Read the stories from the latest issue:
County Commissioner Lora Thomas, City of Lone Tree Mayor Jackie Millet, Keith Simons of RidgeGate Investments and Schweiger Ranch, County Commissioner Abe Laydon and John “Turk” Montepare from Great Outdoors Colorado celebrated the opening of the new segment of trail by tossing native grass seeds along part of the trail that runs past Schweiger Ranch…
The two closest Christmas tree cutting areas to Castle Pines and the surrounding neighborhoods are Buffalo Creek and Rampart Range Road. Other areas are shown on the map for those who want to adventure a little further from home. Visit www.fs.usda.gov/detail/r2/recreation/?cid=fseprd562604 for more information. By Patte Smith There is nothing like heading up to the…
By Joe Gschwendtner; photo courtesy of the Colorado Historical Society Yes he was. Tom Campbell. Dead. Finished off with a bullet in George Manhart’s dance hall in Sedalia on Saturday, May 6, 1899 as reported in The Castle Rock Journal at the time. Campbell, aka Thomas Jackson, was a tough customer. Well-known in Douglas County…
The Wasson family (pictured left to right) Rachel, daughter Reese (10), Andrew, and son Austin (8) found the perfect location for their brewpub in historic downtown Castle Rock which opened in October of last year. By Kathy Fallert; photos courtesy of Andrew Wasson What do you get when you combine three family members, all Air…
Stronger in numbers, seventh and eighth grade DCSM students rise above their fears as they learned to trust one another while building a team based on compassion and unity. Enjoying the sites from atop Tomahawk Ranch, this team is ready to lead its peers by example, display acts of kindness and empathy, while enjoying new…
By Patte Smith Local fun is better than ever this fall. Close by, the Schweiger Ranch Fall Festival in Lone Tree will be held on Saturday, October 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The festival features hay wagon rides, a pumpkin patch with pumpkins for $5 each, and free mini pumpkins and gourds for…
Article and photo by Joe Gschwendtner; photo courtesy of the Colorado Historical Society As we left 1871 Huntsville in the throes of death in our Wildcat Lore last month, commerce shifted rapidly south to Larkspur. This was due in no small measure to relocation of the post office and arrival of the Denver & Rio…
By Carin R. Kirkegaard; Photo courtesy of the Amey family Madison Amey, senior and back-up kicker for the Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) Jaguars, joined the team as the second female kicker last spring. Due to tendonitis in her hip flexor, she unfortunately has been on the sidelines. Amey’s road to becoming part of the…
By Michelle Post As business owners, we wear multiple hats: leader, manager, marketing, sales, accountant and many others. We do our best to run our business and not let our business run us, but that is not always the case. We complete daily, weekly, monthly and yearly tasks on autopilot, but do we really know…
By Carin R. Kirkegaard Josie Manning, sophomore, junior varsity starting kicker and varsity backup for the Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) Jaguars has the fans out of their seats cheering. Although Manning is the first female kicker for the Jaguars it is her production on the field that is getting her noticed. Only three games…
Zoe (left) and Kira (right) Zizzo started the Jags Go Pink club at Rock Canyon High School to provide baskets full of comfort items to patients at the Sarah Cannon Breast Cancer Center at Sky Ridge Medical Center and to breast cancer survivors within the families of RCHS students. By Maddy Merritt, RCHS intern writer;…
Article and photos by Lisa Crockett 1. Pour chocolate sprinkles into a small bowl, then gently dip each cupcake into sprinkles to coat completely. 2. Place candy eyes and licorice legs into frosting. 3. Add additional frosting and sprinkles as needed. 4. Trim licorice legs to desired length. 5. Serve and enjoy!
