Indy - Sept. 6, 2023 Vol 31. No. 35

Comic Con’s leveled up. Has it outgrown its home? | PAGE 14

Legacy admissions are beginning to come to terms with a complex legacy of their own.

Our mission is to deliver the truth, build community and engage citizens.

PUBLISHER

Fran Zankowski

COVER DESIGN BY Zk Bradley

EDITORIAL

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Bryan Grossman

MANAGING EDITOR Helen Lewis

COPY EDITOR Mary Jo Meade

SENIOR REPORTER Pam Zubeck

CULTURE REPORTER Nick Raven

CONTRIBUTORS

Rob Brezsny, Heather Cox Richardson, Bill

Forman, Jim Hightower, Clay Jones, Mike Littwin, Matthew Schniper, Tom Tomorrow, Andrew “Shaggy”

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Schniper

Chris Almeida

Nick Raven

THE WIRE

Compiled by Pam Zubeck

CITY AUD PLAN AT A STANDSTILL

An ambitious plan to overhaul 100-year-old City Auditorium fell apart after “institutional funders” failed to deliver donations toward the project, the cost of which skyrocketed from $53 million to $86 million in the last two years.

Those donors refused to give substantial sums until and unless the city put “skin in the game,” Linda Weise, leader of the Colorado Springs Community Cultural Collective, tells the Indy. The CSCCC, which had an agreement with the city to revamp the building, gave notice in recent days that it was bowing out.

Mayor Yemi Mobolade, who took office in June, said in a statement that the city gave the CSCCC $2.5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act and another $250,000 from the 2022 city budget for 2023 operating expenses.

“In a meeting on Aug. 17, the CSCCC asked me for an additional $20 million-$40 million,” he said. “However, my first priority is to our residents and the continued pursuit of providing excellent city services in the areas of our public safety, parks and infrastructure.”

Inflation is largely responsible for the growing price tag, Weise says, though discovery of additional required work also played a role. The CSCCC raised $4 million, including the $2.5 million from ARPA, and has $100,000 left.

One limiting factor was a fire marshal’s report that limited the number of people who could attend events at the facility, recognized by the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.

Absent major donors, Weise set up workforce programs for culinary arts, child care workers and arts technical training to raise money, but it wasn’t enough to advance the renovation.

Weise says the ball is now in the city’s court, and Deputy Chief of Staff Ryan Trujillo said the city will assess “next steps.” Weise says she looks at the situation as “a pause” and hopes CSCCC can serve as part of the solution.

For a more in-depth version of this story, go to csindy.com.

WHO’S LISTENING?

Criticism has arisen over Mayor Yemi Mobolade’s “listening tour,” which seeks to gather input from residents about four areas of concern identified by the mayor: infrastructure, economic vitality, housing and public safety.

The tour includes sessions in each of the six council districts and a final session to be held online.

There have been complaints about the format — breaking into small groups to discuss issues and then providing a oneto two-minute report to the mayor. Mobolade has been arriving well into the sessions.

“I felt like a sheep corralled by city and volunteer workers who were there to keep us under close control, not really listen to the bleating of the herd,” Neil Talbott wrote on Facebook. “In summary, it was so controlled and limited that I wondered why I bothered to attend at all.”

Another reader called the meetings “scripted,” and yet another called them “excellent.”

City Councilor Dave Donelson wrote in a letter to the editor, which appeared in The Gazette and the Indy, that the mayor, not City Council, is sponsoring the tour.

Donelson said the format appears to be “designed to control citizen comments and questions” and called the sessions “a safe space” for the mayor to interact with citizens.

The Indy attended the first listening session on Aug. 4, held at Sand Creek High School. Eighty to 100 people showed up, were assigned seating at various tables of eight to 10 people, and were instructed to address four focus areas of civic life: economic vitality, infrastructure, housing and public safety.

Asked about the criticism, Mobolade issued a written statement that said, in part: “The benefit of this format is that residents are engaging with one another, they are engaging with me, with staff members, with community leaders and councilmembers.... [P]articipants have a seat at the table to discuss pressing issues and opportunities. The overwhelming feedback from residents has been positive.”

The feedback will be used to draft the city’s strategic plan.

GET A SHOT

UCHealth, which operates city-owned Memorial Hospital, is warning the public that infectious disease experts forecast a “concerning” virus season this fall and winter.

COVID, which has already seen a resurgence recently, and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) are expected to circulate at the same time.

In addition, UCHealth urges people to get vaccinated against the flu as soon as possible, because health providers expect an early start to the season. It typically peaks in December going into the holidays and lasts until about April. This year, Coloradans can expect to see flu start circulating in October and possibly peaking in November, a UCHealth news release said.

Predictions for this year’s respiratory virus season are based on modeling and trends seen in the Southern Hemisphere. In Australia, the combination of viruses was of serious concern; cases of all three viruses increased at the same time, reaching higher-than-average levels, according to the release.

“It was a rough couple of months seeing all three of those viruses at the same time, and children seem to have been affected by the flu and RSV combination more this year in Australia than in previous years,” Dr. Michelle Barron, senior medical director of infection prevention and control at UCHealth, said in the release. “This is why we’re encouraging everyone, and especially kids, parents and grandparents, to get their vaccinations early.”

As COVID cases and hospitalizations rise due to waning immunity and a new strain, a new monovalent COVID vaccine is to be available by late September. While it’s safe to get the flu and new COVID vaccine together, UCHealth suggests getting each as soon as possible.

Matter of Record

The IRS has ruled the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights refunds as taxable, prompting Gov. Jared Polis to call the decision “absurd” and urge the Biden administration to rethink the rule.

Ent Credit Union is rallying its 500,000plus owner-members and the community to raise funds for Colorado food banks for Hunger Action Month. Visit secure.qgiv.com/for/ecuhamf

Academy School District 20 custodial worker Jose Garcia was arrested recently on suspicion of sexual assault of a child by one in a position of trust, prompting the district to notify parents of Mountain Ridge Middle School. If anyone has additional information about Garcia, they’re urged to notify richard.payne@asd20.org.

El Paso County combined courts will host a “Second Chances” event on Sept. 15 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 270 S. Tejon St. Clear your active warrant without being arrested and get back on track for completing probation. Eligible cases are those for class 5 or 6 felonies, class 4 drug felonies, misdemeanors or traffic offenses. Questions? 719-475-1235.

Gov. Jared Polis’ administration has created an Office of School Safety within the Department of Public Safety. The office will provide resources, grants and crisis response in Colorado public schools.

POTUS AMONG US?

Local runs for U.S. president on “save the planet” platform

BY PAM ZUBECK | zubeck@csindy.com

POLITICIANS WILL SAY almost anything to get elected, including telling a lot of lies. But one presidential candidate pledges that his campaign centers on brutal honesty — so much so that the message is likely to be disqualifying.

But then, Dave Gardner is no politician.

A documentary filmmaker whose signature piece, GrowthBusters: Hooked on Growth, came out in 2011, Gardner is a passionate environmentalist and podcaster whose message is simple.

“We are in a global and national crisis,” he tells the Indy in a phone interview. “We are in ecological overshoot. We’re demanding more from the planet than she can sustainably provide year after year. We’re leaving a dead planet to our children.”

The solution to this existential problem, he says, is complicated — but it begins by shrinking the economy and weaning the human race from consumerism.

WHEN YOU’RE SERIOUS ABOUT REAL ESTATE

“We have got to shrink our footprint on the planet,” he says, “and that means scale back our economy, go on an energy diet and contract our population.”

The country has seen people run for president for either comic relief or to advance their agenda. Pat Paulsen, a comedian who ran in 1968 under the Straight Talking American Government Party, or S.T.A.G., and Jimmy McMillan, who ran in 2012 under the flag of The Rent Is Too Damn High party, come to mind.

But Gardner isn’t laughing. He says climate crises, species extinction, and the depletion of water supplies and fertile soils all stem from the over-tapping of natural resources to supply an ever expanding population.

“It’s time that we grew up and looked in the mirror and admitted ... perpetual growth of the human enterprise is not the final answer,” he says.

GARDNER, 68, WHO FORMERLY

served on the board of the nonprofit Citizen-Powered Media, which publishes

the Indy, has spent 40 years as a professional filmmaker. He produced films for more than a dozen Fortune 500 companies and directed a PBS series.

In 2005, he turned to confront the modern cultural focus on unending growth, which he says threatens the continued existence of the human race. Gardner says his GrowthBusters film premiered in Washington, D.C., and was honored by over a dozen film festivals around the world.

We have got to shrink our footprint on the planet...

He ran for a Colorado Springs City Council seat years ago on a platform that asserted that growth won’t solve the problems it creates. He lost, but captured 43 percent of the vote in his race.

— Dave Gardner

ulation Balance and launched and cohosted The Overpopulation Podcast Gardner managed the launch of Colorado Springs’ community radio station, KCMJ, from 2014 to 2016, and produced the Conversation Earth syndicated radio series/podcast from 2015 to 2017. He also founded and manages the local Studio 809 Podcasts. In addition, he produces and co-hosts the GrowthBusters podcast about sustainable living, and produces the Planet in Crisis podcast for Scientists Warning Europe. Reversing the expansion of the human enterprise, Gardner realizes, is an enormous task.

From 2015 to 2021 he served as executive director of the nonprofit World Pop-

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“On Day One of my presidency I would declare a national emergency,” he says, noting that reversing the growth mentality is “the biggest challenge that our civilization has ever faced.”

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He hopes people will respond by taking actions to diminish their impact on the world’s resources and health, he says, much like millions of people embraced limitations imposed during the COVID pandemic.

“We were all willing to go in the same direction, doing what we needed to do to survive,” he says.

A contraction necessarily will require an overhaul of almost every part of life, including work. “We all need to work less,” he says. “There are no jobs on a dead planet. To continue doing what we’re doing to keep jobs and keep food on the table, it’s a suicide pact.”

Curtailing jobs, production and mining of the world’s resources will “force us to shrink our footprint,” he says.

Gardner has experienced this himself, in a sense, when he gave up corporate filmmaking and had to adjust to a lower income. “It didn’t make my life miserable,” he says, “It made my life better. I got in touch with the joys of life.”

As president, he wants to oversee

an effort to create programs across the country where people help one another and “find ways that I haven’t even imagined” to assure everyone’s needs are met.

“I think we’ve been taught to expect way too little of ourselves,” he says. “We can be mature, selfless and do the right thing. It’s going to be a new day.”

ON A

PRACTICAL LEVEL, GARD

ner realizes he has no political machine to advance his candidacy (he’s running as an independent) and notes he currently relies on a dozen volunteers who raised $3,000 in a week. That’s more than he expected, so he hopes his message catches fire.

“I’m not banking on being able to meet criteria to get on the debate stage or on primary ballots,” he says. “I don’t want to just be a sideshow. In six to eight months we’ll know if we’ve attracted volunteers and finances to get on those ballots. If not, I’ll be a write-in candidate.”

Go to davetheplanet2024.com for more information.

Olympic & Paralympic Museum

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Gardner says a growth mentality is the biggest challenge to civilization.

Courtesy Dave Gardner for U.S. President 2024

RACE AT THE BASE

Support for legacy admissions is rooted in racial hierarchy

BY ANGELICA S. GUTIERREZ | The Conversation

NOT LONG AFTER THE U.S. SUPREME Court’s June 2023 decision to ban the use of race in college admissions, people began to ask questions once again about the fairness of legacy admissions.

Legacy admission is a practice in which colleges give a preference to the children of graduates when deciding which students to let in.

As a researcher who specializes in education and workplace policies, I have examined why people support legacy admissions and not affirmative action. I found that even though legacy admissions are based on parental connections to a given school, support for the policy actually has something to do with race.

Race is at the heart of a complaint that Black and Latino community groups filed against Harvard University just days after the court’s 6-3 ruling against affirmative action. The groups filed the complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. The complaint argues that legacy admissions are tantamount to racial discrimination because Harvard grants preferential treatment to legacies — 70 percent of whom are white. The complaint alleges that Harvard’s use of legacy admissions therefore violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits racial discrimination in institutions that receive federal funds.

The groups — the Chica Project, African Community Economic Development of New England and the Greater Boston Latino Network — are among the growing number of those who question the double standard that lurks behind legacy admissions. And that is: Why can family ties be considered in the college admission process, but not race?

EXAMINING RATIONALES

As a researcher, I began to probe people’s attitudes about legacy admissions — and whether the practice is fair — over a decade ago. I found that those who support legacy admissions do so in part because they want to maintain a racial hierarchy. In this hierarchy, white Americans are the dominant group, and ethnic minorities are subordinates.

Dominance is based on group access to resources that have positive social value. These resources include power, status and prestige. Relative to ethnic minorities, white Americans have higher levels of wealth, education and labor market participation. They also occupy more positions of authority.

To examine people’s beliefs about racial hierarchy and how much they support it, I used a construct called social dominance orientation. Researchers have described social dominance orientation as the degree to which individuals support a group-based hierarchy and the domination of “inferior” groups.

Those who seek to maintain the hierarchy will support policies that benefit the dominant group. Similarly, they will oppose policies that they believe threaten the hierarchy by benefiting ethnic minorities.

TAKING A CLOSER LOOK

I used social dominance orientation in two different studies to examine people’s attitudes toward legacy admissions versus affirmative action. In the first study, I recruited 80 UCLA students from an online database maintained by the university. Of that group, 38 were Asian, 36 were white, four were Latino and two were multiracial.

I first measured social dominance orientation by asking participants to rate how positively or negatively they

Photo illustration using assets from adobe.stock.com

felt about the eight statements in the social dominance orientation scale. Examples of the statements include: “It’s probably a good thing that certain groups are at the top and other groups are at the bottom.” Another one is: “Some groups are simply inferior to other groups.”

After completing the measure, participants were randomly assigned to review either a legacy policy or an affirmative action policy. I then measured participants’ policy support by asking them to rate how strongly they agreed or disagreed with various statements about the policy that they were assigned to review. One statement was: “This admissions policy will help admit highly qualified individuals.” Another statement was: “To what extent do you agree or disagree that this policy is legitimate and should be continued?”

WHY CAN FAMILY TIES BE CONSIDERED IN THE COLLEGE ADMISSION PROCESS, BUT NOT RACE?

Both Asian Americans and white Americans were the majorities in the student population at UCLA — 37 percent and 32 percent, respectively — so it was unclear whether their support for legacy admissions reflected a desire to maintain the existing hierarchy or self-interest. In other words, it was possible that both Asian American and white American students supported legacy admissions not because they wanted to uphold the hierarchy. Rather, their support could have been because both groups believed their children and grandchildren would benefit from the policy in the future.

To better determine the underlying motivation for support of legacy admis sions, in the second study I examined only the views of Asian Ameri cans. Fifty-four self-iden tified Asian students participated.

If Asian Americans supported legacy admissions in the first study simply because they believed that their children and grandchildren would benefit from this policy in the future, then in the second study we would have seen support for the use of legacy admissions when they read that the policy would benefit Asian Americans. Instead, I found that support is driven not by self-interest but a desire to maintain the hierarchy. The results revealed that Asian Americans supported legacy admissions only when white Americans were the perceived beneficiaries. There was no significant support for legacy admissions when Asian Americans were the perceived beneficiaries. In all, the results show that support and opposition to policies doesn’t depend on the actual policies. Rather, it depends on the perceived effect the policies will have on the racial hierarchy.

THE QUEST FOR EQUALITY

Just as was found in previous research, I found that people who wanted to maintain social dominance for white people were largely the same people who supported legacy admissions. They also largely opposed affirmative action.

These findings are consistent with the idea that individuals who seek to maintain the existing hierarchy will not support a policy that benefits ethnic minorities. However, they will support a policy that benefits the dominant group. This is relevant to the discussion of legacy admissions because members of the dominant group — in this case, white Americans — are more likely to have parents who went to college.

UNDERLYING MOTIVES

In the second study, I took a closer look at support for legacy admissions. Even though Asian American and white American students were supportive of legacy admissions in the first study, I couldn’t establish why.

Consistent with the first study, I first measured participants’ social dominance orientation. I then randomly assigned participants to read about legacy admissions that would benefit either Asian Americans or white Americans. Half the participants received an admissions excerpt that concluded: “Because legacy policies improve the admissions prospects for alumni children, Asians will be the primary ben eficiaries.” For the other half, the excerpt concluded: “Because legacy policies improve the admissions prospects for alumni children, whites will be the primary beneficiaries.” I then measured participants’ support for the legacy policy by using the same items from the first study.

Policies like affirmative action can level the playing field and increase access to college for historically excluded groups. However, legacy admission policies can maintain the hierarchy because they disproportionately benefit white people — the historically advantaged group. Now that consideration of race in college admissions has been banned, universities have an opportunity to revamp how they decide which students to admit. In writing for the majority, Justice John Roberts noted that the Constitution requires schools to be colorblind. He wrote that a student “must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual — not on the basis of race.” But if colorblind is the standard, do legacy admissions meet it? Based on my analysis of the evidence, the answer would have to be no.

NO NEPO STATE

Colorado banned legacy admissions at its public colleges. Two years later, the impact is unclear

BY JASON GONZALES | Chalkbeat Colorado

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

THE U. S . SUPREME COURT ’S RULING prohibiting race-conscious admissions has led to calls to ban another form of preference — legacy admissions — in pursuit of more inclusive campuses.

In 2021, Colorado became the first state to ban legacy admissions — the process of giving an admissions edge to children of alumni — at public universities. The goal was to help admit a more diverse student body.

At CU Boulder, the state’s flagship, admissions for students who are the first in their families to attend

college increased in 2022, but slightly fewer students of color were admitted.

At Mines, the state’s most selective public college, the school admitted more students of color, about the same number of first-generation students, and fewer women in 2022 — but the school accepted and enrolled a more diverse class in 2023.

The trends at Mines and CU Boulder paint a fuzzy picture of whether banning legacy admissions elsewhere would increase campus diversity or provide more opportunity for students from marginalized backgrounds.

Complicating the picture: Colorado public universities changed several other policies at the same time, including making test scores such as the SAT and

ACT exams optional and expanding recruitment in diverse communities. These changes have affected who applied, how many students were accepted, and who ended up on campus.

Admissions offices at the two universities said they want to show more commitment to diversifying their campuses in addition to banning legacy admissions. They report they’re facing more competition from other schools with lower tuition or more financial aid. They’re also battling perceptions about whether a campus is welcoming if there is not as much diversity among the students.

“Schools are more aggressive with what they’re continued on p. 8 ➔

Angelica S. Gutierrez is professor of management at Loyola Marymount University.

doing,” said Lori Kester, Mines’ associate provost for enrollment management. “People think the writing’s on the wall as the population dwindles. People in higher ed are all going after the same students.”

Earlier this month, the Biden administration encouraged colleges and universities to review their admissions policies, including ending the use of legacy preferences. The Office of Civil Rights is investigating whether legacy preferences constitute discrimination. Democrats in Congress have also introduced legislation that would bar schools with legacy admissions from participating in federal financial aid.

Most of Colorado’s public colleges and universities admit the majority of students that apply. CU Boulder and Mines are more selective.

In 2022, CU Boulder applications were up in 2022 to about 54,000, or about 10,500 more applications than in 2020. The school accepted about 79 percent of students who applied that year.

About 77 percent of all students of color were accepted — a slight decrease from 81 percent in 2020. At the same time, first-generation acceptance rates increased two points to 73 percent.

At Mines, the state’s engineering school, overall applications were down in 2022 to about 11,360 applications, or a decrease of about 1,300 applications from 2020. The school accepted about 57 percent of all applicants — up from 55 percent in 2020.

Mines admitted 54 percent of students of color who applied, an increase of 3.4 points from 2020. First-generation students were accepted at a 40 percent rate, about the same as in 2020.

Women applicants — who are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math fields — were accepted at a 65 percent rate in 2022, down two points from 2020.

In 2023, the school’s admissions rates increased among all students to 59 percent. Acceptance rates increased among students of color to 58 percent, first-generation students to 42.5 percent, and women to 66 percent.

The school also enrolled more students of color, first-generation students, and women.

Admissions numbers for CU Boulder in 2023 are not yet available.

MORE STATES CONSIDERING BANS

No major research exists about the impact of banning legacy admissions, according to Thomas Harnisch, vice president for government relations at the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association.

Several other state legislatures are considering a ban, including New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, he said. Private colleges, however, have pushed back because they see legacy admissions as a way to get students with ties to the university to apply, encourage donations, and build community, Harnisch said.

Colorado’s two premier private colleges, Colorado College and the University of Denver, still consider

alumni relations in their admissions decisions.

After CU Boulder ended legacy preferences voluntarily, both CU Boulder and Mines supported legislation banning legacy preferences statewide.

But both schools’ administrators said it’s difficult to identify any one change as the catalyst for whether a student applies or is admitted.

In 2021, Mines and CU Boulder backed legislation to make the ACT and SAT optional in admissions. At the same time, school officials said they increased recruitment efforts and college-readiness programs.

In practice, neither Mines nor CU Boulder weighed legacy as the sole determining factor in admissions. Banning legacy preference sent more of a message to students, said Jennifer Ziegenfus, CU Boulder assistant vice chancellor for admissions.

Ziegenfus said student perception about legacy admissions was “that the student who doesn’t have a family member who went there is already starting from behind and they have to play catch up.”

‘WELCOME AS MANY STUDENTS AS POSSIBLE INTO OUR COMMUNITY’

The test-optional change allowed Mines to sig nal to students that admissions offices want to know more about the whole student, not just a test, said Jen Gagne, interim execu tive director of admissions. She added that she wants students to know that even after the ban on race-conscious admissions, they should showcase who they are in personal essays.

“We want to make sure that stu dents are challenging themselves in the classroom,” Gagne said. “But we want to know about you. We are looking for problem solvers for the future and that requires students from all backgrounds.”

CU Boulder has also started to recruit more in rural areas and hired Spanish recruiters to better reach students, Ziegenfus said.

The goal has been to spread the mes sage that the state’s flagship institution is for all students in the state, and Span ish recruiters help not only students, but families see why CU Boulder is an option, she said. The school has also had more students in recent years take advantage of Colorado’s free college application days, when Colorado students can apply to colleges for free in October.

At Mines, leaders have wanted its student body to look more like the state’s demographics.

Mines has placed more focus on pre-college programs that prepare students for science, technology, engi neering, and math courses, including a new program at Lakewood’s Alameda International Jr./Sr. High, Kester said.

The school is also working more closely with high school counselors to get students

early math exposure because the school requires students to have a strong background in the subject. The school also has pushed for alternative pathways to get students to Mines, such as transfer options from the state’s community colleges.

Both schools also face increased competition from out-of-state schools, which has caused pressure on who does and doesn’t show up on campus. That’s especially an issue during a time when more students worry about the cost of college.

Wealthier schools can do more to subsidize a student’s education, Kester said, which has caused some to look elsewhere. Some out-of-state public schools have lower overall tuition rates even when compared to Colorado’s in-state tuition or can provide financial aid to offset costs.

Ziegenfus said she hopes students of color know they have a place despite the school not being able to consider race any longer. CU Boulder considered race in admissions. Mines did not. She added admissions officers are looking for ways to get them an acceptance letter.

“It is the goal of most institutions across the state to be able to welcome as many students as possible into our community,” Ziegenfus said. “Whatever efforts we can make to knock down these barriers — perceived or otherwise — it’s always going to be at the root of our mission.”

Jason Gonzales is a reporter covering higher education and the Colorado legislature. Chalkbeat Colorado partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. Contact Jason at jgonzales@chalkbeat.org.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

SCHOOLS ARE MORE AGGRESSIVE WITH WHAT THEY’RE DOING.

ODYSSEY’S MENU heads in a new direction

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has now journeyed its way through nine years in business (311 N. Tejon St., odysseygastropub.com).

But with a new chef in place and a new menu that launched Aug. 18, it has taken a turn on the map and headed in a new direction.

“It’s time for a refresh,” co-proprietor Jenny Sherman tells Side Dish. “We used to be one of the go-to’s in town, but we struggled through COVID, and finding the right person to lead the kitchen has taken us a long time… We want to put ourselves back in the running as one of the cool places.”

Sherman and her husband and coproprietor Tyler say they feel excited by and confident about allowing their newly appointed chef to overhaul nearly the entirety of their menu — all but a few flagship favorites like the fish ’n chips, Brussels sprouts and Odyssey and Pioneer burgers.

“This is the biggest menu change we’ve ever done,” says Jenny.

The chef they’re trusting to pull it off?

Andrew Borek, who took the helm on July 1. I sat down with him and the Shermans for a brief chat and preview of several new menu items just ahead of the new menu drop.

Borek tells me he got his start in corporate restaurants, later working as a trainer for Ted’s Montana Grill and opening a few locations with them. He spent roughly a year and a half each at Colorado Craft and Abby’s Irish Pub (as its head chef) during their respective launch days. Then came an eight-month stint at Ambli Global Cuisine, he says, followed by two years at TILL Downtown, then a period most recently working at Grand View at Garden of the Gods Resort & Club.

Me being me (sometimes without a filter), I shot a look at the Shermans and blurted out: “Man, he moves around a lot. Are you sure he’s gonna stick around?”

A bit of awkward laughter later — giving grace to the idea of growing as a chef through many kitchens versus a static appointment — we return to the subject continued on p. 10 ➔

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CRAFT PUB

ODYSSEY GASTROPUB

311 N. TEJON ST. | 719-999-5127 | ODYSS EYGASTROPUB.COM

Voted Best New Restaurant 2015 by Indy readers. Specializing in an eclectic mix of craft food, craft beer, and craft cocktails. Odyssey Gastropub is a downtown gem with a warm, intimate atmosphere and awesome staff. Start your adventure with us! Mon.- Fri. 11am - 10pm, Sat. & Sun. 10am - 10pm

STORY AND PHOTOS BY MATTHEW SCHNIPER

Odyssey’s Mongolian beef

➔ continued from p. 9

at hand. Borek, for his part, says “I want to push the limits in the Springs and on Tejon Street and do some different things.” Echoing Jenny’s sentiment, he says “We want to be part of the top of the scene.”

Now to my samples: Borek says he’s sticking to Odyssey’s theme of traveling by pulling from different international cuisines.

