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Top 5 most-read stories last week: Labor shortage, fire danger and affordable housing

Editor’s note: Stories in this list received the most page views on SummitDaily.com in the past week.

1. As the labor shortage continues, some local businesses are reducing or switching up services

A year ago, businesses across Summit County were struggling under repressive public health restrictions. Now, there’s a new issue at hand and one that likely won’t be fixed overnight: Due to limited workforce housing and job shortages during the pandemic, many residents have moved out of the county, causing a severe labor shortage.

This labor shortage is so dire that many owners of local businesses are coming up with creative ways to deliver their services without having a full staff.



One such example is Mountain Lyon Cafe’s new business model: Instead of seating people at a table and waiting on customers individually, the Silverthorne cafe now operates differently. When customers arrive at the restaurant, they place their orders at a counter and pay for their food and drinks before finding a seat. Roughly 10-15 minutes later, customers are served their food.

— Jenna deJong



2. Fire danger very high as officials respond to multiple small blazes

Three small wildfires in less than 24 hours have Summit County fire officials worried.

Things got started June 10, when local fire districts increased the fire danger level from low to very high — something Summit Fire & EMS spokesperson Steve Lipsher said he has never seen.

“In one day, we jumped three levels; we skipped moderate and high,” Lipsher said. “… Our humidity is really low for whatever reason. We’re dry, dry, dry.”

— Jenna deJong

3. Developers working on affordable housing in Colorado’s mountains offer suggestions for pending wave of funding

The unprecedented housing crisis in Colorado will soon see an equally extraordinary flood of cash. In Colorado’s High Country, where affordable housing is a decadeslong issue that exploded into a catastrophe last year, an army of developers on the front lines of a complex campaign to build workforce housing are ready to help guide the sudden influx of funding.

“As a developer of affordable and workforce housing, we are feeling the intensity of the timing here,” said Kimball Crangle, the Colorado market president of Gorman & Co., which is building neighborhoods in Summit and Routt counties. “We know if we can’t get it done right now, in two years the opportunity is likely to be gone. If we don’t get housing created and set aside for the workforce of these towns, the lights will be on but nobody will be home. These are going to become ghost towns.”

— Jason Blevins, The Colorado Sun

4. Injured speed flyer rescued from Peak 6

The Summit County Rescue Group, Flight for Life and a group of good Samaritans helped to rescue an injured speed flyer June 12 at Breckenridge Ski Resort.

At about 8:15 a.m., members of the rescue group were dispatched to the top of Peak 6, near the top of the Kensho chairlift on a report of an injured speed flyer, according to a news release from the group. A woman crashed while attempting a barrel roll and sustained serious but not life-threatening injuries.

— Sawyer D’Argonne

5. Frisco Concert in the Park Series returns this week

Get ready to hear live music once again. Frisco’s Concert in the Park Series runs from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for 12 consecutive Thursdays through Sept. 2 at the Frisco Historic Park, 120 Main St.

Genres vary each week and a different nonprofit will sell refreshments to raise money. Lawn chairs and well-behaved, leashed pets are allowed at the events.

— Jefferson Geiger


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