The Connection

Photo of American Academy Charter School taken from Elk Rdge Park. Article by Kathy Dunker The Board of Directors and the Administration of American Academy (AA), looking at its long-term vision, are exploring the feasibility of opening a second campus in Douglas County in 2013-2014. Once determining whether or not a second campus is feasible,…

Electronics Drop Off for Earth Day 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Douglas Elbert Realtor Association 840 Kinner Street, Castle Rock The Douglas Elbert REALTOR Association (DERA) will be hosting an electronics drop off event along with Luminous Recycling to celebrate 2012 Earth Day. Items at no charge are: CPU’s, Hard Drives, Laptops, Modems, PDA’s, Servers,…

Left to right: Marc Towne (CP Council, Ward 3), Carla Kenny, Mayor Jeffrey Huff, Congressman Corey Gardner, Glenn Hagen (CP Chamber Board Chairman), Sharon Kollmar. The Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce invited Castle Pines’ new congressman, Corey Gardner to breakfast at the new Mama Lisa’s Little Italy. “It was fun to meet him and introduce…

Article by Amy Shanahan; photo courtesy of DCSD Scott Melanson, the lead Technology teacher at Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) was awarded the inaugural World Class Educator Award at the Apple Awards celebration for the Douglas County School District (DCSD). This is a new award, which will continue to honor educators who promote 21st Century…

By Elean Gersack Spring is here and it is time to get screened and take charge of your health. Sky Ridge Medical Center will once again play host to the annual 9Health Fair on Saturday, April 28, from 7 a.m. to noon. The 9Health Fair has become a community staple in promoting and encouraging health…

An open house attendee visits with George Tsiouvaras, principal with the Town’s contract engineering firm Tsiouvaras Simmons Holderness. By Elizabeth Wood West with photo by Kristin Accola, Town of Castle Rock An estimated 50 to 60 people attended a recent open house hosted by the Town of Castle Rock regarding the North Meadows Extension (NME)…

State Representative Holbert Colorado House District 44 Contributed by Representative Holbert Governor Hickenlooper signed House Bill 12-1029, “Save Colorado Jobs Act,” into law on Saturday, March 24. The new law allows local jurisdictions in Colorado to waive up to 100 percent of locally assessed business personal property tax. This is the first tax relief measure…

Castle Rock Bridge plays an American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) sanctioned duplicate game every Monday and Tuesday at 1 p.m. Preceding the Monday game, there is a one hour lesson beginning at 11:45 a.m., and an extended lesson beginning at 10:00 a.m. on the fourth Monday of every month. The Monday game is an open…

Team “Bumple Bees” featuring residents of Castle Pines and Sapphire Point, as well as students who attend DCS Montessori and American Academy. Back row: Jesse M, Rebecca P, Claire O, Jasmine F (lives in Sapphire Pointe), Krystal M (lives in BriarCliff, goes to DCS Montessori).  Front row: Brynnley B (lives in Sapphire Pointe), Abigayle E,…

Minors’ passports are valid for three years. Some countries do not admit travelers unless their passport is still valid for six more months. Pick up and drop off applications at the Castle Rock Clerk & Recorder’s Office: 301 Wilcox Street Castle Rock, CO 80104 Download forms at:www.douglas.co.us/clerk/index.html

By Patte Smith Spring is here and summer is just around the corner. Get ready for some fun outdoor events that will be happening around the community. The Starlight Summer Movies series is held in Festival Park, 300 Second Street in Castle Rock. First, on the big screen is “Dolphin Tale,” to be shown on…

Third graders from Mrs. Brester’s class display custom made windmills for their “wind power” Mission Green Science Fair project. By Ciara J., BRE Ridgeline Staff Reporter Have you heard about Mission Green? Well, if you haven’t, it is Buffalo Ridge Elementary’s (BRE) first-ever science fair! All students at BRE will get to participate. Kindergarten through…