A fresh brunch menu launched two weeks ago, with items like a chilaquiles verde with carnitas and Eggs in Purgatory with Pomodoro sauce and poached eggs over sourdough toast with fresh basil and Parmesan. I don’t try those (psych!), but I do get a taste of a light and colorful Palisade peach panzanella as a seasonal specialty. (Borek aims to refresh menus quarterly.) The bread salad places toasted pieces of French bread, heirloom tomatoes and peach segments around a burrata ball with fresh shallots and basil garnish and a drizzle of spicy honey (made with cayenne and red pepper flakes).

From the regular lunch/dinner menu, I next sample a vegetarian risotto, a broccolini appetizer and a Mongolian beef main, finishing with a panna cotta. The white wine risotto, with rotating seasonal vegetables, can be made vegan (as can a few other dishes by request). The broccolini receives a bright Calabrian pepper vinaigrette plus shaved Grana Padano and crispy shallots, making for a beautiful tangle of ingredients on the plate. The Mongolian beef starts with a cornstarch batter

and fry on the tender beef hunks, which mix with roasted veggies in a house Mongolian beef sauce; it’s served with a scoop of basmati rice. The panna cotta receives blueberries and fresh basil with lemon zest, a lovely combination that enlivens the creamy vanilla custard. It’s a great rendition.

AT THE TOP OF THE GAME

SUMMIT AT THE BROADMOOR (1 LAKE Ave., broadmoor.com/dining/summit) also

debuted a new menu recently, under its current chef de cuisine, Rocio Neyra Palmer. She’s Peruvian, and came to The Broadmoor in 2008 as an International Culinary Extern, working her way up and around the property in the years following. Prior to this post at Summit, she was Ristorante del Lago’s sous chef. In addition to her culinary education, Palmer holds degrees in agronomy and farming, which, according to a bio posted about her, influences her commitment to seasonality and zero-waste cooking. One aspect assisting Palmer in that effort: house-grown produce from Broadmoor Farms as well as local herbs and microgreens sourced from Chef Sigi’s Farm (former Broadmoor Executive Chef Siegfried “Sigi” Eisenberger).

Visit tinyurl.com/topothegame for a preview of many of Palmer’s new dishes that I sampled recently. If you go, start with the Summit Ceviche Trio, Palmer’s trademark appetizer, Peruvian style. The day I sampled, we received: a Peruvian Salmon Tiradito with salmon belly and aji amarillo pepper; Nikkei Style Ceviche (tuna) with ponzu and leche de tigre; and a catch-of-the-day, in this case Kona Kampachi with lime, lemon and Peruvian Rocoto chile.

Chef Andrew Borek

Broccolini

WE’RE NO. 1! (for restaurant inflation)

NPR AFFILIATE KUNC aired a story recently with the headline: “Colorado is the No. 1 state for restaurant inflation.”

A short excerpt from it:

“… As operating expenses increase, those costs are passed onto the plate. According to the analysis, menu prices in Colorado have increased by nearly 25 percent since last November. That brings an average meal out from about $91 in late 2022 to about $112 in June 2023.

“[Sonia Riggs, CEO of the Colorado Restaurant Association] said she hasn’t studied why Colorado is ahead of the rest of the country, but she suspects that it’s due to rising labor costs and costs of living.”

While I was meeting with Odyssey Gastropub’s Jenny Sherman, I asked her thoughts on the topic, since she’s the vice president of the Pikes Peak Chapter of the Colorado Restaurant Association.

“We have no option,” she says, noting that Odyssey tried an inflation surcharge not long ago and “people lost their minds.”

She cited a number of factors, from current Colorado minimum wage ($13.65/hour, and $10.63/hour for tipped employees) to newer laws requiring paid sick time and the offering of a 401(k) plan, which requires admin fees from businesses.

Sherman says her profit margins have shrunk, too, making it even more difficult to operate. “But we can’t charge any more. There’s only so much that people are willing to pay,” she says.

BITES AND BITS

• The Colorado Springs chapter of the United States Bartenders’ Guild is no longer. “With heavy hearts we have decided to disband,” wrote former admin for the group Regan Capozzella (of Brooklyn’s on Boulder) in an online announcement. ”Unfortunately we are

unable to meet the requirements by the USBG to continue the chapter.” At an educational Sotol tasting they hosted this past April, Capozzella and other former local organizers had told me they were struggling with attendance and recruiting members. “We look to continue growing our community outside of the USBG and hope you all still attend events within the industry,” she concluded. The group held a bar crawl finale the week of Aug. 21-24 as a last hurrah.

• Trinity Brewing (466 Garden of the Gods Road, 4630 Forge Road, trinitybrew.com) celebrated its 15-year anniversary on Aug. 19. Side Dish partner Focus on the Beer (focusonthe.beer) spoke with head brewer Zach Weller about a special brandy Old Fashioned ale that Weller and owner Matt Dettmann prepared for the anniversary party. View either of our archives online to read more.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• The Palmer Lake Wine Festival (palmerlakewinefestival.com) is Saturday, Sept. 9, noon to 5 p.m. Expect more than 30 Colorado wineries, vendors, food and music. Tickets, at PLWF2023. com, benefit Tri-Lakes Cares.

• Catch Downtown Colorado Springs’ Revel: The Urban Arts Party at 5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 9 in AdAmAn Alley. The event celebrates Art on the Streets’ 25-year anniversary as well as the Downtown Creative District. The seated dinner is sold out but the dance party kicks off at 8:30 p.m., downtowncs.com/event/dance-party.

Matthew Schniper is the former Food & Drink editor and critic at the Indy. You can find expanded food and drink news and reviews at sidedishschnip. substack.com.

SUMMER

LIVE

2nd Friday of every month 6-8pm!

LUNCH / DAILY Chicken Bowls $9 & California Roll with Tempura $12 MONDAY MADNESS

50% OFF EVERYTHING 5-6pm!

*excludes some items

TUESDAY

Celebrating 25 Years!

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GERMAN

EDELWEISS RESTAURANT

34 E. RAMONA AVE. | (SOUTH NEVADA & TEJON) | 719-633-2220

For 50 Years Edelweiss has brought Bavaria to Colorado Springs. Using fresh ingredients, the menu invites you to visit Germany. Support local business! We’re open and doing drive-thru and takeout with a limited menu that can be found on our website! www. edelweissrest.com.

SOUTHWESTERN/MEXICAN

JOSÉ MULDOON’S

222 N. TEJON ST. | 719-636-2311 | 5710 S. CAREFREE CR @ POWERS | 719-574-5673

Since 1974. Features authentic Tex-Mex & Mexican fare in contemporary Sante Fe-styled establishment. Across from Acacia Park, and west of Powers & Carefree. Josemuldoons.com. Support local restaurants! We are open for delivery, carry out, and dine-in at both locations! Please check our Facebook page for hours daily, as they are subject to change.

STEAKHOUSE

THE FAMOUS

31 N. TEJON ST. | DOWNTOWN | 719-227-7333

Colorado Springs’ finest upscale steak house and lounge located in the center of downtown. Dine in an elegant and classic steak house environment. Award winning prime steaks, fresh seafood, premium wines, craft brews and piano bar provide a provocative mix of atmosphere and entertainment. Reservations suggested.

MACKENZIE’S CHOP HOUSE

128 S. TEJON ST. HISTORIC ALAMO BUILDING | DOWNTOWN | 719-635-3536

Offering half off all bottles of wine under $100! Voted Best Power Lunch, Steakhouse and Martini! Downtown’s choice for quality meats and mixed drinks. Mackenzieschophouse.com. Open Mon.-Fri. 11:30am-3pm for lunch, and 5pm- close every day for dinner!

PAID ADVERTISEMENT • 719.577.4545

Summit at The Broadmoor Chef de Cuisine Rocio Neyra Palmer

DAYSEEKER

PLAYING AROUND

favorably compared to artists like Portishead (whose frontwoman Beth Orton he recently collaborated with), Miles Davis and Sun Ra, Captain Beefheart and Charles Bukowski, Radiohead and Sigur Rós, the list goes on.

DePlume first began attracting attention after moving to London, where he would spend his time sleeping on couches, studying music, and hosting a series of monthly improvisational gigs that combined avant-garde jazz and spoken-word poetry. Then as now, he encouraged his bandmates to let go of preconceived notions about what or how they should play, to just look up and respond to each other in the moment, and create something new. “When something is broken or absent or missing, you go around it and that’s what makes it good,” he says. “I want to destroy the idea of correct.”

ALABASTER DEPLUME at Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver

IF IT’S TRUE THAT THERE’S NOTHING NEW under the sun, Alabaster DePlume must be working a lot of night shifts. Described by the BBC as “therapy for the planet” and by The Guardian as “a reminder of how vital and adventurous music can be,” the Manchester-born poet, saxophonist and bandleader’s work stubbornly refused to be filed, stamped, indexed or numbered.

Which is not to say that people haven’t tried. In the decade since the release of his debut album Copernicus: The Good Book of No, DePlume and his ever-shifting musical lineup have been

WEDNESDAY, 9/6

RESTRAINING ORDER

Acoustic Hour, local musicians; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge, bicycleresort.com.

Imelda Franklin Bogue: “The 12-Step Opera,” contralto/“ original comic presentation,” by Pikes Peak Opera League; 4 p.m., Broadmoor Community Church, pikespeakoperaleague.org.

Cari Dell, variety; John Wise & Tribe, New Orleans R&B/blues/jazz/island; Roma Ransom, Bohemian psychfolk ; 6 p.m., Hillside Gardens, hillsidecolorado.com/upcoming-events.

FRED MASCHERINO

Gilda House, “electronic-tinged indie pop”; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks. com.

Seth Glier, singer-songwriter ; 7 p.m., Brues Alehouse, Pueblo, bruesalehouse.com.

THURSDAY, 9/7

Suzy Bogguss, country ; 7 p.m., Boot Barn Hall, bootbarnhallco.com.

The Criticals, rock ; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

Sarah Groh Trio, jazz; 7:30 p.m., Summa, dizzycharlies.com.

Miniluv, alternative rock , with Years Down, Lava Gato, Between the Heart; 7 p.m., The Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

Benjamin Morse & The Sensations, singer-songwriter ; 8 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

That may take a while. But DePlume has succeeded in chipping away at the cornerstones of conformity, at least in his own music, segueing from gorgeously elegiac chamber-jazz instrumentals (like the inexplicably titled “Why, Buzzardman, Why?”) to wry commentaries on political apathy (“I was gonna fight fascism / But I looked over at Jenny / And I don’t think Jenny was fighting fascism / So I didn’t either”).

And then there’s the altogether eerie video for last year’s “Don’t Forget You’re Precious,” which finds a blindfolded DePlume reciting, over a mournful refrain of saxophone, drums and wordless vocals, the many things that he does remember (his PIN number, his ex’s email address, his shame, the way they laughed, the names they used) while handing out wooden rifles to a firing squad made up of children. “They can’t use us against one another,” he sings, “if we don’t forget we’re precious.” —

Bill Forman

Red Mountain Boys, “high country traditional bluegrass”; 6 p.m., Stargazers Theatre, stargazerstheatre.com. WireWood Station, pop/variety/Americana; 6 p.m., Fox Run Regional Park, communityservices.elpasoco.com.

FRIDAY, 9/8

Anavrin’s Day, ’90s alternative rock ; 7 p.m., Boot Barn Hall, bootbarnhallco. com.

Carbé & Durand, Latin guitar duo; 7 p.m., Tri-Lakes Center for the Arts, trilakesarts.org.

A Carpenter’s Daughter, mountain folk ; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, bicycleresort.com.

Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers, rock ; 7 p.m., The Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

EPIC: Underplayed Masterpieces, classical; 7 p.m., Ent Center, tinyurl.com/ EPIC-Ent.

The Jayhawks, alt-country, with Freedy Johnston; 8 p.m., Lulu’s Downstairs, lulusdownstairs.com.

Little River Band, rock ; 7 p.m., Pikes Peak Center, pikespeakcenter.com.

Alabaster DePlume, Sunday, Sept. 10, 8 p.m., Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, 1215 10th St., Denver, $20-$35, ages 18 and over, opheliasdenver.com; “Don’t Forget You’re Precious,” tinyurl.com/Alabaster-DePlume

Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers bring their “kick ass American rock-n-roll” to The Black Sheep Friday night.

International Anthem

LOOK’EE HERE!, blues/vintage jazz ; 6 p.m., Mash Mechanix Brewing Company, mashmechanix.com.

NightWraith, melodic heavy metal , with Necropanther, Tovenaar, Electric Condor; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks. com.

PJG, rap/hip-hop, with Mo Sauce, BSlick, Matthew Hennis, BA303; 6 p.m., Sunshine Studios, sunshinestudioslive. com.

Red Mountain Boys, bluegrass; 7 p.m., Black Forest Community Center, Black Rose Acoustic Society, blackroseacoustic.org.

Starburn, ’60s and ’70s rock, with Balanced Rock; 7 p.m., Stargazers Theatre, stargazerstheatre.com.

Todd Williams Trio, jazz; 7 p.m., Summa, dizzycharlies.com.

