Read the stories from the latest issue:
Hikers with Bella Rock Adventures pause on the trail during a wildflower and meditation day hike. Tenderfoot 14’er Training Class Bella Rock Adventures is offering a Tenderfoot 14’er Training class starting in June and running through July. The class is designed to introduce women to training and preparing to climb Colorado’s 14’ers. The course will…
Submitted by Task Force Chair Carol Langley-Finnegan The City of Castle Pines North (CPN) Safety Task Force is comprised of dedicated and committed volunteers from CPN with varied backgrounds and interests, as well as representatives from city council. Anyone interested in helping to keep CPN a safe place to live and work is welcome to…
C-SPAN’s mobile production unit joined the Douglas County Kiwanis Club at La Dolce Vita restaurant in Castle Pines North as part of their Service America project. Pictured here, C-SPAN representative Rebecca Stewart presents Highlands Ranch student Hunter Gill with an award for “Outstanding Documentary” for his analysis of education and how to improve our schools.…
Submitted by Shirley Beer Powell Spring and summer is the time of the year that our attention is drawn to the outside of our homes. Any changes, additions or work done to the outside of your home and lot must be approved first by the Design Review Committee (DRC). An HOA’s main purpose is to…
by Carin R. Kirkegaard The Douglas County School District (DCSD) made changes to proposed 2009-2010 bus routes. Taking into consideration feedback provided at informational meetings held in late April, as well as phone calls and emails from parents throughout the district changes were made to include the addition of stops throughout the district. The greatest…
Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden, Public Information Officer, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office 303-660-7586 Final Douglas County “Blue Thunder Memorial Ride” Was a Huge Success The 10th Annual “Blue Thunder Memorial Ride” took place on Saturday, May 30th and was a huge success. Over $4,600 was raised for a fund that was named in honor of…
Letter to the Editor from City Treasurer Doug Gilbert The city has now entered a phase when its budgeted expenses need reduction. In Colorado, cities cannot spend more than revenue. Current revenues do not support budgeted expenses so adjustments must be made. Managing the finances in a start up city is fraught with unpredictability in…
Platte River at the exact point where the Platteville Ditch diverts from the Platte River. by Lane Roberts During the past four years, Castle Pines North Metro District has been crafting numerous plans to secure renewable water for Castle Pines North (CPN). Now, for the first time, the Metro District has acquired senior water rights…
CPN resident Mariah D. picks up trash during a soccer game at Daniel’s Gate Park. Article and photo by Tracy Dudley About once a week there is a new pile of mysterious doggy droppings on my front lawn. How can responsible members of our community allow their pets to wander onto private property, do their…
Our hearts are saddened with the sudden passing of Castle Pines North resident Earl Millspaugh. Earl was an integral part of our CPN community, serving on numerous boards, committees, and as current president of the CPN Master Association. A loving husband to Joan, devoted father, wonderful friend, and involved citizen, Earl’s warmth, integrity, and dedication…
by Lane Roberts The 54th Colorado Science and Engineering Fair was held April 9-11 at Colorado State University. American Academy eighth grade students received the following awards: Matthew Haney was awarded first place in the Junior Division of Mathematics and Computer Sciences for his project entitled, “A Taste of Code: An Analysis of Security of…
The CPN Youth Advisory Council is requesting donations be made at the event. The walk will start and end at Buffalo Ridge Elementary, located at 7075 Shoreham Drive. For further details, visit www.cpngov.com.
Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden Public Information Officer Douglas County Sheriff’s Office 303-660-7586 Deputies for the Patrol and Detention Divisions as well as officers from the Lone Tree, Castle Rock and Parker Police Department have received training on Autism Awareness. Many times deputies and officers have been called to situations that involve a person; child…
by Anthonette Klinkerman Castle Pines North has an international connection through ZONTA International. The club met recently at La Dolce Vita to honor a young woman from Douglas County that has demonstrated concern for a global issue. Amy Lynn Eckert, among the first graduating class of Castle View High School this year, was the recipient…
The new RidgeGate Parkway Interchange is at RidgeGate Parkway and I-25, approximately one mile south of Lincoln Avenue. It provides direct access to the Sky Ridge Medical Center and the RidgeGate development. The Interchange design is similar to the nearby Lincoln Interchange with a partial cloverleaf of two loop ramps and was built for the…
THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release May 11, 2009 PEACE OFFICERS MEMORIAL DAY AND POLICE WEEK, 2009 BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Every day, peace officers put on their uniforms and go to work to safeguard America’s communities and uphold the freedoms we hold…
Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden Public Information Officer Douglas County Sheriff’s Office 303-660-7586 CONTACT #1: Deputy Rob Rotherham 303-814-7005 ext 6514 303-660-7500 (dispatch) Upcoming Memorial Day Weekend, Roadside Sobriety Checkpoint The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and Parker Police Department will be stepping up their efforts to apprehend Intoxicated and Impaired drivers during the Memorial Day…
DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE MEDIA RELEASE Sheriff David A. Weaver 4000 Justice Way Castle Rock, CO 80109 CONTACT #1: Deputy Cocha Heyden, Public Information Officer, 303-660-7586, pgr 303-826-7822 RELEASE DATE: 05/08/09 RELEASE TIME: 9:00 am Douglas County Sheriff Will Honor Citizens and Employees in Awards Ceremony to be Held on May 14, 2009, at the…
Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden Public Information Officer Douglas County Sheriff’s Office 303-660-7586 Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Graduates 4th Class of Community Safety Volunteers, 2nd class to include volunteers that will serve the Lone Tree and Castle Rock Police Departments Douglas County Sheriff Dave Weaver, Lone Tree Police Chief Steve Hasler, Lone Tree Mayor Jim…
Gov. Bill Ritter has ordered that United States and Colorado state flags be lowered to half staff at state and federal facilities throughout Colorado tomorrow (Saturday, May 9, 2009) in honor of Sgt. James Dewel Pirtle, 21, of Colorado Springs. Sgt. Pirtle died May 1, 2009, in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as…
Bailey McHenry accepting the CSOC scholarship award from Douglas County Sheriff, David A. Weaver Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden Public Information Officer Douglas County Sheriff’s Office 303-660-7586 Douglas County Sheriff, David A. Weaver, is pleased to announce that Bailey McHenry is this year’s recipient of the County Sheriff’s of Colorado, CSOC, scholarship award for Douglas…
Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden Public Information Officer Douglas County Sheriff’s Office 303-660-7586 Douglas County Sheriff David A. Weaver is very excited about being part of the Colorado Information Sharing Consortium with 42 other Law Enforcement Agencies from across the State of Colorado. The Colorado Information Sharing Consortium (CISC) was formed in 2008 by public…
by Carin Kirkegaard Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) is promoting literacy throughout the school and tying in a fundraising component through learning. With budget cuts looming across the Douglas County School District, the parents from the parent/teacher organization, the Buffalo Ridge Educational Alliance (BREA), decided to be proactive and start raising money for the coming year…
Workers continue the foundation for a pedestrian/bicycle/equestrian underpass. Article and photo Terri Wiebold As construction continues on the Daniel’s Park Improvement Project, local residents anxiously await the reopening of road closures on the west ends of Buffalo Trail and Castle Pines Parkway. Detours were put into place and roads closed in late February for construction…
Information provided by South Suburban Recreation Center On Friday April 17, 2009, South Suburban Parks and Recreation celebrates 50 years of service with 50-cent Friday at the all four South Suburban Golf Courses. Warm up your swing and get into your game with a bucket of balls for only 50 cents all day on Friday,…
Big O repersentatives Brandon Elder (left) and Robyn McElroy with Little O (Photo by Steve Severin, Avocet Communications) by Terri Wiebold Castle Pines North (CPN) Big O Tires mascot, Little O, joined The Children’s Miracle Network and Alice 105.9 radio station for the annual “36 Hours for Kids” event, which is a live radio broadcast…
