Read the stories from the latest issue:
From the choruses of New York City theater to teaching students the art of musical performance, Bob Harrison has had an interesting career. Today, the retired virtuoso lives with his wife in Castle Valley with his two dogs and a parakeet. He is a master penman – someone who has mastered the art of calligraphy…
Castle Pines City Council unanimously approved a plan to form an urban renewal authority that will set aside a portion of future tax revenues for business district improvements. Council members voted May 9 in favor of a resolution to establish the Castle Pines Urban Renewal District, which will encompass the existing commercial district west of…
On the final day of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) Citizens Academy, class discussion centered on emotional survival in law enforcement. It has become a priority for DCSO, and we were reminded of the importance of mental health, particularly in this line of work. DCSO officers and first responders are faced with emotionally taxing…
Imagine all the rain collected during our rainstorm the first week of May. If you had a barrel system already in place, the 48-hour downpour was a gift from the heavens. It was a desire to conserve that brought 30 Douglas County residents together to take part in a rain harvesting workshop put on by…
Castle Pines North Metro District staff, board of directors and their families, and community members gathered prior to the May 22 regular board meeting to bid farewell to departing directors Chris Lewis, Denise Crew and Chuck Lowen, and to welcome incoming directors Leah Enquist, James Mulvey and Jana Krell. Thank you all for your service…
Do you have a passion for helping people? Then we need you. We invite you to join an exciting, dedicated group of community members who serve Douglas County in an essential way. These are our #DCSO victim assistance (VA) volunteers, and our newest volunteer is Kingston. The Victim Assistance Program is a unit within the…
From the outside, Surrey Ridge resident Annie Mohler appears to live a “picture perfect” life. She fully and completely agrees. Mohler is a master photographer who lives on a farmhouse property north of Castle Pines Parkway with her husband, Seth, who she says is the funniest man on the planet, and their two daughters, Ava…
Since forming Centura Health as a management company in 1996, CommonSpirit Health and AdventHealth have worked together as sponsoring organizations to meet the health care needs of the communities across Colorado and western Kansas. While this has been a strong partnership for 27 years, both organizations have grown and evolved over the years, as have…
Snooze Mattress Company held its grand opening on April 22. The store is located in Promenade at Castle Rock. Photos courtesy of Snooze Mattress Company
Dr. Mansur Nurdel has lived in Castle Pines with his wife, Roza, for 15 years. They have two sons, Ryan (22) and Dustin (20). Nurdel and his wife enjoy daily walks through Daniel’s Gate Park and the beautiful views it has to offer. Nurdel and Roza are both originally from Iran, and each fled their…
Paul Carpenter is an 11-year-old boy who just finished fifth grade at Flagstone Elementary School in Castle Rock. What you see on the outside is a super happy and fun child who everyone adores. But, behind those amazing brown eyes, is a boy who was not expected to survive after birth and who has faced…
Breckenridge may be a favored Colorado staycation and ski resort, but to Sofia and David Dunlay, the Breckenridge they hold close their hearts is their 2-year-old mini Bernedoodle. Breckenridge has been a strong part of the Dunlay family since she was 6 weeks old. Named after the popular ski resort, Breckenridge or “Breck” is a…
What happens when tragedy strikes helpers? First responders put themselves in harm’s way each day to make sure others are safe and cared for in the worst of times. But unfortunate events impact helpers too, and when they do, South Metro Professional Firefighters Foundation (SMPFF), a 501(c)(3) comprised solely of volunteers, is ready to step…
Kylie Hutchison moved to Castle Pines when she was 12 years old. She attended Rocky Heights Middle School and graduated from Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) in 2019. On May 12th, she graduated from the University of Oklahoma (OU) with a degree in microbiology and minors in chemistry and medical humanities. While at RCHS, Hutchison…
This year’s Colorado nonprofit Mini Derby was held on May 6 at Sky View Farm in Castle Rock. The event featured live music, food, desserts, whiskey tasting, raffles, live/silent auctions, viewing of the Kentucky Derby, and the fun-to-watch miniature horse derby. Roughly 200 people attended the event, raising $19,000 benefiting six, local nonprofits: Robin’s Nest…
The 149th Kentucky Derby was held May 6 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky and Allison and Tyson Jones hosted their 3rd Derby party on Serena Drive. Friendly wagering transpired, prizes were given for best dressed couple and best hat and a good time was had by all. By Hollen Wheeler; photo courtesy of Katherine…
Dear Readers, Isn’t it exciting? Concert season is here! Can we talk about concert etiquette and why it is important? Concert etiquette exists to ensure everyone has an equally good time. You’ve made the plans, you’ve paid a small fortune for the tickets, and you’re hopeful that this concert will be all you’ve dreamed of.…
Ladies – and even a few gentlemen – from Castle Pines donned their best derby hats for the Denver Center for the Performing Arts annual fundraiser, Women with Hattitude, which supports the work of women in the American theatre. Courtesy photos
