4 DECEMBER 18-24, 2025 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | W ® 15 DECADE OF DOOM Khemmis looks back on the ten years since its groundbreaking debut. BY JUSTIN CRIADO 6 A SPORTING CHANCE The legendary Sports Castle could being its second century with a new owner. BY BENNITO L. KELTY 10 DRESSING DENVER Ryuju Collective’s handmade clothing has been worn by local musicians like ego n friends, ReSrface and DNA Picasso. BY CLEO MIRZA 12 FULL PLATE The fi fteen best new Denver restaurants of 2025. BY MOLLY MARTIN 10 Culture 12 Cafe 15 Music CONCERTS/CLUBS ................................... 18 20 Marijuana CANNABIS CALENDAR ............................ 20 HIGH NOTES ............................................. XX VOLUME 49 NUMBER 16 DECEMBER 18-24, 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 Bennito L. 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KELTY, DECEMBER 4 T H E R E G O E S T H E N E I G H B O R H O O D I’ve lived in Capitol Hill for 35 years and was a member of the Capitol Hill Parking AMP Committee. I can’t speak specifi cally to the roundabout issue, but I do know one fact unequivocally from my committee involvement and from direct experience as a resident: The city has steadily removed residential street-parking access and spaces in downtown neighborhoods, specifi cally Capitol Hill, for over two decades. They have used many methods to ac- complish this, from not replacing public lot spaces removed by state buildings (see the Colorado Municipal League building and others on Sherman Street), to greenwash- ing campaigns about the need for more bike “access” during the pandemic, to DOTI’s new “Shared Streets” campaigns. To be fair, some of these efforts came with positives for neighborhoods, but they have always decreased parking, without exception. I have never been able to interest any journalists in this issue, but I would guess that, like most issues, it’s tied to money, specifi cally future development opportunities. Primarily because of the steely secrecy everyone returns at the mere mention of the issue of parking (from politicians like Chris Hinds, to executors at Public Works and DOTI, to even HOA chairs), I’ve always thought it hides a bigger story. But I’ve given up trying to convince others of this. Sam DeLeo Denver People commenting from the suburbs can sit this one out: We’re not talkin’ about the nice, big, gentle roundabouts you have out there. These ten-foot circles are jammed into intersections that were designed before the advent of cars. While they do improve safety in some places, they don’t in these old neighborhoods. These intersections have blind approaches, because there are build- ings right up to the corners. The turns are so tight, you can easily hit the 140-year-old curbs (car damage), which there were no improvements to. It’s very dangerous for pedestrians crossing. Cars can’t see them and swing out into the crosswalk as they go around the circle. It’s a piss-poor idea for the old streets of the inner city. Rob Munson Denver As a resident living on Dakota, I found Bennito’s article to be completely one-sided and inaccurate. I am thrilled to see some traffi c-slowing measures on Dakota, where people fl y through intersections with no regard for pedestrians, particularly right along a heavily traffi cked school route for families attending Steele (while I don’t have kids making that commute, I see the streams of kids walking by every day and am always worried for them). I have heard only positive feedback from my neighbors at Dakota and Corona. In fact, I have been requesting this traffi c circle at our intersection for over a year, not knowing what DOTI already had in mind. I concede that the street is narrower (or there is more use of street parking) fur- ther west on Dakota, so those blocks may not have the same problem of people speeding dangerously through, but it is very much a welcome change on the blocks closer to Downing. I hope you’ll consider publishing a piece that shares the perspective of other neigh- bors who are relieved to see speed mitigation on our street. Kelsey Green Denver When cars approach a roundabout, they need to understand that you must slow down and take your turn. Maintaining a safe distance from cars ahead allows cars from other directions to enter the intersection safely. If you tailgate, you are an idiot and screw everyone; if you stop when you have space to enter the intersection, you defeat the purpose, which is to manage traffi c and conserve fuel. Just think of it as merging. Be careful, respectful and everyone moves along smoothly. As always, be aware that some motorists are not respectful. Richard Montoya Denver
