Recessions and Depressions

John Hickenlooper championing Obama: "Lincoln wasn't a great debater"

The Obama campaign is hauling surrogates all over the Denver metro area today as part of a bus tour to champion the president -- a week after he struggled at the University of Denver in the first debate against Mitt Romney. At one stop, Governor John Hickenlooper told supporters that they have a cle ... More >>

The Ghost of Joseph Buck

The Ghost of Joseph Buck
Self-released

Denver City Council votes to put de-Brucing measure on ballot

Denver City Council had an action-packed agenda last night, giving final approval on a ban for any outdoor advertising for medical marijuana dispensaries, voting any police-brutality pay-out, and giving the go-ahead to put a measure to de-Bruce Denver on this November's ballot -- exactly twenty year ... More >>

Il Posto marks its five-year milestone

​"I think for any business, five years is a big deal," Andrea Frizzi, chef-owner of Il Posto, says. "For a restaurant, though, five years is a super big deal." And that's why today is "a super big deal" for the chef -- on this day in 2007, Frizzi, a native of Italy who came to Denver by way o ... More >>

The Ghost of Michael Clark

Bound to Break
Self-released

Obama jobs plan in a nutshell: Kenny Be's Nut Graphs

​ Will President Obama's new jobs plan save the country from a double-dip recession or burden our sliding economy with another $400 billion of deficit spending? Below, an easy-to-read chart explains the president's entire economic stimulus plan in a nutshell...

Guess where I'm eating?

Lori Midson​MSNBC's Douglas A. McIntyre recently wrote that the double-dip recession has arrived, a pronouncement that has its share of skeptics (and others who wonder if we ever recovered from the first recession), but double-dip recession or not, there's nothing wrong with pinching pennies, ... More >>

Slakjaw, April 29 at 3 Kings Tavern

Denver clothing company DVLP to close up shop

This dress is sustainable, but it won't be around much longer.​Fresh off headlining the fashion show of Westword's Artopia on Saturday night, local clothing brand DVLP announced yesterday that it will close its doors. The brand, which carved out its niche with eco-friendly materials, domestic ... More >>

The Nonesuch Theater in Fort Collins is closing, but not without a glimmer of hope

This is how Nick Turner feels right now.​After a seven year run at its home in Fort Collins, the Nonesuch Theater -- currently in the midst of its run of The Art of Murder, by Joe DiPietro (the same guy who wrote I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) -- is gearing up to draw the red curtain ... More >>

Recession is over!, economic research group says -- but economy missed the message

​Was it good for you? In a conference call yesterday, the Business Cycle Dating Committee of the National Bureau of Economic Research determined that "a trough in business activity occurred in the U.S. economy in June 2009." In other words, the recession is over. Tell that to the people still ... More >>

Medical marijuana good for Colorado Springs? "Yes," says mayor -- and so is a TABOR time-out

Lionel Rivera.​Lionel Rivera, the Republican mayor of Colorado Springs, says his city has a chance to resurrect itself from pummeling budget cuts brought on by the recession and the state's tax law that limits the city's ability to fund its coffers. The medical marijuana industry boon, among ... More >>

Josh Penry-John Morse idea to give university boards more leeway potentially dangerous

"Gee, I wish I could afford college."​Senate Majority Leader John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, and Minority Leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, are brainstorming ways to keep Colorado's colleges from suffocating amid crippling losses in revenue from the state. Atop the mount of potential soluti ... More >>

Bill Ritter, Scott McInnis and Ken Salazar's statements: Spin-a-go-go!

"I'm gonna talk -- but I'm not really gonna say anything."​Update, 2:26 p.m.: Republican Senate candidate Jane Norton has jumped into the commenting-on-Bill Ritter fun. Look below for her take. Update, 2:13 p.m.: New statements just in about Ritter's withdrawal from Senator Mark Udall and Rep ... More >>

Wake-Up Call: Jared Polis, poet

​Are there no limits to the talents of Jared Polis? During his first year in Congress, the Boulder Democrat starred in a wonky reality show, demonstrated a beer bong on Comedy Central, and came out swinging on several controversial proposals. But as 2009 draws to a close, it's time to be a ... More >>

