The Connection

By Kathy Dunker Child Find is a wonderful service provided by Douglas County. Part of the Early Childhood Education Program, Child Find’s goal is to identify any delays in children age birth to five years old. If delays are found, Child Find provides support to the child through any needed therapy. These services including the…

Since February 2005, James McGrady has led the Castle Pines North (CPN) Metro District on quite a journey. McGrady announced his retirement from the district last month. Much has been accomplished during the five years with McGrady at the helm as district manager. Working from the Ground Up When McGrady signed on as manager in…

Bobby Lewis with Wellstone, Barb Dolan and Chugs tie for first place, Buena Vista Gold Rush Days. Article by Carin R. Kirkegaard with photo by Ed Kosmicki Since 1949 pack burro races have been run throughout Colorado, mostly in mountain towns like Fair Play and Leadville, but Morrison holds bragging rights for the race to…

By Elean Gersack Fetch your sneakers, grab a leash and bring your furry friends to the 2010 Furry Scurry. This marks the 100th year of The Dumb Friends League (DFL) helping pets and people and has inspired a centennial goal of raising $1 million in donations. The two-mile fun walk/run is planned for 9 a.m.…

The Governor has ordered the flags on all public buildings lowered to half staff for today, April 19, 2010, at the request of the President, for victims and survivors of terrorism.

Family owned and operated Blue Spruce Assisted Living Facility opened for business in March in Castle Pines North. The 3,400 square-foot facility has six residential bedrooms and facilities for caregivers. by Sally Uhrich Adele and Morris Barbera opened Blue Spruce Assisted Living Facility in Castle Pines North in March. The residential home is located at…

Award-winning DC Dolphins first-time cheerleaders with head coach Stephanie Collins and assistant coach Jen Walters by Tracy Dudley Among a wide variety of other sports, the Douglas County Dolphins youth athletic club offers competitive cheerleading. However, Castle Pines North resident Stephanie Collins felt there should be a more recreational option for those who wanted to…

Paul J Miller Public Information Officer Douglas County Search and Rescue Douglas County Search and Rescue successfully passed their Mountain Rescue Association Re-Accreditation tests on April 24th and 25th. The testing process was conducted at Castlewood Canyon State Park on Saturday with three different scenarios. Two winter scenarios were performed at Berthoud Pass on Sunday.…

by Tracy Dudley Since Kevin Brown moved to Castle Pines North in 1998, he has coached local baseball from t-ball to competitive teams at Rock Canyon High School. However, this will be his first year without coaching, as he is now focusing on helping student athletes with their college recruiting by way of highlight video…

Our Role in the CPN Community The primary function of the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District outlined in 1984 when the District was established, was to provide the residents of Castle Pines North with water, wastewater, and storm water services, and to maintain District owned parks, trails and open space. Of equal importance, CPNMD has…

Andy Rhodes Dwight Zemp Information provided by the CPNMD The Castle Pines North Metro District (CPNMD) board of directors voted in February to elect new officers. The board elected Andy Rhodes as president and Dwight Zemp as vice president. Rhodes has been a resident of Castle Pines North since 2003, and was elected to the…

Castle Pines Village resident and local businessman Joe Gschwendtner announced his exploratory campaign for governor of Colorado. The self-described “anti-politician” made the decision to run following caucuses, and he is looking to expand the current field of candidates. Gschwendtner will now focus on fundraising efforts and gathering signatures on a petition for the primary ballot.…

Sunday June 6 Cyclists get your chains lubed and tires pumped because the Subaru Elephant Rock Cycling Festival is the unofficial start of the Colorado cycling season. The 23rd annual ride takes place on Sunday June 6 at the Douglas County Fair Grounds in Castle Rock and is currently accepting registration of riders of all…

by Sally Uhrich Owning a pet can be a wonderful, rewarding experience for you and your family. However, pets can transmit diseases that may be harmful to humans-especially young children and people with certain medical conditions. These are called zoonotic diseases. There are two types of zoonotic diseases that concern pet owners; illnesses that can…

Sharon DeRouen Press release provided by Sara Edwards, City of Castle Pines North Sharon DeRouen officially took office as city clerk March 9, when she was sworn in at the Castle Pines North city council meeting. DeRouen replaces the former city clerk, Janie Berry, who did not run for reelection. No candidates qualified to run…

Public works includes street maintenance and lighting, traffic signals and signage, permit processing and related services that help keep the city running smoothly. As you are no doubt aware, some areas of the community have deteriorating roads, which is due to age and inferior structural pavement design. City Council has already increased resources targeted to…

The Governor’s Energy Office announced NEW consumer rebates under federal Stimulus funding. These rebates are aimed at energy efficiency, but include incentives such as an extra $75 off on a energy efficient clothes washing machines. The program kicks off April 19th with a website and call center. It’s estimated there is enough funding to create…

