Read the stories from the latest issue:
CPN’s Election Commissioners celebrate at their final meeting. Left to right: Sue Zloth, Jeff Huff, Keri Brehm, Mayor Maureen Shul, Earl Millspaugh, Galen Crowder, Eva Mitchell, Attorney Charles Norton, and Dick Lichtenheld. (photo by Terri Wiebold) by Terri Wiebold The seven-member Election Commission, charged with the responsibility of overseeing and planning the elections pertaining to…
Jason Carroll (right) and Dawn Jones (rear) from Clifton Gunderson address the CPN Metro District board in February to discuss financing options for renewable water. (photo by Terri Wiebold) by Terri Wiebold For the past several years, the Castle Pines North Metro District has been working toward the development and purchase of a renewable water…
The Connection presented all candidates running for the South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) Board of Directors with the following question. Candidates were allowed to provide an answer in 100 words or less. The responses received are provided below. QUESTION: Now that Castle Pines North is a new city, we are very concerned about SMFR in…
The first elected representatives of the City of Castle Pines North were sworn in at a ceremony on March 10. Top row from the left: Treasurer Doug Gilbert, Ron Clark, City Council Ward 3, Kim Hoffman, City Council Ward 2, Jennifer Havercroft, City Council Ward 1, Mayor Maureen Shul. Seated from the left: Chip Coppola,…
by Lisa Crockett After a disappointing loss last November, Douglas County Library District Director Jamie LaRue is seeking another bite at the apple. LaRue met with interested community volunteers at a meeting in February to explore ways Castle Pines North (CPN) residents could aid in a second effort to bring a library to CPN. Polling…
by Lisa Crockett Are your closets and basement full of treasures you no longer have use for? Then roll up your sleeves, grab some sunscreen and a water bottle and get ready for this year’s community garage sale. The sale is set for May 16 and 17, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. both days.…
by Rock Canyon High School and Anthonette Klinkerman Rock Canyon High School is inviting the community to Community Awareness Night on Tuesday, April 8 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the school auditorium. This informative evening will center on the topic, “How to identify drug and alcohol abuse,” and is aimed at alerting parents…
Xcel Meeting Planned The CPN Master Association has invited Xcel Energy to a second community meeting to discuss plans related to the installation of future poles near Coyote Ridge Park and Daniel’s Gate. As of press time, the meeting was planned for Thursday, April 10, at 7 p.m. at the CPN Community Center, 7404 Yorkshire…
by Terri Wiebold News of a potential merger between South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) and Parker Fire District (PFD) may cause additional delays for plans to build a new fire station in the Castle Pines North (CPN) community. The possibility of a merger between the two Districts opens new options for CPN. “One possible scenario…
Centennial Airport Manager of Planning and Development Michael Fronapfel explains the Centennial Airport influence area map at a Castle Pines North Master Association sponsored community meeting. (photo by Terri Wiebold) by Terri Wiebold Residents from Castle Pines North (CPN) and surrounding communities gathered at the CPN Community Center on March 28 to learn more about…
Lisa Towne – Little Italy by Little Italy/Anthonette Klinkerman When is a pizzeria not just a pizzeria? When it is Little Italy Pizzeria of Castle Pines North (CPN). This establishment has been an active part of the community in the past, and has further ramped up its efforts in the last few months. Little Italy…
by Lisa Crockett An independently-owned day care center has signed a purchase agreement for a pad currently under development on the north side of Castle Pines Parkway at Lagae Road. Max Heitzmann, vice president at Anxon, Inc., which is developing the property, said that three of the four pads planned for the site are now…
