The Castle Pines Connection

Article and photos by Elean Gersack It will be a year to remember! During the month of March, students, staff and families celebrated fifteen years of the first Castle Pines neighborhood school, Buffalo Ridge Elementary. On Friday, March 9, the entire school got in the spirit by wearing “15”. There were 15 bracelets; 15 necklaces;…

By Liz Jurkowski With warm weather approaching, families are preparing for some serious travel. Whether by car or plane, here are some tips to make the journey easier. Pack in advance of your trip. Do not leave loading your bags into the car to the night before the journey. Rather than staying up late, pack…

By Elizabeth Wood West Castle Pines North Metropolitan District (CPNMD) will be holding its regular election on Tuesday, May 8, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. This election will be a mail ballot election. Mail ballots will be mailed out to all eligible electors in the City of Castle Pines the week of April 16,…

CSU freshman Ali Will is honored for her achievements in academics, leadership and service to others. Article by Amy Shanahan with photo courtesy of Audrey Will Castle Pines Village resident Ali Will is a high achiever in all aspects of her life. A freshman at Colorado State University (CSU), Will was recently accepted into the…

Article and photos by Lisa Crockett Spirit Week at Timber Trail Elementary (TTE) was a great way for students to have some fun and show their school pride at the same time. The event, which was sponsored by the Timber Team – TTE’s version of a student council – featured dress-up days with the following…

Information from the Douglas County Educational Foundation website The 2nd Annual Fittin’ It In 5k race will take place on April 28 at 9 a.m. at Highlands Ranch High School. The Douglas County School District, in partnership with the Douglas County Educational Foundation (DCEF), the Douglas County Federation and the Boulder Running Company are sponsoring…

RCHS Varsity Cheer seniors, mostly Castle Pines (CP) residents, arrived at their banquet on March 21 in a pink Hummer limo. Pictured from left to right, back row: Captain Kelsey Karst, Captain (CP), Alexis Hutchings, Captain Madelyn Falk (Oak Hills), Hope Lytle, Rachel Branson (CP), Captain Lily Sumners, Rahea Miersch (CP), Nicolle Turnock (CP), and…

The Retreat Park is located in the Retreat neighborhood in The City of Castle Pines. By Liz Jurkowski Warm weather in mid-March brought droves of children to the parks of The City Castle Pines. The Retreat Park, normally quiet and secluded, was busy with activity. It was developed in the 1980s with the original plan…

The RCHS Mock Trial team took first place in the state at the annual tournament held at the Boulder County Justice Center.     Article by Kathy Dunker with photo courtesy of the Colorado Bar Association Students from Rock Canyon High School (RCHS), took first in state at the Colorado Bar Association State Mock Trial Tournament…

One of Matzat’s morning classes enjoying their baby chicks (pictured from left to right) back row: Matzat and Dylan; front row: Riley, Maddie, Adison, Skylar, Teddy, and Kyle. Article and photos by Kathy Dunker Terry Matzat, 17 year resident of HOA I, was an elementary school teacher when she left to raise her own two…

Democratic Caucus Chairperson Myron Clark was excited by the number of suggestions brought to the table by local party members. Discussions covered everything from the upcoming Presidential election, to a need to reduce emissions on automobiles.      Article and photo by Amy Shanahan Thursday, March 6 was an important day for members of the…

Submitted by the Ann Carter of the Women’s Crisis & Family Outreach Center The Women’s Crisis & Family Outreach Center (WCFOC), through its Young Citizens for Philanthropy (YCP) partnership, is launching its first Cycle Against Violence Bike Race on Saturday, May 19 in Castle Rock. Registration for this event will begin at 6:45 a.m. at…

Team “That Was Easy” is looking forward to competing at the Destination Imagination State Competition. Left to right: Ethan Taub, Landon Hogue, Nick Lombardi and Adam Kohl. Photo courtesy of Christina Kohl. Article and photo by Amy Shanahan Rocky Heights Middle School took its first Destination Imagination teams to the Regional Tournament on March 10th.…