A little city with a big history Article and photos by Michelle Post Taking shelter while winter hiking on the Catamount Trail in Green Mountain Falls. I have passed the sign to Green Mountain Falls many times and always thought, “What’s in Green Mountain Falls?” My husband and I finally stopped to check out…
Alexandra “Alex” Nardi with one of her students playing Jenga. Students enjoying a break in the action with new school counselor Jamie Shull. By Patte Smith; courtesy photos Welcome to Alexandra “Alex” Nardi, the new elementary school counselor at Buffalo Ridge Elementary and Jamie Shull, Timber Trail Elementary’s new school counselor. With the Douglas County…
By Lisa Nicklanovich; courtesy photos Four Castle Pines young men have earned the rank of Eagle Scout, boy scouting’s highest rank. Carter Burns (14) and Wyatt Burns (14), freshmen at Rock Canyon High School, received their Eagle Scout medal at a special court of honor ceremony September 8. Lance Christensen (14) and Matthew Hardin (14),…
By Susan Helton Connection writer Susan Helton is an avid reader, once reading 64 books during the summer – just because. This month, she shares a local history book. Images of America: Douglas County by the Castle Rock Writers is an appealing compilation of historical photos and stories about life and people in Douglas County…
Spooktacular costumes during last year’s Spooktacular event. By Patte Smith; courtesy photo Fun and not at all frightening, the annual Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce Trick or Treat Street in Castle Pines is a kid favorite every year. In its 13th year, little ghosts and goblins in Castle Pines get to trick or treat for…
Nico Wood (center) passed other runners, completing the race in just over 10 minutes. Submitted by Sophia Bobier; photos courtesy of Gail Swiryn If you live in Castle Pines, you may have likely heard about the annual Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) Cross Country Fun Run and Breakfast. Although a relatively new tradition, word spread…
Timber Trail Elementary students and families settled in to Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax” with their cozy blankets and Popcorn Bliss favorites. By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Paige Sanford A cool summer evening and bright stars made the perfect back drop for Timber Trail Elementary outdoor movie event. Students and families enjoyed Dr. Seuss’ “The…
Article and photo by Steve Whitlock You probably already know video games are a big deal. But did you know some people don’t just play video games, they watch other people play video games? It’s true. One of the platforms for viewing gaming is Twitch. Twitch is a popular online service for streaming digital video…
A mission of change By Susan Helton; photos courtesy of the Williams family Dr. Jeremy Williams, a Colorado native and resident of The Village, is co-owner of Park Meadows Cosmetic Surgery with partners Dr. Christopher Williams and Dr. Michael Miller. Jeremy grew up in Colorado Springs. “My family’s been here for about 130 years,” he…
Information provided by DAR The Castle Rock Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) invites members and the public to its October 26 meeting at New Hope Presbyterian Church. Douglas County Deputy Sheriff Brian McKnight will present a program on current trends and prevention in the areas of personal safety, self defense,…
Article and photo by Julie Matuszewski; photo courtesy of American Academy American Academy (AA) opened its doors to 800 students for a fresh new year of fun and academics. The back to school welcome has become a tradition that AA has implemented to help students and families of all grade levels feel welcome and excited…
Timber Trail’s spirit rock came to life with Rob Hay’s recent illustration of Toy Story 4. By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of Rob Hay Have you ever wondered what those big bright colored rocks sitting outside school entrances represent? Those rocks are spirit rocks which have been painted by school communities to recognize a student’s…
The committee of fabulous parent volunteers that organized the event, pictured left to right: Erika Greene, Kym Hay, Chelsey Nielson, Kristi Tomlinson, Page Warnke, Whitney Shank, Kimberly McCarthy and Val McPheeters. Article and photos by Julie Matuszewski; courtesy photo TTE September 13 marked the 11th annual Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) Mother & Son Kickball Tournament.…
Providing a Sense of Security By Carin R. Kirkegaard; photo courtesy of Grant Oakes October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation, more than 265,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2019. It is a dise ase that impacts many,…
April McCaffrey, unofficial party planner for Cerney Circle. Dressed for the night children from Cerney Circle meet at the end of the cul-de-sac for a group photo before heading out for tricks or treats. By Carin R. Kirkegaard; photos courtesy of April McCaffrey Neighbors who call the houses home on Cerney Circle, located in the…
