico’s Cafe & Wine Bar. 322 1/2 N Tejon St. 6 p.m.

The Red Side | Experimental techno musician performing at Ohana Kava Bar. 112 E Boulder St. 8 p.m.

General Admission | Live music at Jives Coffee Lounge. 16 Colbrunn Ct. 6:30 p.m.

Revel ReMix: AdAmAn Alley Dance Party | Pride Month dance party in Downtown with playlist by DJ Rocky Ross. 200 S Sierra Madre. 8 p.m.

Jacob Larson Band Funk & Soul | Live music at Tokki. 182 E Cheyenne Mountain Blvd. 7 p.m.

Jazz in the Garden presents Tony Exum, Jr. | Saxophonist performing Grace and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. 531 N Tejon.

7 pm.

New Vintage Jazz | Live jazz music at Summa. 817 W Colorado Ave. 7 p.m.

Tiffany Christopher Trio | Pop band performing at University Village Colorado Shopping Center as part of free summer concert series. 5246 N Nevada Ave. 7 p.m.

Get Some, Savings, Gatehouse, Troubled Minds | Live music at the Black Sheep.

2106 E Platte Ave. 8 p.m.

SUNDAY, JUNE 30 Blue Frog Sunday Summer Series | Weekly performances by Blue Frog at Front Range Barbeque. 2330 W Colorado Ave. 6 p.m.

Honey Hounds, Jameson Tank, Stereo Ontario, Changa | Live music at Vultures.

2100 E Platte Ave. 7 p.m.

Transviolet | Pop band performing at the Black Sheep. 2106 E Platte Ave. 8 p.m.

MONDAY, JULY 1 The Little London Winds: Happy Birthday, America | Free live concert in Soda Springs Park, Manitou Springs. 1016 Manitou Ave. 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 Hillside Gardens Summer Concert Series | Live music at Hillside Gardens. 1006 S Institute St. 5 p.m.

Springs City Jazz Band | Seven-piece jazz band performing at Broadmoor Community Church. 315 Lake Ave. 6 p.m.

THURSDAY, JULY 4 Star Spangled Symphony | Colorado Springs Philharmonic performing free Independence Day concert at Pikes Peak Center. 190 S Cascade Ave. 4:30 p.m.

Jazz Thursdays | Free, live jazz music at the Mining Exchange Hotel. 8 S Nevada Ave. 5 p.m.

forming at Notes Eatery. 13141 Bass Pro Dr. 9 a.m.

Jason Lee Band | Live music at Cripple Creek District Museum as part of free Music at the Depot concert series. 510 Bennett Ave. 2 p.m.

The Petty Nicks Experience | Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers/Stevie Nicks fusion tribute band performing at Boot Barn Hall. 13071 Bass Pro Dr. 7 p.m.

Grizzly Gopher | Live music at The Chicken Coop. 11627 Black Forest Rd. 9 p.m.

SUNDAY, JULY 7 An Evening With Suzy Bogguss | Country singer-songwriter performing at Boot Barn Hall. 13071 Bass Pro Dr. 7 p.m.

Wirewood Station | Americana band performing free summer concert at Vista Park Pavilion. 8833 Vista Del Pico Blvd. 6 p.m.

Willi Carlisle | Folk singer performing at Vultures. 2100 E Platte Ave. 7 p.m.

FRIDAY, JULY 5

The Little London Winds: Colorful Colorado | Free live concert in Soda Springs Park, Manitou Springs. 1016 Manitou Ave. 7 p.m.

Amoré | Americana band performing at Salad or Deli, where art curated by the Pikes Peak Arts Council will be on display. 8 E Bijou. 6 p.m.

Banshee Tree | Folk band performing at University Village Colorado Shopping Center as part of free summer concert series. 5246 N Nevada Ave. 7 p.m.

Dueling Pianos | Denver Piano Shows players performing at Boot Barn Hall. 13071 Bass Pro Dr. 7 p.m.

MONDAY, JULY 8

WEDNESDAY, JULY 10 Asher MacEnulty | Singer-songwriter performing at Rico’s Wine Bar & Café. 322 1/2 N Tejon St. 5 p.m.

Hillside Gardens Summer Concert Series | Live music at Hillside Gardens. 1006 S Institute St. 5 p.m.

The Matt Bloom Band, Angela Heart | Live music at Vultures. 2100 E Platte Ave. 7 p.m.

KJ Braithewaite and Joe Uveges | Live music at Broadmoor Community Church. 315 Lake Ave. 6 p.m.

Wildermiss, Pink Ranger, Tiny Tomboy | Indie rock bands performing at the Black Sheep.

2106 E Platte Ave. 8 p.m.

Lucas Wayne & the Cottonmouths | Live music at Front Range Barbeque. 2330 W Colorado Ave. 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, JULY 6

Tophouse | Folk band performing at Lulu’s Downstairs. 107 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs. 8 p.m.

Tommy Saxman Foyer | Saxophonist per-

June 27 - July 10 | 21

MUSIC. ...CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

Road SHOWS Statewide Live Music, June 27 through July 10

The Afghan Whigs at Ogden Theater, July 2, photo courtesy of The Afghan Whigs.

Blink-182 with Pierce the Veil, Drain | Ball Arena, Denver, June 27 Brett Dennen | Boulder Theater, Boulder, June 27 C-Kan | Ogden Theater, Denver, June 27 Diana Ross | Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 27 Machinedrum | Club Vinyl, Denver, June 27 Morgan Wallen with Jon Pardi, Nate Smith | Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, June 27-28 Damian Marley with Stephen Marley | Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 28 New Kids on the Block with Paula Abdul | Ball Arena, Denver, June 28 T.I. with Waka Flocka Flame | Greeley Stampede, Greeley, June 28 Chris Young with Hailey Whitters | Greeley Stampede, Greeley, June 29 Odesza with Big Boi, Bob Moses | Folsom Field, Boulder, June 29 Robert Glasper | Mission Ballroom, Denver, June 29 Teddy Swims with Thee Sacred Souls, Sam Barber | Civic Center Park, Denver, June 29 311 with Iration, DENM | Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 29 Nas with Colorado Symphony Orchestra | Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, June 30 Pixies | Fiddlers Green Amphitheatre, Englewood, June 30 The Dirty Heads with Allen Stone, Tunnel Vision | Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, July 1

Ocean Alley | Ogden Theater, Denver, July 1 The Afghan Whigs with The Church | Ogden Theater, Denver, July 2 The Early November with Hellogoodbye | Marquis Theater, Denver, July 2 Zeds Dead | Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, July 2-3 Blues Traveler with JJ Grey & Mofro | Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, July 4 Cheap Trick | Greeley Stampede, Greeley, July 4 The Avett Brothers | Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, July 5-7 The Infamous Stringdusters | Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Bellvue, July 5-6 Blitzen Trapper | Bluebird Theater, Denver, July 6 Drive-By Truckers | The Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, July 6 Old Dominion | Greeley Stampede, Greeley, July 6 Melissa Etheridge | Outdoor Amphitheater at Arvada Center, Arvada, July 7 The Dangerous Summer | Bluebird Theater, Denver, July 9 Lyle Lovett with Shawn Colvin, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, July 9 Aventura | Ball Arena, Denver, July 10-11 Hootie and the Blowfish with Edwin McCain | Fiddlers Green Amphitheatre, July 10 Paul Cauthen | I Bar Ranch, Gunnison, July 10 Portugal. The Man with Tegan and Sara | Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, July 10

Among the shining examples of O’Malley’s musical eclecticism were projects pairing everyone from Flash Cadillac to Don Edwards with various symphony orchestras, and a recording project at the Warehouse Theater bringing Edwards together with International Bluegrass Music Association Hall of Fame inductees Peter Rowan, Norman Blake, and Tony Rice for the Grammy-nominated “High Lonesome Cowboy.”

Over nearly 40 years in the music business, O’Malley earned a reputation as “The King of Niche,” working with cowboy singers and poets, Celtic music makers, cowpunkers, and rock and rollers, engaging with everyone from Michael Martin Murphy to the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s Jim Ibbotsen and John McEuen, from Ian Tyson and Mollie O’Brien to the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, and even local acts like former Indy writer Malcolm Lucard, who recorded his debut album at the Warehouse Theater.

The last show was a multi-set informal performances spread out over an entire Sunday afternoon of celebration, featuring cowboy poet Waddie Mitchell, Sons and Brothers, Inaiah and Chela Lujan, Bowers, Jim Ratz, and the up-and-coming Grass it Up. Fittingly, the final performance after roughly a quarter of a century of “secret shows” featured Bowers taking the stage for an impromptu encore, enlisting Grass it Up to back him up on Ralph Stanley’s “Rank Stranger.”

Bowers wasn’t the only artist moved to tears as they dedicated songs to O’Malley. His story about O’Malley giving him a guitar off the wall that he still plays was reminiscent of the guitar Blake plucked off the wall during the High Lonesome Cowboy sessions, making countless records with it and relishing in the “ancient tones” seasoned and marinated in the music of the warehouse.

By coincidence, the pandemic and the natural progression of his artists toward retirement arrived at a confluence with the finalization of a deal in 2020 with the esteemed Smithsonian Folkways record label to purchase the WJRC catalogue, ensuring the music would live on while freeing O’Malley up to step back and make his own transition to retirement.

“When someone (passes) like that, you feel like there's finish lines that weren’t crossed, and things left unsaid, and a bunch of stuff left undone,” O’Malley’s son Tyler told the Indy. “I just don't really feel that was the case with my dad.

By the end of it, with the Smithsonian, and the preserving of the label, and the artists, I think really everything that he set out to accomplish kind of got done.”

On behalf of a grateful cowboy nation, happy trails to Scott O’Malley as his family takes him home to Indiana and the “old homestead” he loved so much, for a final celebration and sendoff before the sun fully sets on his exit from a world he brightened with his music and friendship.

Scott O'Malley at his Western Jubilee Recording Company | Credit: Donald Kallaus

22 | Colorado Springs Independent | CSINDY.com

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W.I.P. IT

“A

By LAUREN CIBOROWSKI

nd when things get hard / I know that I’ll make it through. I don’t mind walking / as long as I’m walking with you,” croons Aja Black on The Reminders’ catchy newest release, “Walking with You.” I immediately thought of this line as a sweet marital anthem but catching up with Big Samir, the other half of The Reminders, I realized that just about anyone can relate to that sentiment.

“Lots of people find it applicable,” said Samir, from friends to lovers to anyone in between. With a danceable beat, “Walking with You” really embraces Aja’s lovely singing voice, with Samir’s flawless rapping putting “the icing on the cake,” as he says.

a few weeks ago, “Isolated,” and this one is a different timbre and tale entirely. Shawn King, of Devotchka fame, rang up the duo a bit ago to ask them to write a song specifically for a new documentary. “The Wait to Nowhere,” which can be seen on YouTube, addresses the troubling process young people go through when seeking help for mental health issues in emergency rooms. Despite the subject matter, this snappy track still makes you want to move. “Isolated/ watching time go by/ trying to find a way out. Complicated/ inside my mind/ so many things that I been through,” sings the duo on the chorus.

Samir and I also chatted about the ever-changing music industry and its challenges. “Everything is really shifting,” noted Samir. The old days of churning out albums and touring are less and less sustainable. But The Reminders are certainly staying busy. Aja has been back in school studying psychology and Samir is getting more and more stints in public speaking. And during the school year, the duo gets popular with residencies. But that’s not to say their music is being neglected – I mean, two singles in one month ain’t bad! And they have two local gigs coming up: Taste of Pikes Peak on July 18 and Culture Fest in September.

"THIS AMAZING MARRIED DUO CAN LOOSELY BE DESCRIBED AS HIP-HOP OOZING WITH SOUL– I Samir remains hopeful REMEMBER about the future of music, THINKING, for one thing, he’s always in dialogue around how THESE GUYS to support younger artists, ARE LOCAL?" and how to support artists

If you don’t know The Reminders (they’re so good, they’ve even toured with Ms. Lauryn Hill!), it’s high time you type them into your Spotify search bar. This amazing married duo can loosely be described as hip-hop oozing with soul, but words alone really don’t do them enough justice. I first heard them on a CD issued by the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region ages ago (anyone else remember that?), and I couldn’t believe my ears. The sound was so smooth, the beat so captivating – I remember thinking, these guys are local? Local, phenomenally talented, full of uplifting and positive messages, and hard at work.

They just released another new single

in general “beyond the performance.” What’s the best way for listeners to support The Reminders, I wondered? “Spotify playlists,” came the answer. Music is meant to be shared, and this music in particular is the inspiration someone in your life just might need.

You need art. Art needs you.

Lauren Ciborowski writes about the arts and music in every issue. W.I..P. stands for Works in Progress.

MUSIC.

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EVENTS ART EXHIBITIONS Colorado Rhapsody Thursday, June 27, Commonwheel Artists Co-op, 102 Canon Ave., 10 a.m. The Pikes Peak Pastel Society annual members’ art show. The show’s theme, “Colorado Rhapsody,” will feature art by 24 of the Pastel Society’s local members with works of all sizes using the medium of soft pastel. Through July 1. commonwheel.com/ pastel-society.

Hu'o'ng Ngô: Ungrafting Thursday, June 27, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W Dale Street, 10 a.m. Time is crucial to Hu'o'ng Ngô, who investigates the resonances of colonial histories in the present day. She explores various aspects of Vietnamese resistance to French colonialism through archival research, and activates the historical record via imagery, language, and material matter.

Through July 27. fac.coloradocollege.edu.

Tapestry by Tish Lacy Reed Thursday, June 27, Surface Gallery, 2752 W Colorado Ave., 12 p.m.: Collage and mixed media work by local Colorado Springs artist. Tap·es·try: Used in reference to an intricate or complex combination of things or sequence of events. Perhaps a tapestry of cultures, races, customs or even beliefs.

Through July 27. surfacegallerycos.com.

You Are Here: Lupita Carrasco Thursday, June 27, Surface Gallery, 2752 W Colorado Ave., 12 p.m. “You Are Here” is an observation and appreciation of the spaces we all share seen through the eyes of an artist. Through July 26. surfacegallerycos. com.

TRIO Art Exhibit Ending Thursday, June 27, Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region, 121 S Tejon St., Suite 111, 4 p.m. TRIO features night scenes, subconscious abstractions, and collages

by Chris Alvarez. Alvarez is a well-known painter and arts educator in Colorado and New Mexico. alvarezschool.com.

Six Local Artists Ending Friday, June 28, Auric Gallery, 125 E Boulder St., 5 p.m. “In the Meantime”

by Meghan Wilbar, “Cloudy Thoughts” by Judith Marie, “The Virtues of Beasts” by Kristopher Orr Animalia, “Dewdrops on a Lotus Leaf” by Gaby Oshiro, “REsurfaceD”

by Ben Bires and “Attention” by Leila Davis. auricgallery.com.

The Painted Dress Project Ending Friday, June 28, Academy Art &

Judith Marie’s “Day Dream” from the “Cloudy Thoughts” series, displayed in “Six Local Artists” by Auric Gallery through June 28.

Frame Co, 7560 N Academy Blvd., 7 p.m.

What started as an impulsive art therapy project to help AnaKacia Shifflet, a noted wedding and couture dress designer from Rye, Colorado, cope with COVID and the shutdown led to a personal journey that resulted in the creation of The Painted Dress Project, which includes the release of her new book (“Throwing Paint”) and the creation of a nonprofit organization to raise awareness about long COVID. academyframesco.com.

Charting Waters Ending Saturday, June 29, Cottonwood Center for the Arts, 427 E Colorado Ave., 2 p.m. Water in its many forms can nourish or destroy, fill an aquarium, flood a plain, quench your thirst, thaw, freeze, boil, or evaporate into the air. For this call we asked artists to examine the nature of water, and its simple beauty as a part of our environment.

Through June 29. cottonwoodcenterforthearts.com.

Life Artworks of Kang Lee Sheppard Ending Saturday, June 29, Academy Art & Frame Co., 7560 N Academy Blvd., 6 p.m.

Join us in June to celebrate the artistic talents of Kang Lee Sheppard with a retrospective of her work. Kang Lee is an internation-

ally recognized artist and has contributed in many ways to the artistic community in Colorado Springs. academyframesco.com.

Old Colorado City ArtWalk Friday, July 5, Old Colorado City, 23002800 W Colorado Ave., 5 p.m. Visit dozens of shops and galleries representing hundreds of works of art by local artists. Artist demonstrations are featured at many locations along with complimentary beverages and light eats. First Friday of every month. shopoldcoloradocity.com.

PERFORMING ARTS Kevin James Thursday, June 27, Pikes Peak Center, 190 S Cascade Ave., 7:30 p.m. Kevin James began his career as a stand-up on the Long Island comedy scene. The King of Queens, which premiered in 1998, ran for nine seasons on CBS. James was also the producer, co-writer and star of the hit comedies Paul Blart: Mall Cop 1 & 2, Zookeeper and Here Comes The Boom. pikespeakcenter.com.

The Magic of Adam Trent Friday, June 28, Pikes Peak Center, 190 S Cascade Ave., 7:30 p.m. Broadway/TV star Adam Trent is bringing his signature brand of magic and illusion to Colorado Springs in a high-tech stage spectacle. Produced by

the creative team behind The Illusionists, the world's best-selling touring magic show, The Magic of Adam Trent is an immersive entertainment extravaganza of magic, comedy and music designed to entertain the entire family. pikespeakcenter.com.

