The Connection

Castle Pines resident Sara McCaslin at the “Go Red for Women” event at the Park Meadows Retail Resort last month. McCaslin, who is an American Heart Association volunteer and heart attack survivor speaks to groups to raise awareness about heart disease. Outfitted in a new red geometric-pattern dress (compliments of Macy’s), she shared her story…

American Academy Ghana Club board members visited with the Rotary Club of Castle Pines on January 16. The Rotary granted the club $500 to help grow the program. Back Row: Howard Rosch, president Rotary Club of Castle Pines; Ben Wolfe, teacher/Ghana Club sponsor at American Academy; and Ron West, president Rotary Club of Castle Pines…

Article and photo by Amy Shanahan The beautiful new Canyon Fitness health club held its official grand opening on Wednesday, January 29. The event was attended by more than four hundred enthusiastic gym and community members. The “John Saunders Band” kept things rockin’ downstairs, while attendees enjoyed wine and delicious food from The Social. Upstairs…

Rock Canyon High School students pose for the camera following the conclusion of the competition on Friday, February 7. By Michael Shapiro, RCHS intern writer; photo courtesy of Jana Robinette On Friday, February 7, roughly 1,000 high school students from across Douglas County descended on the Denver First Church for the Future Business Leaders of…

Letter sent by the Douglas County School District on February 13 Dear Douglas County Parents, As you know, the safety of our students and staff is our top priority. You may also know, over the past few weeks, we have lost three Douglas County School District students and one former student to suicide. First, I…

By Amy Shanahan Castle Pines Village resident Stacy Gaines is at it again! For the fifth year in a row, Gaines and her friends and fellow church members are putting together Easter baskets for homeless children throughout the metro Denver area. The goal this year is five hundred baskets that will be delivered to the…

BRE first graders Jayse and Braden film their video about the Washington Monument. Article and photo by Elean Gersack First graders at Buffalo Ridge Elementary School (BRE) recently studied United States symbols. As part of the social studies standards for identifying and explaining the meaning of national symbols, the first grade team worked together to…

Castle Pines residents Chris and Jaclynn Peterson took extensive fire mitigation measures to remove dead and diseased trees from their 200-acre property. With the help of outside agencies, the Petersons were able to mitigate nearly all their property and have half of their expenses paid for. By Elizabeth Wood West; photos courtesy of Chris and…

Betty Cahill, author of The Denver Post’s “Punch List” Information provided by the CPV Garden Club Springtime garden “to-do” chores can be long and overwhelming. For relief, join The Castle Pines Village Garden Club as they host Betty Cahill, author of The Denver Post’s “Punch List” on Friday, March 7 at 10 a.m. Cahill will…

Eliza Anderson is a successful hair stylist in Lone Tree who leads a very happy life thanks, in part, to her ability to hear. “Sometimes it is hard trying to keep up with conversations in a restaurant or some place that has a lot of background noise, but my Cochlear implants are awesome and let…

Tricia Anthone, owner By Terri Wiebold; photo courtesy of Tricia Anthone In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell, Chinese students rallied and died for Democracy in Tiananmen Square, and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” played incessantly on radios across America. In February of that same year, entrepreneur Tricia Anthone entered the Castle Pines community and began connecting…

Artist Mollie Uhl Eaton on opening night at the Tesoro Artisan Gallery. Article by Lynne Marsala Basche; photos courtesy of Mollie Uhl Eaton Mollie Uhl Eaton is as vibrant as the paintings she creates. Through the end of March, Mollie’s abstract works can be seen at the Tesoro Artisan Gallery in Denver, which features local…

After years of traveling far and wide to visit TJ’s, writer Lisa Crockett will finally be able to shop close to home and enjoy her favorite products, as well as new ones. Article and photos by Lisa Crockett I first visited Trader Joe’s (TJ’s) many years ago on a visit to my parents, who live…

