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Tri-Lakes skies painted with Northern Lights
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Vol. 25 No. 12 – December 6, 2025 – Photos
The photos are arranged in the order they appeared in our December 6, 2025 issue. Click or tap on a thumbnail to view a larger version. To return to the thumbnails, click or tap on the X in the image toolbar, which is above or to the right of the image. To view the captions,…
Palmer Lake Board of Trustees, Nov. 13 and 18 – Schedule for annexation elections undecided; board vacancy unfilled
By James Howald and Jackie Burhans The Palmer Lake Board of Trustees (PLBOT) held just one regular board meeting last month, on Nov. 13. It considered resolutions to set the dates for annexation elections for the Red Rocks Acres property and the Buc-ee’s property, deciding in both cases to take no action until its next…
Monument Planning Commission, Nov. 13 – Commission recommends controversial 158-home Conexus development and Commercial PUD
By Janet Sellers At its regular meeting Nov. 13, the Monument Planning Commission (MPC) recommended approval of the final Planned Unit Development (PUD) and final plat for Conexus Filing No. 4, advancing a 158-home residential project proposed by Meritage Homes. The commission also unanimously recommended for approval the Final PUD for the Terrazzo-Baja Commercial Subdivision,…
Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education, Nov. 17 – Reports on CIC and Safety and Security
By Harriet Halbig On Nov. 17, the Lewis-Palmer D38 Board of Education received reports on progress at the Career and Innovation Center (CIC) and Priority 1 of the district’s strategic plan dealing with safe and healthy schools. Career and Innovation Center update Director of Innovative Programs Amy Sienkowski reported on developments at the Career and…
Nov. 4 Election
Boldface = Elected El Paso County Commissioner, Dist. 5 Lauren Nelson 70.38% Vickie Tonkins 29.62% Academy District 20 Holly Tripp 18.19% Renee Malloy Ludlam 14.46% Brandon Clark 15.12% Susan Payne 17.52% Eddie Waldrep 17.33% Jennafer Stites 13.41% Cynthia Halverson 3.96% Lewis-Palmer District 38 – Dist. 1 Tim Bennet 100% Lewis-Palmer District 38 Dist. 3 Ginger…
Monument Town Council, Oct. 29 and Nov. 3 and 17 – Council agrees to incentives for major plant
By Marlene Brown It was a busy month for the Monument Town Council (MTC), which actually began Oct. 29 with a special meeting for the discussion of an Economic Incentive Proposal for ACCO Engineered Systems Inc., a major manufacturing plant expected to come to Monument. Jennifer Phillips, finance director for the town, explained that the…
Monument Academy School Board, Nov. 13 – Board hears audit, marketing updates
By Jackie Burhans The Monument Academy (MA) School Board met on Nov. 13 to hear about its financial audit and a marketing update, spotlight its Parent Teacher Organizations (PTO), and revise policies. Financial audit Finance Director Laura Polen introduced Jessie Seibert, an audit manager with Hoelting & Co., who reviewed MA’s 2024-25 fiscal year audit.…
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Lewis-Palmer D 38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee, Nov. 18 – Accreditation discussion; post-election report
By Harriet Halbig The Lewis-Palmer D38 Parent and Community Advisory Committee (PCAC) met on Nov. 18 at the west campus of Monument Academy. Monument Academy (MA) Principal Jesse Davis gave a brief introductory presentation on the school. Founded in 1986, it has relocated twice and is currently serving grades pre-K through 5. Monument Academy stresses…
Monument Fire District, Nov. 12 – 2026 budget adopted; construction award approved
By Natalie Barszcz At the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Protection District (TLMFPD) dba Monument Fire District (MFD) meeting on Nov. 12, the board held a public hearing before adopting the 2026 budget. The board also approved a construction award for the rebuild of Fire Station 3 (FS3), and a fire chief recruitment search. The board received…
Continue Reading Monument Fire District, Nov. 12 – 2026 budget adopted; construction award approved
Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Nov. 17 – Rate increases for 2026 discussed
By James Howald The Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District (WWSD) board met in November to hear a presentation from Andrew Rheem, a senior manager at Raftelis, the company that advises WWSD about rates and financial modeling. Rheem advised the district to continue with a schedule of rate increases proposed in 2024 and characterized the impact…
Continue Reading Woodmoor Water and Sanitation District, Nov. 17 – Rate increases for 2026 discussed
Monument Sanitation District, Nov. 19 – Draft of 2026 budget reviewed
By Jackie Burhans and James Howald The Monument Sanitation District (MSD) board met in November to review a draft of its 2026 budget. It also voted on a resolution authorizing the El Paso County treasurer to collect MSD’s delinquent accounts. District Manager Mark Parker updated the board on the work that the county has planned…
Continue Reading Monument Sanitation District, Nov. 19 – Draft of 2026 budget reviewed
Donala Water and Sanitation District, Nov. 20 – Water rights and exchange options reviewed
By James Howald and Jackie Burhans In November, the Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD) board heard a presentation on its water rights and exchange options from Kelsey Briggs, a project manager at LRE Water. Acting General Manager Christina Hawker updated the board on changes to the proposed 2026 budget. The board considered a petition…
Triview Metropolitan District, Nov. 20 – Land inclusion approved; legal counsel charges defined
