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Volunteers reporting on community issues in Monument, Palmer Lake, and the surrounding Tri-Lakes area

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Our Community Newsletter #6 – June 14, 2025

Download a PDF of this newsletter

Stern appointed Palmer Lake Mayor

The Town of Palmer Lake released the following statement: “After discussion about filling the Mayor’s vacancy, the Board of Trustees accepted the resignation of Trustee Stern and voted to appoint former Mayor Pro Tem Dennis Stern to the office of Mayor. The oath of office was administered on June 12, 2025.”

Palmer Lake Mayor Havenar resigns

After our June 7th issue had gone to press, it was announced in a June 5th press release that Glant Havenar has resigned as Mayor of the Town of Palmer Lake.

The resignation comes following text messages being made public in which Havenar insulted constituents, fellow board members, and community residents and admitted to creating fake social media accounts and communicating with Darcy Schoening and Buc-ee’s consultant Mark Waller during meetings. Buc-ee’s has proposed building a travel center at the southwest corner of I-25 and County Line Road. Some texts were shared widely on social media, excerpted from a supplemental filing to a lawsuit filed by Integrity Matters against the Town of Palmer Lake.

Read our June 7th issue

Legacy at Jackson Landing Community Meeting, June 19

A community meeting will be held Thursday, June 19, 5:30-6:30 pm at the Tri-Lakes Chamber Meeting House, 300 Highway 105 in Monument 80132.

Legacy at Jackson Landing is 30-acre commercial development which includes a 129,000 square foot “major” retailer, a potential hotel, restaurants, and additional retail space. It is located next to I-25, just north of Baptist Road.  For more information on the project, see the Monument Planning Commission Article in our June 7th issue: wp.ocn.me/v25n6monpc/ and attend the community meeting June 19.

Read our June 7th issue

New videos posted at the OCN YouTube Channel

  • Jim Maguire Celebration of Life
  • Palmer Lake Fishing Derby
  • P51 Statute Dedication at Monument Town Hall
  • Pikes Peak Soap Box Derby on Higby Road
  • The Ashtonz perform at the grand opening of Lake and Lantern in Palmer Lake.
  • USAFA Graduation
  • Madeline VanDenHoek sworn in as Monument Town Manager, May 19, 2025
  • New sidewalk in Monument from 2nd and Mitchell to Limbach Park
  • Memorial Day at the Monument Cemetery May 25, 2026

View Our YouTube Channel

Interview with the late Jim Maguire

Long-time resident Jim Maguire died recently.

Our editor Michael Weinfeld has posted a 2019 audio interview he did with Jim. You can find it at www.youtube.com/@OurCommunityNews. Click on Playlists.

Michael also posted videos of Jim’s Maguireville.

Look for Michael’s article about Jim in our June 7th issue.

View Our YouTube Channel

Improved podcasts

To listen to the highlights podcast of this issue in our new video format, go to https://wp.ocn.me/ocn2506highlightsvideo/. The news article headlines are listed below the player so you can skip around to hear summaries of the articles that interest you most.

The audio articles podcast of this issue in our new video format is posted at https://wp.ocn.me/ocn2506audiovideo/. As with the highlights podcast, the news article headlines are listed below the player so you can skip around to hear full text of the articles that interest you most.

All the past and current podcasts are posted at https://wp.ocn.me/podcast/.

While we think you will have the best experience playing or downloading the podcasts on our website, you can also find them on our channels at Apple Podcasts Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube.

View our latest highlights podcast

Upcoming Local Events

See page < 22 > and page < 23 > for event locations and other details of these and many other local events.

