The photos are arranged in the order they appeared in our October 4, 2025 issue. Click or tap on a thumbnail to view a larger version.
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Above: Trinity Community Park continues to expand. It’s added three more elements, a meditation labyrinth, a sensory trail
and a small dog park. Ribbon cuttings were held on Sept. 21. The sensory trail contains colorful metal sculptures that children
can hit with mallets to make music (see photo). Executive Director Tamara Schwarz, quoting her husband, Ron, told the crowd,
“Children represent 17% of our population, but they represent 100% of our future. Giving them a safe space to come and play
and be kids and enjoy life, isn’t that what it’s all about? That’s what Trinity Community Park is all about.” In the photo, 1-year-old
John Morgridge plays music at the sensory trail. Photo by Michael Weinfeld.
Above and below: At the regular Palmer Lake Board of Trustees meeting Sept. 25, Town Clerk Erica Romero administered oaths of office to new board members Beth Harris (above left) and Roger Moseley (below left). Harris and Moseley were elected to replace Trustees Shana Ball and Kev in Dreher, who were recalled in the Sept. 9 municipal election.. Photos by Jackie Burhans.
Above: On Sept. 2, the Palmer Lake Planning Commission voted to recommend denial of Buc-ee’s planned development (PD), sketch plan, and annexation agreement. The Board of Trustees was scheduled to decide Oct. 2. From left are Vertex President Craig Dossey, Palmer Lake Interim Administrator Glen Smith, Vertex consultant Nina Ruiz, lobbyist Mark Waller, and Buc-ee’s lawyer Sara Frear. Photo by Jackie Burhans.
Above: At the Sept. 15 School District 38 board meeting, Director of Planning, Facilities, and Grounds Melissa Andrews honored Nunn Construction and Hollis + Miller Architects for being the vision behind the design/remodel of the new Career Innovation Center. Andrews said this was a fast-track project and every renovation brings surprises, but the team was adaptable and budget-conscious. D38 has a space that reflects the future of learning, Andrews said. From left are Tiffiney Upchurch, Board of Education president; Andrews; Danielle Dratch and Megan Burke with Hollis + Miller Architects; and Chris Sparks with Nunn Construction. Photo provided by D38.
Above: At the Sept. 15 School District 38 board meeting, Director of Communications Amy Matisek introduced staff from all the departments that helped the CIC open to students on Aug. 25. She noted that Transportation, Grounds, Maintenance, and Warehouse staff gave extra time including over the weekend to make it happen, representing D38’s core value of respect. Director of Innovative Programs Amy Sienkowski said the effort was huge, and it took everyone on the list to get it done. She also thanked the Transitions staff and the Career and Technical Education (CTE) teachers for their efforts. From left are Ricky Vestal, Grounds Department; Tiffiney Upchurch, Board of Education president; Leo Porier, Maintenance Department; Spencer Larsen, Grounds Department; Sienkowski; Eric Wall, central campus; Caleb Stevenson, Transportation Department; Amber Whetstine, superintendent; and Dave Routson, Grounds Department. Photo provided by D38.
Above: From left, Kovacs administers the oath of office to Lt. Derek Thorne, promoted from firefighter/paramedic. Kovacs presented a red helmet to Thorne and said he was selected after a competitive promotion process to fill the position vacated by retired Lt. Kevin Richmond. His spouse Jessica Thorne pinned on the new badges during the ceremony also attended by his parents, Debbie and Dave Thorne. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.
Above: From left, Kovacs administers the oath of office to Janarka Branden on his promotion to Division Chief of Operations from the executive battalion chief position that has been omitted from the organization. Kovacs presented Branden with a new helmet and said the new position was created to allow more effective management of the operations. His spouse Cheryl Branden pinned on the new badges during the ceremony. Their children, Kaderen, Everett, and Luke, attended the event. Photo by Natalie Barszcz.
Above: Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, the former El Paso County Courthouse. Source: Wikipedia under Creative Commons license. Taken October 20, 2011 by JAKeeran.
Above: The Palmer Lake Star was lit in memory of Tim Watkins. Photo courtesy of Arielle Watkins-West.
Above: Riders preparing to ride the Santa Fe Trail. Photo courtesy of Vickey Meeker. Inset: Tim Watkins Memorial in Palmer Lake. Photo by Steve Pate.
Above: Gathering at 300 Days of Shine.