Vanimal Kingdom, funk/progressive rock/ jazz ; 9 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

SATURDAY, 9/9

Bay Ledges, “soulful, glitchy, pop sounds ,” with Mishegas; 7 p.m., The Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

Beats & Ballots, all-day local music ; Acacia Park, noon to 7 p.m., citizensproject.org/event/beats-ballots.

Chris Cagle, country ; 7 p.m., Boot Barn Hall, bootbarnhallco.com.

Family Elephant, blues; 9 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

Wayne Gottstine, Americana, with Joe Johnson; 8 p.m., Lulu’s Downstairs, lulusdownstairs.com.

Last in Line, rock , with Sin On Six, Sabbatar, Cryptic Writings; 6 p.m., Sunshine Studios, sunshinestudioslive. com.

Musical Fireworks for Brass and Organ, classical; 7 p.m., First Christian Church, firstchristiancos.org/upcoming-musicevents.html.

Rafiel & The Roomshakers, funk/R&B/ rock/blues ; 6 p.m., Mash Mechanix Brewing Company, mashmechanix. com.

Grant Sabin, blues guitar; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, bicycleresort. com.

Three Dog Night, rock ; 7:30 p.m., Pikes Peak Center, pikespeakcenter.com.

Twenty Hands High, Americana/country/rock ; 6 p.m., Whiskey Baron Dance Hall, tinyurl.com/whisk-dh.

Yesterday, Beatles tribute; 7 p.m., Stargazers Theatre, stargazerstheatre.com.

SUNDAY, 9/10

Al Chesis, jazz ; 1 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

Forté Handbell Quartet Concert ; 4 p.m., Church in the Wildwood, Green Mountain Falls, tinyurl.com/Forte-bell.

Fortunate Youth, “soulful, glitchy, pop sounds ,” with Kash’d Out, Dubbest; 8 p.m., The Black Sheep, blacksheeprocks.com.

Jeshua Marshall, singer-songwriter, with Roma Ransom; 8 p.m., Lulu’s Downstairs, lulusdownstairs.com.

Traditional Irish Music, Irish; 3 p.m., Jack Quinn’s, facebook.com/jackquinns.

Woodland Park Wind Symphony, “performing music of the people”; 4 p.m., Ent Center, woodlandparkwindsymphony.com.

MONDAY, 9/11

Steve Brooks, jazz jam; 6 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

TUESDAY, 9/12

Broth, punk rock ; 6 p.m., Bancroft Park, occpartnership.org/classic-tuesdays.

Corey Feldman, rock , with Decades, DJ KMC, Addie Tonics; 6 p.m., Sunshine Studios, sunshinestudioslive.com.

Amy LaVere with Will Sexton, singersongwriter; 8 p.m., Lulu’s Downstairs, lulusdownstairs.com.

WEDNESDAY, 9/13

Acoustic Hour, local musicians; 6 p.m., Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort, bicycleresort.com.

Begley, Mock & Murphy, bluegrass; 6:30 p.m., Front Range Barbeque, frbbq. com/events.

9’s a Pair: The Fireman Band, rock covers; John Wise & Tribe, New Orleans

R&B/blues/jazz/island ; Barefoot Family Caravan, psychedelic rock ; 6 p.m., Hillside Gardens, hillsidecolorado. com/upcoming-events.

Bonnie Raitt, blues rock, with Roy Rogers; 7:30 p.m., Pikes Peak Center, pikespeakcenter.com.

Red Room: Out the Shadows, hip-hop showcase, with A¢e.thefoo, JuHndrx, JuCaese, Zeezy, CosRoy, Saint law, Jevion Ice, Booof; 7 p.m., Vultures, vulturesrocks.com.

THURSDAY, 9/14

PLAYING AROUND BIG GIGS

Elton Dan & The Rocket Band, music of Elton John; 7 p.m., Stargazers Theatre, stargazerstheatre.com.

Kyle Moon & The Misled, alt-country ; 8 p.m., Lulu’s Downstairs, lulusdownstairs.com.

New Brain for Arnie, funk, fusion, jam; 8 p.m., Armadillo Ranch, manitouarmadilloranch.com.

Reid Poole & The Night Owls, jazz; 7:30 p.m., Summa, dizzycharlies.com.

Upcoming music events

Dierks Bentley, The Infamous Stringdusters, Tanner Usrey, Kaitlin Butts, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Sept. 6

Miniluv, Black Sheep, Sept. 7

Janelle Monáe, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Sept. 7

Red Mountain Boys, Stargazers, Sept. 7

Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers, Black Sheep, Sept. 8

Black Country, New Road, Meow Wolf, Denver, Sept. 8

Drake, Ball Arena, Denver, Sept. 8

The Jayhawks with Freedy Johnston, Lulu’s, Sept. 8

Little River Band, Pikes Peak Center, Sept. 8

Wu-Tang Clan & Run The Jewels, Fiddler’s Green, Englewood, Sept. 8

Brandi Carlile, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Sept. 8-9

Bay Ledges, Black Sheep, Sept. 9

Lane 8 with Sultan + Shepard, Civic Center Park, Denver, Sept. 9

Three Dog Night, Pikes Peak Center, Sept. 9

Alabaster DePlume, Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox, Denver, Sept. 10

Sylvan Esso, Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, Sept. 10

Fortunate Youth, Black Sheep, Sept. 10

RBD, Ball Arena,

KING CON KING CON ANALYSIS:

Colorado Springs Comic Con is the best our city’s ever had. Now what?

tuned comic con is an overwhelming experience.

Deadpool strikes a pose with Darth Vader; William Shatner sits for pictures with fans in the next aisle; local authors pitch their literary trilogies at booths with show floor discounts; everything shimmers and sparkles; the crowds are everywhere and it is loud

Strolling through the Colorado Springs Comic Con at the Broadmoor World Arena with my girlfriend on her first ever convention, it felt like our city finally had a pop culture event to match its size and untapped fan energy.

Cosplayers in thick makeup and handmade costumes took on the roles of Jedi from Star Wars, Ursula from The Little Mermaid, or even the rabid wasteland bandits of the Borderlands games.

Over the course of a Saturday, we hopped from booth to booth chatting with authors, artists and makers, many of whom trekked in from out of town or even out of state.

But in a venue that already seems

Triumph of Reason: Rule of Law

By Groff Schroeder

At least since the dawn of history, humans have overcome disagreement, misrepresentation, dishonesty, misappropriation, persecution, murder, and war by establishing the rule of law, the idea that everyone, from the poorest citizen, to the wealthiest citizen - and especially the government and government leader themselves - must follow a single set of regulations (laws). About 3700 years ago, the Sumerian Code of Hammurabi created impartial courts to adjudicate 282 laws regulating everything from bribery to the utterances of slaves. About 2500 years ago, the Ancient Greeks first used juries and contributed the idea that laws, not brute economic, political, or societal force, should prevail in human affairs. Despite a dominant slant toward aristocrats and landowners, the

tapped out for capacity, where can CSCC go from here?

FOR BEGINNERS: COMIC books tend to serve a support role in any modern “comic convention.” You’ll still find them alongside fans who can debate whether Wolverine or Batman would win in an allout brawl (Wolverine) but the comic con has broadened over the years to cover virtually anything pop culture. Captain Kirk is here, but so is Space Ghost, the Power Rangers and every last Pokémon.

Colorado Springs is no stranger to niche creative expos such as COSine (for authors and artists), Anime Onsen or the newer LEGO-themed Brick Fest Live. But our locally owned and operated comic cons have always been on the smaller side, taking up space in our modest hotels and ballrooms or mall spaces padded in concrete. For larger experiences, Springs nerds, geeks and fans have had to trek to Denver or much farther.

Altered Reality Entertainment — which already had a roster of multi-day shows on the East Coast — started the

Romans ensured laws were public (not secret), and introduced legal precedent, adapting the law to changing circumstances yet upholding previously decided issues. The 1215 Magna Carta reined in monarchies, created a partially elected governmental body (parliament), and established the right to a fair trial. The United States Constitution and its Amendments (especially its first ten Amendments, the “Bill of Rights”) appear as the crowning glory of the societal evolution of the rule of law many once took for granted.

Whether authoritarian or free, governments rely upon leaders, taxation, laws, and law enforcement to plan, fund, and execute operations, achieve societal goals, and provide defense from internal and external threats.

Authoritarian leaders operate through deception, injustice, and violence, while free nations are characterized by fair, independent systems of justice, reliance upon evidence and reason, and the rule of law. Both types of government can create highly functional

Colorado Springs Comic Con in 2016. The show worked up the local event space ladder before settling at the Broadmoor World Arena in 2021.

I’ve been to comic cons of all sizes in the past decade and change — shy of the positively massive San Diego Comic-Con — but this was my first CSCC.

…and it was exciting

Coming out of the pandemic, I’ve wondered when crowds would come

political, governmental, and military systems through which national defense, needs, wants and goals can be achieved and pursued - and both create vast fortunes in tax revenues, serving the few in power or the society as a whole. Free societies are ruled by elected leaders, constitutional and legal regulations (laws), limits on the exercise of political and military power, prohibitions against dishonesty and propaganda, and seemingly disorderly and ploddingly slow democratic and legal processes. In contrast, the authoritarian and often primarily criminal nature of totalitarian regimes can make them swift and efficient - ruled in perpetuity by a very small number of fabulously wealthy, powerful, and ruthless people under the often brutal command of a totalitarian dictator with unlimited power over everyone and everything. And since the dawn of time, access to personal authority, national treasuries, and the power to levy taxes and write the law itself make all types of government extremely attractive targets for the unscrupulous.

back and celebrate their fandoms publicly or when our city would finally get a full-sized expo to call its own. CSCC featured all the hallmarks of a successful comic con and… more than a few Funko Pop figures.

CSCC HAD SO MANY HIGHLIGHTS that it would be impossible to list them all. The show doesn’t span three days merely for your convenience, it’s also

People seeking freedom from totalitarian regimes must usually overcome government established religion, economic (or literal) enslavement, apathy, fear, the status quo, ruthless disdain for the law, and systematic authoritarian resistance such as cruel terrorism and torture by often powerful police and military forces – and must unseat an entrenched dictator backed by a small number of merciless cohorts wielding the resources of an entire nation. In contrast, authoritarian dictators who seek to convert a free society to an authoritarian society often need little more than money, chutzpah, political terrorism, and propaganda-generated, hatred, anger, fear, and violence - and the ability to evade, and ultimately destroy - the rule of equal justice under law.

Thankfully, despite decades of disappointing unethical, immoral, and increasingly openly illegal acts in American politics, recent events suggest that the rule of law may still found the United States government.

“I firmly believe in the rule

law as the foundation

all of our basic rights.”

A Jedi and his protocol droid fended off the Sith’s influence over the Con.

Nick Raven

Photos by Nick Raven

your only hope to absorb most of its offerings.

The shape of your comic con mission will vary: Some attendees spend their cons queued up to get pictures with their favorite childhood stars — but the show floor beckons with its rows of booths full of shiny things, rare items and custom crafts. It was extremely difficult to leave the show without buying a sculpted foam M6D Spartan Pistol from the Halo games. If you come to a con without spending money, you’re bound to leave unhappy, but if you blow your cash before you’ve seen everything, you’ll probably wind up just as upset.

At smaller cons I’ve attended, you could tour the whole floor in about an hour. After eight hours at CSCC, we still weren’t quite sure we’d seen it all.

There were still a few booths lined with Funko Pop vinyl dolls — the Styrofoam peanuts of every comic con — but the best part for me was chatting with the independent creators along the way. It was incredible to hear from those who took the risk to not just rent a booth, but produce signage, order product, stamp out stickers, drive or fly in from out of state, and haul all of it in and out over the course of the three-day show. Once set up, these creatives had to be “on” for passers-by, passionately pitching their wares because their next con trip literally relies on the revenue from this one.

No one ever asked out loud about the copyright-infringing nature of any of it, but I was pleasantly surprised at how high quality so much of the unofficial stuff on display was — especially those made by locals. The Etsy revolution has enabled access to laser cutters, 3D printers and other equipment that handily beat the low-quality crap that plagued cons in years past.

There was a joy in being amongst such a large group of passionate fans where something new and interesting catches your eye with every glance. Altered Reality has done an incredible job investing the time and resources needed to

put on a vast show of manic energy. This was the densest and most comprehensive pop culture fest I’ve experienced in Colorado Springs.

Altered Reality also enlisted the locals at Storybook Brewing to craft a special edition “Wrath of Can” ale for the event that I thought was tasty.

THERE ARE LOWLIGHTS COMmon to any comic con and CSCC wasn’t immune to them.

Disengaged booth dwellers who sat behind their tables being “so over it” — essentially, energy vampires — were thankfully rare.

Comic cons reflect a very consumerist industry, so several bulk re-sellers used their booths as miniature warehouses without bringing anything new or original to the convention. I understand the appeal and convenience, but it always feels lazy.

My personal nitpick: Despite the sheer volume and variety of stuff on display from so many different properties, I found almost nothing related to the post-apocalyptic Fallout

RPGs, the Hotline Miami puzzle-action games, or really any video game beyond the all-time greats. My girlfriend, who really enjoyed her first con, was happy to find that the Supernatural TV show was represented.

But the biggest question mark hanging over the show was the venue itself.