Pirates of the Carabiner Friday, June 28, Iron Springs Chateau, 444 Ruxton Ave., 7:30 p.m. “Pirates of the Carabiner…or…The Search for Booty” is a musical comedy melodrama set at the Island of Tortuga in the mid-1800s. The Captain of the Minnie Pearl, Capt. Mack Sparrow, is in search of his family’s long lost buried treasures. But he may not be up for the challenges posed by the Dread Pirate Robber, a villainous character who has somehow become the governor of beautiful Tortuga.

Through August 3. ironspringschateau.com.

The Education of Angels Friday, June 28 and Saturday, June 29, Fountain Community Theater, 326 W Alabama Ave., 6 p.m. and 1 p.m. “The Education of Angels” is a witty and extremely funny play with a message that will touch every heart.

Two unlikely characters, Nick and Jenna, are thrown together in this hilarious tale of two angels in training sent back to earth to help Dave, who is having cold feet on his wedding day. our.show/knitwjnd3j.

Impossible Things Friday, June 28 and Saturday, July 6, Cosmo’s Magic Theater, 1045 Garden of the Gods Rd. Unit 1, 7:30 p.m. Enjoy worldclass sleight of hand right under your nose, performed by one of the world's top sleight of hand artists. Enjoy an of comedy and magic in a beautiful Victorian parlor setting. cosmosmagictheater.com.

ACT OUT: 2 Gents Saturday, June 29, George Fellows Park, 5550 N Union Blvd., 11 a.m. Join Theatreworks for a fast paced, energetic staging of one of Shakespeare's overlooked comedic masterpieces. Public performances of ACT OUT are always free to audiences, from the oldest to the youngest, and everyone in between. Through July 6. Full list of dates and locations at entcenterforthearts.org.

Magic and Mind Reading Saturday, June 29 and Friday, July 5, Cosmo’s Magic Theater, 1045 Garden of the Gods Rd. Unit 1, 7:30 p.m. Continuing in our tradition of storytelling, light and fun presentation and comedy, this show includes brand new, original material created specifically for this performance. The audience will even be "taught," and participate in, telekinesis during the performance. Weekly performances throughout 2024. cosmosmagictheater.com.

June 27 - July 10 | 25

Rock Ledge Ranch Family Fourth for Independence Day | Courtesy: Rock Ledge Ranch FILM Independent Film Series: “Thelma” Tuesday, July 9, Ivywild School, 1604 S Cascade Ave., 7 p.m. When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her. Inspired by a real-life experience of writer-director Josh Margolin’s own centenarian grandmother, Thelma puts a clever spin on movies like Mission: Impossible, shining the spotlight on an elderly grandmother as an unlikely action hero. rmvfilm.org/pop-up-cinema.

COMMUNITY EVENTS Urban Market Thursday, June 27 and Thursday, July 4, Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, 2 El Paso Blvd., 5:30 p.m. Mark your calendars and get ready for an unforgettable experience every Thursday evening this May through September at the Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort! Our enchanting seasonal urban market will be set up in the serene backyard area, offering a delightful array of handcrafted goods from local artisans and makers.

Once you've found your favorite finds, step inside the Lodge to savor Colorado's finest brews, wines, or spirits while enjoying live music from 6-8 p.m. bicycleresort.com/ events-activities.

Pet ROCK! Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, June 30, 301 Victor Ave., Victor, 10 a.m. Features live music, pet-friendly vendors and a dog parade. Staff from TCRAS will be there to provide information about their TNR (trap, neuter and release) program and vaccinations, as well as to discuss all the ways they provide support as our county's only animal shelter. victortourism.com/event-details/ pet-rock.

ASCEND Music & Motorsports Festival 2024 Thursday, July 4, Pikes Peak International Raceway, 16650 Midway Ranch Rd., 8 a.m.

ASCEND is a Time Attack competition with $50,000 in cash prizes. Alongside the GTA Time Attack competition, the event is also bringing 1/8th-mile Drag Racing, Open Drifting, a two-day Car Show, live music on Saturday night, Fourth of July Fireworks, a drone light show and weekend camping.

Through July 7. tickets.ppir.com/e/ascend-2024.

Fourth of July Street Fair Thursday, July 4, Historic Downtown Monument, Front St. & 2nd St., 8 a.m. The TriLakes Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development and Visitor Center are hosting a Fourth of July Street Fair. The Street Fair showcases a large variety of vendors on Second and Washington Streets in downtown Monument. The Street Fair and Beer Garden compliment the many community events occurring in the Tri-Lakes area on this holiday, including a pancake breakfast, the Palmer Lake Fun Run, the Palmer Lake Festival on the 4th and the Palmer Lake fireworks show. trilakeschamber.com.

Family Fourth Thursday, July 4, Rock Ledge Ranch, 3105 Gateway Rd., 10 a.m. Experience what life in a Civil War encampment would have been like and enjoy some watermelon.

Listen to the Pikes Peak Brass Band or the “Strings and Things” dulcimer band and play carnival games with your kids and learn how to play “Chicken Bingo.” Watch the Seven Falls Indian Dancers perform and go on a wagon ride around the ranch. Hear historic speeches by General Palmer, President Theodore Roosevelt, Susan B. Anthony and Katharine Lee Bates. rockledgeranch.com.

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THE INK MASTERS TATTOO EXPO BRINGS DOZENS OF ARTISTS TO THE SPRINGS FOR THREE DAYS OF INKING AND PIERCING.

By EMILY DIECKMAN

I

watch as the Playboy Bunny goes to work. Her very proud husband tells me she’s the only professional tattoo artist to have appeared in the gentleman’s magazine.