Neptune, pictured above with her Haitian husband, Frentz Neptune and some of the Haitian children they have provided with aid. Article by Kathy Dunker with photo courtesy of HFAP The service club students of America Academy (AA) had a unique experience at their January meeting. After school, their teachers made a special Skype call to…

By Liz Jurkowski The International Baccalaureate (IB) program offered by Douglas County School District is becoming a popular choice for college-bound students. Upon graduation, some IB diploma students begin university as a second-year student, or at least find themselves skipping the general education requirements freshman year. The IB program was developed in 1969 for European…

Jackie Weimer, a race horse trainer with 30 percent lung capacity, was helped by Goodwill Denver to get new equipment for her ranch. She can now train her horses safely and without pain. Article by Kathy Dunker with photo courtesy of Goodwill Industries and Make-A-Wish Foundation Gear up and make your mark for the 10th…

By Lisa Crockett I love to cook – I think it’s really magical to come home from the supermarket with a bag full of raw materials and then end up with something delicious – a chocolate cake, say, or chicken enchiladas. But I haven’t always been so enchanted with the culinary arts. I am a…

Pictured left: Amy Tempel (left) and Kristin WardBrown (right) are finalists for the Douglas County Educational Foundation Apple Award. By Lisa Crockett The Douglas County Educational Foundation will present its Apple Awards on March 17 at an event designed to honor the finest educators in the county, while also raising money to support school programs.…

Castle Pines Athletics teammates Michael A. (left) and Anders P. (right) take a break during a basketball game for a quick photo. The “Blue Sharks,” a team of pre-kindergartners and kindergarteners finished its season on February 25. Submitted by Lane Roberts, Castle Pines Athletics with photos provided by Mark Poschl For the second consecutive year,…

Current Douglas County Board of County Commissioners Left to right: Jack Hilbert, Jill Repella, and Steve Boand By Chris Bonham with photo provided by Douglas County The 2012 elections are right around the corner, and there are – and will be – many politicians vying for the attention of voters as November draws closer. Presidents,…

These polished Club Cotillion students get acquainted and share a smile while taking a break for punch. By Elean Gersack with photo courtesy of JDW Cotillions Come April, girls dressed in party dresses and boys dressed in sports coats and ties will expand their social skills while dancing to current musical favorites like Taylor Swift,…

By Elean Gersack with photo courtesy of the Van Vechten family In his second year as a Cub Scout, local third-grader Jacob Van Vechten came out on top of his pack at this year’s Pinewood Derby (Derby) held on January 12. With a scale speed of 133 mph, Van Vechten was all grins on race…

Cub Scouts (from right to left) Kyle Dawson, Karsten Fisch, Cai Robinson and Rhett Jurkowski. Article and photos by Liz Jurkowski Boy Scout Pack 856 gathered on February 8 for an evening of celebration and entertainment. February marked the 102nd birthday for the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and all packs around the country held…

Lacee Tasker at Castle Pines Jewelers is interested in buying gold, silver, and platinum items like these pictured above. Stop in for a complimentary consultation to see what your items are worth. Article and photo by Amy Shanahan Do you have single gold or silver earrings with no match? Gold chains tangled, taking up space…

By Elizabeth Wood West More than two years have passed since Castle Pines Village residents organized a petition drive and began working with Douglas County officials in an effort to eliminate, or at least mitigate, train whistle noise along the Santa Fe Drive corridor. Douglas County responded to residents’ concerns and initiated the lengthy and…

By Elizabeth Wood West with photo provided by Craig Williams II Western New York native and Castle Pines resident Craig Williams II is working to make his future and that of others a better place. Williams is the founder of Infinite Future, a company that specializes in environmental consulting services for businesses and residences. Williams’…

Sedalia resident, Orca, enjoys a leisurely swim at the facility’s new current pool. Article and photos by Kathy Dunker The Animal Care Center of Castle Pines recently made a large expansion to its facility as well as its services. In addition to offering full veterinary services, it now also offers a state of the art…

“It wasn’t until I started writing that I found a passion,” remarked Stacie Chadwick, a local writer and blogger. Chadwick decided to embark on the arduous process of writing a novel about a year ago, soon after she turned 40. “With the ankle-biters in school, I had way too much time on my hands,” she…

By Tricia Wackerly It was during a women’s retreat in 2005 that Castle Pines resident Tammy Abramovitz was introduced to Warren Village (WV). The Denver non-profit helps low-income, previously homeless single parent families move from public assistance to personal and economic self-sufficiency. They accomplish this through subsidized housing, on-site nationally accredited child care, intensive case…

Councilmember Tera Radloff (second from left) casts the final vote for the unanimous withdrawl of the city’s dissolution By Elizabeth Wood West with photo by Tim Gamble Two years ago this February, the City of Castle Pines filed a petition with Douglas County District Court asking that the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District (CPNMD) be…

The snow, cold, and lack of parking did not keep people away from BRE. CNN reporter Jim Spellman was on site throughout the evening with venue manager Keri Brehm. By Amy Shanahan Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) was host to the recent Republican caucus, which set new attendance records for local precincts, as well as attracted…

Article and photos by Kathy Dunker What are teens doing these days to add a bright strip of color to their hair in just 15 minutes that costs under a dollar to do and lasts for several weeks? We’re not talking about salon work here, but rather the latest teen craze of Kool-Aid hair dying.…

By Elizabeth Wood West The Town of Castle Rock lies within an area of Douglas County that is surrounded by distinct mesas and ridgelines. To protect these unique geographic areas from being obscured and visually blighted from development, the Town of Castle Rock adopted its “Skyline/Ridgeline Protection Regulations” in 1999. The Town’s Planning Commission recently…

By Karissa Kelly, intern writer, Castle View High School I was recently engaged in a discussion among high school students about the advancement of society and it struck a chord with me. People were excitedly shouting out reasons why our society “advances” as time goes on. “We are always coming up with new ideas, inventions…

Timber Trail fifth grader Jaxson Bell spends the day as a physician at Young AmeriTown, a Denver educational program aimed at giving students a taste of real-world money management and working skills. By Lisa Crockett The “real” world of work, paychecks and paying the bills is still a ways off for the ten and eleven…

Article by Kathy Dunker with photos courtesy of RCHS families Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) held its annual Winter Formal on Saturday, January 28. The event took place in the RCHS commons area and kept the kids on their toes for the evening. RCHS students were found dining all around the Park Meadows area that…

By Birgit Moran Every March for the past twelve years, the Women’s Crisis and Family Outreach Center conducts an evening of food, music, silent auction and ticket holders’ choice of hundreds of artisan made pottery bowls to raise money in support of its many programs and shelter. The event originated from the idea that “an…

By Lisa Crockett At a public hearing held in late February, the City of Castle Pines Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended that the Castle Pines City Council approve a proposal from A&A Investments, LLC to initially zone the parcel of land formerly known as “Lagae South” and now called “Castle Pines Town Center.” The…

Sharon Henning (left) and Amy Tempel (right) are proud of their library and media center, and enjoy having a positive impact on the students at RHMS. Article and photo by Amy Shanahan The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) recently selected Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) as a recipient of the Highly Effective School Library Program.…

The fourth and fifth grade students at Buffalo Ridge Elementary enjoyed the musical performances. One fifth grade student remarked, “I can’t wait for middle school!” Article and photo by Amy Shanahan The Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) band and orchestra went on tour in February, and played gigs at Buffalo Ridge, Timber Trail and Redstone…

Baskets are just one of the items needed to fulfill the needs of the “Easter Giving Project.” Consider donating to this wonderful cause – donations are due by March 30. By Amy Shanahan with photo courtesy of Stacy Gaines When Castle Pines Village resident Stacy Gaines moved to Colorado five years ago, she recognized an…

Jordan Koslosky, RCHS senior, reaches out to disrupt the shot of Heritage basketball player, as RCHS successfully avenged its early season loss to the Eagles by winning on the road 78-61. RCHS sophomore, Lexy Thorderson, d’s – up the oncoming Regis point guard as the Jaguars took on the Red Raiders midway through their season,…