Above: Sweet potato slips, or starts, can be grown from organic tubers and rooted in a jar of water or a container of potting soil in a warm, sunny window. Planted in outdoor soil, they will grow to a vine filled with edible green leaves and eventually new tubers. Photo by Janet Sellers.
Above: Monumental Impact is a creative maker studio. Here, Executive Director Jeanette Breton shows some of the fun projects community members have made so far this season, such as 3D printer creations, wood, metal, and glass engraving, robotics, and other innovative creations. The holiday season is approaching, and the makerspace and the various activities are open for making things. Photo by Janet Sellers.
Above: Tri-Lakes Women’s Club (TLWC) held its second blood drive on Aug. 25
at the Woodmoor Barn. In partnership with Vitalant, TLWC welcomed 38 donors
who came forward to provide much-needed blood, aiding patients in overcoming
medical challenges and receiving critical care. Vitalant estimated that this drive’s
contributions can potentially save 114 lives. Summer is an especially critical time
for blood donations as the incidence of traumatic injuries rises and the number of
donors decreases. Additionally, large-scale emergencies and trauma events such
as fl oods, tornadoes, and wildfi res create further demand for life-saving blood. In
the photo from left are Koko Pavich and Robbie Larson donating blood. Photo by
Steve Pate.
Above: On a sunny afternoon on Aug. 31, the ninth annual Monu-Palooza Music
Festival was held in Monument’s Limbach Park. The day-long festival band lineup
included Emily Hall, Cirkus, Sandy Wells, Mojo Filter, Matt Bloom Band, Ashtōnz,
and WireWood Station. Organizer and Ashtōnz band member Charlie Searle said it
was “actually the 11th annual pre-Labor Day music event. The fi rst two events were
fundraisers, then we changed it to Monu-Palooza in year three.” Searle said over
200 tickets were pre-sold, and numerous walkups were entering throughout the
day. Searle said, “What makes this great is you can spend all day or just come for
your favorite band.” Searle said he appreciated the bands, vendor support, Mark
Daniels for sound engineering, and volunteers C.J. Luna, Morgan Hildebrand, and
his granddaughters Rowan and Salem for helping with the event. Matt Bloom from
Palmer Lake said, “Charlie does a great job promoting the concert, and it’s been a
terrifi c time each year we have performed here.” Photo by David Futey.
Above: The Tri-Lakes Lions Club monthly meeting on Sept. 3 featured a talk by John Howe and Michael Weinfeld, the co-authors of the book Shootouts, Killings, and War Heroes: The History Hidden in Monument Cemetery. About a dozen Lions Club members filled the back room at Calvert’s Mini-Market in Palmer Lake to hear the co-authors tell stories about the people buried in the cemetery and other facts about the graveyard. Howe spent 14 years and Weinfeld seven researching and updating the cemetery files located in Monument Town Hall. Photo by Gordon Reichal.
Above: Lewis-Palmer High School Theatre staged its fall production of Clue, On Stage! on Sept. 4-6. The production took the classic board game and movie and brought it to life on stage. Favorite characters like Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, and Colonel Mustard were caught up in a hilarious whodunit full of twists and surprises. These talented students demonstrated how arts education builds creativity, confidence, collaboration, and a growth mindset—while boosting academic and emotional development. Our local schools have performances of music, theater, and sports that are open to the whole community at a reasonable price. Residents are encouraged to join the fun and bring the whole family. Stay up to date with D38 fine arts events at https://tinyurl.com/d3-fine-arts. Photo by Jackie Burhans.
Left: On Sept. 6, the Gleneagle Spirit 5K Run/Walk returned after an 18-year hiatus. Mark Rudolph with ERA Shields Realty said, “I originally organized this race in 2005 and ran it by myself for three years, but it became too much for me. Then last year, I had six people show up at my front door, and they asked me to organize it again and would help.” Rudolph said, “We are looking for this to be a multi-year event and a legacy I want to leave with the community.” Blair Dinkins with EXP Realty co-organized it with Rudolph. The race events were a 5K walk, a children’s 1-mile race, and then the 5K runners’ race. The ages of the 183 total walkers and runners spanned from single digits to 85-year-old Jack Kiplinger. Volunteer team lead Bonnie Burckel said, “Scouting America Troop 194 helped with the course setup and were on the racecourse to guide the runners and walkers, and a number of Gleneagle residents helped with registration.” The top overall 5K male finisher was William Edwards (20:15.7) of Colorado Springs. The top overall 5K female finisher was Adaleigh Ross (24:12.9) of Colorado Springs. Photo by David Futey.