  • Monument Hill Farmers Market, every Sat., 8-2 pm. D38 Lewis Palmer admin building, 66 Jefferson Street, Monument. See ad on page < 5 >.
  • Palmer Lake Farmers Market, every Sun., 10 am-2 pm. Now taking new vendors, info: calvertsminimarket.com. See ad on page < 2 >.
  • Campbell Homes Model Home Grand Opening, Wed.-Sun., June 11-15. See ad on page < 10 >.
  • PLHS Father’s Day Ice Cream Social, Sun., June 15, 2-4 pm.
  • Monument Town Council meeting, Mon., June 16, 6:30 pm
  • Lewis-Palmer School District 38 public budget hearing, Mon., June 16, 6 pm. See ad on page < 6 >
  • Puzzle swap and speed jigsaw puzzle competition. Mon., June 16, 6:30-8:30 pm. See ad on page < 4 >.
  • Benet Hill Monastery, Forest guided walks, Fri;, June 20, 6-8 pm. Fri.-Sun., June 27-29. See ad on page < 3 >.
  • Poetry Book Launch and Summer Solstice party, Fri., June 20, 6-8 pm. See ad on page < 14 >.
  • Furry Friends Grand opening, Sat., June 21. See ad on page < 10 >
  • WMMI History Day, Sat., June 21. See ad on page < 12 >.
  • Palmer Lake Board of Trustees meeting, Thu., June 26, 6 pm
  • Art Hop, Fri., June 27, 5-8 pm, fourth Fri. May through Sept. See ad on page < 2 >.
  • Restyle Your Furs Event, Mon.-Tue. June 30-July 1. 10 am-5 pm. See ad on page < 11 >.
  • Town of Monument Concerts in the Park, , Wed., July 2, 6-8 pm. Limbach Park. First Wed. See ad on page < 4 >.
  • OCN mailing day, Thu., July 3, approx. 7-8:30 am. Become an OCN reporter! We will train you! Call 719-488-3455.
  • Kiwanis 4th of July events. See ad on page < 8 >.
  • Palmer Lake July 4 Fun Run. See ad on page < 14 >.
  • Braver Angels & Reclaiming Civility hosting summer workshops to promote respectful dialog, Sat., Aug. 16. See ad on page < 11 >.
  • Tri-Lakes Cruisers 22nd Annual Benefit Car Show, Sun., Aug. 17, 9 – 2 pm.

Other newsletters

Our Community Newsletter #5 – June 12, 2025

Download a PDF of this newsletter

The Palmer Lake Board of Trustees meets TONIGHT: June 12, 6 pm.

Palmer Lake Mayor Havenar resigns

After our June 7th issue had gone to press, it was announced in a June 5th press release that Glant Havenar has resigned as Mayor of the Town of Palmer Lake.

The resignation comes following text messages being made public in which Havenar insulted constituents, fellow board members, and community residents and admitted to creating fake social media accounts and communicating with Darcy Schoening and Buc-ee’s consultant Mark Waller during meetings. Buc-ee’s has proposed building a travel center at the southwest corner of I-25 and County Line Road. Some texts were shared widely on social media, excerpted from a supplemental filing to a lawsuit filed by Integrity Matters against the Town of Palmer Lake.

Read our June 7th issue

Legacy at Jackson Landing Community Meeting, June 19

A community meeting will be held Thursday, June 19, 5:30-6:30 pm at the Tri-Lakes Chamber Meeting House, 300 Highway 105 in Monument 80132.

Legacy at Jackson Landing is 30-acre commercial development which includes a 129,000 square foot “major” retailer, a potential hotel, restaurants, and additional retail space. It is located next to I-25, just north of Baptist Road.  For more information on the project, see the Monument Planning Commission Article in our June 7th issue: wp.ocn.me/v25n6monpc/ and attend the community meeting June 19.

Read our June 7th issue

New videos posted at the OCN YouTube Channel

  • Pikes Peak Soap Box Derby on Higby Road
  • The Ashtonz perform at the grand opening of Lake and Lantern in Palmer Lake.
  • USAFA Graduation
  • Madeline VanDenHoek sworn in as Monument Town Manager, May 19, 2025
  • New sidewalk in Monument from 2nd and Mitchell to Limbach Park
  • Memorial Day at the Monument Cemetery May 25, 2026

View Our YouTube Channel

Interview with the late Jim Maguire

Long-time resident Jim Maguire died recently.

Our editor Michael Weinfeld has posted a 2019 audio interview he did with Jim. You can find it at www.youtube.com/@OurCommunityNews. Click on Playlists.

Michael also posted videos of Jim’s Maguireville.

Look for Michael’s article about Jim in our June 7th issue.

View Our YouTube Channel

Improved podcasts

We have made significant improvements to the podcasts since they were announced.

To listen to the highlights podcast of this issue in our new video format, go to https://wp.ocn.me/ocn2505highlightsvideo/. The news article headlines are listed below the player so you can skip around to hear summaries of the articles that interest you most.

The audio articles podcast of this issue in our new video format is posted at https://wp.ocn.me/ocn2505audiovideo/. As with the highlights podcast, the news article headlines are listed below the player so you can skip around to hear full text of the articles that interest you most.

