Colorado Springs Town Tidings - News & Events

12/23/2025

🎅🎄 TRIVIA: What Happens Inside NORAD When Santa Takes Off? ✈️🎁

Did you know one of Colorado Springs’ most charming Christmas traditions started with a typo and a very serious Cold War phone line? 🕵️‍♂️📞

📅 In December 1955, a Sears ad in the Colorado Springs Gazette accidentally printed the top‑secret operations number for the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD), NORAD’s predecessor, instead of a “Call Santa” hotline.

☎️ When the red phone rang, Col. Harry Shoup picked up expecting news of an attack, and instead heard a local child asking where Santa was.

🎉 Rather than hanging up, he told his staff to check the radar and give kids Santa’s “current location,” launching a tradition that would outlast the Cold War itself.

❓ Roughly how many phone calls did NORAD volunteers answer on Christmas Eve during last year’s NORAD Tracks Santa mission?

🎅📍 Today, from Peterson Space Force Base, NORAD Tracks Santa is celebrating its 70th year of following Saint Nick’s journey around the globe.

📞 On December 24, nearly 1,000 volunteers, many of them local, answer a crazy amount of calls to 1‑877‑HI‑NORAD...

🌍 While millions more track Santa via NORADSanta.org, mobile apps, social media, smart speakers, and even in‑car services. 🚗📱

✨ For those of us in Colorado Springs, that means the same place that quietly guards North American airspace all year also turns into the world’s most magical call center every Christmas Eve.

🎯 Answer: Volunteers answered about 380,000 calls on December 24 during last year’s NORAD Tracks Santa operation.

12/22/2025

🤣 Marked safe from becoming the 4,000th glitter‑lollipop clone. 🐑 Staying uniquely untrendy since...FOREVER. I'll stick with being the "cookie"! 🍪 You’re welcome

12/22/2025

What Nobody Told Me About Disney Jobs 🤯

👉 Read Article: https://cos.towntidings.com/p/25-344



Watch the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80e0CTfDIUw

12/22/2025

“Your business has one week left to live.”

That’s how it feels when your Google rating drops overnight.

No angry customers.
No bad jobs.
But suddenly:

⛔ 1-star review from “Lisa W.”
⛔ “Mike P.” says you destroyed his landscaping
⛔ Accusations that sound real — but aren’t

Then your phone buzzes:
“We can remove the negative reviews and add 100 five-stars. $500.”

It’s extortion and unfortunately hitting the Pikes Peak region hard recently.

A local business owner that runs a small landscaping company got hit hard.
Lost thousands in potential bookings in a few days.
Checked every name in the bad reviews, none were real customers.

This scam is spreading.

If you run a:
🔧 Trades business
📷 Photography studio
🩺 Local practice
🍽️ Restaurant

…you’re a target.

Why it works:
🔍 One fake review influences both Google’s and potential customer decisions
💸 That’s a huge hit to new customer calls
🔗 If you pay, you risk suspension from Google Business

It’s a trap either way.

The good news?

Owners are fighting back:

✅ Reporting reviews ASAP
✅ Warning others in trade groups
✅ Refusing to pay
✅ Gathering screenshots and filing reports with Google Support

You aren’t powerless.

But you need to act fast.

Start here:
- Scan your recent reviews
- Flag anything suspicious
- Report the fake ones immediately to Google

Have you seen this in your business?
How are you protecting your reputation online?
Are you a consumer and been influenced by a review that may be fake?

12/22/2025

What makes a city truly thrive? It’s not always the big headlines or showy projects. It’s the day-to-day work happening when a community comes together with a shared purpose ...something we saw clearly in Mayor Yemi’s 2025 highlights.

👮‍♂️ Public safety isn’t just a line item on a budget. When we invest in 800 police officers and firefighters, we’re investing in peace of mind. Things like neighbors walking their dogs at night without fear, families feeling safe enough to leave their cars unlocked. These professionals know their communities and show up when it matters most.

🛣️ Infrastructure doesn’t always grab attention, until you're not swerving to avoid potholes. Repaving 187 lane-miles isn’t just an upgrade, it’s a message: your time, your safety, and your route to work matter.

🏠 Housing was a standout. Adding 1,700 affordable units means 1,700 families with a steady place to live, where kids can do homework without worry. Raising $860,000 for winter shelters? That’s not policy, it’s protecting lives when it gets dangerously cold.

📈 Economic growth also stood out, not just big numbers, but the real impact behind them. A new Coca-Cola facility brings local jobs. The first international flight opens doors for small businesses. Everything is connected.

💼 Looking forward, it’s refreshing to see a balanced approach. Helping businesses affected by homelessness while building innovation parks shows we can grow and care at the same time. It’s not one or the other ...it’s BOTH.

As we gear up for a year full of milestones, remember this: lasting progress comes from working together. It’s not about one leader or a single project. It’s about everyone stepping in, doing their part, and making everyday life better for all of us.

Let’s keep showing up for our community, for our neighbors, and for the future we’re building together. 🤗

12/22/2025

🎄 This Holiday Habit Adds Years The Longevity Secret We Forget

✨ Wellness Monday just got a whole lot better…
Today we’re kicking off our very first edition with Kristen Nielson of TogetherWON, and she’s dropping a 60‑second reminder that hits exactly when we need it most.

