COS Town Tidings #26-181

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🤣 Today’s Chuckle

📰 Fireworks Shows Canceled: Here's What's Still On 🎆

📰 Make An Impact Locally 🤝

📰 Hazy Skies? 😷

🏔️ Trivia Time: What Happened On Pikes Peak?

🛍 New: Bargain Box Weekly Sales! (Closed July 4th)

📅 Local Events + Concerts, Farmers Markets & Special Events

🌤 COS Weather - Mostly sunny and hazy (wildfire smoke), hot and windy

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*International Asteroid Day today

This year's official Colorado Springs fireworks show has been called off due to fire risk, and it's not alone. Fast-moving wildfires and drought conditions across Southern Colorado pushed several other Fourth of July shows to cancel too, even as the country marks its 250th birthday.

The good news: the holiday isn't canceled, just rerouted. The Star-Spangled Symphony & Fourth of July show is still on at Ford Amphitheater, with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic performing before the fireworks go up. You can also catch shows at Banning Lewis Ranch (9:15-9:30pm) and Palmer Lake (starting 9:15pm), or watch from the stands at the Switchbacks FC game (tickets required).

With fire danger this high, double-check any show's status before you head out, conditions are changing fast. Full Story

If you're looking for a way to make a lasting impact in our community, this could be a great opportunity. Mayor Yemi is accepting applications to fill 2 openings on the Colorado Springs Health Foundation Board of Trustees.

The Foundation invests in programs that improve the health and well-being of people throughout the Pikes Peak region. Officials are especially looking for applicants with experience in finance or investment management, public health, or older adult care. Board members help guide funding decisions, provide oversight, and shape the Foundation's long-term direction.

Applications are open to qualified residents of El Paso and Teller counties and must be submitted by Wed, July 15 at 5pm.

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

Smoke from wildfires is already affecting air quality across the Pikes Peak region, and experts expect we'll likely experience more smoky days as fire season ramps up. Fine particles in wildfire smoke can irritate your eyes and lungs, making it harder to breathe, even if you're otherwise healthy. The best protection is to stay indoors when smoke is heavy, keep windows and doors closed, and use an air conditioner set to recirculate or an air purifier if you have one. If your home becomes smoky, creating one "clean air room" with a portable air filter can help.

If you need to be outside, wear an N95 mask when appropriate and avoid strenuous activities like running or yard work. If smoke lingers indoors and you have serious health concerns, spending time in a cleaner indoor environment, such as a library, mall, or community building, may also provide some relief. As we head into what could be a difficult wildfire season, keeping an eye on daily air quality will become just as important as checking the weather. 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 June 30-July 3 (New Deals). 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

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

As the country gets ready to turn 250 this Saturday, here's a piece of American history with Colorado Springs roots: one of the nation's best-loved patriotic songs started right here, on top of Pikes Peak.

In the summer of 1893, Katharine Lee Bates, an English professor visiting from Wellesley College to teach a summer term at Colorado College, rode a wagon to the 14,115-foot summit of Pikes Peak. Looking out over the view, she was struck by the moment and jotted the first lines of a poem in her notebook, then finished them back at her room at the original Antlers Hotel downtown.

Question: Which group of people did Katharine advocate for in her writing?

Bates's poem was first published on July 4, 1895, in a church periodical called The Congregationalist, under the simple title "America." The words we know as "purple mountain majesties" describe the very view she saw from the summit of Pikes Peak that day.

It took another 15 years for the poem to find its now-famous tune. In 1910, it was paired with "Materna," a hymn melody composer Samuel A. Ward had written separately years earlier, and the song was finally given the title we sing today: "America the Beautiful."

Answer: She was known for championing the role of women, the poor, people of color, and immigrants.

So this year, as Colorado Springs marks its own 150th anniversary alongside the nation's 250th, it's worth remembering: one of America's most beloved songs about its own beauty was written right here, looking out from our backyard mountain. Source

🍞 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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