All the past and current podcasts are posted at https://wp.ocn.me/podcast/.

While we think you will have the best experience playing or downloading the podcasts on our website, you can also find them on our channels at Apple Podcasts Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube.

View our latest highlights podcast

Upcoming Local Events

See page < 22 > and page < 23 > for event locations and other details of these and many other local events.

  • Town of Monument Concerts in the Park, first Wed., 6-8 pm. Limbach Park. See ad on page < 4 >.
  • Monument Hill Farmers Market, every Sat., 8-2 pm. D38 Lewis Palmer admin building, 66 Jefferson Street, Monument. See ad on page < 5 >.
  • Palmer Lake Farmers Market, every Sun., 10 am-2 pm. Now taking new vendors, info: calvertsminimarket.com. See ad on page < 2 >.
  • Palmer Lake Board of Trustees meeting, Thu., June 12 & 26, 6 pm
  • Benet Hill Monastery, Forest guided walks, Tue., June 10, 10 am-noon. Fri;, June 20, 6-8 pm. Fri.-Sun., June 27-29. See ad on page < 3 >.
  • Campbell Homes Model Home Grand Opening, Wed.-Sun., June 11-15. See ad on page < 10 >.
  • PLHS Father’s Day Ice Cream Social, Sun., June 15, 2-4 pm.
  • Monument Town Council meeting, Mon., June 16, 6:30 pm
  • Lewis-Palmer School District 38 public budget hearing, Mon., June 16, 6 pm. See ad on page < 6 >
  • Puzzle swap and speed jigsaw puzzle competition. Mon., June 16, 6:30-8:30 pm. See ad on page < 4 >.
  • Poetry Book Launch and Summer Solstice party, Fri., June 20, 6-8 pm. See ad on page < 14 >.
  • Furry Friends Grand opening, Sat., June 21. See ad on page < 10 >
  • WMMI History Day, Sat., June 21. See ad on page < 12 >.
  • Art Hop, Fri., June 27, 5-8 pm, fourth Fri. May through Sept. See ad on page < 2 >.
  • Restyle Your Furs Event, Mon.-Tue. June 30-July 1. 10 am-5 pm. See ad on page < 11 >.
  • OCN mailing day, Thu., July 3, approx. 7-8:30 am. Become an OCN reporter! We will train you! Call 719-488-3455.
  • Kiwanis 4th of July events. See ad on page < 8 >.
  • Palmer Lake July 4 Fun Run. See ad on page < 14 >.
  • Braver Angels & Reclaiming Civility hosting summer workshops to promote respectful dialog, Sat., Aug. 16. See ad on page < 11 >.
  • Tri-Lakes Cruisers 22nd Annual Benefit Car Show, Sun., Aug. 17, 9 – 2 pm.

Other newsletters

Discover new ways to engage with Our Community!

By John Heiser, Publisher, OCN

At Our Community News (OCN), we are thrilled to introduce new ways to help you connect better with our vibrant Tri-Lakes community.

Interactive website features

Our website lets you post questions and comments on articles, columns, and podcasts. Share your thoughts. Join the conversation.

Enjoy two audio options for news articles: quick AI-generated highlights (1-2 minutes) or full verbatim readings with highlighted paragraphs you can skip to instantly. Explore now at www.ocn.me!

The two monthly audio podcasts we announced last month now offer video versions with large animated subtitles readable on cell phones. One presents highlights from all of the major news articles and the other reads the complete articles. While you can listen to or watch our podcasts on YouTube (www.youtube.com/@OurCommunityNews), Apple Podcasts (www.tinyurl.com/OCNonApple), or Spotify (www.tinyurl.com/OCNonSpotify), we think you will have the best experience listening or watching on our website at www.ocn.me/podcast.htm where the length of each segment is displayed and you can easily skip to the segments that are of the greatest interest to you.

Prefer RSS feeds? Subscribe at our website to separate feeds for OCN articles, OCN podcasts, and OCN comments. The RSS feed links are at the bottom of every web page.

Stay informed with Our Community Newsletter

Get breaking news, event alerts, and exclusive updates between our monthly issues. Sign up for our free email or text message newsletter at www.ocn.me/newslettersignup.htm.

Watch local events on YouTube

Relive holiday parades, talent show performances, and more on our YouTube channel. Check out our playlists at www.youtube.com/@OurCommunityNews and subscribe today.

