The Castle Pines Connection

By Patte Smith; photo courtesy of Douglas County Office of Veterans Affairs This Veterans Day, we honor all the men and women, past and present, who have served our country in the armed services. On this day, we pay tribute to their strength and commitment to all of us and our country. Humbled by the…

The Berlin Wall, erected in 1961, fell in 1989. The Wall was actually two walls as depicted. Between them was a no-man’s land of mines, dogs, and machine guns. Article and photos by Joe Gschwendtner As discussed in part I of this series last month, Berlin is a favorite place; I go annually. The role…

By Terri Wiebold; photo courtesy of the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce Lisa Storey (pictured above), affectionately known throughout Castle Pines as “Mama Lisa,” opened the doors of ROUX World Kitchen to family and friends last month for a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce. Formerly Mama Lisa’s Little Italy, ROUX…

Turning both valves (pictured here in blue) perpendicular to the direction of a pipe will ensure the water flow from the pipe is off. If the valve is in line with the direction of the pipe, water will be flowing. Information and photos provided by South Metro Fire Rescue While usually applying water as a…

Information and photos submitted by Corin Meibos Buffalo Ridge Elementary held its annual 5K Fun Run on Saturday, September 29. Awards for school spirit and speed were awarded to various students.  Ronda Gutierrez held Rock Slide Training on Tuesday mornings before school during the month of September to help train students, staff and families. Everyone…

James and Melissa Coudeyras at James’ retirement ceremony on Pearl Harbor Naval base in Oahu, Hawaii. James served for 20 years and one day with much of that time as an information warfare officer. He retired as a commander. By Daniel Williams; photos courtesy of Melissa Coudeyras After serving twenty years in the navy, James…

Information provided by DCSO The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) is holding its 14th annual Community Safety Volunteer (CSV) Academy to train citizens who have the time, talent and desire to volunteer by serving their community. The CSVs allow the DCSO to provide better service across the county. “We’re looking for individuals who actively want…

By Terri Wiebold; photos courtesy of Jim Mandeville, The Nicklaus Companies After living a life of remarkable accomplishments, businessman and philanthropist Jack A. Vickers Jr. passed away on September 24 at the age of 93. A Castle Pines resident for more than three decades, Vickers was the founder of the Castle Pines Golf Club and…

Article and photos by Susan Helton; photos courtesy of Kimberly McCarthy On September 28, 46 first-graders from Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) visited Legacy Village of Castle Pines to meet and share with more than 20 residents there. “We’re hoping to develop a buddy reading program,” stated Julie Schade, TTE first-grade teacher. “We thought it would…

Pictured right: Rocky Heights Middle School yearbook staff brought home the All-Colorado Award from Journalism Day at Colorado State University. Students from left to right (back row): Kaderia Barela, Kennedy Vasquez, Kelsey Brown, Anna Porter, Hailey Taylor, Raegan Synk, Annabelle Girard, Alivia Ball, Nicole Flocco, Sophie LeGrande, Rachel Cook, Jessica Wang, Maia Vernetti, Sydnee Nach…

Jim Worley, interim CPNMD district manager Information and photo provided by the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District During its regularly scheduled October board meeting, the Castle Pines North Metro District (CPNMD) Board of Directors named Jim Worley as its interim district manager. “Mr. Worley brings a strong depth and diversity of water and wastewater utility…

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 I had the treat of reading the memoir of Castle…

The Rock Canyon High School boys basketball team came together to support the Warren Village First Step house for women, painting a new basketball key and cleaning up the outdoor area for the families who are staying there. By Lisa Nicklanovich; photo courtesy of Carin Kirkegaard When a project arose in September to paint a…

Erik Matoush performing jumps and tricks at Winter Park that he first perfects on an Olympic-sized trampoline. By Daniel Williams; photos courtesy of Linda Nyström Accounts vary on exactly when Erik Matoush began skiing. He says he was three years old. His mom, Linda Nyström, says he was four. What is not up for debate…

Residents interested in pursuing an appointment to fill a new vacancy on the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District (CPNMD) Board of Directors may email a letter of interest and resume to District Administrator Janet Burnham at Janet@cpnmd.org. Please reference BOARD VACANCY APPLICATION in the subject line of the email. The current Board will publicly discuss…

Information provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Are you a veteran enrolled in the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system who still has not received your flu shot? The cold and flu season is upon us and the Department of Veterans Affairs has once again teamed up with Walgreens pharmacies nationwide to allow all…

