Author: Pam Zubeck
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Open space in Black Forest to become public land
A wooded preserve nurtured for decades by its private owners will be open to the public later this year as El Paso County’s newest open space addition.The 1,040-acre Pineries Open Space will be handed to the county when developers Mark Morley and Paul Howard file the final plat for the Sanctuary in the Pines subdivision.The…
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Contractors lobby city, county for more work
Contractors wanting more government work got a chilly reception from El Paso County commissioners, who questioned whether taxpayers would be better served by farming out more work. “What guarantee would we have when the economy turns around and contractors have tripled our price?” Commissioner Sallie Clark asked. A group of contractors and residents called Taxpayers…
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Government shows it, too, can tighten the belt
When money’s tight, people cut out eating in restaurants, going on vacation or stopping for a latte. It’s not much different for El Paso County – travel, bottled water and service awards have been whacked. It’s penny pinching for a government that spends a few hundred million dollars each year, but it does show residents…
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1976 academy grad chosen to lead AFA
The head of a major command who attended the Air Force Academy prep school has been nominated to replace retiring Superintendent Lt. Gen. John Regni. President Obama has nominated Maj. Gen. Michael C. Gould as the academy’s 18th superintendent. The appointment would come with a promotion to lieutenant general. Gould is director of operations and…
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Musical chairs to stay in political office
When voters overwhelmingly adopted term limits in Colorado in 1990, the aim was to end political careerism and bring in fresh ideas.It hasn’t quite turned out that way, and El Paso County voters in particular are in for a round of musical chairs in 2010 when office holders scramble to find another government slot when…
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County gets federal cash for neighborhood projects
El Paso County will qualify this year for a federal grant program for the first time in the program’s 35-hear history and hopes to receive $1 million for neighborhood projects.During the past 15 years, the county has received $2.5 million in Community Development Block Grant money through the state, which required matching funds.This year, the…
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Lottery sales shrinking as people cut back
Controversial when voters approved it in 1983, the Colorado Lottery has pumped $2 billion into open space, parks, trails and recreational facilities across the state while creating a few hundred millionaires. Although the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are an astronomical one in 192 million, the promise of instant riches keeps them coming. Odds…
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County suggests fee hike in basin
With construction costs rising and commercial development heating up east of the city, El Paso County commissioners today will consider a sharp hike in fees in the Sand Creek drainage basin. County staffers have proposed that bridge fees increase to $4,110 per impervious acre from $1,653 per acre. Officials estimate that the basin, which contains…
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Election fines often dodged
Getting fined $50 for violating a campaign law isn’t much of a penalty for most candidates or committees promoting a ballot measure. But letting that fine build daily for months or years can be like an albatross around the neck. Or not. Candidates for state offices who violate the Fair Campaign Practices Act and don’t…
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Equipment is showing its cracks, county says
On Monday when a sudden snowstorm blanketed El Paso County, less than two-thirds of the county’s snowplows were on the road. The others were down for repairs. It’s a symptom of an aging fleet that will only get worse because the county can’t afford to replace the equipment, county officials say. “January 12 illustrates a…