Have comments? You can reach me at johnheiser@ocn.me or post a comment on this article at www.ocn.me.

Our Community Newsletter #4 – June 6, 2025

Download a PDF of this newsletter

Palmer Lake Mayor Havenar resigns

After our June 7th issue had gone to press, it was announced in a June 5th press release that Glant Havenar has resigned as Mayor of the Town of Palmer Lake.

The resignation comes following text messages being made public in which Havenar insulted constituents, fellow board members, and community residents and admitted to creating fake social media accounts and communicating with Darcy Schoening and Buc-ee’s consultant Mark Waller during meetings. Buc-ee’s has proposed building a travel center at the southwest corner of I-25 and County Line Road. Some texts were shared widely on social media, excerpted from a supplemental filing to a lawsuit filed by Integrity Matters against the Town of Palmer Lake.

Our June 7th issue is posted!

Our June 7th issue is now posted at wwww.ocn.me.https://wp.ocn.me/

Players for the full audio precede each article. The podcasts of the full audio of the articles and highlights of the articles will be posted soon.

New videos posted at the OCN YouTube Channel

  • Pikes Peak Soap Box Derby on Higby Road
  • The Ashtonz perform at the grand opening of Lake and Lantern in Palmer Lake.
  • USAFA Graduation
  • Madeline VanDenHoek sworn in as Monument Town Manager, May 19, 2025
  • New sidewalk in Monument from 2nd and Mitchell to Limbach Park
  • Memorial Day at the Monument Cemetery May 25, 2026

View Our YouTube Channel

Interview with the late Jim Maguire

Long-time resident Jim Maguire died recently.

Our editor Michael Weinfeld has posted a 2019 audio interview he did with Jim. You can find it at www.youtube.com/@OurCommunityNews. Click on Playlists.

Michael also posted videos of Jim’s Maguireville.

Look for Michael’s article about Jim in our June 7th issue.

View Our YouTube Channel

Improved podcasts

As announced on the front page of our May 3rd issue, Our Community News has launched two new podcast series designed to help busy commuters, multitaskers, and anyone who loves staying informed and engaged.

We have made significant improvements to the podcasts since they were announced.

The first podcast series is an audio summary of the highlights from our monthly issue. These highlights podcasts cover all the major news articles in 15 minutes or less.

To listen to the highlights podcast of this issue in our new video format, go to https://wp.ocn.me/ocn2505highlightsvideo/. The news article headlines are listed below the player so you can skip around to hear summaries of the articles that interest you most.

The second podcast series consists of the audio files for the major news articles from the issue. These are full articles read aloud. This new podcast form is perfect for on-the-go listening in a single, easy-to-access episode.

The audio articles podcast of this issue in our new video format is posted at https://wp.ocn.me/ocn2505audiovideo/. As with the highlights podcast, the news article headlines are listed below the player so you can skip around to hear full text of the articles that interest you most.

All the past and current podcasts are posted at https://wp.ocn.me/podcast/.

While we think you will have the best experience playing or downloading the podcasts on our website, you can also find them on our channels at Apple Podcasts Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube.

Prefer RSS feeds? Subscribe at our website to separate feeds for OCN articles, OCN podcasts, and OCN comments. The RSS feed links are at the bottom of every page.

We welcome replies to this email with your comments and suggestions.

View our latest highlights podcast

Upcoming Local Events

See page < 22 > and page < 23 > for event locations and other details of these and many other local events.

  • Town of Monument Concerts in the Park, first Wed., 6-8 pm. Limbach Park. See ad on page < 4 >.
  • Monument Hill Farmers Market, every Sat., 8-2 pm. D38 Lewis Palmer admin building, 66 Jefferson Street, Monument. See ad on page < 5 >.
  • Palmer Lake Farmers Market, every Sun., 10 am-2 pm. Now taking new vendors, info: calvertsminimarket.com. See ad on page < 2 >.
  • Front Range Maker’s Market, Sat.-Sun., June 7-8. See ad on page < 24 >.
  • Palmer Lake Board of Trustees meeting, Thu., June 10 & 24, 6 pm
  • Benet Hill Monastery, Forest guided walks, Tue., June 10, 10 am-noon. Fri;, June 20, 6-8 pm. Fri.-Sun., June 27-29. See ad on page < 3 >.
  • Campbell Homes Model Home Grand Opening, Wed.-Sun., June 11-15. See ad on page < 10 >.
  • PLHS Father’s Day Ice Cream Social, Sun., June 15, 2-4 pm.
  • Monument Town Council meeting, Mon., June 16, 6:30 pm
  • Lewis-Palmer School District 38 public budget hearing, Mon., June 16, 6 pm. See ad on page < 6 >
  • Puzzle swap and speed jigsaw puzzle competition. Mon., June 16, 6:30-8:30 pm. See ad on page < 4 >.
  • Poetry Book Launch and Summer Solstice party, Fri., June 20, 6-8 pm. See ad on page < 14 >.
  • Furry Friends Grand opening, Sat., June 21. See ad on page < 10 >
  • WMMI History Day, Sat., June 21. See ad on page < 12 >.
  • Art Hop, Fri., June 27, 5-8 pm, fourth Fri. May through Sept. See ad on page < 2 >.
  • Restyle Your Furs Event, Mon.-Tue. June 30-July 1. 10 am-5 pm. See ad on page < 11 >.
  • OCN mailing day, Thu., July 3, approx. 7-8:30 am. Become an OCN reporter! We will train you! Call 719-488-3455.
  • Kiwanis 4th of July events. See ad on page < 8 >.
  • Palmer Lake July 4 Fun Run. See ad on page < 14 >.
  • Braver Angels & Reclaiming Civility hosting summer workshops to promote respectful dialog, Sat., Aug. 16. See ad on page < 11 >.
  • Tri-Lakes Cruisers 22nd Annual Benefit Car Show, Sun., Aug. 17, 9 – 2 pm.

Other newsletters

Our Community Newsletter #3 – May 28, 2025

Download a PDF of this newsletter

New videos posted at the OCN YouTube Channel

Madeline VanDenHoek sworn in as Monument Town Manager, May 19, 2025

New sidewalk in Monument from 2nd and Mitchell to Limbach Park

Memorial Day at the Monument Cemetery May 25, 2026

View Our YouTube Channel

Interview with the late Jim Maguire

Long-time resident Jim Maguire died recently.

Our editor Michael Weinfeld has posted a 2019 audio interview he did with Jim. You can find it at www.youtube.com/@OurCommunityNews. Click on Playlists.

Michael also posted videos of Jim’s Maguireville.

Look for Michael’s article about Jim in our upcoming June 7th issue.

View Our YouTube Channel

Improved podcasts

As announced on the front page of our May 3rd issue, Our Community News has launched two new podcast series designed to help busy commuters, multitaskers, and anyone who loves staying informed and engaged.

We have made significant improvements to the podcasts since they were announced.

The first podcast series is an audio summary of the highlights from our monthly issue. These highlights podcasts cover all the major news articles in 15 minutes or less.

To listen to the highlights podcast of this issue in our new video format, go to https://wp.ocn.me/ocn2505highlightsvideo/. The news article headlines are listed below the player so you can skip around to hear summaries of the articles that interest you most.

The second podcast series consists of the audio files for the major news articles from the issue. These are full articles read aloud. This new podcast form is perfect for on-the-go listening in a single, easy-to-access episode.

The audio articles podcast of this issue in our new video format is posted at https://wp.ocn.me/ocn2505audiovideo/. As with the highlights podcast, the news article headlines are listed below the player so you can skip around to hear full text of the articles that interest you most.

All the past and current podcasts are posted at https://wp.ocn.me/podcast/.

While we think you will have the best experience playing or downloading the podcasts on our website, you can also find them on our channels at Apple Podcasts Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube.

Prefer RSS feeds? Subscribe at our website to separate feeds for OCN articles, OCN podcasts, and OCN comments. The RSS feed links are at the bottom of every page.

We welcome replies to this email with your comments and suggestions.

View our latest highlights podcast

Upcoming Local Events

See page < 22 > and page < 23 >  for event locations and other details of these and many other local events.

  • Palmer Lake Town Council meeting, Thu., May 29, 6 pm – Buc-ee’s Annexation discussion.
  • WMMI Picnics and Planes, USAFA graduation airshow event, Thu., May 29. See ad on page < 12 >.
  • Monument Hill Foundation, grant applications deadline May 31. See ad on page < 3 >.
  • Pikes Peak Soap Box Derby, Final race car inspection and practice day Sat., May 31. Race, Sun., June 1, Higby Road in Monument.
  • MVEA annual meeting. Thu., June 5, PRHS. See ad on page < 8 >.
  • Front Range Maker’s Market, Sat.-Sun., June 7-8. See ad on page < 24 >.

