Read the stories from the latest issue:
By Chris Michlewicz; photo courtesy of Koelbel and Company Regional efforts to increase the availability of attainable housing are resulting in incremental progress toward a goal to create a place where people can work and live. Affordable housing has been a topic of discussion at the state, county and municipal level for years, and more…
By Chris Michlewicz; renderings courtesy of Life Time A proposal to build a Life Time fitness center in Castle Pines could spur the start of more commercial and retail development on the City’s east side. The company submitted a site improvement plan for city review on October 22 for Life Time at The Canyons, a…
What to expect … Information and graphic provided by Colorado Department of Transportation The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) announced it has entered its fourth and final year of the I-25 South Gap highway construction. The entire project cost is $419 million and is expected to conclude in November 2022. CDOT expects the project will…
Major amendment to The Canyons Planned Development – Planning Area 7 (PA7) – for a school. By Chris Michlewicz; graphic by Tim Gamble A change to development plans for The Canyons neighborhood in the City of Castle Pines is expected to provide more flexibility in determining the best locations for future schools to serve the…
Information provided by Douglas County Governor Polis appointed Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon to the state’s new Colorado Forest Health Council. The 26-member Council to which Laydon was appointed is a volunteer stakeholder body that will advise the governor through the executive director of the Department of Natural Resources and the Colorado General Assembly on…
Information provided by Douglas County Local residents looking to make a difference in the community have an opportunity to serve on one of Douglas County’s many citizen advisory boards, committees or commissions. From the Cultural Council to the Planning Commission, volunteer members provide subject matter expertise and experience that is vital to the County’s decision-making…
Article and photo by Patte Smith The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) contracted with a storm drainage company to clean up and reconstruct two drainage areas adjacent to a stretch of I-25 near Castle Pines and the Surrey Ridge neighborhood. The CDOT approved plan had been delayed for the last year and a half. The…
Information and photo provided by Colorado Department of Transportation The first dusting of snow has already happened in the Castle Pines community. As residents travel throughout the state and along the I-25 South Gap construction zone between Castle Rock and Monument, here are some helpful reminders for the winter driving season ahead: Ensure vehicles are…
By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of DCSO Eric Rhymer has been a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) deputy for the last two decades. He’s held the school resource officer (SRO) position at American Academy (AA) since 2019. Rhymer started as a civilian detention specialist before DCSO sponsored him at the police academy. After his commission…
By Mindy Stone; photo by Carin R. Kirkegaard Nails Plus is a family-owned full-service nail salon that recently opened along Castle Pines Parkway. Jimmy Dang, the majority owner and operator, previously worked at a salon in the same shopping center. Jimmy’s sister Tina, who is the owner of Castle Pines Day Spa in the Village…
By Carin R. Kirkegaard; courtesy photos Rachel Poe is a Colorado native and graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in anthropology. She loves spending time outside enjoying nature with her three horses, Kairi, Rebel, and Merlin, and time inside reading, writing, and creating with her rescue cat, Misty, curled by her side. Tim…
Article and photo by Terri Wiebold The business of being a community servant is a tricky one and often times a thankless one. So, this month we give special appreciation to the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce and the City of Castle Pines for the amazing work they do behind the scenes to make this…
By Joe Gschwendtner; courtesy photos November 11 is Veterans Day, one day out of the year that honors all those who have served in the U.S. military. The U.S.S. Grayling Memorial, located at Sloan’s Lake in Denver, honors a World War II submarine lost in action in the waters of Manila Bay. Her monument represents…
By Patte Smith With the rising costs of food, merchandise and gas, as well as a continuing pandemic this holiday season, it is important to consider fellow neighbors who may need help this year with a hand up. Crisis Center and Help & Hope Center are two organizations within Douglas County that provide vital services…
By Hollen Wheeler; courtesy photos The holiday season is here and there is no better destination for browsing, shopping, dining and ultimately relaxing than Denver’s posh little enclave, Cherry Creek North (CCN). Southeast of downtown between University Boulevard and Steele Street, CCN is a “mixed-use” district with everything from haute cuisine and couture to specialty…
Article and photos by Joe Gschwendtner My wife and I just returned from a fall colors trip out east. We went, expecting to see the Catskills and Finger Lakes of New York floundering economically, as much heavy industry along the Erie Canal has fled. What we discovered instead was a renaissance in process. Old towns,…
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Jan Agrafojo-Levy and Mira Brand Pablo, Pablocito, Pablo Picasso or even Pablo Escobar depending on the day, may look like he has doodle (a cross between a poodle and another dog breed) in him, but he is 100% a Portuguese water dog (PWD). PWDs were bred to be an…