The Village Homes Association presented Lisa Goodwin (right) with a commemorative plaque and gift in appreciation for her 13 years of dedicated service to the community By Nancy Koontz; courtesy photo “Your charm and quick wit will be sorely missed” were the words written on the plaque of appreciation given to community management senior administrator…
Passionate about flavorful, low-sodium foods, McKenzie Ellis created Low Salt Kitchen food blog to help others lower their sodium intake. By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of McKenzie Ellis The Village at Castle Pines resident McKenzie Ellis set out to change the world, one meal at a time. Her passion was ignited by her love for…
The three kickers of the Rock Canyon High School football program left to right: Josie Manning, Sawyer Zook and Madison Amey. Article and photo by Carin R. Kirkegaard The Rock Canyon High School special teams added two new kickers to join varsity senior and The Village at Castle Pines resident Sawyer Zook on the field.…
By Elizabeth Wood West There are three Douglas County School Board (DCSB) director seats up for election this November: District A, District C, and District F. The Alliance for Douglas County Charter Schools is sponsoring a public candidate forum to be held on October 10 at 6 p.m. at the Parker Performing Arts School, 15035…
Cutline and photo by Susan Helton Author Doug Beason and his wife Cindy, residents of The Village at Castle Pines, hosted an open house August 27 at Sudden Fiction bookstore in Castle Rock to celebrate the release of Kill Zone, Doug’s 17th book. He collaborated with bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson on the novel, which…
By Bryan Goodland; courtesy photo Everyone knows that staying active is one of the keys to aging gracefully. But what does that look like amidst our everyday busy lives? How can we possibly squeeze fitness into everything else going on? To start with, focus on four key areas and your fitness level will increase each…
By Carin R. Kirkegaard; photos courtesy of Dave Tweed Sawyer Zook, senior and starting varsity kicker for the Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) Jaguars, continues to significantly contribute to the Jaguar score. Zook scored more than half of the team’s total points in the season opener against Cherokee Trail High School. He had two field…
By Stacie Chadwick When I mentally check my list of things I know without doubt, there’s one truth that always sits toward the top. That is, the only thing you can count on in life is change. Whether you see this as positive or negative, life often rolls in its own direction at will and…
Castle Pines resident Shannon Goltl was recently hired by the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce as the new membership director. Goltl is pictured here with her son Dylan, husband Derk and daughter Ally. By Terri Wiebold; courtesy photos As the Castle Pines community continues to grow and change, so do the organizations that support it. Following…
Information provided by the Animal Humane Society Get ready in advance. Even if your pet enjoys company, especially children, the constant thumping on the door and shouts of “Trick or Treat!” may be more than he’s ready for. If your dog likes treats, you can help him prepare ahead of time by having someone knock…
A few months ago, Brent’s Place hosted a reunion dinner event for all the families living at (or who have lived at) Brent’s Place – they even had Super Healers superheroes take photos with the kids! By Patte Smith; photo courtesy of Super Healers/superhealers.org In the September 2019 issue of The Connection, we celebrated Greyson…
Article and photos by Kathy Fallert Wednesday, September 11, was the third annual Eat for a Cause event at Pino’s Italian Kitchen & Bar in Castle Pines benefiting 9/11 first responders and their ongoing health challenges. Ten percent of all sales proceeds went to the FealGood Foundation, whose motto is “No responders left behind,” as…
Article and photo by Lynn Zahorik South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) firefighters gathered on Labor Day weekend at King Soopers shopping center in Castle Pines to fundraise for the 65th annual Fill the Boot campaign for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). Money raised through the drive goes toward helping children and adults with muscular dystrophy,…
The Rock Canyon High School Fire Science program participated in the climb in full gear, as many firefighters did from all over the state. Article and photos by Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Lin Giampietro More than 2,500 Coloradans gathered at the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Red Rocks Amphitheatre to honor and remember the…
By Lynn Zahorik; courtesy photo With the opening of Little Women, Valor Arts + Media ushered in a new tradition – the Valor summer musical. Historically, Valor has only performed a musical once a year, in the spring, but as the arts and media program grew, desire to offer expanded performance opportunities to more students…
