Editarian: Jerry Allen                                                                        

Club Photographer : Brad Mikel 

Next Week

September 8, 2010

Aurora Energy Rebate

Karen Hancock, Aurora Environmental Program Supervisor

Diana Denwood, Grant Assistant

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This Week

September 1, 2010

Arapahoe County Economic Overview

Patrick Holwell

Patrick Holwell, MA, Workforce Economist for "Arapahoe/Douglas Works!", presented an economic overview of where we are, how we got there and what the future looks like.

On the national scene, there have been 4 quarters of negative growth from the third quarter of 2008 through the second quarter of 2009.  The definition of a depression is when negative growth exceeds 10%.  The fourth quarter of 2008 had a -6.3% GDP.  There has been 4 quarters of real growth from the 3rd Quarter of 2009 through the second quarter of 2010.

The last 3 quarters are on a downtrend from a high of 4.8% to 1.5%.

In the Denver-Aurora area:

  • lost 14,771 jobs between 7/09 and 7/10.
  • in July, 2010 unemployment was 8.1% with 111,667 looking for work.
  • there were over 52,000 foreclosures in 2008-09.
  • commercial vacancy rates average 20% around the city.
  • real estate is flat and construction took a very hard hit in 2009-10.

The economy needs 2.5% of real growth for a period of time to absorb the unemployment rate. The unemployment rate for 2010 nationally is expected to be 9.8%.

Top employment gainers were health and education.

Real recovery is not expected until the last half of 2014.

 

Skip

Skip Schlenk introduced Patrick Holwell.

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Bill Wiggins

Bill Wiggins reported that  there are 4 membership applications in process right now.

 

Dave Lemon

Dave Lemon, Community Director, reminded us to save dates 9/29, Luau picnic at Generals Park, and 12/4, holiday party.

 

Linda Bowman

Linda Bowman announced Chili Bunco on October 23 in her unfinished basement.

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Update on Frank Weddig

Frank had been feeling weak and losing control of his left side for about a year.  While in Reno at a conference, he started feeling very bad and went to the hospital.  They said he had a brain tumor which had caused a brain fever and were going to operate in 4 days.  He made arrangements to be flown home.

Kaiser did the brain surgery and removed a benign tumor that had been pressing down on the top of the brain.

Frank is in rehab now and at home.  He is regaining use of the left side of his body and has been OK'd to drive.  He should be able to return to normal activities in two weeks.