The Connection

007 Enchiladas by Lisa Crockett Summer’s warm days are a fading memory, but a warm welcome is available year round at one of Castle Pines’ newest additions to the local dining scene. A Taste of Mexico is located in the Village at Castle Pines Shopping Center. “I think that one of the things that really…

by Tracy Dudley Back in March, kindergartner Samantha (Sami) Choe shared a story with Ms. Leigh Lasik’s DCS Montessori class about her father’s recent trip to Cambodia. Dr. William Choe is a cardiologist who is part of a group called Jeramiah’s Hope, a medical missionary organization based here in Denver (www.cmmcjh.com). Upon returning home, Choe…

Bella Webster (center), who has been battling Leukemia since she was 20 months old, chooses winners in a drawing held at My Gym in the Village at Castle Pines shopping center. The drawing was part of a fundraiser for the Children’s Hospital, which was held in Bella’s honor. Bella’s four-year-old brother Drew (left), helped draw…

The Bundt Shoppe would like to recognize and honor our local United States Armed Forces service members, veterans, and their families this fall. On Saturday, October 3, stop by the Bundt Shoppe during the Castle Pines OctoberFest and make a contribution to provide a cake for a military service member or veteran. With only a…

by Carin R. Kirkegaard Castle Pines Athletics hosted a three-day cheerleading camp in August at The Retreat Park in Castle Pines North. Girls, ages 4 to 11 learned the latest moves from UNC cheerleader Kristen Weatherly and former Rock Canyon High School cheerleader Kaitlin Clure. The girls learned basic cheer moves and also a dance…

by Terri Wiebold with photo submitted by Bob Sims Castle Pines North resident, Bob Sims, won the National Senior Games 60-64 age group championship Gold Medal at the Stanford University Golf Course in Palo Alto, California in August. The competitors played the Black Tees at 6212 yards, rated at 70.6/131. Thirty-five golfers from all over…

Friends gathered for the unveiling of the Earl Millspaugh memorial bench, located in the new Xeriscape area on the east side of Monarch Boulevard just north of Castle Pines Parkway. The memorial bench was made possible by donations from friends, family and the Castle Pines North Master Association. “Chad [our son] and I are much…

Justin Matott by Anthonette Klinkerman The first assembly of the school year at Buffalo Ridge Elementary illustrated why students love assemblies. Author Justin Matott was invited by the Buffalo Ridge Educational Alliance (BREA) assembly organizer Christina McDonald to come to the school in September and address the character education topic of bullying. Matott, a former…

DCS Montessori student Koby D. enjoys an afternoon in the school’s outdoor classroom. Article and photo by Tracy Dudley According to traditional Montessori philosophy, children should learn in real environments, outside of the classroom. As such, students best learn about nature, geology, ecology, and biology by going outdoors and experiencing real-life examples. In line with…

by Terri Wiebold On August 28, 2009 Castle Pines Village Homes Association filed a Motion to Withdraw Petition for Incorporation of the City of Castle Pines, which was granted by the judge. Judge Nancy A. Hopf stated that, “The petition for incorporation [case number 2008cv251] shall hereby be withdrawn and this case closed.” Village Homes…

Carol Barbeito by Lisa Crockett CP Green has a new leader at its helm. Carol Barbeito, a Castle Pines North (CPN) resident, has assumed leadership of the community group, which aims to help the Castle Pines community find ways to live in a more environmentally friendly way. Barbeito takes the place of former leader Ryan…

Want some additional holiday fun for your little trick-or-treaters? Here is a list of fun Halloween activities going on in Castle Pines North and the surrounding areas. Trick or Treat Street Castle Pines North Business District 562 Castle Pines Parkway Wednesday, October 28 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Bring your ghosts and goblins to the…

