COS Town Tidings #25-350

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🤣 Today’s Chuckle

📰 Lane Closures Near I-25 🚧

📰 Premiums Rising: Options Still Available 🏥

📰 His Stories Shaped Generations 🎬

🎄 Trivia Time: Which New Springs Market Shocked Organizers?

🛍 New: Bargain Box Weekly Sales, Dec 16-20!

📆 Local Events + Concerts & 🤶 Holiday Fairs/Festivals

🌤 COS Weather - Mostly sunny with ridiculously above average temps

If you travel Garden of the Gods Road near I-25, expect overnight lane closures east of I-25 as crews continue work on new traffic signals near Northpark Drive and Mark Dabling. Two lanes in both directions will close nightly tonight and tomorrow night. One lane will remain open each way. Construction activity will include safety barriers, lighting, heavy equipment, and workers on foot. Late night and early morning travels should be extra cautious when in this area.

A new week means new treasures! We're giving you a first look at the incredible finds and amazing sales hitting the floor for Dec 16-20. Watch now to see what's waiting for you! This week get items from $1 to 75% OFF!

Location: 405 S Nevada Ave, Open Tues - Sat 10am-2pm. (719) 475-1029

Even though yesterday’s Dec 15 deadline to secure health coverage starting January 1 has passed, Coloradans still have time to enroll during open enrollment through Jan 15, with coverage beginning Feb 1. This reminder comes as officials warn that health insurance premiums in parts of Southern Colorado, especially El Paso County, could rise significantly in 2026. Despite that concern, expanded state-funded assistance is helping many residents keep costs low, particularly for individuals and families earning moderate incomes.

Enrollment numbers are currently down compared to last year, but health leaders stress that shopping around, using cost-estimator tools, and getting free expert help can uncover plans that remain within reach for many households. Full Story

Although the details surrounding Rob Reiner’s (and his wife’s) deaths (their son is currently in custody) are painful and still unfolding, for many in our community, this moment is about pausing to honor a once-in-a-lifetime storyteller whose work became part of our collective memory. From heartfelt coming-of-age tales to timeless comedies and courtroom dramas, Reiner helped define what movies could mean in our lives. Lines like “As you wish,” “I’ll have what she’s having,” and “You can’t handle the truth” aren’t just quotes, they’re shared moments, repeated across decades, reminding us where we were when we first heard them.

Rob’s films gave us laughter, love, bravery, and belonging, and while his passing is a deep loss, the stories he told will continue to live on, quoted, cherished, and passed down for generations.

Rob was the director of these iconic films, including This Is Spinal Tap (1984), Stand By Me, The Princess Bride (1987), and A Few Good Men (1992), among others.

💸 Watch Erik's no-nonsense, 60 second financial tip (updated monthly)

Did you know Colorado Springs just joined a 500‑year‑old European holiday tradition? Christkindlmarkets began in German-speaking Europe as open‑air Christmas markets with wooden huts, handmade gifts, and hot spiced wine, meant to bring light and community to dark winter nights.

In traditional German Christkindlmarkets, what warm holiday drink is considered the classic market beverage?

In Colorado, that tradition has been nurtured for 25+ years by the German American Chamber of Commerce–Colorado Chapter through the Denver Christkindlmarket, which now draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each season.​

This year, for the first time, that same group has brought a full Christkindlmarket to Bancroft Park in Old Colorado City (Dec 18-23, noon-8pm.) Featuring 10 wooden huts, imported German food and drinks, and nightly entertainment in a cozy Alpenhütte, all with FREE admission and a focus on local vendors and performers. It taps into the deep German heritage in the Pikes Peak region and gives Colorado Springs its own storybook-style market right in the heart of historic OCC.​

Because this is the market’s debut year, organizers did not fully anticipate the crowds, so early feedback has been mixed as vendors, neighbors, and visitors all adjust to the new tradition. If your schedule allows, consider stopping by, enjoying the lights and treats, and giving the event a chance to grow, your visit this year helps shape what could become one of Old Colorado City’s signature winter traditions.​

Answer: Glühwein, hot mulled red wine spiced with ingredients like cloves and cinnamon, which many German cities serve in special souvenir mugs that change design each year.

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