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The News-Press 9
November 21, 2013
Colorado leads in economic growth
It has been a very long road to recovery and there is finally some good news. The Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank just announced the third quarter economic data for our region. It appears the Colorado economy is improving at a greater rate than the national average. This comes five years after the end of the Great Recession. Here are the data points from the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank. • Gross Domestic Product (GDP): The Feds are predicting GDP to be 2.6 percent for 2013; 3.5 percent for 2014 and 3.6 percent in 2015. The reason for the increase, which would be the highest in this business cycle, is due to higher taxes (no more payroll tax holiday) and rising income taxes. • Employment: Nationally, the current unemployment rate is 7.3 percent. However Colorado is faring a bit better at seven percent. The private sector is picking up in 2013 and there is less government drag. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) expects unemployment to be down to 6.2 percent by 2015 and 5.9 percent in Colorado. Last year there was a 2.5 percent increase in Colorado employment and a 10.2 percent jobs growth in Colorado over the last 10 years compared to only 4.8 percent nationwide. The largest jump in our region has been in residential construction. • Housing: Colorado home prices have surpassed previous levels as of Sept. 30. Prices are up 9.3 percent for the year, which is 6 percent over the 2007 levels. There is a 1.8 month supply of houses on the market in Denver. • Inflation: The Headline inflation rate is hovering around 1.7 percent. The Federal Reserve has a dual mandate: To keep price stability — defined by inflation at or lower than 2 percent — and keep employment steady at or below 6.5 percent. • The Consumer: Spending is up over 3 percent this year compared to 2012. This is partly due to the expanding labor market and
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There was a (white) Virginia woman on CNN today who was attempting to justify why she permitted her 7-year-old son to dress up like a Ku Klux Klansman on Halloween. The woman’s last name is “Black.” That’s just nuts. I smiled at that, again, perhaps for the wrong reasons.
homeowners seeing improvement in their equity. Rising equity is partly due to low interest rates, especially if they refinanced in the last five years, coupled with rising home values. The economy continues to grow moderately according to Alison Felix, VP of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank, Denver branch. The government shutdown may subtract up to onehalf of a percent from prior GDP, however Colorado continues to outperform the national economy in construction and spending. The new Federal Reserve Board Chairman Janet Yellen made her first announcement recently. She is being labeled as “dovish” and announced she would like to provide forward guidance of what would cause the Fed to taper their bond-buying program. This may be in an effort to reduce surprises and hence tame markets as they anticipate these changes. This may be a difficult undertaking as we have already seen both equity and bond markets react to concerns over how sustainable economic growth will be without the additional money supply produced by the Fed. This could mean two important things for investors: First, those on a fixed income will not be enjoying decent bond or CD yields anytime soon. Second, the longer the Fed tapering gets pushed into the future, the better chance we will have of market volatility in anticipation of when that will actually occur. These are all good reasons to make certain your portfolio is well-positioned for these events. Patricia Kummer has been an independent Certified Financial Planner for 27 years and is president of Kummer Financial Strategies Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor in Highlands Ranch. She welcomes your questions at www.kummerfinancial.com or call the economic hotline at 303-683-5800.Any material discussed is meant for informational purposes only and not a substitute for individual advice.
I think the reader who told me to smile wants more confirmation bias in her journalists, and less judgment about the things she believes in that I do not. A skeleton goes into a bar, and the bartender says, “What will you have?” And the skeleton says, “A beer and a mop.” Craig Marshall Smith is an artist, educator and Highlands Ranch resident. He can be reached at craigmarshallsmith@comcast.net
Be real, both inside and out I had an interesting “virtual” experience a few months ago. No, not that kind of experience, but a “virtual” business experience that taught me a valuable lesson in life. We all know that everything we see or read on the Internet must be true, right? Not quite. Well, even in the virtual world, everything we see may not be what we think it is either. I was delivering a presentation using virtual technology. The people on the other side of the screen could see me and I could see them, very cool. It was an early morning presentation, I had myself set up at my desk, coffee mug filled, and my webcam adjusted perfectly to capture my image from my chest up to the top of my head. I had dressed professionally for the meeting, however, professionally only from the waist up. Since it was an early morning meeting I took a short cut and put on a dress shirt, tie, and jacket, but left my sweat pants and sneakers on as I would be seated for this presentation. Or so I thought. The meeting went longer than anticipated, and before I knew it there was so much activity happening in my home that I was forced to stand up and shut my office door. I had completely forgot-
ten that I would reveal that I was not in a full suit and tie and that my audience would see my casual sweat pants and sneakers. Was it the worst thing that could have happened? No, of course not. We all got a good laugh about it and it gave me more material for that presentation and for this column. The point I realized was that sometimes in life people only let us see what they want us to see, not the real deal. There have been points in my own life where I have been guilty of this myself, not just through the use of virtual technology, but not being the real deal or the real me in every circumstance. Do I do it out of protecting myself and keeping a guard up or do I do it out of an intent to have others see me as I want them to see me, not who I really am in any given situation or encounter? As you know by now I love quoting Zig Ziglar, so here is what Zig
says about it, “You will make a lousy anybody else, but you will make the best you in existence.” You see we have to be the real deal, the genuine article in all that we do and all that we say. This morning I had another virtual presentation with a team of people assembled in Budapest, Hungary. The meeting was scheduled for 5 a.m. Mountain Time. I woke up early enough to shower, shave, put on my best suit, shirt, tie, and dress shoes. I was dressed for success and not leaving anything to chance. What they saw was a business professional, what they heard came from my heart, and my confidence was so much higher because I was being myself on the inside and the outside, I was the real deal. How about you? Do you let people only see what you want them to see? I would love to hear all about it at gotonorton@gmail.com and when you enjoy the benefits of being the real deal, the real you, it really will be a better than good week. Michael Norton, a resident of Highlands Ranch, is the former president of the Zig Ziglar organization and CEO and founder of www.candogo. com
AREA CLUBS EDITOR’S NOTE: To add or update your club listing, email calendar@ourcoloradonews.com, attn: News-Press.
