Read the stories from the latest issue:
Some people think sunshine and 70s is the perfect weather to cast a line. Mike Forster does not disagree. But he also thinks any day is a good day to catch a fish, especially in the winter months, when the temps dip and the water freezes over. “My absolute favorite thing about ice fishing is…
Minimalist camping may soon be allowed at Sandstone Ranch Open Space (Sandstone Ranch) in Larkspur, more than 2,000 acres of diverse landscapes, striking red rock formations, expansive meadows, and rich wildlife habitats. Last October, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) tasked the staff of Douglas County Open Space and Natural Resources to look at options…
A fascinating, multi-step process converts used water from homes, that is wastewater, into clean water to return to the environment. The Parker Water and Sanitation District (PWSD) has two wastewater treatment and purification facilities that perform this service for its customers in Parker and The Canyons neighborhood in Castle Pines. “We treat and discharge around…
Want to get outside with the family this spring and summer? For years, Douglas County Division of Open Space and Natural Resources provided a fun program, a scavenger hunt, encouraging residents to get outside and explore the 65,000 acres of open space and trails in Douglas County. Before 2025, booklets provided by the county were…
Join the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for a friendly competition that is all about saving lives. We have invited our partners to join us for the Battle of the Badges Community Blood Drive. It’s a showdown between two Team Fire and Team Law. Each donor gets a vote, and every drop of blood has a…
Happy Canyon Interchange The City is working with Douglas County to design improvements to the Happy Canyon and I-25 interchange. This process is currently in the design phase. There will be a public open house on March 31 at Douglas County Library – Castle Pines that will provide updates on the project’s progress and next…
The City of Castle Pines is once again partnering with residents for the City’s annual Spring Cleanup Day. As the community grows, it is more important than ever to keep the beautiful parks and open spaces that make Castle Pines special free of trash and other debris. This year’s cleanup day will take place on…
Unfortunately, government imposter scams continue to spread across the country. In these types of scams, criminals impersonate government employees to try to gain personal information or money from the unsuspecting. To raise awareness and help combat these scams, the Social Security Administration and the Office of the Inspector General have designated March 6 as National…
It is often said that a good business idea is one that meets a need or want, or simply being willing to do a job that no one else wants to do. Ally Kelly is banking on all of the above. The Forest Park 16-year-old has a creative spirit and a work ethic that comes…
There are six rural fire protection districts in or near the Pike-San Isabel National Forest (Pike Forest) in Douglas County. Recognizing the need for additional help to manage fires and train responders for medical emergencies and rescue operations, the Board of Douglas County Commissioners awarded $100,000 in federal monies to these fire districts. The federal…
The Sah family is a busy, blended family of five. Living in The Canyons neighborhood, Robyn, Sanjeev “Jeeves,” Rylie (20), Britton (16) and Skylar (10) made their way to Colorado from Louisiana in 2020. Growing up in Nepal, Jeeves still thinks of it as home, even after living a few years in India and in…
Michella Clark, local author, businesswoman and pioneer for Douglas County’s open space preservation, recently published Practical Dreaming, a guide to understanding and interpreting dreams. The book provides a framework that invites dreamers to evaluate their nighttime visions to discover how they might conquer everyday challenges. “I know a lot about dreams because I’ve been…
It is not an overstatement to say that Dave Liniger’s list of life accomplishments is unrivaled. Best known as the founder of real estate giant RE/MAX, the Village at Castle Pines resident’s story plays out like a movie script, an adventure-filled saga that blends billionaire Richard Branson with Forrest Gump. A humble upbringing in Indiana…
Fifteen years ago, The Connection featured a story on nonprofit, A Sanctuary Center, that remarkable built-from-ground-up refuge at the corner of Wolfensberger Road and State Highway 105 in Sedalia. Moved by their compassion, The Village residents Sue and Jack Pfeiffer offered temporary housing for those with troubled hearts and seeking solitude in overcoming losses and…