It’s a bit difficult to fact check a claim like this, but it seems like an oddly specific thing to lie about. A quick internet search doesn’t turn up any obvious evidence to the contrary (in part because Googling “playboy model tattoo artist” mostly turns up Playboy models with tattoos or people who have tattoos of the Playboy bunny, but I digress).

I’m at the Ink Masters Tattoo Expo, which rolled through Colorado Springs the weekend of May 24, and I am indelibly impressed. As I’m arriving, I watch a man getting stenciled for an outline of Texas on his left arm. He’s adding to a collection of tattoos that already includes the Dos Equis logo and Tom and Jerry.

I walk past a man with a mohawk, who, when he turns to talk to his friend, reveals a giant rat tattooed on the side of his bald scalp. I keep ending up walking behind a woman who has one of those garter tattoos, the word “bitch” completing the loop on the back of her thigh in intricate cursive. Wherever I turn, there is floral linework or vibrant watercolor or American Traditional or ultrarealistic portraiture.

But it’s not just the variety of tattoo styles; it’s also the variety of stories: how people became artists, what their tattoos mean. Joe Alvarado, owner of Artistic Precision in Laredo, TX, started tattooing when he was 17. He’d skipped school to hang out with his cousin, and his cousin’s cousin saw Alvarado’s binder of artwork. The guy had a ink gun, and said he’d walk Alvarado through how to use it if Alvarado would give him a tattoo.

“The tattoo was a nightmare, but I’ve been addicted ever since,” said Alvarado, who’s now been tattooing for 17 years. He shows me a tattoo he did the day before of a happy dog with its tongue out. It’s so realistic that I think for a moment it might lick me through his phone screen.

I also meet Bennett Snyder, 20, who started as an apprentice at Nocturnal Tattoo 2 in Lakewood, CO, just the week before. Like many people at the convention, he has some fresh tattoos of his own, still wrapped up in plastic. One on his left arm is to cover up an old tattoo, and another, on his left leg, is something he liked the look of. But he says his right arm is reserved for meaningful pieces.

So far, he’s got a matching armband with his dad, a little set of boxing gloves and the words “never give up” (like the tattoo form of the speech from Rocky, he

Michelle Manhart tattooing Raina Davis | Credit: Emily Dieckman explains), and an anchor hanging from a cloud, representing how he has big ideas, but likes to stay grounded.

Jose Alvarez of Born Rebel Texas did his first tattoo in 7th grade on a friend’s back. (Not his best work, he says.) He got his first tattoo, his last name on the back of his neck, at 15, and was doing tattoos professionally by 19. His favorite tattoos are any of the 20 or so he’s done on his wife, Sarah, who was there with him.

On the other end of the spectrum is Michelle Manhart, a woman in her forties who didn’t start tattooing until 5 years ago. Prior to that, she was in the Air Force for more than a decade. Then she and her husband owned some restaurants and tanning salons.

“I literally just woke up one morning and was like, ‘I’m going to sell the business and become a tattoo artist,’” she tells me. The woman she is tattooing, who holds her right arm out to Manhart for a floral linework piece and tends to a baby in her stroller with her left, is as

impressed as I am.

Growing up, I always figured if I got a tattoo, it ought to be meaningful.

They’re permanent! On your body forever! It all felt so serious. As I’ve grown older, I’ve developed an appreciation for a wider variety of tattoos (at least on other people, who are are less uptight than I am). My friend got a unicorn tattoo just because she thought it was pretty, for example. Or Alvarado showed me a picture of a “liquid courage” tattoo he did (by which I mean the cartoon character Courage the Cowardly Dog, but in liquid form in a little vial).

I’ve also sometimes slipped into a more nihilistic view: Maybe nothing matters, so why all the pressure? It’s just ink on a body, and we’re all gonna die, right?

A tattoo expo, I’ve found, is an excellent way to remember that, in the best and most comforting sense, both are true. Tattoos are “permanent,” but, in a larger sense, nothing is permanent. If you want to mark the journey with some body art, why not?

28 | Colorado Springs Independent | CSINDY.com

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BACK TO THE BASICS 4. Clean up your messes 5. Be nice to others 6. Obey the rules 7. Say “hi” Third, carry these “10 Essentials”: 1. Appropriate footwear

I

By BOB “HIKING BOB” FALCONE

’m pleased to return to the Independent, covering outdoor recreation and resuming the column I wrote for a number of years. Thanks to the new ownership and management for inviting me back.

If you’re new to this newspaper, or if you’re new to this beautiful part of the country, I’ll do a quick introduction of myself. I have lived in Colorado Springs for 33 years and have explored many miles of trails, hiking more than 800 miles a year for the last several years. I have done this not only in Colorado, but much of the southwestern United States. I have served on several boards and committees at both the city and county parks departments and still volunteer at our parks.

During my career as a firefighter, even the most seasoned, most highly trained, and most experienced among us would do some training that would refresh our knowledge of the “basics.” This seems like a good time to do the same, insofar as enjoying the outdoors.

First, follow the Seven Leave No Trace Principles: 1. Plan ahead and prepare 2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces 3. Dispose of waste properly 4. Leave what you find 5. Minimize campfire impacts 6. Respect wildlife 7. Be considerate of others Second, know the basic etiquette of the trails: 1. If you’re going downhill, yield to those going uphill 2. Cyclists yield to people on foot 3. Everyone yields to horses

2. Map/compass and/or GPS (and learn how to use them) 3. Water 4. Food 5. Rain gear and additional layers 6. Safety items, such as a flashlight, whistle, a way to start a fire 7. First aid kit 8. Knife and/or multi-tool 9. Sun protection, such as sunscreen, wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses 10. Shelter, such as a space blanket or a compact tent My own additional “essentials”: 11. Shoelaces, or parachute cord 12. Personal locator beacon, because your cell phone will fail you 13. Portable power, because those rechargeable things will go dead 14. Medications, especially those needing to be taken at very specific times When you go hiking or cycling, do these things: 1. Research where you’re going, so you know what to expect 2. Our most popular parks, trails and trailheads fill up on weekends. Have a “plan B” in case you can’t make your first choice.

