Snapshots of Our Community

May 3, 2025

D38 CIC Wallbreaking, Mar. 31

Above: On March 31, School District 38 hosted a Wall-Breaking Ceremony to begin renovations on its Career & Innovation Center (CIC) at 1200 Synthes Ave., set to open for the 2025–26 school year. The center will provide secondary students with work-based learning opportunities, connecting high school education to in-demand careers. Students can earn certifications and prepare for college and the workforce. Over 100 attendees, including students, staff, school board members, and partners, celebrated the milestone. Guests, equipped with safety gear, participated in wall demolition. Phase one programs will feature Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering, and Skilled Trades. Phase two will add hands-on learning in Healthcare and Information Technology. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Hop Out Hunger, Apr. 5

Above: On April 5, Bethesda Gardens Senior Living Center held its third annual Hop Out Hunger pancake fundraiser benefiting Tri-Lakes Cares. Balloons and bunnies adorned the event, which featured a $10 breakfast of pancakes, bacon, sausage, fruit, coffee, and orange juice. Proceeds support Tri-Lakes Cares in providing food, household items, and financial aid to those in need. Bethesda Director Jackie Lyons and staff brought their children, dressed in Easter attire, to join the festivities. Pictured from left are Ember, Eden, and Luliana. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

PLAG’s April Color Splash Show

Above: The Palmer Lake Art Group held its annual Color Splash art show in April at Library 21c branch of Pikes Peak Library District. Right (L to R): Anne Dye, first place winner, with presenter Rita Bates.

Above: Anne Dye’s winning artwork, Beside Still Waters. Photos courtesy Palmer Lake Art Group.

Wildlife overpass under construction

Above: Work has begun on a huge wildlife overpass that will cross I-25 near the Greenland Interchange between Larkspur and Monument. The overpass will be 204 feet wide and will span six lanes of the highway, making it one of the largest wildlife overpasses in the country. It’ll allow elk, mule deer, and pronghorn to have access to 39,000 acres of habitat on both sides of the highway. Most of the $15 million cost will be covered by a federal grant. The overpass is predicted to reduce the number of crashes caused by wildlife by 90%. Motorists can expect delays throughout the construction project, which is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Photo courtesy of CDOT.

Recall petition signing, Apr. 5

Above: On April 5, Palmer Lake residents began petitioning to recall Trustees Shana Ball, Kevin Dreher, and Dennis Stern. Braving wintry weather, Herb Preslier bundled up to staff a booth outside Calvert’s Mini-Market, a small business in Palmer Lake that has voiced concerns over Buc-ee’s potential impact. The recall committee cites key issues of transparency, responsibility, and ethical leadership. Residents also discussed initiating a separate petition to require voter approval for future annexations. Petition signings continued at various community locations throughout the 60-day petition period. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Monument Lake Regrading, Apr. 8

Above: It’s just as much a sign of spring as boaters returning to Monument Lake. On April 8, the town’s Public Works Department filled the deep potholes that had formed over the winter at the lake’s parking area and beach. Dump trucks emptied dirt which was smoothed out by road graders. Then, rollers came along to pack down the dirt. Photo by Michael Weinfeld.

Friends of Black Forest, Apr. 12

Above: People brought chainsaws, chippers, and gloves to help tackle beetle-infested trees, chipping slash to help slow the infestation, on a Black Forest property that had already been devastated in the 2013 fire. Friends of Black Forest is a big family even though they don’t all know each other yet. This huge project was organized by Terry Stokka, who said, “this is the kind of spirit that I want to foster in Black Forest, neighbors helping neighbors.” Participants said it was fun to band together and work as a team. If you live in the area and want to be added to Friends of Black Forest email list, write to terry@friendsofblackforest.org. Photo by Lisa Hatfield.

