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News
Adoptive family seeks award for bomb dog that went to war
News Published: Wed, June 19, 2013
Ruby and Wade Ridpath with their combat veteran dog, Carlos, who served five years as an explosive-detecting dog in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Ridpaths nominated Carlos for the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards in the military dog category. by Erin Prater erin.prater@gazette.com – “Bring him home.” As Ruby Ridpath typed those words into an [...]
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- Bernie Herpin may face Sen. John Morse in recall, if he gets signatures
- FIRE NOTEBOOK: Reception canceled for Waldo exhibit
- Red flag fire warning for El Paso County, dry conditions all week
- Man in custody after traffic stop
- UPDATES: New areas to open temporarily Wednesday morning to Black Forest fire residents
Life
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s ‘gentlest giraffe’ dies at age 32
Life Published: Tue, June 18, 2013
Courtesy of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo The Gazette – The most recognizable giraffe at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, known for her unique, nearly all-white coloring, died Tuesday morning due to complications of old age. Becky, a 32-year-old reticulated giraffe, had been on a “quality of life watch” for about a year and a half, the [...]
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A&E
DOG DAYS OF SUMMER: The dogs who went Hollywood
Arts & Entertainment Published: Tue, June 18, 2013
by t.d. mobley-martinez tracy@coloradosprings.com – I love dogs. And I’m not alone. Which is probably why they have found themselves pictured or portrayed since men began to walk upright. Cave paintings and Egyptian murals. Those “Blue Dog” paintings. Tin Tin’s Snowy, L. Frank Baum’s Toto in “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” Astro, Scooby Doo and [...]
Sports
Sky Sox use Chris Volstad’s pitching, solid defense to top Tacoma 4-1
Sports Published: Tue, June 18, 2013
by JOE PAISLEY joe.paisley@gazette.com – Colorado Springs starter Chris Volstad got into a rhythm and the Sky Sox defense came up with three big double plays to down Tacoma 4-1 Tuesday night. The first two double plays ended Rainier scoring threats in the second and seventh innings and the final, a line drive grab by [...]
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- Former Rockie Esmil Rogers shuts down former team in 8-3 Toronto victory
- Northern Colorado football camp entry fees given to Red Cross after fire
- Subhead
- KLEE: With limited roster, CSU football must rely on flexibility of coaches
- McBride and Paulsen can’t carry Colorado Springs Sky Sox to victory in 12-7 loss to Las Vegas
Business
New hires, promotions & honors
Business Published: Wed, June 19, 2013
The Gazette – Tom Reiter has been named chief executive officer and president of Rocky Mountain Health Care Services, which provides a continuum of services to people who are elderly, blind, brain injured, disabled or living with diabetes or AIDS. Reiter will start July 1. He has more than 23 years experience in health-care organizations, [...]
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Military
Army show at home base brings a case of nerves for Fort Carson soldier
Military Published: Mon, June 10, 2013
In The Soldier Show, the stars of the show are not only performers, but soldiers. The Soldier Show travels the world to entertain our soldiers and their families. The show came to Ft. Carson on Thursday, May 30, 2013. (Jerilee Bennett, The Gazette) by erin prater erin.prater@gazette.com – hen the Army’s “Soldier Show” rolled into [...]
Gary Busey makes it sounds like he has been fighting in Middle East with his life on the line everyday.
The city managers letter to employees is a complete line of ______
Colorado Springs council continued a huge mistake with Kramer and continued with Graft in regards to total incompetence. Neither one of them has the intestinal fortitude to do what is really required. Get rid of all of the employees over $100k, those position are not required in most cases as they are redundant. Get rid of the equipment and eliminate employees, JUST AS PRIVATE ENTERPRISE HAS DONE!!
“While I am moving on, you have chosen to remain. For that, you have my admiration, as you have chosen to stay for at least another day, knowing what threatens your future.”
Is she trying to encourage people to leave their jobs? Natural attrition
I believe what she was referring to is the fact city employees on all levels have been beat down by the city council and the newspaper media. It is ridiculous how city employees are now made to feel they do not deserve the salaries they earn. And yes, I do say EARNED. This has always been a dedicated hard group of individuals whom have taken great pride in the jobs they do. And have volunteered many hours of their own time to serve the community you and I live in. Then you get council members like TG, who has proven he does not know how to earn his own living, speak horrible of Fire and Police personnel. He has continually tried to make the workers feel that they are taking money from the city, and it is just not true. We live in a sad community when citizens look at our Fire and Police like they are 2nd class citizens taking food from the mouths of babies. I would like to think than when the grass fire is burning out of control, or my home is broken into I have a highly qualified workforce protecting me. Shame on this community for making the city employees feel like they should look elsewhere for employment and appreciation. This is what your city manager was implying; stop trying to read something else into it! Give our workers a break. If you think they are paid so well, go apply for the jobs yourself-I think you will learn they earn their paycheck!
