Indy - May 11, 2023 Vol 31. No. 18

School District 49 faces lawsuits over unruly behavior during school board meetings

BY GRETA ANDERSON JOHNS

EDUCATION GUIDE

Read about issues impacting students, educators and parents along the Front Range.

Citizen-Powered

PRESIDENT: Ahriana Platten VICE PRESIDENT: Dave Gardner TREASURER: Fran Zankowski SECRETARY: Ralph Routon EX OFFICIO: John Weiss

FEATURED

5 IN ‘GOOD ORDER’: School District 49 facing lawsuits due to disruptive behavior during school board meetings

15 GET YOUR LEARN ON: Is it Education Guide time? I think it is

3 THE RUNOFF: More headlines from the campaign trail

EDITORIAL INTERIM CO-PUBLISHERS

Ahriana Platten, Ralph Routon

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Bryan Grossman

MANAGING EDITOR Helen Lewis

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CONTRIBUTORS

Greta Anderson Johns, Jim Hightower, Mike Littwin, Matthew Schniper

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7 Check out content from this week’s Colorado Springs Business Journal and be sure to visit csbj.com for more

Election NEXT WEEK

From the campaign trail: endorsements, money, party politics, watch parties, casting ballots

BY PAM ZUBECK | zubeck@csindy.com

THE MAYORAL RUNOFF ELECTION IS ON MAY 16, WHEN voters will choose between career politician Wayne Williams and political newcomer and businessman Yemi Mobolade, the two candidates who got the most votes in the April 4 city election. Here, we recap campaign developments over the last week.

More endorsements for Mobolade

Mobolade recently picked up three more key endorsements. Former City Council President Scott Hente, Air Force Academy grad and retired Air Force officer; former City Councilor Don Knight, retired Air Force officer; and former president and CEO of Springs Rescue Mission Larry Yonker, are backing him. Facebook ads cite those and others’ endorsements, saying they “know Yemi is the right leader for the right time to address Colorado Springs’ rapid growth and stand up for neighborhoods. Crime, rising cost of living, homelessness, and poor roads are hurting our families, and residents deserve a leader in the mayor’s office who will fight for residents to have a voice in government.”

More negative campaigning from Williams

Williams continued his efforts to steer the nonpartisan race into political party territory by sending a mailer doubling down on attempts to label Mobolade as being aligned with “far-left Democrats liberal policies” and warning that “families can’t trust” him. Williams also has mounted similar ads on Facebook. Mobolade is unaffiliated and has rejected divisive partisan sloganeering. Williams then paints himself as a “conservative Republican.” Before the April 4 election, he denied involvement with negative campaigning but later side-stepped a question on whether his campaign would turn negative.

Dark money

Two dark money groups — Citizens Protecting Our Water and Citizens for Responsible Leadership — spent $240,000 and $365,000, respectively, to promote Williams and smear Sallie Clark in the mayor’s race, and to promote a slate of candidates supported by Mayor John Suthers, who is term-limited and leaving office. Suthers’ entire slate of endorsed Council candidates won in the April 4 city election. All of that money came from Defend Colorado, a group that doesn’t have to disclose its donors.

continued on p. 4 ➔

Dear

Williams has raised nearly $1 million for his mayoral campaign, but Mobolade has received campaign money from more than three times as many donors as Williams.

Williams raised about $995,750 and spent $798,400, leaving him with about $197,350 two weeks before the May 16 election, according to campaign finance reports filed May 1. The reporting period spanned April 11 to 25.

In the most recent cycle, dark money group Colorado Springs Forward, which doesn’t have to disclose its donors, gave Williams $205,000, bringing its total for his mayoral bid to $470,000 — or nearly half of the sum he’s raised from all donors.

The Housing & Building Association of Colorado Springs’ political action committee gave Williams another $50,000 this cycle. Its total donations to him now sit at $110,000.

Other significant donors on Williams’ list include 12 lawyers with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, a Denver-based firm that recently announced it had hired Mayor John Suthers, who leaves office June 6 after two terms. Williams is a lawyer, and Suthers, also a lawyer, has endorsed Williams. Those 12 lawyers gave a total of $5,850.

The Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association gave Williams $10,000, bringing its total to $15,000 for the election. Two others — 13141 BP

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LLC and 1820 Jet Stream LLC — both controlled by JW Roth, former CEO of Bourbon Brothers and founder of Roth Industries, a prepared foods company, gave $22,650 each. Notes Live Inc., founded by Roth, also gave an in-kind donation of $17,650 via an event.

Mobolade raised $60,564 this cycle, bringing his total to $596,400. He’s spent about $497,500, leaving him with about $98,900.

Nearly all of his donors gave small amounts, with the exception of John Street, a business executive, who gave $10,000.

Mobolade received contributions from 252 donors, compared to Williams’ 85 in the last cycle.

That’s been the trend throughout the campaign. Mobolade has raised money from about 1,180 donors — almost four times the number who have given to Williams.

Watch parties

Mobolade’s election night watch party will be held at COSCITYHUB, 4304 Austin Bluffs Parkway, the same location as his April 4 party, which drew roughly 650 people.

Williams’ campaign has not yet chosen a venue for its watch party.

Time to vote

The city mayoral runoff election is May 16. Ballots must be returned no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day. Go here for more information: coloradosprings.gov/election. p. 3

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In ‘Good Order’

School District 49 facing lawsuits due to disruptive behavior during school board meetings

BY GRETA ANDERSON JOHNS

I will not be disruptive

I will not be disruptive

I will not be disruptive

WHEN CHRISTINE

Greene thinks back to a Nov. 10, 2022, special board meeting in School District 49, she recalls frustration, chaos and disorder.

The meeting, where the D49 Board of Education voted to censure and call for the resignation of Director Ivy Liu, was out of control, Greene says. Liu’s supporters, who fully bought into unsubstantiated claims about “left-wing indoctrination” and veiled critical race theory concepts hidden in district curriculum, shouted over the reading of the censure resolution and jeered and interrupted board members with whom they disagreed.

They had come to defend Liu quoting Adolf Hitler in a Facebook post, where she compared social-emotional learning — school programs designed to help students develop self-control, self-awareness and interpersonal skills — to how “every murderous dictator has used children to advance their tyrannical and evil agenda,” according to a Nov. 9, 2022 statement.

Greene, who’s lived in D49 for more than four years and used to live next door to Liu, instead came with signs to spell out “RESIGN,” directed at Liu. Greene hadn’t planned on displaying them inside the boardroom, knowing that was against the district’s rules for meeting decorum, she tells the Indy

But acting on impulse and discontent with the audible disruptions from Liu supporters, Greene decided to pass out the signs to willing audience members, in “a silent statement of opposition.”

“It was so chaotic,” Greene says — Liu supporters attempted to block and damage the signs. The evening was representative of ongoing behavioral issues among adults at D49 board meet-

ings, which continue today, and which prompted calls for increased security.

Today, Greene’s signs, which she does not recall being asked to lower during the meeting, are at the center of a First Amendment lawsuit that questions the board president’s control over decorum during open meetings, and accuses the district of censoring conservative voices.

TWO LIU SUPPORTERS — DEB Schmidt and Kelly Kohls — claim they were discriminated against and that their “constitutionally-protected speech activity” was violated, after they displayed signs, refused to put them down when asked, and were removed by security at a more recent Feb. 22 special board meeting, while Greene wasn’t removed for holding up signs in November. Their lawsuit, filed April 10, names as defendants D49, two district security workers and Board President John Graham, who enforced the sign rule.

Schmidt is a D49 resident, grandmother and consistent Liu ally. Ohio resident Kohls is a conservative school board activist and a senior director for the national group Moms For America. It’s a movement that claims to “promote the principles of Liberty to restore the Republic, and create a culture of truth, family and freedom in our homes and communities.” Moms For America is anti-LGBTQ and promotes false narratives about Critical Race Theory, including that CRT (which is not taught in K-12 schools here) “promotes racism in the classroom” and “includes indoctrination on LGBT Agendas ... and Comprehensive Sex Education promoting pornographic and sexual content to children.” The group also supports false claims that teachers’ unions encourage

“pornographic sexual content under the guise of curriculum.”

Schmidt and Kohls carried signs calling for Graham, Vice President Rick Van Wieren and Lori Thompson — the three board members who voted for Liu to resign in November — to themselves resign.

It’s unclear why Kohls, who was a school board member in Ohio, was at the Feb. 22 meeting in Colorado Springs — she refused a phone interview with the Indy and did not respond to emailed questions.

I will not be disruptive

I will not be disruptive

I will not be disruptive

I will not be disruptive

I will not be disruptive

I will not be disruptive

I will not be disruptive

I will not be disruptive

Curt Hartman, the Cincinnati-based attorney representing the women, tells the Indy that Kohls “was out there supportive of Miss Liu” and that her organization, the National School Board Leadership Council (funded by Moms For America) “helps conservative school board members.” Hartman says he’s known Kohls for “several years.”

“[Kohls] has a commitment, with a lot of conservatives, to try to get back to the basics [in education],” Hartman says. “She’s developed a great network nationwide, and obviously, in Colorado Springs.”

Greene and others who’ve opposed Liu view Kohls as an outsider and an agitator. Her attendance was another example, they say, of how national issues are being fictionalized at the district level to stir up conservative controversy — the same playbook that pushed out two district executives in July 2022.

Schmidt and Kohls engaged in “willful disobedience” of the boardroom rules “because they wanted to bring a lawsuit,” Greene believes.

I will not be disruptive

I will not be disruptive

I will not be disruptive I will not be disruptive I I

Behavior during School District 49 meetings has led to a lawsuit.

Ivy Liu

Greta Anderson Johns

Courtesy D49

Schmidt and Kohls, however, see the Feb. 22 incident as a violation of their rights to disagree with the D49 board majority’s reprimanding of Liu, and claim they were treated differently than Greene and other sign-holders in previous meetings.

“Being escorted out of the meeting was the last straw for me,” Schmidt said during public comment at an April 13 board meeting. (She did not respond to a request for comment.)

“Public officials do not get to pick and choose when the First Amendment does and does not apply, so as to stifle speech with which they disagree,” she said. “We had every right to speak to power our belief that Lori, Rick and John should resign. You don’t have to like it. You don’t have to agree with it. But we had every right to hold them peacefully in our laps.”

A BLANKET BAN ON SIGNS IN

the boardroom has been in place “for several years,” Graham says.

There is an exception for signs displaying a green “thumbs up” or red “thumbs down,” which have been allowed, Graham says. The rule isn’t an official, written board policy, but it’s how D49 has run meetings historically, he says.

“We just say, … ‘Keep your signs outside,’ because they can be used to hit people with, and that got proven,” Graham says. “It is not a policy; it’s a protocol that the administration has, and that’s to keep everyone safe.”

School boards and school board presidents, specifically, have broad authority to regulate boardroom decorum under the Colorado Revised Statutes that cover board meetings and cabinet member duties, according to the Colorado Association of School Boards.

The statutes are general in their wording and do not offer specific guidance for decorum standards: “All regular and special meetings of the board shall be open to the public, but the board may require anyone who disturbs good order to leave” and “The president of the board shall preside at all meetings of the board.”

“As far as what Colorado law requires for public participation, there isn’t very much,” says a representative from CASB, which provides sample policies with legal requirements to boards across the state. The representative asked to speak with the Indy on background due to the pending litigation in D49.

“It’s not required to even [permit comments], but if it is allowed by the board, then they just need to enforce any restrictions on it consistently,” the representative says. “They can do time, place and manner restrictions, but not viewpoint restrictions.”

As for school board presidents, CASB sample policy says they are “responsible for the orderly conduct of board meetings,” the representative says.

Hartman, the attorney for Schmidt and Kohls, says they aren’t challenging the constitutionality of the Colorado statutes, or the no-sign rule on its face (despite Schmidt’s comment that “we had every right to hold them peacefully in our laps”). Hartman argues Graham selectively enforced the sign rule on Schmidt and Kohls because they were calling for him to resign.

“[Colorado law] must be applied and implemented consistent with the First Amendment,” he says. “It doesn’t create a carve out; it doesn’t create an exception.”

Hartman compares the scenario to how Graham allegedly did not respond to Greene’s “RESIGN” signs directed at Liu at the Nov. 10 meeting.

“[Graham’s] problem was not signs in general, his problem was with the message that was on the sign,” Hartman argues. “And when it became targeted and focused on him and two other board members — that’s when he took exception.”

Graham remembers the Nov. 10 meeting differently. He says he did ask for Greene’s “RESIGN” signs to come down; it was among his repeated struggles to get a handle on the unruly crowd that evening. Graham can be heard on the D49 audio recording of the meeting (there is no video recording available) at one point saying, “You will be removed from this room if you continue to disrupt.”

Then, at the regular meeting that followed immediately after, more audience members unfurled newspapers with “RESIGN IVY!” painted and visible to the board dais. They were asked directly by Graham to put down the newspapers and they did. That exchange was captured clearly in the D49 video recording of that meeting.

