Tuesday, March 13The Green Mountain Falls Planning Commission will meet on March 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the GMF Town Hall.
Woodland Park City Election Candidates Forum. This highly anticipated event is hosted by the Greater Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce on March 13 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the WP City Council Chambers. This is the main local forum, prior to the April 3 city elections, which will determine a mayor and three council seats. Questions will be asked by chamber representatives, the press and others, largely based on input from the public. Candidates will also have time to make brief presentations. Eight candidates have entered the contest for these seats. For more information, call 687-9885.
Wednesday, March 14
TSC (Teller Senior Coalition) Transit is excited to announce our bus service on Wednesdays and Fridays in Woodland Park and the lower Ute Pass area. TSC also offers a joint venture with Cripple Creek Transit on Wednesdays to provide much needed transportation service between Cripple Creek and Woodland Park. TSC Transit will be picking up from the Senior Center and will be making stops at Pikes Peak Family Medicine, Pikes Peak Regional Hospital, City Market, Safeway, Walgreens, Walmart and the Department of Social Services upon request. In addition, new ride services are available on a limited basis to Green Mountain Falls, Cascade and Manitou Springs. Call 719-687-0256 for more details or visit the TSC website at www.tellerseniorcoalition.org. for a full schedule of pick up and drop off times.
Thursday, March 15
Tops, Take Off Pounds Sensibly. The original nonprofit weight-loss group is an educational support group providing weekly weigh-ins and programs to help members to make positive changes in the role food plays in their lives. The local chapter meets every Thursday at 10 a.m. in Green Mountain Falls at the Church in the Wildwood. Call Evelyn at 719-748-8383 for more information.
The Woodland Park Planning Commission will meet on March 15 at 7 p.m. in the WP Council Chambers, next to city hall.
Friday, March 16
The Pikes Peak Rotary Club will meet at 7 a.m. at the Woodland Park Public Library every Friday.
Denim & Pearls Gala. The Greater Woodland Park Chamber of Commerce will feature its 51st Annual Gala onFriday, March 16 at Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado Springs. The festivities start at 5:30 p.m. with a social hour and silent auction. The dinner and program will occur at 7 p.m. During this time, the chamber will present a number of prestigious awards (see this week’s story in TMJ News for details.) This is one of the biggest formal events of the year. Tickets are available by contacting the Chamber office at 719687-9885 or going to the website at www.woodlandparkchamber.com. Please RSVP by March 13.
The Bella Vista Restaurant at Shining Mountain, Woodland Park’s only upscale Italian eatery, has great weekend specials and events. Don’t miss their great entrees for lunch and dinner and special entertainment during the weekend. For more information, regarding activities at the Shining Mountain Golf Course and Event Center, visit www.shiningmountaingolf.com.
Saturday, March 17
Teller County Assemblies. The Teller County Democrats and Republicans will hold their respective party assemblies on the morning of March 17. The Democrats will meet at the Heritage Center in Cripple Creek, while the Republicans will meet at Summit Elementary. This is the next stage of the political process, which kicked off with the caucuses. Delegates will cast tallies on candidates for county seats and other key upcoming elections, and conduct overall party business. See related story in this week’s TMJ News.
Senior Center Pancake Breakfast – Pancake Breakfast at the Woodland Park Senior Center, SE corner of Pine Street and Lake Avenue, Saturday, March 17, 8 am to 11 am. Continue your “wearing of the green” as you join us for a fresh cooked, all you can eat, breakfast. Full of the blarney, your home town seniors will be serving up fluffy pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, the best biscuits and gravy around, and a seasonal treat complete with juice and coffee or hot tea for only $8. Kids 6 and under eat for $2. Everyone is welcomed to enjoy great food and friendly conversation. This open to the public fundraising event helps to support the programs and activities of the Woodland Park Senior Center. We appreciated the support of each one of you! Mark your calendars and plan to join us on the 3rd Saturday each month this year.
Woodland Park Saint Patrick’s Day Parade and Pub/Food Crawl. Woodland Park will have its first Saint Patrick’s Day event this year on Saturday, March 17; The parade will start at noon on Henrietta Street at Memorial Park, travel to Fullview St, turn onto Midland in front of the Cultural Center and Library, and finish down Baldwin at Panther Way.
Following the parade will be a Pub/Food Crawl. Stamp cards for the crawl can be purchased at the sales table in front of the Cultural Center 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after the parade. The card is $5 and will enable the holder to various beverage and food discounts/specials at participating vendors in town. A list of vendors and their specials will be given out at the time of purchase. The stamp card will be valid from the end of the parade through closing time on March 17.Come out and join us to celebrate the “Wearin’ O’ the Green!” Call 686-1325 for more information.
Other St. Patty activities will occur in Divide, hosted by McGinty’s Wood Oven Pub, and in a number of local casinos and bar/eateries. Check with local casinos and individual restaurants. In other casino action, the Brass Ass will host their second annual Dart Tournament from March 16 to March 18, with a guarantee of $16,000. For more information, visit www.triplecrowncasinos.com.