City of Castle Pines HOA2 resident and RCHS senior Andrew Nicklanovich advances to first base after a skillfully-executed bunt last season. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Julie Lamb Baseball season means spring is here and the Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) baseball team has been working hard for months preparing for the start of…

By Amy Shanahan; courtesy photos Attaining the rank of eagle scout in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) is an honor that only a small percentage of scouts receive. However, the Castle Pines community is home to a large number of these young men who have shown the commitment and leadership necessary to achieve the…

Dalton John Lambrecht By Amy Shanahan; photos courtesy of the Lambrecht family and friends Dalton John Lambrecht loved the color purple, air soft, riding four-wheelers, hunting, and a large variety of music. He loved his family and friends, good hugs, and making others feel welcome, loved and important. Dalton embodied all of these things, and…

Castle Pines resident Gregg Brueck is the dedicated athletic trainer for Real Colorado from Children’s Hospital Colorado. Article and photos by Elean Gersack Spring soccer will soon kick into high gear, so it is the perfect time to introduce Castle Pines resident Gregg Brueck to our readers. Brueck is the full-time athletic trainer for Real…

Pine Canyon development, formerly the Woodhouse-Scott Ranch, is a 535-acre mixed-use development that may be annexed later this year by the Town of Castle Rock. By Elizabeth Wood West; site plan courtesy of The Town of Castle Rock Pine Canyon, an expansive 535-acre planned development owned by the JRW Family Limited Partnership (Owner), is being…

By Julie Montoya; courtesy photos Ever look out your window and see a wild turkey staring back at you…or maybe a red tail hawk or a huge owl? Being a resident of Castle Pines, you have probably seen one of these a time or two. Sitting on the cusp of the Rocky Mountains, Castle Pines…

By Steve Baska Six Castle Pines residents were sworn into office during the city council meeting on January 14. Five of those were elected in November. The sixth, Diane Spomer, was appointed as city clerk. The elected officials included Mayor Jeffrey Huff, who was re-elected; new councilmembers Rex Lucas of Ward 1; Resa Labossiere of…

Five Rock Canyon High School senior girls were honored at the Ninth Annual Women in Sports Luncheon. (From left to right) Phoebe Schneider – Cross Country/Track: undecided; Victoria Vanderpoel – Swimming: Pomona College, CA; Jill Finnerty – Soccer: Texas Christian University, TX; Lexy Thorderson – Basketball: San Diego State University, CA; and Kaycie Young –…

Kambree, Kate and Svea work on their poster for “people who buy” in the initial stages of Mrs. Kennedy’s consumer unit. Article and photo by Elean Gersack In January, third graders in Mrs. Kennedy’s class at Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) dove headfirst into economics with a consumer awareness unit. As a Colorado state standard, third…

RHMS students Shayna Smith and Emily Wilson competed in a nationwide archery tournament and tied for first place!. According to Smith, the key to being successful at archery is “being calm, focused, having a good attitude, having fun, and enjoying what you are doing!” By Amy Shanahan; photo courtesy of Dorothea Morrow-Smith In only its…

A memorable and meaningful Christmas season was enjoyed by this Castle Pines Village bunco group. Back row: Millie Brister, Lin Giampietro, Angela Williams, Marylou Giampietro, Diane Stavaski. Front row: Nan Wesselink, Susan McCauley, Lisa Bartmann, Allison Wiener, and Angel Resatar. Not pictured: Nancy Hardardt, Alyda Macaluso, and Stacy Gaines. Article and photo by Amy Shanahan…

By Elizabeth Wood West The Town of Castle Rock (Town) approved its financial agreement with Alberta Development (Alberta) and the related metropolitan district for Alberta’s proposed “Promenade at Castle Rock” development project (Promenade). Promenade is a new 200-acre commercial/residential development that may include up to 900,000 square feet of commercial space and approximately 350 multi-family…

