Gambling and gardening – and gambling on a garden – this spring
In her 1932 autobiography “Heritage of Years” Francis Wolcott wrote a telling sentence in her prologue. “If there be but…
Musk, Trump and Bezos: The Third Triumvirate
So here we are, just a few weeks into the Trump/Musk duopoly and many of us are uncomprehending, alarmed, scared,…
Pressed flowers from long ago contrast with the ugliness in Washington today
Last week’s miserable weather gave us few options for amusement. Hitting the bars, or enjoying a meal at your favorite…
Dear Mrs. Hughes February 27
Dear Mrs. Hughes, I would like to write you about an issue that has been worrying me lately. I had…
Leading like Lincoln: A birthday letter
Every February, our nation celebrates Presidents Day, honoring George Washington and Abraham Lincoln’s birthdays on Feb. 22 and Feb. 12,…
The lifecycle of a newspaper
Newspapers are mortal. They’re born, they grow and hopefully they thrive. Comparatively few make it for 10 years, even fewer…
At what price is a daily newspaper no longer worth it?
OK. I admit it. I’m addicted. For 32 years I’ve been getting my fix every morning after retrieving my drug…
My own political fever dream
How can we best describe our local elected officials? With a couple of exceptions, a single word will suffice: boring.…
What to do with our MAGA social media friends?
My finger hovered over the “unfriend” button. How many of us have done the same? I knew this guy, Mike,…
Sorry Zebulon, it’s Trump’s Peak now
After a couple of weeks of madness, some think that our democracy is threatened by the antics of septuagenarian President…
Join the Infectious Generosity Movement: start with making a Manni Award nomination
Dear editor and fellow citizens of Manitou Springs, Amid the bustling charm and mountain vistas of our beloved town lies…
Taking refuge in a cozy chair and a wilderness of books
So now what, as another self-regarding, soon-to-be-octogenarian moves into the White House? We can only hope that the executioner’s axe…
Fire is an ever-present risk for us living close to the mountains
Watching media reports of the tragic California fires, it all seemed so familiar. The wind-driven fire started slowly in dryland…
In support of the multifamily apartment proposal at 123 Manitou Ave.
Did you know the last multifamily apartment complex in Manitou Springs was built 51 years ago in 1973? That’s the…
Gazette-Telegraph clippings on Steele School are window to different time
Growing up in Colorado Springs in the ’40s and ’50s, the Gazette-Telegraph ruled the world of events and information. The…
Remembering the tough, talented Eliza Greatorex, 1800s artist and author
Eliza Pratt Greatorex (1819-1897), a leading 19th century author/artist/traveler and historic preservationist, is almost unknown today. I became interested in…
Linda Weise serves Colorado Springs well
It’s reasonable to say that Linda Weise has had the same impact on Colorado Springs as skyrockets on the 4th…
Dogs, books and art: A cure for the winter blues
As I sit safely ensconced in my second-story office/library/spare bedroom in our beloved Westside home, it’s a bright and sunny…
A People’s History of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
It’s good to see that the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center is actually re-engaging with its illustrious past, beginning with…
Politicians and the media: a cross-eyed look at both
In the course of my four score years plus four, I’ve learned a few simple lessons about politics, the media…