Each year in March, Manitou Springs City Hall fills with a few hundred folks bearing potluck dishes and goodwill who gather to watch the presentation of the Manni Awards. The awards honor citizens and organizations who volunteer their time and energy to support the community and make Manitou Springs such a vibrant and unique place. […]
Photos from Carnivale 2025 by Mark Lee A jubilant crowd celebrated Mardi Gras in true Manitou style on March 1 with a vibrant parade featuring giant puppets and whimsical costumes, a delicious gumbo cookoff, rocking live music and excellent vibes.
So here we are, just a few weeks into the Trump/Musk duopoly and many of us are uncomprehending, alarmed, scared, angry, fearful and resentful. As a longtime political junkie, I bounce between all of these – but mainly, I’m fascinated. In my 85th year, I’ve lived during the presidencies of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry Truman, […]
Public education is a paradox – promising creativity but enforcing conformity, valuing deep learning but underfunding it. Schools are expected to inspire independent thinkers, yet rigid policies and standardized tests push uniformity. Now, with severe budget cuts, the real challenge isn’t just preserving quality education – it’s ensuring curiosity and innovation don’t become casualties of […]
The Fountain Creek Watershed District has been working for over 15 years to protect the health of our local waterways. As executive director of this quasi-governmental agency, I often get asked, “What exactly do you do?” While our work is complex, our mission is simple: to protect the health of the Fountain Creek Watershed through […]
On the final evening of February, House of GOCA: Psychedelic Garden dazzled the Ent Center for the Arts, infusing the space with whimsy, magic and an explosion of color. The groundbreaking event marked the inaugural wearable arts show on the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) campus – an electrifying fusion of fashion and fine […]
Eleven years ago, a tragedy nearly cut short Mandy Horvath’s life: She lost both of her legs above the knee after being struck by a train in 2014. “I don’t have full memory of the night, but I do know that I died more than three times during the fight to save my life,” she […]
Mustangs girls soccer team aiming to take a leap forward By Daniel Mohrmann Following up a state championship game appearance with another strong season is always a tough task. But for the Manitou Springs girls soccer team, it was a challenge worth accepting. The Mustangs won 12 games with a mostly new roster following the […]
“These people have done absolutely nothing wrong,” Colorado Senator Michael Bennet said on the Senate floor in Washington, D.C., days after President Donald Trump issued yet another executive order, this time calling for “large-scale reductions in force” at federal government agencies. At least 2,000 Forest Service staff were fired during the cull that followed – […]
As many of you know, the Bulletin has a long history in Manitou Springs, existing in various iterations for over a century. When the Bulletin ceased publication along with a number of other newspapers a few years ago, community members including our publisher Lyn Ettinger-Harwell rallied to bring it back as a nonprofit. Why we […]
Manitou Springs School District 14 is bracing for a significant hit to the budget in the coming years. As a result of Colorado’s $1.3 billion budget deficit this year and changes to the school funding formula, D14 could be facing a $1.17 million loss of revenue. “Last legislative session, last May, they passed a new […]
“This is a fresh start, with a new community, with an awesome board, with great citizens. I’m really looking forward to being able to serve. Seeing what that means for me, and seeing what the town’s wants and needs are, is really important to me.” So begins Caleb Patterson, Green Mountain Falls’ newest town manager. […]
Greetings from PaC-MAN! To PaC-MAN is to Pedestrian and Cycle Manitou. Perhaps no one in our community does just that – walking and taking transit that is – more than Craig Burbank. We interviewed Craig during the pandemic back in 2020 about his ultra-walking exploits and thought a check-in was long overdue. We caught up […]
Partner Profile: The Pikes Peak Bulletin highlights local businesses that support community journalism by advertising with us. For a small, local nonprofit newspaper, advertising revenue is critical, along with reader subscriptions and grant funds. However, this relationship will never hinder or influence our reporting at any time. If you value local news, subscribe to the […]
Upwards of 80 people filled the Border Burger Bar seating area for the Pikes Peak Bulletin’s forum, “A Stronger Newsroom Creates a Stronger Community.” Hosted by the inimitable journalist/filmmaker/playwright Warren Epstein, the panel speakers were media consultant Carol Wood; Colorado College Journalism Institute Manager Corey Hutchins; media consultant Bill Densmore; and Natalie Johnson, whom Epstein […]
Last week’s miserable weather gave us few options for amusement. Hitting the bars, or enjoying a meal at your favorite restaurant? Too cold, unless you could find a parking place within a block – so why even try? Tidy up the house and do minor repairs? Not if you have three unhappy dogs who, like […]
Readers of the Bulletin, public schools need you – now more than ever. Strong schools don’t just educate children; they build communities. They are where families, organizations and neighbors come together with a shared purpose: ensuring every child has the chance to thrive. Public education is at its best when it serves as a true […]
Revelers filled Iron Springs Chateau on Feb. 22 for the 6th annual CarniBall. The Mardi Gras fun continues with the Carnivale parade and Mumbo Jumbo Gumbo Cookoff on Saturday, March 1. More photos of the quirky fun and Carnivale info on page 12. Photos by Mark Lee 2025 Carnivale Royal Court King: Sean Bradley […]
When the ManiKrewe Carnivale committee was formed a few years ago, we happily inherited more than 30 years of Manitou Springs Carnivale history. Decorations, banners, beads, costumes and ephemera. But Carnivale’s most enduring legacy are the giant puppets – the King, Aries, The Owl, The Three Headed Monster, The Jester (mistakenly dubbed The Blue-Eyed Boy, […]
Dear Mrs. Hughes, I would like to write you about an issue that has been worrying me lately. I had the same job for 33 years as a teacher in an elementary school. I loved everything about my job, but as I approached retirement age, I began to get excited about retiring. So much so […]
