The Connection

Eagle Scout candidate Emerson Steinberg during renovation and reorganization of Douglas County High School’s theater. Article and photos by Elizabeth Wood West Eagle Scout candidate Emerson Steinberg, 18, has been very involved in the theater program at Douglas County High School (DCHS) since the ninth grade. Steinberg recently found a way to give back to…

If you’re looking for a great pet bakery fairly close in proximity to Castle Pines consider the For Paws Bakery and Pet Spa, located at 19565 E. Main Street in Parker. There is a vast array of treats, named after the owner’s pets such as Maggie’s gourmet cookies or Mia’s munchies. The canine confections use…

by Elean Gersack Planning a team practice or party during the next few months? There are currently three parks in Castle Pines North (CPN) available by reservation: Coyote Ridge Park, Daniel’s Gate Park and The Retreat Park. Soccer fields are available at all three parks and baseball fields are available at Coyote Ridge Park and…

Former Master association president Jim Steavpack discussing policy at the annual meeting held in November. Article by Kathy Dunker and photos by Tim Gamble At the November 19 Master Association annual meeting, Jack Zelkin and Larry Cook were elected to the Board of Directors. The Board also thanked Rex Lucas and Shelley Hamilton-Bruer for their…

Information provided by Douglas County Centennial Airport recently completed a Part 150 Study, which included 12 recommendations for noise mitigation. One of the recommendations was the formation of a community roundtable to address the noise impact of Centennial Airport traffic on communities surrounding the airport. The roundtable has the charge to discover possible noise mitigation…

Article by Anthonette Klinkerman and photo provided by Serena resident Tyson Jones Where the buffalo – no, make that elk – roam… If there is one thing Castle Pines North (CPN) does not have a shortage of, it is wildlife. From deer to red fox, wild birds, the occasional mountain lion and coyotes, CPN residents…

The Ridgeline staff, composed of fourth and fifth grade students, meets every Wednesday after school. Article and photos by Carin R. Kirkegaard With the start of the new school year at Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE), 37 fourth and fifth graders grabbed their press passes, cameras, notebooks and pencils to start reporting the news as it…

Information provided by Douglas County Partners Impact two lives. Be a mentor. There are boys in Douglas County who need, and want, an adult male to be their mentor. Recruiting men to be volunteer mentors is an ongoing challenge, so Douglas County Partners is asking YOU to step up and change a child’s future. Only…

Pictured left to right: City Council member Kim Hoffman, Einar Jensen (SMFR), Don Van Putten (Pine Ridge HOA), SMFRA Chief Mike Dell’Orfano, and SMFR Captain Ted Christopoulos recognize Pines Ridge as a Firewise community and present the City’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan to CPN residents. by Terri Wiebold A Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is…

Students at BRE practice for the upcoming Winter Concert being held at Wildcat Elementary on January 14   Rock Canyon’s Elementary Instrumental Music Program holds winter concert The Rock Canyon Elementary Instrumental Music (RCEIM) program will hold a winter concert on January 14 at Wildcat Mountain Elementary School, located at 6585 Lionshead Parkway in Littleton.…

Pictured left to right: David Bowman – director of the childcare program at BRE, Ally Berggren – principal and Russ Jenson – assistant principal dressed in chicken suits and danced “The Chicken Dance” at an assembly held in the BRE gymnasium. The assembly was the reward for BRE students reading more than 7,500 hours during…

This information has been provided the Castle Pines North Metro District. One of the most common and costly wastes of money is a leaky toilet. A toilet may leak a gallon of water per minute and over a one week period that can add up to a loss of 10,080 gallons of water. Often the…

Artist’s rendering of Castle Pines Academy, a day care facility slated to open in February in the Walgreen’s Shopping Center in CPN. Article by Lisa Crockett Conceptual rendering provided by Studio DH Architecture A new childcare center and preschool will soon be open in Castle Pines North (CPN) in the Walgreen’s Shopping Center on Castle…

Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden Public Information Officer Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Douglas County Sheriff to Break Ground on New Substation in Highlands Ranch Douglas County Sheriff David A. Weaver is very excited to break ground on the new Sheriff’s Office Substation, which will bring many government services to the citizens of Highlands Ranch. The…

Middle School students performing the classic “A Chorus Line.” Article and photos by Kathy Dunker American Academy students dazzled audiences in December with their delightful Broadway Revue: Let’s Make a Scene! Performed in the school gym and led by kindergarten through fifth grade music teacher Mark Middlebrooks and middle school music teacher Reece Livingstone, it…

Home builder Woody Howarth (left) stands with homeowners Jean and Nick Domico in their new, custom designed kitchen. Home in Castle Pines Village experiences “extreme makeover” Local builder quickly rebuilds a home lost to fire By Scott Lasher There wasn’t a huge bus. There was no Ty Pennington. There was no trip to Disneyworld while…

Students warm up with a “G” Scale at orchestra practice at Timber Trail Elementary. Rock Canyon Elementary Instrumental Music program offers before and after music instruction in local schools Article and photos by Carin R. Kirkegaard Budding cellists, drummers, clarinetists, and horn players from Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) and Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) have been…

by Scott Lasher In the movie “The Perfect Storm” starring George Clooney, the perfect storm that the movie references is capped by an unbelievable tidal wave that crashes down over the ship Clooney pilots. For the Rock Canyon Girls Swim Team last year, their opponents were the ship and they were the tidal wave in…

Article by Carin R. Kirkegaard, photos provided by Steve & Jody Robinson A group of families from Castle Pines North (CPN), two CPN Girl Scout troops, a CPN Brownie troop, as well as a group of families from Founders Village in Castle Rock formed “Operation Bright Star” to help gather food and create a Thanksgiving…

Home builder Woody Howarth (left) stands with homeowners Jean and Nick Domico in their new, custom designed kitchen. By Scott Lasher There wasn’t a huge bus. There was no Ty Pennington. There was no trip to Disneyworld while they waited for their home to be rebuilt. Nonetheless, an extreme makeover of sorts took place in…

Head of School Jeromy Johnson showed his school spirit with students by dressing as a clown after the students broke school records for book sales at the annual book fair. Article and photo by Tracy Dudley Although DCS Montessori has never sold more than $10,000 at its annual book fair, this year administration set a…

Don’t delay … now is the perfect time to register for spring sports and activities. Here is a quick reference guide to some of the most popular leagues and recreational activities around. Castle Pines Athletics Castle Pines Athletics is dedicated to Castle Pines North (CPN) youth. Practices and games are all played in CPN. Register…

by Lisa Crockett Gone are the days of chalk and erasers – or even markers and sponges. In a development that mirrors most other areas of daily life, students at Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) now spend their time in classrooms with chalkboards that are “smart.” These so-called “SMARTboards” are interactive whiteboards that allow teachers to…

by Joe Gschwendtner Fire up your snail mail. Anyone can twitter, text, and telephone; it’s cheap and spontaneous. But what about a letter?  With stationery? Here’s an art form that stokes its own anticipation and adventure, making sentiments soar. When’s the last time you made the time to write something special? Let’s start with the…

Information provided by Douglas County Sheriff’s Office New law prohibits use of cell phones while driving House Bill 1094, which goes into effect December 1, 2009. prohibits drivers under the age of eighteen years from using wireless telephone for talking, listening, or texting while driving a motor vehicle. The new law also prohibits drivers eighteen…

Submitted by Officer Joe Stafford, Douglas County Animal Services Field Services Mgr. & Officer Lisa Massie Animal Services, Field Services Supervisor As winter rolls in, Douglas County Animal Services asks that you pause to consider the seasonal needs of your pets. The most important winter safety tip to remember is to not leave your pets…

In Castle Pines, there is a simple way to get into the holiday spirit and give back to the community, it’s called contributing to our Mitten Tree The Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce invites members of the neighborhood to assist them in decorating the Mitten Tree by donating warm fuzzy mittens, gloves, hats, scarves or…

by Anthonette Klinkerman The weather outside was indeed scary, arriving just in time for the annual Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce Trick-or-Treat Street event. A two-day snowstorm that buried the town delayed the event scheduled for Wednesday, October 28, but organizers were quick to reschedule for the morning of Halloween. Parents of the tiniest costumed…

Information provided by Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Douglas County Sheriff David A. Weaver would like to remind citizens of some basic safety tips that will help make the holiday season a safer one. Many criminals target busy shoppers for purse snatching and other forms of robbery. They tend to hang out at malls and other…

by Scott Lasher Everyone who has ever swung a golf club has known the frustration – some go straight, most don’t. Well, almost everyone has known the frustration. If you play on the Rock Canyon High School Boys Golf team, you might not have this season. All four players on the varsity team qualified for…

by Elizabeth Wood West People in Douglas County and Castle Pines North (CPN) may know Mark Shively because of his extensive water knowledge and experience with the Douglas County Water Resource Authority (past president and current executive director), or because of his community service with the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District (past treasurer and president)…

New leadership for Castle Pines North includes mayor-elect Jeff Huff, seen here being congratulated by friends and family at an after-election party on November 3. Also pictured are city council members, from left to right: Jennifer Havercroft, Shelley Hamilton-Bruer, Kim Hoffman, John Ewing, Darwin Horan, Doug Gilbert, and city treasurer, Mark Shively. Castle Pines North…

Eagle Scout Candidate Lucas West stands with Open Space Specialist Jackie Sanderson next to the new dog agility obstacles at the Glendale Farm Open Space Dog Park. Article and photos by Elizabeth Wood West It is hard to tell who is having the most fun with the new dog agility obstacles – dogs or their…

Pat and Emi Kanan in their gallery. Photograph of Pitigliano, Tuscany to the right Article and photograph by Joe Gschwendtner Meet Castle Pines Village residents Emi and Pat Kanan, acclaimed photographers who capture the beauty of European landscapes through their lenses. Their talent is displayed in living rooms and boardrooms throughout the country. But this…

by Sally Uhrich The Pet Stuff Place, owned by area residents Sharon and Dick Adams moved in November. The store was formerly located in the Safeway Center in Castle Pines North. “We’ve been in business for six years thanks to the patronage of area residents and we look forward to staying in the area to…

Your Christmas tree can serve another useful purpose as mulch for trees and shrubs in your backyard and neighborhood. South Suburban Parks and Recreation will recycle Christmas trees from December 26 through January 10. Residents can dispose of Christmas trees at the Willow Spring Service Center, 7100 South Holly Street, Centennial. Trees will also be…

by Tracy Dudley Brian Givens and his family have lived in Castle Pines North for more than 12 years. However, Givens is not your average CPN resident; he spent 15 years playing professional baseball. Although he grew up in Colorado, Givens was drafted by the New York Mets in 1984, then moved on to pitch…

Congratulations to Donna Nelson (pictured above) for signing up on The Castle Pines Connection e-mail list and winning the drawing for a $50 Vino100 gift card. You could be next – e-mail and request to be added to our distribution list.

Information and photo provided by South Metro Fire Rescue No, let’s not sing Kumbaya around this campfire. This photo is taken of a dried out Christmas tree that went up in flames and literally burned in seconds. Live trees and wreaths, especially in Colorado’s dry climate, need to be well-watered when displayed in homes during…

Rock Canyon High School Cross Country Junior Varsity Boys take 1st place at Arvada West meet. Rock Canyon High School Cross Country Varsity Girls take 1st place at Arvada West meet. Article and photos by Elizabeth Wood West Rock Canyon High School cross country team Head Coach Dan Davies, Assistant Coach Alan Lind, and Co-Head…

This information has been provided by and space paid for by the Castle Pines North Metro District. Renewable water solutions how far we have come and where we have to go As public awareness has increased about declining aquifer levels, residents have adopted water saving methods to reduce the demand for water. While these efforts…

by Carin R. Kirkegaard Each year as summer turns to fall, leaves start dropping from the trees, and sometimes snowflakes even fly, Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) puts out boxes to collect hats and mittens to deliver to Stevens Elementary located in Wheat Ridge. For the past several year’s BRE has conducted both a school supply…

Congratulations to Suzanne Bac (pictured here with her son, Brenden) for signing up on The Castle Pines Connection e-mail list and winning the drawing for a $50 Hapa Sushi gift card. You could be next – e-mail and request to be added to our distribution list.

Front row kneeling (left to right): Lea McCaffrey, Ashley Owens, Maria Pangalos, Lizzie Brankin. Back row standing (left to right): Avery Tisdale, Elizabeth Curtright, Hannah Repka, Megan Baer, Kaity Rimer, Julia Loomis, Megan Criley, Gabrielle Garcia, Rebecca Teeter, Jackie Fisch. Not pictured, Chelsea Gause. Article and photos submitted by Shawn Hulsier In an effort to…

Castle Pines Athletics is currently registering for co-ed spring soccer for ages 4 up to fourth grade through March 1, 2010. The season will run from March 29 until May 15. Cost for the season is $75 for Castle Pines North residents and $95 for non-residents. All practices and games will be held in the…

by Terri Wiebold with contributions from Kent Paul (Kent Paul, fmr. Mr. Colorado – Personal Fitness Trainer – Village Fitness Center – Castle Pines – www.KPaulFit.com) Remember the “Freshman Fifteen”? Did you know that many Americans actually gain in the area of 15 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years alone? Kent Paul, former Mr. Colorado…

Reid Mooney, Lawrance Shook, Ethan Stephens and Oliver Adams (pictured above) help load the van from Freeway Ford with items collected from BRE families. At the end of November, these used household items were shipped to Sierra Leone, West Africa as part of the Kontainers for Kids project. Article and photo by Carin R. Kirkegaard…

by Karin R. Kirkegaard Bella Rock Adventures is currently taking registrations for women’s snowshoeing treks into the mountains. Women’s Snowshoe Hut Trip: February 28 – March 1, 2010 Get away from it all and enjoy an adventure-filled guided snowshoe hut trip to the Shrine Mountain Inn off Vail Pass. Try T’ai Chi at the hut;…

by Anthonette Klinkerman It’s a good thing this isn’t a Scratch-n-Sniff paper. I don’t want to be held responsible for asphyxiating anyone. But how could I possibly write about the holidays without including all the wonderful smells? The real ones, I mean. The air-freshener company interpretation of “pine” doesn’t smell like any naturally occurring tree…

by Paige Newman, Intern Writer, Rock Canyon High School Senior The holidays are supposed to be a time for celebration. A time for family and friends. A time for fun. But for many high school students, the holiday season brings chaos, final exams, and an extra load of work. As the month of December rapidly…

Churches in the Castle Pines community have a lot planned for the upcoming holiday season. Here are some of the highlights (events listed are held at the Church’s regular meeting place, unless otherwise noted): Castle Pines Community Church Meets at Buffalo Ridge Elementary School; www.castlepineschurch.org *Christmas Eve Services: December 24 at 5:30 p.m. Christ the…

Pictured above Avalon Kirby (left) and Alexandra Gray (right) will be “Ballerina Dolls” in this year’s production of “The Nutcracker”. Article and photos by Carin R. Kirkegaard This December, eight-year-old girls, Alexandra Gray and Jessica Kirby will be performing in the International Youth Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker”. The girls began their dancing career at…