The newspapers were brought by Michelle Kemp, a chapter chair for Neighbors For Education, a pro-public education and equity parents’ organization with parents in three local school districts, including D49. Group affiliates in D49 are often referred to as “the purple shirts” because of the color they wear at meetings. Some NFE members also held Greene’s “RESIGN” signs, although she did not organize the action with them, she says.

“When the ‘purple shirts’ put up ‘Ivy

should be thinking about the teachers and the kids.”

THE NOV. 10 MEETING PROMPTed complaints about boardroom behavior and a promise from Graham to crack down on safety measures and decorum, the Indy reported at the time. Since then, others on Liu’s “side” have been removed from meetings, for yelling and cursing at parents and around students, making them feel unsafe, he says.

“There’s a difference between proper behavior and decorum and what is happening,” Graham says.

Greene says the lack of control displayed at the Nov. 10 meeting prompted the board and Graham, who’s responsible for maintaining decorum, to crack down.

“They got consistent about all kinds of things because of the chaos,” says Greene, who attended meetings throughout 2022. “That’s the bigger point: The rules have been applied based on what is able to be seen from the dais, what’s going on in the room and all of the chaos.

“The rules are applying across the board, and we’re trying to pay better attention,” she says.

Still, the district could end up spending hundreds of thousands of public dollars on what Graham called “a lawsuit that has no merit,” should it choose to fight it. The district, Graham and security personnel are being represented by Bryce Carlson of the Miller Farmer Carlson law firm, which regularly works with D49. Neither Carlson nor a district spokesperson responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit.

Liu resign’ signs, I told them to put them down … I did it twice,” Graham told Schmidt and Kohls from the dais during the Feb. 22 meeting, before their removal.

“If you want to do those signs, that is out of order for the meeting, and it has been out of order when I call the ‘purple shirts’ out of order.”

Kemp tells the Indy she has no problem with the rules around signs in the boardroom.

“Just be courteous to people,” Kemp says. “John’s running the meeting. I get First Amendment rights and everything, but just be good people.

“It’s not about us. It’s about the kids and the teachers. … That’s what I don’t understand [about those bringing the lawsuit] — you’re talking about you and about your feelings, when you

Meetings between the two sides will start June 5, according to court records, and the district’s deadline to file a motion to dismiss the lawsuit is June 10.

If Schmidt and Kohls prevail, they’re asking the U.S. District Court judge presiding over the case to prevent the district “from enforcing the unconstitutional policies, practices, and customs,” to award “nominal” monetary damages and to order the district to pay their attorney fees. According to Hartman, his fees could add up to $100,000 if the case reaches trial.

It puts the district and staff in a position that Graham has felt it’s been in all year — “doing damage control,” he says, “or responding to people who were misled.”

Protesters called for Liu’s resignation in November 2022.

There’s a difference between proper behavior and decorum and what is happening.

— John Graham

Greta Anderson Johns

➔ continued from p. 5

Focus Law

The hiring maze

Know the law — and the right experts

BY SARAH MCMAHON

Hiring employees is complicated. With a web of details to consider, many new employers are unaware of all the legal responsibilities associated with hiring, which can be costly in the long run.

Colorado has seen a slew of changes to employment laws since 2020, so experienced and new employers alike may find challenges in meeting requirements or properly filing documentation. Some of these changes include equal pay, changes to vacation plans, paid time off rules, retirement requirements, the secure savings act, and pay transparency.

It’s a good idea to seek expertise and legal advice when working with employees, and there are organizations, HR consultants, law attorneys and onboarding specialists who help businesses through the process. Many organizations offer free resources and pay-as-you-go services in addition to memberships to guide you through the legalese and help you find the best match for your business.

But if you are in the process of taking on new employee, here are some immediate considerations.

PAYROLL AND EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATIONS

Understanding the baseline requirements for paying employees is critical. With the multitude of classifications, laws and tax expectations, many new employers make honest mistakes.

“My first recommendation is that any business has a good quality payroll provider set up, and that they’re working to ensure that all of the deductions are properly calcu-

lated and withheld,” says Reanna Werner, founder and chief problem solver at HR Branches.

Werner also offers courses at the Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center through the Leading Edge workshops. She helps employers understand and provide the right documents for tax purposes. “They need to capture the correct required information the two require documents by law: W-4 and your I-9,” Werner says.

“New employers also need to understand two different types of classifications first: 1099 versus W-2, independent contractor versus an employee,” Werner says. “Oftentimes, employers misclassify contractors versus employees, or they unknowingly and inadvertently turn employees into independent contractors. I’ve seen a ton of audits go south, and it can get very expensive.”

Debra Fowler, director of compliance and policy at Vida HR, echoes the need for employers to correctly classify their employees.

“Be so careful about trying to classify any of your workers as independent contractors,” she says. “That is just so commonly done incorrectly, and you don’t want to get on the wrong side of that process. There can be hefty, hefty fines. Businesses can go out of business for doing it wrong.”

THE REAL COST

Another factor new employers must consider is the difference between hourly and salary. Employers will sometimes offer salaries to employees because it can simplify payroll and administrative tasks, like monitoring hours and calculating overtime. But, as Werner has seen, people often

fail to understand minimum compensation thresholds and duties tests associated with the salaried positions.

“You have to pay a certain minimum compensation threshold, which this year is $50,000. Next year, it will be up to $55,000,” Werner says. “You also have a duties test based on the position and the responsibilities of the position. So it’s even more critical to understand what role the person is playing and if the position even qualifies as a salary position.”

Wages are not the only calculation in the cost of hiring. “When they think about bringing on a new employee, employers have to think about all of the ancillary costs, which add up quite extensively,” Werner says. “You’ve got your payroll deductions and your withholdings on your taxes, any type of benefits, supplies, chairs, computer software and occupational health and safety.

“Typically, the first year of employment is the most expensive, and you really want to multiply that salary by one and a half times in order to get to a cost of employment that’s a little bit closer to reality.”

WORKERS’ COMP, FAMLI AND UNEMPLOYMENT ACCOUNTS

Setting up workers’ compensation and unemployment accounts is another crucial step when onboarding. “You’ve got to make sure that as you’re working with your payroll provider and setting up all of your employment practices so that you have those two critical components set up,” Werner says.

Andrey Popov / stock.adobe.com

And these accounts need to be created before you start hiring or paying employees. Failure to do so results in large fines.

“You’ll also have to register for a [Family and Medical Leave Insurance] account, which is a new paid medical legislation that’s gone into effect, so that’s an additional account that you have to set up,” Werner says.

FAMLI is a relatively new expectation that takes effect for anyone hiring in 2023. “If an employer is going to start hiring employees in the state of Colorado anytime here in 2023, they’re going to want to go ahead and get that FAMLI account set up,” Fowler says.

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION AND IMMIGRATION

Understanding and navigating employment laws can be daunting, and business leaders should seek legal advice. From the moment the search for an employee begins, certain state and federal laws are enacted.

“There’s anti-discrimination laws that the state has and the federal government has, and those kick in when you have people who are applying to work for you,” says George Russo, director of the Southern Colorado Regional Office at the Employers Council.

“And those basically say you can’t take certain protected classes into account when making hiring decisions. Those obviously roll over and protect employees while they are employed by the employer.”

Under the law, employers cannot discriminate against an employee based on protected class, such as race, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, ancestry, marital status, creed, disability and family status. Anti-discrimination law also requires employers to provide

reasonable accommodations for employees.

“Immigration laws also kick in, so employers need to complete an I-9 and make sure they have that on file, and that needs to be kept outside of a personnel file so that only specific people have access” Russo says.

Documenting the immigration status of employees must happen immediately after hiring — and that includes independent contractors.

PAY TRANSPARENCY

The Pay Transparency Law requires employers to include compensation and benefits information in job postings. “Colorado has a pay transparency law,” Russo says, “so employers need to know that they need to post good-faith ranges for what the pay would be, and they need to give an idea of what the benefits would be.”

In addition to posting pay ranges and more transparency about benefits, the Pay Transparency Law helps internal candidates progress in a company. “The requirement for employers is to identify any advancement opportunities or promotional opportunities and job openings, and then they’re required to notify internal employees about the openings before they make a hiring decision,” Fowler says.

“There’s been a lot written about the pay transparency law,” Russo says, “and the state has put out information about it, but sometimes it gets overlooked because there’s so much to do when you’re starting a business.”

New legislation is always a factor in working with employees. It is vital to stay aware of employment laws as each year can bring new parameters. “It sometimes feels overwhelming,” Russo says. “So when you’re starting a small business you may have a great idea, you may have a great concept, but those details sometimes get overlooked.”

Fowler suggests having an employee handbook. “Though not required by law, having a handbook is one of those bestpractice items that can really help you communicate with your employees about what they should expect from you as an employer; what employees should be doing to meet performance requirements; or whatever policies the employer has that they want them to follow, so they understand those expectations,” she says.

Detailed records and good organization are critical in hiring — and for the sake of your business, seeking outside expert advice is still best practice. n CSBJ

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BY AMELIA ALLEN |

5 Questions: Dan List

Dan List left his job processing divorces at the El Paso County Combined Courts for a whole new world — he now works on trail maintenance and as an Incline attendant at the Manitou Incline. At the foot of Pikes Peak, the famously challenging hike rises 2,090 feet over 0.88 of a mile with an average grade of 45 percent (as steep as 68 percent in parts), and it’s one of his favorite places.

We heard you did the Manitou Incline 500 times in one year. What inspired you to do that?

Yeah — in 2022, in 10 months, I completed 500 Inclines. This was all during my old job when I used to be a court clerk. I used to process divorces and probates, and that’s pretty much what I did all day prior to the trail maintenance job. My original plan for the 500 was trying to figure out what I could do as a new career. From the beginning, since I was an active guy, [the court clerk job] wasn’t a good fit for me — sitting at a desk all day and processing paperwork.

How did you end up in the court clerk job?

I graduated from CSU-Pueblo in 2019. I used to actually be a college athlete; I used to play offensive lineman for football. So once that was done, I couldn’t figure out what to do with my life. My original plan after college was that I wanted to go into law enforcement. After sending out many applications, I got denied going forward. So I took a court clerk job just to see what that was like.

How did you complete 500 Inclines while you were also working a 9-to-5 job?

I had to figure out how to get two or three Inclines in a day. My schedule usually was that I woke up at 4:30 in the morning, I would hike two Inclines before work, then after work I would drive back to the Incline and complete one more. On weekends, I would either do three or four Inclines. My goal was to do at least 50 Inclines per month starting in January 2022. While on the Incline I met the Incline community and a lot of the regulars. It was really great to meet every single one of them, including Greg Cummings who did like 1,800 Inclines in one year. I kind of missed football — I missed the discipline, waking up early in the mornings, the challenging workouts. I wanted to challenge myself so badly. And I didn’t have that when I used to be a court clerk.

What’s it been like to transition from a court clerk to this job at the Incline?

The transition has been really great. I’ve been more active. When I used to do divorces, you see a whole bunch of sad stories when filing photographs and party statements and everything else. It was so sad, especially seeing the impact on kids and family. It hurt me immensely to read all that, so that’s why I had to get out. I pretty much gave my two-week notice as soon as my supervisor hired me to do the Manitou Incline trail maintenance. The people in the Incline community were so happy that I came back, and I get to see them. The community is always super positive because it’s such a hard trail. Everyone is always talking positivity, everyone’s motivating. When I get people that are attempting to climb the Incline for the first time, I just say, ‘Hey, take it one step at a time and keep on going.’

What are your long-term career goals?

I graduated with a degree in history, so actually, I applied to get my master’s at the University of Helsinki and I will move to Finland in August to pursue a master’s in Russian Studies. I always had a passion for Russian history growing up; history has always been my love and my passion throughout my life. One day when I was about 13 years old I was reading about the Cold War and I saw the United States and Soviet Union never got along really well. I want to take a deep dive on why that’s always happened; I’ve always loved Cold War stuff. I took Russian history at the end of my senior year and I became instantly passionate about it.

Helen Lewis

CALENDAR

Your guide to events in the Pikes Peak region

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COLORADO BOOK AWARDS

There are only four more Saturdays when you can hear Colorado Book Award finalists read from their works. May 13, 4 p.m. — general fiction, mystery, romance at PPLD’s Sand Creek Library; May 20 — creative nonfiction and general nonfiction at East Library; May 27 — anthology, literary fiction and poetry at Library 21c; and June 3 — sci fi/fantasy and thriller at Rockrimmon Library. Get your tickets now to attend the Finalists Celebration and Winners Announcement — Saturday, June 10, at Penrose House Garden Pavilion; for more information, see tinyurl. com/CO-books-23.

ART EXHIBITS

45º Gallery, 2528 W. Colorado Ave., Suite B, 719-434-1214, 45degreegallery.com. New works by potter Carey Berry and painter Emily Fair. Through May.

Art 1eleven Gallery, 111 E. Bijou St., 719493-5084, facebook.com/Art1elevenGallery. Works by multimedia artist Alexandra Feinstein.

Bell Brothers Brewing, 114 N. Tejon St., 719-257-7506, facebook.com/BellBrothersBrewing. Works by Breaking Glass Creations, J and V Woodworks, Robbie Cochran, Todd R. Short, and Creations by Colin, Seth Boyce and High Altitude Engineer.

Bosky Studio, 17B E. Bijou St., 719-6405282, facebook.com/bosky.studio. Almost Maybe, sculptor Kurt Kieffer’s first Colorado Springs show: “My goal is to create pieces that evoke emotions and inspire viewers to reflect on instances in their own lives that have enabled them to become better versions of themselves.”

The Bridge Gallery and Commons Gallery, 218 W. Colorado Ave., #104, 719629-7055, thebridgeartgallery.com. Old Friends, with works by Don Green, Bill Burgess and Michael Cellan, who “were good friends and made art together for years.” Includes drawing, painting and sculpture. Through May 27.

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W. Dale St., fac. coloradocollege.edu. Contested Terrains, the work of five artists reflects “how human intervention has shaped landscapes across the Americas.” Nina Leo and Moez Surani’s Lullabies for a Waning Empire, through July 7.

Commonwheel Artists Co-op, 719-6851008, 102 Cañon Ave., Manitou Springs, commonwheel.com. You’re My Cuppa Tea — all things tea, including ceramic teacups, saucers and teapots, plus paintings, prints, illustrations, calligraphy and felting work. Through May 29.

The Compulsion to Find Order in Disorder, a new series from photographer Robert Gray. The Carter Payne, 320 S. Weber St., tinyurl.com/Gray-45th. Through June.

Cottonwood Center for the Arts, 427 E. Colorado Ave., 719-520-1899, cottonwoodcenterforthearts.com. Eat Me Drink Me — “works that challenge our everyday notions of perception and scale.”

Through May 27.

Day Dreamers, featuring works by James Jerel Anderson — “the small day dreams that we experience throughout everyday life. The little things we see. And the inspiration that comes with them.”

Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region, 121 S. Tejon St., #111; 719-634-2204, info@ culturaloffice.org; through June 30.

G44 Gallery, 121 E. Boulder St., 720-9510573, g44gallery.com. Trinity, by Meghan Wilbar, who “works with a pared-down sensibility to capture the experience of the land and sky through torn paper and drawn line.” Redemption, by Annaliese Allen: “In many of my relationships, vulnerable raw stories have been shared with a cup of tea in hand. Reflecting the slow process of tea practices, I have implemented collage and assemblage to tell the most vulnerable aspects of my story.”Through May.

Gallery 113, 125½ N. Tejon St., gallery113cos.com, 719-634-5299. Featured artists: Dana Lee Stoner and Denise Duker. Through May.

The Garfield Gallery, 332 E. Willamette Ave., 719-227-8836, garfieldgallery.com.

Beast, Banana & The Creamy ‘What

For’: Small Works by Dawn Eeh: She’s “primarily known for her expressionistic yet modern mixed-media paintings that capture the wide variety of emotions and experiences of humanity.”

Experiment of Thought, works by Jesse Stockwell: “I had a quote stuck in my mind for years about spending one’s life dedicated to one’s art. I knew what I had to do.” Through May 27.

continued on p. 14

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Your guide to events in the Pikes Peak region CALENDAR

➔ continued from p. 13

GOCA Downtown (Galleries of Contemporary Art/UCCS), 121 S. Tejon St., #100, gocadigital.org. OUROBOROS, Senior Art Show 2023, “a capstone exhibition by UCCS Visual and Performing Arts students, focused on the visual arts discipline.” Through May 13.

Hunter-Wolff Gallery, 2510 W. Colorado Ave., 719-520-9494, hunterwolffgallery. com. Sculpture by Fred Lunger.

LightSpeed Curations, 306 S. 25th St., lightspeedart.art. Tudor House of Kosmic Fun (back by popular demand): “Experience blacklight art that is bright, fun, interactive and sure to make you smile!”

The Look Up Gallery, 11 E. Bijou St. (inside Yobel), thelookupgallery.com. New largescale works by Nichole Montanez.

Manitou Art Center, 513/515 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs, 719-685-1861, manitouartcenter.org. Art for Every Day: Bright Things in a Dark World by Luka Carter, featuring “collaborations with Bri McGrew and Kingsland Editions” and “Print Intervention by Graphics Research Lab.” Through May 26.

Surface Gallery, 2752 W. Colorado Ave., surfacegallerycos.com. SWIPE: Abstract Adventures with Dating Apps, new work by Laurel Justice. Plus: recent works by Marisa White, “In the end, Mother Nature always reclaims what we abandon.”

Through May 26.

Through Our Eyes, art from the frontlines of the foster care system for Foster Care Awareness Month. Featuring art from Kids Crossing foster youths, foster families/parents, caseworkers, therapists and home coordinators. Through May 31, PPLD’s Library 21c, 1175 Chapel Hills Drive, 719-531-6333 ext. 7012, kidscrossing.com.

True North Art Gallery, 31 E. Bijou St., 210-842-2476, truenorthartgallery@

gmail.com, truenorthartgallery.com.

“From encaustics and mixed-media to abstract paintings and even lipstick art.”

FILM

The Quiet Girl, presented by Rocky Mountain Women’s Film: “Rural Ireland. 1981. Nine-year-old Cait is sent away from her overcrowded, dysfunctional family to live with foster parents for the summer.” Monday, May 15, 7 p.m.; $15 online, $20 at the door; Ivywild School, 1604 S. Cascade Ave.; rmwfilm.org/pop-up-cinema.

Dude Ranches in the Shadows of Pikes Peak, “a documentary that chronicles the histories and stories of a few of the dude ranches in and around Teller County.” Presented by Ute Pass Historical Society; Wednesday, May 17, 5 p.m.; Gold Hill Theaters, 615 W. Midland Ave., Woodland Park; utepasshistoricalsociety.org.

KIDS & FAMILIES

Tesla’s Toolbox, focused on medieval mechanics for STEM explorers ages 7 to 14. “Learn how humans mastered the science of launching objects with catapults and trebuchets, then build your own to take home!” Workshops at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Saturday, May 13; Space Foundation Discovery Center, 4425 Arrowswest Drive; discoverspace.org/event/teslastoolbox-medieval-mechanics.

Incredible Circus Millibo, join Ringmaster Jim Jackson for “aerial acrobatics, stilt dancing, object juggling, silly tumbling, and magical clown antics.” Through May 14, Millibo Art Theatre, 1626 S. Tejon St.; see themat.org for times and tickets.

Summer Family Days, science-focused day with giant outdoor machinery in operation, tractor-pulled hayride, gold panning, blacksmith and more. Saturday, May 13, Western Museum of Mining & Industry, 225 North Gate Blvd., wmmi.org. Also June 3 (summer fun), July 15 (industry) and Aug. 14 (history).

OUTDOOR REC

Archery classes, “archery safety, range safety, bow basics, proper stance, aiming and arrow release.” For ages 8+; equipment provided; park pass is required.

Cheyenne Mountain State Park archery range, 410 JL Ranch Heights Road. Classes at 10 a.m. and noon, Saturday, May 13. Sign up (and find more activities) at cpw. state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/Calendar.aspx.

Cool bird thing! BirdCast lets you track birds — from orange-crowned warblers to cinnamon teals — as they do their spring migration over El Paso County: tinyurl.com/EPCO-flybirds.

Guffey Gorge Stewardship Weekend, Rocky Mountain Field Institute volunteer opportunity, rated “strenuous.” Saturday-Sunday, May 20-21, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; ages 16+; register at rmfi.org/civicrmevent/2384; for more info: Calla Balliett, 719-471-7736 ext. 4#, calla@rmfi.org.

Star Party, “After the moon sets, the skies are so dark, you can almost see forever! The Colorado Springs Astronomical Society will bring their telescopes and give you a fabulous tour of the night sky!” Dress warmly, bring a chair and blanket; Saturday, May 20, 8:30-10:30 p.m.; park pass required; Mueller State Park visitor center, 21045 CO-67, Divide; 719-687-2366.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Springs Vegan Market, “over 50 vendors including ready-to-eat foods, packaged foods, baked goods, plants, greens, mushrooms, jewelry, body products, gifts, apparel, candles ... all Colorado and handmade.” Saturday, May 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Hillside Community Center, 925 S. Institute St.; tinyurl.com/HillS-vegan.

TEDx Manitou Springs: Possibilities, “Rob Dubin, Nhi Aronheim and Steven Hayward sharing ideas that might challenge you, will definitely educate you, and are sure to inspire you!” With local performers and vendors; $32; Saturday, May 13, noon to 4 p.m.; Pikes Peak Metropolitan Community Church, 1102 S. 21st St.; tinyurl.com/Manitou-TEDx.

ManiPalooza Silent Disco, free familyfriendly daytime fest — with games, face painting, costume contest, dunk tank, live music, food trucks and vendors — from noon to 7 p.m., when the silent disco kicks off. Saturday, May 13, noon to 10 p.m.; Soda Springs Park, 1070 Manitou Ave., Manitou; see manitousprings.org/ manipalooza for tickets and more info.

An Evening with Richard “Goose” Gossage, an “intimate conversation with this Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, and record-setting athlete, about his baseball experiences, World Series games, and his love for rodeo and cowboys.” Includes live auction, dessert and cocktails. Friday, May 19, 6 p.m.; ProRodeo Hall of Fame, 101 Pro Rodeo Drive; see tinyurl.com/dinnerGoose for tickets and more information.

Horticultural Art Society plant sale, May 12-13 (Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and May 20-21 (same hours), with different plant offerings

ART EXHIBIT

Kreuser Gallery, 125 E. Boulder St., 719464-5880, kreusergallery.com. Colors, Grease, and Wait-eh, works by Maynard, “a self-taught artist who wasn’t afraid of color, and who spent his working years as a welder.” Seeing, Into and Beyond, works by Lisa Wallace Deen: “ The natural world and our physical bodies are battered by the struggle to survive. But there is something beyond physical matter.” Transcend, new works by Wendy Mike: “How far can I push the body? How compelling can it be without crossing the line into being either grotesque or innocuous?” Artist talks with Deen and Mike, May 17, 5:30 p.m. Through May 26.

each week. HAS Cottage Backyard, 224 Mesa Road. See hasgardens.wordpress. com/plant-sale for more info.

THEATER

Silent Sky, presented by the Colorado College Theatre and Dance Department. By Lauren Gunderson: “The true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt explores a woman’s place in society during a time of immense scientific and heart-bound discoveries.” May 1120; see tinyurl.com/cc-silents for tickets, dates and times; CC’s Cornerstone Arts Center, 825 N.Cascade Ave.

Free-For-All: Pericles, PPLD and Theatreworks’ traveling (through July) production of the Shakespeare play: “a fast-paced journey of heroes, villains, shipwrecks, pirates, jousting and more.” Friday, May 19, 6:30 p.m.; free; Black Forest Community Church, 6845 Shoup Road; see ppld.librarymarket.com/freeall-pericles-2 for more info.

King Hedley II, by Theatreworks, “follows the title character as he rediscovers relationships with his mother, his wife, and his community after a long absence. Examining legacy, destiny, and free will, Wilson uses family ties (and long kept secrets) to ask what most defines us: the blood we share, or the blood we spill? ” Through May 21; $20 and up; Dusty Loo Bon Vivant Theater, 5225 N. Nevada Ave.; tinyurl.com/TW-KingH.



GUIDE Spring 2023

early excellence

Is Colorado ready to serve English learners under new universal preschool?

BY YESENIA ROBLES, CHALKBEAT COLORADO

EVERY MORNING, STUDENTS IN THE Early Excellence Program in north Denver start their day with a song in Spanish and English. Story time and reading circles also happen in the two languages. Kids are encouraged, but never forced, to speak both.

These are some of the ways teachers at this highlyrated preschool try to give students a strong foundation in their home language as they prepare for school — something researchers agree is helpful for young bilingual learners.

As the state prepares to roll out universal preschool, a new taxpayer-funded program starting in the next school year that offers preschool hours for free to all 4-year-olds and some younger children, officials have given priority to children who don’t speak English at home. The state will offer those children more hours of tuition-free preschool and is promising — for the first time — that programs will need to use teaching strategies proven to help multilingual learners.

But with the launch just months away, big questions still remain about whether enough is being done to get the word out, what programming will look like, and what help providers will get to improve their offerings.

Early Excellence leader Jennifer Rodriguez-Luke says the families she works with are confused about how to apply or if they qualify. She has assigned a staff member to help them through the process, but has had limited success in getting new applicants.

So far, the only preschoolers that appear will match to her program are the ones it already serves, who they have helped walk through the application.

“For a level 5 in the heart of Denver, we were hoping to at least have 10 new students,” RodriguezLuke said.

She’s worried it means vulnerable families across Colorado may not be applying for universal pre-K — and may miss out on learning that has been shown to set children on the path to educational success.

