Farewell to COSMIX

The COSMIX project, the widening of I25 through Colorado Springs is set to wrap up today, at least the major construction. All in all, I've got to say, nice job. Traffic tie-ups were actually not as bad as I had expected since the project began in 2005. I25 will now have three lanes in each direction along 12-plus miles from south of the Bijou interchange to just south of North Academy Boulevard.

Of course, being a vibrant and growing metro area, construction will likely always be with us. The Cimmarron bridge project is still underway. Major construction on that project is scheduled to be done by Spring of 08, with more minor work to follow (sidewalks and bike paths).

Free Pizza

Okay, I'm trying out a new feature on my new blog. I'm going to post one of these at irregular intervals, offering free stuff for Colorado Springs area residents (you must come pick up your prize within 2 business days.)

Today's prize: A large one item carry out Pizza from Papa John's South Academy location.

Today's challenge: email Eduffy80911@Gmail.com with the answer to the following question: What does the Scottish phrase "Auld Lang Syne" mean? (hint: visit ThePunditMaster

The first email with the right answer received before midnight tonight wins. Prize must be picked up at Easy Street Designs, 5195 Fontaine Blvd, Ste 3, Fountain, CO 80817 before 6pm Wednesday Jan 2, 2008.

Colorado Springs Concert Schedule - The Silver Moon Event Center - New Venue

“Brand New Event Center Opens in Colorado Springs”

“THE SILVER MOON EVENT CENTER IS A BABY BOOMERS DREAM COME TRUE”
The Silver Moon will be Featuring Live Rock & Roll music that Baby Boomers grew up with. Unlike other concert venues, the Silver Moon gives people a chance to meet the band members for autographs and pictures. More importantly, The Silver Moon allows Baby Boomers to relive their High School and College years through the music these bands made famous.

Guitar Center in the Citadel Crossing is donating an autographed guitar for each concert that will be auctioned off for a local Charity later this year.

Silver Moon Event Center
117 E. Las Vegas
Colorado Springs, Colorado


View Larger Map

The following concert’s Tickets are on sale now at all tickets west locations or at the Silver Moon Event Center.

New Years Eve December 31st
3 live bands = “Canned Heat” – “Radio London” – “The Nostalgics”
Champaign toast and food at midnight.
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Sunday February 10th
Melvin Seals and the Jerry Garcia Band
Playing all grateful Dead music
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Friday February 22nd
Brian Howe “BAD COMPANY”
Bad Company is back Live & Loud at the Silver Moon with special guest (opening band) “Radio London”
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Saturday February 23rd
Ron Feingold, Michael Mack & Kiev
Comedy tour with music = Feingold has a new CD out.
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Saturday March 1st
Marshall Tucker Band
Along with the Inman Brothers
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Saturday March 8th
Johnny Winter with the Jake Loggins Band
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Saturday March 15th
Taj Mahal
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Monday March 31st
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown with Mick Taylor and the “Pretty Things”
Former member of the Stones
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Saturday April 12th
Head East Live at the Silver Moon

You can access The Silver Moon Concert Calendar by logging on to www.SMPLive.com. For additional information please call the
Silver Moon at 719-633-LIVE (5483)

Laura Benjamin International now Pinehurst Press Ltd.

Laura Benjamin International Inc. is now Pinehurst Press Ltd., a communications consulting, coaching and professional facilitation company. With young and old alike embracing the benefits of "new media" through blogs, web communities and social networks, it's clear that interpersonal communication has taken on a new "look and feel". Yet interpersonal communication, in print, in person or on the web, is still an area that confounds individuals and organizations alike in their efforts to achieve constructive and innovative results.

Laura Benjamin has seen the need for increased clarity, simplicity and mutual understanding among and between work teams, membership groups, volunteers, communities, constituents, leadership boards, educators and entrepreneurs. Pinehurst Press Ltd. works with those who strive to improve interpersonal communication - in print, in person and on the web. Pinehurst Press Ltd. is based in Colorado Springs and serves clients throughout Colorado and the western United States. To access their free online newsletter, "Communication Tips", blog posts and free audio podcast programs, please visit www.LauraBenjamin.com or call 719-266-8088.

Keller Williams Premier Realty names new Operating Principal

Keller Williams Premier Realty, announced recently that Tony Greer has been appointed Operating Principal for Keller Williams Premier Realty.

“We know that Tony Greer is a true asset and will put his extensive real
estate experience to work for us in our Southwest Colorado Springs and Cañon City offices,” says Brian Smith, Regional Director of Keller Williams Realty Colorado Region. “As a company, we are growing at a phenomenal rate and we know that Tony will contribute greatly to that growth and our goals.”

