Everybody’s who’s anybody was at the Penrose House last Wednesday.About 90 people gathered to get the latest dope on the Iraq war from someone in the know. Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno spoke to a who’s-who crowd in the lush setting of a goldrush-era millionaire’s home in the Broadmoor hills.The event was sponsored by the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and Bill Hybl, a civilian aide to the Army who recently was chosen to head a State Department oversight panel.Odierno had lots to say, according to those who got to hear him. The general, who served in Iraq in 2003 and 2004 and again in 2006 and 2007, recently was chosen to succeed Gen. David Petraeus as the top military commander in Iraq.By Odierno’s account, things are looking peachy on the desert front. “Very, very upbeat” and “very promising about the future” is how Mayor Lionel Rivera described the speech.It sounds like news Odierno should’ve shouted from the mountaintops.Instead, he spoke to a select few, hand-picked by the chamber, that included elected officials, lawmakers’ staff and the chamber’s Military Affairs Council.”Gen. Odierno wanted to speak to community leaders,” said Brian Binn, a chamber official.At first, Binn said Fort Carson barred the media. After Fort Carson denied involvement, Binn said he “didn’t think” to invite reporters, who could have conveyed Odierno’s message to hundreds of thousands of local residents.Given the military presence in Colorado Springs, that story probably would have attracted a few readers and viewers. But as it was, the unwashed masses apparently can’t be trusted with Odierno’s news. You know, those masses who are footing the bill for the Middle East adventure.

Other people’s moneyOn June 30, the Colorado Springs City Council and El Paso County Commission met at the First Presbyterian Church downtown to talk about a sales tax increase.The meeting cost the city $416 for rental of the room, audiovisual equipment and coffee. Most of that cost could have been avoided, of course, if the meeting had been held at a city or county facility. But because it was the city’s turn to host the joint meeting, and the city doesn’t have a place that will seat the two boards in an appropriately formal way (at a table or dais) and handle the expected crowd of 200, the city rented the church.The county, by the way, has a dandy place. It’s called Centennial Hall and seats 299. But because the meeting was held Friday, the day the county is closed due to its financial woes, another spot had to be found. Oh well, $416 is a pittance, really. It’s only slightly more than a family of four can expect to pay annually if the new sales tax is passed.

Lightening the mail bagThe Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority is going high-tech. The agency, authorized by voters in 2004, has been mailing monthly meeting agendas to interested people for four years but recently decided to bag it.Now, people get an e-mail notification sending them to www.pprta.com for agenda info. Only PPRTA board members will get agendas by snail mail. That’ll save on printing costs and 42 cents postage for each person who used to get the mailing.What’s the savings? Who knows. An e-mail asking for that wasn’t acknowledged. To get on the agenda notification list, e-mail ppacg@ppacg.org.-CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0238 or pam.zubeck@gazettedev.gazette.com

Mike Neff used to be a crew chief, but is now ranked ninth in funny car standings. Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS