A case of bad gas?

Aquila Inc. investors gave the company an earful at the utility's annual meeting Wednesday in Missouri, saying the company's acceptance of a buyout was a cop-out. The company, which serves parts of the Pikes Peak region, is seeking support for a proposed acquisition by Great Plains Energy Inc. and Black Hills Corp. later this year.

“I find it insulting that the day this deal was announced, the shares were higher than what you sold it for,” Irene Tebo of Harrison Township, Mich., told Richard Green, the company’s chairman and chief executive, during a question-and-answer period. “You’re selling us down the river.”

A shareholder vote is expected in July or early August.

New high-deductible dental plan available for local employers

Ben-e-lect, a third-party administrator, has launched a new high-deductible dental plan
for Colorado employers.

Companies with as few as two employees can sign up for the plan, which touts premium savings of 25 to 40 percent. The plan also can be purchased as a stand-alone benefit, without having to be bundled with medical coverage.

Orthodontics coverage is an option, and rates for single employees are as low as $14 per month.

GroupLink Inc. is the provider with Madison Life Insurance Co. the underwriter.

Employers, insurance agents and brokers can call 1-888-866-7973 for more information, or see www.benelect.com

Mall teams up with Habitat for Humanity

Chapel Hills Mall is partnering with Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity to highlight the need for safe, affordable housing in the area. The partnership kicks off Saturday with “Family Portraits,” an interactive exhibit representing the 40,000 families living in substandard housing in the community. Shoppers are invited to donate $1 to Habitat for Humanity. Each donation removes a dot representing a family from the exhibit; donors can sign a message of hope in place of the dot. The exhibit will be displayed from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

How to contact Thriving Child Corp.

An article in the April 28 Business section about Thriving Child Corp., a new business in town that aims to reduce childhood obesity, omitted the contact information. Here it is.

Thriving Child Corp. is offering a free, four-week introductory course for children ages 8 to 12. It includes swimming at the Manitou Springs Pool & Fitness Center, nutrition education and family counseling.

After the free sessions, the program cost is $600 for 12 weeks. That includes 36 hours of supervised swimming, 12 hours of parental nutrition eduation, 12 hours of children’s nutrition education and six hours of whole family group counseling.

For more information, call Colleen Hurley at 1-800-719-6756, or see www.thrivingweb.com.

Downtown Original SoupMan opens

Soup’s on! The Original SoupMan opened today downtown, the latest addition to the franchise gourmet soup operation owned by chef Al Yeganeh, made famous on TV’s“Seinfeld” as “The Soup Nazi.”

Soups change daily; among Monday’s offerings was lobster bisque, beef chili and mushroom barley. Not in the mood for a hot cup of soup on a warm day? SoupMan offers chilled soups, too, plus sandwiches, salads and smoothies. “We have a lot of variety,” owner Debra Canale says.

Yeganeh makes a charitable donation each time a new Original SoupMan opens. He donated $1,500 to the New Orleans chapter of Habitat for Humanity to mark today’s opening; Canale moved to Colorado from Louisiana after losing her home in Hurricane Katrina.

The restaurant, at 10 S. Tejon St., is one of about 30 Original SoupMan franchises across the country and the second in Colorado. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 5:30 p.m. Sundays

Wendy's chopper to be displayed

A special Wendy’s chopper designed and built by Orange County Choppers will be on display from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Wendy’s in Canon City, 1101 Royal Gorge Blvd.

Rick Holland, owner of more than 70 Wendy’s restaurants, bought the bike at an auction for $50,000, with all proceeds benefiting the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption. The bike is expected to be displayed elsewhere in Colorado, but it’s not clear whether it will pop up in Colorado Springs; a schedule is still being determined.