The Colorado Springs Gazette

Summer Heat Academy gives girls a chance to build confidence, learn about fire service

Before she began to perform CPR, Skylar Sypher looked at her sister Taylor for guidance. The two were motioning back at forth to each other, communicating what Skylar needed to do to correctly administer the procedure. Then, the 18-year-old started pumping on a dummy's chest, mimicking the potentially life-saving technique. It was one of...
Hidden in cracks and crevices, Miller moths once again invade Colorado homes

For my middle-of-the-night visits to our home's smallest room, I'm usually alone. But not lately. Nocturnal moths have invaded our home. Sometimes hidden in a hung towel or closet crack, these inch-long moths are everywhere. Yesterday one burst upward at my son from beneath a closed toilet seat lid. Yikes! Well, at least he was lifting the...
El Paso County Fair kicks off with animals and fun

The El Paso County Fair opened bright and early Saturday morning with a 4-H dog show and a breeding Boer goat show. The fair in Calhan dubbed "Cowboy Boots & Country Roots" went on non-stop until 9 p.m. with gunfighters, comedians a kids' tractor pull and a homebrew contest. The seven-day festival has been part of county history since...
Fort Carson 4th on 3rd event draws thousands from around the region

When Fort Carson throws a birthday party, everybody is invited. More than 9,000 soldiers, family members and civilians from the community attended Fort Carson's 4th on the 3rd celebration at Iron Horse Park for fun, food, music and fireworks. The free event organized by Fort Carson Moral Welfare and Recreation was open to the community and...
Keeping documents, artifacts safe when disaster hits

Tim Blevins and Dennis Daily, who manage the special collections at the Penrose Library, carry small pocket-size planners at all times. When unfurled, they have access to everything they need to know in case of disaster - how to call FEMA and first responders, facilities layouts, location of building shutoffs and fire extinguishers, and how to...
Heart pounds, eyes close on tallest waterslide

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Halfway up the 264 stairs leading to the top of the world's tallest waterslide, it was clear this was the most breathtaking ride I'd ever encountered. And that was before I stepped foot in the raft. Two-thirds of the way up the circular stairs is a sign that says I've reached the height of the Statue of Liberty. A few...
Dining review: Her Story Café a good fit, even near books

As much as I loved libraries when I was a kid, I would have never considered eating my lunch - or anything else - in one, and I am fairly confident the librarians would have frowned upon the idea. Libraries and attitudes change, and I have to admit that eating near books, especially in Library 21C, the Pikes Peak Library District's newest,...
TESSA of Colorado Springs gets 12K grant for domestic violence prevention

TESSA of Colorado Springs has received a grant for funding a domestic violence prevention program designed for men and boys. The $12,382 grant, awarded by the Verizon Foundation, will provide funding for TESSA's "Building Healthy Relationships" school outreach program, the organization said Thursday. "Educating men and boys to be allies in...
El Paso County Fair opens Saturday with several 'characters'

A man with a thousand voices is one of the stars at this summer's El Paso County Fair. OK, maybe not a thousand, but definitely at least a dozen. Joe Gandelman, a ventriloquist from San Diego, will perform daily with about 12 of his characters at the fair in Calhan. It opens Saturday and runs through July 26. "I always like performing,"...