Voice
Lone Tree 7.11.13
Lone Tree
July 11, 2013
A Colorado Community Media Publication
ourlonetreenews.com
Douglas County, Colorado • Volume 12, Issue 26
County looking strong on jobs Unemployment drops, average wage shows large increase By Ryan Boldrey
rboldrey@ourcoloradonews.com
Ella Mason, 6, of Lone Tree, plays in one of the water balls at Sweetwater Park during the July 4 Lone Tree festivities. Photos by Jane Reuter
July 4 is big draw in Lone Tree Fireworks-free event had variety of entertainment By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews. com Despite the cancellation of the fireworks display, crowds flocked to the City of Lone Tree’s 2013 Independence Day celebration at Sweetwater Park. Highlights included nine booths of face painters, caricature and temporary tattoo artists, 10 food trucks, water balls, bungee trampolines, inflatables, a petting zoo, zip line, bicycle stunt team and two bands. Though a formal count wasn’t conducted, city staffers believe about 9,000 people dropped into the park on the Fourth of July. Lone Tree’s celebration is limited to residents
Two-year-old Charlie Englund, of Denver, checks out the tortoise at the petting zoo in Sweetwater Park on July 4.
of the city and Acres Green, and city-distributed wristbands are required for admission. “Even after the announcement the fireworks were going to be postponed, we still had streams of people coming into the (Lone Tree) arts center to pick them up before the event,” said arts center executive director Lisa Rigsby Peterson, whose staff coordinates the city’s special events. “The best we can say is that of those 9,000, most of them came to the park at some point during the afternoon or evening.” City officials haven’t yet decided when they’ll have the fireworks, for which they have already paid. Last year, fire danger also canceled the traditional display, which was held instead on Labor Day. “We have until the 31st of December to reschedule them,” Peterson said. “We’ll be meeting over the next couple weeks to figure which date works best for the city. It’ll be an enjoyable evening and a really great fireworks display.”
Douglas County’s unemployment rate has dipped to 5.8 percent, the lowest it has been since the conclusion of the fourth quarter in 2008. The number comes as great news for the county, which just released its 2013 firstquarter data days after the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics put out its year-to-year statistics that showed Douglas County as having the seventh-largest increase in employment from the end of 2011 to the end of 2012, out of the 328 largest counties in the United States. Douglas County increased its total number of jobs to 98,500, up 5,000 from a year ago, a 5.1 percent increase. The study also showed the county as second in average weekly wage increase of the 328 counties — which account for 71.3 percent of all jobs and 77 percent of all wages in the country. Leading the way in weekly wage increase was California’s San Mateo County, which saw a 107.3 percent bump, vaulting from $1,563 per week per person to $3,240. Douglas County workers saw an average increase of 48 percent, increasing from $1,075 per week in 2011 to $1,591 in 2012. Wages for No. 3, the independent city of Virginia Beach, climbed only 13.3 percent. Jobs continues on Page 16
whaT The sTaTisTiCs say Colorado’s highest average weekly wages 2011: 1. Denver County – $1,162 2. Boulder County – $1,114 3. Arapahoe County – $1,108 4. Douglas County – $1,065 5. Jefferson County – $976 Colorado’s highest average weekly wages 2012: 1. Douglas County – $1,591 2. Denver County – $1,222 3. Arapahoe County – $1,159 4. Boulder County – $1,134 5. Jefferson County – $1,010
City weighing community garden Lone Tree seeking input before taking next steps By Jane Reuter
jreuter@ourcoloradonews.com Lone Tree might join the growing trend of community gardening. The city wants to know if its residents support the idea, and recently posted a survey asking for input.
Printed on recycled newsprint. Please recycle this copy.
But establishing a garden will take far more than getting a thumbs-up from the residents. “The roadblocks we’ve come up against are water taps are anywhere from $25,000 up,” said City Councilmember Kim Monson. “And land, where can we procure that? How close can we have parking? How do the neighbors feel about it? “This (survey) is really the first component. Before we jump through all kinds of hoops, we want to find out if people are interested.” Lone Tree resident Jim Britt believes they are. His father, who recently moved in with Britt, was an avid gardener in a Denver community garden who recently got a
spot in Highlands Ranch’s Cheese Ranch community garden. Based on his father’s passion, Britt asked the city council to consider adding the amenity in Lone Tree. “Lone Tree, I think, is a mature enough city where it would be good to at least put a toe in that water,” Britt said. “I think there’s a desire. It can be kind of a community focal point, people who have a common interest coming together.” Council members voiced general support for the concept, which has come up several times in recent years. Highlands Ranch’s three community gardens are so popular, Garden continues on Page 16
Acres Green resident Karli Morton tends her plot July 2 at Highlands Ranch’s Cheese Ranch community garden. Photo by Jane Reuter