Information provided by Linda Nuzum, CPN resident You may soon lose access to popular channels on some (or all) of your TV’s unless you act now to obtain equipment from Comcast. On March 22, the Comcast service in our area will switch more than 40 channels from analog to digital, and thus will only be…

Article by Kathy Dunker with photo by Chris Cooke It’s 7:15 a.m. on a school day, and the technology lab at Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) is buzzing with activity! Seventh and eighth graders make their way in to prepare to deliver the Nighthawk News to their fellow classmates. The Nighthawk News is a daily…

Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden Public Information Officer Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Douglas County Deputies Worked Hard to Keep Others Safe during St. Patrick’s Day Holiday Deputies from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office made a total of thirteen DUI arrests during the St. Patrick’s Day Holiday from 03/12/2010 through 03/18/2010. Here is a quick breakdown…

Tyler Joy Tankersley delivers medical supplies for Project Cure and the Mile High Haiti Project on February 6. Article by Elean Gersack and photo by the Tankersley family One doesn’t have to be very old to understand when others are in need. Tyler Joy Tankersley, a seven-year-old from Noble Ridge, got inspired to help victims…

by Carin R. Kirkegaard Big O Tires, located just south of Castle Pines Parkway near the Safeway shopping plaza, is collecting necessary toiletry items and comforts from home for military troops serving overseas. Robyn McElroy, owner and mother of a recent Marine boot camp graduate (to learn more see the article on page 12) discovered…

by Lisa Crockett Students at Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) in Castle Pines North will no longer head back to school in early July. Budget cuts at the state level and the school district level mean increased class sizes and decreased ability to run buses and other school services year-round. “I have mixed feelings about the…

Information provided by the City of Castle Pines North City staff presented the city council with two draft plans addressing coyote management in Castle Pines North on February 9, both of which provide for community education, hazing and lethal control. Council will now consider the plans, one patterned after the City of Centennial’s and Town…

by Sally Uhrich The practice of eating corned beef and cabbage as a St. Patrick’s Day holiday meal is actually more Irish-American than Irish-Isle. Although corned beef and cabbage is a traditional Irish meal, it was the Irish-American immigrants who turned it into a St. Patrick’s Day tradition, not the residents of the Emerald Isle.…

BRE teachers from the 2009 Spelling Challenge kick-off assembly take a bow after a fun-loving and inspiring performance. By Carin R. Kirkegaard In April, Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) will once again celebrate an entire month devoted to promoting literacy throughout the school. On April 2, the students at BRE will be inspired to become great…

Photos submitted by Buffalo Ridge Elementary In December, students from BRE created cards and composed letters to be sent to the United States military serving overseas during the holidays. To show the sincere appreciation for the kind words and thoughtful cards, pictures were sent back to the students. Pictured here are soldiers as they open…

Information provided by the City of Castle Pines North The City of Castle Pines North filed an application for dissolution with the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District on February 5. The city council had the authority to take the first step to initiate dissolution proceedings because the district is located entirely within the city limits.…

By Tracy Dudley According to David Callan, Douglas County School District’s director of athletics, it is important for women to participate in sports. “Women involved in sports are 41 percent more likely to graduate from college in five years, have higher grade-point averages, and are more responsible and productive citizens,” said Callan. “Participation in sports…

By Carin R. Kirkegaard The Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) library will be holding its annual spring book fair to raise funds to purchase new books. The Book Fair Diner All You Can Read will be held in the BRE library from April 12 through April 15. The fair will open each morning at 8:30 a.m.…

Board position vacant The Castle Pines Homes Association’s (CPHA) annual meeting of the members will be held on Monday, March 8 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Cielo at Castle Pines, located at 485 West Happy Canyon Road. This will be a great time to meet new neighbors, visit with old acquaintances, become more…

Dawn Lang poses with her class. This school year, Lang was the proud recipient of a grant for a SMARTboard, which she uses daily to help her second graders learn. The “Apple” of Buffalo Ridge Elementary School’s eye – Dawn Lang named finalist By Carin R. Kirkegaard Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) is proud to have…

Dr. Kristine Turner hit the airwaves in Castle Rock in January with her talk show “New Beginnings, Life After Divorce.” Article by Kathy Dunker with photo courtesy of Kristine Turner Castle Pines North (CPN) resident, Kristine Turner, also known as the “divorce doctor”, specializes in helping families cope with divorce and has done so for…

Article by Lisa Crockett with photo by Tim Gamble The Douglas County Planning Commission has approved a proposal by Xcel Energy to upgrade transmission lines from the Daniels Park substation heading west, skimming the northern border of Castle Pines North (CPN) and extending roughly nine miles to the Waterton Substation on Rampart Range Road. The…