Business in the Pines held the second annual EasterFest on Thursday, March 13 at the CPN business district. The event featured Easter goodies, games, cookie decorating, and the Easter Bunny. More than 30 CPN businesses participated in the annual event. (photos by Tim Gamble)
Jimmy’s Steakhouse – 660 Happy Canyon Road, Suite 150 Jimmy’s Steakhouse is proud to add some new items to its dinner menu – a juicy buffalo burger, a succulent grilled chicken sandwich and a crisp, chilled wedge salad. Jimmy’s would like everyone to mark their calendars, starting March 3, for Martini Mondays – $5 all…
by Terri Wiebold On March 8, 2008, a new alarm ordinance went into effect for residents of unincorporated Douglas County, Larkspur, and Castle Pines North (CPN). The ordinance was designed to reduce the number of false alarms in Douglas County and to assist the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) in being more efficient with law…
Residents of all ages are invited to Walk for the Library on Saturday, September 20. The route will begin at Market in the Pines at Village Square Shopping Center and travel to the proposed library location at Castle Pines Parkway and Monarch Boulevard, and return to the Market. The CPN Library Committee has created a…
Recommendations Impact Castle Pines North Centennial Airport Manager of Planning and Development Michael Fronapfel explains the Centennial Airport influence area map at a Castle Pines North Master Association sponsored community meeting. (photo by Terri Wiebold) by Terri Wiebold Residents from Castle Pines North (CPN) and surrounding communities gathered at the CPN Community Center on March…
Business in the Pines is set to host four summer markets in CPN again this summer. CPN’s unique Farmer’s Market, “Market in the Pines” will feature fresh produce, artisan vendors, live music and more. Make sure to mark the calendar for June 21, July 19, August 16 and September 20. The markets are held from…
Owner J. McElroy (right) and his son Jake hang out in front of the family business. (photo by Terri Wiebold) by Big O Tires Let’s face it – getting your car worked on is right up there with having your teeth pulled! The team at Big O Tires gets that. They also understand that you…
Jim Varner of Edit Bay Communications (www.editbay.com) and his wife Laurie Anderson-Varner of Anderson & Associates Public Relations, Inc. (www.prexperts.com), will be exhibiting at EarthWorks Expo to showcase their web development and other marketing tools. In addition, Anderson & Associates Public Relations has been selected by EarthWorks Expo to provide public relations and marketing…
by Elean Gersack The 2008 Furry Scurry two mile fun walk will take place at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, at Washington Park in Denver. According to the Denver Dumb Friends League, more than 25,000 cats and dogs, as well as rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils and other small pets, are brought to the shelters…
by Lisa Crockett On its website, Castle Pines Community Church (CPCC) is billed as “A Place To Call Home,” but the church still faces a long journey toward building a permanent home in Surrey Ridge. The church, which currently has an attendance of roughly 150 members at Sunday services, has submitted plans to Douglas County…
by Lisa Crockett Village Homes, the owner of the parcel of land being developed at the corner of Castle Pines Parkway and Monarch Boulevard, is still hoping a library will come to Castle Pines North (CPN) to serve as the anchor tenant for the development. “Because of delays in construction, we still have a chance…
by Anthonette Klinkerman The Castle Pines North swim team, the Castle Crocs will hold registration for new families Sunday, April 13, from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. at Safe Splash Swim School, located next to the Wildlife Experience near I-25 and Lincoln, 12240 Lioness Way. Swimmers should arrive with swim suits and goggles and be…
City Clerk Carl Kollmar has not been officially sworn in yet. He is currently on a medical leave of absence. Treasurer Doug Gilbert is currently serving as “interim clerk” until Kollmar returns. “We extend our best wishes to Carl for a speedy recovery and look forward to working with him soon,” said Mayor Shul.