Diana Doyle, president of Arapahoe Community College, cut the ribbon at the August grand opening for the Sturm Collaboration Campus in Castle Rock. Joining Doyle were representatives from Arapahoe Community College, Colorado Community College System, State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education, Douglas County School District and Colorado State University System. By Bryan Goodland;…
On August 27 in Lima, Peru, Castle Pines resident Amanda Palyo (pictured right) brought home a bronze medal at the Parapan American Games for the 100 meter backstroke with teammates Lizzi Smith (left) taking the silver and Hanna Aspden (center) taking the gold. The U.S. team took nine medals in all; three gold, three silver…
By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Nicole Miles The annual back-to-school carnival at Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) was larger than ever this year. Carnival committee chair Shenah Lutrick and her crew pulled out all the stops to make the carnival a success. They added more inflatable slides, jump house, obstacle courses and additional games, including…
Music director, and co-founder of the Lone Tree Symphony Orchestra, Jacinda Bouton. By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Cindy Kessinger American composer and conductor Aaron Copland once said, “to stop the flow of music would be like the stopping of time itself, incredible and inconceivable.” Thankfully, neither time nor music has stopped. This season marks…
A postcard highlighting many of Dresden’s architectural wonders as they stand today, rebuilt and celebrated. Article and photos by Joe Gschwendtner; courtesy photos Scant months after the Berlin Wall came down, I visited. Heady days for those fleeing Communism. Consumer goods. Variety. Freedom to do most anything. “Osties” with cars would drive west gawking at…
By Celeste McNeil; courtesy photo Student government is the most well-known example of school-based student leadership groups. But the opportunities at Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) are much broader. BRE hosts several options for students in third, fourth and fifth grade interested in leadership. Green Team The Green Team consists of 20 third, fourth and fifth…
Burt Knight, CPMD district manager By Joe Gschwendtner; photos courtesy of the Castle Pines Metropolitan District On September 16, the Castle Pines Metropolitan District (CPMD) welcomed Burt Knight, P.E. as its new district manager. District directors and staff are looking forward to his enthusiastic, seasoned brand of leadership. Knight brings 35 years of municipal engineering…
By Kathy Fallert Ghost Observer is an entertaining camera tool that shows ghosts around you in an augmented reality experience. In other words, the app uses a technology that superimposes a computer-generated image on the user’s view of the real world and creates a new composite view. As Halloween quickly approaches, with scary movies and…
An EpiLocker on the wall has stock epinephrine for emergencies. Article and photo by Lynn Zahorik Within the halls of every Douglas County School District (DCSD) school is a yellow box called an EpiLocker. These boxes, which contain stock epinephrine auto injectors for emergency situations, have been present since December 2017. Approximately one in 13…
Information provided by the City of Castle Pines Get ready for an exercise experience like no other. The City of Castle Pines is building an outdoor fitness court in Elk Ridge Park that provides users the ability to complete seven movements in seven minutes for a total-body workout and stretch routine. The circuit training system…
Article and photos by Lisa Crockett October is the month of orange, one last burst of color as the season changes. It’s such a fallish hue, with the cozy connotation of the falling leaves and jack-o’-lanterns that are the hallmark of the season. I love all the orange foods: pumpkin, butternut squash, oranges (of course)…
The Rock Canyon High School football program spent a day working on neighborhood improvements as part of a community service project put together by the Touchdown Club, the program’s booster organization. By Carin R. Kirkegaard; photos courtesy of Extreme Community Makeover In late July, the Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) football program took more than…
Information provided by Douglas County Libraries Real people with real stories and issues, that is what the Human Library is about. Douglas County Libraries (DCL) is thrilled to bring the popular Human Library event back to its Castle Rock location in 2020 and is currently recruiting new “human books” for the event. DCL is seeking…
Rock Canyon High School biotechnology students Sabine Manske (left) and Berlin Barnett (right) wrap up their presentation and prepare to answer questions from potential investors. Article and photos by Jana Seal, RCHS intern writer In a classroom full of science teachers, parents and researchers, students prepare to present their PowerPoint presentations. These presentations were not…
By Lisa Nicklanovich The number of podcast listeners has more than doubled in the past five years, which is not surprising considering there are millions of podcasts to choose from, covering an almost unfathomable range of topics. Whether you are already a podcast listener or are new to the podcast world, we hope you will…
Students enjoy an evening snorkeling under the cool ocean water while experiencing bioluminescence. (Inset) Castle Pines campus student Zach Buchold found his school trip souvenir, a lobster, while swimming with the leopard and horn sharks. By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of American Academy What an amazing experience American Academy (AA) seventh grade students had on…
Visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzc2ZbyGNqw&feature=youtu.be to watch this video about trail etiquette. Information provided by Douglas County Did you know that last year Douglas County Parks and Open Space properties received more than one million visitors? Hikers, bikers and equestrians all shared hundreds of miles of trails. And while the County’s 17,000 acres of public open space offer…
By Maddy Merritt, RCHS intern writer; courtesy photo With 75 days of summer and a multitude of new arrivals to Netflix and other TV programming, Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) students awaited new seasons of their favorite shows including the highly anticipated “Stranger Things 3,” “Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists,” “Shameless,” “Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug…
Enthusiastic botanists (left to right) Landon Gulliver, Aleena Koheil, Lucas Gulliver, Alana Rotherham and Graciella Rebull enjoyed the beautiful flower gardens at Denver Botanic Gardens. By Julie Matuszewski; photos courtesy of DCSM A small group of third through fifth grade DCS Montessori (DCSM) campers received a lesson on birds, bees and botany as part of…
Article and photo by Joe Gschwendtner; photo courtesy of the Colorado Historical Society Named for Colorado’s fourth Territorial Governor, Huntsville history was fleeting but colorful, beginning in 1859. Located on the Territorial Road north of Larkspur, Huntsville owed its existence to lumbering, clay extraction, traveler accommodations and security. In 1858, Iowans Sarah Ann and James…
By Celeste McNeil; photos courtesy of Cy DeBoer Village resident Cy DeBoer is a busy woman. She is a wife to Bruce and mother to Ryan and Whitney, grandmother of two (Harbour and Chase) and friend to many. Cy is a columnist, author and inspirational speaker. She created and runs a local charity and has…
Caption and photos by Nancy Koontz The Castle Pines Homes Association, as part of its yearly community events, celebrated homeowners with its summer adult-only social held on Saturday, July 27 at the Canyon Club Picnic Pavilion. Wine, beer and other beverages, along with the usual spectacular food created by Flying Horse Catering, were served. Everyone…
Kathleen (far left) sharing her passion for aerospace with her family at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. By Celeste McNeil; photo courtesy of Kathleen Pirazzi We all know life rarely goes as planned. When children experience the unexpected bumps in life, often their parents are dealt the seemingly impossible task of keeping everything running smoothly…
Photos by Lynn Zahorik; slideshow at www.castlepinesconnection.com/pages/photos/album19.html
Bhavya Surapaneni (13) was selected to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Maryland in May after competing in several local spelling bees. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Bhavya Surapaneni Bhavya Surapaneni has no need for spell-check, placing first in the Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) and Douglas County School District (DCSD) spelling…
By Bryan Goodland It was a different time, a different era. The Kennedys held court, the Beach Boys were still singing about California girls and everyone was wishing for a Pontiac GTO. And locally, the Broncos (1960) and the Rockets (1967), now called the Nuggets, came onto the scene. While the 1960s seem like a…
Front row, left to right: Matt Hoffman, Emily Donnelly and daughter Brooklyn, Shaylin Stein, Lucy Meisel, Katie Connolly, Kenzie Baber, Adriana Lysak, Ally Pfeiffer, Kaylin Clark, John Dennen, Roma Roth, Tristan Moore, and Amy Humenchick with daughter Lulie. Back row, left to right: Chase Porrini, Logan Kennedy, Cade Hassell (holding up daughter), Charlee Raye, Patrick…
Random acts of kindness By Elise Brassell; photo courtesy of Meghann Guentensberger After a terrible tragedy, the Guentensberger family made a decision that they hope will have a ripple effect for years to come. Following the accidental death of their daughter Rylie at just 12 years old, the family decided to honor her memory in…