COS Town Tidings Issue #24-040

🤣 Today’s Chuckle
🌨 COS Weather - Light snow light to 2”, tomorrow snow all day 3”-6” 

📰 Celebrate 150 Years: CC Day Deals & Festivities🥳
📰 Starbucks Baristas Reinstated: Victory for Colorado Workers☕
📰 Colorado Springs Makes Top 15 in Economic Vitality🌟

🤝 Affordable Advertising
📆 Local Events

Recipe: 🍪 Brown Sugar Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies
🛍 Local DEALS

Why was the football stadium so hot after the game?

👉 All the fans left 🤣

🥳 Celebrate 150 Years: CC Day Deals & Festivities 

Colorado College marks its 150th founding anniversary TODAY, February 9, as proclaimed by both the City of Colorado Springs and the State of Colorado. To honor CC's Sesquicentennial, businesses owned by CC alumni are extending special deals on food and beverages to patrons sporting CC spirit wear. Participating establishments include Josh & John’s Ice Cream, Poor Richard’s Restaurant, Colonel Mustard’s Sandwich Emporium, Goat Patch Brewery, McAllister House Museum, and more.

The year-long celebration will feature public events in June, such as the 40th anniversary of the Summer Music Festival, and alumni gatherings in November for Homecoming. Alumni are encouraged to share their favorite memories and stories on the dedicated webpage, commemorating 150 years of Colorado College.

☕ Starbucks Baristas Reinstated: Victory for Colorado Workers

In a significant ruling, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has mandated Starbucks to reinstate two Colorado baristas terminated for their involvement in unionization efforts. Ryan Dinaro, formerly employed at the Tremont Starbucks in Denver, and Joseph Mathis, dismissed from the Academy store in Colorado Springs, were unlawfully fired, according to Starbucks Workers United. The NLRB found Starbucks guilty of objectionable conduct during the union vote at the Colorado Springs location, ordering a new election and compensation for the affected employees. Starbucks, while committed to negotiations with elected unions, has allocated resources to address labor-related concerns.

🌟 Colorado Springs Makes Top 15 in Economic Vitality

Colorado Springs has surged back into the top 20 ranking of the Milken Institute's Best-Performing Cities report for 2024, driven by notable advancements in its high-tech sector. The city claimed the 15th spot among 200 metro areas with significant populations, marking a significant rebound from its position at No. 37 in 2023.

Colorado Springs edged out Huntsville, Alabama, by one spot in the rankings. Huntsville was a contender for the permanent home of the U.S. Space Command (a decision with significant economic implications due to the command's 1,200 employees and estimated $1 billion annual economic impact), a decision reversed by the current President after it was initially ordered by the former President.

Key factors contributing to this resurgence include robust growth in high-tech industries, with economic output soaring by 11% in 2022, outpacing the national average. Colorado Springs outperformed other major Colorado metros, including Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, Fort Collins, Boulder, and Greeley.

However, challenges persist, particularly in housing affordability, with a significant portion of households facing high housing costs. Additionally, a deceleration in employment growth, potentially linked to sluggish expansion in the leisure and hospitality sector, hindered further progress in the rankings. Despite these obstacles, the city's resilience underscores its position as a dynamic economic hub in the region.

🤝 Maximize Your Reach, Be Seen 34,920 Times Monthly! Partner with us through affordable advertising options benefiting both our valued subscribers and cherished local businesses. 💖

📆 Local Events

• Feb 9th-Feb 25th (Weds-Sundays): Ice Castle @Cripple Creek $21-$27

• Feb 9th-10th, 9 AM-3 PM: The Salvation Army Woman's Auxiliary Winter Boutique Sale @908 Yuma St

• Feb 9th-10th (every Fri & Sat), 3:30 PM: 2.5-Hour Cocktails & Canapés Walking Tour @1 N Tejon St. $79 per person Must be 21+

• Feb 9th, 5 PM: Elks Valentine's Hoedown @Colorado Springs Elks Lodge #309, 3300 N Nevada Ave $25

• Feb 9th, 6-8 PM: Make and Take Macrame Heart Coasters @The FestiviTea Company @2336 Vickers Dr Ste 130 $25 (ONLY 2 SPOTS REMAINING)

• Feb 9th, 6-8:30 PM: Valentine's Family Fun Night @Hillside Community Center, 925 S Institute St. FREE

• Feb 10th, 10 AM - 2 PM: Winter Fun at Fox Run fundraiser @Fox Run Regional Park, 2110 Stella Dr $5

• Feb 10th-11th, 1-5 PM: Valentines Gift Market Handmade w/Love @The Painter's Pot, 3720 Constitution Ave FREE

