Memorial Day is May 27. It is the first “holiday” of the summer months, which usually means cookouts, camping and special events like the Rocky Mountain Highway Music Collaborative in Black Forest at the La Foret Conference & Retreat Center (6145 Shoup Road) May 24 through May 26.
Although Memorial Day is celebrated in different ways; the holiday is not meant to be jubilant. It’s a time to recognize the thousands of women and men who were killed in the line of duty for our country. Officially, flags should be flown at half-mast until noon and “The National Moment of Remembrance Act,” signed by President Bill Clinton, encourages Americans wherever they are to pause for a moment of silence at 3 p.m. local time to honor the service people who have died for our freedom.
May is also Mental Health Awareness month, which is important for those who have lost a veteran in combat and veterans dealing with PTSD. El Paso County Public Health addresses mental health issues on Pg. 8.
May 12 is Mother’s Day so we featured four super moms who live in our area. Erin Malcolm interviewed the moms, and each one has a unique story to tell. Of course, being a mom in itself means you are super in every way! Happy Mother’s Day!
May 5 is Cinco de Mayo; a good day to visit the local Mexican restaurants and celebrate hispanic culture with an enchilada and a margarita.
Also, with spring and summer, we have fur babies on the loose. Aaron Berscheid in his Wildlife Matters column on Pg. 9 gives us good advice on what to do if we find what we might assume is an abandoned fur baby in the wild. And for those domestic fur babies, please help prevent the continued overpopulation of kittens and puppies by spaying and neutering your pets.
I am going to switch gears here to discuss some sobering issues in present-day Falcon and surrounding areas. Almost 20 years after we launched The New Falcon Herald, the entire landscape of Falcon has changed.
Growth is inevitable and often a boon to the area and the people. However, responsible growth is the only way to take care of people who have lived here and owned businesses for years and also for newcomers who just wanted to get out of crowded cities.
What’s happening in Falcon right now with water and soil problems because of inferior systems and perhaps reckless overbuilding is overwhelming. We can barely keep up with the calls from residents and business owners who need us to bring their concerns and negative experiences to the forefront.
As a newspaper, Marylou and I think it’s our mission to inform readers and help get their questions answered. Often, we are battling the bureaucracies and being ignored by the people we elected to watch over our life’s investments such as our homes. We will push forward regardless and print whatever we know, despite our often unsuccessful attempts to present the “other side” — which is the cornerstone of journalism. So, keep on letting us know what’s going on out there.
That’s it from me, except for one more thing: Congratulations to Mark Stoller who is, after months of “intense academics,” receiving his associate degree in respiratory therapy. Read Mark’s Meanderings for more about graduation and gift-giving!
See you in June!
Michelle
