FoCo in 15 Minutes | Pie Shop Proposal, School Start Changes, Wage Increases & New Trail Connection

Welcome to Fort Collins Lifestyles, your weekly insider look at life, real estate, and community across Northern Colorado.

This week in Fort Collins:
🥧 Pie Shop + Auto Repair Concept at Lloyd’s Service — A longtime Fort Collins service station at 500 Garfield St. may soon become a unique combination of pie shop and auto repair garage, blending community space, outdoor seating, and vehicle services pending city approval and financing.
🏫 Later Start Possible for PSD Schools — Poudre School District is considering a later start for the 2026–27 school year to reduce student exposure to late-summer heat as air conditioning is gradually installed across schools through 2043.
🌲 Colorado Parks & Wildlife Leadership Change — CPW Director Jeff Davis has stepped down and will move into a senior policy role with the Department of Natural Resources, with retired Maj. Gen. Laura Clellan stepping in as acting director.
🚲 Bikes for Tykes Drive Needs Help — Realities for Children is short more than 150 bikes for its annual holiday drive, especially larger youth bike sizes, with donations still being accepted locally.
💵 Colorado Minimum Wage Increasing in 2026 — The state’s minimum wage will rise to $15.16/hour on January 1, 2026, with the tipped wage increasing to $12.14/hour.
🚴 Siphon Overpass Opening Dec. 5 — A major new trail connection in southeast Fort Collins will reopen with the Siphon Overpass bridging the Mail Creek Trail and Power Trail, restoring a critical non-vehicular route across the railroad corridor.

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Patrick Soukup
📞 Call/Text: 970-893-3533
📧 Email: patrick@soukuprealestate.com
🌐 Website: soukuprealestate.com