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February 12, 2015 VOLU M E 2 8 | I S S UE 1 2
HighlandsRanchHerald.net A publication of
D O U G L A S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
Learning to live with urban coyotes Officials offer tips on how to coexist By Christy Steadman
csteadman @coloradocommunitymedia.com Coyotes in this area are urbanized, and like their human counterparts, they find Highlands Ranch a desirable place to live. And they do belong here, said Colorado Parks and Wildlife district officer Justin Olson, so it’s important for people to learn to responsibly coexist with them. A common misconception is that coyotes come into the neighborhoods from the Backcountry, said Mark Giebel, Highlands Ranch
Community Association’s Backcountry Wilderness Area supervisor, but it’s actually the opposite. There are more food sources in the suburbs than in the Backcountry, he said, including rabbits and fish in ponds. “You should expect to see coyotes in urban areas,” he said, “no matter where you live.” A coyote wants four things, Olson said: shelter, cover, food and water. All of these can be found in suburban areas, whether it be shelter under a deck for a den, or kibble and water set out intended for the family pet. “Some people feed the animals they’re allowed to,” such as birds, Olson said, “but it’s also attracting other predators.” Olson suggests purchasing hanging bird Coyotes continues on Page 13
A coyote makes his way through a Highlands Ranch parking lot in November. Photo by Chris Michlewicz
Explosives found at two parks Second device discovered day later but did not explode Staff report The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office continued to beef up patrols around Highlands Ranch parks in the days following the discovery of explosive devices at two locations. A young child was injured at Dad • If you visit a park: Use Clark Park, where caution, especially near the first device trash cans. detonated around • If you see an unusual 2 p.m. Feb. 3. The device or something victim was taken suspicious: Do not touch to the hospital it. Call 911. and treated and released for minor • If you have informainjuries after an tion that could help “acid-type device” authorities: Call the made in a plastic sheriff’s office tip line at bottle exploded. 303-660-7579. The injured child Source: Douglas County and four friends Sheriff’s Office touched the device after they found it on the basketball court. The next day, a similar device was found about five miles away at Marcy Park. The sheriff’s office said the device “vented” and did not explode.
WHAT TO DO
Tony Silva serves chips and guacamole, the Tony Guacamole Food Truck specialty, to a customer outside of 38 State Brewing Co. in Littleton. Photo by Christy Steadman
Food on the move
Mobile meal vending is not just a passing fad By Christy Steadman csteadman @coloradocommunitymedia.com Las Cazuelas Mexican restaurant in Lakewood has a 40-year history, Tony Silva said, but he “got tired of being confined to the same four walls.” So he started the Tony Guacamole Food Truck last July. The menus, however, are completely different. With the food truck, he is able to specialize in guacamole, and offers three or four different guacamole selections at any given time. “I wanted to take a staple element, like guacamole, and elevate it,” he said on a recent Thursday, his food truck parked at 38 State Brewing Co. in Littleton. In recent years, food trucks like Silva’s have been popping up with greater fre-
LICENSED TO DRIVE?
A vendor must go through the proper channels to operate a food truck in the south metro area.
Parks continues on Page 13
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The Tri-County Health Department serves Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties. On its website, it says a food truck vendor who is licensed in Denver would have to get a different license to operate in the Tri-County area. “Your Denver license is valid only in the City and County of Denver. To sell in Tri-County, you must obtain a State of Colorado Retail Food Establishment License, which authorizes you to sell anywhere in Colorado except the City and County of Denver.” Find more information at www.tchd.org/445/Food-TrucksPush-Carts quency in the south metro Denver area at breweries, special events and other venues. It’s part of a national trend. A 2012 study by Emergent Research projects the food truck industry in the United States to generate about $2.7 billion in annual revenue by 2017. That’s a fourfold increase over 2012 sales.
Are you a fan of food trucks? Let us know what you like (or don’t like) at our online poll. “From a marketing perspective, the concept of a food truck is kind of brilliant,” said Andrea LaRew, president of the Highlands Ranch Chamber of Commerce. “It allows you to get in front of lots of people who are potential customers.” Food trucks continues on Page 6
An explosive device was found at Marcy Park in Highlands Ranch on Feb. 4, a day after a similar device was found at Dad Clark Park about five miles away. Photo by Chris Rotar