The Broadmoor World Arena is a spectacular location to throw a concert or get some rowdy monster trucks to roll around in the dirt. What the World Arena is less good at is providing a contiguous space that facilitates easy navigation and crowd control that a good convention needs. This wasn’t helped by small, vaguely worded directional signage on-site, while con maps were buried in Altered Reality’s custom phone app — a tool that was difficult to acquire with the venue’s jammed or outright inaccessible cell service. The World Arena was big enough for the event, but only barely. (Susan Soares, Altered Reality’s press relations manager, says booth space was sold out in January.)

Accessing the arena floor (and, essentially, the other 75 percent of the con) was limited to a pair of narrow stairways through the stands at one end of the arena. The arena floor married creator booths with celebrity stations in an incredibly tight layout, causing frequent traffic jams.

The World Arena’s tunnels linked the arena with a tiny room for panels where a couple classrooms’ worth of fans could cram to watch a celebrity interview with Elvira or Shatner.

And even though the World Arena is

a larger venue than most in town, it was easy to feel the show nearly bursting at the seams. But where would it go next if the show gets even slightly bigger?

In other cities, comic cons take advantage of municipal convention halls, hotels with large meeting spaces or both. Colorado Springs lacks either.

Convention centers are famously loss leading venues, so it’s not a surprise that local, privately managed event spaces tend to be on the small side or come with the Broadmoor nameplate.

(The World Arena was re-branded with the Broadmoor name in 2014, but operates independently of Phillip Anschutz’s commercial empire, which just owns the naming rights.)

It also wasn’t a surprise that our city hasn’t invested in its own convention center.

Long before Anschutz’s acquisition of the resort in 2011, The Broadmoor lobbied to prevent the construction of a municipal convention center through a voterapproved change to the city charter in 2003. The Broadmoor eventually built its own convention space alongside its world-famous hotel where, among other events, the annual industry-oriented Space Symposium is hosted each year.

I’m sure the residents down on Lake Avenue will have no issue with an invading army of cosplayers parading in and around the hotel grounds.

It’s incredible to finally have a comic con we deserve. But it would be a shame if it was held back by the city’s unwillingness to invest in a public venue that rivals and exceeds the local for-profit spaces.

Captain Kirk is here, but so is Space Ghost, the Power Rangers and every last Pokémon.

Authors brought plenty of books. The jam-packed arena floor was not for the claustrophobic.

Cosplayer or actual Predator? Let’s not risk it.

Your guide to events in the Pikes Peak region CALENDAR

din, and hosts Don Goede and Jeremiah Walter. Friday, Sept. 8, 7 p.m.; The Hall at PPLD, 20 W. Pikes Peak Ave.; tinyurl.com/ stories-2023.

Springs Art & Seek, hidden artworks and clues to their whereabouts, this year including the Avenue Creative Circuit — Downtown Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs and Old Colorado City/the Westside. “Clues can be photos of the artwork in situ, or verbal clues. ... Once the clues start being posted, the searchers can start looking!” Saturday, Sept. 9, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; go to tinyurl.com/ArtAndSeek-Sept to see how you can create, hide and seek art

ART EXHIBIT

Mi Gente: Manifestations of Community in the Southwest: “Focusing primarily on works by Chicanx/a/o, Hispanic, and Mexican American artists based in New Mexico and Colorado, Mi Gente considers the politics and complexities of community, including those who are perceived as outsiders.” Through Feb. 3 at the Fine Arts Center, 30 W. Dale St.

ARTS EVENTS

The Story Project: Stories from America’s Mountain — the first gathering since 2019. Presenters include Larry Cesspooch (Utah local and traditional Ute Storyteller), Kat Tudor and Andrew Ru-

ART EXHIBITS

45º Gallery, 2528 W. Colorado Ave., Suite B, 719-434-1214, 45degreegallery.com. Paintings and prints by Stephanie Moon and wood sculpture by Jim Bradshaw.

Academy Art & Frame Company, 7560 N. Academy Blvd., 719-265-6694, academyframesco.com. September shows: Miniature & Small Works, 12th annual judged show, in conjunction with the inaugural Massive, Big, Huge exhibit. Third Friday reception, Sept. 15, 4-7 p.m.

Anita Marie Fine Art, 109 S. Corona St., 719-493-5623, anitamariefineart.com. Past and Present, works by 30 artists

who studied with Chuck Mardosz and Richard Dahlquist. Through September.

The Bridge Gallery, 218 W. Colorado Ave., #104, 719-629-7055, thebridgeartgallery. com. Works by Gary Weston, who uses recycled materials to create 3D pieces inspired by “Leonardo da Vinci and Jules Verne, as well as steampunk, sci-fi and space-age works.” Through September.

Citizens Art Gallery at City Hall, featuring works by multi-media artist Nichole Montanez. City Hall, 107 N. Nevada Ave., enter through the southeast entrance off Kiowa Street.

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W. Dale St., 719634-5581, fac.coloradocollege.edu. From Source to Mouth: A Creative Survey of Monument Creek, Erin Elder’s “community-centered creative research project that engages elements of geology, hydrology, ecology, land use, and history, as well as personal memory and sensory awareness to explore the multiple, overlapping, and sometimes contradictory perspectives about Monument Creek.” Through Nov. 9. Mi Gente: Manifestations of Community in the Southwest, with works from the FAC collection; through Feb. 3. FAC museum free days: Sept. 9 and 15.

Commonwheel Artists Co-op, 102 Cañon Ave., Manitou Springs, 719-685-1008, commonwheel.com. Many Shades of Brown — Thomas Conter’s wood creations, all with his signature turquoise inlay. Plenty of Color — paintings by Springs artist Susan Tormoen, who works in pastels, oils and woven tapestry. Through Oct. 2.

Cultural Office of the Pikes Peak Region, 121 S. Tejon St., #111; facebook. com/artsculturefun. Mini Rotary Butterflies (see Grand Flight Reveal below) will be on display during office hours through Sept. 22.

G44 Gallery, 121 E. Boulder St., 720-9510573, g44gallery.com. Corey Drieth’s Found Objects: “Inspired by daily life, the natural world, art history and religious traditions such as Zen Buddhism and Quaker Christianity, this work explores contemplative spiritual experience.” Artist talk with Drieth, Ashley Andersen and Gundega Stevens, Thursday, Sept. 21, 5:30 p.m. Through Sept. 29.

Gallery 113, 125½ N. Tejon St., 719-6345299, gallery113cos.com. Teri Homick’s Dark Reveries — “abstract ethereal works on canvas, embellished canvas prints, inlaid wooden boxes and more....”

The Garfield Gallery, 332 E. Willamette Ave., 719-227-8836, garfieldgallery.com.

On My Way to See Mother, photography by Jené Jackson — “the story of last summer’s road trip to return to her mother’s grave in Tennessee for the first time in 10 years. A simple trip through the South became a journey into grief, trauma, and family....”

GOCA (Galleries of Contemporary Art, UCCS), Marie Walsh Sharpe Gallery, Ent Center for the Arts, 5225 N. Nevada Ave., gocadigital.org. Martha Russo’s Caesura “her sculptural investigations appear at once fragile and potentially danger-

ART EXHIBIT

Kumi Thompson is one of three emerging artists — along with Nitra Olsen and Sophia Rose — whose works appear in I See You, Cottonwood Center for the Arts’ September show. Thompson created the piece seen here in acrylic, pastel and colored pencil. 427 E. Colorado Ave., 719-5201899, cottonwoodcenterforthearts.com.

ous, cautioning one away while hypnotically drawing one in — ever closer — for intimate examination.” Through Dec. 2. Visiting artists and critics lecture, Sept. 28, 6 p.m. Memento: Places and Perspectives, works by GOCA’s “talented visual artists, ambitious creatives, and hard-working museum studies majors.” Opening reception Thursday, Sept. 7, 5-8 p.m.; GOCA Project Space in the Ent Center. Through Sept. 23.

Grand Flight Reveal, “local artists have been commissioned to design beautiful butterfly and dragonfly garden art and butterfly petite sculptures. The gardensize art will be viewable on the northwest lawn of the Pioneers Museum and the petite sculptures will be on display inside COPPeR [through Sept. 22].” Pioneers Museum, 215 S. Tejon St.

Hunter-Wolff Gallery, 2510 W. Colorado Ave., 719-520-9494, hunterwolffgallery.com. Featured artist: oil painter Karen Storm.

Kreuser Gallery, 125 E. Boulder St., 719464-5880, kreusergallery.com. Floyd

D. Tunson: Figures and Forms, photography and abstract painting including new works in the artist’s Redlining series — “The devastating economic, educational, environmental, and cultural impact of this insidious practice on people of color is too profound to ignore.” Artist talk Wednesday, Sept. 20, 5:30 p.m. Through Sept. 29.

LightSpeed Curations, 306 S. 25th St., 719-308-8389, lightspeedart.art. A

“Beauty Looking Back” by

Kumi Thompson

“The Obsidian Ranfla Series #3” by Carlos Frésquez

ART EXHIBIT

Susan Tormoen’s Plenty of Color show will be on display at Commonwheel through Through Oct. 2; 102 Cañon Ave., Manitou Springs; 719-685-1008, commonwheel.com.

Woman’s Touch, “celebrating 17 local female artists” — Mac Coplin, Jo Carol Ciborowski, Sydney Wilkerson, Vashti Ruiz, Dawna Isham-Pierce, Kimberly Sewell, Sherrie Mitchell, Elizabeth Juvera, Liza Tudor, Jade Doe, Kristy Lorenzen, Sherrie Gibson, Jen Kruse, Rebecca Jones, Ellia Vaga, DollyGirl and Jessica de la Luna.

The Look Up Gallery, 11 E. Bijou St. (inside Yobel), thelookupgallery.com. Fragmented, new works by Yana Fanaro that “play with the multiple emotional experiences I face as a mother, the pieces of myself that are fragmented, out of focus, scattered and blurred.” Through September.

Manitou Art Center, 513/515 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs, 719-685-1861, manitouartcenter.org. Susan Morello: A Retrospective — Morello works mostly in soft pastels — in the Hagnauer Gallery.

Platte Collections, 2331 E. Platte Place, 719-980-2715, plattecollections. myshopify.com. Fiber art by Fort Collins’ Elizabeth Morisette.

Portraits of Manitou by C.H. Rockey, features original town views and significant historical buildings. Manitou Springs Heritage Center, 517 Manitou Ave.; manitouspringsheritagecenter.org; through November.

Surface Gallery, 2752 W. Colorado Ave.,

719-359-6966, surfacegallerycos.com. De-code, a father/son show by Daniel Romano “combining painting and sculpture in unexpected materials and forms,” and “calligraphy-based art, spanning mediums of street art, paint, metal work, clothing and jewelry” by his son Foster.

ZoneFIVE, 1902 E. Boulder St., zonefivecs.com. Idiom: Works by Warren Arcila, “a collection of paintings, drawings, and sculptures created throughout the years.” Through September.

KIDS & FAMILY

Kids Night Out: Marvelous Moths, “drop off your child (ages 7-12) for an evening of exploration, fun activities, and night hiking as we learn all about moths.” Friday, Sept. 8, 5:30-9 p.m., $25/$20 member, prepaid registration required, dinner included; Bear Creek Nature Center, 245 Bear Creek Road, tinyurl.com/epco-fun.

Nature Adventures: Migration Magic, “children ages 3-6, with an adult, will enjoy puppet shows or stories, crafts, hands-on activities, and discovery time on the trail.” Thursday, Sept. 7, 9-10:30 a.m. and Friday, Sept. 8, 9-10:30 a.m.; $3 per person; Fountain Creek Nature Center, 320 Peppergrass Lane, Fountain, tinyurl.com/epco-fun.

Back to School Culture Fest, with Lil’ Miss Story Hour and Knob Hill Urban Arts District — “we will bring the heart of Knob Hill Urban Arts District to life for one magical day with live art, workshops, speakers, vendors, food trucks, a silent art auction, giveaways, and more.” Saturday, Sept. 16, 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; 2331 E. Platte Ave.; tinyurl.com/23-culture.

No Child Left Behind at Mueller, part of the nationwide movement promoting outdoor exploration for K-12 kids. Handson activities that teach about Colorado’s natural resources; make pinecone bird feeders; and try your skill at archery. Saturday, Sept. 16, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; free, but parks pass required; Lime Kiln Parking Lot in Cheyenne Mountain State Park, 410 JL Ranch Heights; 719-576-2016, cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/CheyenneMountain.

LEARNING & LECTURES

History and Policymaking in Territorial Colorado 1861-1876, Denver historian and author Virginia Sánchez “will explain how and why New Mexico lost its northern territory when the U.S. Congress created Colorado Territory in 1861. ... the political obstacles, cultural conflicts, and prejudice experienced by Hispano representatives to the Colorado Territorial Legislature, and how the lives of 7,000 Spanish-speaking, U.S. citizens were impacted....” Saturday, Sept. 9, 2 p.m.; Library 21c, 1175 Chapel Hills Drive; tinyurl.com/CSPM-2023.

MUSEUM EXHIBIT

Black Wings: American Dreams of Flight is “the story of African Americans who, despite facing tremendous racial barriers, attained amazing achievements in aviation history. ... stories and artifacts from local Tuskegee Airmen will be on exhibit to highlight the many Black heroes in our community.” Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; free; Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum Annex,

Plaza of the Rockies, 121 S. Tejon St., #100; cspm.org.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Palmer Lake Wine Festival, tastings from 30 Colorado wineries, live music, food and gift vendors. Saturday, Sept. 9, 1-5 p.m.; Palmer Lake Recreation Area, palmerlakewinefestival.com.

Pikes Peak APEX, a multi-day mountain bike challenge on the slopes of Pikes Peak. Friday-Sunday, Sept. 8-10; find all the deets at coloradospringssports.org/ events/pikes-peak-apex.

Beats and Ballots, inaugural music festival by Citizens Project — “a day full of local music and community” with local musicians and DJs, food trucks, local vendors and nonprofits, “and loads of giveaways.” Saturday, Sept. 9, noon to 7 p.m.; Acacia Park, 115 E. Platte Ave.; citizensproject.org/event/beats-ballots.

Fiestas Patrias, “a two-day family festival in the heart of downtown Colorado Springs, bringing people from diverse Hispanic origins to create a cultural fusion! This full-day event will provide live music & dancing, Mexican wrestling, vendor booths, and plenty of food.” Saturday, Sept. 16, noon to 10 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 17, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Alamo Park, 215 S. Tejon St.; fiestaspatriascolorado.com.

STAGE/THEATER

Borscht Belted, “laughs, dreams and cold beet soup in the cradle of American comedy” with Warren Epstein, who “channels Rodney Dangerfield, Woody Allen, Jack Benny and other humor pioneers as he recreates his childhood memories in the famous Catskill resort area.”

Friday-Saturday, Sept. 8-9, 7:30 p.m.; Millibo Art Theatre, 1626 S. Tejon St., themat. org. Aperitivo Returns to the Garden, Millibo’s season kickoff and fundraiser, Saturday, Sept. 16, 6 p.m.

stock.adobe.com

SPECIAL EVENT

“Road with Rocks” by Susan Tormoen

Pikes Peak Gamers Board Game Convention is back after a long hiatus with 1, 300plus board games, tournaments and a flea market. Friday-Sunday, Sept. 8-10; Manitou Springs City Hall, 606 Manitou Ave.; see pikespeakgamers.com for times and badges.

FAIR AND UNBALANCED

By Mike Littwin Courtesy The Colorado Sun

THE LESSON IN FLORIDA’S RACIST KILLINGS

WHEN THREE BLACK people in Jacksonville are murdered by an avowed white supremacist for no reason other than the color of their skin, you’d think that the lesson, while tragic and painful, would be all too obvious.

But, sadly, tragically, we all know better.

In fact in Florida, where the murders took place, it’s not even clear how a lesson about the racist attack could be taught. According to Florida’s Stop WOKE Act — which critics say is inten-

tionally vague — no class on historical racism in America should cause students to be “distressed” due to their race, sex or national origin.

What’s a teacher to do? Where’s the line on so-called wokeness? What if a parent were to complain that the teacher had crossed that line in discussing the racist assault? Is it worth risking a career?

A teacher could presumably call the killer, as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis did, a “scumbag” and also a coward for taking his own life. Or they could say that killing someone because of race — as DeSantis also pointed out — is wrong

and won’t be tolerated in Florida.

But could the teacher lay out the history of white supremacy and outline its modern context? Maybe a teacher could get away with noting that the FBI has said white supremacy is the nation’s greatest, and most lethal, domestic terror threat. Or maybe not.

We do know that teachers, whether in public schools or state colleges, can’t teach critical race theory — a formerly obscure academic subject that has become a conservative catch-all to mean any discussion of racism. There is a law against teaching CRT in Florida, where

no one has ever taught it. Just as there are rules against teaching CRT in places like, say, Douglas County, where no one has ever taught it, either.

You have to wonder. Could a Florida teacher note that the killer’s legally possessed AR-15, assault-style rifle was fashioned with a swastika? Presumably. But could they also note how Nazi Germany’s anti-Semitic Nuremberg Laws were inspired, in large part, by the American South’s racist Jim Crow laws, which were in place in Florida until the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964?

Or how about the fact that a Black state legislator in Florida said DeSantis had blood on his hands? Could the teacher explain why the legislator might have come to that conclusion or why DeSantis was booed at a vigil for the Jacksonville victims?

That would require, one supposes, teaching about the Florida board of education’s decision that middle schoolers should be taught that some slaves “benefited” from learning a trade. And that DeSantis defended the board’s decision.

It might also require discussing the concept that Florida students should be taught about the “violence perpetrated against and by African Americans” during 20th century massacres of Blacks by whites. As an example, there was the infamous Aug. 27, 1960, Ax-Handle Saturday attack in Jacksonville by white rioters on Black demonstrators holding peaceful sitins at segregated lunch counters.

Yes, nothing’s obvious, except the anti-WOKE bill was pushed into law by DeSantis, along with his don’t-say-gay law and his fight with Disney, as the basis for his now-reeling presidential campaign, in which the unofficial slogan was that Florida was where “woke goes to die.”

In light of the Jacksonville killings, the slogan hasn’t aged well.

Even before Jacksonville, it seems that DeSantis was ready to try out a new strategy. You may have noticed that in the recent GOP debate, he never once brought up the W-word.

But the question — and I’m pretty sure we’re still legally able to bring it up — is why DeSantis thought anti-wokeness would be his ticket to the Republican nomination in the first place. It turns out that’s an easy one, given that socalled white victimization is at the very core of Trumpism.

Let’s take a quick visit to Trump World and assorted adjacent locales to see how it works. For Donald Trump, it’s commonplace to call Black people racists, particularly if they happen to be Black prosecutors. Trump, the once and possibly future president, called one Black prosecutor “rabid,” another an “animal,” and suggested that Georgia DA Fani Willis was romantically involved with a gangster.

Of course, Trump, a well-known dog whistler, has traded in racism for years. It’s as plain as the scowl on his mug shot.

Certainly Vivek Ramaswamy, the GOP’s newest bright light, has noticed. He went on the TV news shows Sunday to blame the Jacksonville murders not on white supremacy or the killer’s racist manifestos, but on, yes, the usual suspects, like affirmative action and so-called reverse racism.

“Right as the last few burning embers of racism were burning out, we have a culture in this country largely created by media and establishment and universities and politicians that throw kerosene on that racism,” Ramaswamy told CNN’s Dana Bash. “I can think of no better way to fuel racism in this country than to take something away from other people on the basis of their skin color.”

This is no accident. A few days before the Jacksonville murders, Ramaswamy

engaged in a battle of words with Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Massachusetts, who is Black, about statements she had made about “brown voices” in 2019. In return, Ramaswamy, a contrary Brown voice, compared her to grand wizards of the Ku Klux Klan.

Maybe even worse — if GOP voters noticed — was Ramaswamy’s recent message on the campaign trail, denying the very existence of white supremacy.

“I’m sure the boogeyman white supremacists exist somewhere in America,” he said during a campaign stop in Iowa. “I have just never met him. Never seen one. Never met one in my life, right? Maybe I will meet a unicorn sooner. And maybe those exist, too.”

And then a unicorn showed up at the Dollar General store in Jacksonville, in plain view, dressed in tactical gear and blue latex gloves, carrying his assault-style rifle and a Glock, to bring hate and destruction and death. Just as other unicorns had shown up at a Walmart in El Paso, a supermarket in Buffalo, a synagogue in Pittsburgh, a church in Charleston. I’m not sure how anyone could have missed them.

Mike Littwin’s column was produced for The Colorado Sun, a reader-supported news organization committed to covering the people, places and policies of Colorado. Learn more at coloradosun.com.

White supremacy is the nation’s greatest, and most lethal, domestic terror threat.

Gov. DeSantis decides what Floridians learn about the Jacksonville murders.

Gage Skidmore

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

By Heather Cox Richardson heathercoxrichardson.substack.com

BIDEN GOES AFTER HIGH DRUG PRICES

anticompetitive conduct.”

Republicans sided with the drug company executives who insisted that high prices were necessary to create an incentive for drug companies to innovate, as their investment in research and development depends on the revenue they expect from new drugs. But the committee’s report said their investigation concluded that “sky-high drug prices are not justified by the need to innovate. The largest drug companies spend more on payouts for investors and executives than on research and development. And many blockbuster drugs rely on scientific discoveries from research funded by taxpayers, while drug companies’ R&D spending often focuses on minor changes to extend patent protection and block lowerpriced competitors.”

‘FOR FAR TOO LONG, Americans have paid more for prescription drugs than any major economy. And while the pharmaceutical industry makes record profits, millions of Americans are forced to choose between paying for medications they need to live or paying for food, rent and other basic necessities. Those days are ending,” President Joe Biden declared on Aug. 29.

The government announced the first 10 drugs whose prices it will negotiate with pharmaceutical companies for about 65 million Medicare recipients. Until now, the United States has been virtually alone as the only country in which the government did not negotiate or regulate medicine prices, instead allowing companies to set whatever prices they believe the market will bear. Since their products often are the difference

between life and death, it turns out the market will bear quite high prices, but — as Biden observed — those prices often force consumers to sacrifice in other ways to afford them.

A 2021 study by the RAND corporation found that drug prices average 2.56 times higher in the U.S. than in 32 other countries. For name brand drugs, U.S. prices were 3.44 times those in comparable nations.

As Amy Goldstein and Daniel Gilbert explained in The Washington Post, when Congress created Medicare and Medicaid in 1965 as part of President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Great Society program, it covered drugs administered in a health care setting but excluded those a patient took at home. In 2003, after almost 40 years of medical innovation had significantly changed our management of chronic illnesses, Congress included those drugs

under a separate Medicare plan — Part D — or as part of managed-care plans, but to get Republicans behind the bill, Congress explicitly prohibited the government from negotiating the prices of medications.

IN

2021

A

NEARLY THREE-YEAR

investigation by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, then overseen by Democrats as they held the majority in the House of Representatives, concluded that “[d]rug companies have raised prices relentlessly for decades while manipulating the patent system and other laws to delay competition from lower-priced generics. These companies have specifically targeted the U.S. market for higher prices, even while cutting prices in other countries, because weaknesses in our health care system have allowed them to get away with outrageous prices and

In 2022, Democrats passed the Inflation Reduction Act without a single Republican vote. That law permits the government to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies over drug prices the government will pay.

The 10 drugs listed in the announcement are among those with the highest total spending in Medicare Part D, and the Department of Health and Human Services released a report that 9 million seniors paid a total of $3.4 billion for these drugs in 2022. The Congressional Budget Office, the nonpartisan agency that provides budget and economic information to Congress, estimates that government negotiation over these drugs will save taxpayers about $98.5 billion over 10 years. If a drug maker refuses to negotiate, it either will face a significant tax or must withdraw from Medicare and Medicaid.

This measure is extraordinarily popular. More than 80 percent of Americans want the government to be able to negotiate drug costs.

For name brand drugs, U.S. prices were 3.44 times those in comparable nations. stock.adobe.com

(Big Pharma is not happy)

The new negotiated prices are scheduled to go into effect in 2026. Pharmaceutical companies are suing to stop the law, claiming it is unconstitutional, although when asked by reporters today about the lawsuits, domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden pointed out that the government “negotiates prices for every other element” Medicare covers in the health care system, including rates for doctors, other providers and hospitals. “The only reason why Medicare has not been negotiating drug prices is because Pharma got a sweetheart deal decades ago to basically prohibit negotiations,” she said. “Negotiations are part of [a] market system. It’s very normal for that to happen.”

“This plan is a key part of Bidenomics, my economic vision for growing the economy from the middle out and the bottom up — not the top down,” Biden said. “And it’s working.”

Heather Cox Richardson is professor of history at Boston College and an expert on American political and economic history. She writes widely on American politics, and her upcoming book, Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America , will be published in the fall. She is also the author of the widely read Letters from an American , a nightly chronicle of American politics.

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LOWDOWN

By Jim Hightower jimhightower.com

BIG-MONEY POLITICS and plastic politicians

PEGGY LEE STRUCK A mournful chord with her hit song, “Is That All There Is?”

It was about the vapidity of life, and I found myself subconsciously singing along last week as I pondered the GOP presidential debate. Of course, these made-for-TV spectacles are more akin to mud-wrestling than actual policy debates. Still, I dared hope for some tiny element of civic seriousness. After all, the eight aspirants were auditioning to be (“Oh, say can you see…”) the next president of the United States!

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, for example, stands out as a textbook example of the vapidity of modern American politics — a rampaging ego with no core democratic principles, no authentic persona, no speaking from the heart… and no possibility of being elected except that special interest powers have pumped him up with a couple hundred million dollars to be their boy.

Indeed, a strategy memo from DeSantis’ own funders and consultants surfaced publicly just before the debate, confirming his vacuity — as a candidate and a person. The detailed memo instructed him to avoid talking about policy solutions, to “sledgehammer” an opponent, to appear both for and against Trump, and maybe show a little human emotion by talking about his kids. In short, he needs advisers to tell him how to be “himself.”

DeSantis is hardly the first who-am-I candidate for the White House. Hillary Clinton’s managers reintroduced her as the new “real” Hillary every couple of months in 2016, and Rick Perry’s handlers tried to make him look smart by wearing horn-rimmed glasses.

