Parks tainted with pot

Richard Skorman’s recent opinion in The Gazette on the Ray Nixon coal-fired plant, etc., certainly raises residents’ concerns about breathing.

One thing he may have forgotten to mention is the air in our parks. It smells like marijuana. When I go for walks and see families with children and other park-goers, it’s not merely filled with fresh air and sunshine — unfortunately, it is redolent of the smell of marijuana.

Janice Taylor

Colorado Springs

Compassionate end-of-life care

I urge residents of Colorado Springs to engage with our elected officials about a pressing humanitarian and public health issue: deaths among people experiencing homelessness. In 2025 alone, 118 individuals in our city died due to homelessness-related causes, many facing their final moments alone and without adequate care.

A recent 9News documentary titled Refuge highlights a critical gap in our resources. Hospice care in the United States is largely designed for those with stable housing and family support, leaving unhoused individuals without access to any end-of-life services. Too often, people die on the streets, in cheap motels, or in hospitals that are not equipped to provide compassionate end-of-life care.

This is both a moral and systemic failure at the intersection of housing and healthcare. In many cases, hospitals serve as the default, yet daily costs run from $2,000 to $10,000, while specialized hospice-style facilities could deliver better care for between $200 to $400 per day. Effective solutions require three essential components: stable housing, round-the-clock care, and sustainable funding.

As our unhoused population grows and ages, this issue is becoming more urgent. Naturally, expanding access to affordable housing is the most effective way to reduce this need for end-of-life care among people currently experiencing homelessness. Additionally, creating small-scale, hospice-style care options will improve dignity in people’s final days while reducing strain on public resources.

Caring for our most vulnerable residents at the end of life is both a humanitarian responsibility and a practical investment in the well-being of our community. As we envision a community where everyone can thrive, let’s factor in the need for hospice services for those who are disadvantaged. And, if care for every individual isn’t motivation enough, the cost burden on our city and taxpayers certainly is.

Donna Wintz

Colorado Springs

More than just an ‘incident’

I was disappointed about the wording of the headline on the front page of the Sunday edition of the Gazette which read, “Trump unhurt after incident”. To me, what happened at the annual White House Correspondents Dinner on the preceding Saturday night was more than just an “incident”.

In the tenth paragraph of the article, it was finally written that this “was the third time since 2024 that the president had been under threat by an attacker in his immediate vicinity”. In this particular situation, the assailant was armed with guns and knives and was in the lobby outside of where the event was being held. He even opened fire on a law enforcement officer, who only survived because of the type of bulletproof vest he was wearing.

The hatred for this president has gotten out of hand, thanks to the media (both newspapers and television), podcasts, and social media. Freedom of speech does not include killing someone just because you disagree with that person. People who do this sort of thing really are (mentally) sick. I agree with the President.

This is a good reason to have a ballroom built in the White House. There would be better layers of security when a president is attending, since it seems there is not the necessary security at other venues. Future presidents would benefit from it, as well. The bunker underneath the ballroom would also be a safe place for the head of state.

May these types of attacks stop, and may we celebrate our nation’s 250th Anniversary as the United States of America.

Erna Haring

Colorado Springs

Evil people in public office

Well, now we have another attempt on our President. When are the left-wing loonies in Congress going to stop spreading lies about President Donald Trump and endangering his life?

The likes of Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer constantly telling lies on television are creating a serious threat to Trump. and they don’t care.  Americans need to wake up and realize that a major threat to our democracy is Jeffries and Schumer. Please vote correctly and vote these evil people out of office.

Don’t change your vote because there’s a war going on and gas prices have gone up. This war is not going to last long and oil companies wil use any excuse to raice prices They were higher during the Biden years and we heard no complaints from the left.. Please don’t let them have control of the house. If you do, we’re done as a nation.

Eric DesPres

Calhan