By Chris Michlewicz; photos courtesy of Elaine Hussey It has taken a few weeks, but Roxy the dachshund is finally learning how to snuggle with her very first dog friend, Baxter. Roxy had a very traumatic beginning to her life. All she knew in her first two years was the misery of living in a…
By Lisa Nicklanovich; courtesy photos Sedalia-based Mattersville Veterans is a community that provides sustainable housing and healing programs for veterans. Through their unique Pack Healing Experience which integrates the lives of veterans with wolf-dogs, Mattersville is making a difference in veterans’ lives not just in Colorado, but across the country. Drew Robertson, president and executive…
By Kathy Fallert There’s been a whole lot of chatter recently about the new Netflix series Squid Game. Squid Game (the name of an actual Korean children’s game) is a South Korean survival drama created by Hwang Dong-hyuk. Netflix is calling the show their most popular series ever, and it is the number one program in almost…
By Lisa Nicklanovich; courtesy photos Trends in interior paint colors are moving away from grays to nature-inspired colors, and wallpaper is back in style. While the brave might go for a panoramic mural on a wall, more homeowners are creating texture and dimension on walls by using materials such as grasscloth, cork, straw and wicker…
By Joe Gschwendtner; newspaper clipping courtesy of Kyle Scott No one exactly knows why Alexander Scott Sr. chose Castle Rock to homestead. Born in Arbroath, Scotland in 1840, he married Jane Morton in 1865. The couple wanted more, at least more than Arbroath offered, and immigrated to America a year later. After a three-year stay…
Greetings Readers, Halloween feels like it is the start of the holiday season. With that in mind, let’s just review a few of the simple rules for the upcoming holidays. The host/hostess’s job is to make sure every guest feels comfortable and has a good time. Conversely, the guest’s duty is to be friendly and…
By Carin R. Kirkegaard; photos courtesy of Christina Leone Community service had two meanings at the annual free Autumn Shred Event held in The Village at Castle Pines shops last month. Residents had an opportunity to safely and securely dispose of unwanted paper and documents, and the Rock Canyon High School poms team volunteered at…
By Carin R. Kirkegaard; photos courtesy of the Forest Park social committee Forest Park social committee co-chairs Sarah Zales and Brooke Walter, along with the six member committee, successfully held the committee’s first in-person gathering since taking the reins as official party planners of the Forest Park neighborhood in the City of Castle Pines. When…
Thanksgiving desserts that are pie perfect Article and photos by Lisa Crockett Whoever coined the phrase “easy as pie” was a liar. Pie, which in my opinion is one of the top five desserts ever invented, is anything but easy to make. I should know, as I’ve spent months of my life working to perfect…
Trendy and Tasty – A winning formula for Great Divide Brewery & Roadhouse By Chris Michlewicz A trendy downtown Castle Rock eatery with an eclectic menu and a laid-back vibe has quickly built a regional following, and all it takes is just a taste to see why. Great Divide Brewery & Roadhouse, on the northwest…
Article and photo by Lisa Nicklanovich Seasoning blends add so much flavor to dishes that it is hard to imagine chili or tacos without them. A simple meal with chicken, beef, fish or roasted or grilled veggies can be elevated to deliciousness with a seasoning mix. Sometimes it is tricky to know which spices blend…
By Hollen Wheeler; courtesy photo Residents at Legacy Village of Castle Pines hosted a bingo tournament over the summer for fun and fellowship, but mostly for a worthy cause. Held in July, “Bingo Bonanza” raised more than $2,000 for the Alzheimer’s Association “Walk to End Alzheimer’s,” which took place on September 18 at City Park,…
Information and photo provided by Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is expanding online services which is allowing the DMV to bring even more essential services to Coloradans wherever they are. Part of that expansion is empowering seniors to renew their driver licenses online. With the implementation of the Driver’s…
Article and photo by Lisa Nicklanovich Author and Castle Pines resident Justin Matott writes for all ages weaving themes of empathy, kindness, humor, silliness, understanding and creativity through his more than 30 published books. After his first book My Garden Visits, which he wrote as a personal journal as he was processing the passing of…
By Celeste McNeil; photo courtesy of Lucrecia Floyd The Floyd family loves adventure and helping others. Lucrecia is originally from Mexico City and Ken is originally from New Orleans; they met in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Lucrecia was working and Ken was traveling when a rainstorm brought them together. A long-distance romance of love letters through…
By Nancy Koontz; photos courtesy of Jim Huffman The refreshingly candid Jim Huffman has had an impressive journey throughout his professional and personal life. With his strong work ethic and boundless energy, it doesn’t appear that Huffman has slowed down at any point, even in retirement. Raised in Chicago, Huffman first came to Colorado to…
By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Terra Shaffner Terra Shaffner has education in her blood. Her mother and grandmother were both teachers. As a child, when she had a break in her own school, she went with them to theirs. She loved to visit their classrooms. Shaffner grew up in the shadow of South Dakota’s…
By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Josh Trent Madeline Trent aims high. The Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) fourth grader enjoys all the typical activities 9 year olds do. Like many girls, Madeline enjoys gymnastics, but unlike most, she practices 18 hours a week. She is part of the USA Gymnastics development program, previously called the…