RCHS student, Devaraj Tripasuri, prepares his helicopter wing for the Science Olympiad. Science Olympians, Paul Bisesi and Devaraj Tripasuri, are working hard in the early stages of building their helicopter. Article by Kathy Dunker with photos by Matt Gracey Twenty six of Rock Canyon High School’s (RCHS’s) freshman and sophomore students attended the Southern Regional…

By Liane Marette Davis with photos provided by Tana Dolce Looks might fool you on the outside, but many charming treasures await you inside Tana Dolce. Upon entering, you will find it enchantingly decorated with romantic colors, chandeliers, cozy nooks, velvet and silks, intimate balconies, fireplaces, and an exquisite bar that makes you want to…

By Elizabeth Wood West After listening to several hours of compelling questions and concerns from the public, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) continued the public hearing for Castle Pines Village Sketch Plan (SB2011-036) to April 24 at 2:30 p.m. in the Philip S. Miller building, located at 100 Third Street in Castle Rock. The…

By Elizabeth Wood West The Outlets at Castle Rock (The Outlets) received unanimous approval on March 13 from the Town of Castle Rock for its request to increase the hours of operation for its LED sign from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The sign’s new hours of operation went into effect upon the town’s…

  Information provided by the Douglas County Water Resource Authority Douglas County Water Resource Authority (DCWRA) has been awarded the 2012 Universities Council on Water Resources Award for Education and Public Service for the DCWRA “Water Ambassador” program. The Water Ambassador program is active in all high schools and elementary schools in the DCWRA region.…

Dream Team members show off special effects – a fake brain, a fake cut, and a helmet –they used to teach kids about keeping their brain safe during the Dream Team Health Fair on Feb. 24. By Bryce S., BRE Ridgeline staff reporter On February 24, the Dream Team at Buffalo Ridge Elementary School (BRE)…

Studio B Interiors owner Bren Hendren is enjoying selling her products to a new customer base, and believes that there is something for everyone in her varied selection of fanciful items. Article and photo by Amy Shanahan Studio B Interiors, located in Castle Pines in the Safeway shopping center, is an outstanding choice if you…

(Left to right) Castle Pines Rotary Club President A.J. Arnett, Castle Rock High Noon Rotary Club President Christina Brigham, and Castle Rock Rotary Club President Ed Brewer get their thousands of rubber duckies in a row for the 16th Annual Ducky Derby and Street Festival. By Elizabeth Wood West The Castle Rock Rotary Club, Castle…

Contributed by GreenEarth Cleaners Millions of people around the world will be observing Earth Day on Saturday, April 22. “Earth Day is a special day in our store because it reminds us that we are making a positive contribution to our planet every day by using GreenEarth® instead of traditional drycleaning solvents,” said Thyfault. “Earth…

By Karissa Kelly, intern writer As April rolls around, teenagers all over anxiously await what they hope will be the best night of their high school careers: Prom. Though, it seems prom is not simply a fun and relaxed evening anymore. Today, prom is a multi-billion dollar industry and much has changed from the past.…

Photo of American Academy Charter School taken from Elk Rdge Park. Article by Kathy Dunker The Board of Directors and the Administration of American Academy (AA), looking at its long-term vision, are exploring the feasibility of opening a second campus in Douglas County in 2013-2014. Once determining whether or not a second campus is feasible,…

Electronics Drop Off for Earth Day 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Douglas Elbert Realtor Association 840 Kinner Street, Castle Rock The Douglas Elbert REALTOR Association (DERA) will be hosting an electronics drop off event along with Luminous Recycling to celebrate 2012 Earth Day. Items at no charge are: CPU’s, Hard Drives, Laptops, Modems, PDA’s, Servers,…