Above: Members of American Legion Post 9-11 and the Monument Police and Fire Departments, town officials, and citizens attended a remembrance of the 9/11 attacks at the Tri-Lakes Monument Fire Station. Among those attending from American Legion Post 9-11 were Commander Mike Christensen, Randy Fritz, Prayer Pastor Jim Bergeron, Mike Pietsch, Bill Miller, Ray Kinder, Chip Scharff, Yve Denison, Michael Keough, Anthony Trifuletti, Mark Tinkler, and Jim Wolf. The Fire Department members included Chief Andy Kovacs, Division Fire Chief Bumgarner, Division Fire Chief Bradley, Battalion Chief Coyle, Lt. Smith, Lt. Lance, Lt. Ragland, Engineer Rains, Engineer Schmidt, Firefighter Preedy, Firefighter Cox, and Firefighter Parker. Representing the Police Department were Chief Patrick Regan, Commander John Lupton, Commander Timothy Johnson, Lt. Mark Owens, Cpl. Hoeh, Officer Nyman, and Officer Leisberg. Also attending were Mayor Mitch LaKind, Town Manager Madeline VanDenHoek, and Town Council members Laura Kronick and Ken Kimple. Photo by Ray Kinder.
Above: The Tri-Lakes Dynamic Rotary Club held its inaugural “Palmer Paddle” paddleboard race Sept. 7 at Palmer Lake to raise funds for community service projects. The 1.5-mile race featured youth and adult heats, with prizes and food trucks on site. Rock House Ice Cream donated 20% of race-day sales to support the club’s Warm Hugs initiative, which provides new winter coats to Tri-Lakes Cares clients. Sponsors included MVEA, TheMortgageLady, Cutting Edge Realty, Local Landing, and Conexon Connect. Proceeds support Rotary programs such as free after-school math tutoring, scholarships, and coat giveaways. Rotary International has more than 1 million members in 45,000 clubs worldwide. Its mission includes promoting peace, fighting disease, supporting education, and protecting the environment. Learn more at www.tlrotary.com or facebook.com/TriLakesRotaryClub. Photo by Jackie Burhans.
Above: On Sept. 17, Lewis-Palmer School District 38 officially opened its Career and Innovation Center (CIC) with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Students have been learning in the facility since August, exploring welding and metalworking, skilled trades, robotics, engineering, aerospace, and the Transitions program. Phase 2 will add healthcare and computer science. The event marked the first public opportunity for community members, local leaders, state legislators, and partners to tour the building. Speakers included junior Dempsey Carnahan, Director of Communications Amy Matisek, Board of Education President Tiffiney Upchurch, and Superintendent Amber Whetstine. The Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce provided the ribbon and oversized scissors. After the ceremony, guests toured the facility, spoke with students and staff, and joined a scavenger hunt for CIC-branded prizes. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/d38-cic-info. Photo by Jackie Burhans.
Above: Bye-bye porta-potties, hello permanent restroom. The long-delayed restroom at Monument Lake was installed Sept. 19. The pre-fab building arrived on a flatbed truck and was lifted by a huge crane that gently lowered it into place. The project was supposed to be finished in June, but several equipment delays postponed completion. The facility has two unisex bathrooms that will be open year-round with heat in the winter. The existing porta-potties will be removed. About 75% of the project cost was picked up by a $117,000 grant from Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Photo by Michael Weinfeld.
Above: The book signing on Sept. 20 at Covered Treasures Bookstore featured Lisa Hatfield, author of To Ride a Storm Surge, a novel about a family riding out Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A family consisting of a young girl, her mother, and her grandmother fights to survive the worst hurricane in recent history. The third book in a series of Ready to Go? books, Hatfield strives to help families be prepared for any disaster. Hatfield brings the struggles of Hurricane Katrina to life. Pictured in photo are, from left, Lisa Hatfield, Caryl and Gordon Saunders, and Amy Curry. Go to lisahatfieldwriter.com for more information about this and the other books in the Ready to Go? series. Caption by Marlene Brown. Photo by Steve Pate.
Above: Officer Leseberg and Sara Petrie discuss community issues.
Above: (L to R): Officer Reifel, Lieutenant Owens, Commander Johnson, Officer Leseberg, and Officer Regan.
