OCN

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

OCN > 2605 > Snapshots of Our Community

Snapshots of Our Community

Water restrictions five weeks early

Above: The Town of Monument Water Department has imposed water restrictions five weeks early because of the lack of precipitation and higher than usual temperatures we’ve had. The restrictions started on April 7 and will continue until Oct. 30. Odd-numbered addresses will be allowed to water on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Even number addresses can water on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. No watering is allowed on Sundays. Photo by Michael Weinfeld.

Tri-Lakes Chamber Awards, Apr. 2

Pat Shane was named Volunteer of the Year at the Tri-Lakes Chamber of Commerce annual gala on April 2. The western-themed “Gilded West” event was held at Phil Long Music Hall in Colorado Springs. Tri-Lakes Cares won Non-Profit of the Year. Employee of the Year went to Patty Bellingham of DreamMaker Bath and Kitchen. Logan Bryson of Line-X was named Businessperson of the Year. Sandy Shook of Coffee with Sandy went home with the title Ambassador of the Year. Eagle Rock Distributing Co. was announced as Economic Development Corporation of the Year, and Tall Boy Marketing was named Member of the Year.

Above: Pat Shane (L) accepts his Volunteer of the Year award.
Tri-Lakes Cares Executive Director Haley Chapin accepts Non-Profit of the Year. Photos by Alicia Rohlfing

PLAG Art Scholarships

The Palmer Lake Art Group announced the winners of the art scholarship for graduating seniors. This year, the art group awarded two senior students. Diana Sapp of Palmer Ridge High School, won the first-place award of $1,500. Recipients must be students receiving their diploma in School District 38 by the end of the current year and meet the requirements of planning for a career in a visual arts-related field. Photos courtesy of Palmer Lake Art Group.
The Palmer Lake Art Group announced the winners of the art scholarship for graduating seniors. This year, the art group awarded two senior students. Sadie Arter of Lewis- Palmer High School, was awarded the second-place award of $1,000. Recipients must be students receiving their diploma in School District 38 by the end of the current year and meet the requirements of planning for a career in a visual arts-related field. Photos courtesy of Palmer Lake Art Group.

Forest Health and Wildfire Risk

Above: Tall Pines Ranch Firewise organizer Nancy Casadevall says, “It takes a community to safeguard our forests.” On April 3, members of the HOA’s Firewise USA ® Committee brainstormed how to engage more neighbors in beautifying the forest and protecting trees and homes from wildfire and mountain pine beetles. Forester David Root offered advice on identifying and dealing with these risks. Contact the Colorado State Forest Service or your local fire district for information. Photo by Lisa Hatfield.

E-motorcycles damage green space

Above: E-motorcycles riding on the Gleneagle green space Apr. 10, 2026.
Photo submitted by a reader.

Above: Evidence of damage to the green space. Drone photo Jan. 11, 2025.
Photo courtesy GCA.

The following is a letter from Mark Connell, president of the Gleneagle Civic Association Board of Directors, regarding an incident involving E-motorcyclists on March 29.

The Gleneagle Civic Association Board wanted to bring to your attention an incident that recently occurred on the Ray Berg Green Space. At about 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, one of our board members and his wife were confronted by four juveniles on E-motorcycles. The juveniles were told by our board member that E-motorcycles were not allowed on the green space. The juveniles drove concentric circles around our board member and his wife. They also rode their E-motorcycles directly at them, breaking off the charge at the last moment before turning away.

Although our board member was knocked to the ground, neither he nor his wife suffered any significant injury. Our board member reported the assault to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. Another GCA member witnessed this incident and walked toward the four E-motorcyclists, at which point they fled the scene. A sheriff’s deputy came to Gleneagle, took a report of the incident, and is following up with an investigation.

This incident comes after more than a year of trespassing and damage to the green space by E-motorcyclists. We have photo documentation of trespassing in February, April, and August of 2025, as well as an incident as recent as March 8, 2026. In 2025, trespassing E-motorcyclists damaged the green space by leaving multiple figure-eight “burn-outs.” Damage was estimated at $1,000 to repair. The damage was reported to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.

The board would like to ask members for the following assistance in this ongoing investigation:

  1. If you witness E-motorcyclists in the green space, please take photos or video if possible. Electric vehicles often look like e-bikes, but if they exceed the 750-watt legal limit, they are legally classified as motor vehicles. Motors ranging from 1,000 to 6,000-plus watts can reach top speeds of 30-65-plus mph. Consequently, the vehicle must be registered under Colorado law, the user must have a valid driver’s license, and the vehicle must be insured.
  2. Please immediately report any sighting of E-motorcycles in the green space to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency phone number: 719-390-5555.
  3. If you know the identity of any E-motorcyclists using the green space, please contact the Sheriff’s Office to assist with its investigation.