Great and heart felt letter that says a lot in few words. It is unfortunate that many who vote here are so personally disdainful of those who work here. I have never been in the employ of this ‘thankless” group of people. I own property and pay taxes here.
There are many who are totally tied to an emotion driven ideology of give me everything for nothing. They will always be with us. What is distressing is the number of people who cling themselves to these out dated ideologies to the detriment of our community, Many here will not be happy as long as there is any concept of paying for any service. Especially at a competitive rate. There is a genuine attitude of “how cheap can we be and still have someone serve us”? I do not subscribe to this. I want and am willing to pay a competitive rate for the very best money can buy. I actually may need these services some day.
Every one wants to have it better. Most of my property tax bill goes to the state and to schools. I pay it even though I have not had any kids in school in years. I will happily pay more to support city services. I am particularly interested in Parks, Police, Fire and EMS, and streets. These are services that all members of this community will use some day. Even those who spend their time crying “POOR ME”.
In fact the need by most for these thing actually increases during times of economic down turn.
With an attitude like her’s, it is a good thing that she is gone. Maybe the system does work.
Micth Christiansen wrote above: “Neither one of them has the intestinal fortitude to do what is really required. …. Get rid of the equipment and eliminate employees, JUST AS PRIVATE ENTERPRISE HAS DONE!!”
Mitch and others who are OBVIOUSLY not paying attention, the City has been eliminating employees and positions (550 gone in two years) and equipment is being sold off as we speak. Stop writing about things you apparently know nothing about – what’s REALLY going on in your community.
Thanks, retired7 and unwilling for your comments. As the spouse of a very hard working city employee, it’s nice to know that at least some people appreciate the jobs they do.
People are resentful of city employees because they can retire in less than 20 years of work and have a GUARANTEED retirement and health insurance. The private sector has NO such guarantee. People have lost their ENTIRE retirements in the stock market. It is time city employees live like the real people do in this community. Everybody has to work hard today to earn a living and prepare for the future. Their future is on our backs, not theirs.
About the police being there for you, think again. I was shot at on Austin Bluffs Parkway, the police came the NEXT day. They were NOT interested in checking the situation out when it happened. They could have cared less. Someone could have been killed with someone shooting on the side of the road and they could have cared less. So much for being protected.
lessismore, you are clueless to the real issues within the city. It is not the retirement benifits-and you do not retire after 20 years with a full penison. Learn your facts before you make statements. Do you not think other public companies offer penisons? Schools, state govt, hospitals, etc… Do you not think city employees have suffered setbacks with the stock market? Remember public servants do not get bonuses and always must prove their ability to promote and maintain. You are so off the mark. I would love to know the full story on your incident with the police at Austin Bluffs. My experince has been a quick response-hey but remember YOU and others with your mental shortfalls regarding our city voted for all this to play out-YOU wanted cutbacks-you can expect a lot of services to slow down. I for one will vote to support my city- the rest of you should move. this is silly that a town this size must turn off street lights, and make such major cuts, all because YOU were afraid you were giving employees something. If you think the city employees have it so great go apply for a job within the city-stanards are pretty high-do you have what it takes?
If you think that public employees have suffered setbacks with the stock market, you are clueless. All that happened is that the taxpayers got saddled with making up the losses caused by your ignorant plan administrators. And if you think that ‘public servants’ don’t get bonuses, then you are hugely clueless. Why don’t you educate yourself instead of trying to spread your ignorance?
oh please-do you not think ci;ty workers pay the same taxes for services that you do? You sound jealous that city employees have something the rest of the community does not have. Not true, hard work earns benifits- not gifts.
Full pension guaranteed?, hardly. 20 years service results in 46-50% of base pay – not much different than military service. 35 years’ service: 87.5%.
Paid Medical? no, not even employer-paid COBRA. Again, you confuse that with veterans bennies.
Next, you forget those 20-35 years are INSTEAD of Social Security participation. Even if they have prior FICA participation, the penalty for outside pensioners is a forfeit between $500 a month to 100% of their rightful FICA check. You should be grateful public servants aren’t helping scuttle your FICA gravy boat.
Penny is a real professional. I knew her when she began her career with my City as a secretary. The letter comes across as very heart-felt and shows that she cared for her employees–much different than GAS who had nowhere to go, so he through his employees under the bus.