Information and photo provided by Wanda Ford Wanda Ford with LIV Sotheby’s International Realty hosted the 4th annual document shredding event in the marketplace at The Village at Castle Pines in October with great success. Cars lined up to drop off boxes and bags of personal documents and papers to be shredded. Guests were greeted…

By Daniel Williams In 2007, my wife and I were living in Los Angeles and looking for somewhere else to raise our three-year-old child. We got out a map of the country and pondered our options. “How about here?” my wife said, pointing to Seattle. Her parents are originally from England and the rain reminded…

RHMS cross-country runners ran the Castle Pines Run Wild five-mile/5K race (from left to right): Kayden Glauser, Luka Schymik, Cale Maguire, Jessica Derickson, Julie Olsen (coach), Nico Wood, Drew Lukowski, Kendall DeFord, Nate Bolin, Logan Scheichenost and Logan Heppe. By Ryan Miller, RHMS intern writer; photo courtesy of Jeffrey Smith The City of Castle Pines…

By Patte Smith The Santa’s Sharing adopt-a-family program, organized by the Help & Hope Center (formerly the Douglas/Elbert Task Force), is asking the community to support families that need assistance during the holidays. Client families who are struggling the most are selected by case managers to receive assistance. Perhaps it is a single mom or…

Walker excited to start his first day of school with DCS Montessori. Article and photos provided by DCS Montessori DCS Montessori has a new student!! Walker the yellow Labrador retriever is a service dog in-training and will be bringing a new dynamic to Chris Scovil’s classroom as their official mascot. Walker is a member of…

Information and photo provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Did you know you have choices in how you get Medicare hospital, medical, and prescription drug coverage? Medicare Open Enrollment (October 15 – December 7) is your chance to think about what matters most to you, and compare coverage options for 2019.…

By Michelle Post The 21st century is all about the customer, and we can say thank you to the internet and social media for this. Never has there been a time that a customer can express his or her emotions so easily and often. Therefore, the question then becomes, “Are you, aka your business, all…

Article and photo by Lisa Crockett It’s that time of year when I stock up on candy for little ghosts and goblins, where there is sugar in every nook and cranny of my life. It’s one of my favorite times of year, except that my initial supply of goodies for the trick-or-treaters has never actually…

Pino’s Italian Kitchen & Bar was overflowing with pride and patriotism as Castle Pines came out to support Pino’s Eat for a Cause 9/11. The fundraiser was a heartwarming occasion which benefited the families of fallen first responders. Lives were remembered and celebrated, while an abundance of personal stories and of memories from September 11,…

By Daniel Williams, photos courtesy of Jessica Lovitt At a recent event held at Cherokee Ranch & Castle, professional and amateur astronomers alike gathered to stare into the vast night sky. Looking through high-powered telescopes, they were able to see the four moons of Jupiter and the rings of Saturn and pick out vivid details…

Once weathered, buck and rail fencing blends nicely with its natural surroundings. Article and photos by Barbara Neff After more than two decades of planning, community input and phased improvement projects, it is the latest renovation to Daniels Park – the fencing – that seems to have residents talking the most. While some are relieved…

Information provided by the National Safety Council From ninjas to princesses, cheerleaders to football players, children love Halloween. Goblins, ghosts, Star Wars characters and Wonder Woman race up and down streets at night with family and friends gathering yummy treats. Remember, kids are excited and not paying attention, so you need to be their eyes…

TTE thanks the volunteer team who put it all together (from left to right): Lisa Massey, Jolene Richardson, Kristi Tomlinson, Kym Hay, Erika Greene (committee co-chair), Page Warnke (committee co-chair), Whitney Shank, Amanda Quam and Val McPheeter. By Susan Helton; courtesy photos 2018 marks the 10th anniversary of the TTE Mother and Son Kickball Tournament.…

By Patte Smith; courtesy photo If you are a history buff, be sure to join the free walking tours of Cedar Hill Cemetery and Bear Canyon Cemetery. Both historic cemeteries, located in Castle Rock and Sedalia, are the resting grounds for many of the past pioneers and founding forefathers of the county. No tickets or…

Information provided by IREA Businesses served by the Intermountain Rural Electric Association (IREA) have recently been the target of scammers. Many of these recent scam attempts ask business owners to pay up front for new meters as part of an upcoming advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) project. Owners and customers can avoid falling victim by remembering…

