Touch-a-Truck

The Monument Fire District, the Town of Monument and Monument Police Department will be hosting its inaugural Touch-a-Truck event on Aug. 15.

The event, which will be held from 9 a.m. to noon, is being billed as “a fun-filled morning of community connection and hands-on exploration.”

Kids of all ages are invited to get an up-close look at fire trucks, police vehicles and heavy equipment. Meet firefighters, police officers and community partners.

There will also be a free pancake breakfast served by the firefighters of IAFF Local 4319!

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Fraud alert

Be on the alert for a rising scam where third-party “helpers” are illegally seizing vehicle ownership under the guise of assistance.

Fraudsters often target individuals who lack standard identification, offering to act as a “power of attorney” or asking to be added to the title to “facilitate” registration. While it may be tempting to pay someone to “help” you, once their name is on the legal document, they become the legal owner and can sell, tow, or seize the car without the victim’s consent. Someone who is not an actual owner to that document — or putting the vehicle in their name entirely — grants them the legal rights to your vehicle

The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles says to ensure your vehicle remains legally yours, the first and most vital step is obtaining a valid Colorado driver license or identification card. Because Colorado provides these identification documents regardless of your immigration status, there is no need to rely on a third party for help.

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Concealed handgun permits

Getting a concealed handgun permit will now be done fully online in El Paso County.

The Sheriff’s Office new system will allow applicants to complete and manage all concealed handgun permit-related applications online, including: new and renewal applications, change of address and name change requests plus lost permit replacements.

All applications will be submitted and processed through the Permitium platform, which will be accessible via a link on the concealed handgun permit webpage.

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Education accolades

• Carolyna Truong of Monument graduated Summa um Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Biologydegree from the College of Saint Mary in Omaha, Neb.

• Lauryn Graves, Caleb Peterson, Zacheus Lee Ritchey and Ethan Henry Twesme, all from Monument, were named to the spring 2026 dean’s list at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

• Emily Byrd, Madison Dodge and Ava Janzen, all from Monument, were named to the dean’s honor roll for the spring 2026 semester at Fort Hays State University.

• Several area students earned honors at the University of Alabama for the spring 2026 semester. Making the president’s list were Alexander Chapman, Jillian Gallagher, Lauren Johnson and Christopher Rasmussen, all from Monument, and Makenna Cook from Palmer Lake. Sarah Conant, Julia Eller, Anna Icke, Courtney Logeman and Lawson McVay, all from Monument, qualified for the dean’s list.

• Mary Lloyd and Ella Parafiniuk, both from Monument, were named to the dean’s list at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

• Hannah Turner of Monument was named to the dean’s list for the spring 2026 semester at Hofstra University. Hannah’s major is Geography.