Other Newsletters

Our Community Newsletter #2 – May 19, 2025

Download a PDF of this newsletter

Interview with the late Jim Maguire

Long-time resident Jim Maguire died recently.

Our editor Michael Weinfeld has posted a 2019 audio interview he did with Jim. You can find it at www.youtube.com/@OurCommunityNews. Click on Playlists.

Michael also posted videos of Jim’s Maguireville.

Look for Michael’s article about Jim in our upcoming June 7th issue.

View Our YouTube Channel

Improved podcasts

As announced on the front page of our May 3rd issue, Our Community News has launched two new podcast series designed to help busy commuters, multitaskers, and anyone who loves staying informed and engaged.

We have made significant improvements to the podcasts since they were announced.

The first podcast series is an audio summary of the highlights from our monthly issue. These highlights podcasts cover all the major news articles in 15 minutes or less.

To listen to the highlights podcast of this issue in our new video format, go to https://wp.ocn.me/ocn2505highlightsvideo/. The news article headlines are listed below the player so you can skip around to hear summaries of the articles that interest you most.

The second podcast series consists of the audio files for the major news articles from the issue. These are full articles read aloud. This new podcast form is perfect for on-the-go listening in a single, easy-to-access episode.

The audio articles podcast of this issue in our new video format is posted at https://wp.ocn.me/ocn2505audiovideo/. As with the highlights podcast, the news article headlines are listed below the player so you can skip around to hear full text of the articles that interest you most.

All the past and current podcasts are posted at https://wp.ocn.me/podcast/.

While we think you will have the best experience playing or downloading the podcasts on our website, you can also find them on our channels at Apple Podcasts Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube.

Prefer RSS feeds? Subscribe at our website to separate feeds for OCN articles, OCN podcasts, and OCN comments. The RSS feed links are at the bottom of every page.

We welcome replies to this email with your comments and suggestions.

View our latest highlights podcast

Upcoming Local Events

See page < 22 > and page < 23 >  for event locations and other details of these and many other local events.

  • Monument Town Council meeting, Mon., May 19, 6:30 pm
  • Lewis-Palmer School District 38 board meeting, Mon. May 19, 6-10 pm
  • Puzzle swap and speed jigsaw puzzle competition. Mon., May 19, 6:30-8:30 pm. See ad on page < 4 >.
  • Palmer Lake Town Planning Commission meeting, Wed., May 21, 6 pm
  • Art Hop, Fri., May 23, 5-8 pm, fourth Fri. May through Sept. See ad on page < 2 >. Includes Monument Cemetery book signing at Covered Treasures Bookstore.
  • Monument Hill Farmers market, every Sat. starting May 24, 8-2 pm. See ad on page < 5 >.
  • Palmer Lake Farmers Market, every Sun. starting May 25, 10 am-2 pm. See ad on page < 2 >.
  • Town of Monument Memorial Day ceremony, Mon., May 26, 10 am. Monument Cemetery, See ad on page < 4 >.
  • WMMI Picnics and Planes, USAFA graduation airshow event, Thu., May 29. See ad on page < 12 >.
  • Monument Hill Foundation, grant applications deadline May 31. See ad on page < 3 >.
  • Pikes Peak Soap Box Derby, Final race car inspection and practice day Sat., May 31. Race, Sun., June 1, Higby Road in Monument.
  • MVEA annual meeting. Thu., June 5, PRHS. See ad on page < 8 >.
  • Front Range Maker’s Market, Sat.-Sun., June 7-8. See ad on page < 24 >.

Other Newsletters

Our Community Newsletter #1 – May 11, 2025

Download a PDF of this newsletter

Improved podcasts

As announced on the front page of our May 3rd issue, Our Community News has launched two new podcast series designed to help busy commuters, multitaskers, and anyone who loves staying informed and engaged.

We have made significant improvements to the podcasts since they were announced.

The first podcast series is an audio summary of the highlights from our monthly issue. These highlights podcasts cover all the major news articles in 15 minutes or less.