Griffin Myers, at the ripe age of 21, is the owner of Glenalla Group Corp.—a distribution company with $1.2M in revenue for year-ending 2024 and projected 2025 revenue of $2.5M. The Buffalo Ridge Elementary School, Rocky Heights Middle School and Rock Canyon High School graduate started his online business at age 14 by selling…
The Castle Pines community garage sale is a popular event that residents look forward to every year. While there is no longer a “sponsor” of the event, anyone who is considering hosting a garage sale this summer is encouraged to join with your neighbors and to do it on the weekend of Friday, May 30…
Dr. Devin Godber, a doctor of occupational therapy, knew from an early age that she wanted to work in healthcare. Inspired by medical providers caring for her younger sister Taryn, who was born with a disability, Devin remembers her sister was flown to Children’s Hospital Colorado (CHC) in Denver multiple times. “Being from rural Wyoming…
“As a travel professional, I have always had a deep appreciation for finding the right place to call home—whether it’s a dream destination or a community to plant roots,” stated Lady Lourdes Williams, a jet-setting travel advisor and a resident in Castle Valley. Although a professional travel advisor for just over a year, Lady has…
Stacy Farmer has her dream job; she is the Patient Experience Program Manager at AdventHealth Castle Rock. Her work perfectly pairs with her personal calling to problem solve. The daughter of a pastor, Stacy watched her dad counsel and minister to his parishioners and knew she wanted to do something similar. With an English…
Kristin and Jared King live in the Green Briar neighborhood, have a family and pets. But their story began in Los Angeles… in an elevator. The two were working jobs right out of college: Kristin in advertising for Leo Burnet Company managing Touchstone and Disney accounts and Jared as a production assistant for three…
Soul Dog Rescue (SDR) is a nonprofit that began in 2010 with a mission to alleviate animal suffering and address overpopulation on Native American reservations in the Four Corners region—Colorado, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico. “The organization advocates for ‘responsible rescue’ practices, placing significant emphasis on spay/neuter and vaccination initiatives as proactive measures against…
Our early settlers were tough and resilient. Even so, James Frank Gardner from Attica, New York, stood out. Tired of living with his parents at age 22, Frank came west seeking adventure. First, he found surveyors work near Omaha. Still bored at 26, he joined that hardy wave of men lured by rumors of…
The Rock of Hope Gala, a charity event benefitting cancer care in Castle Rock, was a stunning showing of compassionate, activated and generous guests. The charity event raised nearly $240,000 to support bringing expert cancer care to AdventHealth Castle Rock. The Douglas County Board of Commissioners made a gift commitment of $1M on January 28…
Girl Scout sisters Abigail (16) and Evie (13) Reynolds have achieved their goals of earning two of the highest awards in Girl Scouting. Abigail officially became a Gold Award Girl Scout ina February and Evie earned her Silver Award in October. Abigail addressed the issue of underrepresentation of women in engineering for her Gold Award…
Women’s History Month was first celebrated in March 1987, though it began five years earlier as Women’s History Week by presidential proclamation. Born from the feminist movement and Title IX, the observance honors women and their cultural, societal and historical contributions. This month, look to the example of a few of the amazing women in…
There are an estimated 300 resident bald eagle pairs that live in Colorado year-round, and that number surges to 1,000 pairs in the winter, when some birds migrate from places with less food available in the cold months—November to March. These birds that mate for life are a remarkable comeback story. In the 1700s,…
Kentavious Caldwell Pup or Kacey, a 1-year-old Welsh terrier, tops out at 18 pounds and runs around the Country Club at Castle Pines golf course with his human family, Dennia and Todd Chromzak. Kacey was named after former Denver Nuggets player Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (KCP). The Chromzaks are big fans of the basketball team as well…