This lack of authenticity is now the norm, for it allows Big Money to shape candidates in its image. And that’s why today’s public policies are overwhelmingly based on what money wants, not on public need and honest principle.

BUT HERE’S SOME GOOD NEWS!

An inspiring example of people rising up against a trifecta of economic, cultural and political oppression has just come to us from a community of seemingly powerless people living in a very isolated place. Long exploited, lied to, disrespected and robbed, they revolted, daring to

take on the biggest, richest, most politically connected industrial power on the globe: Big Oil. Astonishingly — after a decade of protesting, organizing, coalition building, suing, petitioning, and otherwise resolutely rebelling against injustice — these tenacious people just won an inspiring grassroots victory over Big Oil profiteering.

One reason you probably haven’t heard about it is that it didn’t happen in any of the usual centers of media focus — but in the Amazonian rainforest of Ecuador. Also, this revolt was not led by some brand-name environmental group or charismatic political honcho, but by the Tagaeri and Taromenane tribes and other indigenous Waorani people living in the rich biodiversity of Ecuador’s Yasuní National Park.

Directly challenging the exigent crisis of climate change, the Waorani rallied the region’s young people into a potent political force. They successfully organized behind a national referendum to 1) ban oil drilling in the region, 2) compel the profiteers to remove their wells and pipelines, and 3) pay for remediation and reforestation. Significantly, they specifically called for leaving oil in the ground so it would not add to climate destruction. Moreover, the proposed ban was binding, unable to be overturned by future lobbyists and officials.

A resounding 58 percent of Ecuadorians voted “Yes!” As a Waorani leader noted, this is “the day the planet started to win.”

The victory also says to environmental leaders everywhere, “Be bolder! Trust the people — grassroots organizing wins. Go for it!”

In short, [DeSantis] needs advisers to tell him how to be ‘himself.’

Veteran owned & operated

All words to be constructed pertain to the topic to the right. To your advantage one word has already been traced. You must trace the three remaining words, using only the letters designated by the darkened circles. Words may begin and end from either column but each letter can only be used once.

Each puzzle has a difficulty rating (right). Four stars signify the highest degree of difficulty.

Given to the right are the point values for each word. Your words must correctly match these point values.

MINI SUDOKU X

SUDOKU X

Comedian Notaro

8 Biblical man’s name that becomes a body part if you move the first letter to the end

9 It can mimic human speech

10 One who gets paid to play

11 Move in a flash, hypothetically

12 “Alas …”

14 Lingerie material

17 “The nerve of some people!”

20 Titular protagonist in a Marcel Proust novel

24 Word with circle or seal

27 Kosher

28 ___ acid

29 Spread out on a table?

31 43-Down alternative

33 “Wow!”

34 Spirit-raising?

35

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): In honor of the Virgo birthday season, I invite you to be exceptionally distinctive and singular in the coming weeks, even idiosyncratic and downright incomparable. That’s not always a comfortable state for you Virgos to inhabit, but right now it’s healthy to experiment with. Here’s counsel from writer Christopher Morley: “Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to continually be part of unanimity.” Here’s a bonus quote from Virgo poet Edith Sitwell: “I am not eccentric! It’s just that I am more alive than most people.”

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Do you sometimes wish your life was different from what it actually is? Do you criticize yourself for not being a perfect manifestation of your ideal self? Most of us indulge in these fruitless energy drains. One of the chief causes of unhappiness is the fantasy that we are not who we are supposed to be. In accordance with cosmic rhythms, I authorize you to be totally free of these feelings for the next four weeks. As an experiment, I invite you to treasure yourself exactly as you are right now. Congratulate yourself for all the heroic work you have done to be pretty damn good. Use your ingenuity to figure out how to give yourself big doses of sweet and festive love.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio novelist Kurt Vonnegut testified, “I want to stay as close on the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge, you see all kinds of things you can’t see from the center. Big, undreamedof-things — the people on the edge see them first.” I’m not definitively telling you that you should live like Vonnegut, dear Scorpio. To do so, you would have to summon extra courage and alertness. But if you are inclined to explore such a state, the coming weeks will offer you a chance to live on the edge with as much safety, reward and enjoyment as possible.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “Where there is great love, there are always miracles,” wrote Sagittarian novelist Willa Cather (1873–1947). In accordance with upcoming astrological aspects, I encourage you to prepare the way for such miracles. If you don’t have as much love as you would like, be imaginative as you offer more of the best love you have to give. If there is good but not great love in your life, figure out how you can make it even better. If you are blessed with great love, see if you can transform it into being even more extraordinary. For you Sagittarians, it is the season of generating miracles through the intimate power of marvelous love.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Capricorn author Alexander Woollcott (1887–1943) could be rude and vulgar. He sometimes greeted cohorts by saying, “Hello, Repulsive.” After he read the refined novelist Marcel Proust, he described the experience as “like lying in someone else’s dirty bath water.” But according to Woollcott’s many close and enduring friends, he was often warm, generous and humble. I bring this to your attention in the hope that you will address any discrepancies between your public persona and your authentic soul. Now is a good time to get your outer and inner selves into greater harmony.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In 1963, Aquarian author Betty Friedan published The Feminine Mystique, a groundbreaking book that became a bestseller crucial in launching the feminist movement. She brought to wide cultural awareness “the problem that has no name”: millions of women’s sense of invisibility, powerlessness and depression. In a later book, Friedan reported on those early days of the awakening: “We couldn’t possibly know where it would lead, but we knew it had to be done.” I encourage you to identify an equivalent quest in your personal life, Aquarius: a project that feels necessary to your future, even if you don’t yet know what that future will turn out to be.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: All of them make me laugh.” Piscean poet W.H. Auden said that. After analyzing the astrological omens, I conclude that laughing with those you love is an experience you should especially seek right now. It will be the medicine for anything that’s bothering you. It will loosen obstructions that might be interfering with the arrival of your next valuable teachings. Use your imagination to dream up ways you can place yourself in situations where this magic will unfold.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Aries chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov says war is “more like a game of poker than chess. On a chess board, the pieces are face up, but poker is essentially a game of incomplete information, a game where you have to guess and act on those guesses.” I suspect that’s helpful information for you these days, Aries. You may not be ensconced in an out-an-out conflict, but the complex situation you’re managing has resemblances to a game of poker. For best results, practice maintaining a poker face. Try to reduce your “tells” to near zero. Here’s the definition of “tell” as I am using the term: Reflexive or unconscious behavior that reveals information you would rather withhold.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Raised in poverty, Taurus-born Eva Peron became a charismatic politician and actor who served as First Lady of Argentina for six years. The Argentine Congress ultimately gave her the title of “Spiritual Leader of the Nation.” How did she accomplish such a meteoric ascent? “Without fanaticism,” she testified, “one cannot accomplish anything.” But I don’t think her strategy has to be yours in the coming months, Taurus. It will make sense for you to be highly devoted, intensely focused and strongly motivated — even a bit obsessed in a healthy way. But you won’t need to be fanatical.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Gemini author Ben H. Winters has useful counsel. “Every choice forecloses on other choices,” he says. “Each step forward leaves a thousand dead possible universes behind you.” I don’t think there are a thousand dead universes after each choice; the number’s more like two or three. But the point is, you must be fully committed to leaving the past behind. Making decisions requires resolve. Second-guessing your brave actions rarely yields constructive results. So are you ready to have fun being firm and determined, Gemini? The cosmic rhythms will be on your side if you do.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Journalist Alexandra Robbins was addressing young people when she gave the following advice, but you will benefit from it regardless of your age: “There is nothing wrong with you just because you haven’t yet met people who share your interests or outlook on life. Know that you will eventually meet people who will appreciate you for being you.” I offer this to you now, Cancerian, because the coming months will bring you into connection with an abundance of likeminded people who are working to create the same kind of world you are. Are you ready to enjoy the richest social life ever?

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Author Kevin Kelly is a maverick visionary who has thought a lot about how to create the best possible future. He advocates that we give up hoping for the unrealistic concept of utopia. Instead, he suggests we empower our practical efforts with the term “protopia.” In this model, we “crawl toward betterment,” trying to improve the world by 1 percent each year. You would be wise to apply a variation on this approach to your personal life in the coming months, Leo. A mere 1 percent enhancement is too modest a goal, though. By your birthday in 2024, a 6 percent upgrade is realistic, and you could reach as high as 10 percent.

BY THE EDITORS AT ANDREWS MCMEEL

Ewwww

Thomas Howie of Madison Heights, Michigan, has become “increasingly depressed” and “paranoid about food served by others” since a March incident at a Detroit Olive Garden restaurant, The Detroit News reported. Howie filed a lawsuit in Macomb Circuit Court on Aug. 18 against the restaurant for “tangible and intangible harm” to the tune of $25,000, claiming that he ate a spoonful of minestrone soup with a foreign object in it. When he felt a “stab,” he spit out the offending object, which appeared to be the foot of a rat with fur and claws. “My stomach just heaved; I threw up right in the restaurant,” Howie said. “Until this happened, this was my favorite restaurant. I still can’t believe it.” Olive Garden isn’t buying it: “We have no reason to believe there is any validity to this claim,” a representative said. Howie had a tetanus shot to treat the cut in his mouth and took the foot to police.

But why?

Seattle police were called to a home on Aug. 18 for a reported burglary, KOMO-TV reported. A young woman inside the home said someone was trying to break in with a stick. Officers went into the home and found the victim hiding upstairs. The suspect, who was identified only as a 40-yearold male, was discovered in the garage, in one of the homeowner’s vehicles, where he was guzzling gasoline from a jerrycan. He refused to leave the car, so police broke the driver’s side window and took him out. He was charged with attempted burglary.

Porch pirate

Porch pirates, meet your leader. Robin Swanger of Arnco, Georgia, was charged with felony theft after he allegedly stole an entire porch from a neighbor’s yard, Fox News reported on Aug. 22. The 8-by10-foot wooden porch was left on the property when the house was moved away, but investigators said Swanger ignored “no trespassing” signs and removed the “very well-constructed” structure. “Some people may shrug their shoulders and say it’s not a big deal,” said county investigator Chris Stapler, “but when you take someone’s property without their consent and the value of this porch is $3,000, you can’t just go and take stuff off someone’s property.” Well said.

Get a room

QUIZ SET No. 1966 (by Shelby Lyman) ; week of Sept 7

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Suffolk, England police have issued a special request to the town council as it considers its “Turning Our Town Around” project, the BBC reported. The area of focus, Arras Square, includes St. Stephen’s Church and graveyard, which police say is a site with “high levels of crime” and antisocial behavior. In particular, the tombstones are being used “as tables to consume alcohol and drugs ... [and] sometimes the site of sexual activity.” Police recommended that individual tombstones be enclosed or surrounded by small railings along the top edge to deter such activity. The council said the recommendation is under consideration.

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ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER NATURAL ODDITIES GOING ON this summer, people are reporting exploding watermelons, NBC New York reported. What? “My melon was on the counter and it must have already been bad when I got it and the next day I came down to an awful smell and rotten melon everywhere,” one person commented on a Facebook post about the phenomenon. Keith Schneider, professor in the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department at the University of Florida, said the explosions are “probably due to the heat. The fruit, if slightly damaged, can begin fermenting. If enough fermentation occurs, which produces gas, enough internal pressure may build up for the watermelon to crack or pop.” And don’t eat it! “The watermelon is undergoing decay, so it’s best to bring it back to the store and get a replacement or just toss it,” Schneider added. Put that melon in the refrigerator before and after cutting it, experts advise.

BLACK FORCES MATE

Hint: Create a winning pin.

PUZZLE ANSWERS

Solution: 1. ... Rh1ch! 2. Kxh1 Qxh3ch! 3. Kg1 Qxg2 mate! [Wong-Basanta

CHESS QUIZ w________w ásdwdrdsd] àdpdsGk0p] ßpdwds0sd] Þ)sdbds)w] Ýsds)w)sd] Üdsdsdsdr] ÛsdsdRdsd] Údsds$wIs] sÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈs

WHITE WINS THE QUEEN

Hint: Create a winning pin.

Solution: 1. Rh4! wins it. If ... Qg5, simply Qxg5 (the h6pawn is pinned).

w________w árdwdqdsi] à0p0sdRgb] ßwdn0sdwd] ÞdwdBdwGQ] ÝwdP0sds)] Üds)wdw)s] ÛPdwdwdKd] Údwdwdwds] sÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈs

Colorado Springs Chess Club

w________w áwdwdqdwi] àdpdwgw4w] ßpdwdndwd] ÞdwdNdp0P] Ýwdwdwdwd] ÜdNdwdw!w] ÛP)Pdwdwd] ÚdKdwdwdR] sÁÂÃÄÅÆÇÈs

Find the familiar phrase, saying or name in this arrangement of letters.

‘1999}.

Now offering enhanced nationwide workers’ compensation insurance

We go where Colorado business grows

Pinnacol was born in Colorado, and we understand that many businesses rooted here expand and flourish across the country. We now offer enhanced nationwide workers’ comp coverage to meet the needs of Colorado’s businesses as they grow.

