COS Town Tidings #26-002

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🤣 Today’s Chuckle

📰 The Secret to Goals That Stick ⏳

📰 Tax Filing Delayed Again? 💸

📰 Health Inspectors Shut This Restaurant Down 🍜

Recipe: 🥗 Thai-Style Slaw with Peanuts and Ramen Noodles

🛍 Bargain Box - Up to 50% OFF

📆 Local Events + Concerts, Fairs/Festivals, Activities

🌤 COS Weather - Partly cloudy, breezy with above average temps again

Recreation: 🥾 A Peaceful Mountain Walk - H.B. Wallace Reserve

Resolution: Wake up earlier

👉Reality: I now wake up earlier… to hit snooze more times 🤣

⏳ The Secret to Goals That Stick

I've seen this pattern repeatedly. The 80% failure rate for resolutions isn't a character flaw, it's a planning problem. We set huge goals without a roadmap, then crash by February.

What if we started getting more specific? Instead of "get fit," start with "walk 15 minutes daily." Tiny and specific. Lay out your workout clothes the night before. It removes friction when motivation is low. Treat setbacks as data, not failure. Missing one workout doesn't erase progress. You just start again the next day.

Consistency beats perfection. Your goals won't fail from a lack of willpower. They succeed or fail based on whether your strategy matches how humans actually change.

Here’s a good article from the El Paso County Dept of Health on setting goals that stick.

👵 From "Too Fragile" To Daily Adventures... with Kristen Nielsen

🛍 Bargain Box: This Week's Hot Deals! (Through Sat, Jan 3)

A new week means new treasures! We're giving you a first look at the incredible finds and amazing sales hitting the floor through Jan 3 (up to 50% OFF). Watch now to see what's waiting for you!

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

• —> 🤲 They Have 5,000 Reasons to Work for Free

💸 Tax Filing Delayed Again?

As W-2s start landing in mailboxes, local tax professionals say Colorado taxpayers should brace for a delayed start to state e-filing, similar to last year, as updates tied to recent federal legislation are still being finalized. While the IRS is expected to open earlier, Colorado’s system may lag behind, so patience will be key.

This tax season also brings expanded child tax credits adjusted for inflation, new income thresholds, and a shift toward mandatory electronic payments at both the federal and state levels. On the bright side, early economic projections suggest eligible filers could see a modest TABOR refund folded into their overall return, making preparation now a smart move for a smoother filing experience later. Full Story

• Need local tax help? Check out 🍸 The Bartender Who Became Colorado Springs' Tax Hero 

🎯 The Secret to Financial Confidence You Deserve

🍜 Health Inspectors Shut This Restaurant Down

Routine restaurant health inspections across Colorado Springs brought a mix of tough reminders and encouraging turnarounds. A few spots landed on the watch list with serious concerns that need attention, while others wrapped up the year showing strong food safety practices and consistency.

👉 Recently Failed, waiting re-inspection:

These locations were flagged for multiple violations and will need to correct issues before moving forward.

• Pikes Poke Bowl
  📍 9290 Highland Rdg Hts Ste 110
  ❌ Closed – Re-Inspection Required

  • Ordered closed after repeated failed inspections

  • Temperature control issues with hot and cold foods

  • Cooling and storage violations

  • Lack of certified food protection managers

  • Requires corrective action plan, meeting with Health Dept., and $500 penalty before reopening
     

• Jannat Indian Restaurant
  📍 8041 Woodmen Center Heights Ste 150
  ⚠️ 9 violations – Re-Inspection Required

🥇 Top Scores! These spots either passed with flying colors—or showed meaningful improvement.

✅ High Scores or Passed Re-inspection:

• China Menu Restaurant
  📍 N Powers & Briargate
  ✔️ Passed Re-Inspection (Dec. 29)

  • Previously cited for cross-contamination risks and cleanliness issues

  • Entering the new year with a clean slate (by passing follow-up re-inspection)

   

• Aroi Thai Food
  📍 1025 N Academy
  ✔️ Pass Re-inspection from last week – Now Only 4 Violations
   

• Cogstone Brewing Company
  📍 3858 Village 7 Rd, COS
  ✔️ Pass
   

• Colorado Pinball Pub
  📍 303 W HWY 105, Monument
  ✔️ Pass

  • Family-friendly, retro-fun atmosphere

  • Solid inspection results for a newer local favorite

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. 

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🥗 Thai-Style Slaw with Peanuts and Ramen Noodles

This lively no-cook slaw with ramen noodles is perfect for anytime you’re craving something bright and sustaining.

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

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📆 Sample Local Events

*Weather permitted

• Jan 2-4, 1-4 PM: 3-Hour Original Colorado Springs Food Tour @1 Tejon St $69-$87

• Jan 2, 2-4pm: Movie Matinee - Ocean's 8 @ Cheyenne Mountain Library FREE

• Jan 2, 5-9pm: First Friday Art Walk @ Downtown COS

  • Stop by Gallery 113 🖼️ Where Art Speaks to Your Soul

• Jan 2, 6–7:30pm: Owls of the Night @ Fountain Creek Nature Center $5–$6

• Jan 3, 7:30pm: The RiP Improv: Artificial Intelligence @The MAT, 1626 S Tejon $17.50

• Jan 4, 6pm: Swing 'n Jam Gatsby Gala @ 2103 N Weber $8-$10

• Jan 6, 2-3pm: Listening To The Quiet Voice Within: A Talk On Intuition @ Treehouse Cafe $20

  • —> With Laurel: 👁️‍🗨️ The Strength To Endure Comes From This.

• Jan 9 & 28, 9am-5pm: Dog Days at the Zoo @ Cheyenne Mtn Zoo

• Jan 9-11: Dinosaur Adventure @ COS Event Center $25-$99

• Jan 9, 6pm: Soap Making Class @ Meraki Springs, 2703 W Colorado Ave $65

• Jan 9, 6:30-8:30pm: Sound Emersion - Planetary Gongs @ 17717 Leisure Lake Dr, Monument $75

• Jan 10, 11am-3pm: Winter Wellness: New Beginnings @ 11720 Woodmen Hills Dr, Peyton FREE entry

• Jan 10, 4-8pm: 2nd Annual Hope Blooms Benefit @ Phantom Canyon Brewing, 2 E Pikes Peak Ave $80+

• Jan 10, 6-9pm: Murder Mystery, The Hollywood Hit @Great Wolf Lodge, 9494 Federal Dr $79.95

• Jan 10, 7pm: Droppin' the Ball: After New Years Comedy Show! @ Peak Improv Theater, 440 N Carefree $15

  • —> 🎬 What If Your Second Act Is The Main Event?

• Jan 17, 10-11:30am: Build a Bird with Bricks & Minifigs @ Fountain Creek Nature Center $25 (Prepaid registration required)

• Feb 12-Mar 1: The Roommate @ Fine Arts Center, 30 West Dale St $30-$60

🎶 Concerts

• Jan 10-11: The Human Equation @ Ent Center for the Arts $18-$41

• Feb 6, 7pm: Three Dog Night @ Pikes Peak Center $63-$260

• Jan 24 (7:30pm) & 25 (2:30pm), 7:30pm: Brahms / Tchaikovsky @ Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts, 190 S Cascade $57-$120

• Feb 22, 3pm: Pikes Peak Philharmonic: Pops @ENT Center for the Arts, 5225 N Nevada $14-$20

🎉 Holiday Festivals, Fairs & Activities

• ⛸ Through - Jan 18: Skate In The Park @Acacia Park $15

• 🕯 Through Jan 3, Fri & Sat (5:30-10pm): Magic of Lights at Pikes Peak International Raceway (PPIR) $28-$72/vehicle

• Christmas Lights Guide - COS, Manitou & Woodland Park

• Jan 10-Feb 21: Ice Castles @ Cripple Creek $16-$29 (tickets on sale now)

   

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🥾 A Peaceful Mountain Walk - H.B. Wallace Reserve

Think Colorado is all crowds and trailhead traffic?

Most people skip this hidden spot and that’s what makes it perfect.

• 🌲 Quiet pine-shaded trails

• 🦉 Hear nothing but birds and your boots

• 🐾 Wildlife like mule deer and foxes

• 🎨 Art and sculptures tucked into nature

• 🧭 Linked into a full trail system, but still feels like your own backyard

H.B. Wallace Reserve in Green Mountain Falls is where the pace slows down.

No race to the top. No packed parking lots. No noise.

Locals come for:

• Peyote Pass: peaceful and lightly trodden

• Castle Rock Trail: views without the rush

• Fat Man’s Squeeze: quirky, narrow fun

• Aspen stands that light up gold in the fall

Bring water. Wear solid shoes. Walk slow.

This isn’t a bucket-list selfie stop, it’s where you come to breathe.

Location: Accessed from Green Mountain Falls near Mountain Road, near the town’s trail system (check local trail maps for the best entry points).

• Parking: Limited street and public parking available in town.

• Hours: Open daily, dawn to dusk.

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