Colorado offers many challenges for gardening: high elevation, often intense sunlight, generally low humidity, rapid and extreme weather changes, and frequently poor soil conditions. While Castle Pines sits at an average elevation of 6,352 feet, slightly lower than the state average, it still experiences those same challenges. Varying dates for the last killing frost and…
Crossword brought to you by Allstate Insurance — Tammy Lopez (720) 733-1331 Across 1. Slacks off 6. Throat-clearing sound 10. Chowder morsel 14. Go fish 15. “Later!” 16. Daughter of Zeus and Hera 17. The most loyal, as an ally 19. Pizzeria fixture 20. Warmed the bench 21. It’s spotted in casinos 22. _______…
Dear Mrs. A, Is it appropriate to ask your guests to remove their shoes when entering your home? – Castle Valley Clean Freak Dear Clean Freak, Oh, you’ve asked the hard question, and Mrs. A. will do her best to guide you. Removing shoes can certainly help keep…
Last month the winners of the Cutest Pet in the Pines contest stopped by The Pet Stuff Place in the Village Shops to pick up their prizes. Article and photos by Rachel Poe
In March, I believe that everyone is a little bit Irish. As far as I know, I have no ancestors from the Emerald Isle, but I love corned beef, soda bread and colcannon, and I often make these tasty treats this time of year. Given that potatoes are the mainstay of Irish cuisine, it is…
Krista Simonson started a Facebook group in 2020 inviting 10 friends to share photos of restaurant food, which at that time was all take-out due to the pandemic. The next day, the group had 200 members sharing what restaurants were open for takeout. “We learned quickly that people really wanted this community,” Krista shared. Today,…
Old-fashioned pursuits, such as knitting, baking, gardening, scrapbooking and embroidery have made a comeback as more Millennials and Generation Zs have been putting down their phones in favor of “grandma” hobbies that have been trending on social media. Record players and old-school cameras are examples of how young people are embracing slow living, nostalgia,…
The artichoke can be a daunting vegetable with its prickly appearance, but it is like one of those familiar fairy-tale characters that are a bit frightening on the outside but ultimately contain an extraordinary heart. This odd, spiky gift from nature is the surprising bud of a thistle that bears gorgeous purple-blue blossoms. The leaves,…
Personality tests are an informative and easy way to learn about one’s strengths and tendencies. The information can be enlightening or validating; either way, the results are beneficial for professional and personal relationships, as well as creating deeper self-awareness. Plus, they are just fun to do. If the word “test” has a negative connotation, Psychology…
Connecting one bite at a time Why limit love to one person or one family or a few people? Love is a stepping stone. The path is looking beyond the self to serve others—giving love to others, creating more loving connections with every person we meet. Mary Grothe, founder of Sunday Salmon, believes she is…
The Rock Canyon High School Cheer teams competed in the national competition in Orlando last month. The varsity team took ninth place in Game Day competitions and junior varsity won fourth in the same category. “We are so proud of the Rock Canyon cheer program,” stated head coach Connie Schubring. “Both teams fought hard and…
There are six 80108 student athletes 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. Congratulations college-bound athletes! Rock Canyon High School Valor Christian High School By Hollen Wheeler; courtesy…
The Douglas County School District (DCSD) is celebrating some good news. According to the Colorado Department of Education (CDE), the district graduation rate reached 92.2% for the 2024 graduation year—8% higher than the state average of 84.2%. “We are so excited that our graduation rate in DCSD has increased to 92.2% (from 90.8% in 2023).…
The Douglas County School District Honor Choir is made up of fifth- and sixth-grade students from multiple elementary schools in Douglas County. Nine fifth-grade students from Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) participated in Honor Choir with a total of 115 students this year. After many joint rehearsals, the musicians performed at a festival at Ponderosa High…
Audrey is a 5-year-old girl who loves princesses, the color purple, chocolate cupcakes, popcorn and her family. When dancing and singing to the theme song “Let it Go” from the Disney movie Frozen, Audrey truly shines. Through the efforts of Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado, Audrey’s wish of visiting Disney World and Disney princesses came true…