Wildlife Experience 10035 S. Peoria St., Parker weeklong wildlife camps for ages 4-10: www.wildlifeexperience.org 720-488-3300 South Suburban Parks & Recreation various locations in South Suburban district – a large variety of camps for ages 6 and up: www.ssprd.org 303-708-9500 Primrose Schools Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch, Parker a variety of themed camps for younger kids: www.primroseschools.com…
by Terri Wiebold At precisely 3:07 p.m. on Monday, March 10, the wheels of democracy started turning for the new City of Castle Pines North. Following a swearing-in ceremony earlier in the day and a preliminary study session, the mayor, treasurer, and six newly-elected council members sat down and began the business of the new…
Sky Ridge Medical Center will host a Women’s Symposium on Saturday, May 17, at the Marriott in Lone Tree from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Interactive discussions with physicians and lectures will include breast health, colon health, aging gracefully and menopause survival and more. Lunch with red wine and dessert will be served. For more…
CPN Resident Maureen Brown, right, co-hosts “Mom’s the Word” an internet-radio show on parenting. Brown’s friend, Maura Ridder, left, is the creator of the show. (photo by Tracey McFadden) by Lisa Crockett With five children ranging in age from four to twelve, Castle Pines North resident Maureen Brown has learned a thing or two about…
by Anthonette Klinkerman Teenagers should have a voice in the goings-on of the new city of Castle Pines North, and Mayor Shul is putting out a second call for a Youth Advisory Commission. As the new city grows, the mayor feels it is important that all residents “have a seat at the table,” and make…
Office of Mayor Maureen Shul 2368 Office of City Clerk Carl Kollmar 2362 Office of Treasurer Douglas Gilbert 1394 Vivian Hallberg 270 Paul Oehm 937 Office of Member of City Council Ward 1 Howard Cohen 203 Chris Dooley 365 Jennifer Havercroft 503 Mark Massa 123 William Porter 148 Office of Member of City Council Ward…
The Castle Pines North Election Commission has developed the following “Code of Civility” pledge for candidates running for the nine positions in the first election for the new City of Castle Pines North. This code was developed specifically for CPN using the Code of Civility Pledge that was created by the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado.…
by Lisa Crockett Have you ever wondered how certain businesses, homes or civic amenities came to be in Douglas County? Douglas County is in the midst of a full-scale effort to revise its plans for the future; work sessions and hearings on the matter are open to the public. Meetings for the so-called 2030 Comprehensive…
Share questions, ideas, comments or opinions with The Connection. E-mail questions to Contact by email . I know that Castle Pines North (CPN) will levy a sales tax now that it is a city. When does the new sales tax take effect? A sales tax of 2.75 percent was approved by CPN voters in the…
by Lisa Crockett Grading, infrastructure and road construction are underway at the site of a future Walgreens drug store on the north side of Castle Pines Parkway at Lagae Road. The project, which experienced several delays, is expected to continue for much of the coming year. “Some of our progress will be dependent on the…
by Lisa Crockett A traffic meter has been installed at the Castle Pines Parkway/I-25 Interchange. The Colorado Department of Transportation (C-DOT) is conducting the study to determine whether or not a metering light is needed at the location to ease traffic congestion. “We will be gathering data for the next few months, then looking at…
by Lane Roberts The Castle Pines North (CPN) Master Association is the community-wide HOA that unifies and represents all the individual neighborhoods within the community, while enhancing the overall quality of life for residents. The Master Association communicates important information to the community via newpaper (The Connection), website (www.cpnhoa.org) and through community e-mail alerts. Residents…
by Terri Wiebold “ICE” (In Case of Emergency) is a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office program designed to aid law enforcement, fire, and medical personnel in locating necessary contact information about an individual in an emergency situation. The program uses an individual’s cell phone address book as a resource for emergency contact information. If a cell…
by Lane Roberts The ballots have officially been mailed. On January 25, Douglas County Clerk and Recorder, Jack Arrowsmith mailed ballots to 4,883 active registered voters in the new City of Castle Pines North (CPN). On February 12, residents of the new city of CPN will elect the first nine city officials which will include…
by Terri Wiebold and Lane Roberts For the fourth consecutive year, the Castle Pines North (CPN) Metro District Board of Directors voted to increase water rates and capital improvement fees. The Board made the decision at a public meeting held on December 10. The Board also reviewed its proposed 2008 budget during the meeting. More…
God’s Grace Community Church held Christmas Eve services at the CPN Community Center and plans to hold Easter services there as well. The church is working to build a permanent facility on the Lagae Ranch development in CPN. (photo provided by Claudia Larson) by Lisa Crockett One word is all you need to define what…
by Lisa Crockett Construction on the new RidgeGate freeway interchange, on I-25 south of Lincoln Avenue, will soon add a new component to its construction schedule. A frontage road, intended to allow for additional emergency access and also to handle traffic overflow, is scheduled to begin sometime this summer. The project is a joint venture…
The February 12 Mail Ballot Election has 21 candidates running for mayor, clerk, treasurer and six city council positions. On January 14, each candidate was asked to submit a photograph and provide a 200-word answer to the following: What have been your contributions to the CPN community and what qualifications would you bring to this…
John Van Epps Karl Johnson by Terri Wiebold The Castle Pines North (CPN) Metro District recently honored two of its employees with an “Employee of the Year” award. District Manager Jim McGrady publicly recognized and at the District’s annual holiday party in December. “We strongly believe that the time has come to award performance and…
Castle Pines North, Col., (Jan. 14, 2008) — Business in the Pines will host community forums to introduce candidates running for positions with the new City of Castle Pines North (CPN). Voters will elect the city’s first nine officials in a February 12 mail ballot election coordinated by Douglas County. During the forums, CPN residents…
Santa visits with a little friend on December 22 during the annual HOA2 Children’s Christmas Party. (photo courtesy of Kristi Pacheco) The HOA2 annual Christmas party included a gingerbread house decorating contest. (photo courtesy of Michael Gersack)
The election to determine the first leaders of the new city of Castle Pines North (CPN) is just around the corner. CPN officially becomes a city at the first meeting of the newly elected city council. Since the November election, manyquestions have evolved. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about Douglas County’s newest…
On January 15, helicopters began running lines on the newest power poles located in Xcel’s transmission corridor that runs east-west through CPN. The helicopter drew quite an audience during its aerial feat. (photo by Tim Gamble)
by Lisa Crockett It is a presidential election year, and Colorado voters who wish to help decide what November’s presidential election ballot will look like should mark their calendars for Tuesday, February 5 from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. Colorado utilizes a caucus procedure to determine who receives the nomination. Caucuses are party-specific; only voters…
Business in the Pines will present the second annual EasterFest on Thursday, March 13 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Last year, snow drove the event indoors, but 300 people still turned out to enjoy the festivities in the Castle Pines North (CPN) Community Center. This year promises to be bigger and better. Held in…
Article and photo by Terri Wiebold Husband and wife team Jeffrey Rubach and Allison Prescott recently celebrated a year of cooking in Castle Pines North. November 2008 marked the one-year anniversary of Plum Creek Catering’s unique arrangement of leasing space in Castle Cones, located at the Shoppes at Village Square. “This spot is ideal for…
by Lisa Crockett Castle Pines North (CPN) has lost one of its most dedicated volunteers. Rod Ellerbusch, a founding member of the Kiwanis Club of Castle Pines, was instrumental in bringing the service club to CPN and in bringing its vision to life. Founded in 2004, the Kiwanis Club of Castle Pines sponsors an annual…
Gary Worth on his visit to the African Orphanage he and his wife, Cathy Fox, have worked for years to build. The compound, called Vukarhani, is in Mozambique and is currently home to 14 children. by Lisa Crockett Meet Gary Worth and Cathy Fox By American standards, the building that has taken years of work…
Sandy Gamble – HOA#1 Jordan Colling – HOA#1 by Terri Wiebold The past few months have brought many changes to Castle Pines North, including a welcome change in seasons. This winter CPN residents have seen blankets upon blankets of white snow. Many have asked what impact, if any, becoming a city will have on snow…
