Inside COS Town Tidings Issue #013

🤣 Today’s Chuckle

📆 Upcoming Events - updated daily

🤶 Holiday Craft Fairs

🌞 COS Weather - warm again

🙌 Uplifting Update: Fort Carson Soldier Found!  

📅 Plan Your Year with Purpose: Buy the 2024 'Discover COS Calendar' Today!

🏛️ Budget Squeeze: Colorado Springs Faces Cuts in Every Department for 2024! 

🕵️‍♂️ Classified Chaos: Colorado Springs Man Pleads Guilty in High-Stakes Espionage Trial!

💆‍♂️ Journey Within: Unlock Inner Peace with Body Scan Meditation!

🎙️ Tell us what you want - Survey

What did one wall say to the other wall?

Answer: I'll meet you at the corner! 🤣

Our hope is that we made you smile today…pass it on.

Upcoming COS Area Events

Dive into spooky season at the Wrong Turn Haunted Maze in downtown Colorado Springs' CO.A.T.I. complex. Priced at $25, visitors can enjoy fall-themed drinks and explore a haunted farmhouse maze full of thrills. The maze runs from 6-11:30 p.m. until Nov. 4. Tickets available from Oct 26 - Nov 4 at wrongturncos.com. 

• Oct 24, 11 AM-12PM: Coffee & Conversation, Rockrimmon Library

• Oct 24th, Oct 31st, Nov 7th, Nov 14th, 6-9 PM: Game Night @ Bell Brothers Brewing

• Oct 25th, 4-5 PM: Paws to Read, Rockrimmon Library

• Oct 25th, 6:30-9:30 PM: Halloween Party w/ Harry Mo & the CRU @Front Range Barbeque $5 cover

• Oct 27-29, (every Fri-Sun in Oct); 10 AM - 3 PM: Venetucci Farm Pumpkin Fest

• Oct 27-29 and 31, 4-8:30 PM: Boo at the Zoo 

• Oct 27, 3:30 PM: Young Scholars Academy Food trucks, costume contest and more.

• Oct 27, 5-7 PM: Stetson Elementary School: Fall Festival with STEM activities, StarLab, hot cocoa buffet petting zoo, food trucks and more.

• Oct 28, 9 AM-4 PM: Miners' Pumpkin Patch. 225 North Gate Blvd, COS

• Oct 28, 4-6:45 PM: The Little Gym of Colorado Springs Halloween Maze & Trunk or Treat for kids up to 12 yrs old

• Oct 30, 5:30-7:30 PM: Halloween Scavenger Hunt, Acacia Park 

  • Free—Event is free, but registration is required

• Nov 7, 4-6 PM: Children's Mindfulness, Bear Creek Nature Center ages 5-10 with parent. Registration required + fee

🧵🍂 Upcoming Holiday Craft Fairs 🤶🧶

• Oct. 28-29: Front Range Maker's Market — 9 AM - 4 PM (Sat); 10 AM - 3 PM (Sun), Lewis-Palmer High School in Monument, $5 for ages 13 and older;

• Nov. 1-5: Black Forest Arts and Crafts Guild Fall Show and Sale — 4-7 PM Nov. 1; 9 AM -7 PM Nov. 2-4; 10 AM -2 p.m. Nov. 5

• Nov. 4-5: Chipita Park Association's Arts & Crafts Fair — 9 AM - 4 PM Nov. 4; 10 AM - 3 PM Nov. 5

• Nov. 4: African Marketplace — Noon - 4 PM, Hillside Community Center, 925 S. Institute St.

• Nov. 10-12: Colorado Country Christmas Gift Show — 10 AM - 5 PM Nov. 10 and 12; 10 AM - 6 PM Nov. 11, Colorado Springs Event Center, $11.50, free for ages 13 and younger.

• Nov. 11: Antelope Ridge Holiday Bazaar and Craft Show — 9 AM - 2 PM, Antelope Ridge, 4001 Gray Fox Heights

• Nov. 18: Holiday Craft Show — 10 AM - 3 PM, Fountain Creek Nature Center, 320 Peppergrass Lane, Fountain

Have an upcoming event you want us to share?

