Colorado Springs' 2 largest school districts are vying for property tax increases. Where would that money go?

PLUS | Colorado orders flags to half-staff in wake of Maine mass shooting; Air Force Academy cadet pleads guilty to using psilocybin and fraudulent appointment and more. [View in browser]( [Share with a friend]( Springs PM Update Good evening. Today is Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. Catch up on everything going on in Colorado in 5 minutes. [Colorado Springs' 2 largest school districts are vying for property tax increases. Where would that money go?]( Colorado Springs’ two largest school districts are hoping for taxpayer support in raising employee salaries, among other initiatives. Voters this fall are deciding whether to award Academy School District 20 and School District 49 extra money by way of mill levy overrides, which are ballot measures that allow school districts to raise property tax rates in order to exceed the dollar amount granted to them by the state under its funding formula. The multiyear commitments will impact taxpayers to varying extents depending on the value of their homes. [Read More]( [WATCH: Terrifying footage of Aspen bear attack that sent one to hospital]( Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers have captured and killed a bear that was involved in an early morning attack involving a resort security guard in Aspen on Oct. 25, with footage of the scary encounter having since been released. The attack occurred as a security guard was investigating a kitchen area at the St. Regis Aspen Resort after a report was received of a bear on the property, with the bear sneaking onto the property via doors in a courtyard area. [Read More]( [10 weekend things to do around Colorado Springs and beyond: Emma Crawford Coffin Races, Brahms Requiem, jack-o-lantern trail and more]( No plans yet for the weekend? The Gazette has put together a list of 10 spooky-themed events around Colorado Springs this weekend that will help you plan the perfect Halloween weekend! [Read More]( [Colorado orders flags to half-staff in wake of Maine mass shooting]( Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff statewide to honor the victims of a mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine. Polis' order was in accordance with President Joe Biden's proclamation earlier in the day ordering all American flags to be flown at half-staff at public buildings across the country and its territories, and at embassies, military outposts and naval vessels and stations abroad. [Read More]( [Colorado House Republicans line up behind Louisiana's Mike Johnson for speaker]( The three Republican members of Colorado's House delegation voted to hand U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson the speaker's gavel on Wednesday, ending a stalemate that left the chamber paralyzed for three weeks amid deep divisions within its GOP majority. [Read More]( [Alternative Fountain school takes 'big picture,' student-focused approach to engaging at-risk students]( At-risk youth and students looking for an alternative education option in the Colorado Springs area are experiencing school like never before. Fountain’s Welte Education Center restructured its schedule this fall after becoming the first local school to participate in Big Picture Learning, an education approach driven by student interests and real-world experiences. While the alternative high school still offers standard reading, writing and arithmetic classes three days a week, it now carves out two days — Tuesday and Thursday — as advisory days, when students work on career development skills, interest-based projects, community building and career shadowing. [Read More]( [Air Force Academy cadet pleads guilty to using psilocybin and fraudulent appointment]( An Air Force Academy cadet pleaded guilty during a hearing Thursday to using psilocybin and providing false information that could have blocked his appointment to the school. Cadet Seth Misukanis confessed to Judge Col. Julie Pitvorec that he accepted a drink with psilocybin in it during a New Year's Eve Party in 2022 while on leave in Illinois. He told her that he knew his friend had been putting psilocybin in drinks and he knowingly accepted a drink with the drug in it. He tested positive for the drug in January, which could have been presented as evidence if the case had gone to a trial. [Read More]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn]( [YouTube]( Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up [here.]( Engage in the conversation in [today's eEdition]( Interested in podcasts? Check out ours [here]( Already subscribed? [Log in.]( Manage your email preferences or unsubscribe [here.]( 30 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Suite 100 Colorado Springs, CO 80903