3. Tell someone where you’re going: a. What trail you’ll be on b. Where you will be parking c. Description of your car d. When you expect to return e. Who to contact if you don’t return as planned, such as the local police or sheriff A couple of more tid-bits: Our city and county parks are tax support-

ed and entry to them is free. However, Colorado State Parks are not tax funded, so you there is an entry fee of $10 per car, per day. If your car is registered in Colorado, a $29 “Keep Colorado Wild” fee is added to your registration, and it serves as your state park entry pass for the year. It’s a heck of a bargain, since it pays for itself after only 3 visits.

OUTSIDE

Colorado Springs. He has served on boards and committees for city, county and state parks in the Pikes Peak region, and spends much of this time hiking 800 or more miles each year, looking for new places and trails to visit, often with his canine side-kick Coal.

There are a number of National Park Service sites in the state, such as Rocky Mountain National Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado National Monument and others. Almost all of them require an entry fee, except or a few days each year when fees are waived. This is separate from any state or local pass. During peak season, Rocky Mountain National Park has a timed entry system and requires an advance reservation. If you show up without a reservation, you risk not being allowed in. Plan ahead.

We love our dogs here, but before you head to your favorite trail or park with your pooch, know the rules: Some state parks allow dogs on trails, some only allow them on certain trails, and some don’t allow them at all. Check before you go. For the most part, the National Parks and Monuments do not allow dogs on trails. Again, check before you go.

Generally speaking, dogs are allowed in almost all city and county parks and trails, but there may be restrictions. Check ahead or watch for signs at entrances and trailheads.

With the exception of specifically designated places where dogs are allowed off leash, if you can bring your dog with you, it will need to be leashed at all times. And, pick up your dogs refuse.

Whew! That was a lot to digest!

Be good. Do good things. Leave No Trace.

Bob "Hiking Bob" Falcone is a retired career firefighter, USAF veteran, an accomplished photographer and thirty-year resident of

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NEWS

By TAMARA CHUANG • The Colorado Sun Colorado’s plan to make sure 99% of residents in the state have reliable, fast and affordable internet got the final boost it needed: $826.5 million. The Biden administration said Tuesday it approved how Colorado plans to use the federal funds to get the job done.

“We are so thrilled to be the eighth state to be approved,” Gov. Jared Polis said Tuesday during a news conference.

“It’s just such a fundamental building block of so many services and our economy, where it is today and even more so in the future.”

Like many states, Colorado has struggled to get internet service to 100% of its households, mainly because private companies that have spent decades building the infrastructure will only do so if it’s profitable. Rural areas where houses are miles apart from towns and neighbors are costly to reach. The state has awarded small grants and loans to internet providers to offset costs and that’s helped get the state to 91.9% covered.

The Infrastructure Act that Congress passed in 2021 set aside $42.5 billion for the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program, known as BEAD. It provided $100 million to every state to improve broadband access. The remainder was distributed based on the state’s unserved and underserved populations, or those with internet service speeds below 100 megabits per second down, and 20 mbps up.

The BEAD funds should be enough to get 99% of the state’s households covered, according to the Colorado Broadband Office, the main contact for internet providers, cities and organizations working to expand internet access.

Brandy Reitter joined CBO as executive director in 2022. A plethora of new grants will soon be available that will help local providers reach those households miles away from the main internet pipes.

“CBO is off to the races in terms of launching our program,” said Reitter, who joined Polis on the call. “In July,

STATE MATTERS.

BIDEN SUPPORTS COLORADO’S $826M INTERNET-FOR-ALL PLAN

we’re going to open up public comment for a draft of our guidelines, as well as our project area maps. … And then, shortly after we finalize the public comment and those documents, we will turn to phase two, which is really the meat and potatoes.”

That’s when internet providers and other organizations can start applying for grants to offset the cost of building broadband infrastructure to regions of the state that have been without internet service or adequate service. She estimates that could start in August.

“We should be able to meet those deliverables pretty well over the next two or three months,” she said.

Another big piece of what the Biden administration calls Internet for All is affordability. Plans to address the high cost of internet service also were required, said Evan Feinman, BEAD director for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is overseeing the rollout of the program nationwide.

“Colorado came forward with a very strong proposal. It’s effectively a $30 per month plan with the opportunity for providers in high-cost areas to wave up to a higher figure based on their cost,” Feinman said.

The $30 cost is similar to the amount provided by the federal government in its Affordable Connectivity Program, which ended last month and cut off up to 250,000 Colorado households receiving the $30 monthly subsidy to offset internet costs.

As the ACP program wound down due to funds running out, some internet providers like Comcast reminded users of its $9.95 monthly Internet Essentials service, while the state pointed to Lifeline, a $9.25 federal subsidy for very low-income households to offset internet costs.

The CBO said that moving forward, all grantees of future BEAD funding must offer a low-cost plan as part of their slate of internet options.

Colorado also included a workforce development plan to create 3,000 jobs

Jared Polis US House official photo | US House Office of Photography Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

to build the infrastructure and provide future maintenance.

The eight states joined the District of Columbia to get BEAD plans approved so far. Those are: • Colorado, $826.5 million • New Hampshire, $196 million • Pennsylvania, $1.1 billion • District of Columbia, $100 million

• Delaware, $107 million • Washington, $1.2 billion • Kansas, $451.7 million • Nevada, $416.6 million • West Virginia, $1.2 billion The Colorado Sun is a reader-supported, nonprofit news outlet that covers our state. Learn more and sign up for free newsletters at coloradosun.com.

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A Perfect Storm for Fire Insurance

W

OPINION

By DAVE MARSTON Writers on the Range

esterners have begun looking at their homes differently these days. Are those trees too close?