Article and photo by Carin R. Kirkegaard Elizabeth Mowry, a renowned pastel painter moved to Castle Pines Village nearly three years ago from a pre-Revolutionary War stone house in the Hudson Bay area of New York State. Caring for a 35-acre agricultural home required a lot of time and hard labor. There were days when…

by Carin R. Kirkegaard The date is set and registration is underway for the Douglas County Rock Slide. Mark the calendar for November 14 and plan to be at Rock Canyon High School with running shoes laced and ready to go. The Rock Slide is a one-mile fun run and 5K race that was designed…

Timber Trail boys compete in the inaugural mother-son kickball tournament at Coyote Ridge Park in August. Submitted By Jenny Hanna and Kathy Werbick Timber Trail Elementary hosted its first ever Mother and Son Kickball tournament on August 21 at Coyote Ridge Park. The idea sprung from the Father/Daughter Snowball Dance. They wanted to have an…

The fall season offers us a variety of delicious and healthy fruits and vegetables, such as fuji apples and butternut squash. They are not only pleasing to the palate, but are excellent, nutritional choices. Fuji apples provide us with vitamins A and C, along with some calcium, iron and fiber. They are just as important…

The Castle Pines North Master Association Board will soon hold an election to fill two vacancies. November is when the Castle Pines North (CPN) Master Association’s Annual meeting has traditionally been held, though as of press time a date had not yet been determined. When a date is decided upon, it will be posted on…

by Scott Lasher Are you ready for some football? Ready or not, high school football kicked off at Rock Canyon for another season on September 4th against Castleview. Rock Canyon will be returning several key players, including senior wide receiver Keith Link and senior quarterback Drew Sandlin. Head Coach Tom Lynch however, is reluctant to…

Warren Lynge by Anthonette Klinkerman If you don’t know Warren Lynge, sit down for coffee with him sometime; it is guaranteed you won’t leave feeling like a stranger. He has the kind of personality that is instantly welcoming, instantly familiar. Lynge is a relative newcomer to Castle Pines North, but he dove into his new…

by Carin R. Kirkegaard Nearly 12 years ago the Castle Pines North Foundation (CPNF) was created as a way to provide monetary, land and other forms of gifts for the growth and betterment of current and future parks in Castle Pines North. In the beginning, the board for the CPNF encouraged developers, builders and individuals…

Sam Classen stands near a cross on the St. Francis of Assisi Prayer Path. Classen completed his Eagle Scout project by directing the efforts of roughly 80 volunteers in extension and refurbishment of the path in a wooded area next to the church. by Lisa Crockett: photo courtesy of the Classen family It’s now a…

Timi Aguilar President of Aguilar Public Relations Information and photos submitted by Aguilar Public Relations Timi Aguilar of Aguilar Public Relations has been selected as one of ten entrepreneurs across the United States to receive the Anna Maria Arias Memorial Business Fund. The Anna Maria Arias Fund was created to recognize the accomplishments of Anna…

Tyler T. throws a ball to dunk BRE Principal, Ally Bergren. Children read to choose which staff member of the school would be in the dunk tank. by Carin R. Kirkegaard The BRE Family Stampede kicked off the Family Night events at Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) with a huge success. Families gathered at the school…

submitted by Colorado Ski Country USA Colorado Ski Country USA’s (CSCUSA) exclusive Colorado Gold Pass is now available for the 2009-10 ski season. The transferable pass, good for unlimited skiing and riding at member resorts, can be purchased for $2,750. Unlike many lift tickets, the Colorado Gold Pass does not have any black-out dates, therefore…

by Terri Wiebold Residents who have been wondering why there are tall metal flags attached to the 485 fire hydrants in Castle Pines North (CPN) need ponder no more. According to CPN Metro District Parks and Open Space Manager, Charlie Fagan, the answer is as simple as the solution was. In recent winters, snow levels…

The Castle Pines Connection welcomes baby girl Keaton. Born July 30 at 2:30pm. Weight 7lbs. 9oz., 19.5 inches long. Proud parents are Greg Miller and Jennifer Havercroft-Miller.

