Citizen Centennial 6-28-13
Centennial
June 28, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourcentennialnews.com
Arapahoe County, Colorado • Volume 12, Issue 32
And the winners are ... Look inside to find out who made Colorado Community Media’s list.
Wildfire danger remains severe Knowledge, preparation offer best advantage Dr. Kool (Kent Randall) high-fives a pair of youngsters during a June 19 performance in Commons Park. Randall, along with the Disco Fever Divas, appeared as part of a free biweekly summer concert series hosted by The Streets at SouthGlenn.
Summer on
The Streets Photos by Deborah GriGsby Centennial residents of all ages enjoyed a trip back to the age of platform shoes and glitter as The Streets at SouthGlenn continued its summer concert series in Commons Park. Dr. Kool and the Disco Fever Divas kept the blood pumping and toes tapping June 19 with a selection of music from the 1970s. The biweekly concert program is free and features a variety of performers than span the decades. Concerts begin at 6:30 p.m. every other Wednesday, and run through August 21, with the exception of the week of July 4. Blankets and lawn chairs are encouraged. For upcoming concerts, visit www.shopsouthglenn.com and click on “events.”
Celebrating the sounds of the ‘70s, left to right, Rich Fromm, Rod McNeill, Bonnie Busekrus and Deb Armbruster toast the disco era June 19 in Commons Park at the Streets at SouthGlenn in Centennial. The foursome created their own “movable musical feast” of wine, hors d’oeuvres and candelabra, not lit, of course.
real estate breakfast is eye-opener Panelists see market revival in south metro Denver area By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com Panelists at the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce’s 18th annual Real Estate Breakfast forecast a happy future for those in the industry, as well as home sellers and the overall south suburban economy. “Clearly, the real estate market is recovering and strengthening, the residential market particularly,” Sterling Ranch principal Harold Smethills told an audience of about 500 gathered June 20 at Lone Tree’s Marriott Denver South. South Metro Denver Realtor Association chairwoman Jo Pellegrino Ellis ticked off a list of positive metro-area housing statistics, which showed from May 2012 to May 2013 new listings increased by 21.8 percent, sales by 22.5 percent, median home prices by 8 percent, and the days of buyers pitching successful low-ball offers are ending. “Total days on the market are down about 38 percent (to) about 47 days,” Ellis said, adding the average changes with location. “Some places in Highlands Ranch,
From left, Sterling Ranch principal Harold Smethills, Studley vice president Jim McGrath, South Metro Realtor Association chairwoman Jo Pellegrino Ellis and Everitt Real Estate director Eric Holsapple were panelists at the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce’s June 20 breakfast. Photo by Jane Reuter they’re on the market for a number of hours.” Everitt Real Estate Center director Eric Holsapple echoed some of Smethills’ and Ellis’ optimism, noting that 60,000 new jobs are expected in Colorado in the next year. The bad news? “People are making less money,” Holsapple said. “I call it the Walmarting effect.
Lower-price housing is really in demand. Housing starts are up, but only about 50 percent of where we were in 2006-07.” Holsapple and Ellis both said the anticipated rise in interest rates isn’t cause for fear, particularly for real estate agents. “When interest rates start to creep up a Breakfast continues on Page 12
By Deborah Grigsby
dgrigsby@ourcoloradonews.com While Colorado has seen more moisture to date than in previous years, that doesn’t mean the state is out of the woods when it comes to wildfire. Years of inadequate rainfall still take a toll on trees, keeping firefighters concerned, according to Fran Santagata, state community preparedness program manager. “It’s like a 60-year-old person who’s abused their body,” explained Santagata, who spoke at a town hall meeting hosted by state Rep. Spencer Swalm on June 22 at Centennial’s Koelbel Library. “All those years of Learn about smoking, no exercise fire DanGer and poor diet can be • For information on corrected, but the preparing for wildfire benefits of doing so or other disasters, visit are not going to hapwww.readycolorado. pen overnight.” com Some climatologists speculate it • To see fire risk in your may take years beneighborhood, visit fore the state’s forwww.coloradowildested areas will be firerisk.com, select able to recover. “Public viewer,” type in Although recent an address and click on rains have helped “Show legend.” green up many ar• To sign up for emereas, Santagata said gency alerts within the crisp new vegetaArapahoe County, visit tion is deceiving. www.co.arapahoe. “All the green stuff co.us, select “Sheriff” makes it look like from the “departwe’re doing pretty ments” drop-down good, but without menu and then click consistent moisture, on the large “Citizen that new growth can Alert” button. quickly dry out and become fuel, too,” she cautioned. “We are a long ways from being where we need to be.” Increases in high-density housing in and around the wildland-urban interface areas also create problems. Santagata, who served as Douglas County emergency manager prior to her current position, said many of the homes lost in both the Waldo Canyon and Black Forest fires were lost to embers blowing from one burning home to another. Fire continues on Page 12
Printed on recycled newsprint. Please recycle this copy.