In Americaâs great battle between hope and fear, fear certainly gained the upper hand this month. When our president threatens to end an entire civilization because his war of choice painted him into a corner, and our Congress couldnât be bothered to come back from vacation to stop him, itâs easy to give up hope. […]
Iâm the editor of the Pikes Peak Bulletin. A reader sent me an email because he was disappointed in an article I wrote recently, âStudents offered counseling after agents in tactical gear detain person outside high school.â I decided to share his email and my response to it because I think he asks a fair […]
Those of us who participated in the No Kings rallies on Saturday didnât just hold signs and march. We made history, with what Iâm convinced will have been the largest protest in American history. I know the effectiveness of such protests to affect change is being endlessly debated. Iâm hopeful it will lead to change. […]
I recently learned something fascinating. Did you know that in many large, urban cities across the globe, the pedestrian crosswalk buttons are disconnected â and have been for decades? As technology advanced, pedestrian phases were automated in many cities with dense populations, rendering the human interaction of a button pointless. Removing the buttons would have […]
For years, the people of Colorado Springs have been told that police oversight is complicated, that reform takes time, and that the right process must be followed before meaningful change can happen. But for many of us who were there when the local movement for law enforcement accountability began, the story of how we arrived […]
Every February, Americans observe Black History Month â a time to highlight the history, achievements, and voices of Black Americans whose stories are often overlooked in traditional textbooks. It is a chance for communities to learn, reflect, and discover authors and perspectives that deepen our understanding of the country we share. That is why it […]
Colorado Republicans in the state legislature would like to think that constraints on surveillance technology could be that rare bipartisan topic that wins them support from Democrats. SB-071, sponsored by Sen. Lynda Zamora Wilson (R-Colorado Springs), certainly moves in the right direction, placing limits on police use of surveillance technology such as facial recognition software […]
By and large, the media is blowing it on their coverage of Iran. Every report about these ongoing Israel and U.S. strikes on Iran should clearly state the reason for this reckless war. Oh, after the Israel and U.S. strikes on Iran on Saturday, weâve been getting lots of background on the competing factions in […]
We have seen this before. In 2003, under Operation Iraqi Freedom, the United States launched what was branded as “shock and awe.” Overwhelming force. Rapid dominance. Swift victory. That was the plan. What followed was years of instability, insurgency, trauma, and long-term consequences that were nowhere near as easy to manage as the opening air […]
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is asking the CPW Commission at its next meeting on March 4 and 5 for permission to charge out-of-state visitors 50% more for a state parks day pass. It is doing so with no real effort to gather public input and with little justification, other than because the agency seeks […]
Last week, I got the email that had been a long time coming: Colorado Springs was killing its Citizens Transportation Advisory Board (CTAB), one of the many boards and commissions that allow regular people to advise City Council on legislation and policy. This was a group of 11 volunteers from across town, plus alternates like […]
Editorâs Note: The Military Times reported Feb. 19 that âThe Department of Veterans Affairs has retreated from enforcing a controversial regulation it rolled out Tuesday that required medical examiners to factor in the effects of medication when weighing disability ratings decisions.â Every veteran knows the phrase. It gets said in grocery stores, at ball games, […]
I posted a meme last month on my personal Facebook page and a right-wing Facebook friend said it promoted lies (it didnât, it was an opinion based on facts) and that posts like mine are why people have lost faith in journalism. I responded that in normal times I would not feel the need to […]
This was not just another event on the calendar. The 13th Annual Multi-Cultural Black History Program on Feb. 15 filled a top-tier venue â the Ent Center for the Arts â with a packed house, standing as a reminder that Black culture in Colorado Springs is not something waiting to be discovered. It is organized, […]
The Pikes Peak Bulletin received more than a half-dozen letters to the editor in favor of the original Ray Nixon Power Plant closure date. For background, read Colorado Springs seeks bill to keep Ray Nixon coal plant open past 2029 closure deadline in The Colorado Sun and Colorado Springs Utilities enlists state lawmakers to keep […]
Two new restaurants worthy of attention and praise opened recently. Thai comes to Manitou Springs Manitou Thai & Ramen marks what may be the first Thai place this town has ever seen. For a village rife with burgers and beef jerky, this humble Asian eatery in the space inside the Baker House formerly occupied by […]
A conservative Facebook friend recently posted this on his page: âGee, I wonder why Bad Bunny got so much exposure at the Grammyâs last night??â The first response to that post: âPolitics?â Behind those comments lurks an interesting assumption. It assumes, of course, that Bad Bunny (who will be playing at this yearâs Super Bowl […]
Editor’s note Feb. 6: After this piece was published, a Black History Month proclamation was added to the Colorado Springs City Council’s Feb. 10 agenda. Read about it here. For generations, the stories of black Americans and other marginalized communities have been filtered through systems that benefited from their exclusion. People were told to take […]
As a freelance writer and podcaster, I get emails every week asking me to review a product (NO), or write about some poll or survey about the âbest trailsâ in Colorado, or promoting some vacation resort (still NO), but my favorites are from publishers asking me to look at a new book. Sometimes, the book […]
Letter to the Editor: Show up to make an impact
As an active member of the Colorado Springs community I am enraged. Graduating from Harrison School District 2 is probably the most significantly positive foundation my life could have stood on. Maybe I didn’t read all of the classic novels, or learn advanced calculus (the District was in a deep time of transition and let’s […]