Author: Pam Zubeck
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County government phones supposed to be fixed Tuesday
It’s not that El Paso County workers don’t want to talk to the public. It’s that they can’t. County phone numbers were malfunctioning this morning in various ways. The Treasurer’s Office phones were ringing without anyone answering. “The county’s having phone problems, and we’re swamped because we sent out delinquent notices last week,” Treasurer Sandra…
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Space Foundation invites memories of Apollo 11 moon landing
It launched a new era of modern history and was viewed on TV by an estimated 500 million people worldwide. The historic event on July 20, 1969, had people riveted to their television sets to watch astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first men to walk on the moon. The Colorado Springs-based Space…
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High-speed passenger rail being planned between El Paso and Denver
Colorado will partner with New Mexico and Texas to apply for a high-speed rail corridor designation between El Paso and Denver, through New Mexico, Gov. Bill Ritter announced Thursday. It’s the first step toward bringing high-speed train service to a 700-mile route that advocates say is key to economic development. The application comes at a…
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Drivers turned off by higher vehicle registration fees
Increased motor vehicle registration fees, that went into effect July 1, are getting a hostile reception from drivers in El Paso County. Clerk and Recorder Bob Balink said he’s fielded 20 phone calls a day, e-mail complaints and angry customers at Motor Vehicle Department offices. “It’s absolutely insane,” he said of the increases, which in…
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Petitions circulating on grab bag of 2010 ballot measures
If petition circulators are successful, Colorado voters will have the usual menu of controversial proposals to pore over on the November 2010 ballot. The four measures, ranging from recognizing same-sex marriage to barring the state from borrowing, have been OK’d for circulation by state officials. Operating under new rules this year, circulators have six months…
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Jones sets sights on retaking county commission seat
Ed Jones, defeated for a second state Senate term in 2006, will seek a seat on the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners.Jones’ filing widens to five the field of Republicans seeking the seat now held by Jim Bensberg, who’s barred from re-election by term limits. The other candidates are Peggy Littleton, state board…
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Jones throws hat back into county ring
Ed Jones, defeated for a second state senate term in 2006, will seek a seat on the El Paso County Board of County Commissioners.Jones’ filing last month widens to five the field of Republicans seeking the seat now held by Jim Bensberg, who’s barred from re-election by term limits.The other candidates are state education board…
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Ballot-measure petition drives in motion
If petition circulators are successful, Colorado voters will have the usual menu of controversial proposals to pore over on the November 2010 ballot.The four measures, ranging from recognizing same-sex marriage to barring the state from borrowing, have been OK’d for circulation by state officials.Operating under new rules, circulators have six months to collect 76,047 valid…
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Con shuttle slashes sheriff’s extradition costs
Staci Bengogullari hunts for grocery specials and scours department stores for deals on kids’ clothing. She’s a penny-pincher, in other words. So it’s no surprise that Bengogullari almost single-handedly reshaped how the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office brings fugitives to Colorado Springs. Her adept use of the Internet, contractors and a free interagency network are…
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Officials: Budget cuts, deferred repairs have county on the ropes
Monnie Gore figures it’s just a matter of time before El Paso County government comes to a screeching halt. Gore, deputy county administrator, oversees the county’s facilities, including air conditioning, heating, electrical systems, roofs and parking lots. Facilities have been starved of funding for major repairs and preventive maintenance for years due to budget cuts.…