John DeFrancesco is the Palmer Lake Arts Council’s spotlighted artist for May 2026. DeFrancesco has been a local painter for over 30 years. His art focuses on the natural beauty of plants and gardens. DeFrancesco said he’s “driven to record nature emotionally, not simply artistically.” He continued, “I work to capture, not just an impression of what I see, but an interpretation of what I feel.” He was influenced by Manet and his uncle Andy who was a commercial artist in New York. DeFrancesco has won many awards including from the Palmer Lake Arts Group, the Pikes Peak Library District, and the U.S. Air Force Academy. His art is on display at Bella Art and Frame in Monument. Photo by Tati McAlister.
Held at the MFD Administrative Offices, 19775 Mitchell Avenue, Monument, CO 80132. This will be a great opportunity to meet the five candidates. For information, visit www.monumentfire.org or contact 719-488-0911.
On May 4th, the D38 Career Innovation Center (CIC), 1200 Synthes Avenue in Monument offered a community tour of the new facility. Starting with the 2026-2027 school year, Lewis Palmer and Palmer Ridge students passionate about a pathway in Innovative Programs visual or performing arts can graduate with a Pathway of Distinction after completing a certain number of courses in the pathway, have a 3.5 GPA within the pathway, and complete one or more extra activities or “ands”. Amy Sienkowski (pictured), Director of Innovative Programs, and D38 teachers are working on a menu of options for students to choose from to complete the requirements. Amy showed off the student welders creation of a dancing human tree and some robots as part of their innovation in welding project art. Photo by Gordon ReichalOn May 4th, the D38 Career Innovation Center (CIC), 1200 Synthes Avenue in Monument offered a community tour of the new facility. On display were several welding student shelf art projects using their developing industrial welding skills to create a whimsical group of modern art figures. A large sculpture is also in work at the CIC Welding Class Shop and soon may join the D38 Art Park in Monument north of downtown Big Red. Student creativity and inspiration on display. Great things happening in D38. Come see! Photo by Gordon ReichalThe D38 CIC proudly hosted our community members through the mechanical engineering welding workshop. The tour groups were visibly impressed by the students’ projects and their hands on industrial skills application. The area safety systems and personal protection techniques were an essential part of all classroom training in the lab. The large sculptures in-work are part of student final projects showing the applied skill and artistic aspect of their training. Photo courtesy D38. Caption by Gordon ReichalAt the D38 CIC Open house, D38 teachers and students demonstrated the functionality of their robotics. The students designed and build the hardware and manually navigated their device through a maze and obstruction littered floor plan. The path was recorded by the robot and it has the capability to repeat the journey later without direct human guidance. Photo courtesy D38. Caption by Gordon Reichal
On May 4th, Monument Fire District received delivery of a new ambulance for our community. MFD EMS Coordinator Rachael Peters shared her excitement for this new emergency vehicle contributing to the MFD Mission of “Proudly Serving the Tri-Lakes Region.” Photo by Gordon Reichal.