Writers have a tendency to hype their subjects. After all, why write about them if they were merely good? With the Sedalia Manhart Family, no doubt remains about their seminal role in the town once called Round Corral. That the main street is Manhart Street settles any argument. Christian Manhart’s birth in 1835 started things…
Anyone lucky enough to have been inside the vast and vibrant greenhouses of Dutch Heritage Gardens knows that it is one of the must-see places in Douglas County. Nestled off a country road in the unincorporated southeastern part of the county, the 20-acre greenhouse complex defies adequate description; the words “stunning” and “awe-inspiring” do not…
Dad, Father, Pops. Father’s Day is Sunday, June 18. This month’s book recommendations honor the men in our lives and the wisdom, support, strength, determination and humor they model. The Whisper Man by Alex North. “In this dark, suspenseful thriller, Alex North weaves a multi-generational tale of a father and son caught in the…
Legacy Village resident Libby Wright is 100! Libby was celebrated by her friends at Legacy Village with a surprise party and visit from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office making her an honorary deputy (left). Her celebration continued with a formal event held by family and close friends at Cherokee Ranch & Castle (right). The family…
I eat lunch every day. I am sure there are some readers who might find this a strange thing to “admit” – I mean, most people do, right? But there you have it, since the early 1970s, I have eaten lunch nearly every day. I love to eat lunch – it is a nice chance…
The Hamlet resident Marco Fields is a mother, businesswoman, volunteer, champion for women and one of 70 million people in the world who are living with vitiligo, an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks the melanocytes, the cells that determine hair and skin color. When this happens, the pigments change or disappear leaving…
There were 11 students from Rock Canyon High School who signed letters of intent to play their sport at the collegiate level. It takes a great deal of discipline and hard work to balance academics and athletics, so we commend these student athletes! By Lisa…
After using a vegetable peeler, don’t throw the peels, skins and stalks of produce away! Turns out, there are many valuable nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in those “throw-away” parts of produce. Use organic when possible and scrub well, whether organic or not. By consuming them in some way or using them to…
Bugs such as flies, bees, wasps and the dreaded mosquito serve a purpose – they are a food source for birds and other animals, and they pollinate flowers. However, they are called pests for a reason. When they bite, sting and swarm in the warmer months, it is helpful to have some natural ways to…
Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) has participated in Wish Week for 14 years. Each year, the student council partners with Make-A-Wish Colorado to organize school and community-wide fundraising activities. In 2010, RCHS joined the Kids for Wish Kids team – a part of Make-A-Wish Colorado specifically designed to get today’s youth involved in creating life-changing…
Meet 16-year-old Hannah Shur. Her parents, like most, are beyond proud of her. That is why they nominated her to be featured as a Talented Teen in The Castle Pines Connection. Hannah not only excels in her classes at Colorado Early College, consistently earning credits for college, but excels in whatever she puts her mind…
In the May issue, The Connection featured a list of 80108 graduating seniors from all Douglas County High Schools. Inadvertently, the Castle View High School list featured juniors and not seniors. Our sincerest apologies. Here is the correct list of Castle View High School graduating seniors from the 80108 ZIP code: Ashlyn Albert Saira Ali…
Rock Canyon High School’s junior-senior prom, A Starry Night Soirée, was April 29 at Infinity Park followed by late night after-prom activities at the school. Caption by Hollen Wheeler; courtesy photos
Field day is a favored end-of-school event celebrated at many schools throughout the country. It provides students with the opportunity to work together and show their school pride while being active. This year, Timber Trail Elementary celebrated field day through art, music, and PE in addition to honoring traditional Olympic values of friendship and sportsmanship.…
On May 4, seven fourth graders at Timber Trail Elementary each lost a tooth at school. Teacher Jeanette Proctor said, “I have been teaching for 25 years and I have never had that many kids lose a tooth in one week, let alone, one afternoon.” Proctor added that the first picture she took had five…
The annual Castle Pines tradition of high school graduates returning to their neighborhood elementary schools one last time before they embark on their next chapter continued again this year. Forty-one graduates from local high schools (above left) visited Timber Trail Elementary for the “clap out” through the school hallways (above right). Coming full circle was…
Odyssey of the Mind (OM™) teaches students how to develop and use their natural creativity to become problem-solvers. Founder Dr. Sam started OM™ in the 1970s in his innovative industrial design class at Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. Dr. Sam believed students should have fun learning while incorporating their own interest. Old items can…
