COS Town Tidings #25-283

📖 READ ONLINE

🤣 Today’s Chuckle

📰 Kids in Crisis — Help Wrap Them in Love🧸

📰 Governor Steps In — For Now 🧃

📰 BJ’s, Trinity Brewing and more...Yikes!❌

Recipe: 🥧 Apple Crostata with Caramel Sauce

📆 Local Events + Concerts, Farmers Markets & Fall Fairs/Festivals

🌤 COS Weather - Partly cloudy and warm with isolated sprinkles

Recreation: 🥾 Greencrest Trail Loop: Short, Sweet, Scenic

Why was the child’s blanket arrested?

👉For being an accessory to a kid napping 🤣

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🧸 Kids in Crisis — Help Wrap Them in Love

Children’s Hospital Colorado is asking for the community’s help to bring a little warmth and comfort to children in their care. The hospital is in urgent need of hand-tied fleece blankets, which are given to young patients to keep and cherish during their stay. These blankets do more than just provide warmth—they offer a sense of comfort and control in what can be a very unfamiliar setting.

Anyone can help by making one, and no sewing skills are required—just fleece fabric, scissors, and a little time. Donated finished blankets can be dropped off at any of the hospital’s four campuses, including the Colorado Springs location at 4090 Briargate Parkway. Full Story

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😍 Brandy’s Must-Know Tips for Saving On Your Energy Bill

🧃 Governor Steps In — For Now

The government shutdown is threatening yet another critical lifeline in our community — the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, which helps low-income families with food and formula. Here in El Paso County, about 14,700 people rely on it. Governor Polis approved a $7.5M stopgap to keep the program running through Oct, but beyond that, there’s no backup plan.

Some Moms in Colorado Springs are already preparing for tough choices, like redirecting her other kids’ food stamps or donating plasma twice a week to make ends meet. While the state’s temporary support is helping for now, families across our area are holding their breath, worried about what happens if federal funding doesn't return in Nov. Full Story

🎯 The Secret to Financial Confidence You Deserve

❌ BJ’s, Trinity Brewing and more...Yikes!

Over 150 food spots in El Paso County, mostly food trucks, are overdue for health inspections — some by 800+ days. The health department says change is coming soon, with new rules aimed at closing the gap. Full Story

In the meantime, here’s how some local restaurants fared during recent inspections — from double-digit violations to some solid high scores. Take a look before your next bite out 👇 

❌ Failing Scores (re-inspection required):

• BJ's Restaurant Brewhouse (5150 N Nevada) – 11 violations

• Trinity Brewing Company (1466 Garden of the Gods Rd) – 14 violations

• CRACKER BARREL (8355 Razorback Rd) – 12 violations

• FUJIYAMA (22 S Tejon St) – 12 violations

🥇 Top Scores! On a brighter note, although we had no perfect scores, several local favorites earned top scores.

✅ High Scores:

• BORRIELLO BROTHERS (215 E Platte)

• JULIES KITCHEN (3750 Astrozon)

• RUFFRANOS HELLS KITCHEN PIZZA (1670 E Cheyenne Mountain Blvd)

• SALSA ON THE ROCK (802 Village Center Dr)

Health inspection results across El Paso County are available online for those wanting to check their favorite spots.

*Note: Most local restaurants take food safety incredibly seriously. In fact, many owners respond to violations swiftly and thoroughly, often making fixes the same day while they wait for reinspection. 

🥧 Apple Crostata with Caramel Sauce

Artisan-style apple pie comes quick with a flavor bonus--caramel topping! This would be a great holiday dessert. You have time to practice now. 😉

Access the complete recipe with tailored modifications to suit your dietary requirements, along with convenient print options.

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🎉 Events Calendar! (More events including FREE, click here) 

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📆 Sample Local Events

For more weekend Events, click here

*Weather Permitting

• Oct thru 31: Old Colorado City October Strolls

• Oct 10 (noon-4pm), 11 (10am-4pm) & 12 (11am-3pm): BIG Fall Book Sale @PPLD East Library 5550 N Union $6-$7

• Oct 10-12, 1-4 PM: 3-Hour Original Colorado Springs Food Tour @1 Tejon St $69-$87

• Oct 10 (1-9pm), 11 (10am-7pm), 12 (10am-6pm): Body, Mind & Spirit Celebration @ Colorado Springs Event Center, 3960 Palmer Park Blvd $10

• Oct 10, 6-9pm: Fall Mustard-themed dinner party @Colonel Mustard’s Sandwich Emporium, 1412 South 21st $35 (1 ticket left)

• Oct 10-12, 17-19, 24-26: First Company Theater Presents, Brigadoon @First United Methodist Church, 420 N Nevada $20

• Oct 10, 7:30pm: The MAT!ch Game @The MAT, 1626 S Tejon $17.50

• Oct 11, 8:30-11am: Heel Hike Fundraising for Bees @Greencrest Trail, Austin Bluffs & Brenner $30

• Oct 11, 9am-11am: Beginning Bridge Workshop @Bridge Center, 901 N 17th St $10

• Oct 11, Noon-3pm: Nonprofit Chili Cook-Off @Cerberus Brewing, 702 W Colorado Ave $12

• Oct 11, Noon-3pm: Indigenous Storytelling with Standing Bear @ Manitou Springs Heritage Museum

• Oct 11, 6:30-8pm: Movies Under the Stars - Barbie @Bristol Brewing FREE

• Oct 11, 7pm: Oxymorons Comedy: Hocus Jokus @Peak Improv Theater, 3440 N Carefree $15 (family friendly)

• Oct 17, 7:30pm: Menopause The Musical 2: Cruising Through ‘The Change’® @Pikes Peak Center $58-$75

• Oct 25, 6-9pm: Murder Mystery, Game Over @Great Wolf Lodge, 9494 Federal Dr $69.95 (8 tickets left - Halloween Costume Show)

• Oct 26, Noon-3pm: Owl Be There Art Class with Renee Darling @Jaks Brewing, 555 Amelia St $75

• Oct 29, 6pm: Secret of Black Forest Bistro Murder Mystery Dinner @6750 Shoup Rd $80

• Nov 8, 8am-noon: Bear Creek Bear Run @Bear Creek Nature Center $20-$65 (Registration open for this fun, family friendly annual event!)