Dave Bauer after a training exercise. Bauer graduated from the SMFRA Academy in the spring of 2011. Information submitted by SMFRA South Metro Fire Rescue Authority (SMFRA) is accepting applications for its citizen academy. The academy will run from April 11 through May 30 on Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The application…

By Lisa Crockett The Giving Tree: Douglas County United Against Hunger is gearing up for its fourth annual food drive on April 14 at King Soopers. The event to support the Food Bank at the Douglas/Elbert Task Force will run from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. in Castle Pines. Alumni of Leadership Douglas County in…

Article by Kathy Dunker; photos from the CCS website Are you an animal person? More specifically, are you a cat person? There are many lovable kitties who are sadly homeless, just waiting for a new family to come along and call them their own. Cat Care Society (CCS) in Lakewood is one such shelter, and…

“Skellig Monks,” sculpture also known as the St. Brendan’s Voyage, located east of the town of Caherciveen, County Kerry, Ireland. By Patte O’Smith Sure tis true that a monk, St. Brendan, and a seafaring Irishman from County Kerry set out in the sixth century with some fellow monks on a seven-year voyage to find the…

Brand, pictured with her daughter Skylar and her cousin Myrna in September 2011. Myrna passed away from bone cancer in November of 2011 at the age of 25. The Brand family: Mira, Cortney, Skylar, Dylan, and Carter. Article by Kathy Dunker with photos courtesy of the Brand family HOA 1 resident Mira Brand gave up…

By Patte Smith Now you can keep your hair out of your eyes and out of the bathroom sink. And, no more washing, cutting, curling, straightening or dying that scraggly mane. Bald is beautiful, so go for it at the sixth annual St. Baldrick’s event, sponsored by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. Help children fighting…

By Patte Smith with graphic by Tim Gamble March and April usually bring more snow for the Douglas County area and people start to get antsy and get spring fever. This is also the time when many individuals start thinking about squeezing into last years swim suit, getting in shape to go hiking, or gathering…

By Elean Gersack Enjoy a celebration of culinary creations throughout the metro Denver area during the annual Denver Restaurant Week. More than 350 participating restaurants will offer a multi-course dinner for the fixed price of $52.80 for two, or $26.40 for one. Several nearby restaurants are participating, including: Castle Pines: La Dolce Vita; Castle Rock:…

By Patte Smith Many local, state and national artists have felt the downturn of the economy, as well as other Americans. In the Castle Pines community, no one knows this better than Bill Sarge, owner of Cenacle Consultants. Sarge is a liturgical consultant whose projects mostly deal with Christian churches, schools and hospitals, although he…

By Lisa Crockett Third grader Tessa Green deposits a donation at the Timber Trail Elementary “Super Bowl of Caring” drive, held nationwide during Super Bowl weekend. In all, students collected 862 pounds of food, more than doubling the amount they collected last year. Donations were given to the Douglas County Food Bank

By Lisa Crocket New Year’s resolutions. By March, they’re usually a distant memory, long since replaced by old habits and crowded out by everyday life. But a small group of patrons at a Castle Rock gym capitalized on the New Year ‘s momentum to improve their health and fitness with some impressive results. The Challenge…

U.S. Representative Cory Gardner resides in Yuma, Colorado with his wife and two children. He is up for re-election this November as District 4 Representative, serving much of Douglas County and, more specifically, now Castle Pines. By Chris Bonham with photo courtesy of Congressman Gardner’s website In December of 2011, the Colorado Supreme Court ended…

Submitted by Lane Roberts, Castle Pines Athletics Each year, more than 20 million children register to play youth sports in this country. According to the National Alliance of Sports, 70 percent of these children quit playing league sports by age 13. They never play again. With figures like these, it is time to look at…

    Scot Woolley, CEO and Founder of CarePilot By Amy Shanahan, photo courtesy of Scot Woolley Castle Pines resident Scot Woolley recognized a problem in the healthcare system and decided to fix it himself. CarePilot, based in the Denver Tech Center, is an internet-based company which provides an online marketplace for healthcare services, and allows…