THRIVE 2.0 Focus Southeast

With new leadership, the network is helping even more Southeast entrepreneurs navigate early obstacles in business

BY KATHERINE ATHERTON

Heather McBroom started a process serving company in 2010; it was her first business. Now, as the new executive director of The Thrive Network, she uses her years of experience as a business owner to empower Southeast Colorado Springs residents to start their own small businesses. The ultimate goal: to revitalize that community through entrepreneurship.

Thrive takes three cohorts a year for its intensive, fourmonth, 160-hour entrepreneur training course, which provides hands on education, mentorship, networking and scholarship opportunities. It’s designed to help entrepreneurs through the struggles that emerge in the early years of business ownership. The course culminates in a public pitch night that introduces new graduates and their business ideas to the community. The most recent pitch night, celebrating Thrive’s 13th cohort, was Aug. 26.

Why is Thrive’s work important?

Thrive is an entrepreneurship incubator program, and the work we do is so important because we work a lot with the BIPOC, low-income, and criminal justice involved communities. A lot of times [these communities] won’t seek out other resources. We bring a level of trust and community to them, introducing them to many different people throughout the community. They also get a mentor — my mentors are all community leaders — and they just get an opportunity that they wouldn’t have otherwise. It is a free program, so we want no barrier to entry, and we work with people even in those beginning stages of just ‘I think I want to be an entrepreneur but I don’t know yet for sure.’

We’ve heard your next cohort will be larger and that there’s a waitlist — tell us about your growing popularity and what it could mean for Colorado Springs.

We have been so fortunate. I guess it’s a good problem and a bad problem, right? I don’t like to tell people ‘No,’ but we have had a waitlist. We have had about 40 applicants per cohort, and typically we take 15, so we were telling more people no than we were telling yes. Now we’re going to try to run a 25-person cohort.

We really want to make sure that we don’t change anything about the program in terms of how much one-on-one help you get and how hands on we are.

Mayor Yemi Mobolade was a previous leader of Thrive. How can you leverage that relationship for the good of the cohorts and the nonprofit?

I plan to try to leverage that in a way that maybe we can receive some sort of city funding at some point to help the program expand — not just in the Southeast, but other BIPOC communities. We find that it’s not just the Southeast that’s applying, so we’d like to be conscious of that.

We want to translate into a Spanish speaking program as well, and run at least one Spanish-speaking cohort. We also want to run one that’s specifically criminal justice involved because they have their own kind of unique problems that they’re dealing with — and I think it would be helpful for

them to be around people like them and have their own cohort.

Do you get a lot of applications from people who are criminal justice involved?

... We don’t ask a lot of questions about that, but I would say maybe half of the demographic that we serve report some sort of criminal justice involvement. We’d like to work more closely with those who are in a reintegration program. We have a memorandum of understanding with [Springs-based training and employment support nonprofit]

Heather McBroom is the new executive director of The Thrive Network.

Katherine Atherton

CommunityWorks, so they’re kind of our connection to that community. We understand that for a lot of them, they need to start in the mindset stage. They know they want to start a business but they don’t know what business necessarily — and we do a lot in our program to validate business ideas. It’s a really good way to help them figure out if that’s truly the path they want to take.

Can you give us an example of a Thrive success story?

It’s really commonly known that there are many places in Colorado Springs that are what we call ‘day care deserts.’ It’s really important that we get childcare facilities to open up and create spaces for these kids — not only for the kids and parents, but also for the parents to be able to going back to work. We had one woman who started a day care. It’s called The Lighthouse. Her name is Jackie Lujan and she opened up her first location in 80903; that was where she could find a suitable location. She filled up very quickly and now she’s going to be opening up a second location at the Family Success Center. So, in just a year of being open, she’s now getting that second location and actually helping the community at the Family Success Center, which will be providing free day care for people who are in their programs.

How successful have previous cohorts been — and how have you measured success?

We now have implemented several surveys that you take throughout the program and that you take once a year [after graduating]. What we look for in those surveys is how much revenue have you generated this year versus last year, to see the impact of how your business is growing. How many jobs did you create in your business full time or part time in the last year? We’re really looking to make

sure that people are not just in business but they’re making money year after year — and if not, stepping in to see where we can help them out to make sure that they are more successful.

In terms of how you know somebody is successful — to us success is determined when they graduate and they have a real increase in knowledge. Not everybody’s ready to start a business after they graduate. … It just depends. It might take a little bit of time for [a graduate] to actually launch their businesses, but we’re working with them throughout that whole time to make sure that they continue to move

forward on their business ideas.

What advice do you have for people looking to start a small business in Colorado Springs?

There is so much to do and so much to learn. My biggest advice is, get out there. Know what programs are available. Know what support systems that you can create. [Pikes Peak Small Business Development Center] is a great place to meet with mentors. SCORE is another great organization to meet with mentors. Don’t feel like you have to do it alone. n CSBJ

213 Coffee Pot Drive

Crystal Park - $64,900

Build your dream home on this beautiful forested ½ acre lot backing to open space in Crystal Park. Towering pines & aspen. Mountain views & plenty of sunshine. Located in safe gated community of over 2000 acres with only 350 homes sites. Close to stocked fishing lake, club house, pool, & basketball & pickleball courts. Perfect mountain living close to town, located just outside of Colorado Springs. MLS# 4046587

333 Countryside Drive

Pueblo West - $149,900

3 bedroom, 2 bath 1995 double wide on a 6700 sq ft lot in Pueblo West. Cathedral ceilings. All appliances included. 1-car carport. Dog run. Big trees all around. Needs some work but priced accordingly. Only 2 miles south of Hwy 50 for easy commute to Colorado Springs or Pueblo. Complex has club house with basketball, gym, pool table, kitchen, & meeting rooms.

MLS# 4978535

113 Steep Road

Crystal Park - $100,000

Build your dream home on this totally private 0.7 acre lot in Crystal Park. Hard to find flat building site surrounded by towering trees & 360 degree views of the city, mountains, & rock formations. Electricity is by the lot & driveway is cut in. Less than 1 mile from the stocked fishing lake, club house, heated pool, & tennis & basketball courts. MLS# 9785523

2615 Tamora Way

Mountain Shadows - $825,000

One owner custom stucco walkout rancher on the upper part of Mountain Shadows on 0.45 acre lot backing to a common area ravine with pines, scrub oak, mountain views, & wildlife. 3628 sq ft with 3 beds & 3 baths. 2 family rooms. Total one level living in this immaculate open concept home with glass & sunshine throughout. MLS# 2757407

YOU’RE SERIOUS ABOUT REAL ESTATE

Some of the lucky few accepted into last year’s cohort. The program has had a waitlist and will expand.

https://advisor.morganstanley.com/the-tiemens-group

COMPILED BY HELEN LEWIS

SOCO Start-Up Week

Southern Colorado Start-Up Week kicks off in Colorado Springs on Monday, Sept. 11, bringing together “the dreamers, the doers, and the changemakers of Southern Colorado’s small business community.”

The Entrepreneur Track focuses on supporting new entrepreneurs with workshops including how to budget, marketing, and purposeful networking.

The Tech Track is designed specifically for tech startups, to help them dig into the nitty gritty of the competitive and complicated tech industry; it also showcases emerging technologies built here in Southern Colorado.

The Employee Track includes education, resources and networking for recent graduates, startup employees and military veterans in the startup job market. It focuses on becoming a better and more efficient employee, learning how to contribute to a team, as well as what it takes to lead.

SOCO Start-Up Week is a program of Exponential Impact and runs through Sept. 15. It aims to foster entrepreneurs through story and innovation, health and wellness, awareness, leadership and culture, operational excellence, and mentorship. Registration is free at socostartupweek.com/register

Some stolen SNAP funds can be replaced

Some Coloradans who’ve been victims of electronic theft of their SNAP, Adult Financial or Colorado Works benefits may be able to get that money replaced. Based on new federal guidelines, some Colorado Electronic Benefits Transfer benefits stolen via card skimming, card cloning or other similar methods from Oct. 1, 2022 onwards may be eligible for replacement.

If you believe you had benefits stolen between Oct. 1 and June 30, you have until Sept. 1 to report the fraud, Colorado Department of Human Services says. If you had benefits stolen after July 1, you have 30

days to report the loss.

You must contact the county DHS office and complete the form at tinyurl.com/ bdzcccx5.

Chamber launches Talent Resource tool

The Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC announced it has launched the Talent Resource Inventory, a one-stop shop for connecting people with job opportunities, professional development resources, and networking opportunities. It also links employers with workforce-ready employees. The inventory is part of the Find Your COS Talent initiative. Find it at coloradospringschamberedc.com/talent-resourceinventory — you can filter by using keywords in the search bar, clicking in the word cloud or map, and by selecting Connect, Engage, or Recruit.

Fontanero Street interchange reopens

The I-25 northbound off-ramp and the I-25 southbound on-ramp at the Fontanero Street interchange are open again, after being closed for months as part of the Centennial Boulevard Extension project. The city of Colorado Springs says the section of the project under the I-25 bridge over Fontanero Street is nearing completion. One lane will be open in each direction on Fontanero Street as work on signalizing the intersection continues. Trail access remains open through construction.

The extension of Centennial Boulevard has been planned by the City of Colorado Springs for more than 30 years. Phase I and II construction — opening Centennial Boulevard from Fillmore Street to the I-25/Fontanero Street Interchange — is complete. Learn more about the project at ColoradoSprings.gov/CentennialBlvdExtension or call the project hotline 719-626-3093.

Free emergency prep training

The El Paso County Office of Emergency Management is offering free Community Emergency Preparedness Training in September and October. Community Emergency Response Training covers all you need for basic disaster preparedness: Personal readiness, fire extinguisher use, basic first aid, counterterrorism awareness, disaster psychology, and more. To be notified of upcoming classes, sign up at ppcert. eventzilla.net.

CASH FOR CAMERAS

We

RECORDS

WE BUY RECORDS!

1025 W Uintah

10 a.m – 6 p.m.

Closed Mon-Tues

Drew: 719-761-4998

100% Of our readers eat. Shouldn’t they be eating at your place?

Advertise in the Indy 719-577-4545

Hello, I’m Jenna, an adorable little white patch tabby girl with gentle green eyes and a heart-shaped button nose. I’m ready to purr my way into your heart!

HappyCatsHaven.org or 719-362-4600.

Beautiful 1766 sq ft 3-story that shows like a model. 3 beds, 2 baths, loft, flex space, & 2-car garage. Granite throughout. Stainless steel appliances. LVP flooring. All appliances included. A/C. New blinds. Covered patio, balcony, and fenced yard. Maintenance free landscaping. D49. Community clubhouse, pool, playgrounds, and more. Close to shopping, dining, entertainment, schools, parks, and military bases. MLS# 9404662 Call Bobbi Price. The Platinum Group. 719-499-9451.

1124 N Matt Drive – Pueblo West$38,500

Flat 2.34 acre lot with mountain views. Backs to a no-build area. Horses allowed. Houses on either side of this lot & across so utilities are right there. Easy 35 minute commute to Fort Carson, 15 minutes to Pueblo & 10 minutes to shopping & dining in Pueblo West. 1 lot from all paved roads. MLS# 7361250 Call Bobbi at 719-499-9451 for more information.

1408 Tierra Berienda – Pueblo - $25,000

4310 sq ft lot in an upscale subdivision of 37 homes. Close to I-25, shopping, and dining. Complex has a clubhouse with a pool table, kitchen, meeting area, & indoor pool. Small park. Must conform to blend in (stucco, tile roofing, & privacy walls). May purchase 1 to 5 lots. Call Bobbi at 719-499-9451 for more information.

MLS# 5093736 Call Bobbi at 719-499-9451 for more information.

RENTALS

Rentals Central

DOWNTOWN SENIOR LIVING THE ALBANY HOTEL APARTMENTS. FURNISHED EFFICIENCY STUDIOS WITH UTILITIES INCLUDED, SECURED BUILDING. TWO BLOCKS FROM CITY BUS DEPOT. CALL 634-4841

FREE UTILITIES!

NEWLY REMODELED 1, 2 & 3 BR Apts starting @ $925. Some w/FP &/or balcony. Sm Pet. 6351251 or 209-8925

113 Steep Road

Crystal Park - $100,000

Build your dream home on this totally private 0.7 acre lot in Crystal Park. Hard to find flat building site surrounded by towering trees & 360 degree views of the city, mountains, & rock formations. Electricity is by the lot & driveway is cut in. Less than 1 mile from the stocked fishing lake, club house, heated pool, & tennis & basketball courts. MLS# 9785523

333 Countryside Drive

Pueblo West - $149,900

3 bedroom, 2 bath 1995 double wide on a 6700 sq ft lot in Pueblo West. Cathedral ceilings. All appliances included. 1-car carport. Dog run. Big trees all around. Needs some work but priced accordingly. Only 2 miles south of Hwy 50 for easy commute to Colorado Springs or Pueblo. Complex has club house with basketball, gym, pool table, kitchen, & meeting rooms.

MLS# 4978535

immaculate open concept home with glass & sunshine throughout.

MLS# 2757407

Art classes

Pottery classes and studio space at www. nadeau.com in the Broadmoor area.

5671 Tramore Ct –Banning Lewis Ranch

- $419,900