Under Colorado law, 4-year-olds identified as English learners are eligible for additional hours of preschool. The additional hours — 30 instead of 15 — are dependent on state funding. The state first has

to make sure it can cover the cost of some preschool for all 4-year-olds who apply. Three-year-old multilingual learners can qualify for 10 hours per week of free preschool.

English language learners are among the children who could most benefit from preschool, which is one of the reasons these students are eligible for more preschool hours.

But in the current school year, only 29 preschool students statewide are currently identified as English language learners, according to data provided by the Colorado Department of Education.

Number of families with multilingual learners applying is still unclear

Colorado leaders have rushed to set up new universal pre-K, which will replace a smaller state-funded preschool program for children from low-income families or who have other risk factors.

But even as applications opened in January, critical parts of the program are still not in place.

The law that created universal preschool also directs the new state department to establish quality standards that participating preschool providers will have to meet. Those will include standards on identifying, testing, and serving students who are dual language learners. But those standards haven’t been created yet.

Previously, under various state and federal programs for preschool age children, providers followed different rules for educating the youngest English learner students. Preschool, unlike K-12, has had no consistent requirements for identifying children in need of language support and no standards for how

they should be taught.

The state’s new department overseeing the rollout of universal preschool has not been able to provide numbers on how many children so far enrolled for the fall checked the box indicating limited English proficiency. Officials say they are asking each provider to speak to families to verify that parents correctly checked those boxes.

A different way to screen students may be required eventually. It’s one of the requirements the law lays out for universal preschool.

When families, including those who indicate their child has limited proficiency in English, apply for universal free preschool, they can search providers and list their top choices. They can also search providers and learn which have bilingual staff or programs. The online application is available in three languages: English, Spanish, and Arabic.

The matching process will prioritize a family’s preference, regardless of whether that program has bilingual staff or programs. That means providers who have not previously been expecting to serve this population of children could end up with students enrolled identified as English learners. Depending on what standards are created, they may have further to go to meet the children’s needs.

State leaders say preschool providers will not be allowed to deny a child a spot because of language proficiency, but recognize that some won’t be prepared right away.

While much of the system is still being created, the infrastructure for English language learner students is furthest behind because research, standards, and practices have previously been limited.

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

Questions remain when it comes to next year’s launch of universal preschool in Colorado.

Bryan Oller

Colorado’s free preschool application is open. Here’s what you need to know.

Dawn Odean, the state’s universal pre-K director, said the state creating a system from nearly nothing represents opportunity.

“We do have a unique opportunity here to make more significant gains in the multilingual environment,” Odean said. She wants the department to help providers, she said, and won’t penalize them for not immediately meeting the standards.

“We can make it an act of compliance but that’s not what’s going to serve students well,” Odean said. Instead, Odean said, the department will focus on helping all providers improve.

Families face confusion about their eligibility

Ana Paola Burrola Bustillos has two kids in Jeffco, including a 4-year-old enrolled in preschool at Foster Dual Language PK-8. She said she didn’t know the state was rolling out free universal preschool, and thinks it’s a good thing even though her daughter, who is moving on to kindergarten this fall, won’t benefit.

Burrola Bustillos said she likes

Foster for her children because she believes they’ll benefit from being bilingual.

“I feel that if they can learn in both languages they’ll be better off when they’re older, in everything, in communicating with other people, in their jobs, in everyday life,” Burrola Bustillos said.

Patricia Lepiani, president of The Idea Marketing, said her group was contracted in January to market universal preschool, just days before the application opened.

Lepiani said that 25 percent of the $527,000 marketing budget is dedicated to reaching non-English speaking families — a larger percent than most projects would allocate, she said. In Colorado, Lepiani estimates, 21 percent of the state population speaks Spanish, though not all are monolingual.

The fastest thing to set up, she said, were social media ads, and later some banners that were set up at local dentist offices and shops such as the Carniceria/Mercado Los Dos Toros in Denver, the Panaderia Contreras in Denver, and Ay Wey Snack in Aurora.

The large banners say “Medio día de preescolar gratis para todos los niños de Colorado” — “Free half-day preschool for all Colorado kids” — and include a QR code and a link to the state’s pre-

school homepage. A smaller Spanishlanguage poster notes that kids who start kindergarten unprepared tend to stay behind and urges parents to “make sure your kids are ready.”

The budget wasn’t enough to cover any radio or television ads, Lepiani said.

The larger campaign Idea Marketing has planned includes having community navigators and ambassadors trained to help get the word out and help families fill out the application. That part of the work launched midMarch. Among the organizations they’re partnering with are Latinos Unidos of Greeley, The Rocky Mountain Welcome Center, and Padres Adelante Family Services.

The focus is also on educating families on the importance of preschool.

“We have been doing everything we can as fast as we can, in the smallest amount of time,” Lepiani said. “The deployment of boots on the ground across the state takes a bit more time.”

Part of the work needs to be reaching out to community leaders to get the message to families about why preschool is important and about how their children can be supported, Díaz Lara said.

In California, many of the families Díaz Lara works with mistakenly think that putting their children into bilingual programs might confuse them and lead to developmental delays. But home language support can benefit students, she said, and preschool staff just need to know how to support that development.

At Early Excellence, where a staff member helps walk families through the application, some families think they won’t qualify because they think they make too much money or are already bilingual and don’t consider their children to have limited English proficiency. Some who are undocumented or have mixed immigration status are unsure if they are allowed to apply.

continued on p. 18 ➔

We just don’t want them to get lost in the system.

— Jennifer Rodriguez-Luke

“It’s already scary to get on a website and give so much information,” Rodriguez-Luke said. “We just don’t want them to get lost in the system.”

So now, Rodriguez-Luke is working on also translating the school website into Spanish, hoping to put out more information, and offering an open invitation to help walk families though the application for free preschool.

Researchers say teacher preparation will be key

More studies are necessary to identify the best strategies to teach multilingual preschool students, researchers say, but some things are clear.

“Being bilingual is not enough,” said Cristina Gillanders, associate professor in early childhood education at the University of Colorado Denver. “You have to have the preparation to teach these children. You have to understand bilingualism and how bilingual children learn languages.”

Some preschool providers that serve children who don’t speak English do focus primarily on having bilingual staff to help.

Joe Ziegler, education director at The Family Center/La Familia in Fort Collins, which serves a primarily Spanish-speaking population, said his program for children from six weeks old up to age 5, isn’t officially bilingual based on his curriculum, but he’s focused on hiring diverse and bilingual staff. About 50 percent to 70 percent of the young students start off only understanding Spanish.

When the program first started, he said, the school often had to rely on older siblings to help staff communicate with families. They’ve since been able to move away from that by hiring more bilingual staff, and now the focus is on making sure all staff understand inclusive best practices.

“We’re more intentional now,” Ziegler said. “There’s more of an emphasis now on understanding what a family and a child’s experience is.”

In Aurora Public Schools, preschools have long been using a test to identify how students progress in their acquisition of the English language. The district says 54 percent of the district’s 2,100 preschool students are English language learners.

Researchers say traditional tests used with older students are difficult to administer to 3- and 4-year-olds who may not be able to sit still long enough, use a computer, or hold a pencil.

Cynthia Cobb, the early childhood education director for the Aurora dis -

trict, said the test teachers use in Aurora preschools aren’t sit-down tests. Teachers observe students in the classroom to track progress in many areas, including language skills.

“Young children are usually terrible test-takers. Their development is fluctuating all the time,” said researcher Gillanders. “In order to have a much more complete picture of the child’s development, you have to be with them for a longer period of time.”

St. Mary’s High School and the Diocesan schools of Colorado Springs are dedicated to enriching the lives of children so that they may become faithful, healthy, well-rounded individuals who are productive members of society.

Catholic Schools of Colorado Springs

That’s why teacher training to understand what they’re seeing in children is key.

Cobb said the Aurora district strongly believes that being able to identify and support students is a benefit. And, she said, students are more likely to eventually be proficient in English when they begin education in preschool.

While there may be changes preschool providers need to make, Cobb said it should all be for the best.

“It’s a learning process,” she said.

Ziegler knows the standards the state is likely to create for educating students like his will probably include additional training for staff, which he knows can be a good thing, but he said that accessing additional training for his staff has been a challenge.

He has partnered with the local school district to do some professional development for his teachers around supporting students who might not yet understand English. But when teachers seek out additional classes themselves, many are only offered in Denver, about a 90-minute drive away.

Other staff, who primarily speak Spanish, struggle to find classes offered in Spanish. Ziegler said his center is working with a community college to try to develop some classes for staff that can be offered in Spanish.

“In our community, I don’t really see those resources,” Ziegler said, who believes a universal pre-K program will eventually be beneficial. “But right now, it’s very stressful. We’re building the plane as we go.”

Yesenia Robles is a reporter for Chalkbeat Colorado covering K-12 school districts and multilingual education. Contact Yesenia at yrobles@chalkbeat. org. Chalkbeat (chalkbeat.org) is a nonprofit news organization covering public educatio n.

Teacher training has been a challenge, but key to educator and student success.

Bryan Oller

Making the Dream of Moving from Public Schools to Catholic Schools of Colorado Springs a Reality

We’re Fueled by Faith

St. Mary’s High School (St. Mary’s) was the dream of Fr. Robert Byrne in the 1880s, who, along with the help of the Sisters of Loretto, began teaching students in 1885. Throughout the years of continuous operation since, St. Mary’s has flourished and maintained Fr. Byrne’s and the Sisters of Loretto vision of an uncompromising devotion and commitment to Catholic education.

The Mission of St. Mary’s is that it “exists to educate students in the Catholic tradition to be responsible, moral, critical thinkers and leaders who are well prepared for college and life.” With an educational philosophy that looks to provide students with a foundation of faith, allowing them to be free to seek truth and live joyful, fulfilled lives in becoming who God made them to be. The school also welcomes parents, with the understanding that parents are the primary and principal educators of their children. Students learn how to be part of their community as moral, responsible leaders.

St. Mary’s and the Diocesan schools of Colorado Springs are partnering together, dedicate to enriching children’s lives so that they may become faithful, healthy, wellrounded individuals who are productive members of society. To achieve this goal, St. Mary’s High School and the Diocesan schools of Colorado Springs have formed a strategic alliance as the Catholic Schools of Colorado Springs.

The Catholic Schools of Colorado Springs understand there is a financial

barrier for some families who may think they cannot afford private school. To make private, faith-based schools more accessible, Catholic Schools of Colorado Springs offer financial assistance and scholarships to support families with children in public schools make the change to private school. In addition, the schools or associated parishes help subsidize each student’s tuition, whether they’re members of the connected church or not. They want to help more students make the move that can change their life.

At Webster University, a graduate degree is more than a piece of paper. It’s proof that you’ll do what it takes to push your career and yourself further. With its global footprint, a master’s degree from Webster University not only provides you with a degree more and more employers are looking for, but also the critical thinking skills and teamwork experience necessary for today’s interconnected world.

Apply today!

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The curriculum at Catholic Schools of Colorado Springs is holistic and seeks to not only grow students in their faith and knowledge, but also participate in community service, clubs, and sports. Clubs vary by school but may include: the National Honors Society, Engineering and Art Clubs, and Speech and Debate Teams. Athletics include popular sports such as basketball, football, track and field, lacrosse, tennis, cross-country, and swimming. Students have access to every core subject offered in a public school with the addition of theology, and a faith-based, communitycentered, family-inclusive culture.

•Master of Business Administration (MBA)

•Master of Arts: Cybersecurity Management and Leadership

• Master of Business Administration (MBA)

• Master of Arts: Human Resources Management

• Master of Arts: Management and Leadership

• Master of Arts: Management and Leadership

At Webster University, a graduate degree is more than a piece of paper. It’s proof that you’ll do what it takes to push your career and yourself further. With its global footprint, a master’s degree from Webster University not only provides you with a degree more and more employers are looking for, but also the critical thinking skills and teamwork experience necessary for today’s interconnected world. Apply today!

Covenient

• Master of Science: Space Systems Operations Management

• Master of Science: Cybersecurity

•No GRE/GMAT • Online, on-ground, and hybrid classes

For a complete list of programs, visit webster.edu/locations/colorado-springs

Convenient

• No GRE/GMAT

• Online, on-ground, and hybrid classes

For a complete list of programs, visit webster.edu/locations/colorado-springs

Serving the military since 1945.

If you have a child in public school and would like for them to be educated in the Catholic tradition in a safe, Christ-centered environment that also teaches responsibility, critical thinking, morality, and how to be well-prepared for college and life, apply today. Your student will be set on the path of becoming a moral, responsible leader prepared for success beyond their years at Catholic Schools.

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Harrison School District Two is Making a Splash

Colorado’s 2023 Superintendent of the Year has been selected by the Colorado Association of School Executives. Congratulations to Dr. Wendy Birhanzel, Superintendent of Harrison School District 2. She was chosen for her innovative and maverick approach to serving more than 13,000 students in the District’s twenty schools, including one K-12 online school and one homeschool academy, plus three charter school systems.

