4 FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4, 2026 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | W ® 8 KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON Corky Scholl may be gone, but these neon lovers won’t let Save the Signs go dark. BY TEAGUE BOHLEN 6 POT SHOTS State lawmakers are considering major changes to cannabis hospitality, taxes and health care this year. BY THOMAS MITCHELL 15 NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE These cafes offer a taste of global coffee culture, right here in the Mile High. BY SARA ROSENTHAL 17 GOODBYE TO HELLOKENNY The Denver-based DJ and artist is headed for Albania. BY JUSTIN CRIADO 8 Culture 15 Cafe 17 Music CONCERTS/CLUBS ................................... 18 23 Marijuana CANNABIS CALENDAR ............................ 24 HIGH NOTES ............................................. XX VOLUME 49 NUMBER 26 FEBRUARY 26-MARCH 4, 2026 E D I T O R I A L Editor Patricia Calhoun News Editor Thomas Mitchell Food and Drink Editor Molly Martin Music Editor Emily Ferguson Culture Editor Kristen Fiore Social Media Editor Katrina Leibee Staff Writers Bennito L. Kelty, Hannah Metzger Senior Contributors Brendan Joel Kelley, Alan Prendergast, Michael Roberts Contributors Gil Asakawa, Teague Bohlen, Hyde Chrastina, Jacqueline Collins, Justin Criado, Audrey Ferrer, John Flathman, Susan Froyd, Jason Heller, Nick Hutchinson, Danielle Krolewicz, Karl Christian Krumpholz, Kristen Kuchar, Skyler McKinley, Abi- gail Nueve, Ryan Pachmayer, Kristin Pazulski, Adam Perry, Evan Semón, Amber Taufen, Toni Tresca, Kastle Waserman, Helen Xu Music Listings Matthew Jones Cover Designer Monika Swiderski P R O D U C T I O N Production Manager Michael Wilson Assistant Production Manager Erin Kirk Graphic Designers Kami Miller, Tori O’Connor C R E A T I V E S E R V I C E S Senior Graphic Designer Allie Seidel A D V E R T I S I N G Senior Multimedia Account Executives Amy Camera, Aaron Lembke Multimedia Account Executives Remy Diamond, Nate Easley, Trey Konsella, Kirby Quick, Allison Wissink Operations Manager Carver Hodgkiss Digital Sales Coordinator Anne-Grace Hartman Director of Digital Sales Alan Heath Advertising Director Teri Driskell C I R C U L A T I O N Circulation Manager Ty Koepke B U S I N E S S Director of Business and Operations Russell Breiter Financial Accountant Robert Scribner AR Coordinator Stacy Phillips IT Systems Manager Kris Robinson Receptionist Cindy Perez Associate Publisher Tracy Kontrelos Publisher Scott Tobias V O I C E M E D I A G R O U P Editorial Director Chelsey Dequaine-Jerabek Editorial Operations Director Bridget Thomason Director of Membership and Community Development Jennifer Robinson Digital Operations & Audience Strategist Allison Stephenson Audience Strategist Lauren Antonoff Hart Corporate Controller Beth Cook Legal Counsel Steve Suskin Chief Financial Offi cer Jeff Mars Chief Executive Offi cer Scott Tobias V M G N A T I O N A L National Advertising: 1-888-278-9866, www.voicemediagroup.com Senior Vice President of Sales Operations Joe Larkin D I S T R I B U T I O N Westword is available free of charge. Additional copies of the current issue may be purchased for $1, payable in advance at the Westword offi ce. Westword may be distributed only by authorized Westword distributors. No person may, without prior written permission of Westword, take more than one copy of each issue. C O P Y R I G H T The entire contents of Westword are copyright 2026 by Denver Westword LLC. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, with- out the express written permission of the Publisher, Westword, P.O. Box 5970, Denver CO 80217. Back issues may be purchased for $2 each plus postage from the Westword offi ce (issues older than six weeks subject to availability). The Best of Denver 2025 is $6 plus postage. Story reprints are available for $1 plus postage; call 303-296-7744 to place an order, or check our archives at www.westword.com. Westword (USPS478230) is published weekly by Denver Westword LLC, 1278 Lincoln Street, Denver CO 80203. Peri- odicals postage paid in Denver. Domestic subscriptions may be purchased for $100/year or $50/six months. Postmaster: Send address changes to Westword, P.O. Box 5970, Denver CO 80217. Mailing address: P.O. Box 5970, Denver, CO 80217 Street address: 1278 Lincoln Street, Denver, CO 80203 For general information, call: 303-296-7744 For Editorial, email: [email protected] ON THE COVER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MONIKA SWIDERSKI LETTERS T O T H E E D I T O R YOU CAN COMMENT ON ANY STORY AT WESTWORD.COM; SEND LETTERS TO [email protected] Don’t miss a word! The stories in this print edition are just a fraction of the pieces we publish every week on westword.com. For a cheat sheet on all that content, subscribe to our daily newsletter at westword.com/profi le. You can also follow @denverwestword on Facebook, X, Threads, Bluesky, Instagram and TikTok. And it’s all free! PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MONIKA SWIDERSKI PHOTOS COURTESY COLORADO BRIDGE TROLLS “AN UNEPECTED NAME IN THE EPSTEIN FILES,” HANNAH METZGER, FEBRUARY 11 A N E M B A R R A S S M E N T O F R I C H E S Some of us are not surprised that men with ample riches Behave in ways unethical to satisfy their itches. Unafraid of censure or of statutes that condemn Because the laws for commoners do not apply to them. Millionaires and billionaires aren’t governed by the rules. They are immune from laws that govern ordinary fools. Their offspring, too, will rarely suffer consequences Of drug use or assault or an array of gross offenses. Helping rich men to evade the fallout from their deeds Are teams of lawyers paid to obfuscate and impede. A series of denials and delays make up their plans They know our indignation fades from short attention spans. So news of wealthy married men enjoying interludes With teenage girls, acts most consider moral turpitude, Are dalliances as common to those men as drinking milk, Are accepted as a sacred right for Brahmins of their ilk. A period of public condemnation is expected Before our moral outrage pauses, then is redirected By the newest exposé of moneyed men and their misdeeds, Who then hide behind attorneys until public scorn recedes. Before our courts of law, blindfolded Lady Justice stands. She holds a sword and set of scales in her impartial hands. Her face impassive, but she hides a patronizing grin: Those who buy the best attorneys almost always win. Billy Eddy Aurora “A HIGHER CALLING,” BENNITO L. KELTY, FEBRUARY 19 H I G H E R A N D H I G H E R What have you people been smoking? No one takes a big blue bunny or an Uncle Sam chicken seriously. If protesters want to get their point across, they should quit acting like clowns from on high. These are serious times, and serious approaches are appreciated. James Watkins Denver Thanks for your article about the Colo- rado Bridge Trolls. I am 81 and have been protesting since 1962 (Civil Rights back then, and against our stupid wars, for Women’s Movement and LGBTQ+, and now, of course, against horrible Trump). I want to join the Trolls. Great writing! Deb Taylor Denver I have enjoyed your paper and a lot of your articles over the years. That being said, it seems that over the past year or so Westword has taken a sharp turn leftward and, with all due respect, the leftist liberal socialist view you seem to have adopted is... well... disgust- ing and completely un-American! I will no longer be reading your magazine or posts. You were at one time an enjoyable publi- cation about Colorado and practiced actual journalism. Perhaps you should try that again. Best of luck, and goodbye. Jamie McCord Facebook I came to your site to submit my vote for the Best of Denver, and my favorite restaurant. The fi rst thing I see is a red blurb at the top about protests. I really wish you’d keep your political stance from your publication! So annoying that everything has to be political, everywhere we turn! Does your publication only cater to those who follow your beliefs? In that case, you don’t need my vote -- although I’m sure you could care less. Zune Do Denver
