Learn how news decisions are made

Ever wonder how news organizations decide which stories to cover? Want to complain about The Gazette's recent decision to discontinue daily stock listings? Here's your chance to get answers, get angry or both. Leadership Pikes Peak will host "Meet the Press: How decisions are made in your local newsrooms," from 8 to 10 a.m. April 12 at the studios of KKTV Channel 11, 3100 N. Nevada Ave. in Colorado Springs.

A breakfast will take place at 8 a.m., followed by an 8:30 a.m. panel discussion including Jeff Thomas, editor and vice president of The Gazette; Ralph Routon, executive editor of the Colorado Springs Independent; Nick Matesi, Channel 11 new director; and Jim Arthur, KVOR radio program director. A pair of interactive role-playing sessions will take place at 9:30 a.m.: "Selling your story," a practice session to learn how to pitch story ideas and generate press for your organization or issue; and "Telling your story," how to address issues in front of a camera that will include live simulations on the KKTV set.

The event is open to Leadership Pikes Peak alumni and the public; the cost is $5. To attend, RSVP by April 11 to 632-2618 or wendy@leadershippikespeak.org

A really quick workout

Strapped for time? QuickGym has opened on the first floor of the Wells Fargo building, 90 S. Cascade Ave. It promises a complete upper- or lower-body workout in four minutes or a full-body workout in 10 — ideal for the busy downtown businessperson. It’s centered around the ROM QuickGym Cross Trainer, an exercise machine that’s sort of a mix of a rowing machine and a stair climber. Hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Phone: 227-3959. Monthly membership ranges from $35 per employee for corporate membership to $100 for a family membership.

Class on closing a home sale

A home sale doesn't end when a buyer and seller agree on a price. Getting the buyer through the closing process also is crucial. An upcoming class sponsored by real estate-industry members will review the six most important steps to successfully walking home buyers through the closing process. The class will include information about loan documents, underwriting and avoiding last-minute snafus at the closing table. The event will take place from 8 to 9 a.m. April 18 at Security Title Guaranty Co., 1277 Kelly Johnson Blvd., in Colorado Springs; it's sponsored by W.R. Starkey Mortgage and the Housing and Building Association of Colorado Springs' sales and marketing council. The cost is $15 for sales and marketing council members, $20 for HBA members and $30 for non-HBA members. Call 592-1800 to register or register on-line and get more information at http://www.cshba.com/hba/html/MysteryoutofMortgage.html.

XM Radio co-founder to speak at EDC, Space Foundation luncheon

Lon Levin (right) , a co-founder of XM Satellite Radio, will speak April 10 to a luncheon co-sponsored by the Colorado Springs Economic Development Corp. and the Colorado Springs-based U.S. Space Foundation. The luncheon takes place at 11:30 a.m. at The Broadmoor hotel's Rocky Mountain Ballroom, on Colorado Springs' southwest side. Levin's talk coincides with the 23rd National Space Symposium, which takes place April 9-12 at The Broadmoor. Levin currently is chief strategic officer of Virginia-based Transformational Space Corp.; he also serves on the Space Foundation's board of directors, was an attorney with the Federal Communications Commission and was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame in 2002. Levin will speak on "How Commercial Enterprise is Driving Growth in the $180 Billion Global Space Economy." He'll be introduced by Elliot Pulham, the Space Foundation's president and chief executive officer. The luncheon cost is $27. More information: 475-6455.

What's up with Shell?

Some readers are wondering whether the K&G Shell gas station at the southwest corner of North Academy Boulevard and East Bijou Street is closing.

It's closed temporarily for a massive renovation project that will upgrade fuel tanks and feature other improvements.

The station is expected reopen at the end of April, according to construction workers at the site.

Chamber names Athena nominees

The winner of the prestigious Athena award will be announced Thursday at the Greater Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce’s annual Women in Business Conference and Athena Award Luncheon. The award recognizes an individual for business or professional accomplishments, community service and mentoring others and providing a role model to encourage women to achieve their leadership potential. The five nominees are Cindy Aubrey, news director of KOAA-TV NewsFirst; Sallie Clark, El Paso County commissioner and owner of Holden House B&B; Karin Kovalovsky, VP of marketing at Air Academy Federal Credit Union; Mary Lou Makepeace, executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Fund; and BJ Scott, president and CEO of Peak Vista Community Health Centers.

Trade mission to Taiwan seeking companies

If you’ve always wanted to see Taiwan, here’s your chance. The Colorado International Trade Office, in partnership with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, is leading a trade mission to Tapei, Taiwan, in late June and is seeking participants. The deadline to register is May 11. For more information, contact Leslie Plomondon at leslie.plomondon@state.co.us or 1-303-892-3858.

BioScience group hatches local chapter

About 35 people showed up last week for the first meeting of the Colorado Springs chapter of the Colorado BioScience Association, which includes more than 300 biotechnology, medical device, pharmaceutical and biofuels firms.

The local chapter hopes to hold at least four meetings in the Springs during the next 12 months and help local officials attract and retain more bioscience-related companies, said Denise Brown, executive director of the Denver-based association. The local chapter was formed through a partnership between the association, the Colorado Springs Economic Development Corp. and University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

"We want to help promote partnerships with UCCS and Pikes Peak Community College to meet the work force needs of the industry and assist the university in finding ways to commercialize technology developed by its faculty," Brown said. "This new group will focus on opportunities to support existing companies and recruit new ones."

For more information, go to http://www.cobioscience.com/

Gas prices up, biodiesel down

While the price of gas seems to be on an upward spiral, Chief Petroleum Co., a Colorado Springs-based fuel distributor, is lowering the price of biodiesel it's selling at three local pumps.

"Our biodiesel is now priced 4 cents below standard diesel," said Eric Liebold of Chief. "As gas and diesel prices increase, as they seem to be doing, this gap will widen, and biodiesel will become much more appealing."

Chief's biodiesel pumps are located at 2080 N. Nevada Ave. and 301 S. 10th St.

Drink up

Bristol Brewing Co. will mark the anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition on April 7 with a celebration in the brewery’s tasting room, 1647 S.Tejon St., with the release of the warm-weather beer EdgeCity Pilsner.

Pints of the seasonal brew will go for 33 cents from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. There also will be a costume contest and a screening of "The American Brew: The Rich and Surprising History of Beer in America," a documentary produced by Ken Burns and RogerSherman scheduled to premiere on the A&E network that evening.

“To me, it’s a chance not only to commemorate the occasion by enjoying a fresh, tasty beer, but also to acknowledge the positive impact breweries and their beer have on our economy and culture today, which is something most people don’t think about,” said Mike Bristol. Bristol Brewing Company was founded in Colorado Springs in 1994 by Mike and Amanda Bristol.

Expanded business coverage in Gazette

Starting April 1, The Gazette unveiled expanded business coverage and new features in each day’s Business section.

On Tuesday, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, we'll no longer run hundreds of yesterday’s closing prices for stocks and mutual funds. The Gazette’s new Money & Markets page features news and analysis about how the markets are performing — and where they’re expected to go. We’ll continue to list closing prices for about 100 stocks of companies that are of interest in our region. And on Saturday's, we'll run more than 3 pages of week-ending stock and mutual fund closing prices, as we have in the past.

Here are some highlights of the changes in the Business section.
Mondays: Stories about careers, the workplace and small business issues and a new feature by local image consultant Tia Warren.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays: A focus on different topic each day on page 2: technology, money management, spending, real estate and investing.
Saturdays: Regular stock listings will remain in print, along with stories related to investing.
Sundays: Stories about local newsmakers, trends and issues.

Send your feedback to joanna.bean@gazette.com.