Inside Racquel Garcia’s office, uplifting quotes adorn almost every wall. The first quote to draw me in states: “Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.” I’m inside the walls of the nonprofit HardBeauty’s headquarters (480 Kinner St., Castle Rock) where anyone on the path of substance use disorder recovery can […]
Manitou Springs boys basketball coach Nick Nunley was getting tired of seeing his team score in the 40s and 50s. So, he decided to put some skin, or rather some hair, in the game when the Mustangs traveled to James Irwin. Nunley told his team that if they scored 80, he’d shave his mustache – […]
Two former Colorado Springs City Councilors – Richard Skorman and Wayne Williams – are asking the current Colorado Springs City Council to refer recent changes allowing electronic bikes on city trails to voters. “When we put the TOPS [Trails, Open Space and Parks] ordinance together back then, it was very specific that we did not […]
The Manni Awards honor Manitou Springs outstanding citizens and organizations, who volunteer their time and energy to support our town. They are generous and helpful spirits, who make Manitou a great place to live, work and play. Many of the people, who deserve to be recognized for their helpfulness, volunteerism and community involvement are selfless, […]
Manitou Springs residents spoke out about the City’s new system for managing resident parking, which does away with physical passes and stickers placed on cars in lieu of an online registration system, during this week’s city council meeting. “The passes that we had to give to visitors were perfectly acceptable,” said resident Ila Quinn. “The […]
Chainsaw training for fire mitigation, Feb. 15-16 in Green Mountain Falls In light of the recent catastrophic fires in CA, fire mitigation and disaster readiness are on many residents’ minds throughout the country. The Fire Mitigation Advisory Committee (FMAC) of Green Mountain Falls (GMF) is partnering for a second time with Team Rubicon, one of […]
Jan. 20 was the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, but another event captured more headlines than the celebration of the civil rights leader’s life and legacy: Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the United States. According to multiple national news outlets, Donald Trump signed a slew of executive orders immediately after his […]
BY DEMETRIA WRIGHT/DISTRICT WILDLIFE MANAGER, CPW Editor’s Note: This is a regular monthly column from Colorado Parks and Wildlife about wildlife issues in the Manitou Springs area by a career wildlife officer. Happy 2025, Manitou Springs! The beginning of the year always makes me nostalgic and this year is no different. Especially since 2024 brought […]
Watching media reports of the tragic California fires, it all seemed so familiar. The wind-driven fire started slowly in dryland forests adjacent to comfortable and long-settled communities and suddenly exploded into an unquenchable firestorm. Residents had to leave – and leave right now! They had minutes, not hours or days. To dawdle was to die. […]
Manitou Springs is getting ready for a replacement of the Iron Springs Font, and several talented artists are in the running. The process is being led by CRANE (Creative Alliance Manitou Springs) and the Mineral Springs Foundation. Each artist has shared their unique ideas to create something special for the beloved landmark. CRANE and the […]
In the town that owns the weirdness it’s characterized by, no place quite encapsulates the creative, quirky spirit of Manitou Springs quite like the Manitou Arts Center. A local staple for nearly four decades, the MAC offers classes, workshops and creative spaces to the community along with a series of galleries to house the works […]
Around Barbara Lendsey’s 70th birthday in 2023, she was approached by her son-in-law, DeAndre Smith, co-founder and executive director of the local organization OneBodyEnt. “The question was, ‘are you ready to be a senior?’” Lendsey said. The two discussed bringing seniors under the OneBody umbrella, which at the time already consisted of Men of Influence […]
Despite chilly temperatures and snow the night before, the community came out Jan. 18 for the 27th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Festival in its first year at Manitou Springs City Hall. The event was formerly held in Woodland Park. Event organizer Charlotte Rickert said the theme this year was “love,” not just […]
The 13th annual Manni Awards are around the corner, and now is the time to nominate the individuals building and strengthening the Manitou Springs community – the leaders and volunteers acting on the public stage or in quieter ways – for an award in one of 10 categories. This year’s categories are: Adult Visionary […]
The Briarhurst Manor Estate, a full-service restaurant known for quality cuisine and private parties, closed on Jan. 10 due to a combination of slow business and a remodel planned by the building’s owners, according to Janice Montoya, the Briarhurst’s sales and marketing director and wife of the owner, Ken Healey. It is unclear when the […]
The trees in Manitou Springs are doing well, but more are needed, according to the Urban Tree Canopy Assessment presented by Parks and Recreation Director Gillian Rossi at this week’s City Council work session. “The city’s parks and streetscapes are on the right track,” said Rossi. We found a good diversity of species, a good […]
Happy new year from Pedestrian and Cycle Manitou (PaC-MAN)! We ring in 2025 with an active transportation interview from Manitou Springs resident Kevin Qualls. Kevin not only enjoys walking around town using the Creek Walk Trail but also riding his ebike to connect to the Downtown Manitou Springs area and the Midland Trail beyond. We […]
Colorado Springs School District 11’s Jenkins Middle School will close this week due to structural concerns with the building. Students and staff will be relocated to Doherty High School and Russell Middle School, and school for students at Jenkins, Doherty and Russell will resume on Jan. 23. “Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) and Colorado Springs […]
Shrugging off a loss and powering ahead is a trait that could define the Manitou Springs girls wrestling team for the next month. The Vista Ridge Alpha Female Invitational tends to attract top-level talent from Colorado (and nearby states) and the Mustangs competed with a lot of that talent. Abbie Reeves took third in the […]