Veteran Firefighter, Chris Jenkins, South Metro Fire Rescue Authority. Submitted by Andy Lyon Dedication to Duty Firefighter and Staff Person of the Year Awards Recognized A veteran firefighter, engineer and emergency diver has been chosen as the 2009 Firefighter of the Year at the South Metro Fire Rescue Authority. Chris Jenkins, who has been with…

by Anthonette Klinkerman Practical gifts are the hot item this year, and the Castle Pines community has every shopper covered. From pet services to fine dining, the merchants of Castle Pines North and Castle Pines Village have gifts cards and certificates ready to treat everyone on your list. Best of all, shoppers can give a…

Nanette and Danny Park own MiYO – a restaurant in the Village at Castle Pines Shopping Center that specializes in fresh, made-to-order breakfast and lunch offerings. Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Breakfast means different things to different people. For some, it’s quick, hot, served in a cup and gulped on the way to work.…

Information provided by Douglas County No-cost homebuyer education, foreclosure mediation, as well as reverse mortgage counseling services for seniors aged 62 and older are now available to residents of Douglas County and the Castle Pines community thanks to a $32,236 grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. For more information please contact…

Holiday cookies are among many time honored, family traditions. Favorites include cherry winks, spritz, divinity, snicker doodles, and toffee bars. However, the all-time favorite holiday cookie is considered to be the cut-out cookie. Fond memories come to mind of baking and decorating these delectable treats, with mom or grandma in a kitchen filled with the…

by Anthonettte Klinkerman with photo by Tim Gamble Waiting is hard. Most people consider the time it takes to microwave a bag of popcorn to be an eternity, but what if you were waiting for a kidney transplant? Galen Crowder (pictured right with his wife Angie) had his patience pay off in a big way…

by Sally Uhrich For parents of children with special needs, planning for the future can be quite the dilemma. Such is the case for village resident, Mary Lou Fenton, who has a special needs daughter, Emily. In an effort to plan for her daughter’s future, Fenton organized a group of parents to create a work…

by Lisa Crockett In October, the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners approved a construction contract with Hudick Excavating, Inc., for the eastern phase of the extension of Hess Road, which is now underway. The extension will serve as an east-west connection between Castle Pines North (CPN) and Parker. Currently, Hess Road terminates at Chambers…

Information provided by the City of Castle Pines North The Castle Pines North City Council accepted an annexation petition from A and A investments for annexation of land known as Lagae South and determined that it adequately complied with statutory requirements for an annexation process to proceed. Determining that the petition complies with applicable statutory…

Information submitted by Kathy Curtis, Taylor Morrison Homes Taylor Morrison has signed a contract to build approximately 230 single-family homes within the master planned community of Lagae Ranch in the city of Castle Pines North. Darwin Horan, with Ventana Capital, and Chris Fellows, with The Fellows Companies, representing the seller, R.I. Management of Tulsa, said…

by Scott Lasher Sweet silver bells will soon be ringing, which can only mean two things – the holiday season is upon us, and so is the winter sports season at Rock Canyon High School. Here is a preview of the upcoming season for a few winter sports: Boy’s basketball After winning the first playoff…

by Terri Wiebold Castle Pines North doubles in size; Council votes to annex More than 300 residents and neighbors attended the City of Castle Pines North (CPN) public hearing in October at the DCS Montessori School in CPN. After nearly six hours of presentations from city staff, the developer, and public comment, City Council voted…

Dr. Lisa Fox (second from right) and her staff sit atop piles and piles of candy collected in Zip Lock bags during Halloween Candy Buy Back to support Fort Carson troops. by Elean Gersack Halloween and candy have always gone hand in hand. But, just how much candy do kids really need? In this day…

Several Oak Hills board members (left to right) Sandy Stolar, Joe Dwoskin, Marty Cohen, and Dennis Valentine discuss HOA business. by Terri Wiebold with contributions by Dennis Valentine Oak Hills is located in unincorporated Douglas County, just north of Castle Pines Parkway, adjacent to I-25. The original subdivision filing was done in 1979, and the…