A new twist on the annual daddy-daughter dance at Timber Trail Elementary allowed the students to invite any adult of their choosing. This year’s Spring Fling, “Sparkle and Shine,” had 252 attendees, which included parents, grandparents and other dates of choice. The event was not mandated as formal, but guests arrived dressed in their best.…
The mothers of American Academy Castle Pines (AA) truly love their sons to the moon and back. With the help of the PTO, the inaugural mother-son dance took place on the AA Castle Pines campus for all kindergarten through eighth grade students. I Love You to the Moon and Back was this year’s dance theme.…
The 2023 Douglas County Art Show featured 20 works from Timber Trail Elementary students in kindergarten through fifth grade. All were created in the theme of “Art Thru Time,” representing art from Ancient Greece through different stylistic eras to modern times. Kindergartener Drew McCleery (pictured below) said he enjoys art because he can make…
There are few restaurants that evoke both the taste and feel of home. While it is often lumped in with other soup and sandwich chains, Kneaders Bakery & Cafe really is in a class all its own. It is likely that those who frequent any of the 49 Kneaders nationwide locations, including the one just…
Even though Jillian Sparks and Caley Jones both live in 80108, it was a HOTWORX convention that brought them together after they each had purchased franchises. They were drawn to each other as kindred spirits; both having arrived at the same place for similar reasons but at different times in life. Despite Sparks and Jones…
Your home is your sanctuary and likely one of the most significant investments you will ever make. That is why Douglas County continues to make historic investments in the firefighting tools needed to protect your life and property from wildfires. In April, The Board of Douglas County Commissioners committed more than $1.5 million to the…
As the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) Citizens Academy approached the end of its program, participants got to tour the Unified Metropolitan Forensic Crime Lab (UFL) located in Englewood. Popular TV shows such as Bones, Dexter and CSI dramatize the use of scientific methods to analyze blood spray patterns and skeletal remains to determine how…
Beginning Memorial Day weekend, the Rueter-Hess Reservoir (RHR), northeast of Castle Pines, will be open for paddleboarding, canoeing and kayaking. RHR will be open for recreation Fridays through Mondays, with operating hours beginning one hour before sunrise and ending one hour after sunset. Reservations will be required due to parking limitations on site. No motorized…
Do you remember getting the keys to your first apartment or dorm room? That feeling of independence and self-reliance is empowering. As Douglas County celebrated Developmental Disabilities Month in March, our neighbors with intellectual and developmental disabilities moved one step closer to that feeling. During a regular business meeting, the Board of Douglas County Commissioners…
After the wake of the Marshall Fire in Boulder in 2021, many homeowners were shocked to learn that their policies were not adequate or up to date for compensation. According to the Colorado Division of Insurance, roughly four out of five policy holders reported total property loss and couldn’t rebuild their houses as originally constructed.…
The City of Castle Pines held its first Spring Cleanup Day on Saturday, April 1. According to City officials, the cleanup was a great success. A little more than 50 people came out to pitch in their time and energy to make sure the parks no longer had trash and debris hiding in the bushes.…
Summer is coming … how is your deck? The City of Castle Pines Building Department is hosting a free clinic on May 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Douglas County Libraries – Castle Pines on deck permits and projects. All of the information shared will be based on the International Residential Code…
Soft hands can make all the difference between success and failure in any business. Christian Brothers Automotive in Castle Rock owners Steve and Andrea Peterson seem to be proof of that concept. The Petersons’ road to our community is an interesting tale. Midlife malaise hit Steve like a brick wall in 2013. Tired of what…
Chad and Valerie Fincher are deeply committed to their family, faith, and serving their community. The couple first met at Cal State Fullerton’s campus ministry in Southern California. “It was love at first sight for me. She’s still trying to figure it out 30 years later,” Chad said playfully. Valerie responded, “I don’t know what…
Several months ago, RE/MAX Holdings promoted attorney Susie Winders to be its general counsel. Her eventual success was never doubted by any who knew her. What could not have been anticipated was the height of the pinnacle attained, so quickly and so young. Born to Bob and Sharon Winders in Springfield, Illinois, she had remarkable…
The Madison Apartments on the east side of I-25 was host to the New Resident Welcome Reception sponsored by the City of Castle Pines, the Castle Pine Chamber of Commerce and The Castle Pines Connection. Nearly 40 residents took time getting to know each other, and many walked away with great prizes. Thank you to…
Chispita is eight pounds of pure sass, and to Karen and Mark Ruzycki, she is “just one lucky cat.” Chispita, whose name means “little spark,” is a 13-year-old ball of fur who found her way into the Ruzyckis’ home at just 4 weeks old. Chispita, along with another kitten, was found in a box in…