Wake-Up Call: Holiday parties go to pot

​At holiday parties this weekend, everyone was talking about pot. I haven't been asked about marijuana this much since my first day of college in 1972, when I wore a hippie-print dress and my dormmates assumed I could hook them up. People were talking about the booming business in medical mar ... More >>

Horror DVDs, from wild to mild

Swing Shift

Water 2 Wine uncorks an alternative gift idea

Water 2 Wine features its low-sulfite wine​ The holidays are enough to drive anyone to drink -- so this year, why not help everyone out by giving wine? For $250, Water 2 Wine will help you craft a case of 28 bottles with custom labels -- which breaks down to about $9 a bottle. "Most of the ... More >>

John Hickenlooper's budget-cut pitch

John Hickenlooper.​The first specific cut listed by Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper in a letter to the citizens of the city about his budget-cut proposal involves reducing the programming on Denver's Channel 8 to "public-meeting coverage and select programming." The latter apparently includes a ... More >>

Cutting $120 million with no job loss and no new revenue? Good luck with that, guys.

"What can we save if we sell this red carpet on eBay?"Mayor John Hickenlooper may be starring in his own documentary series, but if this morning's Denver Post is any indication, he's soon going to be starring in his own political thriller, in which he somehow tries to trim $120 million from the city ... More >>

Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario: A Confluence Park staycation with no purchase necessary

Don't let the current economic recession ruin your summer fun. Now you can stay in Denver and enjoy a Confluence Park vacation that includes all of your favorite activities without the cost of all that expensive gear...

Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario: An overseas staycation in the heart of Denver

Don't let the current economic recession ruin your summer fun. Now you can stay right here in Denver and still experience all the exotic culture of an overseas vacation with a trip to Confluence Park.

Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario: An adventure staycation in Confluence Park

Don't let the current economic recession ruin your summer fun. As the daytime temperatures rise, bike riders and rafters can riverdance to the Denver rhythm in the heart of the city every Thursday night in July.

Wide open spaces: Is downtown Denver experiencing a restaurant recession?

ESPN Zone's departure adds to the empty restaurant space downtown.When Fogo de Chao opens at 1513 Wynkoop Street in mid-July, the Brazilian steakhouse chain will occupy -- wait for it -- 14,000 square feet, enough footage to house nearly 600 cows, at least by my mathematical calculations, where are ... More >>

Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario: A fashionable staycation in the Hampdens

Don't let the current economic recession cramp your hot summer style. Instead of paying the high price for a New York vacation in the Hamptons to see trendy celebrities, you can stay in Denver and find glamour galore in the Hampdens...

Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario: A sailor's staycation in the Hampdens

Don't let the recession ruin your summer sailing plans. Instead of paying the high price for a New York vacation in the Hamptons to see celebrity sailors, you can stay in Denver and see a star-studded array of (local) swabbies in the Hampdens...

Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario: A staycation in the Hampdens

Don't let the recession ruin your summer fun. Instead of paying out the nose for a New York vacation in the Hamptons to see celebrities, you can stay in Denver and see plenty of vacationing (local) celebrities in the Hampdens....

Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario: A Stapleton staycation sunset campfire with a skyline view

Don't let the recession stop your plans for a summer R.V. excursion. Instead of paying for numerous tanks of gas and countless campground fees, you can stay right here in Denver and vacation in the neighborhood that offers strip-mall camping and sunset marshmallow roasts. A staycation in the Staplet ... More >>

Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario: A stylish R.V. Stapleton summer staycation

Don't let the recession put an end to your stylish summer R.V. excursion. Instead of paying for numerous tanks of gas and countless campground fees, you can stay right here in Denver and vacation in the neighborhood that has the best baby-gear garage sales and sheep-shearing opportunities. A staycat ... More >>

Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario: A summer staycation of R.V. camping in Stapleton

Don't let the recession put an end to your plan for a summer R.V. excursion. Instead of paying for several tanks of gas and countless campground fees, you can stay right here in Denver and vacation in the neighborhood that best suits your interests. A staycation in the Stapleton neighborhood has muc ... More >>

Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario: A Sloan's Lake summer staycation

Don't let the recession ruin your summer fun! Instead of paying the high costs for transportation and hotels, you can stay right here in Denver and vacation in the neighborhood that best suits your interests. A staycation in the Sloan's Lake and Jefferson Park neighborhoods has much to offer...