To listen to the highlights podcast of this issue in our new video format, go to https://wp.ocn.me/ocn2505highlightsvideo/. The news article headlines are listed below the player so you can skip around to hear summaries of the articles that interest you most.

The second podcast series consists of the audio files for the major news articles from the issue. These are full articles read aloud. This new podcast form is perfect for on-the-go listening in a single, easy-to-access episode.

The audio articles podcast of this issue in our new video format is posted at https://wp.ocn.me/ocn2505audiovideo/. As with the highlights podcast, the news article headlines are listed below the player so you can skip around to hear full text of the articles that interest you most. All the past and current podcasts are posted at https://wp.ocn.me/podcast/.

While we think you will have the best experience playing or downloading the podcasts on our website, you can also find them on our channels at Apple Podcasts Pandora, Spotify, and YouTube. We welcome replies to this email with your comments and suggestions.

View our latest highlights podcast

OCN video clips on YouTube

We have posted all the video clips from OCN’s issues on our YouTube channel at YouTube.com @OurCommunityNews. As an example, here is the Tri-Lakes Chamber’s announcement of volunteers of the year John Howe and Michael Weinfeld.

View Our YouTube Channel

Upcoming Local Events

See page < 22 > and page < 23 >  for event locations and other details of these and many other local events.

  • Palmer Lake Board of Trustees meeting, Thu., May 14 & 28, 6 pm
  • Monument Planning Commission meeting, Wed., May 14, 6 pm
  • Taste of Tri-Lakes Cares, Wed., May 14, 5:30-8:30 p.m. See ad on page < 8 >.
  • Silver Key Senior Summit, Thu., May 15, 8 am-2 pm. See ad on page < 2 >.
  • Braver Angels & Reclaiming Civility hosting summer workshops to promote respectful dialog, Thu. May 15. See ad on page < 9 >.
  • Monument Town Council meeting, Mon., May 19, 6:30 pm
  • Lewis-Palmer School District 38 board meeting, Mon. May 19, 6-10 pm
  • Puzzle swap and speed jigsaw puzzle competition. Mon., May 19, 6:30-8:30 pm. See ad on page < 4 >.
  • Palmer Lake Town Planning Commission meeting, Wed., May 21, 6 pm
  • Art Hop, Fri., May 23, 5-8 pm, fourth Fri. May through Sept. See ad on page < 2 >. Includes Monument Cemetery book signing at Covered Treasures Bookstore.
  • Monument Hill Farmers market, every Sat. starting May 24, 8-2 pm. See ad on page < 5 >.
  • Palmer Lake Farmers Market, every Sun. starting May 25, 10 am-2 pm. See ad on page < 2 >.
  • Town of Monument Memorial Day ceremony, Mon., May 26, 10 am. Monument Cemetery, See ad on page < 4 >.
  • WMMI Picnics and Planes, USAFA graduation airshow event, Thu., May 29. See ad on page < 12 >.
  • Monument Hill Foundation, grant applications deadline May 31. See ad on page < 3 >.
  • Pikes Peak Soap Box Derby, Final race car inspection and practice day Sat., May 31. Race, Sun., June 1, Higby Road in Monument.
  • MVEA annual meeting. Thu., June 5, PRHS. See ad on page < 8 >.
  • Front Range Maker’s Market, Sat.-Sun., June 7-8. See ad on page < 24 >.

Other Newsletters


OCN launches exciting new podcasts to keep you informed

By John Heiser, Publisher, OCN

Our Community News has launched two new podcast series designed to help busy commuters, multitaskers, and anyone who loves staying informed and engaged.

The first series is an audio summary of the highlights from our monthly issue. Although it is AI-generated, we think you will find its professional narration and conversational tone engaging and well worth your time. These highlights podcasts cover all the articles in 30-45 minutes. Timestamps in the notes makes it easy to skip to the articles that interest you most. To listen to the highlights podcast of this issue, go to https://wp.ocn.me/ocn2505highlights/.

The second series is a podcast composed of the audio files for the news articles from the issue. These are full articles read aloud. While we have been posting these computer-generated audio files for some time, this new podcast form is perfect for on-the-go listening in a single, easy-to-access episode. The audio articles podcast of this issue is posted at https://wp.ocn.me/ocn2505audio/.

All the past and current podcasts are posted at https://wp.ocn.me/podcast/.