Castle Pines residents who joined the new fitness group are, from left, Rose Adamo, Christy Lott, Jillann Turnwall, Tara Broyd, Tracey Hopkins, and Abeer Miller. By Steve Baska; photo courtesy of Marcio Stewart Castle Pines resident Marcio Stewart says a story in the January issue of The Castle Pines Connection about a new program he…

Students in Shawndra Fordham’s Bio Technology class typed questions into a chat queue while Dr. Shawn Burgess, a genome researcher in Maryland, explained his research work on zebrafish and regenerative hearing. Article and photos by Lisa Nicklanovich If your hearing is starting to deteriorate, whether due to age or loud music, listen up; you may…

By Elizabeth Wood West Get ready to caucus – election year 2014 is here. There are many local, state, and national candidate races, campaign events, and assemblies this year for Douglas County voters to participate in. According to the Douglas County Clerk and Recorder’s election office, there are a total of 218,155 registered voters as…

Castle Pines residents Taylor Robinson, Grayson Kamel, Sarah Parker and Ally Fritsch performed in “Willy Wonka” this winter. “Playing an Oompa Loompa in ‘Willy Wonka’ was my favorite part so far because of all the fun dance numbers and the amount of stage time,” remarked Fritsch. By Amy Shanahan; photo courtesy of Nancy Fritsch Youth…

Dragonfly Celebrations, a new party-planning business owned by Castle Pines resident Page Warnke, plans celebrations for adults and children alike, like this “pretty and pink” party for a child’s birthday. By Lisa Crockett; photos courtesy of Dragonfly Celebrations Everyone loves a party, but Castle Pines resident Page Warnke loves everything leading up to a party,…

Ginger Whellock is pictured here in front of several of her gorgeous paintings. Whellock paints every day and constantly strives to improve her work. A plaque above her desk in her studio provides inspiration with a quote from Winston Churchill. “The way to achieve happiness is to try for perfection that is impossible to achieve,…

Timber Trail Elementary fifth graders present proposals to reduce waste and conserve energy at the school. Students earned a $2,000 grand from Douglas County School District to help them implement some of their plans. By Lisa Crockett; photo courtesy of Timber Trail Elementary As part of its Project Based Learning (PBL) approach, educators at Timber…

Douglas/Elbert Task Force volunteer Diana Stigleman stocks shelves in the “Birthday Room.” The Task Force provides new toys to children in need who are celebrating a birthday. Article and photo by Lisa Crockett For a family struggling to make ends meet, a little food in the pantry and enough money to pay the utility bill…

The Douglas County Conservation District is now accepting orders for seedling shrubs and trees, available at a nominal cost on a first-come, first-served basis. By Elizabeth Wood West; photos provided by Pam Brewster/Douglas County Conservation District If your green thumbs are itching to get outside this spring and start digging in the dirt, take heart.…

By Elean Gersack It’s February and that means it is National Heart Month. We should be good to our hearts throughout the year, but this month marks a time to give it some extra love and make a commitment to improve heart health. Taking simple steps can help care for your heart. Eat Right –…

Dream Team members Aidan, Riley and Dylan hold the heart shaped suckers that will be on sale February 3 – 7 and delivered on Thursday, February 13. By Avarie P., BRE Ridgeline Staff Reporter Buffalo Ridge Elementary School (BRE) is doing something special to spread the love on Valentine’s Day. BRE’s Dream Team is selling heart…

Third grader Marissa Lopez teaches her mom, Liah, how to animate a bouncing ball. Students in a special after-school enrichment class at Timber Trail learned animation techniques that taught computer and problem-solving skills. Article and photo by Lisa Crockett A bouncing ball. It seems like a fairly simple image. Just a single sphere, bouncing a…

By Cindy Kessinger The 1937 musical “Babes in Arms” featured a beautiful valentine song that has been a Valentine’s Day favorite and sung by many greats, including Frank Sinatra. But the lyrics to “My Funny Valentine” are not your typical I love you lyrics. “Your looks are laughable, un-photographable, yet you’re my favorite work of…