Castle Pines Village friends and neighbors joined to help support the Sassy Soiree fundraising event. by Terri Wiebold Approximately two hundred and seventy-five people attended the Sixth Annual Sassy Soiree fundraising event to benefit the Douglas/Elbert Task Force this year, raising nearly $34,000. Event goers shopped in the “thrift boutique” and perused the silent auction…

by Terri Wiebold More than 300 residents and neighbors attended the City of Castle Pines North (CPN) public hearing last week at the DCS Montessori School in CPN. After nearly six hours of presentations from city staff, the developer, and public comment, City Council voted unanimously to approve the annexation of The Canyons property into…

Information provided by Town of Castle Rock After receiving public input, the Town of Castle Rock Council directed its staff to resume attempts to have Union Pacific railroad tracks moved so a new road between The Meadows and I-25 could be built at-grade. It was previously thought the at-grade alignment for the North Meadows Extension…

Community volunteer Warren Lynge joins the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce in cutting the ribbon to open the new library in Castle Pines North. By Lisa Crockett In place of the aging and often out-of-order bookmobile, the Castle Pines community has a new, and comparatively spacious, outlet for books. The community celebrated a grand opening…

Pictured here from left to right are Mark Shively, candidate for City Treasurer, Jeff Huff, Candidate for Mayor, Maureen Shul, candidate for Mayor, and Jennifer Havercroft, candidate for Ward 1 City Council. The Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce hosted the first of its three candidate forums at the CPN community center. The discussions lasted the…

Greg Miller, co-chair of the CPNCTR by Scott Lasher Mayor says integration discussions have begun The debate surrounding the proposed dissolution of the Castle Pines North Metro District (CPNMD) took further shape Tuesday night [September 15, 2009] as representatives of the Castle Pines North Citizens for Tax Relief (CPNCTR) held a community meeting surrounding the…

Annexation Agreement 242k pdf The Canyons Referral and Narrative 119k pdf The Canyons Rezone to Plan Development Referral 1900k pdf Canyons Development Agreement – Draft 476k pdf (8-31-2009) Comments Beverly Hills HOA 807k pdf Castle Pines Metro District 860k pdf Castle Pines North Master – Design Review Board 168k pdf Centennial Airport 172k pdf Cherry…

Election season is here Voters in Castle Pines North (CPN) will vote to fill vacancies in every city council position, as well as mayor, city clerk, and treasurer. This year’s election will be conducted entirely by mail for all voters in the county. Voters must be registered by October 5, 2009 in order to vote…

by Scott Lasher The way water and parks services are administered in Castle Pines North could potentially change. A group of Castle Pines North (CPN) residents has formally filed a petition for the dissolution of the Castle Pines North Metro District, which has to date provided water, wastewater and storm water services, as well as…

by Sara Edwards The City of Castle Pines North staff received an annexation petition on Wednesday, Sept. 23, from A and A investments for annexation of land known as Lagae South. City staff informed City Council of receipt of the petition at last night’s council meeting. The official petition will be presented to City Council…

Director of Transportation for Douglas County School District, Paul Balon, answers bus routing questions at the Daniels Gate Club House. by Tracy Dudley A combination of recent state funding reductions and the failure of education bond issues 3A and 3B this past November has brought about deep budget cuts for the Douglas County School District…

by Elizabeth Wood West Comprehensive Plan and Three-Mile Plan What will the City of Castle Pines North (CPN) look like in the next twenty years? This is a question the City of Castle Pines North Council is in the process of evaluating. The City’s Proposed Comprehensive Plan and Three-Mile Plan offer a snapshot into the…