For those who enjoy mega parades in the region, big parades will occur on March 17 in both downtown Colorado Springs and Denver. The parade in Colorado Springs takes place on Tejon, while the action in Denver occurs in the Lodo area near Coors Field. Both features fairly long processions.
Irish Tales. Sienna and Joey, the famous Border Collies battle a giant in this interactive show at the Dinosaur Resource Center on March 17 from 1 to 2 p.m. Discover how Border Collies became so smart. Then find your rainbow and a bit of Irish luck as Denise Gard and her dogs weave some Irish tales. Create a festive Lucky Irish hat to take home. Call 719-686-1820 for more information.
Fossil Beds Activities and Hours. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument is open year round. The Monument is open from 9 am to 4:30 pm through March 9 and then 9 am to 5 pm from March 10 until May 25. Here are some upcoming highlights for March: Friday, March 16, Night Sky Program, 730 pm – 10 pm. Join park staff and members of the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society to gaze at the dark skies above Florissant Fossil Beds in search of planets, galaxies, nebulas, and more. Meet at the visitor center;Saturday, March 17, Winter Track Detectives, 11 am to12:30 pm. Join an interpretive park ranger for a guided hike (up to 2 miles) to discover the clues left behind by the Monument’s wildlife. As a track detective you might encounter tracks, scat, feathers, rubs, burrows, and much more left behind by birds, coyotes, elk, badgers or perhaps even see some of the wildlife in person. Dress in layers and be ready to walk on uneven ground and possibly snow. Meet at the visitor center; Saturday, March 24, Introduction to Nature Photography, 1 pm to 3 pm. Join volunteer interpretive ranger Steve Veatch for a hands on photography workshop amid the spectacular scenery of the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument. While walking a trail you will learn on-location compositional strategies that will turn your photo into something more than a snapshot! The workshop will teach you how to tell stories with your photos. Meet at the visitor center. Be prepared for outdoor conditions by dressing in layers, wearing a hat and sunscreen, etc. Bring water and snacks and most importantly your own camera. There are no additional fees for any park programs beyond the daily entrance fee of $7.00 per adult (15 and younger are free). Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument offers 15 miles of beautiful, yet lesser known, hiking trails to explore, a free Junior Ranger Program, three short self-guided trails, a park video and museum exhibits, and bookstore. For additional information, please call (719) 748-3253 or visit our website: www.nps.gov/flfo or on Facebook or Twitter at /FlorissantNPS
Mueller Winter Fun. Naturalist led hikes are on the thing to do at Mueller State Park in the winter. Enjoy the peaceful silence in the snowy woods, watch for signs of wildlife and learn their different tracks, and see the hardiest of birds searching for food in the trees. It’s great to explore Mueller in winter with a naturalist during this beautiful time of year!Don’t forget to dress for the weather! Hiking at Mueller in winter can bring a wide range of temperatures and snow depths at 9600 feet. Sometimes there is not enough snow to sled on and sometimes there is a foot or two of fresh powder! Check our website cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/
Upcoming.
Woodland Park Senior Center Chili Cook-off. Come join in on the fun at the Woodland Park Senior Center Annual Chili Cook-off on Saturday, March 24, from 11:30am to 1:30pm. An admission fee of $5.00 covers tastings of all the Chili entries as well as a great Chili lunch with all the fixings. Want to submit your secret Chili recipe into the contest? The entry fee is $10. Drop by or call the Senior Center (719-687-3877) to reserve your spot. Proceeds from this event support activities at the Woodland Park Senior Center.
Ute Pass-Woodland Park Kiwanis Bingo. Join the fun at Shining Mountain during the 1st & 3rd Thursdayof each month at 6:30 p.m. Twenty dollars buys a packet for 10 games, 6 cards for each game It’s a great opportunity to have fun and socialize with your friends and neighbors. Come early and have dinner! Food and drinks will be available for purchase during the games! This event is sponsored by the Ute Pass-Woodland Park Kiwanis club. The proceeds benefit the children of Teller County. For more information, call Rita Randolph at 719-502-5085.
Indoor Winter Farmer’s Market. Scheduled the second Saturday of every month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Ute Pass Cultural Center in Woodland Park. A wide variety of vegetables, meats, fruits, toys and many miscellaneous items will be showcased. For more information, call 719-689-3133.
Gold Spring Time Bird Walk. Spring time in the Rockies is a great season for bird watching. If you are interested in learning about the birds of southern Teller County, plan on attending a free trail walk and program in Victor on Saturday, April 28. Joe LaFleur, a wildlife biologist, will lead the walk on the Trails of Gold near Victor. Meet at the Victor Lowell Thomas Museum at 8:45 a.m. The walk will take about an hour and is free but is limited to 20 people. Be sure to sign up for this walk ahead of time as it is expected to sell out. Reservations should be made at VictorColorado.com. Be sure to dress for mountain weather.
At 10:15 a.m. LaFleur will make a free audiovisual presentation about local common birds of the spring season. The program will help you identify birds by sight and sound and will also review preferred habitats where each species is likely to be encountered. This event is being presented by the Southern Teller County Focus Group and Victor Lowell Thomas Museum as part of the non-profits’ education programs. For more information and to make reservations visit VictorColorado.com or call 719-689-5509.