Submitted by Heather Halpape CDOT CSP PIO Don’t Be Fooled By Darkness. Nighttime Click It or Ticket Begins April 1st Law enforcement in 11 counties buckle down on those not buckled up. DENVER — The Colorado State Patrol and 48 law enforcement agencies are not fooling this week when they step up enforcement of the…

Article by Kathy Dunker with photo courtesy of Amy Shanahan Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) is proud to announce its first Apple Award finalist in the school’s five year history. Mike Stroman, the band, orchestra and jazz band teacher for sixth through eighth grades at RHMS, is in his thirtieth year of teaching and is…

Information provided by the City of Castle Pines North The city recently implemented several measures designed to address traffic congestion and safety issues at the southern end of Monarch Boulevard. Citizens in HOA 1, HOA 2 and Noble Ridge have expressed concerns about the dead-end area, which serves as a drop off and pickup location…

By Tracy Dudley Every year, excited DCS Montessori students get moving for the Jump Rope For Heart (JRFH) program. Sponsored by the American Heart Association (AHA), fundraising from JRFH supports the AHA mission of reducing disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke. In fact, the AHA recently stated their impact goal is to reduce…

Lois Autterson (front left) went to Haiti with one other lady from God’s Grace Community Church in 2009. The kids in this picture were trying to teach Lois Haitian Creole. They are from a center called Tetkole (means “heads together” ) based in Jacmel. Tetkole is run by Verbo Jean Julien, a Haitian lawyer who…

Dear residents and fellow neighbors, It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as your city council representative for Ward 1 these past few months. I appreciate you placing your trust in me, and it is with great regret that I must now resign my position. The very reasons you elected me to…

By Sally Uhrich Thinking of acquiring a dog? If you are like most potential pet owners, you dream of leisurely walks, time spent playing fetch, cuddling and caressing your most loving, loyal and of course, obedient, canine companion. Unfortunately for some pet owners, the dream becomes more of a nightmare. Although most puppies will initially…

Girl Scout Troop 628 from Buffalo Ridge Elementary School collected $2,449.29 for the Haiti Relief Fund. Article by Elean Gesack and photo provided by Annette Loomis Haiti… it’s a battleground of disaster. Just days after the devastating earthquake took place, Girl Scout Troop 628 from Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) took action. The fourth graders knew…

Five year old Chelbi has Ewing’s sarcoma and wishes to go to Disney World. Article by Kathy Dunker and photo courtesy of Melissa Hawken Morris This year, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Colorado was chosen to be one of the fourteen nonprofit organizations in Checkoff Colorado. This innovative program enables Colorado taxpayers to make voluntary contributions to…

David Klinkerman Article and photo by Anthonette Klinkerman Each year, the Douglas County Educational Foundation bestows an Apple Award to a teacher from the Douglas County School District. One teacher is nominated from each school, and in a celebration akin to the Academy Awards, nominees will find out the Apple Award winner in March. Local…

by Anthonette Klinkerman I’m so green it hurts. Okay, I’m not, but that would be funny on a t-shirt. I have recycle bins, incandescent bulbs, environmentally friendly cleaning supplies, and a rescued cat. I chase down the plastic bread things for recycling, use stainless steel water bottles, and I do a lot of consignment store…

The City of Castle Pines North (CPN) will be moving its offices which are currently located at 7437 Village Square Lane, to 7501 Village Square Lane, Suite 100. City Manager Alan Lanning said the new office location should be open and ready to serve the public around March 1. In December, city council approved a…

Owners Doug Heckenkamp of Advanced Physical & Sports Therapy and and Cassie Heckenkamp of Mile High Medical Gardens, along with employee Andrew Foresman (pictured in the center, back.) By Elizabeth Wood West and photo by Tim Gamble Husband Doug Heckenkamp has expanded his successful physical therapy clinic, Advanced Physical & Sports Therapy, to include wife…

Forest Park HOA (and a couple of nearby communities) participated in a food drive for the Douglas County Task Force during the holidays, and will host another food drive later this year. The Forest Park HOA received this note from the volunteer director at Douglas County Task Force for its efforts in the food drive:…

The history of Mardi Gras in the United States By Chris Bonham Lupercalia, Fastnachtkuchen, Karneval; are these names ringing any bells? No, probably not. What about Fat Tuesday? Mardi Gras? Aha! All of these names are variations of the label given to the season directly before the Catholic celebration of Lent. In places such as…

Sarah Tierney founded Mosaic Admissions in 1999. She has over 20 years of experience in college admissions and higher education marketing. Article and photo by Carin R. Kirkegaard With many state colleges seeing a surge in applicants, it is safe to say that landing a spot in the incoming freshman class of a desired school…

Susan Sanders has been honing her hammering skills while working with Habitat For Humanity of Metro Denver. Sanders’ goal is to get the nail into the wood with the fewest amounts of hits. Her record to date is four. (Photo by Carin R. Kirkegaard) Article by Carin R. Kirkegaard Susan Sanders, a Castle Pines North…

