Colorado Springs provides a great way to keep track of what’s happening on the roads that you travel on the most. Visit the Cone Zone map at coloradosprings.gov/public-works/page/cone-zones-map

Be sure to keep our furry friends safe and comfortable as temperatures rise.
What temperature is too hot to walk your dog?
Generally, at temperatures above 89° Fahrenheit, most dogs are at risk of heat stroke, and you should avoid walking your dog when it’s 90°F or hotter. For many dogs, outdoor activity at temperatures above 82°F can be dangerous, and for some dogs even temperatures in the 70°-77° range can be too hot.
Temperature ranges for safely walking dogs outdoors:

• 60°-64°F: Safe for all dogs
• 65°-69°F: Safe for small & medium dogs, potentially moderate risk for some large breeds
• 70°-75°F: Unlikely risk for small & medium dogs, moderate risk for large breeds or at-risk dogs
• 76°-80°F: Potentially unsafe heat for all dogs, moderate to high risk for larger dogs
• 81°-85°F: Dangerous heat for all dogs - use extreme caution or avoid walking outside
• 86°-100°F: Too hot to walk your dog

Check the pavement temperature, too.
Asphalt, concrete and/or sand on a sunny day can potentially be 40°-60° hotter than the air temperature. If it’s 75°F and sunny the pavement could be 125°F, which can damage your pup’s paws in as little as 60 seconds. Puppies are especially vulnerable to hot surfaces since their paws haven’t developed callouses yet.
A quick way to check if the pavement is too hot is to place your hand (or bare foot) on a sunny part of the pavement. If you can’t comfortably keep your hand there for 10 seconds, the pavement is too hot for your dog’s paws, which can burn and blister (just like your feet would without shoes). Contact with hot pavement also raises your dog’s body temperature, which can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Learn more at https://www.stellaandchewys.com/blogs/articles/walking-dogs-in-hot-weather

1. You may water up to three days a week (Sunday to Saturday). You choose the days.
2. From May 1 to Oct. 15, water before 10 a.m. or after 6 p.m. to reduce evaporation.
3. Don't let water pool on hard surfaces or flow down gutters.
4. Repair leaking sprinkler systems within 10 days.
5. Use a shut-off nozzle when washing anything with a hose.
6. Clean hard surfaces (such as driveways, sidewalks and patios) with water only if there is a public health and safety concern.

• Watering is allowed any time with a drip irrigation system, handheld hose with a shutoff nozzle , or other handheld watering container.
• Find resources to maintain a healthy landscape while being water-wise, apply for new lawn permits and more: www.csu.org/Pages/WaterWiseRules.aspx​
• View the City Ordinance here: https://www.csu.org/Documents/WaterShortageOrdinance.pdf

2026: Water shortage preparation
Low snowpack, warmer-than-normal temperatures and faster snowmelt will reduce the amount of water flowing into our system by about half this year. Efficient use of water will help stretch our current reservoir storage supplies. Let’s work together to use water wisely for the benefit of our community, neighbors, and rivers.

Scammers use email or text messages to trick you into giving them your personal and financial information. But there are several ways to protect yourself.

Recognize. Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

• say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
• claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
• say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
• include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
• want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
• say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
• offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

Here are signs that this email is a scam, even though it looks like it comes from a company you know — and even uses the company’s logo in the header:

• The email has a generic greeting.
• The email says your account is on hold because of a billing problem.
• The email invites you to click on a link to update your payment details.

​Four Ways To Protect Yourself From Phishing
1. Protect your computer by using security software. Set the software to update automatically so it will deal with any new security threats.
2. Protect your cell phone by setting software to update automatically. These updates could give you critical protection against security threats.
3. Protect your accounts by using multi-factor authentication. Some accounts offer extra security by requiring two or more credentials to log in to your account. This is called multi-factor authentication. The extra credentials you need to log in to your account fall into three categories:

• something you know — like a passcode, a PIN, or the answer to a security question.
• something you have — like a one-time verification passcode you get by text, email, or from an authenticator app; or a security key
• something you are — like a scan of your fingerprint, your retina, or your face

Multi-factor authentication makes it harder for scammers to log in to your accounts if they do get your username and password.
4. Protect your data by backing it up. Back up the data on your computer to an external hard drive or in the cloud. Back up the data on your phone, too.
  
Learn more at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-avoid-phishing-scams