Danielle von Lembke with her father, Marine Colonel (R), Ron von Lembke near the “Candy Castle,” one of the many Candy Land themed areas of Timber Trail Elementary’s annual father-daughter dance. By Lisa Crockett This year’s annual winter father-daughter dance at Timber Trail Elementary was, in a word, sweet. More than 400 people attended the…

Top left section RCHS honorees – Top Row, left to right: Allie Johnston, Meredith Micho, Taylor Phelps. Bottom Row: Taylor (left)Staab and Chloe Thorderson (right). These athletes represent the best of the best from their respective schools      Top right section RHMS honorees – Back row: Rachel Powner, Sarah Burke, Avery Lemler, and Ellie…

By Amy Shanahan As evidenced by the Republican debates and the campaigning by both political parties, the national elections are quickly approaching. At a local level, both the Republican and Democratic caucuses will take place during the next few weeks. It is important to note that due to census information, redistricting, and reapportionment, the Douglas…

TTE Spelling Bee winner, Max Graef (right) and first runner-up Grace Regnier (left). Article and photo by Lisa Crockett “Wasabi” isn’t the only thing that’s hot at Timber Trail Elementary (TTE). After hours of practice and preparation, fifth grader Max Graef spelled the word (a spicy-hot root used as a condiment with Japanese food), blazing…

Host, Sam Adams and Lorrie Jingle Bell have some fun with the kids as they get up on stage for the Who’s Got Talent portion of the show on December 23. Article and photos by Kathy Dunker Looking for a reason to get off the couch and have some good old fashioned family fun? Comedy…

Cameron McCrillis, pictured with ‘Head Bee’, Felicia Phelan, won the BRE Spelling Bee on Thursday, January 19, by spelling the word “fluoride” correctly in the championship round. By. Lily T., BRE Ridgeline Staff Reporter Over the last few weeks there was a buzz in the air around Buffalo Ridge Elementary School. Everyone was wondering who…

The LiveStrong cycling studio is just one of the new exercise studios at Village Fitness. Spin classes are one of the most popular classes offered. Article and photos by Amy Shanahan It’s time to take a new look at Village Fitness. Whether you are new to the area, thinking about starting an exercise program, or…

By Chris Bonham Perhaps William Shakespeare said it best when he wrote, “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts …” This is just one of the many truths that Colorado non-profit organization, Inspire…

Knuckles and Bones was a gambling game the fourth grade students learned to play at AA as they completed their unit on the Middle Ages. Article submitted by Tami Bostick with photos courtesy of American Academy American Academy (AA) fourth grade students and their teachers, Tami Bostick, Mandy Smith, Katie Bland, and Angela Martinez, celebrated…

  Information provided by Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Xcel Energy wishes to alert its customers to an illegal customer contact effort that may target senior citizens in Colorado, particularly in the Denver metro area. As part of the scam, a phony customer service agent may contact an Xcel Energy customer to explain that his or…

By Elean Gersack On Friday, March 16, Buffalo Ridge Elementary will host an anniversary gala to commemorate fifteen years. The adult-only celebration and silent auction will take place at Sanctuary Golf Club. “The 15th Anniversary is a true milestone for our community.  The first kindergarten students at Buffalo Ridge Elementary are now in their 20’s…

Brown gets down to business as Editor-in-Chief from her home office in Castle Pines (photo by Trish Eberlein) By Kathy Dunker with photos courtesy of Chris Brown Chris Brown, resident of Esperanza, loves to quilt. Depending on the intricacy, completing a quilt can take her anywhere from two months to a year. Brown has made…

By Lisa Crockett The Douglas County Educational Foundation (DCEF) is hosting the Seventh Annual Apple Awards in March. The pool of teacher representatives who are eligible for the awards – which honor excellence in teaching – comes from nominations by parents, students, school faculty and staff. This year, DCEF received roughly 5,300 nominations. Each school…