Dr. Birhanzel believes that choice is important to families, and she knows D2 has options for every student to reach their full potential and find the support they and their families are looking for. D2 is outperforming Colorado districts with similar student demographics and special populations, and minority populations are also outperforming their peers locally. She proudly announces that D2 students have returned to pre-pandemic reading levels, and the district is tracking for the same in math this year.

D2 also has talented principals, as evidenced by Dr. Angela Valdez from Mountain Vista Community School being named 2023 Colorado Elementary Principal of the Year by the Colorado Association of School Executives, and Mr. Pete Vargas from Harrison High School being named Outstanding School Administrator of the Year by the Colorado Athletics Directors Association and Principal of the Year by the Colorado Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents.

In D2, your student will be recognized as the unique person they are, and they will receive individualized academic opportunities and enrichment that won’t break the family budget because the D2 opportunities are FREE.

• All D2 Kindergarten through 5th grade students in non-charter schools can engage in

fun and exciting programming before and after school on every regularly scheduled school day at absolutely no charge to families. D2 community partners YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region, Early Connections Learning Centers, and the City of Colorado Springs provide this service in D2 schools. In addition to the free care on regularly scheduled school days, the care providers will offer camp-type care on staff workdays, and extended breaks (such as October and February break and Spring Break) at a nominal fee to families.

• D2 believes that students deserve extracurricular, athletic, and activity opportunities at no cost to their families – especially in these challenging economic times. Are you worried about the rising cost of living and how it impacts your budget? Join D2 and access these activities at no cost to your family, so you can prioritize other areas of your budget.

• D2 students can attend college FREE with the Dakota Promise. A family’s financial situation should not be a barrier to students attending college or trade programs. Graduates from any of our Harrison School District 2 high schools can attend 2 years at Pikes Peak State College with tuition, fees, books, and academic support at no cost. During this time, students can earn an associate degree, credits to transfer to a 4-year school, or an industry specialized certificate. In addition, they are provided student success support by academic coaches that help them persist through school and find jobs aligned with their field.

• Education allows individuals to access career opportunities and personal growth. As part of our efforts to serve our families and remove barriers, D2 now also offers free Adult Basic Education, a General Educational Development (GED) class that covers reading, math, science, and social studies, and English as Second Language classes. Adults have access to a career navigator, a workforce development team, and life coaches. Class times coincide with the Before and After School care program, so families who are interested in taking adult learning classes will have a free childcare option while they attend class.

Choice and Open Enrollments are in full swing! You may start the enrollment process online at www.hsd2.org or connect with our team by calling the Student Support Department at 719579-2550. Follow the District and D2 schools on Facebook for updates on these and other initiatives. Let us welcome you to the D2 family!

hats off

Students hated the no-hat policy. Harrison School District 2’s superintendent heard them out

BY ANN SCHIMKE, CHALKBEAT COLORADO

see the accessories as a form of personal expression — something the district normally supports, they said.

HATS HAD BECOME A BATTLEground in

in Colorado Springs. Teachers tried to enforce the no-hat policy, but students pushed back.

Eventually, the dress code debate surfaced in one of the meetings Superintendent Wendy Birhanzel holds throughout the year with student advisory groups at every district middle and high school.

Students told her they don’t find hats distracting in class and

Birhanzel subsequently shared the students’ concerns with various staff groups and everyone agreed: The hat ban needed to go. Such mutually agreeable outcomes are one of the things Birhanzel loves about the student feedback sessions.

agreeable outcomes are one of the things Birhanzel loves about the student feedback sessions.

“These meetings are not only one of my favorite parts of the job, they remind me of the power of

voice,” she said.

Birhanzel, who was named the 2023 Colorado Superintendent of the Year by the Colorado Association of School Executives, also talked to Chalkabout the district’s efforts to reduce out-ofschool suspensions, a silver lining that came out of COVID, and her frustration with state education

ciation of School Executives, also talked to beat funding. and clarity.

This interview has been lightly edited for length

ise Scholarship. I do not believe that any family’s financial situation should be a barrier to them achieving their goals including college or certificate programs. However, for many of our students that has been the case. They can get accepted to amazing programs but can’t attend due to financial barriers. Working closely with Dr. Lance Bolton, president of Pikes Peak State College and an amazing donor, we developed a program to help.

Graduates from any of our district high schools can attend two years at Pikes Peak State College at no cost, with tuition, fees, books, and academic support covered. Students can earn an associate degree, credits to transfer to a 4-year school, or an industry certificate. In addition, they are provided coaches who help them persist through school and find jobs aligned to their field. Since the program launched in 2020, 225 students have received the scholarships.

What was your first education job and what sparked your interest in the field?

What was your first education job and what sparked your interest in the field?

I started my tenure in education as a first grade time, inequities in education became very apparlooked more like a prison than an had

no grass. I also saw classes

I started my tenure in education as a first grade teacher in South Central Los Angeles. During this time, inequities in education became very apparent. I taught in an overcrowded school that looked more like a prison than an elementary school. We had barbed wire around our playground, which was strictly concrete and no grass. I also saw classes staffed with multiple substitutes and ongoing turnover of staff. This is when I realized my purpose was to ensure all students regardless of background are provided a high quality education to allow them to be whatever they desire.

Under your leadership, discipline referrals have dropped 47 percent and out-of-school suspensions have dropped 38 percent in three years. What changes led to this?

The simple answer is mindset. However, to make it happen takes a lot of conversation and support. When students struggle with math or reading, we don’t send them home and think they will come back proficient. Students who exhibit challenging behaviors are no different.

Data has shown us that suspending students doesn’t change behavior, but working through the behavior does. As a district, we have changed our perspective on suspensions. We are looking at alternatives that hold students accountable in a different way and actually change future behavior.

What is an effort you’ve spearheaded in your district that you’re particularly proud of?

in your district that you’re particularly proud of?

One effort that I am proud to have

One effort that I am proud to have been a part of is our Dakota Prom-

We continue to train staff on the power of relationships. We know relationships matter for students, and teachers work on relationships from day one. We also have restorative practices in all schools. Many of these conversations with students are led by their peers as they determine the impact of their behavior and what they need to do to right the wrong.

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

the Harrison school district

Bryan Oller

Wendy Birhanzel

We have added Student Success Centers in our high school counseling offices where students can de-escalate after certain code-of-conduct infractions. This is also a supportive place to connect with a caring adult and develop skills to engage in learning.

Tell us about an interaction with a student (or group of students) who made a particular impression on you.

I meet with student advisory groups at every middle and high school multiple times a year. I am so amazed each time I meet with our students by their insightful and honest feedback.

I met with a middle school group about school and district rules – they don’t like the no cell phone rule. We discussed how it can take away from learning and they agreed but said there should be times they can use phones such as lunch or breaks.

I asked the group to propose a new policy and present it to their school administrators. Their phone policy started this week, with students rolling it out and having a chance to prove they can handle it.

Tell us about a memorable time — good or bad — when contact with a student’s family changed your perspective or approach.

COVID was especially hard for our low-income families, who were struggling with basic needs. During this time, we set up a food bank at one of our high schools and delivered groceries to our families, providing supplies such as diapers, body wash, and food.

Learning and school were the least of their needs at this time as they were losing jobs, housing, and any sense of normalcy. As a district we stepped in with community partners to help them through this crisis. It reminded me and our staff that students can learn when their basic needs are met. The positive from this experience is that our families and community trust our school district, and we have built stronger relationships by showing up when times are tough.

What issue in the education policy realm is having a big impact on your district right now? How are you addressing it?

Unfortunately, Colorado has one of the lowest funded education systems in the nation. On top of that, the state has not fully funded education since 2009. That means our current students have never attended a fully funded school. This sends a sad message about priorities to our students and staff.

In a district like ours — where more than half of students qualify for free or discounted school meals — we cannot ask our families to fundraise, to write a check, or to host a gala in order to make up the difference. To counter this lack of funding, we strategically seek grants to add programming

that our students need. In addition, our community passed a $180 million bond in 2018 that allowed us to rebuild a school, add on to two schools, and renovate every other school.

What are you reading for enjoyment?

“The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work” by Shawn Achor.

What’s the best advice about educational leadership that you ever received? Remember your why. It can be easy to get caught up in the stress of day-to-day tasks, the political pressures, and the criticism. However, you need to stay focused on your why to help ensure every day is meaningful regardless of outside distractors. This is why being in classrooms or with students is my favorite part of the job.

Ann Schimke is a senior reporter at Chalkbeat , covering early childhood issues and early literacy. Contact Ann at aschimke@chalkbeat.org. Chalkbeat (chalkbeat.org) is a nonprofit news organization covering public education.

A Vanguard Education

The Vanguard School is a tuitionfree, K-12 public charter school serving students from across the Pikes Peak Region. Founded in 1995 by parents seeking a rigorous academic curriculum and strong character education for their children, Vanguard provides excellence in education in a safe, structured environment by adhering to our mission statement: e mission of e Vanguard School is to help guide students in development of their character and academic potential through academically rigorous, content-rich educational programs. Vanguard students develop lifelong habits of excellence in virtue and intellect, allowing them to prosper as classically educated individuals advancing a free society.

At e Vanguard School, education is not simply the means to the end of career ful llment; it is the integral and challenging path to a life lived well. A classical education is about learning from the collective wisdom of our past. We treat history and literature as an ongoing story of which we are a part. is story reveals truth, beauty, and goodness in our world and how we can participate as human beings. Our school’s enduring, nationally acclaimed program prepares

graduates for advanced education, meaningful contributions to society, and a life of purpose.

A Vanguard education is not easy. We often take our students to the “edge of struggle” because we know this is where the most growth happens, and the best work gets done. Vanguard students often go on to be immensely successful in higher education and beyond, but often, even more students go on to live life well, even when circumstances do not go according to plan. e skills they learn here equip them to maximize successes and to persevere through setbacks. Ultimately, Vanguard students are prepared to face each opportunity and obstacle as a learning experience.

To learn more about e Vanguard School, visit our website, eVanguardSchool.com, email us at info@ eVanguardSchool.com, or call us at (719) 471-1999. To schedule a tour, please call Vanguard’s Enrollment O ce at (719) 471-1999 x101. We accept applications on an ongoing basis and are currently enrolling students for the 20232024 school year.

I am so amazed each time I meet with our students.

— Wendy Birhanzel

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MATTHEW SCHNIPER

FUEL & IRON FOOD HALL FINALLY OPENS IN PUEBLO

‘WE’VE HAD SO many hurdles. It’s been a long three years. This is going to feel really special for us.”

That’s Zach Cytryn, director of brokerage for Fuel & Iron Food Hall (400 S. Union Ave., Pueblo, fuelandironfoodhall.com), speaking to me recently about F&I’s April 28 grand opening. He and project co-founder Nathan Stern, who’s also director of development, originally toured the historic Holmes Hardware Building — vacant for half a century — back in October 2019. They went under contract in March 2020, just as the pandemic was about to put a temporary stop to dine-in restaurant service. The sale went through in May 2021, and as I reported around that time, they’d originally projected to be open by July 2022.

“Every step took longer,” says Stern, noting their original investors/partners pulled out because of the pandemic, and their initial lender also declined to finance the effort. “We could have given up,” adds Cytryn, “but we went forward… Our belief in Pueblo never wavered… We’re huge believers in the food hall model, and supporting local busi nesses as an incubator....

“We feel Pueblo is underappre ciated,” he says. “People in Denver have asked me ‘Why Pueblo?’ ... Well, this food hall has way more impact in Pueblo. In Denver it would just be another project. I think this has much more ben efit being here.”

F&I’s finally a reality ($16 million later), with a lot of ancillary program ming that’s popped up throughout the process.

(Which includes a Den ver spinoff that’s a trib ute to Pueblo.) In addition to the food hall, the brokers have created a separate

commissary kitchen in east Pueblo, named Fuel Kitchen, to support area consumer packaged goods businesses, food trucks, caterers and seasonal vendors. They’ll be creating Fuel Farm over the coming months on 2½ acres directly south of the food hall, to include an aquaponic greenhouse plus growing area, event and arts spaces and an eventual farmers market.

Over the next couple years, they’re developing three apprenticeship programs to “address food system workforce solutions.” Those will be aimed at creating “a pathway to earning a living wage within each industry.” One apprenticeship will be culinary-focused; the second aimed at food systems and leadership; and the third geared to food manufacturing.

Lastly, if that’s not enough community focus — “we didn’t maximize the revenue potential; we’re mission-driven,” say the guys — the team has opened affordable workforce housing units above the food hall (20 of 28 already occupied, with 24 more planned for an adjacent halfacre). F&I also earned a grant to build an employer-sponsored child care center nearby to serve F&I employees’ children and more from the wider community.

Now to the food hall — what you’ve been waiting for, this being a food and drink column after all. Cytryn says he toured around 50 others across 10 states, often talking with owners and “taking ideas I liked from each.” He says he was always confident about filling the vendor spots, and that they found them in different ways — some were established brands, others were fledgling ideas inside the heads of local culinarians.