A former Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) student, poms team member and school newspaper writer, Paige Cassidy is the school’s assistant varsity poms coach. Paige graduated RCHS in 2010 and returned to coach in 2014, following her graduation from CU Boulder. Paige loves being part of her students’ lives, both in and out of the…
Behind every great stage production is a team of passionate and dedicated individuals, and at Rock Canyon High School (RCHS), that team is led by theater teacher Ben Rosen. With a goal of making the program more professional while continuing to build on its already strong foundation, Ben has been working tirelessly with students to…
Jason Gray and his wife Kathryn have two pet goats, along with four chickens and two barn cats, on just shy of one acre of land in downtown Castle Rock, a non-HOA community. Every day the couple spends an hour or so outside with goats Molly and Joe Williams (Joe). “We never saw ourselves…
On January 13, 2025, the Highlands Ranch Senior Center (HRSC) opened its doors for those 55 and older. Located on the south side of Highlands Ranch Parkway and east of Broadway, the 22,000-foot facility is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In 2017, the Highlands Ranch Metro District’s board of directors…
The Douglas County Art Encounters organization is looking for local sculptors with works-in-progress or completed art that is ready to be seen. Founded in 2007, Art Encounters is a year-long, outdoor sculpture exhibit showcasing sculptures, in various media and styles, displayed in highly visible areas in Castle Rock, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Parker and…
Due to renovations, the Douglas County Recording Office has been moved to a temporary location until June. All recording services, including applying for a marriage license, a first-time passport or recording home and property documents, will be provided at the Douglas County Election offices located at 125 Stephanie Place in Castle Rock. The temporary relocation…
The Douglas County School District (DCSD) has created a way for residents age 60+ who live in Douglas County to attend most high school athletic events and fine arts programs for free. The Gold Card is for home events at nine area high schools: Castle View, Chaparral, Douglas County, Highlands Ranch, Legend, Mountain Vista, Ponderosa,…
Due to the continuing increase in population in Douglas County and throughout the Denver metro area, House Bill 20-1026 was passed in 2020 to create a new judicial district: the 23rd Judicial District, which includes Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties. The 23rd district is the first new district in more than 60 years, and it…
George H. Brauchler, the Colorado district attorney (DA) for the new 23rd Judicial District, took office on January 14, 2025. The new 23rd district serves Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties. Brauchler has a 30-year career in law. He served as the elected DA for the 18th Judicial District from 2013-2021 as well as a Deputy…
On Thursday, January 23, Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce members gathered at Cielo at Castle Pines to celebrate the successes of 2024, welcome the 2025 Board of Directors, share exciting plans for the year ahead, and acknowledge six award recipients. Congratulations to all those nominated and to the winners, pictured here (person on the left…
Budding entrepreneurs have a valuable resource providing a hand up in developing a working business model for an inspirational idea. Douglas County Libraries (DCL) can help with business plans, registration and other startup information. DCL also assist with market research and lists, industry trends and operational services. Online Resources for Business: DCL suite of research…
Do you want to be more vested in your community and have a few hours a month to spare? We are looking for creative and motivated writers to join our team at The Castle Pines Connection. To be successful, you must be able to conduct interviews, follow writing guidelines and deadlines, and possess excellent…
Sometimes something good comes from a tragedy and it has a ripple effect beyond what anyone could imagine. The Village at Castle Pines resident Vicki Alfano shared the story of her best friend’s daughter, Morgan, who lost her battle with muscle cancer in 1999. Morgan was a senior in high school. “Through her hospital stay,…
Hidden Pointe residents Cindy and Brad Bryson met in Lakewood at Bear Creek High School and have been together since. “I knew he was the one when I first saw him; he was the new guy in school,” remembered Cindy. The couple even went to senior prom together. “We are proud, life-long Coloradans (and…