Article and photo by Terri Wiebold After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, rejuvenate, refresh and revitalize at Castle Pines North’s very own Sanctuary Day Spa, formerly Agave Massage Spa, nestled in the heart of downtown Castle Pines North. “I am excited to let the community know how passionate I am about the transition…
The Castle Pines North Metro District recently welcomed Dan Schmick, formerly of Clifton Gunderson LLP, on board to assume many of the financial duties of the District. During the past to years with Clifton Gunderson, Schmick assisted with the compilation of many of the District’s financial statements, which were outsourced to the firm at the…
by Lane Roberts The cold and snowy weather did not stop Ward 2 residents from attending the second candidate forum for city government candidates held on Wednesday, January 30, at the Community Center. The forum was presented by Business in the Pines (BIP), a coalition of businesses in Castle Pines North (CPN) and surrounding areas.…
by Terri Wiebold While CPN residents may have heard of local “Neighborhood Watch” programs, many are not aware of a valuable program provided by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) called the “Watch Dog 1.0 Douglas County House Watch.” The house watch program is a service provided by the DCSO for residents who will be…
by Lisa Crockett A portion of the old Washington Mutual bank building is now home to a new venture from the H&R Block Company, Vantive Partners. Unlike traditional H&R Block offices, which are typically only open during tax season, Vantive Partners will be a permanent part of the Castle Pines North (CPN) business community. “Vantive…
The Castle Pines North (CPN) Master Association welcomes Carol Langley-Finnegan as its new safety committee chairperson. by Terri Wiebold Langley-Finnegan is the staff liaison for public safety issues for the CPN Master Association and tracks the weekly crime statistics for all CPN residents from the DCSO, in addition to being a member of the CPN…
Ballots for the Feb. 12 election have been mailed to 4,883 active registered voters in CPN. There are NO polling places for the February 12 election. Ballots must be received (not postmarked) by 7 p.m., February 12. Two ballot drop-off locations will be available including: Wilcox Administration Building 301 N. Wilcox Street Castle Rock, CO…
by Anthonette Klinkerman Now it matters more than ever where Castle Pines North residents shop. Incorporation efforts all began over which community, Castle Pines North or Castle Pines Village, was going to benefit from the sales tax revenue generated by the CPN business district. Seventy-seven percent of CPN’s residents voted to support incorporation in order…
by Lane Roberts There are NO polling places for the February 12 election. Ballots may be returned via U.S. mail or dropped off at either of the following locations: Castle Rock Bank – 506 Castle Pines Parkway, Castle Pines North, CO Beginning Monday, January 28 until Monday, February 11 ballots can be dropped off weekdays…
by Lisa Crockett Voters in Castle Rock and Lone Tree have decided the fate of the library in Castle Pines North (CPN) – for now, at least. A razor-thin margin of voters – less than a half a percent – voted down a measure to increase funding to the Douglas County Library District, funding that…
The 180-foot crossover power pole recently installed by Xcel north of Coyote Ridge Park has created a stir among residents. Views from homes miles from the power line corridor have been impacted by this new pole. (photo by Tim Gamble) by Lane Roberts The newly installed 180-foot pole north of Coyote Ridge Park has created…
Look for this Poster & Register to win a Valentines Day Basket of Goodies at any of the participating locations. by Elean Gersack No need to venture far to celebrate the holiday of love. Check out local businesses for gifts, dinner, flowers and more. The Bundt Shoppe Those who have not yet tried a cake…
by Anthonette Klinkerman Nutrition studies at school have spilled from the health and Home Economics classes into the cafeteria. Douglas County School District hired Brent Craig as the new nutrition services director last summer. His goal is to wean the schools from previous food service contracts by June 30, 2008. Instead of the prepackaged selections…
Sheriff Dave Weaver (third frrom the left) and Deputies in the DCSO Community Resources Division meet with community advocates to discuss the new proposed alarm ordinance. (photo by Terri Wiebold) by Terri Wiebold Residents and businesses in Castle Pines North and throughout Douglas County who contract with a private security company may be paying more…