by Lane Roberts The Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce recently mailed 3,300 shop local first discount cards to Castle Pines North (CPN) residents. The complimentary discount card offers a variety of savings from more than 25 local CPN businesses. “Following the announcement of this program, we had many requests for cards from residents outside of…
by Terri Wiebold A recent study prepared for Douglas County shines new light on travel between the Sedalia area and I-25. In February, the engineering firm of Felsburg, Holt & Ullevig presented its findings on the “Happy Canyon Road Travel Analysis,” which measured travel times for three routes that would provide connection between US 85…
April 21-24 Lights, Camera, Book Fair! The Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) Spring Book Fair will be held Tuesday, April 21 through Friday April 24. The spring fair is an excellent time to stock up on summer reading. All money raised will go directly back to the school’s library to refresh the school’s book collection. To…
Cherokee Ranch Fire – October 29, 2003 Submitted by Becky O’Guin Community Relations Director South Metro Fire Rescue Authority The South Metro Fire Rescue Authority (SMFRA) will be expanding its Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) to the I-25/Santa Fe corridors and surrounding areas and would like to invite community members to attend a public meeting:…
by Terri Wiebold Fetch your sneakers and your furry friends and join in the 2009 Furry Scurry. In its sixteenth year, this annual event helps the Denver Dumb Friends League (DDFL) raise money through donations and pledges to care for thousands of homeless animals. The two-mile fun walk/run will take place from 9 a.m. to…
Owner Barbara Neff, photo by Terri Wiebold As of February 2012 Neff Staffing is no longer serving the Castle Pines community. Thank you for your past support. Information provided by Neff Staffing Services Neff Staffing Services opened its doors for business March 2, 2009 in Castle Pines North’s new Pinnacle Building, located at 7501 Village…
T-Mobile Tower at the Ridge by Lisa Crockett Castle Pines North (CPN) resident Cheryl McDade wants to make a call using her cell phone, but sometimes finds that difficult to do. “We switched to Verizon last year from 15 years with AT&T,” said McDade in a letter to The Castle Pines Connection. “Verizon does not…
The Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce and dozens of members held their official ribbon cutting ceremony at their new office in Castle Pines North in February. The new office is located at 562 Castle Pines Parkway, Suite C-1, in the Safeway Shopping Center. Learn more about the Chamber at www.castlepineschamber.com. (Photo by Tim Gamble)
Before you head to the garden to plant a new flowerbed or a crop of tomatoes this spring, take the time to call the Utility Notification Center of Colorado. Locators are allowed two business days to respond to requests to accurately mark the underground lines in an excavation area. Even a small garden job can…
Don Bobeda, Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce Chairman, Mayor Maureen Shul, City of Castle Pines North, and Jamie LaRue, Douglas County Libraries Director at the March 19 Douglas County Library District meeting. by Lisa Crockett and Terri Wiebold Where there is a will, there is a way! The tenacity and creativity of the Castle Pines…
by Lane Roberts Life long learning is a passion for Castle Pines North resident Galen Crowder. Crowder and his wife, Angie, participate in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) offered by the University of Denver. OLLI, originally established as VIVA in 1996, provides educational opportunities to people ages 55 and “better.” Three eight-week terms each…
by Terri Wiebold Transitioning from one form of “green” to another, Village Books in Castle Pines Village was borne in December, 2008. Casualties of the banking industry and the current economy, husband and wife team Steven and Stephanie Alaniz decided to turn a passion they shared into an eco-friendly business venture. “We are the new…
by Denise Bassett, Castle Pines North Metro District Schmick Named Assistant District Manager The CPNMD board of directors recently announced the promotion of Dan Schmick to Assistant Manager. Schmick joined the CPNMD staff in January 2008 as Finance Manager and has been instrumental in the preparation of financial documents for CPNMD renewable water resource projects,…
by Terri Wiebold The vacant lot on the northeast corner of Castle Pines Parkway and Beverly Boulevard at I-25 (adjacent to the gas station) is currently being used by many as a used-car parking lot. According to city of Castle Pines North community development director, Sam Bishop, the location has been the topic of many…
by Carin Kirkegaard, Photo courtesy of Saralyn Crock Bella Rock Adventures is offering a Tenderfoot 14’er Training class starting in June and running through July. The class is designed to introduce women to training and preparing to climb Colorado’s 14’ers. The course will suggest workouts in preparation for the 14’er, guided training hikes in the…