In a world where youth face unparalleled pressures, Karson McKinney, a fourth-generation pastor, is on a mission to bring connection, hope and transformation to the next generation. Karson did not always see ministry in his future. “Growing up, I ran from it,” he said. But life often leads us to where we are meant to…
February is heart month, so it is the perfect time to celebrate nonprofit South Denver Heart Center Foundation (SDHCF) and its mission to provide health and cardiac education to medical professionals and community members. South Denver Cardiology Associates (SDCA) has been part of the community for the past 51 years. The state-of-the-art health and…
Congratulations Caley and Zoey. This duo won the hearts of our judges, and have been selected as the Cutest Pet in the Pines for 2025. Caley and Zoey’s family will receive a $100 gift certificate to The Pet Stuff Place, a basket of goodies and bragging rights for the year. Chai and Booker will both…
February 2 is Groundhog Day, but some parts of the western United States prefer to celebrate the groundhog’s more local cousin, the prairie dog, a type of ground squirrel. The official designation of Prairie Dog Day has been championed by various conservation organizations, including WildEarth Guardians and Defenders of Wildlife, to bring attention to…
Hutch Wheeler (17) and Robby Nally (19) hitting the slopes at Keystone. The Hidden Pointe cousins clocked in multiple ski days in January.
Most often when we hear the term love, romantic love immediately comes to mind, especially with Valentine’s Day coming up. Seemingly everyone focuses so much on romance, we tend to overlook that there are other types of love, too. With names derived mostly from ancient Greek, here are different types of love. Agape or universal…
Because of its name, the City of Loveland has come to be associated with Valentine’s Day, and it embraces that connection with its Valentine re-mailing program and Sweetheart Festival. Originally a railroad depot town, the City of Loveland was incorporated in 1881, named after William A. H. Loveland, president of the Colorado Central…
Dear Mrs. A, We had a guest break something in our home during a party we were hosting, and we really didn’t know what to do. Please advise. – Hidden Pointe Hostess Dear Hostess, This is a common conundrum. There are so many wonderful aspects to entertaining and yet there are a few risks…
The “Superman Challenge” is one of the latest trends to go viral on TikTok. The challenge involves two or more people forming two rows, linking arms and throwing another person either straight up and catching them, or backwards so they may land on their feet, making the tossed person appear to be flying for…
For Valentine’s Day, people often think of roses as the flowers to give to show love. But roses are not the only flowers that can express love and affection. In the 1800s, a bouquet might contain a variety of flowers, with each one conveying a specific meaning, expressing feelings and passing messages. Learning the special…
To honor George Washington’s birthday, Presidents Day was declared a federal holiday 145 years ago. Originally celebrated on February 22, which is Washington’s birthday according to the Gregorian calendar (see pullout box below), the holiday was changed to the third Monday in February due to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968, which gave…
Author, speaker and podcaster, Jamie Klusacek, recently published her third book, Confident Woman. When Jamie, a Green Briar resident, turned 40 a few years ago, she felt inspired by her Christian faith to share her life, mission and legacy through books, especially as a gift for her four children and future grandchildren. Confident Woman…
Find the listed words in the puzzle and circle them. Words can run horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, and forward or backward. This puzzle sponsored by Douglas County Libraries. AUTHOR BRIDGES CLIMBING COLORADANS CUTEST ENTERTAINING FAREWELL GOATS GOLD CARD HEART HUGS JOURNEY KIWIS LOVE PRAIRIE DOGS PRESIDENTIAL RACING RESOURCES RESTAURANT RISKS ROSES SCULPTORS SENIOR CENTER SNACKS…
Windmills played important roles on our county’s often-parched ranchlands. Simple and necessary, some also see them as works of art, even symbols. In 2021, the Highlands Ranch Historical Society published an informative piece on those remaining windmills that we could claim as our own. Shirley Cavenaugh, the author, gave them new life and prominence.…