COS Town Tidings #25-077

📖 READ ONLINE

🤣 Today’s Chuckle

📰 Detour Alert: Circle Drive Work⚠️

📰 New Home for Songbird Orchids🌸

📰 Local School Reports Chickenpox Cases🤒

🏞️ Trivia Time: Secret Behind Garden Of The Gods' Success

📆 Local Events

🌬 COS Weather - Warm and windy with PM showers

What did the landscape guy say to the lady checking him out?

👉I'm sexy and I mow it! 🤣

⚠️ Detour Alert: Circle Drive Work

A weeklong closure on Las Vegas near Circle is causing detours for drivers who rely on the route as a shortcut between Nevada and Hwy 85/87. Crews are now working on westbound, following the completion of the eastbound lanes.

While businesses and law enforcement offices along the road remain accessible, some drivers have attempted to bypass the barricades. Cyclists and pedestrians have found the traffic-free stretch convenient, but the detour has added congestion elsewhere.

In a related update, the Willwood Tunnel closure near The Broadmoor World Arena, which started last year due to increased traffic, will remain in place until construction wraps up later in 2024. Full Story

🌸 New Home for Songbird Orchids

Songbird Orchids is relocating to their warehouse location at 2755 Ore Mill Rd, Unit 10, with its last day at the W Colorado Ave location on March 29 and reopening on April 2.

A moving sale started yesterday to help clear inventory before the transition. The new space offers easier parking, ground-level access, and better inventory control, though some services, like orchid repotting, will pause during the move.

Despite the shift to a smaller footprint, customers can expect the same beloved products and services, including uninterrupted deliveries. To celebrate the move, Songbird Orchids is hosting a Sale from April 3-6, with 15% off storewide.

🤒 Local School Reports Chickenpox Cases

The Classical Academy Central Campus (near Voyager and Briargate Pkwy) is managing a small outbreak of chickenpox, with cases reported in first, second, and fourth grade. Health officials consider three linked cases an outbreak, though the illness is typically mild and lasts about a week. Parents are urged to monitor their children for symptoms and keep them home if they get sick. No additional restrictions or closures have been announced, but families should stay aware as the situation develops. Full Story

🏞️ TRIVIA: Secret Behind Garden Of The Gods' Success

Did you know that a visionary entrepreneur transformed the way visitors experience Garden of the Gods? Lyda Hill, a philanthropist with deep ties to Colorado Springs (as a member of the Hunt family), played a crucial role in creating the iconic Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

What surprising decision did Lyda Hill make about the Visitor Center in 2011, further cementing her legacy of generosity?

In the early 1990s, Garden of the Gods Park faced numerous challenges, including outdated facilities and eroding trails. Lyda Hill, who owned land on the park's eastern border, stepped in with an innovative solution. Collaborating with then-Parks Director Nancy Lewis, Hill proposed building a new visitor center on her private property, creating a public-private partnership that would benefit the park for decades to come.

Hill invested $3.5 million to construct the center, which opened in 1995. Her creative approach didn't stop there – she established the Garden of the Gods Foundation, ensuring that a portion of the center's profits would go directly towards park maintenance and improvements.

Answer: In 2011, after the Visitor Center had contributed $3.5 million to the Garden of the Gods Foundation, Lyda Hill gifted the entire facility to the Foundation. This selfless act ensured that the center's profits would continue to support the park's preservation for generations to come.

Today, thanks to Hill's vision and generosity, the Visitor Center welcomes over 1.2 million visitors annually and has generated more than $6 million in donations for park maintenance and educational programs. As we celebrate the center's 30th anniversary, we're reminded of how one person's dedication can create a lasting impact on a beloved natural wonder. *Source

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🎉 Events Calendar! (New events added including FREE)

We're making it easier to discover and share what's happening in Colorado Springs! Our carefully curated, interactive calendar is live and growing. Optional weekly SMS event reminders available!

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Happening in 6 Days!! RSVP Now! 🤗

📆 Sample Local Events

• Mar 18-23, 1-4 PM: 3-Hour Original Colorado Springs Food Tour @1 Tejon St $69-$87

• Mar 21-23: Jurassic Quest @Colorado Springs Event Center $29-$47

• Mar 22, 7-9pm: Meditation and Music by Healing Wheel Holistic @Cave of the Winds, Manitou Springs $65

• Apr 5, 11am-5pm: Pikes Peak Chocolate & Cheese Fest @Norris Penrose Event Center $6-$59

• April 11, 7-9pm: The Long Run | Colorado's Tribute to The Eagles @Phil Long Music Hall $39-$59 (age 14+)

• April 12, 7-9pm: The Marshall Tucker Band @Phil Long Music Hall $79-$99 (age 14+)

• April 19, 6-9pm: Murder Mystery, Dirty Money @Great Wolf Lodge, 9494 Federal Dr $64.95 (9 Tickets Available)

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