The Connection

By Michelle Post This is the year of video marketing. Are you ready? Here are just a few stats to confirm that statement: 500 million people watch Facebook videos every day; 400 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute; online video will account for 74 percent of online traffic; and what took television…

By Patte Smith An Overview of the Colorado Strategic Action Planning Group on Aging with speaker James Riesberg Thursday, May 4, networking at 8:45 a.m., meeting 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. St. Andrew’s Methodist Church, 9203 South University Avenue, Highlands Ranch Older Americans Month Proclamation and Reception Tuesday, May 9, 12:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.…

By Lynne Marsala Basche All neighborhoods are vulnerable to crime, and the Castle Pines community is no different. Recently, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) has seen a spike in opportunistic crimes in Castle Pines, and while residents are fortunate to live in a community where public safety is a priority, precautions must be taken…

More than 100 members of the TTE choir had the honor of singing the national anthem at the April 9 Colorado Rockies game. By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Linda Sovich and Cindy Berndt On April 9, spectators at Coors Field enjoyed peanuts, Cracker Jack and the Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) choir singing the…

Bikers enjoy a ride on Spruce Meadows Open Space Trail in Douglas County. Access to exercise opportunities were among the determining factors that led to the County being ranked number one in Colorado for overall health outcomes for the second consecutive year. Information provided by Douglas County Congratulations residents of Douglas County! You live in…

By Amanda Merriman I know I am not going to be the next Lita Ford or Joan Jett. All the same, I would be extremely happy if I could pluck out some songs on an upcoming camping trip. Or, when we settle around the fire pit at our new home, it would be so nice…

  Article and photo by Lisa Crockett| Lately, I’ve been binge watching a Netflix show called “The Great British Bake Off.” It’s a familiar reality show format, with a group of contestants assembled to face a weekly baking challenge. After all but three of the amateur bakers are sent home, a grand finale is held…

Information and graphic provided by the City of Castle Pines With summer right around the corner, the City of Castle Pines Public Works Department is gearing up for road maintenance season. This summer, the City will replace concrete panels on Castle Pines Parkway and Monarch Boulevard, and repave several neighborhood streets. Annual maintenance is carefully…

First grader Thomas Shank used his oil pastel skills to create his shaded owl piece. Thomas is pictured with his art teacher, Wendy Wilson, who was also on the planning committee. By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Wendy Wilson This year’s Annual District Art Show, held March 31 through April 3 at the Highlands…

BRE’s Green Team has been busy saving energy at their school. Picture above, left to right, back row: Liam A., Blake C., Casey G., Mrs. Romero, Anya H., Gabe H., Charlotte S., Katie S., Mrs. Robinson and Dylan L.; front row: Taylor M., Christina S., Abbie M., Bryce H., Preston M. and Jackson H. By…

Information provided by Douglas County Douglas County’s Comprehensive Master Plan (CMP) is an evolving document that establishes a common vision for what the County will look like over the next 20 to 30 years. The CMP provides guidance for a variety of issues that directly affect the quality of life of Douglas County residents, including…

Ryan James Day By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Linda Day Ryan James Day loved a challenge. At age 9, for example, he wanted to learn the piano. So he did. Ryan’s parents, Jim and Linda, laugh wondering how he knew to read notes. Whether participating in sports or attending Douglas County High School…

Pictured left: BRE’s science fair winners pictured from left to right, back row: Owen M., Miller D., Jake B., Molly B., Liam A., Amelia M. and Ava D.; middle row: Aspen H., Sophia H., Joshua B., Gabrielle C. and Sophia P.; front row: Jenna P., Gavin R., Kiefer D., James W., Maycee T. and Principal…

“The Greatest Generation” valued loyalty to family, country and work; this played an important role in living through two world wars and the Great Depression. “This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny.” — Franklin Delano Roosevelt By Michelle Post; courtesy photos I am not sure of the answers I would receive if I…

Deb Santy, assistant director of the Castle Rock Senior Activity Center (right) with Executive Director Debbi Haynie. The Castle Rock Senior Activity Center was instrumental in organizing the past three Senior Expos. An incredible amount of planning and dedication by the staff of the Castle Rock Senior Activity Center (CRSAC), as well as many other…

By RHMS student Kira Zizzo; photos by Amanda Gin and Riley Irwin On March 3, Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) was illuminated with ingenuity, originality, aptitude and ambition at Imagination and Innovation night. The halls were lined with iLab projects that students worked on for two quarters. Voices reverberated around the building as students competed…

South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) was recently awarded the Ready Set Go! award for excellence in recognition of the fire mitigation program they established with the PineRidge community in the City of Castle Pines. Left to right are Life Safety Coordinator Einar Jensen, International Association of Fire Chief’s President, John Sinclair, and SMFR Fire Chief…

Castle Pines Girl Scout Junior Troop 2687 delivered cookies to the Tennyson Center for Children. Pictured above left to right: Rachelle M., Caroline C., Rachael S., Claire Y. and Madeline L. Not pictured: Campbell D. and Jasmine T. Article and photos submitted by Juli Yeater Community service is important to Castle Pines Girl Scout Junior…

Information provided by the Douglas County School District A new Netflix series that debuted in March has become a popular topic of conversation in the hallways of several Douglas County schools, causing concern for some parents. Based on a 2011 New York Times best selling novel by Jay Asher, “13 Reasons Why” is a fictional…

By Elean Gersack Castle Pines Arts & Cultural Foundation will welcome Missoula Children’s Theatre to town this summer for the fourth straight year. This year’s play, “Jack and the Beanstalk,” will boast two performances on Saturday, July 22 at 3:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. at Rocky Heights Middle School. As always, Castle Pines youngsters will…

By Patte Smith Most of the Castle Pines community shops for groceries at King Soopers, and many residents use the new library. You have the chance to help support local schools and the library by shopping and fueling up your car at King Soopers using a “scrip” card. Buffalo Ridge Elementary, American Academy, DCS Montessori…

The Rosenlund family is a tight unit, as is evidenced in their home life and in their work at Nations Lending in Castle Pines. Pictured from left to right, back row: Pricilla Rosenlund, Pamela Zahner, Joe Zahner, Tammy Anderson and Thurston Rosenlund; front row: Savannah Rosenlund and Truett Rosenlund. Article and photos by Kathy Fallert…

Students enjoy some of the many game-related activities offered at Rock Canyon High School’s After Prom, held on April 8 to provide a safe environment after the prom. By Riley Busch, RCHS intern writer; courtesy photos This past month, many high school students within the Castle Pines community donned tuxedos and flowing dresses and embarked…

By Lisa Crockett It never fails. You have a late-night craving for brownies (or pancakes, or chicken á la King), so you whip out the whisk and mixing bowls and get to work . . . only to discover you’re missing a crucial ingredient. While a midnight King Soopers run isn’t out of the question,…

By Kathy Fallert; photos courtesy of Candy Palazzo Thirteen-year-old Carly Palazzo, resident of Buffalo Ridge Estates, was diagnosed with epilepsy at the young age of 2 due to an unexplained gene mutation. Palazzo, along with 17-year-old Grace Garcia from Parker were chosen to represent Colorado at the annual Teens Speak Up! (TSU) conference in Washington,…

The RCHS basketball team after making the buzzer beater win against Grandview High School in the Great Eight competition, which took them to the Final Four for the first time in school history. The final moments of the game were played on ESPN’s SportsCenter. By Jack Hibbett, RCHS intern writer; photos courtesy of Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com…

By Amanda Merriman Connection writer Amanda Merriman admits she is hopelessly addicted to books. It has been this way nearly all her life. Every month she shares what she has been reading with the hope that others will share in the obsession too. This month’s Bibliophiliac’s selection, “Himself”, is a debut novel from author Jess…

Information provided by Douglas County Libraries Douglas County Libraries (DCL) presents an adventurous start to its Summer Reading Program with another season of Page to Stage children’s theater. This year’s entertaining production, presented in partnership with Front Range Theatre Company in Castle Rock, is an originally written adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland.” The traveling production…

Rock Canyon Bands marched in the parade in the Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida as part of a spring break trip. By Sarah Bermingham, RCHS intern writer; photos courtesy of Blake Unger This past spring break, the Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) Bands spent five magical and educational days at Walt Disney World in Orlando,…

Map of the 1937 Chase Landholdings (in blue). I-25 is highlighted purple, Santa Fe (Hwy 85) is red, Happy Canyon Road is green and Daniels Park Road is yellow. By Joe Gschwendtner Picking up where we left off last month …While John Chase Jr. was clearly the shaker and mover among the three sons who…

By Patte Smith; courtesy photo Spring is here, and many farmers markets open during the month of May. It is time to get out and enjoy the weather and stroll through markets offering fresh produce, home-grown flowers, arts and crafts, local brewed beer and activities for kids. When heading up to the mountains this summer…

Castle View High School Baca, Merissa Beauchamp, Lauren Beaujon, Anthony Besocke, Madelyn Bloom, Braden Brodin, Samuel Cage, Kellie Chavez Islas, Brayan Curry, Anna Curry, Blake Dean, Keaton DeVries, Jack Dudley, Koby Dunbar, Jane Endley, Skylar Finley, Brandon Galligan, Amber Gladstone, Madison Hosmer, Joseph Howland, Andrew Jackson, Joshua Kouri, Haylie Matese, Marissa Negron, Christopher Nouss, Marianna…

Castle Pines Postal Center employee Marie Dudgeon waved goodbye during the final days of operation at the store located in the King Soopers shopping center. Article and photo by Terri Wiebold Castle Pines residents were surprised in late April to find a sign taped to the door of the Castle Pines Postal Center which read,…

By Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of DCS Montessori School DCS Montessori (DCSM) celebrated its 20th anniversary on Saturday, April 22 with an event that included alumni, parents and staff, as well as current students, families and staff. All of the board of directors and Montessori Educational Foundation members were present, too! DCSM celebrated 20…

By Kathy Fallert Little did I know as I wrote the Day Trippin’ article last month regarding “RTD Southeast Rail Line and R Line Updates,” I have been parking illegally at Lincoln Station for years. I was under the assumption, as are many, that parking there is free. Apparently, I have been lucky that I…

French language students at Rock Canyon High School, along with teachers Alexis Savas and David Sapienza, traveled to Morocco where they rode camels in the Erg Chebbi Dunes of Merzouga in the Sahara Desert. The group also visited the Medersa Ben Youssef, an Islamic school in Marrakech before traveling to the High Atlas Mountains where…

Olivia Voss, a junior at Rock Canyon High School and a Castle Pines Village resident, earned the highest possible composite ACT score of 36, a significant achievement reached by only one-tenth of one percent of high school ACT test takers. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Lisa Voss Nearly 2 million high school students take…

Ready, set, go at the 2016 Memorial Day Run & March. Information and photos provided by the Memorial Day Run & March organization Race, run, ruck, walk or roll at the 2017 Memorial Day Run & March 5K, 10K and 30K runs on Saturday, May 27 starting at the Douglas County Fairgrounds. The entire community…

Article and photos by Terri Wiebold Last month, we shared with you insight into the creative team of writers who bring the pages of The Connection to life, but the true lifeblood of the paper is our team of account managers.  The Connection is 100 percent funded through advertising dollars, and the relationships and partnerships…

By Amy Shanahan; photos courtesy of Beverly Coggins The father daughter dance at The Country Club at Castle Pines is an annual event that has become a tradition for many of the club’s members.  This year, the event took place on March 4 and was attended by more than 85 dads and their daughters. Castle…

DCSM student Dylan Tilton with 2017 Iditarod musher Aliy Zirkle at the musher’s banquet.  Tilton’s passion for “The Last Great Race” came out of the classroom and into reality with a March trip to the iconic Alaskan dog sled race. By Lynne Marsala Basche; photo courtesy of DCS Montessori DCS Montessori (DCSM) student and Castle…

Information provided by the FAA Several public workshops will be held in April and May on the proposed airspace improvements in the Denver Metro area.  The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is holding the workshops in an open house format so people can attend any time during the publicized time range to learn about the proposed…

A  fluffy four-legged airline traveler sniffs around one of the new indoor private pet restrooms.  The Pet Relief areas are a welcome amenity where dogs can go on the fly before taking to the skies. Article and photo by Lynn Zahorik; photo courtesy of DIA Traveling with your trusted furry friends just got easier at…

Brigadier General John Chase, Jr. (left), whose family acquired more land in Douglas County than any other.  Chase commanded troops under Governor Peabody. By Joe Gschwendtner; photo courtesy of Douglas County History Research Center As Douglas County development accelerated in the late 1800s, no family acquired more land through the Homestead Act in our area…

Matthew Reljanovic, Broady Bowers and Trevor Venable represent Chile at DCS Montessori’s fourth annual international tea. Presentations covered government, culture, population and climate, and, of course, tea. By Lynne Marsala Basche; photo courtesy of DCS Montessori DCS Montessori students had the opportunity to participate in a festive tea celebration when teacher (and Castle Pines resident)…

Construction on the 1,300-space parking garage south of RidgeGate on Havana and the bridge to the end-of-line station for RTD’s Southeast Rail Line has been underway for several months.  The Southeast Rail Line Extension is scheduled to open in 2019. Article and photo by Patte Smith; map provided by RTD Motorists who travel north on…

“We thought our smoke alarms were keeping us safe …”         – PineRidge resident Barb Saenger By Kathy Fallert; photo courtesy of Barb Saenger There are few things in life more annoying than the chirping of a smoke alarm in your home, especially when it continues after the batteries have been replaced.  PineRidge resident Barb Saenger…

By Michelle Post “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” ~ Abraham Lincoln I love the above quote, for it reminds me that preparing to complete a task is more important than doing the job itself.  In part one of this series we…

RJ McLennan won the giant slalom at the CHSAA state ski championships in Steamboat Springs by more than a second in 12 degree weather on February 23. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photos courtesy of Tania Coffey and RJ McLennan RJ McLennan, a Castle Pines resident and senior at Rock Canyon High School (RCHS), won the giant…

Information provided by the City of Castle Pines To more accurately align with the communication efforts of Lennar Homes, information about the Lagae Ranch development on the City of Castle Pines website has been changed to Castle Pines Valley.  The new development, currently under construction, will include 231 single-family homes, 400 multi-family residences, an elementary…

By Elean Gersack Join a host of Denver area running enthusiasts for the annual Cherry Creek Sneak in Cherry Creek North on Sunday, April 23 at 7:30 a.m.  The Cherry Creek Sneak is the Denver must for families and elite runners alike. Runners and walkers participate in the10-mile, 5-mile, and 3.1-mile (5K) There’s even a…

The eight foundations of Sources of Strength. Submitted by RHMS student Isabel Kiefert Sources of Strength (SOS), a group at Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) has a mission “To provide the highest quality evidence-based prevention for suicide, violence, bullying and substance abuse by training, supporting, and empowering both peer leaders and caring adults to impact…

RCHS National Merit finalist Megan Pitman (third from right) pictured here with fellow RCHS finalists Sydney Marchando (second from right) and Kate Schaffer (far right). The students are dressed for Hawaiian day in honor of their Wish Week kid, Faith (see related article on page 35). By Lisa Nicklanovich; courtesy photo Nine students at Rock…

In an effort to spread happiness and positivity, RHMS students Braden McCollam (left), Alivia Ball (center) and Raegan Synk (right) composed and sent weekly inspirational emails to teachers and staff to brighten their days. By RHMS student Zoe Bair; photo courtesy of Kayla Mash Every Friday, Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) students Braden McCollam, Alivia…

BRE students battle their way to branch championships   By Kathy Fallert; courtesy photo The Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) third and fourth grade team battled their way to victory as the Lone Tree branch champions in this year’s Battle of the Books competition.  The competition is similar to a game show format.  The students all…

By Michelle Post I remember the moment clearly, as if it happened yesterday, but it was 15 years ago.  I was sitting in professional development training with members of my team, and we were learning about the different generations in the workplace.  As the instructor began to detail each generation and their characteristics, one of…

Actors in the RCHS production of “Peter Pan: The Musical,” rehearsed one of the final scenes in the show in preparation for opening night on March 1.  Actors featured (from left to right): Alyssa Marino, Leah Doogan, Ben Watervoort, Molly Lane, Maddie Maynor, Lily Schmoker, Amanda Scholtz, Landon Hogue and Elysa Veta. By Riley Busch,…

By Michelle Post Allow me to take you back into your memories, and I want you to think of the most beautiful place you have been.  As you find your image, I want you to close your eyes and listen to the sounds, smell the aromas in the air, and feel the emotions as you…

By Elean Gersack It is time to roll up your sleeves and get checked at the 9Health Fair.  For 36 years, this volunteer driven nonprofit has impacted more than two million lives with blood chemistry and other health screening programs.  It is easy and convenient to take charge of your health by making plans to…

Kian Lame’s smile is as large as his zest for life as he visits his sister Yasmine at her college campus.  Kian’s family is hoping to raise money to purchase an adaptive bike so that he can enjoy the feeling of independence and joy that all kids deserve. By Nancy Koontz; photos courtesy of Neda…

Castle Crocs have a lot of long-time returning swimmers, including these boys pictured last year (from left to right): Jack Nelson, Ryan Tierney, Ben Gardner, Caleb Jaramillo and Carter Brand. by Kathy Fallert; courtesy photos CASTLE CROCS Castle Crocs (Crocs) are gearing up for their 11th season. The overall mission for the Castle Crocs is…

In early May, residents will receive their Notice of Value for 2017, which will reflect the market value of a residence as of June 30, 2016.  This year, while home values have increased, residents will not notice an equivalent change in their property taxes due next year. By Lynne Marsala Basche In early May, Douglas…