By Michelle Post; graphic by Krysta Parr Are there toxic people in your workplace? You know the type – the ones who never have a good thing to say, who complain about anything and everything, who love to be miserable? I am sure you do, for it has been my experience they are in every…

Article and photo by Patte Smith As part of its speaker series, the Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce hosted new Douglas County School District Superintendent Thomas S. Tucker, Ph.D. to discuss the facts surrounding the funding issues and the ongoing needs of the school district. The presentation was an open dialogue with the audience, as…

It was a beautiful and clear night under the stars on September 22 when nearly 500 residents and neighbors from Castle Pines gathered to take part in Movie at The Ridge – the perfect way to wrap up summer and head into fall. Many movie goers dined at The Ridge’s Parkway Grill before heading out…

Grills were fired up at Tony’s Castle Pines Market this fall as they welcomed in the chile roasting season. The heat was on as customers were greeted with the smoky-sweet smell of Pueblo green chiles roasting over a hot gas flame. Tasty chile samples were enjoyed by shoppers who picked up freshly-roasted and unroasted chiles…

Article and photo by Patte Smith South Metro Fire Rescue (SMFR) personnel – including firefighters, administrative staff and family members – collected a whopping $100,154 (not counting the change) for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Fill the Boot campaign over Labor Day weekend. Pictured above, they are gathered in front of the Castle Pines King…

Article and photos by Patte Smith; Photos courtesy of Jan Comstock People from all over Colorado follow the Douglas County Canine Rescue (DCCR) organization that is made up of volunteer foster dog parents. It is an eye opener to chat with these individuals who are committed to animal welfare so much so that they are…

    By Joe Gschwendtner; photos courtesy of Jackie Brown-Griggs The leadership of Castle Pines Village publicly celebrated the rebranding of “The Village at Castle Pines” at a grand evening fete of residents at Sanctuary Golf Course last month. As a nearly two-decade Village resident myself, I welcomed the change. Having been built in the…

When a drilling site appeared on Monarch Boulevard just south of Rocky Heights Middle School, there was concern it might be an oil well. However, a project engineer confirmed it is a water well being drilled to connect to the Arapahoe Aquifer. Article and photo by Daniel Williams Our neighborhood celebrated its annual block party…

Glynis Albright featuring her first two retail products, Glynis’ Waffle Mix and Glynis’ Poultry Coating Mix. Coming soon will be a caramel spice syrup, French toast mix, seafood coating mix, sour cream biscuit mix, chicken batter, beignet mix … and much more. By Nancy Koontz; photos courtesy of Glynis Albright When 13-year Castle Pines Village…

Retired firefighter and Castle Pines resident Bill Schaefer believes in healthy nutrition as a way to prevent cancer and other health problems. Article and photograph by Barbara Neff For many, the chapters of life that include careers, the building of financial security and child rearing also include lack of time or energy to focus on…

Please help us congratulate the following National Merit commended scholars: National Merit commended scholars: Front Row, left to right: Avery Conte, Kezia Dick, Derek Chen, Matt Chen, Calvin Ewing, Dale Kim, Andrew Lee, Justin Olcott and Matt Carlson. Back Row: Jacob Carlson, Aubrey Stevens, Amber Liu, Sonia Chu, Anila Narayana, Gloria Lee, Alyssa Boback, Brittney…

Dorothy and Cully Dahlstrom just as in love after 70 years of marriage as on their wedding day. By Daniel Williams, photos courtesy of Diane Dahlstrom Johnson In 1962, Vail Ski Resort opened. A year later Cully and Dorothy Dahlstrom vacationed there from Chicago. They loved the area and began visiting annually, eventually buying a…

By Daniel Williams, photos courtesy of Kristen Narlinger On September 10, 144 golfers played a round at the Birdies for Butterflies Charity Golf Tournament held at the Blackstone Country Club in Aurora. As the golfers enjoyed a beautiful fall day filled with fun and laughter and the occasional amazing shot, they also had an opportunity…

Information provided by Laura Stadele and Julian Bouquet, RHMS teachers; courtesy photos The Castle Pines Connection is honored to have four Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) students working with us as interns for the 2018-19 school year. Our interns contribute stories and photos about happenings at their middle school. We would like to welcome our…