👉 Click here to submit your event for consideration 👈

🙌 Uplifting Update: Fort Carson Soldier Found!  

Update from our article issue #011: Missing Fort Carson soldier, Pvt. 1st Class Aaron Frame, was found safe on October 22, with the help of the public and partner agencies, after being reported missing on October 20. No additional details were given but Fort Carson expressed gratitude for the support in locating him.

📅 Plan Your Year with Purpose: Buy the 2024 'Discover COS Calendar' Today!

Support the future of Colorado Springs by purchasing the 2024 'Discover COS Calendar,' featuring winning photographs from the 11th Discover Colorado Springs Photo Contest themed "Celebrate the Seasons." 

Available for public purchase, the calendar showcases the city's natural beauty and wildlife, with all proceeds directly benefiting the Trails, Open Space, and Parks (TOPS) program.

Additionally, national park-themed open space posters are available, supporting TOPS initiatives. The program, funded by 0.1% sales tax until 2045, has conserved 7,500 acres of open space, built 66 parks, and created 50 miles of trails. 

Click here to support Colorado Springs' green spaces and order your calendar! 

🏛️ Budget Squeeze: Colorado Springs Faces Cuts in Every Department for 2024!  

In 2024, Colorado Springs faces city-wide budget cuts, with all 22 departments mandated to reduce their budgets by 3.4% due to lower-than-expected revenue, primarily from reduced sales tax income. High-interest rates and inflation have impacted major purchases like cars and homes, affecting the city's income.

Each department must make cuts, including freezing hiring and postponing non-essential expenses. Police will limit new recruits, the Fire department will adjust training schedules, and projects like installing hearing impairment devices in city buildings will be delayed. These measures are taken to balance the budget and cope with financial challenges.

You can read specifics on what cuts by department starting on page 58 on COS Gov budget document. 

🕵️‍♂️ Classified Chaos: Colorado Springs Man Pleads Guilty in High-Stakes Espionage Trial!

Colorado Springs man Jareh Dalke, a former NSA employee, pleaded guilty to six espionage-related charges on October 23. He was arrested in September after attempting to sell classified U.S. government secrets to an undercover FBI agent he believed was a representative of a foreign government, specifically Russia. Dalke's sentencing is slated for April 26.

🧘Mindful Moments Series Part 2

Today, let's dive into Day 2's topic: Body Scan Meditation. Taking just 5 minutes each day to practice this powerful technique can have profound effects on your overall well-being. So, why is body scan meditation important, and what benefits can it bring to your life? 

💆‍♂️ Journey Within: Unlock Inner Peace with Body Scan Meditation!

In our busy lives, we often forget to listen to our bodies' signals. Body scan meditation helps us reconnect with our physical selves, fostering a deeper mind-body connection. By bringing our attention to different parts of our body, we can release tension, increase self-awareness, and cultivate a greater sense of relaxation and presence. This practice allows us to tune in to the whispers of our body, promoting overall well-being and balance.

Find a comfortable spot to sit or lie down, allowing your body to fully relax. Close your eyes and begin by focusing on your breath, letting it anchor you to the present moment. Starting from the top of your head, slowly move your attention downward, gently scanning each part of your body. Notice any sensations, areas of tension, or discomfort without judgment.

As you scan each area, take a moment to pause and bring a sense of curiosity and kindness to that particular part. If you encounter any tension, visualize breathing into that area, allowing the breath to gently release and dissolve the tension. Imagine softening and letting go with each exhale.

Continue this process, moving down through your face, neck, shoulders, arms, chest, abdomen, hips, legs, and feet. Pay attention to the subtle nuances of sensation in each area. Allow yourself to fully experience and embrace the present moment within your body.

By incorporating this technique into your daily routine, you'll discover the power of tuning in to your body's needs and promoting a sense of calm and relaxation. 

Don't miss tomorrow's tip, where we'll explore another exciting mindfulness practice that will help you enhance your well-being and find more joy in your everyday life! 

_{**Information in this newsletter is NOT meant to diagnose or treat any condition nor is it medical advise. Please consult your physician before making any changes to your current lifestyle.} 

Colorado Springs Town Tidings is Sponsored by:

🙌 We could use your help