Chief of Police Bill Otto After a review process by city staff and an interview with City Council on Feb. 15, Interim Police Chief Bill Otto was offered and accepted the permanent position. The city of Manitou Springs opened an internal job posting for the position on Feb. 2, and Otto was the sole applicant. […]
Photo by Larry Ferguson Anyone who’s visited Eclectic OCC at 2518 W. Colorado Ave. in Old Colorado City can testify that the store’s name is spot on. And they would probably also tell you that the diverse styles and tastes of the artists and craftspeople who produce the variety of products on the shelves keep […]
The Carnivale Parade is returning on Saturday, Feb. 26. Between noon and 2 p.m., traffic on Manitou Avenue will be detoured onto some of Manitou Springs’ narrower streets. Westbound traffic will be detoured onto El Paso Boulevard and then onto Washington Avenue. This route will take vehicles onto Cañon Avenue and then back onto Manitou […]
An extended winter storm will bring snowfall to Colorado tonight through Thursday morning. Expect periods of moderate to heavy snowfall in the mountains, although snowfall will be light over the eastern plains. The heaviest snowfall is expected to occur in the central and southwestern mountains, ranging from one to four feet. Winds gusting 45 to […]
Photo Courtesy of Gregory Parker Although the pandemic has had many of us overwhelmed, even paralyzed, Gregory Parker leaped into action. The “reformed scientist,” now a graphic designer, illustrator and photographer, began creating what would become “Distancing,” 489 digital collages that mark the days between March 23, 2020, and July 24, 2021. It’s now on exhibit […]
Manitou Springs City Council held two meetings Tuesday, Feb. 15. One was a work session in which councilors interviewed Interim Police Chief Bill Otto for the vacant chief position. A regular meeting followed this work session. The regular meeting passed a revised ordinance codifying the creation of the Manitou Arts, Culture, and Heritage Advisory Board […]
The city of Manitou Springs will host two community forums to engage Manitou citizens in the final design process of the Carnegie Library expansion. The in-person forum will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, in City Hall/Memorial Hall, 606 Manitou Ave. The second forum, which will be virtual, is scheduled to start at 6 […]
A total of 1,571 coronavirus-related deaths have occurred in El Paso County as of Tuesday, Feb. 15, according to the El Paso County Public Health Department. That’s an increase of 64 deaths since Feb. 8. The website also reports 172,265 cases in the county since March 1, 2020. People in the 80829 ZIP code have […]
Schwazze announced Thursday, Feb. 10, that it has closed the transaction to acquire Emerald Fields, which owns and operates two retail cannabis dispensaries in Manitou Springs and Glendale, Colorado. This acquisition is part of the company’s ongoing retail expansion plan in Colorado and New Mexico, bringing the total number of dispensaries the company operates to […]
All Coloradans who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will continue to receive the maximum monthly amount of funds in February. SNAP serves more than 250,000 households and 499,000 people in Colorado each month, providing money to purchase food and safeguarding the well-being of low-income households. People experiencing hunger or struggling to afford nutritious food […]
El Paso County’s rates for coronavirus infections, hospitalizations and deaths have been declining since hitting peaks in mid-January, according to the Public Health Department’s website. The county experienced 170,259 coronavirus cases between March 1, 2020, and Feb. 8, 2022. In that timeframe, 1,507 people have died here. The 80829 ZIP code has seen 803 positive […]
The city of Manitou Springs will host two community forums to engage Manitou citizens in the final design process of the Carnegie Library expansion. The in-person forum will begin at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 23, in City Hall/Memorial Hall, 606 Manitou Ave. The second forum, which will be virtual, is scheduled to start at 6 […]
Manitou Springs Real Estate is again presenting the Different Drummer Scholarship. It’s a one-time $1,000 gift intended for two seniors at Manitou Springs High School, or are home-schooled or live in Manitou, but attend a different high school. The scholarship aims to support students who have a particular passion, but don’t necessarily fit into the […]
Much like other historic buildings in Manitou Springs, the structure at 606 Manitou Ave. has not kept pace with the city’s growing population and increased demands. The building now used as City Hall was built in 1897. In the decades since, it’s housed a mineral spring, a dance hall, the headquarters of efforts to help […]
Manitou Springs City Council voted unanimously to end the city’s mask mandate, effective immediately, at a special meeting Tuesday, Feb. 8. The city issued a press release the next day stating, in part, “We are still strongly encouraging the use of face coverings in public spaces and urging our residents and visitors to become fully […]
The Trails and Open Space Coalition has released the results of its informal poll about changing the name of Pikes Peak. After running for two weeks, 551 people voted, with: • 40.65 percent in favor of not changing the mountain’s name; • 30.67 percent in favor of keeping Pikes Peak as the name but adding […]
Green Box Arts Festival organizers have announced this year’s lineup for the artist in residence program. After a rigorous application process, seven artists from across the country representing a variety of disciplines were selected for six residencies in Green Mountain Falls this year. Each residency lasts 30 days and offers artists at any stage in […]
On Saturday, Jan. 29, after a slightly longer wait than initially planned, fruitcakes once again flew in Manitou Springs. The Great Fruitcake Toss, presented by the Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce and Collin Street Bakery, kicked off the 2022 schedule of events the chamber hosts. With a total attendance of nearly 300 people during the […]
City planner Michelle Anthony was volunteering at the Manitou Springs Heritage Center’s front desk one weekend about 12 years ago, shortly after the museum opened. As she looked out the front window onto Manitou Avenue, she got curious about all the cars pouring into town. “I was amazed,” she said, “at the amount of traffic […]