Prior to his appointment to Operating Principal, Greer served as a top agent in the Fremont County area. Greer has been involved with real estate since 1992, first as an investor, then a top-producing agent. Greer was ranked
Number 2 in the RE/MAX Colorado Region prior to joining Keller Williams Premier Realty in 2004 .

"I love real estate and the career opportunities it provides. I’m looking forward to taking Keller Williams Premier Realty to the next level." said Greer.

The Keller Williams Premier Realty franchise consists of one market center, one business center, and 93 associates.

For more information about Keller Williams Realty, call Rick Guthrie at 719-576-5432 or visit www.swsprings.com.

Coats and Cans Drive - Thanks for Making it a Success

Harris Group Realty, Inc. would like to thank EVERYONE who donated to our annual Coats and Cans for the Community Drive which concluded on December 15, 2007. We are happy to say it was a HUGE success. We were able to provide a large number of coats, sweaters and winter apparel to The Springs Rescue Mission and to the Ecumenical Social Ministries, Inc. Canned goods were sent to the Lighthouse Ministries. Your generosity in this effort helped to provide for those less fortunate in our community.

Barbara Harris, CRP, CRS, GRI
Barbara Harris Team
Office: 719.227.9900
Fax:: 719.387.4591
www.barbaraharristeam.com

BBB Advises College Football Fans in Southern Colorado to Be Smart When Buying Bowl Tickets Online

Bowl Ticket Scam

With college football’s bowl season kicking off this week and more than one million students, alumni and fans searching for tickets, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning consumers to look out for fraudulent sellers when shopping for expensive and hard-to-get bowl tickets online.


The BBB has discovered a scam involving a secondary seller of championship game tickets on eBay. The scammer said he was in England on business and would not be attending the game in New Orleans. Before he’d agree to send the tickets, he wanted payment wired through Western Union in advance. The phony “seller” even provided pictures of the tickets to convince potential buyers he was honest. The scammer claimed the ticket transfer would be handled by an escrow company in California called the Square Trade Center, but the BBB confirmed that the company, Square Trade, is not an escrow company, and doesn’t handle buyer/seller transactions.

“The most common ways secondary-ticket sellers scam sports fans is by delivering counterfeit tickets or simply not sending the tickets at all,” said Carol Odell, CEO and Executive Director of the BBB of Southern Colorado. “Even if the tickets do arrive, they are not for the seats the seller advertised, which means the fans get stuck in the nosebleed area, or have an obstructed view.”

The secondary-ticket market for sporting events, which includes tickets bought and sold by professional brokers, speculators and season-ticket holders, is a $10-billion-a-year industry. Online sales account for one-third of transactions, according to StubHub.com.

College football is big business, and where there is big money to be made, scams always follow. Beginning Thursday, over the course of 19 days, teams from 35 states, representing 64 colleges and universities, will participate in the 2007-2008 bowl season. The NCAA

Postseason Football Licensing Subcommittee notes that last year’s bowl season drew about 1.6 million fans and about $217.6 million in revenue was distributed to participating schools and conferences.

BBB offers the following advice when searching online for sporting events tickets:

Only the event, the venue and the event’s authorized ticketing company can guarantee the ticket you purchase online will be valid to attend the event.
When buying from a merchant, always look for the BBBOnLine seal.
When buying from an individual through an online exchange don’t be lured away from the Web site by the seller. Even if you met the seller on the exchange Web site, the company may not guarantee any lost money if a transaction occurs outside their domain.
If you buy tickets through an online auction, choose a seller with a long, continuous history of satisfied customers. Scammers can hijack old accounts, so make sure they have recently bought or sold other items.
Pay with a credit card or through PayPal,which offers some protection and potential reimbursement. Never pay with a cashier’s check or wire money to a seller; you’ll have no way to get your money back if the tickets do not arrive.
Many sellers will include pictures of the tickets with their posts on auction sites or bulletin boards. Scrutinize the tickets closely for any inaccuracies or alterations, and cross-check the seat assignment with the map on the venue’s Web site before you buy.
For more tips and advice you can trust for safe shopping online go to www.bbb.org, or visit BBBOnLine at: www.bbbonline.org/consumer.