Article and photo by Mindy Stone Article and photo by Mindy Stone Castle Pines residents do not have to go far to get a vaccine. A mass vaccination clinic is conveniently located in the former Castle Pines Safeway building at 560 Castle Pines Parkway. The clinic offers COVID-19 vaccines, COVID-19 booster shots, and the flu…
By Patte Smith; photo courtesy of Village Idiots Cycling Club The Village Idiots Cycling Club’s (VICC) October bike drive was a success, as individuals from the community dropped off bicycles to Cielo at Castle Pines. “VICC is grateful to Roz Schroeder from Cielo for allowing us to use their facility,” noted Bill Pieseski, community committee…
By Patte Smith; photo courtesy of Bill Pieseski Members of the Village Idiots Cycling Club (VICC) met for the Club’s semi-annual cleanup of a section of road on the South Havana frontage road. The Club joined the Douglas County Adopt-A-Highway program several years ago and continues to do its part to keep Colorado beautiful, especially…
By Mindy Stone; courtesy photo Sophia Persichitte has a passion for cooking and dreams of opening a restaurant. She is in her second year of ProStart Culinary arts at ThunderRidge High School, even though she is a senior at Rock Canyon High School. “When I heard about it [the program], I was nervous to go…
Information provided by Douglas County School District High schools throughout the Douglas County School District (DCSD) offer a varying assortment of Advanced Placement (AP) courses across a multitude of subjects. Students were able to earn either the AP Capstone Diploma or the AP Seminar and Research Certificate. The Castle Pines community is home to 10…
By Claire Bauer, RCHS intern writer; courtesy photo As October wrapped up, so did the 14th Annual National Teen Driver Safety Week. It is a week that highlights safe driving habits and encourages awareness of teenage drivers on the roads. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the leading cause of death in teens ages…
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Jessica Petau Buster delivers safety message “seat to seat and back to back” Buster the Bus traveled his way to the preschool and kindergarten students at Timber Trail Elementary. This in-school field trip, hosted by Douglas County School District (DCSD) Transportation Department, delivered students bus safety information in a…
By Carin R. Kirkegaard with information from ColoradoGives Kids for ColoradoGives, a family-friendly online giving program that falls under the Community First Foundation umbrella is now in its fifth year. The organization offers opportunities for kids along with their families to become the next generation of givers through teaching philanthropy and helping the more than…
Article and photo by Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Tim Ryckman Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) spent the first quarter of the school year preparing and then participating in a fun run fundraiser. BRE physical education teacher Coach Kelli Weinreich sponsored a weekly before-school run club for any student and staff who wanted to participate. Runners…
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of DCS Montessori For more than a decade, the DCS Montessori upper elementary staff have partnered with YMCA of the Rockies in Estes Park for a week of outdoor education and adventure. Team building, ropes courses, hiking and games like capture the flag were designed with the intent to bring…
By Celeste McNeil Parents at Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) are volunteering in new ways this year – they are helping in the cafeteria with the lunch service. Typically, middle schools require less parent involvement and volunteer opportunities than elementary schools. Teachers don’t ask for parents to come help with classroom chores like filing, or…
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Chris Todd Latin American Sea Turtles (LAST) Association is a nonprofit organization that strives to create environments where humans and sea turtles can live together in balance. Eighth grade students from all three American Academy (AA) campuses traveled to the Osa Peninsula in southwestern Costa Rica to support local…
By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Jessie Kenny Each year the students of Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) show their school spirit with an active fundraiser designed to support TTE’s classrooms. This year proceeds went to purchase Chromebooks and math books, as well as help fund professional development for staff and teachers and other special curriculum…
By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Brian Delasantos Captain Brian Delasantos grew up a mile from the local volunteer fire station in Sebastopol, California. That proximity created curiosity, which led Delasantos to join the firefighters Explorer program while in high school. Delasantos moved beyond the Explorers after a couple of years, joining the volunteer force…
By Chris Michlewicz; photo courtesy of Dana Giddens In late September, when pickup trucks started hauling away scrub oak near Daniels Park’s shared boundary with the Amber Ridge neighborhood on the west border of the City of Castle Pines, nearby residents started asking questions. According to a spokesperson for Xcel Energy, “The [Castle Pines North]…
Information and graphics provided by the City of Castle Pines The City of Castle Pines began a full reconstruction of Castle Pines Parkway, one of the main arteries connecting residents and visitors to the City in June. The first half-mile section between Monarch Boulevard and Yorkshire Drive is anticipated to be complete in December. This…