Appetizers

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Winners of 70+ Independent “Best of Awards” in 20 yrs. A great Midwestern Tavern with warm beer, lousy food & poor service!!! Pabst, Fried Cheese Curds, Leinenkugle’s, Walleye Fish-fry, cocktails, burgers and more. 11am-2am daily. HH 4-6. GO PACK GO!

THE WAREHOUSE

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Curbside pickup with call ahead ordering. Silver for Best Chef 2016. American Comfort Food with a Twist. Burgers, Salads, Bison, Elk, Quail. Awesome Craft Cocktails. Friendly Service. Just South of Downtown, Convenient Access, Free Parking. Happy Hour From 4 To 6 P.m. Daily.

Dinner Tuesday - Saturday, 4 P.m. To 10 P.m.

FUJIYAMA

22 S . TEJON ST. | 719-630-1167

Beautiful, award-winning downtown restaurant with a full-service bar. Enjoy authentic sushi & creative rolls, teriyaki, tempura, udon & more! See our ad or call for great lunch, Happy Hour, & Ladies night specials! Fri. & Sat. 11am-2:30pm lunch & 5-10pm dinner. Sun. 5-9pm dinner.

SAIGON CAFÉ

20 E. COLORADO AVE. | 719-633-2888 | COLORADOSAIGONCAFE.COM

Open for Lunch and Dinner Mon-Sat. Welcome to the Saigon Café the award winning Vietnamese restaurant in Colorado Springs. Our cuisine is cooked with fresh vegetables, herbs and meats in authentic Vietnamese style. Try our renowned noodle bowl, a lunchtime favorite. M-Th 11AM–3PM; 4PM–8:30PM F-Sat 11AM–3PM; 4PM-9:30PM

AMERICAN ASIAN BBQ

BIRD DOG BBQ

3 LOCATIONS + CATERING | BIRDDOGBBQ.COM | 719-573-7671

Bird Dog now offers online ordering from the location of your choice! Order and pay online, then skip the line when you pick it up! Visit our website at www.BirdDogBBQ.com and click ORDER ONLINE to place your order. We also offer our award-winning catering services in individuallyboxed meals! Call 719-573-7671 for details.

CATERER

PICNIC BASKET CATERING COLLECTIVE PBCATERING.COM | 719-635-0200

Picnic Basket Catering Collective including sister companies Cravings Five Star Events and Buffalo Gals Grilling Company provide full-service catering for open houses, family reunions, business meetings, weddings and rehearsal dinners. Distinctively different styles sure to please any palate. Voted Best Caterer (Gold) by Indy readers.

CRAFT PUB

ODYSSEY GASTROPUB

311 N. TEJON ST. | 719-999-5127 | ODYSS EYGASTROPUB.COM

Best New Restaurant 2015 by

10am - 10pm

There’s a panoply of 15 different dried chiles in the seasoning, including New Mexican red and green, habanero, guajillo and a Pueblo chile variant (two times hotter than the one you’re familiar with) named the Mirasol Giadone Pueblo Hot Chile. They offer different heat levels, and I can confirm the hottest level (named “Hot as Hell”) made my scalp sweat. The sandwich is crunchy, fiery, earthy bliss.

Here’s the opening lineup: Diavolo Pueblo Hot Chicken, Mosh Ramen, Santa Fonda, Steel Crescent Kitchen, The Hungry Buffalo, and Solar Roast Coffee & Ice Cream.

At a media preview a couple weeks ago, I met some of the proprietors and received limited samplings. Visit sidedishschnip. substack.com for significantly expanded notes, but here’s a brief breakdown:

Solar Roast Coffee & Ice Cream: In the 15 years since I first reported on them, Solar Roast has grown to six total coffee shops between the Springs, Pueblo and a newer Pueblo West location. Two of those also function as ice cream shops, including this F&I location — Solar Roast bought historic Nick’s Dairy Creme during the pandemic in 2020 and incorporated its brand into theirs, with some change-ups to modernize the product, says owner Mike Hartkop. This new stall in the food hall wasn’t up and running yet during our tour, so it’s on our list for a followup visit. But we know the coffee’s good — and hey, ice cream, it can’t be bad in Solar Roast’s hands.

Diavolo Pueblo Hot Chicken: The seasoned chefs behind Bingo Burger, Mary Oreskovitch and Richard Warner, are behind this concept. The couple has hacked their own unique interpretation of Nashville hot chicken with something they’re calling a Colorado-style hot chicken sandwich. From bite one, I was blown away. They spent a year perfecting the breading alone. They use boneless, skinon chicken thighs from Red Bird Farms.

Mosh Ramen: This is a near total departure from traditional Japanese ramen methods. Owner/chef Chris Doose, who has a lengthy industry background, tells me that when he pitched this concept, he didn’t actually know how to make ramen yet. So he learned on the fly and “made lots of bad bowls” before gaining his footing. He’s deconstructed and rebuilt the base of ramen broth, removing the kombu, dashi and seafood elements to find umami via other ingredients like apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and coconut aminos. All his ramens can be made vegan, and two gluten-free. Otherwise, the base includes chicken broth from whole carcasses and lots of vegetables, including leeks and garlic. We enjoy our sampling of a “slightly spicy miso” ramen with sliced pork, a pat of butter, toasted corn, marinated egg and kimchi; a pork dumpling; and a chicken banh mi with raspberry-black pepper sauce, carrot, daikon, cilantro and a custom mayo and Mosh sauce.

The Hungry Buffalo: This outfit started as a food truck. It’s operated by Charles and Sue McKay, who have years of industry experience. They created their menu around bison steak cuts and bison burgers — Charles tells me he buys meat from High Plains Bison, located outside Denver. Here, they’ve added new items like a green chile bison empanada from housemade dough, which we delight in sampling. We also try some mini-skewers, a filet and a sirloin cut, one with a bright chimichurri sauce and another with a zesty Asian ginger-sesame presentation. Over rice with some grilled vegetables, the meats have a nice backyard barbecue feel to them — it’s good steak.

Fuel & Iron’s central bar serves all vendors.

F&I’s Cytryn (left) and Stern

➔ continued from p. 27

Voted

Indy readers. Specializing in an eclectic mix of craft food, craft beer, and craft cocktails. Odyssey Gastropub is a downtown gem with a warm, intimate atmosphere and awesome staff. Start your adventure with us! Mon.- Fri. 11am - 10pm, Sat. & Sun.

Steel Crescent Kitchen: This tribute to New Orleans comes via Ed Tracey and his wife Dorothy. They point out the lack of existing Cajun/Creole in Pueblo, so niche found. Ed tells me he’s been in kitchens since 1984 and has cooked across five continents (including Antarctica). Having grown up in Pueblo, he moved back in 2008. “I wanted to be authentic to New Orleans but use Pueblo products where possible,” he says. So he’s snuck Pueblo chiles into dishes like his olive salad. He ships up Gambino rolls (NOLA-style French bread) for their spotlight sandwiches, and he says they buy high-end cold cuts. We aren’t able to sample anything during our visit, but I talk to Ed about his po’boys, muffuletta and more, including a plan for specials later.

Santa Fonda: Tagline — “Inspired by the basket-steamed tacos sold by vendors in Mexico City, Santa Fonda serves handmade tacos and side dishes made with locally sourced ingredients.” There’s potential for this to be the most exciting/surprising F&I vendor, because the man behind it is Mexico City native/ Denver chef Jose Avila, “who was a 2022 semifinalist for his Sunday-only El Borrego Negro series,” explains Westword, and a 2023 semifinalist for “his RiNo eatery, La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal.” Just to pause on that, it means Pueblo’s landed a chef of this caliber before the Springs. It’s validating, and a feather in the cap for Fuel & Iron. We can’t wait to return for samplings.

BELLA’S BAGELS OFF TO A STELLAR START

COLORADO SPRINGS HAS a new bagel shop that’s already going somewhat viral. Bella’s Bagels (getbellasbagels.com) opened about a month ago off North Powers Boulevard (3582 Blue Horizon View), but owner/operator Jason Stele (whose co-owner/wife Michelle is the baker) tells me they’re already selling out of 1,500 bagels on weekends.

The Steles, who’re a pair of technologists from New Jersey, started Bella’s at area farmers markets in the Springs and sold online during the pandemic. For her bagels, which she’s been perfecting at home for 20 years, Michelle ferments the dough for three days, “which adds a lot of flavor” says Jason. (He’s not wrong.) Her techniques (between the ferment, boil and bake) lend desirable air pockets to the crumb and add to the crust’s crunchiness. Jason says they spend “major bucks on high-end flour.”

New Yorkers in town have already given their blessing to Bella’s, he says, noting newbie NYC guests will come in and order a single bagel, take it to their car for a sampling, then promptly walk back in to buy a dozen. (Bella’s doesn’t offer any seating; it’s grab-and-go only, with online ordering ahead available.)

Bella’s makes their own “schmears” by whipping ingredients into big 30-pound cream cheese blocks, resulting in a much fluffier texture. Flavors include garlic and herb, bacon and scallion, and Pueblo green chile. Most all of the bagels are vegan.

In order to scale up their homestyle baking outfit to commercial size, Jason says they first trained with a master bagel maker in New Jersey who helped them select specialized bagel-making machines and adjust the recipes for high-volume production. Once back in the Springs, they also hired Josh Kelly (former Bonny & Read exec chef) in a consulting chef role to help build out the sandwich menu and streamline back-ofthe-house procedures.

Matthew Schniper is the former Food & Drink editor and critic at the Indy. You can find expanded food and drink news and reviews at sidedishschnip. substack.com.

EDELWEISS RESTAURANT

34 E. RAMONA AVE. | (SOUTH NEVADA & TEJON) | 719-633-2220

For 50 Years Edelweiss has brought Bavaria to Colorado Springs. Using fresh ingredients, the menu invites you to visit Germany. Support local business! We’re open and doing drive-thru and takeout with a limited menu that can be found on our website! www. edelweissrest.com.

SOUTHWESTERN/MEXICAN STEAKHOUSE

JOSÉ MULDOON’S

222 N. TEJON ST. | 719-636-2311 | 5710 S. CAREFREE CR @ POWERS | 719-574-5673

Since 1974. Features authentic Tex-Mex & Mexican fare in contemporary Sante Fe-styled establishment. Across from Acacia Park, and west of Powers & Carefree. Josemuldoons.com. Support local restaurants! We are open for delivery, carry out, and dine-in at both locations! Please check our Facebook page for hours daily, as they are subject to change.

THE FAMOUS 31 N. TEJON ST. | DOWNTOWN | 719-227-7333

Colorado Springs’ finest upscale steak house and lounge located in the center of downtown. Dine in an elegant and classic steak house environment. Award winning prime steaks, fresh seafood, premium wines, craft brews and piano bar provide a provocative mix of atmosphere and entertainment. Reservations suggested.

MACKENZIE’S CHOP HOUSE 128 S. TEJON ST. HISTORIC ALAMO BUILDING | DOWNTOWN | 719-635-3536

Offering half off all bottles of wine under $100! Voted Best Power Lunch, Steakhouse and Martini! Downtown’s choice for quality meats and mixed drinks. Mackenzieschophouse.com. Open Mon.-Fri. 11:30am-3pm for lunch, and 5pm- close every day for dinner!

• 719.577.4545

The vegan bagel sandwich with hummus

Bella’s Bagels co-owner Jason Stele

PLAYING AROUND

WEDNESDAY, 5/10

Acoustic Hour, acoustic; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge, bicycleresort.com.

Armed Forces Day Concert, USAF Academy Band; 7 p.m., Pikes Peak Center, tinyurl.com/ASD-AFA.

Duplessy & Violins of the World, multicultural guitar, fiddle, violin and more; 7 p.m., Stargazers Theatre, stargazers-theatre.com/upcoming-events.

Sean Moore, downhome blues, with The Eternal Temples; 6:30 p.m., Front Range Barbeque, frbbq.com/events.

Tigercub, “adrenaline-soaked” rock , with SemiFiction, Get The Axe; 7:30 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks. com.

THURSDAY, 5/11

Church of Cash, Johnny Cash tribute, with Double Barrel; 8 p.m., Oskar Blues, coloradosprings.oskarbluesfooderies.com.

Framing the Red, rock , with Michael Morrow and the Culprits, The Big Blind, Back Stage People, Kobra Thighs; 6 p.m., Sunshine Studios Live, sunshinestudioslive.com.

Imani Winds, wind quintet; 7:30 p.m., CC/Packard Hall, tinyurl.com/ImaniCC.

Midnight River Choir, “Texas Groove,” with Austin Gilliam; 7 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

The Moldy Figs, jazz; 7:30 p.m., Summa, dizzycharlies.com/events-1.

Cameron Sacky Band, country; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com

James Wallace & Co., singer-songwriter; 8 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com/events.

Woody Wiley, country/rock ; 6 p.m., Notes, notesbar.com/events.

FRIDAY,

5/12

Cheap Perfume, feminist punk rock , with SPELLS, Jon Snodgrass; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

Countywyde, bluegrass; 7 p.m., Black Forest Community Center, blackroseacoustic.org.

The Eternal Temples, Reggae/rock/ spacefunk/jam; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge, bicycleresort.com.

Pat Green, country; 6 p.m., Whiskey Baron Dance Hall, tinyurl.com/whisk-dh.

Kirk Larson Trio, “danceable grooves”; 9 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com/events.

Mariachi Los Camperos , Colorado Springs Philharmonic; 7:30 p.m., Pikes Peak Center, csphilharmonic.org.

The Motet, funk/soul/jazz, 8 p.m.; Moon Veil, pop/psych rock, 11 p.m., Lulu’s, lulusdownstairs.com.

Nube Nueve, Latin jazz; 7 p.m., Jives Coffee Lounge, jivescoffeelounge.com.

PhaseOne, metal meets electronic , with Chocolate Drop, MVRTIVL LVW, Oreoku, Broken Inglish B2B Ywolfy; 8 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks. com.

Reece Parker, “experimental hip-hop”; 7 p.m., Oskar Blues, coloradosprings. oskarbluesfooderies.com.

Rafiel and the Roomshakers, soul/ blues/R&B/country/rock ; 5-8 p.m., The Well, wellinthesprings.com/happenings.

Sam Robbins, singer-songwriter, with Jeremy Facknitz; 6 p.m., Lulu’s, lulusdownstairs.com.

Starburn, ’60s-’70s rock; 7 p.m., Stargazers Theatre, stargazers-theatre.com/ upcoming-events.

Thompson Square – Unplugged, country ; 7 p.m., Boot Barn Hall, bootbarnhall.com.

The Jason Wulf Band, Texas/red dirt; 7 p.m., Notes, notesbar.com/events.

SATURDAY, 5/13

Art Song Colorado: Spring Fling, classical song; 3 p.m., First United Methodist Church, artsongcolorado.org.

Belltower, black metal, with Ob Nixilis, Lacerated, Boor; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

The Black Rose Band, country/rock ; 6 p.m., Whiskey Baron Dance Hall, tinyurl.com/whisk-dh.

Cash’d Out, Johnny Cash tribute; 7 p.m., Boot Barn Hall, bootbarnhall.com.

The Corelli Effect, by Parish House Baroque; 7 p.m., The Peel House, parishhousebaroque.org.

The Cosmic Charlies, jam band; 9 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com/events.

Go Go GirlZilla, duo, covers; 6 p.m., Palmer Lake Pub, palmerlakepub.net.

Joseph Hall, Elvis Presley tribute; 7 p.m., Stargazers Theatre, stargazerstheatre.com/upcoming-events.

Last Patrol, cover band; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge, bicycleresort.com.

Mariachi Los Camperos , Colorado Springs Philharmonic; 7:30 p.m., Pikes Peak Center, csphilharmonic.org.

The Motet, funk/soul/jazz; 8 p.m., Lulu’s, lulusdownstairs.com.

Pixie and the Partygrass Boys, bluegrass ; 7:30 p.m., Brues Alehouse,

Pueblo, bruesalehouse.com.

Same Dude, indie psych rock, album release, with The Sum Beaches, We Are Not a Glum Lot, Dear Rabbit; 8 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks. com.

Sending Skyward, prog rock/alt metal, with Aughter, Arcadian Downfall; 7 p.m., Oskar Blues, coloradosprings.oskarbluesfooderies.com.

Sara Van Hecke, folk/indie; 12 p.m.; Ryan Flores, Latin gypsy music, 5 p.m., The Well, wellinthesprings.com/ happenings.

SUNDAY, 5/14

Blue Frog, Americana/jam, with Roma Ransom; 6 p.m., Front Range Barbeque, frbbq.com/events.

The Corelli Effect, by Parish House Baroque; 3 p.m., The Peel House, parishhousebaroque.org.

Katie Hale & the P-47s, jazz; 12 p.m., The Well, wellinthesprings.com/happenings.

Shaun Peace Band, blues; 1 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch. com/events.

MONDAY, 5/15

Jazz Jam Session, with saxophonist Tom Fowler; 5:30 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com/ events.

Spooky Mansion, surf/soul/rock , with Ozonic, Chauncy Crandall; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

TUESDAY, 5/16

Sarah Brunner, singer-songwriter ; 5 p.m., The Well, wellinthesprings.com/ happenings.

OTEP, metal; 7 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

PhaseOne and friends take over The Black Sheep on May 12.

Courtesy

WEDNESDAY, 5/17

Acoustic Hour, acoustic; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge, bicycleresort.com.

Cold, alternative rock, with The Ocean Effect, Awake for Days, Sygnal to Noise, Divide the Fall; 6 p.m., Sunshine Studios Live, sunshinestudioslive.com.

Countywyde, bluegrass; 6:30 p.m., Front Range Barbeque, frbbq.com/events.

Sunset Patio Session: The Moldy Figs, acoustic; 6 p.m., Boot Barn Hall, bootbarnhall.com.

Thelma and the Sleaze, “all-female, queer Southern rock band,” with Grimmly, The Short T.E.R.M. ; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com

Trash Panda, neopsychedelia/soul/indie rock/pop, with Nordista Freeze, Plain Faraday; 7 p.m., Oskar Blues, coloradosprings.oskarbluesfooderies. com.

THURSDAY, 5/18

PLAYING AROUND BIG GIGS

Brendan Abernathy, singer-songwriter, 8 p.m., Lulu’s, lulusdownstairs.com.

Nico Colucci, jazz; 7:30 p.m., Summa, dizzycharlies.com/events-1.

Dead Floyd, Grateful Dead/Pink Floyd mashup; 8 p.m., Lulu’s, lulusdownstairs.com.

Full Throttle Band, blues rock/classic rock/country/R&B; 6 p.m., Notes, notesbar.com/events.

Brandon Henderson, singer-songwriter; 5 p.m., The Well, wellinthesprings. com/happenings.

The Manitou Strings, Americana/rock; 8 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com/events.

Pop Punk Prom, wear your prom attire, with Strung Short, Keep Me Speechless, Series Break; 8 p.m., Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

Upcoming music events

Billy Strings, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, May 11-12

Crowded House, Paramount Theatre, Denver, May 12

The Motet, Lulu’s, May 12-13

Mariachi Los Camperos, Pikes Peak Center, May 12-13

The National Parks, Bluebird Theater, Denver, May 13

Billy Strings, Mission Ballroom, Denver, May 13

Caroline Polachek, Mission Ballroom, Denver, May 14

The Wailers, Gothic Theatre, Denver, May 14

Augustana, Fox Theatre, Boulder, May 15

The Backseat Lovers, Denver, Mission Ballroom, May 15

Dermot Kennedy, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, May 15

Otep, Black Sheep, May 16

Kali Uchis, Fillmore Auditorium, Denver, May 18

Rico Nasty, Bluebird Theater, Denver, May 21

Shania Twain, Ball Arena, Denver, May 23

Stryper, Black Sheep, May 23

Nate Bargatze, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, May 24

Les Claypool’s Fearless Flying Frog Brigade with Fishbone, Mission Ballroom, Denver, May 24

Overtime, Legends Rock Bar, May 24

South for Winter, Lulu’s, May 24

Chromeo with Hot Chip, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, May 26

Tejon Street Corner Thieves, Lulu’s, May 26

Gasoline Lollipops, Bluebird Theater, Denver, May 26

Continued at csindy.com

Electronic duo Sylvan Esso play Mission Ballroom in Denver on Sept. 11.

Brian Karlsson

By

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Wednesday, June 7 | Rocky Mountain Vibes Stadium | Tickets: $25 11:00-11:30AM: Networking & Light Lunch | 11:30AM-12:30PM: Workshop

Small Business Week Closing Ceremony

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CENTER STAGE KING,

Photos by Isaiah J. Downing, courtesy Ent Center for the Arts

Presented

Theatreworks’ King Hedley II is a heartbreaking portrait of 1980s Black America

BY NICK RAVEN | nick.raven@csindy.com

THERE ARE NO WINNERS IN THE WORLD OF KING HEDley II, only survivors.

Black men are gunned down in the streets over perceived slights and father figures emerge from the ones left standing. Black women struggle to raise their children, their wisdom sewn from the traumatic violence of their neighborhood. The social fabric is constantly stressed. This vision of a brutal, impoverished 1980s Pittsburgh, brought to life in a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by legendary playwright August Wilson, lands in the capable hands of Theatreworks and director Marisa Hébert at the Ent Center for the Arts.

King, played with brusque confidence by Michael Sapp, is a walking paradox. He plants seeds in his yard’s terrible soil that he guards over the course of the story. With the same passion he cherishes these sprouts, he effortlessly rattles off the graphic process of thoughts and events that landed him in jail for murder.

Wearing a deep cut across his face, King has a vision for a bright, new life after prison, even if the routes to get there seem tenuous at best. He and his friend Mister (Shabazz Green) want to set up a legitimate business — a video store — with some street-level capitalism. Selling refrigerators off the back of a truck from who-knows-where and a risky robbery along the way are a small price to pay for legitimacy. King’s wife Tonya (Alex Campbell), a once-teenage mom, reveals she’s pregnant with a child she doesn’t want. When the fatherly hustler Elmore (Abner Genece) — a former beau of King’s wizened mother Ruby (Adrienne Martin-Fullwood) — arrives in town, the community’s past, present and future entwine in a tragic way.

Director Hébert worked with stage designer Frank Oliva to create a beautiful set that unified the homes of the neighborhood with a dirty, unkempt yard. The houses themselves are multi-story bare-frame constructions in which we see people living while business is being conducted in the street. The background, consisting of tiers of layered fabric, is designed to evoke the heavy gray clouds from photographs of Pittsburgh “without being too literal,” says Oliva.

Even as the set design makes the neighborhood feel bigger than it is, the play reminds us of the glass dome above it all. Between acts, Ronald Reagan fuzzes in over the radio to talk about an America far beyond them. The neighborly Stool Pigeon (Dwayne Carrington) chimes in from time to time with Bible verses proclaiming the threat and fury of God. He has little sympathy for those who do him wrong, like the desperate kids who rob him for $63 or the inconsiderate neighbors who keep stealing his lawn furniture.

King Hedley II is dramatic and brutal with a fringe of humor, highlighting a slice of Philly so distanced from progress that it may never escape its own selfdestructive patterns.

The Ent Center for the Arts, 5225 N. Nevada Ave., April 27 through May 21, visit tickets. entcenterforthearts.org

By Mike Littwin Courtesy The Colorado Sun

So, what GOT DONE?

Editor’s note: The Indy went to press Monday May 8, prior to the Legislature’s closure.

AS THE COLORADO LEGISLATIVE season comes to a close, the pressing question — as it is in most years — is: Exactly how much has been accomplished? Or to put it another way: How much hasn’t been?

Sometimes the answer isn’t as obvious as you’d think.

In changing from a solid red state to solid blue over the past two decades — with an all-too-brief purple interregnum — Colorado is, in fact, the Democratic flagship in the region. But anyone who studies one-party rule, the kind they have in democracies anyway, knows that the factions within the ruling party inevitably become more pronounced. Urban vs. suburban vs. rural. Progressive vs. moderate. And on and on.

So, in that light, what has the overwhelmingly Democratic Legislature — certainly the most Democratic in modern Colorado history — accomplished?

As I write this on the morning of May 5, we don’t yet know the fate of several critical bills that would help in finding an answer. And, in fact, we may not know the fate of a few bills much before the Legislature closes down Monday at 11:59 p.m.

But whatever happens to those bills, the real answer is this: The heavily Democratic Legislature has accomplished basically whatever Jared Polis — the Democratic governor who won reelection last year by 19 points, which is a lot even against a disastrous candidate like Heidi Ganahl — wanted it to accomplish.

But the gun bill Polis didn’t want — the one that most progressives did — was a ban on assaultstyle weapons, those used most often in the mass murders that are all too familiar in Colorado. Democratic leadership wouldn’t take Polis on, and so the bill died in committee, even though legislators may well have supported it.

Polis himself supported a national ban when he served in the U.S. House, but says now a ban doesn’t work if you can buy an assault-style weapon simply by crossing a state border. That sounds like a valid point unless you think about it. Couldn’t you make the same argument when it comes to stiffening background checks?

Do you think it’s a coincidence that assaultstyle-weapon bans are, well, extremely controversial? Polis didn’t back the bill even when it had been so weakened that it no longer really qualified as a ban.

AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD, THERE IS A bill still under consideration that would protect homeowners from the shock of property-tax increases, which, in some cases, will have grown by more than 50 percent. That’s a bill that should be popular. The increase is the result of Coloradans voting down the problematic Gallagher Amendment, which put limits on property tax growth, and even more to the inevitable consequence of the insane housing market.

POLIS

IS A FACTION UNTO HIMSELF.

HE wants liberal but not too liberal. Progressive but not too progressive. A little controversial, maybe, but not all that controversial. Strengthening abortion rights works. Assault weapon bans, not so much.

