The Connection

Bella Rock Adventures is leading a hike through the foothills to catch the changing Aspens and glimpse the amazing fall colors Colorado has to offer. Saralyn Crock will be the lead guide for the hike. She has more than 18 years of experience in hiking, mountain biking and snowshoeing. The hike will take place September…

Douglas County Sheriff David A. Weaver Information submitted by Douglas County Sheriff’s Office It seems that when we have nice weather we tend to see an increase of door-to-door salespeople in our Castle Pines neighborhoods. Many of these people are legitimate employees trying to advertise their business. Unfortunately, many of these people can be con…

By Terri Wiebold The Castle Pines Village merchants are partnering with the Cherokee Ranch and Castle to host a summer wine walk and Celtic concert on Wednesday, August 12. The annual wine walk will run from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with the added entertainment this year of a Celtic concert in the plaza from…

by Lisa Crockett The Oak Hills Owners Association was unsuccessful in its bid to block the building of a 344-seat church in the community. After a hearing with the Douglas County Board of Adjustment in June, Castle Pines Community Church (CPCC) is approved to begin the process of constructing a church building. The 12.5-acre site…

Information submitted by Big O Tires Big O Tires was very proud to bring the Alive at 25 Premier Program to Castle Pines North this past May. Big O Tires (along with the Center for Transportation Safety) have supplemented the Premium program so that the students and their parents can attend this very important training…

In accordance with today’s presidential proclamation ordering U.S. flags lowered to half-staff on all federal facilities through Aug. 30 to honor U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, Gov. Ritter has also directed that U.S. and Colorado flags be lowered to half-staff on state facilities through sunset on the 30th. Earlier today, Gov. Ritter issued a statement praising…

American Academy charter school plans to open its 83,000 square foot facility in Castle Pines North for families to tour on September 18. The first day of school for students in grades K-8 will be September 21. (photo by Jeremy Gamble) by Terri Wiebold The Castle Pines community welcomes the completion of its first middle…

CPA teammates high five following a soccer game Castle Pines Athletics (CPA) is now accepting registration forms for fall soccer. The fall season runs August 24 through October 10. All practices and games are played in the fields located in Castle Pines North (CPN). The cost for soccer is $75 for CPN residents and $95…

by Paige Newman, Intern Writer, Rock Canyon High School An eyelash. A fountain. A broken wishbone. Dropping a penny in the well. The birthday candles on a cake. A star shooting across the sky. Why are these things important? Why do we wish on them? Why do we wish at all? Why, each year on…

by Carin R. Kirkegaard When Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) returns to school August 10 it will be with fewer buses and more parents driving, walking and biking their students to and from school. According to BRE Principal, Ally Berggren, BRE will be a pilot school working along with the Douglas County School District (DCSD) to…

Submitted by Deputy Ann Walton, Community Resources Unit, 303-814-7001 Deputy Ron Hanavan, Community Resources Unit, 303-814-7089WHAT Douglas County Sheriff’s Office to Host First “One Day Citizen Academy” The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, is now accepting applications for its first “One Day Citizen Academy”. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the Sheriff’s Office,…

South Suburban Parks and Recreation continues its special 50¢ Friday activities commemorating 50 years of service to the community on August 14 at Family Sports Center, 6901 S. Peoria Street in Centennial. Visitors will enjoy 50¢ public skating and 50¢ skate rental at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 8 p.m.; plus 50¢ entertainment rides all…

The highlight of my summer was being back stage with my cousins, Micha & Davis at the Jonas Brothers “Jo Bros” Concert. I will never forget meeting Joe, Kevin & Nick!  It was soooo AMAZING! Katie Kenny, age 10 (pictured bottom left).

With hundreds of participants from eight local schools, the Rock Slide remains a highly anticipated community event. The race raises funds for local participating schools through advertising sponsorships and provides local businesses a unique venue to reach customers. Founded on promoting the importance of healthy living for children and families, the Rock Slide is an…

It isn’t just through monetary donations that the girls give back; they give of their time and talents too. by Carin R. Kirkegaard During the past year, Brownie Troop 1891 has been providing young ladies from the Castle Pines area opportunities and experiences that not only enhance personal growth, but give back to the community.…

by Carin R. Kirkegaard The laughter could be heard ringing as it drifted over the gate at the HOA2 pool each morning during the Castle Croc swim practice. The Crocs wrapped up season four over the summer and had a great time in the process. The team, run by head coach Paul Whitaker, spent the…

School finance has quickly become the hot topic for the Douglas County School District (DCSD). With a huge deficit in our Colorado State budget, and kindergarten through twelfth grade education making up approximately 40 percent of that budget, you can imagine where some of the cuts will need to occur. DCSD receives a little more…

by Carin R. Kirkegaard Starting August 3 through August 15, Clothes to Kids (CTK) of Denver is coming to Douglas County. CTK is a non-profit organization that provides new and quality used clothing to low-income school aged children, free of charge. Currently donations are being taken. CTK is looking for quality used and new clothing…

Elected officials from the City of Castle Pines North and the Town of Castle Rock gathered to discuss sharing resources and expertise. Article and photo by Terri Wiebold Elected officials from the City of Castle Pines North joined elected officials from the Town of Castle Rock in June for an evening of casual conversation and…

by Anthonette Klinkerman There was a big box office supply store commercial that came out at the end of the summer that never failed to make me laugh. A traditional winter holiday carol (politically correct terminology) rang out, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year…” A man went joyously sailing by on a shopping…

The Castle Cappellas performing at the City of Castle Pines North Independence Day celebration on July 3 at Coyote Ridge Park. Members include (pictured left to right) Crista Huff, Keri Brehm, Lynne Snyer, Rebecca Larson, Michelle Thurston, Jan Page, Mary Barnes, Teri Bultemeier, Cindy Kessinger-Wenninger, and (not pictured) Diane Burns. by Sally Uhrich Singing without…

Margie Woodruff Foundation Manager Douglas County Libraries Foundation 303-688-7638 Contact by e-mail 100 South Wilcox Street Castle Rock, CO 80104 August Fundraising Events for New Library The Castle Pines community has pulled together to help Douglas County Libraries open a small library at 7437 Village Square Drive in September. So far, nearly $36,000 has been…

Shannon McFarland poses with her REAL Colorado Soccer friend Kellsie Rector after qualifying for the State Hershey track and field meet. by Carin R. Kirkegaard Shannon McFarland, Castle Pines North youth, competed in the Hershey’s Track and Field Games through South Suburban Parks and Recreation (SSPR) and qualified for the state track meet. McFarland competed…

submitted by Alison Lammot, Counselor/Trauma Therapist It is that time of year when kids get ready to go back to school. The stores are full of families shopping for new outfits and school supplies. Kids are full of anticipation about friends, teachers, sports, and other issues like acceptance and the ability to perform. Would you…

Information provided by the Castle Pines North Metro District Water delivered to customers of the Castle Pines North Metro District (CPNMD) will be disinfected using a new process beginning in July 2009. The change is necessary to prepare for the integration of the treatment process with the District’s future water provider partners. In the past,…

by Anthonette Klinkerman Rock Canyon High School sent 315 eager graduates out into the world in May. Scholarships for everything from academics to athletics were abundant, the weather was perfect, and the optimism was tangible. For the Class of ‘09, things were fine. Hard as it is to think about the Class of 2013, Rock…

By Terri Wiebold with information submitted by The Canyons The Canyons community continues to progress through the annexation process for the City of Castle Pines North. Council members agreed in June that The Canyons’ application for annexation into the City of Castle Pines North met the eligibility requirements laid out under state law. The Canyons…

Margie Woodruff Foundation Manager Douglas County Libraries Foundation 303-688-7638 Contact by e-mail 100 South Wilcox Street Castle Rock, CO 80104 Castle Pines Authors’ Reception featuring John Shors & Dave Cullen John Shors and Dave Cullen will be the featured at an Authors’ Reception on August 20, 2009, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at the Cherokee Ranch…

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Explorers Take Home Many Trophies from State Competition Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden Public Information Officer Douglas County Sheriff’s Office 303-660-7586 Members of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Explorer Post #10-4 participated in the 2009 Regional Explorer Conference held in Gunnison, CO, during the week of July 6th. The Douglas County…

Submitted by Kristin Hayek Publicity & Outreach Coordinator Douglas County Libraries 303-688-7642 100 South Wilcox Street Castle Rock, CO 80104 Fundraising efforts by the residents in Castle Pines have paid off — the Board of Douglas County Libraries voted in May to sign a lease for a library to open in September at Village Square…

Submitted by SOUTH METRO FIRE RESCUE AUTHORITY 9195 East Mineral Avenue, Centennial, Colorado 80112 Phone: 720/989/2000 Fax: 729/989-2001 July 13, 2009 Dear Colleague: The South Metro Fire Rescue Authority desires to achieve the highest level of professionalism and efficiency on behalf of those it serves. I’m writing to ask you for your help in this…

Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Announces its Newest Vehicle to the Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division, The Y.E.S.S. (Youth Education and Safety in Schools) car The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is proud to announce its newest vehicle to the Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division, the Y.E.S.S. (Youth Education and…

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…

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.…

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.

Message Provided by Douglas County Libraries Director James LaRue, guest editorial The Castle Pines community has faced a few setbacks in its drive to bring a library closer to home. Narrow defeats in the last two elections to increase Library District revenue and budget issues have necessitated some cuts in services district-wide. Among these cuts:…

Submitted by Deputy Cocha Heyden Public Information Officer Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, 303-660-7586 Deputy Robert Rotherham, Traffic Unit, 303-663-7703 Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Upcoming Fourth of July Holiday DUI Enforcement During the July 4th weekend, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office deputies will be conducting DUI Saturation Patrols throughout Douglas County, specifically on the major county roads…

American Academy fourth graders coordinated their robot with their spring outfits as part of the fashion competition at Robofest. (Photo by Trish Cummings) by Lane Roberts On Saturday, April 11, American Academy’s fourth graders won big in a Robofest competition. Robofest is an annual autonomous robotics competition focusing on learning science, engineering, technology and math…

Information provided by Douglas County Effective July 1, Colorado citizens will pay a higher motor vehicle registration renewal, the result of Senate Bill 09-108, which adds an annual road safety surcharge and a bridge safety surcharge to each motor vehicle registration renewal, based on the weight of the vehicle. The bridge safety surcharge fee included…

by Anthonette Klinkerman Tammy Krause is surrounded by Samsonite backpacks. They are all filled with gender-specific kids games, electronics, and goodies, and ready for distribution to children undergoing pediatric cancer treatments at area hospitals from Denver to Colorado Springs. Pediatric cancer took the life of her five year old, Gabby, in 2004. The backpacks were…

From left to right Tessa Brust, Brilynn Pray, Malia Baudo, Kira Johansen, Priscilia Vargas, Jordan Rickerd. by Carin R. Kirkegaard Local Brownie Troop 597 did some good in the world and sponsored a dinner for nearly 40 families at Warren Village, a transitional housing program for previously homeless single parent families. The entire dinner was…

by Timi Aguilar The Castle Pines Youth Advisory Council (YAC) raised almost $600 to benefit Children’s Hospital at its first “Walk in the Pines” event on Saturday, June 6. The walk had around 35 attendees who participated in the two-mile walk on a sunny Saturday morning. Mayor Maureen Shul kicked-off the event and worked directly…

by Carin R. Kirkegaard Jared Roberts, a second grader at Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE), was certainly surprised when the letter containing the adventures of Flat Stanley from his uncle returned with photos of former President George W. Bush holding Flat Stanley. “Is that George W. Bush with Uncle Mike and Flat Stanley?” questioned Roberts. The…

Annie Aubert creates unique works of art with flowers, fabrics, structures and lighting out of her HOA1 home in CPN. Article and photo by Carin R. Kirkegaard Castle Pines North resident Annie Aubert is a local florist and owner of Designs by Ann. Aubert decorates for special events by creating unique artistic works of art…

Girlfriends celebrate a birthday and give to the library fund. Front row – Sally Wagner, Sheri Powner, Sandy Koerner Back row – June Uralli, Kelly Durie. by Carin R. Kirkegaard With the approval from the Library Board for lease negotiations to begin, the dream of a library in Castle Pines North (CPN) is starting to…

Submitted by Pottery Adventure Polish Pottery Pottery Adventure Polish Pottery is thrilled to add the Vena factory to our lineup. Vena features the most intricate and detailed artwork of all Polish Pottery. We will continue to carry most well known factory, Zaklady Boleslawiec, as well. Check our exciting new line up at: www.potteryadventure.com or call…

by Lane Roberts Normally one wouldn’t hear a whistle-blowing drill sergeant in an assisted living facility, but this wasn’t a normal staff meeting. It was bootcamp. Courtesy Bootcamp, that is. Castle Country Assisted Living Facilities welcomed Courtesy Bootcamp at their Valley House location in April for a staff development meeting. For one hour, staff members…

American Design & Landscape has been awarded a one-year construction contract on the first phase of the City of Castle Pines North Metro District Master Landscape Plan. Construction began in May and is scheduled for completion on July 4. There are four areas included in the first phase of the project: North Entrance to the…

by Terri Wiebold The heavy, wet snow late this season left many Castle Pines residents with broken trees and branches, prompting Douglas County to open its Slash and Mulch program a month early this year. “Due to the recent snowstorm, many residents throughout the County lost trees and now have a considerable amount of work…

Jaxon William Tillman at four days old Submitted by Robin Reichwein Jaxon William Tillman, a fifth generation Coloradan, was born March 27, 2009 to Josh and Maile Tillman of Highlands Ranch, CO. Tillman’s maternal grandparents are Robin Reichwein of Surrey Ridge and Terry Erwin of Dillon. Paternal grandparents are Kathy and Steve Tillman of Monte…

Submitted by RE/MAX Professionals New venture brings together Denver market experience, expertise Two long-time Denver real estate leaders announced the formation of a new partnership. Prestige Real Estate Group and RE/MAX Professionals are becoming RE/MAX Professionals: Colorado’s most prestigious real estate company. As one entity, they will offer their customers the experience and expertise needed…

Singer Reagan Lindemann offers a wide variety of musical experiences to diners at Castle Pines North’s La Dolce Vita Restaurant. by Lisa Crockett For diners in Castle Pines North who have a hankering for Italian food, dinner offers not only a treat for the taste buds, but for the ears as well. “Having live music…

Submitted by Bryan Rudiak Dr. Bryan Rudiak (pictured on the right) of Castle Pines, Colorado, was among a group of doctors of chiropractic from around the world invited to participate in the 17th Annual Symposium on Natural Fitness held in Columbus, Ohio in March. The ICA Natural Fitness Symposium brings together the worlds of athletic…

On June 20 Castle Pines North Girl Scout Troops will be holding a bake sale with all proceeds benefiting the Castle Pines Library Campaign. Stop by the dual swim meet between the two CPN swim teams the Castle Crocs and the Storm at the HOA2 pool located off of Oxford in the Kings Crossing subdivision

Clean your garage and clean the environment at the Douglas County annual Household Chemical Roundup by Terri Wiebold According to the Tri-County Health Department, a total of 2,510 vehicles participated in Douglas County’s Household Chemical Roundups in 2008, representing an estimated 2,887 households, safely disposing of more than 155 tons of hazardous materials. This included…

Nancy Meisner surrounded by her friends who inspired and supported her in rediscovering her art. From left to right: Stacy Eberling, Julie Park, Darcy Pierce, Cheryl Utterback, Nancy Meisner, Jeannine Pettaway, Nancy Wood, Heather Allen, and Dorothy Musco. Article and photos by Carin R. Kirkegaard With the art show, “Wildflowers in Springtime,” local artist Nancy…

by Lisa Crockett Are politics in your future? Do you have a desire to become more involved in the Castle Pines community? Could you be the future mayor or treasurer of the City of Castle Pines North (CPN)? Now is your opportunity to explore the possibilities. The CPN City Council recently passed an ordinance which…

Vacation Bible School (VBS) is being offered by several of the churches in Castle Pines: Christ the King Presbyterian Church is hosting VBS in partnership with Epiphany Lutheran Church in Castle Rock. VBS will be held from June 22 – 26 at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 550 Wolfensburger Road, from 9 a.m. until noon. For more…

by Carin Kirkegaard Starting this June, Castle Pines North resident Sheri Brummett will be opening her home as a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) pick up location for Grant Family Farms. A CSA is a partnership between a local farm and individuals seeking to purchase locally grown produce. Interested customers make an annual commitment to purchase…