4 SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2025 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | W ® 10 HEAVY HANDS, HEAVIER HEARTS After a killing that shook the community, this team is still fi ghting for the kids. BY GARRETT FRANKLIN 6 LOSING STEAM Turnout has declined at recent Denver protests, but organizers are optimistic for a comeback. BY BENNITO L. KELTY 14 RESPIDERMENT Rosie the Tarantula is retiring from meet and greets after thirty years at the Butterfl y Pavilion. BY KRISTEN FIORE 17 SLURP AND SAVOR Aurora’s Katsu Ramen is the real deal. BY ANTHONY BRUNO 19 UNDERGROUND RISING What’s Left Records is holding its fi rst-ever music festival in Colorado Springs. BY JUSTIN CRIADO 14 Culture 17 Cafe 19 Music CONCERTS/CLUBS ................................... 20 24 Marijuana CANNABIS CALENDAR ............................ 24 HIGH NOTES ............................................. XX VOLUME 49 NUMBER 2 SEPTEMBER 11-17, 2025 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 Brendan Joel Kelley, Bennito L. 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COVER DESIGN BY MONIKA SWIDERSKI “THE SUMMER IT TURNED PRETTY,” WESTWORD STAFF T H E S U M M E R W E T U R N E D P E T T Y I agree that 16th Street looks “pretty.” But it also looks pretty empty. Jake Miller Denver So excited to see what’s happening on the former 16th Street Mall. I’ve alway loved going to the movies at the Pavilions. While that place needs more businesses, at least there are other things to do all up and down the street. Michelina Martin Denver My family and I have long been fans of the downtown mall...until recently. I took my twelve-year-old daughter and her friend last weekend. We were walking to Hot Topic after eating lunch at Henry’s Tavern; my daughter and her friend witnessed two as- saults and my daughter noticed a naked man who was face down and butt up between stores. I’m never bringing my family any- where around this place again. Probably a reason it’s dying and businesses are moving out. And no, this is not politically motivated. I think that they all do a horrible job, but the mall downtown is dying and it’s a sad thing to watch. Kevin Tighe Denver I am tired of hearing people who haven’t been downtown in years complain about it. Time to go see 16th Street for yourself. I’ve seen scarier thighs in Littleton parking lots than downtown. Marcy Rudy Denver After reading this, I went to 16th Street, and I was underwhelmed. Appreciated your look at Little Finch and Appaloosa and some of the other longterm businesses, but down- town needs more to get me to go there. Alan Perez Aurora Mary Nguyen is one of the people that city leaders need to listen to in order to make this great city what it was just a short time ago. Start making it safe and easy to open and run a business, and you’ll be amazed at the people and communities that will form. Ted Breitenstein Denver More vague, generalized pep talking from a minion of identity politics. The problems with Denver are more foundational, particu- larly with the economic values, policies and the leadership that Denver voters have been electing for two decades. Jeff Ingram Denver This Westword article is propaganda. It is meant to deceive and endanger the public. Dwayne Peterson Posted on Facebook “BREAKING FREE,” TEAGUE BOHLEN, AUGUST 8 W H E N W O R S T C O M E S T O W O R D I have been reading and collecting Westword since I moved to Colorado almost a year ago, and this is probably the worst issue I have ever read. From championing a white woman who was imprisoned for fucking embezzlement (for a great cause you could have interviewed anyone else about) to an old white guy who is married talking about a fucking AI girlfriend who “just so happens” to be named after Johnny Depp’s (domestic abuser) daughter? Do you know and understand what that man and many others who use AI are doing to small towns and bigger cities as far as jobs and energy effi ciency and the fucking envi- ronment? Denver is affected. You platformed that disgusting man. You have ruined it. What the hell is going on? Genuinely. This is disgusting. Such a great cover; I was so excited to pick up the issue and read, and it’s all just bullshit. Figure it out the fuck out guys. This is nasty. Zoë Mathis Denver