👩‍🌾 Farmers Markets - Weather permitting

• Oct 11, 7am-1pm: OCC Farmers Market @2407 W Colorado Ave (Last one for the season)

• Oct 11, 9am-1pm: Backyard Market @Black Forest, 6845 Shoup Rd (Local produce advertised & Last one for the season)

  • 🌟Stop by this booth…🧄 You HAVE to Taste What They're Growing at The Green Witch Homestead!

• Oct 11 & 18, 10am-2pm: CFAM: The Margarita at Pine Creek, 7350 Pine Creek Rd (Local produce advertised)

• Oct 12, 9am-2pm (Every other Sun, thru Oct 26): COS Sunday Market @Acacia Park, Downtown

• Oct 13 & 15, 10am-5pm (Mon & Wed’s thru Oct 15): Summer Farmers Market @ Western Museum of Mining & Industry, 225 N Gate Blvd

• Oct 15, 3-7pm: Colorado Farm and Art Market (CFAM) @Pioneers Museum, 215 S Tejon (Last one for the season)

• Oct 19, 11am-3pm: Southeast Farmer's Market (Food Coalition) @Stompin' Groundz, 2050 Jet Wing Dr (Last one for the season)

🎶 Fall Concerts - Weather permitting

• Oct 10, 4-7pm: Midnight Rider Band @Mining Exchange Hotel, 8 S Nevada FREE

• Oct 10 & 11, 7:30pm: COS Philharmonic Catch Me If You Can: The Music of John Williams @Pikes Peak Center $58

• Oct 12, 3pm: Pikes Peak Philharmonic: Country @ENT Center for the Arts, 5225 N Nevada $20

🍂 Fall Festivals, Fairs & Activities - Weather permitting

• Oct 10-31 (Fri's 9:30am-2:30pm), (Sat/Sun 9:30-4pm): Pumpkin Fest @Gaither Mountain Blooms, 5210 S Hwy 85 $11.17

• Oct 10-26, 10am-5pm (Every Fri, Sat & Sun): Long Neck Pumpkin Farm @ 7595 California Dr, COS $18

• Oct 10, 11, 17, 18 & 24, 5pm: Manitou Ghost Tours @Manitou Springs Heritage Center, 517 Manitou Ave $19.89

• Oct 11, 8am-2pm (Sat's thru Oct 11): OCC Craft Fair @Old Colorado City History Center, 1 S 24th St

• Oct 11 & 12, 9am-4pm: Sugar Plum Market @Colorado Springs Event Center, 3960 Palmer Park Blvd $7.23

• Oct 11, 9am-3pm: Pick a Pumpkin Fall Festival @ Meanwhile Block, 119 W. Costilla St

• Oct 11, 9am-4pm (Every Sat in Oct), Miner's Pumpkin Patch @ Western Museum of Mining & Industry, 225 North Gate $13

• Oct 11 (9am-4pm) & 12 (10am-3pm): Front Range Maker's Market @Lewis Palmer High School, 1300 Higby Rd, Monument $5

• Oct 11, 11am-3pm: Fall Festival @Active Chiropractic Wellness Center, 2790 N Academy

• Oct 12, 11am-3pm: National Mill Dog Rescue: Pumpkin Paw-ty Family Event @ JD Johnson Rd, Peyton

• Oct 19, various times: Legends & Lore of Fairview Cemetery @OCCHS, 1000 South 26th St $18-$21 (Time slots are selling fast)

• Oct 25, 10am-7pm: Emma Crawford Coffin Races @downtown Manitou

• Oct 25, 9:30am-4pm: Pup-Kin Days @Gather Mountain Blooms, 5210 S Hwy 85 $5.72

• Oct 25, Noon-5pm: Spooktacular Saturday @Everyday Girl Adventures, 2506 W Colorado Ave FREE

• Nov 1, 10am-2pm: Everything but the Oink @Rock Ledge Ranch $8

🥾 Greencrest Trail Loop: Short, Sweet, Scenic

The Greencrest Trail Loop is an easy and accessible 1.5-mile hike on the eastern side of Palmer Park. With just 124 feet of elevation gain, it’s a great pick for families, beginner hikers, or anyone craving a peaceful outdoor reset without straying far from downtown. The loop blends rocky terrain, open views, and the charm of winding singletrack through quiet fields. Leashed dogs are welcome, and kids will enjoy the mild adventure.

While parts of the route may be muddy or a bit slick with loose gravel, it’s a manageable and rewarding trail best enjoyed March through Nov. Be sure to bring a trail map to navigate the less-marked forks and enjoy the solitude if you visit during off-peak hours.

Location: Austin Bluffs & Brenner

• Oct 11, 8:30-11am: Heel Hike Fundraising for Bees @Greencrest Trail, Austin Bluffs & Brenner $30

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