👀 2 Denver restaurants duke it out in court

👮 Officials Increase Security at City Homeless Shelters

Increased police patrols, camera surveillance, and secure entrances and exits are some of the added security measures Mayor Mike Johnston is enforcing at Denver homeless shelters. The move follows a double homicide at a former hotel turned housing shelter in the Central Park neighborhood. [Denverite]

🚫 State Assault Weapons Ban Moves Forward

Following 12-plus hours of heated testimony, the Colorado House Judiciary Committee advanced a bill that would ban the purchase, sale, and transfer of semi-automatic firearms in Colorado. While the bill has already made it further than similar legislation introduced last year, it has some high hurdles to pass in the Senate where it doesn’t even have a prime sponsor yet. [CO Sun]

👀 Prominent Restaurateur Sues Former Employees

Francois Safieddine — the Denver restaurateur behind ViewHouse, My Neighbor Felix, and the recently debuted Wonderyard Garden + Table — is suing the owners of popular new restaurant Alma Fonda Fina and former My Neighbor Felix employees, Kasie and Johnny Curiel. Safieddine claims the duo, privy to “trade secrets,” is violating a non-compete agreement and costing his restaurant lost revenue. A hearing is scheduled for Friday. [BusinessDen via Denver Post]

👠 Fashion: Are CO Politicians Doing It Wrong?

Dress pants and sneakers, business casual yoga pants and cowboy hats — Denver’s style is questionable. So when it comes to what our elected officials choose to wear on the national stage, what does that say about us? We asked a fashion expert. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

If it seems like Denver International Airport is always in the news, you’re not wrong. Recent headlines include hundreds of winter storm flight cancellations; a record number of spring break visitors; upcoming construction in the Pikes Peak parking lot; and of course all that debate over what to do about Peña Boulevard.

But even with all that — I like DIA. Yep, I said it. What on earth could there be to like at the Denver airport, you ask? Let me share just a few of my faves…

So Much to Eat and Drink

And good stuff, at that — I’m talking Denver standbys, like Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs, Snarf’s Sandwiches, or tamales from La Casita. In the mood for something a little more elevated? How about the James Beard-recognized chef Alex Seidel’s Mercantile Dining & Provision? Or popular restaurant group Edible Beats’ upscale American fare at Root Down? If you’re looking for a sweet treat, grab a scoop of Little Man Ice Cream.

Oh, you’re thirsty? Take your pick from beloved Colorado-based breweries including Breckenridge, New Belgium, Great Divide, and Tivoli. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg — find all food and bev options at FlyDenver.com.

Tons of Fun Shopping

If shopping is your favorite time-killer, DIA offers plenty of local shopping options including Tattered Cover (for a new in-flight read), Topo Designs (for that fanny pack you didn’t know you needed), and Shinesty (for the perfect Denver gag gift to offer your out-of-state friends). Not to mention all those in-a-pinch stores and services in case you need to, say, fix your broken iPhone or nab some distractions for a cranky toddler.

Plenty of Places to Kick Back and Relax

Get into vacation mode before you even hit the beach — DIA offers chair and table massages, reflexology treatments, manis and pedis, and even haircuts. If you’re just looking for a little peace and quiet, splurge for a day pass to American, Delta, or United Airlines’ exclusive club lounges (obviously free if you’re a club member). But the best relaxation secret at DIA? The Rest and Recharge area in Concourse A, complete with roomy lounge seating, privacy partitions, and lots of charging outlets.

Now through March 24, the Denver dining scene is celebrating its fourth iteration of Black Restaurant Week!

Though it’s now celebrated in cities across the nation throughout the year, BRW began in Houston in 2016, as a multi-day marketing campaign designed to uplift Black-owned culinary businesses and educate locals on the “abundance of cultural cuisines within their neighborhood,” as well as to bring light to the disparities faced by minority-owned businesses.

One recent study reported that 41% of U.S. Black-owned businesses failed in the early months of the pandemic at more than twice the rate of white-owned businesses. BRW provides public relations and marketing efforts at no cost to Black-owned businesses who otherwise might not get the same exposure as wealthier, often white-owned, counterparts.

“We can rival them with the environment and we will definitely rival them with the quality of food.” Ty Allen, owner of Mississippi Boy Catfish & Ribs, recently told Denverite.

Fashion Police: Colorado Politicians Edition

Denver is often characterized as a place where function comes before fashion — we like to pair athletic wear with dress shoes and we consider a cowboy hat “fancy.” Our elected leaders reflect who we are and what we care about. So, do we care about fashion? We consulted with a politically savvy stylist to breakdown what our legislators’ fits say about us.