Should I move all that firewood stacked up next to the deck?

Meanwhile, in California, some fire insurers have lost so much money they’ve pulled out of the state. Overall, fire insurance is becoming as expensive and unpredictable as the natural disasters—not just wildfires but also hail and windstorms—that are driving up rate increases. In some places, increases are as much as 1,000% for houses and condos nestled close to trees.

In Colorado, Tiffany Lockwood said she was dropped twice by fire insurance carriers over the 10 years she’s lived in Evergreen, a heavily forested exurb of Denver.

A former Florida resident, Lockwood, 59, only has one way out in case of a wildfire—and even then she’ll have little warning. “When I lived in Florida,” she said, “we knew four days ahead when a hurricane was coming. Here we get 40 minutes.”

Lockwood thinks insurance companies are running scared and giving impossible directives. One insurer asked her to remove all the shrubs and trees within 30 feet of the house. But the plan meant taking down a lot of her neighbor’s trees, too.

Evergreen’s attraction is that residents live amidst towering conifer trees. But

Is this house in Douglas County, Colorado insurable? | Courtesy: Lena Deravianko, Unsplash red zones on fire maps are being expanded all over Colorado after several recent large forest fires and the wind-driven Marshall grassfire outside of Boulder, in December 2021. It destroyed more than 1,000 suburban homes and was the state’s most expensive fire yet. Formerly “safe” places are now described as at-risk.

Jeff Geslin lives in high and dry La Plata County, in southwestern Colorado, surrounded by 35 acres of piñon and juniper trees. He and his wife Lorna are used to remediation plans, he said, and when their insurance increases, “I just pay it, no questions asked.”

But they were shocked when their condo association in Summit County, governing their second home, lost its insurance policy.

“It might be because we’re close to Forest Service land,” Geslin said, “which must be more risk.” Every condo owner was assessed $6,772 extra for the new policy the Homeowners Association managed to find—an increase of 1,000%.

Colorado State Senator Dylan Roberts is working on legislation to insure larger structures. “I’ve gotten calls about insurance for the last year if not two years,” he said. “The single-family upset

has quieted down, but the big thing I hear about is HOA and condo buildings.”

The state already has what is called the Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan in place for smaller buildings when insurance companies refuse to underwrite traditional coverage. It’s backed by private insurers and administered by an appointed board of insurance professionals.

“We hope to insure no one,” said FAIR Plan board member Carole Walker. She’s the executive director of an insurance trade group covering, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and Utah.

“This is insurance of last resort,” she said, “as we don’t want to compete with private insurers. They’re struggling after 10 straight years of unprofitability in property insurance.”

The FAIR Plan board, which plans to sell policies late next year, hired industry veteran Kelly Campbell as executive director this May. It will offer bare-bones coverage with high deductibles and low maximum amounts. The plan would offer coverage of $5 million per commercial structure and $750,000 per house.

“Everything has escalated,” said Walker.

“Colorado is in that perfect storm of catastrophes. The number of claims and

the cost to pay those claims is at a record pace. Add in the escalating number of events like hail and wildfire, and it’s the hardest insurance market in a generation.”

Walker says Colorado established a resiliency code board via state law in 2023, with a mandate of hardening structures with fire-resistant siding, metal roofs and landscaping. “We need confidence back in the marketplace,” she said about the board. “Ultimately, this is a life-safety issue because wildfire knows no boundaries. You’re dependent on your neighbor.”

Kevin Parks, a State Farm insurer in Western Colorado, has some advice for Western homeowners: “Widen your driveway and road to 20 feet, install a turnaround big enough for fire vehicles, remove shrubs and trees close to your house, and add a perimeter of gravel all around your structure. Finally, hope you live where two roads lead to your house.”

In this new age of longer and meaner fire seasons, Parks added, “The fire is coming—now it’s a question of being ready.”

Dave Marston is the publisher of Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, an independent nonprofit dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West.

36 | Colorado Springs Independent | CSINDY.com

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June 27 - July 10 | 39

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FUN&GAMES

40 | Colorado Springs Independent | CSINDY.com

FUN&GAMES

News of the

WEIRD

BY THE EDITORS AT ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

VACATION GOALS

Headed to Arizona this summer? (I mean, who isn't?) Motor on over to Williams and drop into the Poozeum, the new permanent location for George Frandsen's extensive coprolite collection.

(Coprolite, in case you didn't know, is fossilized animal feces, United Press International reported.) Frandsen earned a Guinness World Record in 2015 with his collection of 1,277 fossils -- but now, the Poozeum is the permanent home of 8,000 specimens. "Several years ago, I noticed a glaring absence of coprolite representation in mainstream sources and museum exhibits," Frandsen said. "The world's premier dinosaur poop museum" offers free admission -- but don't bypass the gift shop!

AWESOME!

As a 32-year-old man and his 66-yearold father argued on May 28 in Commerce City, Colorado, the father allegedly shot several times at the son, CNN reported. The father was believed to be intoxicated. While his aim was right on, a fluke saved the younger man's life: A .22-caliber bullet lodged in the 10-millimeter-wide silver chain link necklace he was wearing at his throat. The victim escaped with just a puncture wound; his dad is charged with first-degree attempted murder.

OOPS!

• The website for the Republican National Convention features a photo of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the convention will be held starting on July 15, on each of it pages. At least, it was supposed to. On June 4, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the website section called "News and Updates" highlighted a photo of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam -- not Milwaukee. According to an internet archive, the errant photo had been in place on the page since February. The RNC declined to comment.

• The South China Morning Post reported on May 27 that a 26-year-old man from Naringgul, Indonesia, was

hoodwinked into marriage after dating his "wife," Kanza, 26, for a year. Just 12 days into their union, the man, who goes by AK, became suspicious when his bride continued to wear her headscarf at home and avoided intimacy. After doing a little sleuthing, AK discovered that Kanza was actually a man who had been cross-dressing since 2020. The scoundrel later told authorities that he married AK to steal his family's assets. He was arrested and could face four years in prison.