Soap Box Derby clinic, Apr. 5

Above: On April 5, the Pikes Peak Soap Box Derby (PPSBD) held its first of two clinics in April at Family of Christ Lutheran Church. The clinics provided derby racers an opportunity to build their cars for the upcoming derby. Pictured from left are PPSBD steering committee member Brandie Scott with Brent DeMatteo providing guidance to Oliver DeMatteo on installation of an axle on his car. This year the derby race will be held on Higby Road in Monument after over 20 years in downtown Colorado Springs. Practice day and final car inspection are scheduled for May 31, with the race occurring on June 1. Race Director Jim Taylor said, “We are expecting 37-40 racers this year with participants coming from Denver to Fountain and locations in between.” The race is open to anyone between the ages of 7 and 20. The racecourse is 650 feet long on Higby between Cloverleaf and Bowstring Roads. Higby will be closed for four days to accommodate the racecourse setup and the race. Taylor said, “The focus of the derby is to provide families an opportunity to build the car together and the enjoyment of having racers compete locally and nationally.” Information on PPSBD and the race is at www.ppsbd.org. Photo by David Futey.

TLWC Checkered Table Talk, Apr. 8

Above: The Tri-Lakes Women’s Club’s (TLWC) new Checkered Table Talk series is off to a strong start. TLWC says the first talk on April 8 was sold out. Those attending heard Mike Thiessen, assistant coach at the Air Force Academy, speak about “learning, love, and leadership.” Guests brought picnic baskets and ate lunch on tables covered in checkered tablecloths. The next talk will be held May 8 featuring the President and CEO of the Colorado Springs Philharmonic Nathan Newbrough. Photo by Kelly Trop.

LPHS staged The Lightning Thief

Above: Lewis-Palmer High School (LPHS) Theater staged The Lightning Thief on April 10-12, portraying Rick Riordan’s first book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series on stage. The musical follows Jackson, a modern teen who discovers he’s the son of a Greek god and must retrieve Zeus’ stolen lightning bolt to restore peace to Mount Olympus. Students played teenage demi-gods and Greek gods, including a lighthearted portrayal of Poseidon in a Hawaiian shirt. The production explored themes of abandonment, friendship, and inner strength. In the photo, The Lightning Thief cast and crew take a bow. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

TLC greenhouse construction

Above right: Mr. Vrieze’s Carpentry 1 and 2 classes at Lewis-Palmer High School built a greenhouse for the Tri-Lakes Cares produce garden and set it up in April. The greenhouse was received with sincere thanks to Mr. Vrieze (pictured above left) and the student volunteers whose contributions made this project possible; supplies were donated by Harbor Freight’s Tools for Schools program. The garden still needs seeds and perennials: rhubarb plants, berry plants, tomato and other food plants, and summer volunteers to help weekly for planting, weeding, and harvesting. Contact Molly at MollyS@trilakescares.org or Janet at JanetSellers@ocn.me. Photo by Janet Sellers.

D38 Art Awards, Apr. 15

Above: On April 15, School District 38 held its Arts Awards ceremony at the district administration building, recognizing top student artists from all district schools, Monument Academy, and the Home School Enrichment Academy. First-, second-, and third-place winners earned certificates, ribbons, and cash prizes. Student artwork, displayed at Lolley’s Tasting Room for two weeks prior, highlighted the talent celebrated at the event. Sponsors included Integrity Bank & Trust, D38 Foundation, Air Academy Credit Union, Lolley’s Ice Cream, Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts, and Palmer Lakes Arts Council. Pictured from left are Communications Director Amy Matisek and Amanda Staman, Palmer Lake Elementary art teacher and event organizer. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

100⁺ Women Who Care, Apr. 16

Above: On April 16, 100+ Women Who Care Tri-Lakes gathered at The Woodmoor Barn to choose a local nonprofit to receive the group’s donations. Members of the group, who each contribute $100 each twice a year, heard three-minute presentations from nominees Tri-Lakes Cares, the D38 Foundation, and Kiwanis for the Heart of Monument Playpark. After voting, Tri-Lakes Cares was selected as the recipient. Tri-Lakes Cares supports families and individuals in northern El Paso County, striving to make a positive impact. Learn more at tri-lakescares.org. Girls on the Ridge, the October 2024 recipient, provided refreshments at the April meeting and shared how their funds supported Palmer Ridge High School women’s sports, providing tools for performance, safety, and confidence. Visit girlsontheridge.org for details. The next meeting is set for Wednesday, Oct. 15. For more information, visit 100womenwhocaretrilakes.com. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

PRHS staged Radium Girls

Above: The Bear Necessity Theatre Company presented Radium Girls by D. W. Gregory in the Palmer Ridge High School auditorium April 17-19. The play is based on the lives of young women who worked at the U.S. Radium Corp. in the 1920s in New Jersey who became ill and died after being exposed to radioactivity while painting radium onto watch faces, etc., that made them glow in the dark. The girls were instructed to use their lips to put a fine point on their radioactive brush points so they could paint precisely. This procedure led to a condition called “radium jaw,” or radium necrosis, and many became sick and died. The young women and their friends and relatives fought to make workplaces safer in the U.S. and Europe. Pictured from left are Bella Pemberton as Kathryn Schaub, Jocelyn Langlois as Grace Fryer, Krew Sloan as Tom Kreider, and Lucy Cavin as reporter Nancy Jane Harlan. Caption by Jackie Burhans. Photo by Steve Pate.

Friends of Fox Run Park, Apr. 22

Above: Members of the Board of Friends of Fox Run Park set up an informational table for Earth Day on April 22 in Fox Run Park at the Roller Coaster Road Trailhead. They greeted hikers and runners and wished them a “Happy Earth Day.” Many of the park-goers stopped and visited with them, including a horse named Hey Gal. One of the core initiatives of the Friends group is to promote working with El Paso County on volunteer projects in the park such as trail building, painting, fence repair, and general landscape cleanup. If you would like to join the Friends of Fox Run Park on one of their projects, please email FriendsofFoxRunPark@gmail.com. Photo by Marlene Brown.

D38 students display their art

Above: Student artists of all ages displayed their work at Lolley’s Tasting Room in Monument. Elementary school students were featured from April 1-6 while middle and high school student artwork was on display April 8-13. Palmer Ridge student Everleigh Larsen won Best in Show in the high school category for her white charcoal and color pencil piece of a skull surrounded by flowers. Middle school Best in Show went to Lewis-Palmer eighth-grader Danae Archuleta’s sushi tic-tac-toe board made of clay. Kindergartner Hans Luebbert from Prairie Winds Elementary earned Best in Show in his age group for his mixed media creation Hedgehog Hearts. Photo by Michael Weinfeld.

D38 multi-lingual night, Apr. 17

Above: School District 38 hosted a multilingual family night on April 17 at Lewis-Palmer High School, featuring resource tables, a family survey with a raffle, entertainment, and food, including potluck dishes and the Antojitos Juruilta food truck. Multilingual Learning Specialist Dr. Katie Scott organized the event to foster connection and celebrate culture, showcasing Ballet Folklorico, student and teacher spotlights, games, and refreshments. Family Liaison and Spanish interpreter Mency Dillenbeck provided simultaneous translation. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Young Marines honor WWII vets

Above: Jackson Waters of Monument was among 12 Young Marines from across the country who traveled to Guam and Iwo Jima to honor the 80th anniversary of the WWII Battle of Iwo Jima. They raised a flag on Mount Suribachi, the site of the famous flag-raising by Marines during the battle of Iwo Jima. Sergeant-Major Waters is a member of the Mountain View Young Marines in Centennial. The Young Marines is a national youth program for boys and girls, ages eight through high school, focused on leadership, citizenship through community service, self-discipline, and living a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. Waters is standing fourth from right in the photo. Photo courtesy of the Young Marines.