Grocery union ratchets up the drama as another contract deadline approaches

The latest deadline in talks between United Food & Commercial Workers Local #7 and representatives of King Soopers stores is midnight tomorrow -- and while neither side seems to want a work stoppage to begin one second later, there's disagreement over how long an negotiations extension should be. ... More >>

Free Comic Book Day comes to Time Warp in Boulder

Free Comic Book Day, which takes place on Saturday, May 2, is a nationwide celebration of the form, which, like other print mediums, is struggling to survive in today's techno-happy world. And Time Warp in Boulder is pulling out all the stops. Daniel Crosier, an event organizer and co-creator of t ... More >>

Houston's, we have a problem

Houston's promo card shows a crowd, but they're not your average CreekersAn hour after getting all the appropriate permits, the long-awaited Houston's finally opened this past weekend at 303 Josephine Street. This sibling of the Cherry Creek Grill and other restaurants in the Hillstone chain has an ... More >>

Mojitos gives you another reason to go out

Stimulus and/or recession- themed dinners are springing up around town, pulling valueconomy eaters from their homes into seats at local restaurants. L'Atelier has a four-course recession dinner; Parisi offers deals every week.Mojitos Cuban Bistro, at 1120 East Sixth Avenue (the former home of Mel's, ... More >>

From the week of March 3, 2009

Kenny Be's Hip Tip: From the Hip Tip time machine

This Hip Tip was originally published in the February 17-23, 1988 issue of Westword. Now, twenty years later, a look at the bright side means hoping that the environment (and its new energy economy) will be great for (ending) the recession.

ColoradoBiz editor thinks new Channel 4/Denver Business Journal series looks "very familiar"

The latest cover of ColoradoBiz magazine. The February 5 blog "Does a New Channel 4/Denver Business Journal Collaboration say Anything About the Rocky Mountain News?" took note of "Beating the Recession," a just-launched TV-and-print series that highlights locals who are finding ways to thrive duri ... More >>

Denver Business Journal Neil Westergaard on the Need for Positive Economic Stories

Neil Westergaard. Today's blog titled "ColoradoBiz Editor Thinks New Channel 4/Denver Business Journal Series Looks 'Very Familiar'" digs into the suggestion that "Beating the Recession," a co-production of Channel 4 and the DBJ, lifted its concept from "Road to Recovery," an effort Channel 7 and C ... More >>

Internal document describes Channel 4's "Beating the Recession" series

Today's blog "ColoradoBiz Editor Thinks New Channel 4/Denver Business Journal Series Looks 'Very Familiar'" examines the suggestion that "Beating the Recession," a collaboration between Channel 4 and the DBJ, borrowed its concept from "Road to Recovery," a team effort from Channel 7 and ColoradoBi ... More >>

Does a new Channel 4/Denver Business Journal collaboration say anything about the Rocky Mountain News?

This morning brought a press release announcing "Beating the Recession," a new series jointly reported by Channel 4 and the Denver Business Journal. Pretty standard stuff overall, but the parties involved may be meaningful in terms of the area's shifting media landscape. After all, Channel 4's lon ... More >>

New in Town

Big Bucks for Builders: A Kenny Be special report

Calling all cheapskates! Penny day tomorrow at the Denver Museum for Contemporary Art

Sssssh. Don't tell anyone. From 10am-6pm tomorrow admission at the Museum for Contemporary Art is only one cent per person. That's a penny. With everyone trying to save money in this wonderful recession of ours, the place could get crowded if the word got out. So let's keep this bit of informati ... More >>

Wake-Up Call: The week ahead, December 15-21

While the Obama cabinet carousel -- Ritter! Salazar (Ken)! Salazar (John)! Michael Bennet! Salazar (Ken, again)! -- continues to go 'round, with a name thrown out each week (although now, with Ken Salazar back in the ring for Interior, we're on repeats) -- Colorado's top Dems will gather at t ... More >>

Bottoms Up

Drown your sorrows at the Recession Sessions.

Is the Budget Ax About to Fall at Denver's Clear Channel Stations?

A Thought for Your Pennies

Colorado charities face a crisis in the aftermath of September 11.