Mother’s Day is May 14th. Book recommendations this month feature the complexities of being a woman and mothers in all their fierce imperfections; in short, the women who are role models for us all. Know the Mother by Desiree Cooper is a collection of fictional vignettes that “explore the complex archetype of the mother in…
The use of deepfake technology is on the rise throughout the internet. With the click of a button, just about anyone can put your face on an Olympic runner in action or make it appear as if an alligator is sitting in first class on an airliner. Deepfake is used to describe computer-generated images, video…
Harry Pearson grew up in the Hidden Pointe neighborhood with his mom, dad, two brothers and one sister. His family has always been full of independence, starting with his dad who left Australia at age 23 to follow his dreams and find his way. His mom has a similar story, and now each of the…
Located in Denver near I-25 and Alameda sits a very special place, called Women’s Bean Project (WBP). For 34 years, this nonprofit organization has been helping women create a fresh start with self-sufficiency through social enterprise. The founder of WBP, Jossy Eyre, was volunteering at a daytime women’s shelter in the late 1980s as part…
Dear Readers, Mother’s Day is right around the corner, so let’s plan. Modern Manners will guide us to be thoughtful of our moms and everyone. Mother’s Day can bring up different emotions depending on where we are in our lives, and we want to be sensitive to the stages of others. If you know this…
For years, many have lionized larger than life men and women who made our Douglas County great. As it should be. But the reality of pioneering outcomes in these parts is that most failed; their adventures were nasty, brutish and short. Local prosperity required many things: grit; water, agricultural, and animal husbandry savvy; and, above…
Celery has had sort of a renaissance in the last few years. Prior to 2019, I mostly thought of celery as a delivery mechanism for peanut butter or as the last thing on any vegetable tray—unwanted and uneaten. Sure, I enjoyed it in the background of soup or stew, cooked to near-mushiness along with an…
Colorado farmers markets are an outdoor celebration of summer. Families and friends get together, chatting with vendors and meandering through the market enjoying the fresh smell of recently harvested produce. Many markets offer fresh flowers, honey, jams, fresh bread, coffee, live music and more – with Colorado’s blue-sky days, what can be better? Traveling this…
Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) was one of several participating schools that joined in a cereal box drive to help feed fellow Douglas County School District students in need. More than 300 boxes of cereal were collected from TTE families and students – totaling 391 pounds of cereal. TTE worked in conjunction with the Backpack Society…
The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) recently named several Douglas County School District (DCSD) schools on its annual list for showing excellence in academic achievement and student growth. Many of our local schools were included. Timber Trail Elementary School (TTE) received the Governor’s Distinguished Improvement Award, which shows exceptional student growth schoolwide. “On the school…
“A Night at the Museum” was this year’s theme for the American Academy – Castle Pines (AA) campus student art show. Student artists from kindergarten to fifth grade showcased their projects made of watercolor, 3D printed technology and paper mâché. All student art projects were on display for guests to enjoy at their leisure. Each…
Castle View High School Tyler Adair Arlette Arellano Hernandez Landon Baylor Mikayla Belanger McKenna Brown Addison Cage Bronwyn Cage Nolan Casey Caden Cavey Charles Colombi Kairi Crowell Hailey Franco Logan Friedman James Gerlach Alexandra Guarda Mercado Jenae Guillory Madison Hancock Kara Hastings Elena Hunsinger Alexis Keskitalo Tristan MacHendrie Isaiah Marta Allen Issac Martinez Siena Mendoza…
Students at Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) witnessed a “90s Rewind” featuring top musical hits from the 1990s, when the entire fifth grade class performed its yearly show. The fifth grade show is three-fold, with aspects featuring music, physical movement and art. Preparations began at the beginning of the school year when music teacher Cathy Deneault…
In an effort to build further partnerships, the Douglas County School District Board of Directors met with business leaders in the community and discussed ways in which the business community can collaborate with the district for the betterment of its students. Caption and photo by Terri Wiebold
Each year, the Douglas County Special Education Advisory Committee (DCSEAC) acknowledges district shining stars who support a student receiving special education services. These individuals were nominated by parents and caregivers for making a difference in the lives of their students. This year the DCSEAC received 374 individual Shining Star nominations that represented 72 schools. All…
The World Trade Center, Ellis Island and a stroll through Central Park are all must-dos when visiting New York City (NYC). American Academy fifth to eighth students spent four days seeing the sights of New York. When they were not sightseeing, they were busy working with Alison Jantzie, the Wicked understudy for the witch’s mother…
Three Rock Canyon High School varsity basketball players were selected as the best of the best in the state of Colorado according to Biokats Sports Network. Aidan Peck and Gavin Hershberger, seniors, were selected in the top 20 elite category which means overall, regardless of grade or classification.…