QUESTIONABLE JUDGMENT

At a McDonald's restaurant in Booval, Queensland, Australia, a customer caught an employee using a french fry heat lamp to dry a dirty mop head, Yahoo! News reported on May 20. The customer said the mop had just been used to mop the floors; she heard another employee say, "I don't think you should be doing that as it could be a safety issue as it can catch on fire," but the first worker just "laughed it off."

A spokesperson for McDonald's Australia called it an "isolated incident" and said the staff had undergone "retraining" on food safety procedures.

EWWWWW!

A woman named Cheyenne called in to a radio show in Australia on May 28 and dropped a whopper of a confession, the New York Post reported. "So my nan passed away in August last year and got cremated," Cheyenne began. "I went over to my mom's one night and thought to cheer her up a bit ... 'Let's just taste Nan.'" The caller went on to say that her brother, who had been in prison, was recently released and as a "welcome home" dinner, she made him pasta with sauce—alla Nan. "I thought it would be funny to prank him ... and I put some of Nan's ashes in the pasta sauce." Cheyenne said she has a "weird addiction" to the ashes and believes they help connect her with her late granny. "Nan will live on through me forever," she said. Bon appetit.

Send your weird news items with subject line WEIRD NEWS to WeirdNewsTips@amuniversal.com

WEIRD SCIENCE

“S

cientists in Japan are at it again, Oddity Central reported on May 31. The Japanese tech company Kirin Holdings has released the new Elecispoon, a metal-and-plastic, battery-powered spoon that will improve human taste buds' perception of salt, thereby allowing them

to use less salt in their foods. Overconsumption of salt is a health issue in Japan.

The tip of the spoon's bowl transfers an electric charge to the food it touches and generates an electric field around the tongue, which causes sodium ions to bond together. The spoon, which sells for $128, has four intensity settings.

FUN&GAMES SOLUTIONS. Whatzit? Solution A pair of jeans

June 27 - July 10 | 41

Horoscopes

Mountain Manifest

BY CAMILLE LIPTAK, COSMIC CANNIBAL

W

h o’s ready for a cosmic celebration? As we bid adieu to June, we embrace July with fireworks. Free from old astrology, we’re starting afresh. Read on to find out how the next two weeks ignites your life in newfangled ways. Want more astro-logic from Cosmic Cannibal? Social Media @cosmiccannibalcamille,Substack cosmiccannibal.substack.com and the web cosmiccannibal.com.

ARIES A thunderstorm of disagreements could cloud your home around June 28; the silver lining: any verbal head butts bring an opportunity to not only confront, but also confess your fears. Then, July ushers in a heat wave of well-earned fun and relaxation. It’s a good month for art classes, creative writing, or romantic antics…

CANCER Could you get another birthday wish?

The new moon on July 5 is that and more, bringing you an opportunity to start afresh. Being as nostalgic as you are, it might feel weird letting go of what once was. Just know that when you do so, it opens you up to what will be…

LIBRA Leaving the comforts of your current career may seem daunting, but July 5 might change your mind. This new moon is a fab day to send out applications. But if you’re not ready to leave the nest just yet, you can still start over in smaller ways, and make your current job feel new…

CAPRICORN Combine your efforts with another around July 5. This could mean you meet the partner of your dreams: a tech tycoon who’s not only willing to sign a (business) prenup, but also has the pen at the ready. Or, you’re assigned the lead on a two-person project and don’t hate it (for once)…

TAURUS The end of June brings a brief moment of sweetness to your everyday encounters, helping you drum up the courage needed to tackle a big goal. When July rolls in, fireworks follow—both in the skies and maybe at home. My advice?

Hunker down and watch the drama unfold on the screen, instead of IRL…

LEO Love is on the horizon. In the final days of June, you’re all about that cozy, cuddly, breakfast-in-bed life with your better half. By July 11, it’s less about love shared, and more about the love received. Best part? This love takes many forms: Praise, adoration, affection, and authentic compliments about your hair, etc…

SCORPIO Shining on the world’s stage becomes much easier beginning July 2. You’re a beacon of creative communication and ideas—so much so that you might feel inclined to leave others in the dark. This would be unwise. Standing out is fun, but being the only bright star in the galaxy isn’t just boring, it’s isolating…

AQUARIUS “All That She Wants” isn’t just a hit song by Ace of Base, it’s also the theme for your July. Because partners of all forms—business, romantic, employer— may usurp your attention with spirited demands. It’s a lonely life, always thinking about others, but it does teach you a lesson in synergy, and give and take…

GEMINI Gear up for a gabfest! Starting July 2, your mind moves a mile a minute, and you can’t stop talking. The ideas blazing through your head are at once inspiring, energizing, creative, and entertaining. So, share those brilliant thoughts!

Whether through writing or speaking, your need for verbal self-expression is at an all-time high…

VIRGO Veiled. This word best describes your mind in July. Though your creative spark is burning bright, it's hidden. So, it’s a good time to delve into the depths of your imagination and bring forth the treasures buried there. Just don’t spend too much time by yourself: it can get lonely in your own head…

SAGITTARIUS Starting June 29, you see things slow down at home. If moving, consider reviewing the fine print of the rent / lease agreement. If remodeling, those Home Depot receipts may need to be revisited.

You could also (or instead) recognize the porosity of your boundaries at home and with family, and work to strengthen them…

PISCES Pause. By June 29, you’ll be glad you did. You’re beginning a three-month reassessment of your personal goals and ambitions. Where do you feel limited or in desperate need of some boundaries?

Tough as it might be to slow down and review your own bounds, the reward will be well worth the (begrudging) effort…

www.CSIndy.com

42 | Colorado Springs Independent | CSINDY.com

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