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It was recently noticed that Snap Fitness, 7360 McLaughlin Rd., closed its doors. The franchise exercise business was open 24-7-365. Staffing was  minimal because members could access the facility via an electronic proximity card. Owner Jackie MacFarlane moved to Denver a couple of years ago to manage two other Snap Fitness centers. Members say attendance had been declining for several months.

Dan Kupferer and Bobbie Sorden are sworn in by Falcon Board President Mike Collins.

The Falcon Fire Protection District board of directors seated two board members for four year terms at their regularly scheduled meeting on May 16.  Board President Mike Collins swore in newly elected Bobbie Sorden and re-elected Dan Kupferer. A third recently elected board member, Greg Heule, was unable to attend because he had gone to the Fort Collins area to fight the Hewlett fire. He will be sworn in at a later date.

The new board elected David “Kelly” Starkman as president, Dan Kupferer as vice president, Bobbie Sorden as secretary and Phillip Theodore as treasurer.

Thieves broke into several cars on streets near Falcon Middle School early last Sunday morning. Residents who hadn’t locked their cars or trucks found items missing and others tossed at the side of the road. The incidents occurred mostly on Caverhill, Witherbee and Towner. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office responded.  Residents are urged to not leave any valuables in a vehicle. Anyone with information about these incidents should contact the EPSO at 390-5555.

But it was for a good cause.

In this year’s biennial “In Just 3 Seconds” mock accident scenario held at Falcon High School yesterday, senior Johnny O’Neil played the teen who drank and drove, colliding with an SUV and sending it into a light pole.

Falcon High School students gather to watch a mock accident involving a DUI driver.

The realistic accident scene contains broken car windows, smashed bumpers and a student lying on the ground after being thrown from the SUV. Passengers in each car pose as unconscious and bleeding.

This is the scene students see when they file out of the high school. They watch as first responders converge on the scene to get an idea of the horrific nature of an accident involving drugs or alcohol.

The Colorado State Patrol and El Paso County Sheriff’s Office are the first on the scene followed by Falcon Fire Department, two American Medical Response ambulances and Penrose St. Francis Flight for Life. While EMT/firefighters work on the injured, O’Neil is taken from the car and given roadside sobriety test. He is proned out on the ground, handcuffed and arrested for driving under the influence. Two of the injured are placed in ambulances. Ultimately, two students are laid on the ground and covered with white clothes indicating their “deaths.” The coroner van takes them away.

Additional actors included Brad Nelson who was thrown from the SUV and “dies.” Morgan Cockrum, who was in the back seat of the SUV, received minor injuries. Brian Wood and Vanessa Glen are both passengers with the DUI driver and received “critical injuries.” Julia Smith in the same car “died.” A makeup artist from In Just 3 Seconds staff applied blood and imbedded glass to add to the realism.

Actor and Falcon High School student Ben Nelson lays "dead" on the pavement after being thrown from the SUV in which he was riding.

Today, students will attend the Post-Mock Car Crash and Pre-Prom safety assembly.

The not-for-profit organization, “In Just 3 Seconds,” conducts programs at schools, military bases and colleges to prevent drivers from making hazardous choices involving drugs, alcohol, texting or other distractions.  The Colorado Springs program started in 2010 by James V. Forrest. More information is available on their website at http://just3seconds.org/home.html.

AMR and Falcon Fire ready a "crash victim" for transport to the hospital.

Falcon Fire Protection District — Four candidates for three positions

Steve McKenna – 20

Bobbi Sorden – 107

Dan Kupferer – 110

Greg Heule – 106

Woodmen Hills Metro District – three candidates for two positions

Unofficial results received this morning from DEO Connie Goodwin:

Bryan Mendiola – 509

Jan Pizzi – 390

Ron Pace – 252

The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office responded to 45 calls regarding criminal tampering in the area of Eastonville, Hodgen and Halleluiah Trail on April 23 and 24. One or more people opened mailboxes on these roads. No thefts related to this incident have been reported, and no suspects have been identified.

“The Sheriff’s Office encourages everyone to monitor their credit,” said Sgt. Michael Schaller. Stealing credit card bills and bank statements is one method thieves use to steal identities, Schaller said.

Since then, the sheriff’s blotter shows additional calls on Bullet and Lambert.

Falcon High School junior Hannah Petrie is one of 10 students from around the globe selected to attend the Frances Hesselbein Student Leadership Program at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.

Hannah, 17, is an active member of Falcon High School’s “Student 2 Student” program. The mission of S2S is for students to support one another, going out of their way to make other students feel comfortable; it has helped more than 100 new students transition and connect within throughout this school year.

S2S began at Falcon High School four years ago – it’s a capstone program for the Military Child Education Coalition. Started by school counselor Greg Morris, the Falcon School District 49 high school sends a student to the leadership program each year.

“We have earned quite a bit of brass for FHS,” Morris says of the program. Falcon High School has been one of four schools in the country recognized every year at the S2S national conference.

For Hannah, one of the most memorable experiences during the training program was a Skype call the group shared with Frances Hesselbein, President and CEO of The Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute. Hesselbein lives in New York City and connected with the students in Colorado Springs virtually.

As one of the most highly respected experts in the field of contemporary leadership development, Hesselbein was awarded in 1998 the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honor.

“Mrs. Hesselbein talked about leaving a legacy, and passing the torch burning bright,” Hannah says. “I want students at Falcon High School to remember me and say, ‘I want to be the next Hannah Petrie, and be remembered for my leadership.’”

After graduation next year, Hannah plans on pursing a college degree in either sports medicine or physical therapy.

In a Facebook posting today, the Falcon Freedom Days committee announced that it decided to cancel this year’s event.

The posting said, “It comes with great disappointment that the 2012 Falcon Freedom Days has been canceled. Due to poor vendor booth activity and low merchant participation, we have decided to cancel this year’s event. ”

The committee announcement stated that feedback from potential vendors and  July 4 being on a Wednesday led them to believe attendance might not be as high as they would like. Vendors who have already paid will get a full refund.

The committee will continue to post information for the the 2013 event.

Poblano’s restaurant in Falcon has closed. No sign on the door as to why.

Joan Johnson submitted her resignation April 13 from the Falcon School District 49 Board of Education. She had served as the vice president. The board held a special meeting on April 14 to accept her resignation.

Johnson, who was elected in November 2011, had disagreements with the rest of the board in recent weeks over a student discipline matter and issues surrounding hiring a procurement manager.

Colorado law requires the district to fill the position within 60 days. The board will start taking applications after their April 25 special board meeting. The newly appointed director will finish Johnson’s two-year term, and then run for office in 2013.