by Terri Wiebold More than 185 children kicked off the first season with Castle Pines Athletics, a new recreational youth sports program for local children ages four to twelve. The spring season featured 13 soccer teams of children ages four to eight. All soccer practices are held in Castle Pines North (CPN) and games are…
Cyclists get your chains lubed and tires pumped. The Subaru Elephant Rock Cycling Festival is registering riders for what is unofficially called the start of the Colorado cycling season. This event will take place Sunday June 7 at the Douglas County Fair Grounds in Castle Rock. Riders can choose between three distances for paved road…
Message provided by Sheriff David A. Weaver Community garage sales are a fun way to meet your neighbors and make a little extra cash. They are a great way to get rid of those extra items that have been taking up space in your garage or basement. The friendly atmosphere of the garage sale can…
by Carin Kirkegaard The 2009-2010 school year will begin with changes for many students at Rock Canyon High School (RCHS). Needing to cut $37 million from the budget, the Douglas County School District (DCSD) has decided to reduce credit requirements for graduation beginning with the class of 2012 and institute an open campus policy for…
Submitted by Coldwell Banker Castle Pines Breathing fresh life into one of the Front Range’s benchmark luxury home communities, veteran Castle Pines Village Realty has announced its newly-formed alliance with international powerhouse Coldwell Banker. The renamed Coldwell Banker Castle Pines venture brings “all of our local expertise and relationships, our love for the community and…
Information provided by South Suburban Recreation Center South Suburban Parks and Recreation is partnering with University of Colorado Hospital to host comprehensive blood screenings on Tuesday, April 14 from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Lone Tree Recreation Center. This high-quality laboratory screening with rapid turnaround of results consists of 30 tests, including a…
Submitted by Castle Rock Eye Wear Castle Rock Eyewear is pleased to welcome Dr. Dockins, optometrist. Dr. Dockins is a Developmental Optometrist with a passion for helping families with their vision care, especially children. After graduating from the University of Missouri – School of Optometry, she completed her post-graduate education in Developmental Optometry, during which…
by Lane Roberts Castle Pines North (CPN) joined the list of 270 incorporated municipalities in the State of Colorado in November, 2007. Of those municipalities, 89 are home rule cities or towns. Earlier this year, the CPN City Council began discussions on the home rule process and potential models that could be modified to fit…
by Anthonette Klinkerman What do MTV and Castle Pines North have in common? An episode of the popular makeover reality show “Made.” On February 24, a local contestant was brought to Salon 188 to be transformed into her alter-ego, a punk rock star while being filmed by MTV personnel for a March episode of Made.…
Welcome home! Army Major Larry Shea (right) finally spends time at home with his wife Anna, (left) and their threedaughters pictured from the left Lauren, Kelsie and Reagan. Shea, a resident of Castle Pines North, served two tours in Iraq with the Army Reserves and was away for more than 30 months. (Photo by Tim…
by Lane Roberts It is that time of year again, when little yellow marshmallow chicks become a hot commodity, and chocolate Easter Bunny ears are saved for last. EasterFest, now going on its fifth year, has expanded to include two celebrations this spring, one in Castle Pines Village (CPV) and one in Castle Pines North…
by Lane Roberts On Thursday, February 26, American Academy students walked away with an impressive number of awards at the Denver Metro Regional Science Fair. The event was held at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science and featured projects from schools around the entire Denver-metro area. Congratulations to all American Academy students who participated…
In the February/March issue of The Castle Pines Connection “Our Opinion” editorial about business license fees, we reported that Joe the Plumber should “be prepared to pay about $155 ($55 for a business license and $100 for a master plumber license) for making a service call in Castle Pines North…” Upon further clarification from city…
Gov. Bill Ritter has ordered all U.S. and Colorado flags lowered on state and federal buildings inColorado on Monday, April 20, 2009, in honor of the 10th anniversary of the Columbine High Schoolshootings, and in remembrance of the innocent victims who died that day. On April, 20, 1999, 12 students and one teacher were killed…
Information Submitted by Carol Langley-Finnegan, CPN Safety Task Force Chair The City of Castle Pines North (CPN) Safety Task Force is taking steps to continue making our city a safer place for us all. While our law enforcement is in the capable hands of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, we as citizens must stand up…
Castle Pines North resident Tammy Abramovitz (right) uses the community garage sale to raise funds for non-profit The Picnic Foundation. (Photo by Tim Gamble) By Carin Kirkegaard For the past four years, local Castle Pines North (CPN) resident, Tammy Abramovitz, has utilized the CPN community garage sale to clean out closets and raise thousands of…
Message provided by Douglas County Assessor Teri Cox, guest editorial The 2009 reappraisal and notices of valuation On May 1, Notices of Valuation for the 2009 reappraisal will be mailed to all property owners in Douglas County. Every two years the assessor’s office revalues all real estate in the county as of an appraisal date…
The Castle Pines Connection recently published an article on our website regarding franchise fee agreements between the city of Castle Pines North (CPN) and local utility providers, causing residents to take a closer look at their utility bills and make note of these additional fees. One Castle Pines North resident wrote in and stated, “My…
by Terri Wiebold The city’s website has a new feature to help identify land use cases active in the city of Castle Pines North. An overview map populated with pine tree icons marks open land use cases within the city. Categories include site improvement plan applications, use by special review applications, subdivision aplications, rezoning applications,…
Information contributed by local resident and owner of Show Your Colors Flag Company, Jeff Tomzak For more than 200 years, the American flag has been the symbol of this nation’s strength and unity. It has been a source of pride and inspiration for millions of citizens, and it has been a prominent icon in national…
by Lane Roberts The building is still under construction, but the enrollment lottery at American Academy is complete. To date, 131 children from Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) and Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) feeder areas have accepted positions at the K-8 public charter school. American Academy accepted a total of 242 new children for the 2009-2010…
by Carin Kirkegaard Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) students will need to set alarm clocks a little earlier next fall. As part of the Douglas County School District (DCSD) budget cuts, the high school and middle school bus routes will be combined for RHMS and Rock Canyon High School (RCHS). There are many questions and…
Showing support for their teacher – Fifth grade boys at Timber Trail Elementary shaved their heads as a tribute to their teacher, Jesica Harrington, center, who is battling stage three breast cancer. Fellow fifth-grade teacher Tony Greene, left, organized a mass head shaving in the cafeteria as a show of support for Harrington. Article and…
Article and photo by Terri Wiebold Pictured left to right: Mayor Maureen Shul, Brian Goldberg, Timothy Bougan, Jack Berris, Conrad Berris, Ted Koerner, Connor Newell, Marston Tweed, Austin Matthys, Andrew Ewald, Ricky Talbot, Douglas County Sheriff Lieutenant Troy McCarty, and Scout Master (and city councilman for Ward 3) David Neely. Local Boy Scout Troop 637…
DCS Montessori students on a Mission at the Challenger Learning Center of Colorado. (Photo by Lisa Maas) by Tracy Dudley All upper elementary students from DCS Montessori recently participated in a space mission “Return to the Moon.” The simulated trip into space took place at the Challenger Learning Center of Colorado in Colorado Springs (www.clccs.org).…
Diane Naylor works with her granddaugher Robin in the classroom at Buffalo Ridge Elementary. Naylor is one of many grandparents volunteering in the local schools. (Photo by Carin Kirkegaard) by Carin Kirkegaard Volunteering in a child’s classroom is a luxury that not every parent is able to indulge. With full time jobs and demanding schedules,…
by Lane Roberts The Castle Pines North Metro District is moving forward with the installation of a 12-inch water main along a portion of Mira Vista Lane to service the American Academy charter school, currently under construction on Lagae Ranch. Despite setbacks of the residential component of the development, the Metro District will fund the…
Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden, Public Information Officer Douglas County Sheriff’s Office 303-660-7586, pgr 303-826-7822 and Whei Wong, Communications Director Douglas County School District, 303.387.0033 Douglas County Sheriff and School District Launching New Texting Program in High Schools Douglas County Sheriff David A. Weaver and Superintendent of Schools Jim Christensen are proud to announce the…
Save time and gas. Attend a neighborhood preschool! Children’s Place at Wembley Place offers preschool for 3,4 and 5-year olds. Morning sessions available with a warm, caring and experienced teacher. Contact Terry Matzat at 303-688-9187. Extended Kindergarten Program has four openings for the 2009-2010 school year. Tuesday and Thursday mornings are available. Call Sarah Byrne…