CPN residents walked in the Strides for Epilepsy event. “Carly’s Crusaders” walked for five-year-old CPN resident, Carly, who suffers from epilepsy. Submitted by Edward Jones Financial W. Rey Cinocco, a financial advisor with Edward Jones, and BOA Jessie Belmont are taking advantage of new state-of-the-art financial assessment tools to better serve clients in Douglas County.…

by Terri Wiebold Sponsored Publications, publisher of Castle Pines North’s “Our Neighborhood Directory,” as well as the Castle Pines Village Homes Association Directory, recently completed updates and corrections for the 2009-2010 editions, to be published in August 2009 and distributed in early September…be sure to watch for it! “The difference between a group of like-value…

Information provided by the Town of Castle Rock A second route from The Meadows to US 85 and I-25 is needed to relieve traffic congestion on Meadows Parkway and improve traffic flow on I-25. The Town of Castle Rock has been evaluating the best location for the road, which would extend from the current end…

American Academy Charter School to Host Ribbon Cutting Celebration at New Facility American Academy, a K-8 public charter school in Douglas County, will host an official ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of its new 83,000 square foot facility on Friday, September 18, at 4:00 p.m. The event will be held at the…

“Good organization before you begin cooking is one secret to successful grilling. Proper planning can make a big difference between cooked and burned, and between safety and danger,” says Fred Simon, owner of Omaha Steaks and contributing author of “Omaha Steaks Let’s Grill Book.” A clean grill is essential to safe grilling. A thorough once…

Submitted by God’s Grace Community Church God’s Grace Community Church invites the community of Castle Pines to help encourage Terrific Readers and Writers at Paris Elementary School in Aurora. At Paris Elementary, 90 percent of the school’s 415 students qualify for free or reduced lunch and speak a language other than English at home. At…

by Lisa Crockett Years after volunteers in the Castle Pines Community decided to pursue the possibility of a library, residents and local business people have come together to make the dream a reality. In late September, the Castle Pines Library will open in the Village Square Shopping Center and begin operation as the newest branch…

By Terri Wiebold The question as to whether or not to restrict access on Happy Canyon Road between US 85 and I-25 as part of the North Meadows Extension Project has been the subject of much debate recently. The people have spoken, and what they have said is they want to keep it open. The…

Fifth-grade teacher Jesica Harrington and some of her students at Timber Trail Elementary’s “Carnival for the Cure.” All proceeds from the event went to benefit Harrington’s family. Harrington has been battling an aggressive form of breast cancer for the last year.   Article and photo by Lisa Crockett A school carnival is a long-standing tradition…

Left to right Polly Lestdikow, Jeff Hoskins – President EverStone, Sherri Johnson. (Photos by Tim Gamble) by Anthonette Klikermann The little orange signs pointed the way as the 2009 HBA Parade of Homes made a stop in Castle Pines North. Located in the gated community of Whisper Canyon, the luxury home at 6858 Twisted Oak…

Submitted by Suzanne Greene Families struggling financially in this economy are now receiving less food from the Douglas/Elbert County Food Bank as supplies dwindle. Clients needing food has increased by 30% over this time last year. This is traditionally the time of year from August through October when donations slow due to summer vacations. Grants…

Colorado bicyclists are celebrating the new Bicycle Safety Act, which went into effect August 5. The new laws are geared to improve road safety for bicyclists and motorists, including a minimum 3 feet of space when passing a bicyclist. The Bicycle Safety Act was made possible through the supportive grassroots efforts by Bicycle Colorado members.…

Coach Bishop blows the whistle and takes a “photo op” break during the three-day Camp Castle Pines activities. Coyote Ridge Park proved to be an ideal location for hosting the camps, and the kids had a blast. by Carin R. Kirkegaard Castle Pines Athletics kept children ages 4 to12 from the Castle Pines community busy…

Ladies from the CPN Empty Nester Group gather at the HOA2 clubhouse on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month to play Mah Jongg, an ancient Chinese tile game. Article and photo by Carin R. Kirkegaard The Castle Pines North (CPN) Empty Nesters have a group of ladies that meet twice a month to…

