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Photo courtesy of DVIDS. Fort Carson marked a change in leadership Wednesday, Aug. 12, as Col. Phillip S. Warren assumed command of U.S. Army Garrison Fort Carson during a change of command ceremony at Founders Field. Warren succeeds Col. Erik C. Oksenvaag, who served as garrison commander since August 2024. Brenda McCullough, director of Installation Management Command-Pacific, presided over the ceremony and praised Oksenvaag’s leadership and accomplishments during his tenur

Wildfire season is once again demonstrating how quickly fire can move close to home, with a roughly 10-acre wildfire reported Monday near Fountain. Fountain firefighters assisted with the fire in the area of Bradley and Goldfield, north of the Fountain Valley School and west of the Big Johnson Reservoir. The location put the fire near residential and developed areas of the Fountain community, although no homes or businesses within the City of Fountain were threatened. Smoke f

A summer festival in Colorado Springs turned into a major medical response Saturday after dozens of attendees experienced heat-related illnesses during the Tacos and Tequila Festival at UCHealth Park. The Colorado Springs Fire Department reported that 72 people were treated for heat-related illness during the event. Seven people experiencing more serious symptoms were transported to area hospitals for additional treatment. The festival took place as Colorado Springs faced unu

Across El Paso County, communities are growing, roads are getting busier and the needs of residents are changing. From transportation and aging services to environmental planning and the relationship between surrounding communities and local military installations, many of the issues facing the Pikes Peak region do not stop at city or county lines. That is where the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments (PPACG) comes in. PPACG is a regional organization made up of 16 local g

The countdown is on for one of Fountain's favorite community traditions as preparations continue for the 2026 Fountain Valley Fall Festival Parade. Scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Monday, September 7, the annual event is expected to bring together local organizations, businesses, schools, and residents for a morning celebrating community spirit. Hosted by the Fountain Valley Chamber of Commerce, the parade remains open to those who would like to participate. There is still t

The mountains looked a little different this week. Instead of the crisp blue skies Coloradans have come to expect, a layer of smoke settled over much of the Front Range as winds carried wildfire smoke from several large fires burning in Utah into Colorado. While the flames remain hundreds of miles away, their effects are now being felt across El Paso County, reminding residents that wildfire season stretches far beyond state lines. Communities including Fountain, Colorado Spr

Residents Greg and Laura Gennitti appeared before the Fountain City Council on Tuesday evening to raise concerns about what they described as inconsistent enforcement of residential driveway and sidewalk standards throughout their neighborhood. The couple, who live on Fortman Avenue, say they are facing significant costs after being cited by the City of Fountain for failing to obtain a permit and for work that did not meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards while

El Paso County leaders have taken steps to ensure residents will continue receiving workforce development services despite a funding dispute with the State of Colorado. During a recent meeting, El Paso County Commissioners approved a resolution designed to protect essential county services after the state withheld grant funding related to audit costs associated with the Pikes Peak Workforce Center. The action is intended to prevent any interruption in services while county an

Before Southern Colorado residents fire up the grill or head to an evening ball game this week, they may want to keep one eye on the sky. A wet weather pattern has settled over El Paso County, bringing an increased risk of heavy rain, flash flooding, lightning, and gusty thunderstorms through the coming days. While summer thunderstorms are nothing new for Colorado, meteorologists are watching conditions closely as repeated rounds of rain could create localized flooding concer

El Paso County residents could once again find themselves weighing an important tax question this November, one that has the potential to shape public safety services across the county for years to come. The El Paso County Board of County Commissioners is considering a ballot measure that would ask voters whether to extend the county's existing 0.23% Public Safety Fund sales tax. The tax currently serves as a dedicated funding source for the El Paso County Sheriff's Office an

Beginning August 1, Coloradans will see the implementation of one of the state's most significant firearm policy changes in recent years. Senate Bill 25-003, signed into law in 2025, will establish new requirements for purchasing certain semiautomatic firearms, affecting not only gun owners, but also firearm retailers, local governments, and businesses across Colorado. While the law has generated considerable debate since its passage, many residents may still be unaware of wh

Drivers traveling between El Paso County, Fountain, and Pueblo may soon need to make a permanent adjustment to their commute. The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is considering keeping automated speed enforcement cameras in place along Interstate 25 in Pueblo after early results showed a significant reduction in speeding through a major construction zone. The cameras are currently installed in the I-25 and U.S. 50 interchange reconstruction project, one of the bu

Photo courtesy of the Garfield County Sheriff's Office. Travelers planning a trip through Colorado's mountain corridor may want to check their route before leaving home this week. Cleanup efforts are still underway after a powerful mudslide forced the closure of portions of Interstate 70 in western Colorado, creating delays that stretch far beyond the affected area. The closure came after heavy rainfall and flash flooding sent mud, rocks, and debris across the interstate near

Colorado residents are continuing to feel the effects of the state's bag fee and single-use plastic reduction policies in 2026, with shoppers in Fountain and throughout El Paso County seeing the changes every time they visit the grocery store. What began as a statewide effort to reduce plastic waste has evolved into a permanent shift in how consumers shop. Since Jan. 1, 2024, most large retailers have been prohibited from providing traditional single-use plastic checkout bags

Photo courtesy of the City of Fountain. As emergency responders across the Pikes Peak region prepare for the unexpected, a series of mass casualty incident drills is taking place this week in Fountain to test how local agencies would respond during a large-scale emergency. The training exercises, coordinated by the City of Fountain, El Paso County, and several regional partners, are being held Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at Fountain Middle School. Officials emphasized that

As wildfire season continues across Colorado, El Paso County officials are reminding homeowners that property tax relief may be available for those who suffer significant damage or lose their homes to a wildfire. When a residence is destroyed during the year, Colorado law allows the value of the structure to be adjusted based on the date the loss occurred. Rather than paying taxes on the full value of a home that no longer exists, property owners may only be taxed for the por

A new locally owned business is giving Fountain residents another reason to stay, play, and connect close to home. Level Up Arcade, which opened in early July, is introducing a mix of classic and modern arcade entertainment while highlighting the entrepreneurial spirit of the military community that plays such a significant role in the Fountain area. Owned by Army veteran Ivan Rodriguez, the arcade was created to address a need many residents have long recognized: more family

The Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo is set to return to Colorado Springs July 14-18, bringing five days of professional rodeo competition, military recognition events, family activities and Western tradition to the Norris Penrose Event Center. The rodeo, which has been a Colorado Springs tradition since 1937, continues its long-standing mission of supporting military members and their families, with proceeds benefiting military quality-of-life programs since 1946. This year's event

While many families across the Pikes Peak region celebrated Independence Day with backyard barbecues and community events, the Fountain Police Department spent much of the evening responding to fireworks-related incidents as Stage 2 Fire Restrictions remained in effect. According to the department, officers responded to more than 75 calls for service involving fireworks between 4 p.m. and midnight on July 4. Throughout the evening, officers issued 20 fireworks-related citatio