By Natalie Barszcz At the Triview Metropolitan District (TMD) meeting on Nov. 20, the board approved a petition for inclusion of land into the district from All in Investments LLC and an engagement letter from White Bear Ankele (WBA) Local Government Law PC to provide a continuance of general counsel legal services to the district.…
El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Nov.20 – 2025 budget reviewed; 2026 budget adopted
El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority, Nov.20 – 2025 budget reviewed; 2026 budget adopted By James Howald In November, the El Paso County Regional Loop Water Authority (EPCRLWA, or the Loop) board reviewed its 2025 budget and held a public hearing on its 2026 budget. Patricia Hutchinson, a civil design engineer with Merrick and…
El Paso Board of County Commissioners – Board approves agreement on Highway 105 widening
By Marlene Brown At the Nov. 4 meeting of the El Paso Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), the board approved a Memorandum of Agreement and Acceptance of Temporary Construction Easement associated with the Highway 105 widening from Lake Woodmoor Drive to Martingale Road. The BOCC said it has the authority to purchase and hold real…
Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Associations (NEPCO) – County commissioners Williams, Wysong featured at meeting
By Marlene Brown The bi-monthly meeting of the Northern El Paso County Coalition of Community Associations Inc. (NEPCO) was held on Nov. 15. NEPCO was organized as a nonprofit corporation in June 2000. It was formed by residents of homeowners associations (HOAs) in northern El Paso County as a means to collectively influence growth and…
Woodmoor Improvement Association, Nov. 24 – Board approves 2026 budget, hears holiday light contest details
By Jackie Burhans The Woodmoor Improvement Association (WIA) board met on Nov. 19 to approve its 2026 budget, hear details about its annual holiday lighting contest, and listen to director reports. 2026 budget and dues increase President Brian Bush presented the 2026 budget for approval, saying that WIA expected $1.241 million in income and expenses…
Letters to Our Community – Thank you, Monument Hill Foundation
On behalf of the Palmer Ridge High School (PRHS) Outdoor Learning Lab, I would like to thank the Monument Hill Foundation for their generous donations of a gorilla cart wheelbarrow and organizational bins for the tools and supplies in our shed. These donations have met a very practical need in the Outdoor Learning Lab, allowing…
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Letters to Our Community – Eighty is the new sixty
Eighty is the new sixty, I happily maintain. As long as I keep myself healthy and try to stay out of the rain. I pre-date the Baby Boomers and was too old for hippy attire. I watched as they did their protests, setting old thinking afire. I happily married my husband and became a dutiful…
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Between the Covers at Covered Treasures Bookstore – Consider the gift of reading
By the staff at Covered Treasures “Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift.” —Kate DiCamillo Here are a few of our favorites for you to consider. The Correspondent By Virginia Evans (Crown Publishing Group) $28 Sybil Van Antwerp has used letters to make…
Continue Reading Between the Covers at Covered Treasures Bookstore – Consider the gift of reading
November Library Events – New library software coming; December programs, schedule changes
By Harriet Halbig The Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) will be upgrading a major system that allows patrons to check out books, reserve titles, browse the catalog, and manage their library experience. There will be service disruptions from Nov. 29 to Dec. 11 while the upgrade takes place. During that time, patrons will not be…
High Altitude Nature and Gardens – Festive stuff: winter beauty outdoors, indoors, and holiday acorn bread
By Janet Sellers From our winter outdoor scenes of berries, pine cones, and acorns to indoor blooming plant friends, nature shares her healing creations with us all season. Our abundant pine and fir trees generously share their much-needed green, and with snow and pinecones on the branches, give us our dreamy views all winter, and…
Art Matters – Art curation: We all do it, even with holiday trees and gift wrapping
By Janet Sellers “Everyone discusses my art and pretends to understand, as if it were necessary to understand, when it is simply necessary to love.”—Claude Monet How do we choose what we look at, live with, or give as gifts? That process—what feels right, meaningful, beautiful, or joyful—is a form of curation. Whether we’re arranging…
Continue Reading Art Matters – Art curation: We all do it, even with holiday trees and gift wrapping
Snapshots of Our Community
Tri-Lakes skies painted with Northern Lights Above: On Nov. 11, a geomagnetic storm broke out on the surface of the sun 92 million miles from Monument. It was a big one. So big that the skies over the Tri-Lakes area lit up in reds, pinks, and greens. These solar storms are ranked on a scale…
Our Community Notices
By Janet Sellers Although we strive for accuracy in these listings, dates or times are often changed after publication. Please double-check the time and place of any event you wish to attend by calling the information number for that event. Please notify us if your event listing needs to be updated. Be alert for bike…
Our Community Calendar
By Janet Sellers Although we strive for accuracy in these listings, dates or times are often changed after publication. Please double-check the time and place of any event you wish to attend by calling the info number for that event. Please contact calendar@ocn.me with changes and additions. GOVERNMENTAL BODIES Academy Water and Sanitation District board…