Caption and photos by Nancy Koontz The Village at Castle Pines celebrated the yearly Oktoberfest event on Saturday, September 15, from 3 pm to 6 pm at the Canyon Club pavilion. Residents enjoyed authentic German music, food and drink. They were encouraged to wear lederhosen and bring their favorite beer stein, and many obliged. Food…

Check out The Connection’s COMMUNITY Events tab on the home page of our website, www.castlepinesconnection.com, for a complete listing of upcoming events in and around the community. To request an event be added to the events page, email webmaster@castlepinesconnection.com. Additionally, each month’s E Guide insert includes a full pull-out calendar in the center. Check it…

RHMS cross-country runners were all smiles as they lined up at the starting line for the race to begin. By Lia Pirazzi, RHMS intern writer; photos courtesy of Julie Olsen On the morning of September 18 at 7:30 a.m., more than 50 people gathered on the Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) football field ready to…

Catalin Varela pictured in front of the school’s library. Article and photos by Catalin Varela I am going to school, but I very rarely GO to school. I mean, it is 2018! Education, just like everything else, is rapidly evolving as our society changes. In the past, it has always been assumed that one would…

Caption and photos provided by BRE The fifth-grade class of Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) took a student-wide favorite field trip to Young AmeriTowne. Before the trip, students learned about economics and the ins and outs of running a business. They all had a chosen “occupation” before arriving, and the students were in charge of running…

By Amanda Merriman Young adults everywhere are just starting their first semester at college, away from home. Umergency is an app that aims to ease the transition for students and their families. This app links students to critical resources as well as family and friends in the event of a medical or safety emergency. Umergency…

By Elise Brassell; map courtesy of Douglas County The Douglas County Board of County Commissioners (Board) is keeping busy evaluating proposals to continue growth within our county. In late September alone, the Board considered project plans for Sterling Ranch, Dransfeldt Road, The Pinery, Devil’s Head Metropolitan District, Rock Canyon, The Village at Castle Pines and…

Blind and adorable, this little black puppy (that does not look like it will be little when grown) went home with two loving older adults and their other dog, Frank Sinatra (pictured above left). Article and photos by Patte Smith In the July 2018 issue of The Connection, the article “Starting over with pets means…

By Lynn Zahorik The beautiful Charles Schwab conference center in Lone Tree was host to the second annual Senior Law and Safety Summit on September 15. Presented by the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office the event was designed to help older people and those who care for them be proactive in protecting themselves against those…

Caption by Lynn Zahorik; photo courtesy of Allen Chapman The Rock Canyon High School Fire Science program participated once again in the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on September 11. The event served as an inspirational opportunity for the class to learn about the culture of the fire and emergency services and…

By Susan Helton; photos courtesy of Julie Matuszewski With blankets and folding chairs ready, new and returning Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) families gathered for TTE’s first family outdoor movie night Friday, August 17. The Timber Trail Education Alliance (TTEA) hosted this free event to thank and give back to the families of TTE who volunteer…

Caption and photos courtesy of Katie Abner Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) hosted its annual Back-to-School Carnival on Friday, August 24. Bounce houses, dessert walk, K9 demonstration, tattoo artists, dessert trucks and lots of fun for our BRE community.

By Lisa Crockett A big part of eating healthy is thinking ahead. A long day combined with a fridge full of ingredients that need to be prepped and cooked, generally ends with a visit from the pizza delivery driver. Stock your fridge with good-for-you meal options (like the roasted sweet potatoes on previous page). Believe…

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. Shifting away from World War II and Paris, this month I bring…

Information provided by the Douglas County Kinship Navigator Program Are you caring for your grandchild, niece or nephew, cousin or other relative children in your home? The Douglas County Kinship Navigator Program works to support families who have taken in and are caring for a relative’s child. This collaborative program between Douglas County Department of…

Easy to whip up gluten-free/paleo sweet potato pancakes. Article and photo by Catalin Varela Gluten-free baking is both an art and a science, but definitely not impossible to master. With the chillier months upon us, don’t be afraid to experiment with the gluten-free world. If you aren’t gluten-free yourself, I’m sure your gluten-free friends/family/neighbors would…

Jaylyn (left) and Jolene (right) performing together in their team routine during national competition. By Elise Brassell; photos courtesy of Gina Luber In these days of gamified everything, it’s refreshing to hear about kids having fun and working hard away from screens and electronics. Jaylyn Luber (9) and Jolene Luber (6) of Castle Pines do…