DOUGLAS COUNTY Republican Party meets on second Saturday each month. Visit www.dcgop.org or call 303-730-0100.
POLITICAL
DOUGLAS COUNTY Young Republicans meets the last Monday of the month. Call Brett Olkowski at 303-257-5275 or e-mail brettnbrew@aol.com for more information.
DOUGLAS COUNTY Democrats executive com-
mittee meets at 7 p.m. every first Tuesday at various sites. Contact Ralph Jollensten at 303-663-1286 or e-mail ralphw@comcast.net. Social discussion meetings are in Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, Parker and Lone Tree. Visit douglasdemocrats.org and click on calendar for more information.
LIBERTARIAN BRUNCH is at 1 p.m. every first Sunday. Call Larry Hamilton at 720-220-2759.
meeting meets from 6:30-8 p.m. every second Friday at the community room in the Castle Rock Safeway. Call Larry Hamilton at 720-220-2759 or visit www. freedouglas.org.
PROFESSIONAL AMERICAN BUSINESS Women’s Association Top of the Rockies Chapter of Douglas County meets every third Tuesday. New members are welcome. Call Bev Phillips at 303-841-2080 or visit www.abwa.org.
LIBERTARIAN PARTY of Douglas County business
Clubs continues on Page 28
OBITUARIES lutz
SMITH
COOK
James R. Lutz
James R. Lutz, 74, passed away November 12, 2013 at his home in Sedalia, Colorado. Jim is survived by his wife of 38 years, 4 daughters and 5 grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at Olinger-Andrews Caldwell Gibson Chapel in Castle Rock, Colorado at 10 am, on Saturday, November 16, 2013. In lieu of flowers donations may be made on his behalf to the Wounded Warrior Project or Porter Hospice. LEE
Sharon Lee Sharon Lee, formerly of Castle Rock, Colorado lost her battle to cancer November 10, 2013. Service pending. Cremation Society of Minnesota. (612)825-2435
Barbara Elizabeth Walker Smith 1916 - 2013
“Joy cometh in the morning”. On Sunday, November 3rd, just as the day was dawning, the song, “It is Well With My Soul” playing in the background, her family surrounding her, Barbara died at home. She slipped peacefully from our arms into those of her heavenly Father. Barbara was born on April 21, 1916 to Theodore and Rosa (Metzger) Walker, in Montier, Missouri, the 7th of 9 children. As a youngster, her family moved to Colorado. On March 26, 1936, she married Ted D. Smith, a union lasting 76 years until Ted’s death on October 12, 2012.They lived in Colorado Springs for 30 years before moving to their Cherry Creek Ranch in Douglas County. Though she worked at various jobs throughout her life (defense factory in WWII, delivering milk in 1940’s, assisting family with their dress/knit shops, ranching, involvement in Cowbelles—affiliation of Cattleman’s Association) Barbara’s priorities were
always her faith and family. She had a servant’s heart and cared for many in her large extended family, opening up her home to them whenever they needed help. She was/is a beautiful example of all God wants us to be. Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings, her husband, Ted, and her grandson, Matthew Wilson. She is survived by her children: Dale (Marieta), and Raye (Rick) Wilson; grandchildren: Jennifer Smith (Dave) Askey, Lisa Smith (Jim) Rudolph, Duke Smith, Bob (Mani) Smith, Dan (Christy) Wilson, Sara Wilson (Joe) Hunter and 17 great-grandchildren. The family is grateful to Legacy Hospice for the love and support they gave Barbara. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the charity of choice. A memorial service will be held for Barbara and Ted on November 30, 2013, 2:00 pm at Swan Law Funeral Directors.
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Robert R. “Bob” Cook June 5, 1930 - Oct 29, 2013
Robert R. “Bob” Cook, 83, of Victor, passed away early in the morning, Tuesday, October 29, 2013, at the Valley View Estates, Hamilton, MT. Bob was born June 5, 1930, to Kenneth and Marion B. (Rutherford) Cook in Ogdensburg, New York. Bob was a mechanic for Colorado Kenworth. He followed his dream and moved to Montana when he retired. There he was very active with the local senior’s group and First Baptist Church. Bob started a traveling troupe, writing and acting in historical reenactions of Montana’s colorful past. Eventually his wife’s failing health made traveling impossible and Bob left the troupe. Bob was proceeded in death by his wife Glenna Mai, his parents, his brother Merlyn and his grandson Justin . He is survived by his children: Deborah L. Emerick (John) CastleRock, Co; Diana L. Ross (Mike) Elizabeth, CO; James R. Cook Monument, CO; Joseph E. Cook (Marlene) Graham, WA. 3 Grandchildren and 2 Great grandchildren A memorial service is being planned in Castle Rock, Colorado. A graveside memorial will be held later in Vesper, New York. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations in his name be made to First Baptist Church of Stevensville MT. Brothers Mortuary and Crematory is assisting the family with cremation services. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www. brothersmortuary.com