Slash-mulch program, Apr. 19

Above: The Black Forest Slash and Mulch Committee (SAMCOM), a Colorado nonprofit doing business as the Black Forest Slash and Mulch Program, held its annual meeting at the Black Forest Community Center on April 19. Working in conjunction with Colorado State Forest Service, the Black Forest Fire and Rescue Department, and El Paso County, the program promotes wildfire mitigation through reducing hazardous fuels on private property. The 2025 program begins May 3. Please see bfslash.org for a schedule of drop-off and pick-up of slash and mulch. Pictured are Carolyn Brown and Jeff DeWitt, directors of the program. Photo by Marlene Brown.

Buc-ee’s Open House, Apr. 24

Above: From left, Daniel Higgins and Gerald Hatfield staff one of the information tables at the Buc-ee’s Open House held by Tri-Lakes Preservation at the Palmer Lake Elementary School Cafeteria on April 24. Brochures were available discussing water, environmental, local impact, and legal issues with the proposed annexation and construction of a Buc-ee’s travel center. Photo by Mike Cimino.

Arbor Day, Apr. 25

Above: The Town of Monument celebrated Arbor Day, April 25, by planting a tree in front of the Monument Sanitation District office on Second Street. The 12-foot chokecherry replaced a locust tree that died. The event was instructional as well as functional. Parks Superintendent James Schubauer (in blue shirt) gave tips on how to plant a tree. The key, he said, was not to bury the root ball too deep. The roots should be planted 6 to 8 inches below the surface, he said. Schubauer warned that if you plant them too deep, the roots won’t get any oxygen, and the tree will die. After the planting, Parks and Trails Planner and Program Manager Cassie Olgren gave out free ground-covering plants to the crowd. The first Arbor Day was observed on April 10, 1872, with the planting of an estimated 1 million trees in the mostly treeless grasslands of Nebraska. By 1885, Arbor Day became a legal holiday, celebrated on April 22. In 1970, President Richard Nixon changed the official date to the last Friday in April. Caption by Michael Weinfeld and Janet Sellers. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Chamber winners announced

Above: John Howe and Michael Weinfeld of Our Community News were named Volunteers of the Year at the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce annual awards gala April 25. In addition to volunteering at the newspaper, Howe and Weinfeld spent years updating the town’s cemetery files resulting in a book about the cemetery. Interim Town Manager Madeline VanDenHoek won Business Person of the Year. VanDenHoek is expected to be named town manager this month. Gabrielle Traenkner of Sherwin-Williams was named Employee of the Year, Leann Hemenway of Herring Bank won Ambassador of the Year, and the Monument Warriors won Non-Profit of the Year. The Warriors are a Special Olympics team based in Colorado Springs. The gala was held at the Polaris Hotel at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. From left, Weinfeld, VanDenHoek, and Howe. Photo by Allen Alchian.

WMMI Super Saturday, Apr. 26

Above: On April 26, the Western Museum of Mining & Industry (WMMI) held its annual Super Saturday event. This year’s event featured a variety of activities where visitors could pursue artistic expression. Museum Marketing Coordinator Hunter Hall, front, and Museum Rentals Coordinator Kelsey Bailes are shown as they try acrylic painting with vendor Brush Crazy. Besides Brush Crazy, visitors found art activities through other vendors including Pebble Pups, Yellow Couch Creative, and the Embroiderers Guild. The museum staff also demonstrated a variety of the museum’s steam engines, and visitors could try their hand at gold panning. Information on upcoming museum events like Picnic N Planes and lectures is at wmmi.org. Photo by David Futey.

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Allen Alchian says

May 15, 2025 at 8:10 am

A wonderful and well deserved recognition by the Chamber of the outstanding work by Michael and John for their many years of volunteer work researching and documenting the history of the souls at the Monument Cemetery. Their resulting book is a must-read for anyone interested in Monument’s history. Congratulations and thank you to you both!

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