Frustrated fathers Brad Wann (pictured top right) and David DiCarlo (bottom left) have started a grass roots effort to change the way education is funded in Colorado. The “Wickerdale Walkers,” as they call themselves, have established “Crayons 4 Education”- a program whereby residents mail a red crayon to the state capital to rally support for…

Submitted by CPN Resident Keri Brehm What is Caucus? Caucus is a process in which you and your neighbors meet together to elect two leaders for your precinct (known as “precinct committee people”) and to elect two or more delegates and alternates to the County Assembly. The two precinct committee people represent the precinct at…

Class facilitator and Castle Pines Village resident Ted Atkinson leading a class in Roman architecture at the OLLI South campus. Article by Carin R. Kirkegaard with photo by Tim Gamble Tom Carter, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) Curriculum Chair, has a passion for learning and a talent to ferret out people with a story…

Eight-year-old Avalon plays it safe and buckles up in her booster seat each time she rides in a car. Article and photo by Elean Gersack Children get older, get bigger and grow out of conventional car seats. For many parents this is a time to celebrate the end of an era. Carting around clunky seats…

Information submitted by Rey Cinocco, Edward Jones In January, Rey Cinocco of Edward Jones’ Castle Pines North office hosted a seminar at the Courtyard at Sienna in Castle Rock on the benefits of estate planning, what to consider when creating a will, how to help reduce taxes on one’s estate, and how insurance can help…

Information provided by the bride and groom Rachel Adrian and Bryan Spellman were married on Sunday, February 21. Fathers Bob Adrian and Skip Spellman officiated at a private location in Breckenridge. The bride, 27, is a real estate executive in Denver who covers residential and custom real estate for Colorado Homes and Estates. She studied…

Article by Terri Wiebold and photo by Tim Gamble Open for business February 2, the Castle Pines Postal Center (CPPC) provides postal convenience for those looking to mail a letter or package, purchase stamps, or perform any of the functions found at the United States Postal Service (USPS). Although the CPPC is a privately-owned independent…

Sheriff Dave Weaver and Interim School Superintendent Steve Herzog, standing next to one of the buses Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden, Public Information Officer Douglas County Sherifff’s Office Whei Wong, Douglas County Educational Foundation Sheriff Weaver Partners with the Educational Foundation on Getting the Word Out Douglas County Sheriff David A. Weaver is excited about…

More than 140 Girl Scouts, including many from Castle Pines, attended Power Up on February 6 at the Castle Rock Recreation Center. Article and photo by Elean Gersack Bullying, teasing, gossiping, being left out — no way, no more! On Saturday, February 6, fourteen area Girl Scout Troops with girls ranging from third to sixth…

Troop 316 new Eagle Scouts (from left to right) Michael Phillip Elmore, Connor Scott Smith, Lucas Wood West, Samuel Ryan Classen, Emerson Paul Steinberg, and Jacob Bailey Dysart. Article by Elizabeth Wood West It is rare to see a bald eagle. It is also rare to have six young men from the same Boy Scout…

Officer Joe Stafford Douglas County Animal Services Field Services Manager Officer Lisa Massie Douglas County Animal Services, Field Services Supervisor On March 15, 2010 Douglas County Animal Services (DCAS) was contacted regarding a skunk that exhibited uncoordinated and aggressive behavior east of Parker, CO. The skunk was collected and submitted for rabies testing. The Colorado…

Information provided by the City of Castle Pines North Castle Pines North Municipal Court held its first session 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 24 with Judge Louis Gresh presiding. Court takes place on the fourth Wednesday of each month starting at 5:30 p.m. at 7404 Yorkshire Drive. The Ausmus law firm is providing prosecution services. The…

Kevin Hyland, an agent with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Identity Theft and Financial Crimes Unit will be presenting facts and tips to prevent identity theft on Wednesday, March 10 at 6 p.m. in the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce office. A light meal will be provided. Seating is limited, so please RSVP to…

Castle Pines North resident and Stantec engineer Dan Baxter Information and photo provided by Danny Craig via press release, Stantec media relations The Freeway Operations Committee of the Transportation Research Board (TRB), in conjunction with Attica Tollway bestowed its special leadership award on Glen Oaks resident Dan Baxter, a principal in the transportation practice of…

Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden, Public Information Officer, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Douglas County Deputies are investigating a traffic crash that involved a stolen vehicle that had been warming up in a driveway this morning. At around 6:30 am, deputies received a call that a vehicle had just been stolen from the driveway of a…

By Patte Smith When first driving through the community of Surrey Ridge, it’s surprising to see the residents, whether in a car or on foot, waving at everyone. This is common in the 120-plus-home equestrian neighborhood that was started in the late ’60s. Residents love the area for the open space, the equestrian property, the…