Information provided by Douglas County The more than 275,000 registered Douglas County voters can anticipate ballots for the November 2 election to arrive by mail the week of October 11. Residents can register to vote, check voter registration status, update mailing address, confirm party affiliation status, as well as view a sample ballot and learn…
By Carin Kirdegaard; photo by Terri Wiebold Political elections generally don’t fit the “a little good news” sentiment that our readers are accustomed to, but that is exactly the case for the City of Castle Pines elections taking place on November 2. Of the four vacancies for city council positions, three have at least two…
A get it done attitude leads to a successful career By Carin R. Kirkegaard; photos courtesy of Tobi Duffey For most residents, election season begins when temperatures drop, candidate signs start appearing staked in yards, and election ads run during commercial time-outs of the Denver Broncos game. For the City of Castle Pines City Clerk…
Information provided by Douglas County Human Services; courtesy photos Families, individuals and seniors who need heating assistance for the winter months in Colorado may qualify for the Colorado Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP). The program runs from November 1 through April 30 of every year. The Douglas County LEAP program is administered by the Colorado…
By Patte Smith The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is holding National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 23, to provide a safe and convenient way for citizens to dispose of prescription drugs that are no longer needed. At the last Take Back Day in October 2020, more than 4,500 sites across the nation…
By Chris Michlewicz There is something simple that residents in the City of Castle Pines can do to make sure the money they spend on sales tax goes back into their community. The proliferation of online sales, while convenient, has somewhat muddied the financial waters for online sales tax revenue collection. Although the issue is not…
Information and photo provided by South Metro Fire Rescue Bell service for South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) Firefighter Paramedic Anthony “Tony” Palato rang out at Castle Pines Fire Station 36 on September 15, signifying the last call for a brave servant in the community. Palato began his career with Sheridan Fire Department and later joined…
The Castle Pines Connection welcomes Mindy Stone to our writing team. With a passion for writing dating back to high school, Mindy was an editor at her school newspaper. She then followed in her father’s footsteps and graduated from the University of Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. Mindy started her television career in…
By Terri Wiebold OFFICE MANAGER: The Castle Pines Connection is looking for a creative and organized individual to join our team in an office manager-type capacity. The super flexible position would involve responsibilities like scheduling and running monthly staff meetings, responding to email inquiries, planning team building/philanthropy projects, coordinating community contests, creating gifts for our…
By Carin R. Kirkegaard; courtesy photos The Fifth Annual 9/11 Eat for a Cause community fundraiser was held at Pino’s Italian Kitchen & Bar. More than $10,000 was raised from a percentage of proceeds of restaurant sales from both Pino’s and Berg Haus, as well as donations from a silent auction and wine pull. The evening…
By Mindy Stone; photos courtesy of Jon Sierk For 15 years, Dr. Jon Sierk has been providing dental care for children of all ages in Highlands Ranch. Some of his patients live in surroundings areas, so he recently expanded his practice, Sierk Children’s Dentistry, to Castle Pines. “I really enjoy the area, the people, and…
Letter to members provided by CORE; photos by Terri Wiebold E Earlier this year, our employees set a goal of making our organization the premier electric utility in Colorado. I’d like to welcome you to the next step in our journey toward that goal: CORE Electric Cooperative. Since 1938, this cooperative has provided reliable, affordable…
Article and photo by Joe Gschwendtner History Colorado recognizes ranches and farms operated by the same family for over a century. Eight properties in Douglas County have received the coveted Colorado Centennial Farms & Ranches award. Though ownership recently changed, the family continuity of the Winkler Ranch was 55 years greater than then its nearest…
By Patte Smith Purchasing holiday tree cutting permits for Colorado state ranger districts has changed over the years. The ranger districts that are close to the Front Range now encourage the public to visit https://www.recreation.gov/tree-permits/ to order 2021 cutting permits to purchase a permit. The South Platte Ranger District and the South Park Ranger District…
By Hollen Wheeler Africa is commonly referred to as the forgotten continent. Nigerian author Abi Daré underscores in her debut novel, The Girl with the Louding Voice, that modern day Nigeria is no exception. Adunni is the child protagonist who narrates her story with broken English throughout the book. Despite her hardships, her hope for…
By Patte Smith; photo by Terri Wiebold Pets are very special to all who own them. Buddies for life, these incredible animals bring joy and laughter to any home. Playing fetch with a dog in the backyard and cuddling a cat are great ways to show these furry companions an owner’s love. Another way is…
By Julie Matuszewski; photo courtesy of Michelle Post Black cats have long served as objects of superstition. In Medieval France and Spain, black cats were considered bearers of bad luck and curses to any human they came near. They were commonly associated with witchcraft, while Medieval Germans believed themselves to be cursed if a black…