Commercial Comedy

Just because I found it amusing..

created and submitted by SSBN contributor Timothy Wenk

Networking Groups - PPWFC

Job Seekers Learn Tips for Job Search, Get Support and Encouragement,

Share Job Leads

December 14, 2007, Colorado Springs, CO – According to Quintessential Careers.com, “Networking is one of the most important -- if not the most important -- activities that job-seekers need to master to be truly successful in your job-search. Because the vast majority of job openings are never advertised, job-seekers need to have a network of contacts -- a career network -- that can provide support, information, and job leads.”

In January, the Pikes Peak Workforce Center (PPWFC) will offer the following networking groups, which are led by facilitators Steve Fehl, Monica Bryce, and Fred Gauna:

The Executive Networking Group meets Mondays from 10:00 a.m. to noon and is for those persons who have held senior management or executive level positions for an extended time, and who may be in need of specialized services. This group will be on January 7, 14 and 28. Please note that January 21 is a holiday and PPWFC will be closed.

The Professional Networking Group meets Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon and is for any individual seeking new employment. This group will met on January 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30.

The 50+ Networking Group meets Thursdays from 10:30 a.m. to noon and is for people age 50 and over who are seeking employment. This group specializes in addressing issues facing older workers. This group will meet on January 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31.

The Veterans Networking Group meets the first, second and fourth Wednesday of each month is for veterans seeking employment, including active duty, retired and transitioning veterans. Please note there will be no meeting on January 2. This group will meet on January 9 and 23.

There is no charge to attend these networking groups. All groups meet at the PPWFC main office, 2306 East Pikes Peak Avenue, Colorado Springs, 80909.

About PPWFC

The Pikes Peak Workforce Center supports business and promotes employment by providing market-driven solutions for our community to succeed in the global economy. PPWFC helps businesses solve their workforce-related business problems and helps residents with career transition. More information about the Pikes Peak Workforce Center can be found online at www.ppwfc.org.

CASA Seeks Volunteers

CASA Seeks Volunteers for the Supervised Exchange and Parenting Time Program

Want to make a difference in a child’s life, but are worried about how to find the time? The Supervised Exchange and Parenting Time program (SEPT), with its flexible schedule, may be ideal for you!

Volunteers for the SEPT program protect children from witnessing parental disputes and experiencing emotional trauma. They oversee court-ordered parenting time (supervised visits) and facilitate exchanges of the children from one parent to another, keeping the children safe from conflict.

The SEPT program is administered by Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of the Pikes Peak Region. CASA serves as “a child’s voice in court” for children who are victims of abuse, neglect or domestic conflict and promotes community awareness of these issues to ensure safe and permanent homes.

Training begins February 2, 2008. Deadline for registration is January 11. For additional information, visit www.casappr.org or call 447-9898, ext.1020.

New Year's Eve at Chaps Bar and Grill

Chaps Bar and Grill at 412 Royalty Place in Fountain, CO is celebrating their first New Year with a New Year's Eve Casino Night. The event will feature craps and roulette tables, poker of course, a live band and buffet. The festivities start at 8pm. Tickets are $35 per person or $65 per couple. Call 382-5557 for more information or visit ChapsBarNGrill.com.

Slapping the Hand That Feeds You

I had a conversation with a colleague from a more traditional paper today. She told me about an interview she had done with a company that provides security for schools. The company is looking to land a contract with an area school district.

She said that her editor would likely not run the story because she'd feel it was just a marketing pitch for the company. This illustrates an attitude among most print media publications that I just don't understand.

I'll focus on small regionals because that's what I'm most familiar with. Small businesses are the ones who keep the paper in existance. It's through their ad revenue that payroll is met, the rent gets paid, the electricity stays on, etc. Yet an editor would shun a story because it might be helpful to a business? I'm not going to name the paper or the editor because this attitude is actually the prevailing one among small newspaper editors. They're are loathe to do anything that might be construed as "free advertising".

In The South Side Business News, we're all about the blatant and unapologetic promotion of business, particularly the small business. IBM and Walmart get plenty of attention. We want to provide a spotlight for Fountain Valley Mechanical and The Sound Shop and the like. The fact that most papers wont do this actually provided me with my niche. We encourage area businesses to send us updates on their activities, products, employees, etc. Of course, the story still has to be interesting and they're run on a space available basis, but since we don't do community interest, politics, death, disease and mayhem, we make a lot of space available.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, this has not resulted in decreased interest in paid advertising. To the contrary. It turns out the public at large is really interested in the goings on of local shops and the people who own, run and work in them. There are hundreds of small businesses in the area and only a handful are going to have stories published in any given month. The demand for space still far exceeds the supply. The key, as always, it good content. All stories are edited as I see fit, and nobody gets to proof or approve them prior to publication.