I’m old enough to remember when Polis first ran for governor and was routinely accused of being, yes, a radical socialist. It turns out that Polis is about as radical as, um, John Hickenlooper. Yes, the Democratic Legislature has passed a handful of gun bills, all of them backed by Polis and all of them backed, according to the polls, by a majority of Coloradans. The package of bills, all signed into law, is significant and could help make some actual headway in battling the plague of gun violence.

In this bill, the money that municipalities would lose from decreased property tax revenues would be made up by using money set aside for TABOR refunds. That sounds like a good plan, and those who say it’s another example of the government taking people’s money conveniently leave out the point that those very same people would have to vote on the program and approve it.

But I’ll bet you know who gets left out of this argument. Yes, renters, who make up around a third of Colorado households. Several bills that were introduced specifically to relieve the burden on renters, who have also seen their costs climb dramatically, went nowhere, including one that would allow cities to experiment with rent control. These bills just happened not to have Polis’ support.

Instead, we’ve been told, if given reduced property tax assessments, some landlords would pass on the savings to renters. I laugh every time I hear this latest twist on trickle-downing. In the years I rented, I never once had a landlord tell me my rent would go down because of a tax break, or, as far as that goes, for any other reason.

Jared Polis

Courtesy Polis campaign

YOU CAN SEE THE TREND HERE. YES, it’s an overwhelmingly Democratic Legislature. But, more to the point, it’s an overwhelmingly Polis-influenced Democratic legislature.

There is a need for someone to explain what upzoning means.

The battle has cities arguing, though, for local control and against state preemption and questioning the logic that a one-size-fitsall policy would work equally well for, say, Denver and Grand Junction.

As far I’m concerned, you get no argument if you say the state and its cities have failed when it comes to affordable housing and to NIMBYism and to gentrification. There’s an argument that someone needs to step in and that it’s about time a governor took this on.

But for many cities, even those that might agree that the state needs to play a role, details matter.

ocratic-run cities might strenuously object to this bill and call on their allies in the Legislature to back them.

Polis’ biggest fight has involved his landuse bill, which would take much zoning power away from cities and transfer it to the state in order to help address the affordablehousing crisis in Colorado. There is a need for more housing density, particularly in transit zones. There’s a need for accessory dwelling units, better known as granny flats.

Denver Mayor Michael Hancock is one who has asked that the state use incentives to get cities on board instead of bringing even more bureaucracy — and likely more litigation — to zoning-board issues. And if you’re looking for a progressive take, just check with the Denver City Council, which is also very much opposed to the Polis-backed bill. It should have been clear to Polis that Dem-

If you’ve been following it, you know the House passed a bill, the Senate watered it down and then passed a rather different bill, the House took the bill back and added some of the things that the Senate had removed and, as of this writing, it’s back to the Senate, and if the senators make changes, it’s back to the House, and meanwhile the clock is ticking. If this bill doesn’t get passed in some form, there’s a reasonable chance that Polis — and I apologize in advance to legislators and those reporters who cover them if I’ve jinxed anything — could call for a special session. That’s the power governors have. Which is one more reason why I’d bet Polis gets his way.

Mike Littwin’s column was produced for The Colorado Sun , a reader-supported news organization committed to covering the people, places and policies of Colorado. Learn more at coloradosun.com.

It turns out that Polis is about as radical as, um, John Hickenlooper.

LOWDOWN

By Jim Hightower jimhightower.com

GOP threats to AMERICAN DEMOCRACY

WHEN PUBLIC OFFIcials get themselves mired in the muck of corruption, they can always count on Sen. Ted Cruz to issue a moral judgment: If the offender is a Democrat, he pronounces the corruption inexcusably grotesque; if it’s a Republican, he wails that the offender is the victim.

For example, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas was recently caught (yet again) butt-deep in judicial immorality, taking hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of freebies from a Texas real estate baron who has both a partisan and corporate interest in Thomas’ court rulings.

So, Cruz to the rescue! No judicial impropriety here, he squawks, for this is nothing but a diabolical plot by Democrats to “smear” poor Clarence.

Since they won’t reform themselves, We the People must do it for them. To help, go to fixthecourt.com.

MEANWHILE... THOUGH THE POWers That Be constantly warn us about foreign threats to our democracy from Russian trolls, TikTok, etc., there is scant coverage of an actual assault on our people’s democratic liberties by forces on our own soil.

It’s coming from extremist, right-wing Republican lawmakers who have autocratic control over more than a score of America’s state governments. Their obscure antidemocracy weapon is called “preemption” — the dangerous power of state officials to nullify laws passed by local people.

But Thomas is busy smearing himself, so Dems can just take the advice of Woodrow Wilson: “Never attempt to murder a man who’s committing suicide.” From the start of his court tenure, Thomas has been a shameless seeker of personal gain, tucking untold sums from untold sources into the inner pockets of his judicial robes. He learned to hide his corruption in 2004, when he actually reported taking pricey gifts from a special interest, which got him widely condemned. So, he “reformed” — no he didn’t quit taking gimmes, he just quit disclosing them!

Thomas is a supreme grifter, but sadly he’s not alone. Many recent justices have fallen from the pedestal of judicial integrity, cozying up to moneyed interests. Gifts aside, we now have a hyperpartisan rightwing Republican majority taking their judicial opinions from those same interests, turning America’s unelected Third Branch of government into an autocratic, plutocratic political agency. Then they wonder why their public approval rating — and legitimacy — are in the ditch!

It’s supposed to be used rarely, carefully, and only in emergency situations, but today’s radical Big Government Republicans have weaponized it, routinely overturning local actions that the GOP’s corporate funders don’t like. Local decisions to protect worker safety, outlaw loan sharking, shut down puppy mills, prevent workplace discrimination, stop pollution, control political corruption… and so many more popular democratic reforms are being abolished by Republican autocrats in service to plutocrats. Some 500 more of those usurpations are moving through state legislatures across the country now — with practically no public notice.

Embarrassingly, GOP leaders in my state of Texas have been leading this charge against the people’s democratic will, and they’re now enacting a nuclearized escalation of their attack. Their new weapon has been dubbed “Death Star” — a state law that will preemptively ban cities and counties from passing corporate regulations stronger than state regulation (which is infamously feeble). The ban — gleefully pushed by a horde of lobbyists for brandname corporate elites — includes letting corporations overturn existing local protections for workers, consumers, small business, the environment and others. “We hate cities and counties,” grumped the sponsor of the Death Star law.

This is a wholesale usurpation of your and my liberty to govern ourselves. In exchange for political funding, GOP officials are literally outsourcing the people’s democratic authority to private profiteers. Learn more at supportdemocracy.org.

Supreme

The New York Times CROSSWORD PUZZLE EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ

All words to be constructed pertain to the topic to the right. To your advantage one word has already been traced. You must trace the three remaining words, using only the letters designated by the darkened circles. Words may begin and end from either column but each letter can only be used once.

Each puzzle has a difficulty rating (right). Four stars signify the highest degree of difficulty.

Given to the right are the point values for each word. Your words must correctly match these point values.

MINI SUDOKU X

SUDOKU X

65 Whiffs

66 Light gas

67 Is down with DOWN

1 Faline’s sweetheart in a Disney classic

2 The underworld, to Hades

3 It may be bottled for a caretaker

4 Economic org. since 1945

5 Like fridges, at times

6 Good dinosaur in “The Good Dinosaur”

7 Final word from a director

8 “Challenge accepted!”

9 Walled city of Spain

10 Omen

11 Cake or Bread

12 Subject for Niels Bohr

13 Splicing target

19 Some fall debuts

21 They might pick up embarrassing side remarks

24 Mesmerized

27 “Hmm, that makes sense”

29 They may relax in tiny hammocks

30 Certain coming-of-age event

31 Tube traveler?

32 Lawless role of the 1990s

33 Bread served with aloo gobi

34 Sultanate near Yemen

36 Noshed

40 Ward of “The Fugitive”

42 Isn’t able to stand

45 Component of some sci-fi ammunition

47 Not totally against 49 Text that begins with Al-Fatihah

51 Feminist author Jong

52 Scruffs

53 Debate venues

54 At all

55 Kind of brick

56 Little off the top, say

57 Fielder’s shout

60 One-third of a negroni

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neighbors behind or in front – only deer, pines, & scrub oak. Finished walkout basement. Spacious master suite. A/C. Gas log fireplace. Vaulted & 9’ ceilings. Attached 2-car garage. Stucco & stone exterior. Trex deck & covered patio. $300/mo HOA covers everything outside for you. Move-in ready. Seller will contribute $5000 towards buyers closing costs. MLS# 8308112 (CENTRAL)

Affordable pricesNo payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available. 1-866-370-2939

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walkout to 36x8 deck. A/C. Priced to reflect what still needs to be done: lights, trim, baseboards, & hardware installed; master bath finishes; concrete driveway poured; & septic installed. MLS# 5769245 (OTHER)

6943 S Picadilly Street

Aurora - $1,295,000

Stunning stucco and brick 6963 sq. ft. custom 2-story home on over 1/3 acre private lot in coveted Saddle Rock Golf Club neighborhood! Open floor plan with 5 beds, 6 baths, study, 4-car attached garage, & 13,504 sq. ft. lot. Curved open staircase. Grourmet kitchen. Formal living & dining rooms. Ovesrized master suite. 3 fireplaces. Wet bars. Crown molding. Trex decks. Solar panels. Cherry Creek schools. Close to Buckley SFB, golfing, shopping, dining, parks, trails, pools, club house, playground, and tennis courts. MLS# 9907993 (OTHER)

LEGAL NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE

May 1, 2023

The City of Manitou Springs has the following Board, Commission, and Committee vacancies:

• Historic Preservation Commission (One regular and Two alternate members)

4-year terms

1st Wednesday each month @ 6:00 pm

• Housing Advisory Board (One regular and One alternate members)

4-year terms

3rd Wednesday each month @ 6:00 pm

• Open Space Adv isory Committee (NO Vacancies)

4-year terms

4th Monday each month @ 6:00 pm

• Park and Recreation Advisory Board (One regular and one alternate members)

4-year terms

1st Monday each month @ 6:00 pm

REAL ESTATE

• Planning Commission (One Alternate member)

4-year terms

2nd Wednesday each month @ 6:00 pm

• Mobility and Parking Board (Three alternate members)

4-year terms

4th Tuesday each month @ 6:00 pm

• Manitou Ar ts, Culture, and Heritage Board (One regular and Two alternate members)

4-year terms

4th Thursday of each month @ 6:00 pm

To apply, submit an Application, Letter of Interest, and Resume or Statement of Qualifications to the City Clerk, 606 Manitou Avenue, Manitou Springs, CO 80829 / cityclerk@ manitouspringsco.gov

Published: May 11, 2023

Published in the Colorado Springs Independent

1820 E San Rafael Street – Grandview

Addition - $495,000

Large well maintained stucco duplex close to Memorial Hospital & the Olympic Training Center. 2753 sq. ft. total.

Main level has 3 beds & 1 bath. Lower level has 2 beds & 1 bath. Live in one & rent the other or just rent both. Has been rented for years at under market rents but both tenants are moving out.

MLS# 3815436 (CENTRAL) Call Bobbi Price. The Platinum Group. 719-499-9451.

1408 Tierra Berienda

– Pueblo - $25,000 4310 sq. ft. lot in upscale subdivision of 37 homes. Close to I-25, shopping, and dining. Complex has clubhouse with pool table, kitchen, meeting area, & indoor pool. Small park. Must conform to blend in (stucco, tile roofing, & privacy walls). May purchase 1 to 5 lots. Call Bobbi at 719-499-9451 for more information.

MLS# 5093736 (LAND)

1601 N Billy the Kid Lane – Pueblo West$28,500

1.47 acre lot at end of quiet cul-de-sac with sweeping unobstructed mountain & Pikes Peak views. Flat at front of lot & moving back the lot gently slopes to allow for a walkout. Backs and sides to open space. Easy commute to both Colorado Springs or Pueblo. MLS# 5628454 (LAND) Call Bobbi Price. The Platinum Group. 719-499-9451.

213 Coffee Pot Drive – Crystal Park$64,900

Build your dream home on this beautiful forested ½ acre lot backing to open space in Crystal Park. Towering pines & aspen. Mountain views & plenty of sunshine. Located in safe gated community of over 2000 acres with only 350 homes sites. Close to stocked fishing lake, club house, pool, & basketball & pickleball courts. Perfect mountain living close to town, located just outside of Colorado Springs. MLS# 4046587 (LAND) Call Bobbi Price. The Platinum Group. 719-499-9451.

QUALITY EMPLOYEES

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3179 County Road 61 – Cripple Creek$80,000

Beautiful 5.25 acre lot in a small gated community called Rainbow Ridge with only 9 parcels. Pikes Peak & mountain views. Community stocked fishing pond on lot. Towering pines & aspen. Lots of sunshine. Located approximately 10 miles south of Divide off Highway 67. Easy commute & private on several possible building sites. This subdivision is off grid. MLS# 8657980 Call Bobbi Price. The Platinum Group. 719499-9451.

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Cameraworks

5030 N. Academy 594-6966

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