Jim Christensen August 24, 2009 The Douglas County School District (DCSD) Board of Education announced today that it will have an emergency succession meeting tonight at 7:30 pm in the Board Room of the Douglas County School District building to accept the resignation of Jim Christensen, Superintendent of Douglas County School District (DCSD). The Board…

Submitted by Horizon Pain Center Golfers have a unique opportunity to tune-up their swings during special workshops hosted by The Ridge Golf Club. A Class IV K-Laser unit will be featured to immediately treat select participants. Dates and times are to be announced. Dennis Murray, Director of Instruction at The Ridge Golf Club, is teaming…

Submitted by Kristin Zagurski Rock your dollar begins Tuesday – use this guide to get ready Ready to Rock Your Dollar? It’s about time. The purchase and receipt redemption period for the program runs Sept. 1-30. Continue reading for a quick guide to the program. As always, any questions regarding Rock Your Dollar can be…

Submitted by South Metro Fire Rescue Bicycle safety begins with wearing a properly fitted helmet, but wearing a helmet will not prevent you from getting hit by a motor vehicle. You, the cyclist, are responsible for avoiding cars. Ride with traffic on the right side of the road and cross intersections using crosswalks. Look both…

by Anthonette Klinkerman La Dolce Vita has been a Castle Pines fixture for many years. The Italian restaurant hosts celebrations of every kind, from anniversaries to graduations, as well as provides meeting space for many non-profit groups and business gatherings. They are also integrated in the local community by regularly donating to the nearby schools…

Breanna Markwell , Colorado Lottery; Ashley Sommer, Jenny’s Café; Jessica Downing and Paul Britt; King Mountain Ranch “givin’ away” freebies at customer appreciation day. Information submitted by Jenny’s Market After six hundred and twenty five free -scoops of the freshest, richest gelatto and two days of fun and free give aways, Jenny’s Market in Castle…

by Terri Wiebold Let me tell you…Solid Life Christian Center really knows how to throw a party! The much anticipated Castle Pines community summer movie in the park drew record crowds to Coyote Ridge Park on August 22. Neighbors in Castle Pines Village, Surrey Ridge, Charter Oaks, Beverly Hills, Oak Hills, and Surrey Ridge Estates…

Bella Rock hikers perform Tai Chi at 8,500 feet. On June 20, seven women hiked through the wild flowers in Elk Meadow Park and then climbed Bergen Peak with Bella Rock Adventures. by Carin R. Kirkegaard In June, Bella Rock Adventures along with seven women hiked through Elk Meadow Park in Jefferson County open space…

by Carin R. Kirkegaard Revenge on Schulte, a band comprised of local Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) students has been making a name for itself while playing various Denver venues. Lead singer Ben Hilzer and Chris Battin, lead gutarist, founded Revenge on Schulte nine months ago with fellow RCHS classmates Andrew Wilson, rhythm guitarist, Ryan…

Information submitted by Douglas County Sheriff’s Office The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) is proud to announce the newly created Youth Education and Safety in Schools (Y.E.S.S.) program that will kick off in August for the 2009/2010 school year. The Y.E.S.S. program is a collaborative effort between the Douglas County School District, the DCSO, and…

Information provided by the Douglas County Water Resource Authority As water costs continue to rise and the available resource itself becomes harder to get, a not-so-new practice of using treated wastewater from household or commercial properties for irrigation of public landscapes, commercial lots, and golf courses is gaining new momentum. To maximize the efficient use…

Despite a chilly and blustery day, the bake sale for the Castle Pines Library was held during the dual swim meet between the two CPN swim teams. by Carin R. Kirkegaard Members of local area Brownie and Girls Scouts troops partnered with members from the Douglas County Libraries Foundation and held an old-fashioned bake sale…

Executive Director of the Colorado Municipal League, Sam Mamet, presented information to the City of Castle Pines North City Council in May regarding Colorado Municipal Home Rule. Article and photo by Terri Wiebold The Colorado Municipal League (CML) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that has served and represented Colorado’s cities and towns since 1923. Its…