It is worth noting that KOAA Channel 5 ran a report on E-motorcycles at 6 p.m. on April 4, 2026, in response to a query from a Gleneagle North resident. The report noted that in the state of Colorado, E-motorcycles are defined as OHV’s (Off-Highway Vehicles), which are permitted only on designated motorized trails. They are not permitted on roads, sidewalks, parks, or areas that specifically prohibit motorized vehicles.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Best,
Mark Connell
President
Gleneagle Civic Association
Board of Directors

Easter Egg Hunt, Apr. 4

Above: On Apr. 4, hundreds of children, aged pre-school through elementary school, participated in the 4th annual Gleneagle Easter Egg Hunt on the Antelope Trails Elementary School (ATES) field. Over 15,000 plastic Easter eggs filled with candies along with bubble wands, sticker sheets, coloring books and small cush balls were scattered on the field for the hunt. Blair Dinkins, with eXp Realty, LLC, coordinated the event. She said her family started filling the eggs in late Fall 2025 in preparation. She stated this “community event draws Gleneagle families together and engages the school for a great time.” Veterans United Home Loans sponsored bounce houses as part of the after-hunt activities. Dinkins said the Gleneagle community should be on the lookout for information regarding another fun event for all ages, the Gleneagle Spirit 5k Walk/Run presently scheduled for Sept. 12. Photo by David Futey

D38 District-wide Art Show, Apr. 11

Above: On April 11th, Lewis-Palmer School District 38 welcomed the general public to the district-wide art show at the school district administration building, Big Red, in Monument. Students from all grades were represented in their art efforts and families and the students enjoyed the event. Photo by Janet Sellers.

Troop 194 Spring Food Drive

Above: On Apr. 11, Scout Master Larry Nikolaus (far left) and members of Boys and Girls Scout Troop 194 – Gleneagle pose with donations dropped off by Gleneagle community members and others for the troop’s Spring Food Drive. The troop has been collecting food donations in the Spring and Fall for over 20 years, typically collecting over 1,000lbs during each drive per Nikolaus. The donations collected during this drive are destined for Tri-Lakes Cares. Members of the troop also picked up trash along Gleneagle Drive, which they do quarterly. Nikolaus said the troop consists of boys and girls from Gleneagle and Monument. Photo by David Futey.

D38 Signing Day, Apr. 15

On April 15, Lewis-Palmer School District 38 celebrated 28 student-athletes as they signed letters of intent to compete at the collegiate level.

Palmer Ridge High School athletes included:
Zach Austin, baseball, McPherson College
Xavier Gonzalez, football, College of St. Scholastica
Macy Smith, softball, Southern Virginia
Liam Holliday, track & field, Dubuque College
Diora Williams, soccer, Trinidad State
Hayden Oringdulph, track & field, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
Esther Paulson, cross country/track & field, Seattle Pacific University
Bryce Frazier, track & field, Hastings College
Bella O’Donnell, track & field, Ft. Lewis College
Owen Twesme, track & field, Montana State
Nathan Moller, track & field, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs
Noah Grace Denison, track & field, Black Hills State
Carter Holstein, basketball, Buena Vista University

Lewis-Palmer High School athletes included:
Maddox Bertz, baseball, Monterey Peninsula College
Sydney Blazer, softball, Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Ashton Brittain, baseball, Dakota State University
Madi Crowe, volleyball, Fort Hays State University
Jevon Davis, football, Colorado Mesa University
Joey Davis, baseball, Dakota College at Bottineau
Rylee Edmondson, basketball, Utah State Eastern University
Josh Gilbreath, baseball, Crown College
Kacey Johnson, track & field, Colorado State University
Troy Johnson, football, Colorado Mesa University
Cady Knight, volleyball, Regis University
Charles Lendt, baseball, Northeastern
Ty’sen Logan, football, Colorado Mesa University
Mason Martin, football, Kansas Wesleyan University
Luke Robinson, football, Wheaton College

Some of the Lewis-Palmer High School athletes who signed letters of intent on April 15 to compete at the collegiate level.
Some of the Palmer Ridge High School athletes who signed letters of intent on April 15 to compete at the collegiate level.

Photos courtesy of District 38.

MVEA Mulching, Apr. 11

Above: Area residents brought in their tree limbs and branches to be mulched in the second annual Mulch Madness event on April 11 in Monument. The event is sponsored by the Mountain View Electric Association (MVEA) in partnership with the Town of Monument Public Works Department and Monument Fire District. A total of 178 MVEA members protected their properties and the surrounding community by clearing excess brush and tree debris and having it mulched. Sara Muirheid, MVEA Communications Supervisor, says, “By working together with our local partners, we’re helping reduce fire risk while keeping our communities safe and resilient.” MVEA also offers free tree trimming near power lines. Photo provided by MVEA.

