Colorado Springs Summer Events

Looking for something to do in Colorado Springs? Ready to enjoy the summer and have fun? Check out the following:

American Soldier tribute – A photo tribute to the American Soldier – at the Phil Long Expo Center, from Saturday through September 13th. For more info call 867-6635.

Outdoors activities more “your thing”? Check out White Water Rafting Trips. Call 526-5366 for more info. Trips are $40 per person and include transportation, gear and guides.

Enjoy the Colorado State Fair- from August 28th through September 7th at the State Fair Grounds in Pueblo. For tickets, call Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or go online at http://www.ticketmaster.com .

From July 8th through the 11th, you can enjoy the 69th annual Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeoat the Norris-Penrose Events Center Arena. The Fort Carson Night is July 8th. Tickets start at $10 for Adults and $7.50 for Children. Call 576-2626, go online at http://www.ticketswest.com or go to any King Soopers Customer Service.

Free entry to National Parks: The weekend of July 18th/19th and August 15th/16th - Entrance Fees to many national parks and monuments in Colorado will be waived.

Fort Carson’s annual Independence Day Celebrationwill happen July 3rd, from 4-10:30 pm at Ironhorse Park. The event is free and the public is invited.

For an Old Fashioned Fourth of July, check out the Rock Ledge Historic Site on July 4th from 9am to 5pm. This includes speeches, carnival games, ice cream, a Civil War encampment, Buffalo Soldier bivouac etc. Solders and retired military get in for half price by showing ID. Regular admission is $2-$6.

Thanks to Nel Lampe and the Mountaineer for compiling this info!

Things To Do In & Around Colorado Springs

With Valentines Day, Spring Break and Easter coming up, you might be looking for some things to do and places to see. To make it a little easier, check out the following sites:

Upcoming Events and Things To Do

Colorado Springs.com

Cripple Creek Events

Woodland Park Community Calendar

Colorado Springs Fine Art Center

Just wonderins: What are YOUR favorite things to do in and around Colorado Springs?

Want To Influence This Regions Future?

…participate in a survey that is supposed to take the pulse of residents in this area. This survey will be part of “Operation 6035″, to determine “which companies and industries are best suited for Colorado Springs, what types of jobs should be pursued and the responsibilities of the community to accomplish those goals will be the focus of a new economic development study launched by a coalition of business people, government officials and community leaders.”

If you love living here and would like to see this area keep it’s family friendly status, with the added bonus of acutally offering jobs for residents, check out their website at “Operation 6035“,  to take the survey and participate.

Colorado Springs And Taxes – What’s Your Opinion?

After the last post about a potential tax increase, I started reading more about this whole topic, and considering replies from Gazette readers, this is a very divided issue.

People are either for tax increases, saying that we need them in order to fund services, not only to prevent loosing more programs, but to make up for the increase in costs, from gas to personal, technology to human resources for city employees. This segment says that our city government is not really over budget, but that it has been caught short, just like the rest of the population, when gas prices started rising, food and other costs started increasing and loans were no longer as easily obtainable as they used to be. These folks also state that TABOR was shortsighted and should have been corrected years ago. In addition, this group is very much concerned about the standard of living in the area and is willing to pay for it via taxes.

Then we have the opponents, who proclaim that our city government is incapable, due to spending over budget, and that they, like the rest of the population, should learn how to tighten their belt, and that the whole issue about loosing programs (specially in the police department) is a smoke screen for collecting money from unsuspecting citizens. (Argument: Cops on traffic duty, collecting money that goes into the general fund of the city.) This group also states that our city government already holds out their hands for more than their share, specifically “illegal taxes” like the Stormwater Enterprise, and that the entire government would only vote themselves higher paychecks if the taxes were increased.

So now I’m wondering – what is your opinion on this? What side are you on – and WHY?

County May Put Tax Hike To Vote…

…was the title of an article in the Colorado Springs Gazette today. In it, the county proposes to increase our sales tax rate by 1% in order to make up for lost services and revenues and to stop cutting available services.

This would bring our sales tax from 7.4% to 8.4% – the example given in the article likened this to a $200 increase of price on a $20000 car. The discussion is – should this be on the November Ballot?

The last sales tax increase we had in this area, was in 2004, which pays for road building and maintenance in most parts of the county.

Read the article, and let me know – what is your opinion on this? Should taxes be increased? Or not?

Also – make sure to read the comments (underneath the article) – readers brought up some interesting points….

Would like more info? Per Gazette:

-To contact Citizens for Effective Government, e-mail concernedcitizens@csceg.org or visit www.csceg.org.
- The El Paso County commissioners will discuss budgetcutting options at a meeting starting 9 a.m. Tuesday on the third floor of the County Office Building, 27 E. Vermijo Ave. Anyone may attend.

Pinewood Country Club Golf Course Opening

Love to play golf? Mark the day!

April 23rd the Pinewood Country Club is opening for the season. All 18 holes plus the driving range will be open!

This year – for the first time – you can also set up your tee times via the Internet.

 

Colorado Springs Construction

You’ve been stuck in it, watched it, wondered about it….Colorado Springs’ ongoing Construction Projects.

Have you taken Austin Bluffs/Union lately? Can you believe how fast that overpass is going up? Seemed they were moving dirt forever…and then suddenly  – bam (to borrow a “phrase”) – the overpass is taking shape.

Now that we’re gaining experience in traveling through a town with various construction projects, are we ready for the “Biggie” – the widening of Woodmen? What do you think?

As for myself – I’m thinking that I’ll be trying to avoid that area as much as possible when it starts in earnest! (How many routes can you device to avoid that area? Specially when you live right OFF Woodmen? Any ideas?)

Tejon Street, Colorado Springs – Look Both Ways

Tejon Street, downtown Colorado Springs, is no longer a one-way street. Starting today, the transformation into a ‘regular’ two-way street started, and is expected to be completed by Monday.

According to Dave Krauth, a City of Colorado Springs Engineer “Traffic will become a two-way road from Vermijo to Bijou. It is already two-way south of Vermijo and north of Bijou.”

Expect Springs Police to be out on Monday, to help confused drivers; which might be very helpful, considering that Tejon has been a one-way street for the past 37 years!