By Lisa Nicklanovich Did you make a New Year’s resolution to exercise more, eat better, get organized, or save money?  With these helpful apps on your phone, you might just be able to count yourself in the small percentage of people who actually stick to their resolutions. All apps listed are free and are compatible…

Article and photos by Lisa Crockett A new eatery in town brings a local favorite to the neighborhood. Golden Flame Hot Wings in the Village Square shopping center is the third location in the chain that gained popularity in Aurora. A large selection of wings and famous locally-produced sauces which range in intensity from mild…

Voodoo Doughnuts held its grand opening in Denver in January. The company chose Denver to open its first store outside of Oregon and doughnut lovers are delighted with the funky voodoo magic inside the bright pink building. Article and photo by Amy Shanahan Anyone who has lived or spent any time in Oregon or Washington…

Among Kaiser Permanente’s various facilities is a new multi-specialty clinic in Lone Tree. By Lisa Crockett; photo courtesy of Kaiser Permanente Castle Pines resident Kris Leddin is a nurse for Kaiser Permanente Colorado in the allergy department. Until just a few months ago, she worked relatively close to home at Kaiser’s Highlands Ranch Clinic, but in…

By Elean Gersack Denver Restaurant Week (DRW) has made some big changes. The first is timing. Rather than having one two-week period to enjoy a variety of cuisines at a reasonable price, Denverites will now have two one-week opportunities to do so. The weeks planned for 2014 are February 22-28 and August 23-29. “A summer…

RCHS Unified Team players and peer coaches pose for the camera prior to the January 14 scrimmage against Ponderosa High School at RCHS. Article and photo by Michael Shapiro, RCHS intern writer On Tuesday, January 14, Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) special education students participated in a unified basketball game with students from Ponderosa High…

Rueter-Hess Reservoir as seen from Hess Road in Castle Pines – not yet filled with water and not yet ready for recreational usage. Article and photo by Steve Baska The Castle Pines City Council on January 14 heard details about a recreation development plan for Rueter-Hess Reservoir, located east of I-25 and Castle Pines Parkway,…

Captions and photos by Lisa Crockett and Elean Gersack At Buffalo Ridge Elementary School, Ashton K. (center) took first place in the school spelling bee after correctly spelling “circadian.” Ashton and fellow fourth graders, Josh (left) and Sienna (right), were all in it together until Ashton came up with the correctly-spelled championship word in round…

By Joe Gschwendtner Last July we briefed our readers on the Castle Pines chapter of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Scholarship Foundation. We now share time-sensitive information that could benefit relatives or people you know. The application window for 2014 – 2015 USMC scholarships will be closing on March 1. With more than $7…

Eighth grade students Dani Shafer, Kaila Tangney, and Isabelle Bailey presented their invention to a team of four “Sharks” during their Shark Tank project. Presentation skills and public speaking were just two of the skills that were perfected during this fun project. By RHMS eighth grade student Maria Pangalos; photo courtesy of RHMS eighth grade…

Linda B. White, M.D. Submitted by The Castle Pines Village Garden Club The Castle Pines Village Garden Club invites all to join from 10:30 a.m to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, February 7 at the Country Club of Castle Pines for an exciting guest speaker who will discuss herbal medicinal remedies. According to presenter Linda B.…

Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Every country has a special food or two, something that has been perfected in that country in a way no other can duplicate. In Italy, of course, it’s pasta. In France, a baguette and cheese. In Mexico, a fresh, warm tortilla is a delight. And here at home, there’s…

Brownies in Troop 2687, sponsored by Timber Trail Elementary School, have established a Facebook page to help reunite lost pets with their owners. By Lisa Crockett, Photo courtesy of Colleen Odechuck Jackie Hall, who is eight years old, is the proud owner of a guinea pig named Shy – a companion she says she’d be devastated…