Donation to Monument Warriors

Above: 100+ Women Who Care Tri-Lakes met April 15 at the Woodmoor Barn to choose a local nonprofit for its semiannual donation. Members, who each give $100 twice a year, heard three-minute presentations from Beautiful Redemption Care Portal, Monument Warriors, and Tri-Lakes Preservation. The group selected Monument Warriors as its spring 2026 recipient. Monument Warriors is a team in the Colorado Special Olympics Southeast Region that supports Special Olympics athletes in the Tri-Lakes and north Colorado Springs area. The D38 Foundation, the fall 2025 recipient, provided refreshments and shared how its $7,000 donation funded teachers to further their educations and provide materials for arts, science, reading, and math at six schools. The next voting meeting is Oct. 21, 2026. For more information, visit 100womenwhocaretrilakes.com. From left are Coach Michelle, athletes Michal Tyler, Eden, and Janae, and Coach Meredith. Photo by Jackie Burhans.

Teen donates to thrift store

Above: Lukas Gizelbach, a Monumental Impact intern (left), presented bookends he created to Brieana Weaver, Silver Key Thrift Store’s retail sales director (right) on April 15. Silver Key gave Lukas the opportunity last fall to share his prototype and gather customer feedback. He completed his internship by creating and packaging a set of his final bookends for donation to Silver Key’s new thrift store location next to The UPS Store in the Safeway shopping center on Route 105 in Monument. Photo by Jeanette Breton.

Silver Key Thrift Store relocates

Above and below: A huge crowd packed the new location of the Silver Key Thrift Store in the Safeway shopping center on Route 105 in Monument for a grand opening celebration on April 17. The new location is much bigger than the old place on Route 105 in Palmer Lake, where the shop was located for the past two years. Retail Sales Director Brieana Weaver says they’ll get more walk-ins in this location since it’s in a busy shopping center. The sign for the liquor store that used to be at the new location was still on the storefront. Silver Key President and CEO Jason DeaBueno says a lighted Silver Key sign will be installed on both ends of the building once it gets approved by the Town of Monument. He ended his speech by urging the crowd to “Buy! Buy! Buy! Use it and then recycle it, and we’ll sell it again!” Photo by Michael Weinfeld.

Monument Arbor Day, Apr. 24

The Town of Monument celebrated its 32nd year of being designated “Tree City U.S.A.” by planting a tree on Arbor Day April 24. The Monument Parks Department planted a Vanderwolf Pine on the road leading to Monument Lake. This along with three other trees planted on the road earlier in the week are the town’s first Vanderwolf Pines. Parks Superintendant James Schubauer told the small crowd that these trees are supposed to be faster growing, fuller and softer compared to other pines. Schubauer gave tips on how to plant the tree as it was being placed in the ground. Pictured from left: Schubauer, Park Techs Trystan Pyle, and Michael Spencer start to remove the burlap surrounding the root ball. Photo by Michael Weinfeld.

Snow flowers, Apr. 17

Above: After a winter practically devoid of snow, 5 inches fell in Monument on April 17. On the left are our tulips on April 16. On the right is how they looked after the snow stopped falling. Photos by Michael Weinfeld.

Road renamed “Doc Close Road”

Above: The Monument Town Council has picked “Doc Close Road” as the winner of the contest to rename a new segment of roadway created by the realignment of Old Denver Road between Santa Fe Avenue and Wagon Gap Trail. Senior Planner Jenna Gorney (in photo) told the council at its April 21 meeting that the winning name submitted by Catherine McGuire was among 160 names suggested by 60 people in the contest. The road will be renamed in honor of McGuire’s grandfather Thomas Close, who was a medical doctor and pharmacist in Monument in the early 1900s. Close and his family used to live in the house that’s now Lolly’s. He bought 240 acres between Elephant Rock and Ben Lomand Mountain in 1922, and the family has made sure the land is preserved. Close was friends with Jim Higby and McGuire suggested in her application that her grandfather join his “childhood chum” with a road named in his honor. The renaming will be made official with a resolution probably at the next council meeting on May 4. The new sign will be unveiled at a ceremony on May 22. Photo by Michael Weinfeld.

PLAC spotlights Walt Moore

Above: Local potter and teacher Walt Moore was the Palmer Lake Arts Council’s featured artist last month. Moore turned to art after a 30-year career as an environmental scientist. He fell in love with working with clay as a young boy. Moore sells his pottery from his studio in Red Rocks Ranch in Monument. He makes cremation urns for a local church and accepts custom orders for other pottery projects ranging from everyday functional work to artistic creations. Moore says, “Pottery is the most zen thing I’ve ever done.” He’s accepting students at his home studio. You can contact him at waltmoore1@msn.com.Photo provided by Tati McAlister.

Other Snapshots of Our Community articles

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *