COS Town Tidings #26-140

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🤣 Today’s Chuckle

🌟 Local Feature: ✂ Mom Bought A Vinyl Cutter For Dance Lessons…Now Look 👀

📰 You Probably Won't Like This... 😬

📰 Graduation Week: Thunderbirds, Traffic and 900 New Officers 🎓

🛍 New: Bargain Box Weekly Sales, May 19-23!

📆 Local Events + Concerts & Activities

🌦 COS Weather - Mostly cloudy, cool with PM T-storms

🌟 Let’s Feature YOUR business! *New

Every Wednesday, we shine a light on the local entrepreneurs who make Colorado Springs vibrant and unique. When you support these featured businesses, you're investing in our neighbors' dreams and helping build a stronger community by creating jobs and keeping our city thriving. 🤗

We all scroll through photos of milestones that came and went without much fanfare. Now imagine walking into a room where giant illuminated letters spell out your name, where balloons cascade like works of art, where someone thought enough about your special moment to make it unforgettable.

Ten years ago, Ashley Anderson was just a mom with a vinyl cutter and a dream: to afford dance lessons for her daughter Matti. What started as M&M Creations (Mom and Matti) has blossomed into Anderson Designs LLC, a family-run celebration company that's redefining what it means to mark life's meaningful moments in Colorado Springs.

Today, Ashley's husband Jason, a retired veteran with 21 years of service, custom builds every marquee by hand. Their daughters Matti (15), Maci (5), and Marlee (3) each play their part, rom wiring color-changing lights and arranging floral designs, inflating balloons and keeping the workspace tidy. It's more than a business model; it's a testament to showing up for each other.

But what sets Anderson Designs apart isn't just the stunning displays. It's Ashley's belief that everyone deserves to feel truly celebrated. She lights up talking about birthday parties for clients in their eighties who've never experienced such thoughtful recognition. Those moments, she says, 'resonate on a deeper level,' often bringing tears and creating memories that last far beyond the decorations.

In our world of digital overload and constant busyness, Ashley and her family are creating spaces where people pause, connect, and remember what matters. Whether you're planning an intimate home celebration or a large corporate gathering, they bring that same heart to every event.

Ready to make your next milestone unforgettable? Visit AndersonDesignsLLC.net or email Ashley at [email protected] to start the conversation.

Colorado Springs Utilities CEO Travas Deal, is asking for a $150,000 raise, and the vote is on today's agenda. His current salary is $550,014. The proposal would bump him to $625,000 by May 24, then to $700,000 by December 20, in two stages over seven months. The justification? Aligning his pay with the "2025 Large Public Power Council market median."

He is also requesting guaranteed six-month severance if fired without cause, up from the current minimum of three months. The board voting on this is Colorado Springs City Council, the same people your neighbors elected. Full Story

A new week means new treasures! We're giving you a first look at the incredible finds and amazing sales hitting the floor for through May 23 (up to 50% OFF). Watch now to see what's waiting for you!

👉 Remember, you can donate items here too!

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

The Class of 2026 at the U.S. Air Force Academy commissions next Thurs, May 28, at Falcon Stadium, and the buildup begins this week. More than 900 cadets will become officers in the Air Force and Space Force at the 68th commencement ceremony. Graduation week events start this weekend and include the graduation parade, Space Force patching ceremony, and awards ceremonies.

The Thunderbirds are scheduled to practice Wed May 27 from 12:30-5pm, visible from across the city. The fly by follows graduation on the 28th starting around 11:25am.

Heads up for drivers: Stadium Blvd will be closed Wed May 27 from 11am-4pm and Thurs May 28 from 9am-1pm. Expect heavy traffic near the Academy all week. Full Story

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

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🍞 Fresh Baked Sourdough breads, pastries
Nature's Start Bread Company
📍3312 Austin Bluffs (Inside The Cupcake Doctor):
M-Sat, 9am-6pm

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