While you can conveniently play or download the podcasts on our website, you can also subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify using links on the podcast pages listed above. If you prefer to use a different podcast platform, you can subscribe there by supplying the RSS feed https://wp.ocn.me/feed/podcast/ocn/. Subscribe today and never miss an episode.

We’re thrilled to bring you these podcasts and can’t wait to hear what you think.

John Heiser can be contacted at johnheiser@ocn.me.

OCN switches to larger format

OCN switches to larger format

By John Heiser, Publisher, OCN

Starting with our November 2001 issue, Our Community News has been printed on pages that are about 11 inches wide by about 17 inches long. This month, our pages are 11 inches wide by 21 inches long. Why the change?

Since 2016, OCN has been printed at the Pueblo Chieftain’s printing plant in Pueblo. On June 13, Gannett, the owner of the Chieftain, abruptly announced that the Chieftain’s printing plant will be permanently closed Aug. 13.

Publications being printed at that plant include five daily newspapers (Pueblo Chieftain, USA Today, Fort Collins Coloradoan, Rocky Ford Gazette, and the Trinidad Chronicle News), 46 weeklies, and 10 monthlies including OCN. The plant was averaging 76 print jobs per week requiring three shifts a day, six days a week, and employed more than 50 people.

Local options for printing OCN on the size paper we used before are very limited, so we had to switch to this larger format. This issue of OCN was printed by the Denver Post.

Despite the challenges of producing OCN as a print publication, our all-volunteer staff is dedicated to delivering detailed, accurate local news to more than 22,000 homes and businesses throughout the Tri-Lakes area every month. If you would like to help us do that, please contact me at johnheiser@ocn.me or 719-488-3455.

An important message for our readers – OCN needs your help!

Our Community News is an all-volunteer organization. For the past 20 years, our volunteers have provided unbiased reporting on important local issues, including real estate development, fire departments, school districts, and water availability. We have provided a very favorable platform for advertising local businesses. We have published letters to the editor to allow you to express your opinions on events affecting the Tri-Lakes area.

Now we find that we have more tasks than we have volunteers. Some vital jobs where we could use your help:

  • Reporters. Reporting on local meetings, what they talked about and what they decided.
  • Mailing assistants. Counting and lifting tubs of papers to take the monthly mailing to the post offices and stacks of papers to local businesses, loading and unloading mailing tubs from a truck at two locations, preparing post office paperwork, tub labels, subscription labels, etc.
  • Drivers. Driving a rental truck to various post offices once a month.
  • Ad sales assistants. We need volunteers who love OCN to contact local businesses and encourage them to advertise in OCN.

The time and skills involved vary greatly from job to job. OCN will provide whatever equipment and training you need.

Please join us today! Meet a group of interesting and committed people. Learn new skills—use your enthusiasm and creativity to benefit our community and celebrate unfiltered information.

Please call Publisher John Heiser at (719) 488-3455, or email johnheiser@ocn.me to see how you can contribute. Contact John today! He is waiting to hear from you. Together we can ensure that OCN continues to provide a vital service to our wonderful Tri-Lakes community.

An important message for our readers – OCN needs your help!

Our Community News is an all-volunteer organization. For the past 20 years, our volunteers have provided unbiased reporting on important local issues, including real estate development, fire departments, school districts, and water availability. We have provided a very favorable platform for advertising local businesses. We have published letters to the editor to allow you to express your opinions on events affecting the Tri-Lakes area.

Now we find that we have more tasks than we have volunteers. Some vital jobs where we could use your help:

  • Reporters. Reporting on local meetings, what they talked about and what they decided.
  • Mailing assistants. Counting and lifting tubs of papers to take the monthly mailing to the post offices and stacks of papers to local businesses, loading and unloading mailing tubs from a truck at two locations, preparing post office paperwork, tub labels, subscription labels, etc.
  • Drivers. Driving a rental truck to various post offices once a month.
  • Ad sales assistants. We need volunteers who love OCN to contact local businesses and encourage them to advertise in OCN.

The time and skills involved vary greatly from job to job. OCN will provide whatever equipment and training you need.

Please join us today! Meet a group of interesting and committed people. Learn new skills—use your enthusiasm and creativity to benefit our community and celebrate unfiltered information.

Please call Publisher John Heiser at (719) 488-3455, or email johnheiser@ocn.me to see how you can contribute. Contact John today! He is waiting to hear from you. Together we can ensure that OCN continues to provide a vital service to our wonderful Tri-Lakes community.