Author: Bill Mckeown
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No Joes here, just plumbers
A handmade sign hanging on the fence outside Herman’s Plumbing Service on South Nevada Avenue announces: “Joe the Plumber works here. Call for appointment.” Actually, there is no Joe at Herman’s. There’s just owner David Lohse, grandson of founder Herman, and three employees. But all of them are real plumbers, unlike the bald dude who…
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Too many skiers give short shrift to buying the right foot gear
Any modern, well-tuned, shaped ski will carve a beautiful arc if tipped on edge and pressured just right. Ski boots are how skis are tipped and pressured. They are the direct link between thought and execution. It’s ironic, then, that the most crucial piece of ski equipment – one that can be used for years…
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Bergeron got late start on slopes
Jeff Bergeron took up skiing in his late teens. Coming late to a sport in which the best skiers are usually cranking turns by age 3 required him to analyze technique rather than rely on visual clues, the way kids often learn. He said that appealed to his technical side, one that has always been…
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Economy a blessing and a curse for thrift shops
The weak economy in the Pikes Peak region has been both a boon and a bane for thrift and consignment stores.Goodwill Industries of Colorado Springs has noticed a decline in the quality of goods donated to the eight stores in the region, including those in Canon City and Woodland Park, said Laura Marth, assistant director…
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GETTING THERE: Austin Bluffs/Union project was long commute
Jeez, you might be asking, how long has it been since crews started building the interchange at Austin Bluffs Parkway and Union Boulevard? Well, let’s put it this way. The same month work started on the $35.7 million intersection, President Bush delivered a State of the Union speech with these words: “A future of hope…
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Constitution and Circle to close Saturday
The busy intersection of Constitution Avenue and Circle Drive will close Saturday for three weeks, forcing the 45,000 or so motorists who pass through the intersection each day to detour to other major streets in the area. The closure is needed so crews can dig up Circle Drive just south of the intersection to install…
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GETTING THERE: Some city authorities still desire streetcars
The last electric streetcar clacked and clanged its way down a Colorado Springs street in 1932. There are some folks who would like to hear that unique sound once again reverberate off downtown buildings – and they plan to do something about it. A coalition that includes the Downtown Partnership, the Downtown Development Authority, the…
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Fill ‘er up! Gas drops below $3 per gallon
Looking for a bright spot in the collapse of America’s economy? Here’s a tiny one: The price of a gallon of regular gas on Wednesday dropped to below $3 at a handful of stations in the region. As of 3:15 p.m., the lowest price in The Gazette’s online Gas Watch feature was $2.89 at the…
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Advice that, frankly, is out of this world
Worried about the stock market? Uncertain which presidential candidate deserves your vote? Fear for the future of our country? Forget about finding wisdom from the blowhards on Fox TV or CNN. Let’s get otherworldly. Let’s take a psychic reading. The Gazette sat down for a reading Sunday at the Colorado Springs Metaphysical Fair, a twice-annual…
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Lenders, borrowers in city encounter mild, if any, strife
The credit crisis roiling Wall Street and big financial institutions worldwide has yet to have a major impact on at least some of the day-to-day borrowing and lending that helps fuel the economy in the Pikes Peak region. Folks are still getting home mortgages.Banks are still making loans for cars and trucks. And small businesses…