We won’t spoil it, but let’s just say it touches on something proven to boost our wellbeing as powerfully as major lifestyle changes… and it’s way simpler than you think.

Curious?
You should be.

Tap in and let Kristen give you the nudge you need.

12/22/2025

💰 $1.6 BILLION up for grabs

The Powerball jackpot just got a whole lot bigger. After no one matched all six numbers in Saturday's drawing, the top prize has climbed to an estimated $1.6 billion.

That staggering amount officially makes it one of the largest lottery prizes ever offered in the United States. It currently ranks as the fifth biggest U.S. jackpot on record. The only prizes to have topped it were other Powerball and Mega Millions drawings, with the record still held by a $2.04 billion Powerball win in 2022.

The next drawing is tonight, and tickets typically stop selling an hour or two before the numbers are pulled. The odds of hitting the jackpot are about 1 in 292 million. You're far more likely to win a smaller prize by matching just the Powerball number or a few of the white balls.

It's fun to dream about what we would do IF we won ...there have been some Colorado winners in the past. Now that would be a Christmas miracle, eh?! 😉

What would you do if you won? Would you take the lump sum cash option, which for this jackpot is an estimated $782.4 million before taxes? Or would you go for the full annuity, paid out over 29 years?

12/21/2025

Me, as a holiday cookie?! Here's why I needed to see it 🤶

Lately, my emotions have been all over the place. One moment I'm full of hope, the next I'm swallowed by fear. Confidence turns to doubt in a heartbeat. It's exhausting! I didn’t exactly feel like a powerhouse, but calling myself weak didn’t fit either. It was more like... emotionally undercooked. You know that feeling? Like you're a bit broken, a bit messy, not quite holding your own 🥴.

So I did something silly. I used my AI skills to turn me into a Christmas, holiday cookie. I needed to see myself as something festive, something sweet, something meant for celebration 🎄✨.

And there I was. A cookie. With bright colors in sugar and frosting. Perfectly imperfect. 💖

At this point, it hit me. Maybe life isn't about avoiding the crumby bits. Maybe it's about accepting that you're NOT broken! The lesson is in the process...of transformation AND acceptance. 🌟

You take those feelings...the mess, the fear...and you decide to make something new from them. You remind yourself that you can still be sweet. You can still be someone's reason for a smile. You can still be part of a celebration, even if it's just celebrating YOU...being the amazing person you are, EVEN during those times you don’t feel it. ✨👏

When life feels crumby, maybe the answer isn't to try to be a perfect, unbroken gingerbread house. Maybe it's to be the cookie...a little rough around the edges, but still beautifully full of your unique flavor. Still worthy of a place on the plate 🍽️.

Be the cookie that surprises everyone (even yourself)...not flawless, not fancy, just undeniably you… and somehow the one they keep coming back for. ❤️🍪 🤗 ~Sandy Bobal-Zuniga

12/20/2025

🌟 Local Nonprofit Spotlight: 🕊️ The Street Story Colorado Springs Needs To Hear Today... read full article, link in first comment.

12/20/2025

Too funny! Yeah, this would be me. 🤣🤶

😂

12/20/2025

❄️ Cripple Creek Ice Castle Setback

Nature has her own schedule, no matter what we plan. The amazing ice castle attraction in Cripple Creek, is supposed to be ready for Christmas, but the weather just isn't cooperating. Warm December days are literally melting their progress, and I can't imagine how frustrating that must feel for the team putting it all together.

One of the builders talked about watching his work disappear during the day, saying it felt more sad than nervous. That really stuck with me. It's not just about delays or schedules, it's about pouring your effort into something and seeing it dissolve before your eyes.

But here's what I find interesting: they're not giving up. They're working with what they have, building during the cooler nights and trusting that colder weather will come. The builder said something that resonated: 'Ice can be rebuilt.' It's a reminder that sometimes progress isn't linear, and we have to adapt to conditions we can't control.

It makes me think about my own projects that have faced unexpected setbacks. The weather might be different, but the feeling of watching your hard work get undone is universal. Yet there's something hopeful about their approach: keep building, keep adapting, and trust that the right conditions will come.

What's something you've worked on that faced unexpected challenges? How did you adapt?

12/19/2025

Your Christmas gifts won't make it in time if you wait

📦 USPS expects 88 million packages per day this December

That means slower delivery, higher costs, and more stress—unless you act now.

Take 2 minutes and check this list:

🚚 USPS Ground Advantage: Too late
🚀 USPS Priority Mail: Too late
⚡ USPS Priority Mail Express: Ship by Dec 20

📦 FedEx Ground Economy: Too late
📦 FedEx Ground/Home Delivery (4-Day): Too late
📦 FedEx Ground/Home Delivery (3-Day): Ship by Dec 19
📦 FedEx 2-Day: Ship by Dec 22
📦 FedEx Overnight or Same Day: Ship by Dec 23–24

The later you wait, the more you'll pay:

💵 $7.20 for slow USPS
💵 $32.50+ for fast delivery

And remember—no deliveries on Dec 25 or Jan 1.

If you’ve already bought presents, don’t let the shipping deadlines undo your planning.

Ship today. Breathe easier tomorrow.

Have you mailed your packages yet?