Property tax portal

The El Paso County Treasurer’s Office has updated the name to the portal that allows residential and business property owners to prepay their property taxes in smaller, manageable monthly payments.

The program, previously offered by escrowtaxes.com is now offered through Equapay.com. It remains a secure platform that helps taxpayers manage and pay their property taxes through automated monthly payments.

“We encourage taxpayers to enroll in EquaPay as our preferred monthly payment platform.” said Chuck Broerman, El Paso County Treasurer. “This option provides taxpayers flexibility in managing their property taxes. Both residents and business owners alike, will be able to budget and plan ahead with confidence.”

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Dock opens

The ribbon was cut for the new dock at Rampart Reservoir on June 8.

The project was completed last month to provide an ADA-accessible dock for boating access to the reservoir. The decision to replace the 56-year-old dock stems from safety and cost concerns after needing to replace rotten boards nearly every year.

“We are excited to provide enhanced access for boaters on the Rampart Reservoir,” said Pikes Peak District Ranger Carl Bauer. “We thank our partners who worked with us on this project. Their support is critical for ensuring a safe, enjoyable experience for recreationists.”

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Forest Service app

The Forest Service has launched a new visitor-information mobile app, National Forests and Grasslands, now available for download as visitors plan their summer trips to recreation sites across the National Forest System. The app provides complete and accurate collection of Forest Service recreation sites along with important planning tools like critical safety alerts, closures, amenity details and more.

“Due to the sheer size and remote nature of our 165,000 miles of trails and more than 30,000 recreation sites, we know that mobile service can be limited once you reach your destination,” said Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz. “We encourage everyone to download the National Forests and Grasslands app – your own pocket-sized Forest Service guide – to check trail conditions, download offline maps, and view safety alerts before your trip.”

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Education accolades

• Griffin Adams of Larkspur graduated from Bucknell University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree.

• Nicholas Aiden Berthelotte from Lewis-Palmer High School and Rhett Jones from Palmer Ridge High School were recipients of National Merit University of Alabama Scholarships. Officials of each sponsor college selected their scholarship winners from among program finalists who plan to attend their institution.

• Danika Wolford from Palmer Lake has been named to the Spring 2026 dean’s list at Radford University.

• Monument’s Amara Langstaff was named to Slippery Rock University’s dean’s list for the Spring 2026 semester.

•  Kaylee Barker of Monument was named to the dean’s list for the Spring 2026 semester at Quinnipiac University.