Above: Sept. 26 was the last Art Hop of the season, but local art events for the fall and holiday season are just beginning in our area for art lovers and artists, and our local art venues are happy to keep a gift registry on hand to make gift-giving and holiday giving easy. Here, owners of Bella Art and Frame Gallery Joseph Jesse and Micaela Cimino are with the artist of the month, Jamie Wilke. Photo by Janet Sellers.
Above: The Donala Water and Sanitation District (DWSD), which serves Gleneagle and surrounding areas, held a community open house Sept. 26 in the parking lot of its Holbein Drive offices to share updates and thank customers for their support. Board members, staff, and consultants met with attendees. DWSD provided dinner from Kneaders while highlighting its 2025 projects, including the redrilling of Well 7D in the upper parking lot. Helen Malenda-Lawrence of LRE Water discussed the well’s role in the district’s infrastructure. Superintendent of Water Operations Ronny Wright led tours showing the original well site, the expanded parking lot, redrilled well, and the relocated electrical equipment designed for easier maintenance. The district offices have been closed since May due to drilling. DWSD thanked nearby customers for their patience and expects to reopen the offices soon. Photo by Jackie Burhans.
Above: Town of Monument Planning and Public Works staff repainted a damaged community wall Sept. 27 at the Monument Skate Park, 500 Beacon Lite Road. Black Hills Energy sponsored the project. The team painted the wall black and used stencils of pine and aspen trees in fall colors. They applied mural paint and a protective coating to preserve the artwork and ease future cleanup. The original murals were created in October 2020 for Arts Month through a grant from the Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region. A local artist added additional murals in 2022. From left are volunteer Ginger Lewis, Parks and Trails Planner Cassie Olgren, Senior Mechanic Rod Enoch, Street Tech Gabriel Martinez, Planner Ray Medina, and Street Tech Shawn Farnham. Photo by Jackie Burhans.
Above: Team members from Tri-Lakes Preservation put together a community reception on Sept. 26 at the Town Hall Gazebo on the Village Green ahead of the Palmer Lake Board of Trustees meeting swearing-in ceremony. Attendees welcomed Beth Harris and Roger Moseley with a live flute and piano performance by Joseph Liberti and Steve Draper along with homemade cookies and pastries by Chef Gene Kalesti. Non-alcoholic refreshments were served. Well-wishers included representatives from the Monument Town Council as well as friends and family. Photo by Jackie Burhans.
Above: Palmer Lake hosted its annual cleanup Sept. 27 as part of the Fountain Creek Watershed District’s 12th Creek Week, which runs Sept. 25-Oct. 5 across the 92-square-mile watershed from Palmer Lake to Pueblo. At its Sept. 25 meeting, the Board of Trustees read a proclamation recognizing Creek Week. Town staff, Parks and Trails Commission members, and community volunteers removed debris along Monument Creek, previously cut by Rocky Mountain Youth Corps volunteers. Public Works will collect the slash. Volunteers also refreshed paint in Glen Park’s play area. Learn more at fountain-crk.org and rockymountainyouthcorps.org. Photo by Jackie Burhans.
Above: Nearly 800 people, dogs, and assorted creatures turned out on a beautiful fall day for the annual .5 (Point 5) K “Race” in Palmer Lake Sept. 28. They began near the playground on the east side of the lake, proceeded down the Santa Fe Trail, then crossed the bridge over the railroad tracks to the finish line, with a Shipley Do Nut break about halfway. The event is sponsored by Awake the Lake, and proceeds go toward maintaining outdoor facilities that make Palmer Lake a beautiful place. The Palmer Ridge Pep Band (inset) provided music to encourage participants just before crossing the bridge, and cheerleaders encouraged participants to make it across the finish line. Cash prizes were awarded for best costumes and other criteria, such as those who appeared to be having fun. Photo by Steve Pate.
Recent photo collections
- Vol. 26 No. 2 – February 7, 2026 – Photos (2/6/2026)
- Vol. 26 No. 1 – January 3, 2026 – Photos (1/1/2026)
- Vol. 25 No. 12 – December 6, 2025 – Photos (12/4/2025)
- Vol. 25 No. 11 – November 1, 2025 – Photos (10/31/2025)
- Vol. 25 No. 9 – September 6, 2025 – Photos (9/5/2025)
- Vol. 25 No. 8 – August 2, 2025 – Photos (8/23/2025)
- Vol. 25 No. 7 – July 5, 2025 – Photos (8/23/2025)
- Vol. 25 No. 6 – June 7, 2025 – Photos (8/23/2025)
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