• Feb 10th, 3 PM: Love is in the Air @Brush Crazy, 4416 Austin Bluffs Pkwy $20

• Feb 11th, 10 AM - 2 PM (every Sun): Backyard Market at Park Union @108 W Cimarron St FREE

• Feb 11th, 11 AM-12:30 PM: Mom/Dad&Me Rainbow Uni | Free Mimosa for Mom/Dad! | Powers Blvd $29

• Feb 11th, 11:30 AM-2 PM: Valentines Brunch & Drink Included @ Salad or Bust @Painting With A Twist, Downtown $55

• Feb 13th, Noon-2 PM: Rock Identification Minerals @Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, 1805 N 30th St $5

• Feb 13-15th, 7:30 PM: Hairspray @Pikes Peak Center $54-$89

• Feb 14th, 7-8:30 PM: Vino & Valentine's benefit for Springs Rescue Mission @Lemon Lodge Ski Bar, 111 East Pikes Peak Ave $16-$30

• Feb 15th, 5-9 PM: Cribbagepalooza 2024 Benefit @Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center, 530 Communication Cir $10-$25

🍪 Brown Sugar Dark Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Need Game Day dessert! Check out this recipe for chewy, melty, and chocolate-y cookies. The creator chef, Christine says: “Of the thousands of cookies that I’ve baked in my career, and at home, this is far and away one of my absolute favorites.”

PREP: 30 mins | COOK: 17 mins | TOTAL: 47 mins

Ingredients

Wet

• 2 Eggs

• 8 oz. Unsalted butter, softened 2 sticks

• 1 tspn Vanilla paste or extract

• 1½ cup Brown sugar Dry measure, packed

Dry

• 2¼ cup All purpose flour Dry measure, leveled

• 2 tspn baking soda Dry measure, leveled

• ¾ tspn Salt

• 10-12 oz. Dark chocolate at least 72% cacao

Other

• 1 can Pan release spray as needed

Instructions

Wet

1. In the bowl of the mixer, add the butter and sugar, combine on medium speed until creamy, light and fluffy.

2. Crack eggs into a small bowl or ramekin to ensure there are no shells visually.

3. While the mixer is still running, add the eggs one at a time, ensuring that each is fully incorporated before adding the next, turning mixer off and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary to facilitate this.

4. Add vanilla, mix until incorporated.

5. Turn off mixer.

Dry

1. In separate bowl, combine salt, flour and baking soda.

Mix

1. Add one third of the dry mixture to the wet ingredients already in mixer

2. Turn mixer on, at medium/low speed

3. Combine well.

4. Repeat the last three steps until all ingredients are incorporated well, continuing to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl with rubber spatula as necessary.

5. Break chocolate up into roughly ¼ inch chunks using your hands.

6. Fold chocolate chunks evenly into the dough, using rubber spatula.

Resting and Storage

1. Lay out 2 overlapping pieces of parchment paper on counter

2. Place dough in center of paper.

3. Using your hands, create a log, 3 to 4 inches in diameter.

4. Roll the log into the parchment paper.

5. Place in refrigerator at least two hours, or up to two days.

Baking

1. Pre-heat oven to 350℉

2. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

3. Spray surface of paper with non stick pan spray.

4. Remove log of dough from refrigerator, remove paper from the log, and cut into 1 inch rounds.

5. Cut each round into 4 pieces.

6. Place pieces onto prepared baking sheet, spacing 3" apart, and 3" from edges.

7. Place sheet into oven, bake for 8 minutes.

8. Turn pan 180° around in oven so that cookies bake evenly.

9. Continue to cook for 4 minutes.

10. Remove from the oven.

11. Allow cookies to cool on the pan for 3 minutes.

12. using offset spatula, carefully remove cookies from cookie sheet and place onto cooling rack.

13. Cool until room temperature.

Notes

• Cookie dough can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator as described in the recipe for up to a week in advance. You can cut from this and bake as you would like to make cookies extra fresh.

• The dough can also be cut from the log into "pucks" and frozen in zip lock type bags. This way you can cook them with relatively short notice, you'll just have to increase the cooking time by about 2 minutes in each step of the baking process.

🛍 Discounts, Specials & More

Want to let us know of local deals you want us to add? [email protected] 

• Songbird Orchids, 2204 W Colorado Ave: February 9th-10th, get 10% off all orchids including arrangements & 10% off all gift baskets including Valentine's Specialty Baskets

  • Spotlight: Mystery Blooms 🌸: What Julie Wants You to Know!

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