Run for city council

The City of Woodland Park invites leaders, engaged citizens, and community members with a voice and vision to consider serving. The next municipal election will take place in April, and preparations are officially underway.

Nomination petitions are now available for open city council seats for pickup and circulation. Completed petitions must be returned to the city clerk’s office no later than Jan. 26 at 5 p.m.

For additional information about Elections in Woodland Park, including candidate and voter resources, please visit: https://woodlandpark.gov/166/Elections

Tree recycling

Free Christmas tree recycling is available until Jan. 16.

The City of Woodland Park, in partnership with Apex Waste of Teller County, is providing residents with a free dumpster for recycling their Christmas trees. Place your undecorated tree in the dumpster behind City Hall, located off Lake and Pine Street.

Please remove all decorations and place the tree inside the dumpster, not next to it or leaned onto it.

Missing children found

Two “critically missing” children from Connecticut were found in Manitou Springs after being missing for more than two months, the U.S. Marshals Service in the district of Colorado announced last week.

The two children, ages 3 and 12, were reported missing Oct. 16 and were found Dec. 19, at a home in Manitou Springs, according to a news release from the Marshals Service. Also found and arrested at the residence was their mother, Angela Hunt.

The Marshals Service told Courier news partner KOAA that Hunt was wanted for first-degree custodial interference after leaving Connecticut with her children. The children are now in the care of Child Protective Services.

Mountain lion attack

Colorado wildlife officials euthanized two mountain lions on New Year’s Day after they suspected the predators killed a woman in Larimer County.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife said it is investigating after hikers reported seeing a mountain lion near a person who was lying on the ground around 12:15 p.m. on the Crosier Mountain trail. The victim was later identified as 46-year-old Kristen Marie Kovatch of Fort Collins.

The mountain lion was about 100 yards from the woman’s body. The hikers scared the animal away by throwing rocks at it. They tried to help the woman but couldn’t find a pulse, officials said.

Wildlife officials, deputies from Larimer County and Estes Park police responded to the area and used dogs to track the scent of the mountain lion. Officials found and euthanized two mountain lions.

Education accolades

Samuel Johnson of Woodland Park was named to the Dean’s Honor List at Cedarville University , an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio.

Cayla Mallett of Woodland Park has been named to Southern New Hampshire University’s fall 2025 President’s List.

Kathryn Hamlow of Woodland Park as named to the dean’s list at Central College in Pella, Iowa.

Net growth

Colorado is the No. 23 growth state of 2025, according to U-Haul® Growth Index migration data analyzing one-way customer transactions from the past calendar year.

Colorado catapults 17 spots from its No. 40 ranking in 2024 to regain its status as a net-gain state with more U-Haul customers coming than going — a claim it has made five of the last six years.

U-Haul customers arriving in Colorado accounted for 50.1% of all one-way traffic in and out of the state.