Without a formal art background, Kelle McCarter turned her love of style and art and an interest in calligraphy into a successful business. “I’ve reached this point through sheer ignorance and passion!” McCarter remarked. McCarter is pictured here in her home workspace with one of her beloved golden retrievers. Article and photo by Amy Shanahan Kelle McCarter is…

Information and map provided by The Town of Castle Rock After a ground breaking ceremony in late October, crews wasted no time getting to work on The Town of Castle Rock’s number one transportation priority, the North Meadows Extension. With much of the site clearing complete, crews will now begin hauling dirt from the Castle…

By Elizabeth Wood West Local business partners and developers Tim White and Doug Decker broke ground last month on their latest commercial project, the Town Center at the Meadows (Town Center) in Castle Rock. The Town Center will be comprised of two commercial buildings connected by a second floor walkway, totaling more than 30,000 square…

The Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of McNeill Fine Art Gallery in Castle Pines in late November. Pictured (center) is artist Katherine McNeill alongside her husband (left) and members of the community. Article and photos by Joe Gschwendtner Katherine McNeill’s Gallery had its opening gala in Castle Pines…

By Elizabeth Wood West Four years ago, Castle Pines Village residents submitted a petition to Douglas County asking for help to reduce the daily, loud, conversation-stopping train horn noise from trains traveling along U.S. Highway 85. Federal law requires train engineers to sound their horns at all crossings for public safety. In response, Douglas County…

Members of the Timber Trail Elementary choir performed last month at Azura Memory Care in Castle Rock. Article and photo by Lisa Crockett Timber Trail Elementary students helped jazz up the holidays last month – literally – for a group of residents at Azura Memory Care in Castle Rock. Members of the school’s choir put…

Rina Castanon (pictured in red in center) hosted Forest Park friends to celebrate the season and exchange ornaments as a symbol of friendship. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Rina Castanon “The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it” is the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote that Rina Castanon puts on the invitation to…

(Left to right) Logan Schafer, Rachel Zetwick, Director of Vocal Music Julia Dale, and Emilia Bartelheim. By Amy Shanahan; photo courtesy of Katy Zetwick Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) was proud to be the only school in Douglas County to have students selected to the All State Jazz Choir. Three of its students were chosen…

By Elizabeth Wood West; site plan provided by The Town of Castle Rock Alberta Development (Alberta) and The Town of Castle Rock (Town) are close to coming to terms regarding Alberta’s proposed “Promenade at Castle Rock,” a new 200-acre development to be located just north of The Outlets at Castle Rock on the west side…

Pictured right: Castle Pines Valor Vespers performers – left to right: Max Shean (trumpet), Jack Hefner (trombone), Hadleigh Seely (soloist), Tyler Traeger (voice/soloist/guitar), and Bishop Magehee (voice/soloist). Article and photo by Julie Montoya It was a December night of holiday song and dance, as students from Valor Christian High School performed a free music event in…

Article and photo by Elean Gersack Buffalo Ridge Elementary School students read, read and read some more during the school’s Reach Your Reading Peak read-a-thon held during the month of November. All students were encouraged to read 3,000 hours in three weeks and they exceeded the goal by reading 3,271 hours! On Friday, December 6,…

Information provided by the CPACF The Castle Pines Arts and Cultural Foundation (CPACF) offers thanks to all who supported the inaugural Castle Pines commemorative ornament. “We are grateful to Cherokee Ranch & Castle, the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce, the Castle Pines Library, Daz Bog, King Soopers, Starbucks, and above all, to our stellar sellers,…

By Lynne Marsala Basche Domestic violence is personal, difficult to speak about, and happens all around us. Statistics show that one in three individuals will be affected by domestic violence in their lifetime. A victim can be male or female and facing physical, psychological, sexual, or financial abuse. Victims need assistance to break the cycle…