Debbie Kelley

Started in 1923, Christmas Unlimited is one of the region’s oldest charities, serving El Paso and Teller County families in need with various programs. The organization’s Holiday Toy Distribution Program provides free gifts for children whose parents apply through human services agencies, schools and by calling Pikes Peak United Way’s 211 assistance line. Applications are […]

Several local organizations have started new boots-on-the-ground programs in Colorado Springs to meet mental health demands and fill gaps in addressing clinician shortages, providing LGBTQ+ care for traumatized youth, expanding adult addiction recovery and preventing suicide among all ages. Safe Passage Marking its fourth anniversary of locating multiple independent services in one building that specialize […]

People usually are nice and caring in the small, tight-knit town of Manitou Springs, says ex-mayor, Ken Jaray. But not always. The booming tourism industry that the local economy heavily relies on for revenue also can be a bane for residents as they navigate traffic overload, parking inconveniences, and crowded sidewalks and shops. “We need […]

A coworker put up her Christmas tree in mid-October. It had been a rough day at the office, and she felt like she needed a pick-me-up when she got home. Now, every time she opens the door, she’s greeted by a blast of holiday cheer that makes her smile, a routine that will last for […]

Step Springs, the first replication of Step Denver, is opening Tuesday in a converted office building off East Garden of the Gods Road in Colorado Springs. The $6.5 million project adds 50 beds for residential addiction treatment and recovery for men who are homeless or otherwise searching for assistance. That’s six days earlier than the […]

The world’s richest gold rush that began in 1891 in what became the Cripple Creek Mining District created endless lines of mined ore carts slogging down the mountain to smelting and milling operations in Colorado Springs. The current gold rush that started six months ago has produced steady lines of people at businesses that buy […]

In a town where space is as valuable as time, 3,323 square feet of relief is shimmering in sight for the 4,607 residents of Manitou Springs. Reformation of a shuttered church that was built in 1905 in the heart of the landlocked municipality at the foot of Pikes Peak is turning the building into a […]

An interesting and appealing variety is what makes the classic car collection of the late Jay Cimino so unique, says the owner of the auction house that will sell 30 of the longtime Colorado Springs auto dealer’s personal vehicles on Saturday during an interactive, online-only live event. From a horse-drawn buggy and a fuel wagon […]

In one of those ironic twists of life, Claudia Deats Rodgers, the founder of an affordable housing nonprofit in Colorado Springs that is marking its 35th anniversary, now lives in one of the organization’s complexes for low-income seniors. For Deats Rodgers, who before switching direction spent 31 years as a vowed member of a local […]

On Tuesday, the day conservative political activist Charlie Kirk would have turned 32 years old, homeless people in Colorado Springs received “patriot packs.” Essentials like ham and turkey sandwiches, socks, water bottles, can openers, blankets and clothes, including a Colorado Freedom Convoy shirt from members of the group, were included inside. “We wanted to do […]