Left to right: Marc Towne (CP Council, Ward 3), Carla Kenny, Mayor Jeffrey Huff, Congressman Corey Gardner, Glenn Hagen (CP Chamber Board Chairman), Sharon Kollmar. The Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce invited Castle Pines’ new congressman, Corey Gardner to breakfast at the new Mama Lisa’s Little Italy. “It was fun to meet him and introduce…

Article by Amy Shanahan; photo courtesy of DCSD Scott Melanson, the lead Technology teacher at Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) was awarded the inaugural World Class Educator Award at the Apple Awards celebration for the Douglas County School District (DCSD). This is a new award, which will continue to honor educators who promote 21st Century…

By Elean Gersack Enjoy a celebration of culinary creations throughout the metro Denver area during the annual Denver Restaurant Week. More than 350 participating restaurants will offer a multi-course dinner for the fixed price of $52.80 for two, or $26.40 for one. Several nearby restaurants are participating, including: Castle Pines: La Dolce Vita; Castle Rock:…

By Patte Smith Many local, state and national artists have felt the downturn of the economy, as well as other Americans. In the Castle Pines community, no one knows this better than Bill Sarge, owner of Cenacle Consultants. Sarge is a liturgical consultant whose projects mostly deal with Christian churches, schools and hospitals, although he…

By Lisa Crockett Third grader Tessa Green deposits a donation at the Timber Trail Elementary “Super Bowl of Caring” drive, held nationwide during Super Bowl weekend. In all, students collected 862 pounds of food, more than doubling the amount they collected last year. Donations were given to the Douglas County Food Bank

By Lisa Crocket New Year’s resolutions. By March, they’re usually a distant memory, long since replaced by old habits and crowded out by everyday life. But a small group of patrons at a Castle Rock gym capitalized on the New Year ‘s momentum to improve their health and fitness with some impressive results. The Challenge…

U.S. Representative Cory Gardner resides in Yuma, Colorado with his wife and two children. He is up for re-election this November as District 4 Representative, serving much of Douglas County and, more specifically, now Castle Pines. By Chris Bonham with photo courtesy of Congressman Gardner’s website In December of 2011, the Colorado Supreme Court ended…

Third graders from Mrs. Brester’s class display custom made windmills for their “wind power” Mission Green Science Fair project. By Ciara J., BRE Ridgeline Staff Reporter Have you heard about Mission Green? Well, if you haven’t, it is Buffalo Ridge Elementary’s (BRE) first-ever science fair! All students at BRE will get to participate. Kindergarten through…

Neptune, pictured above with her Haitian husband, Frentz Neptune and some of the Haitian children they have provided with aid. Article by Kathy Dunker with photo courtesy of HFAP The service club students of America Academy (AA) had a unique experience at their January meeting. After school, their teachers made a special Skype call to…

By Liz Jurkowski The International Baccalaureate (IB) program offered by Douglas County School District is becoming a popular choice for college-bound students. Upon graduation, some IB diploma students begin university as a second-year student, or at least find themselves skipping the general education requirements freshman year. The IB program was developed in 1969 for European…

Jackie Weimer, a race horse trainer with 30 percent lung capacity, was helped by Goodwill Denver to get new equipment for her ranch. She can now train her horses safely and without pain. Article by Kathy Dunker with photo courtesy of Goodwill Industries and Make-A-Wish Foundation Gear up and make your mark for the 10th…

By Lisa Crockett I love to cook – I think it’s really magical to come home from the supermarket with a bag full of raw materials and then end up with something delicious – a chocolate cake, say, or chicken enchiladas. But I haven’t always been so enchanted with the culinary arts. I am a…

Pictured left: Amy Tempel (left) and Kristin WardBrown (right) are finalists for the Douglas County Educational Foundation Apple Award. By Lisa Crockett The Douglas County Educational Foundation will present its Apple Awards on March 17 at an event designed to honor the finest educators in the county, while also raising money to support school programs.…

Castle Pines Athletics teammates Michael A. (left) and Anders P. (right) take a break during a basketball game for a quick photo. The “Blue Sharks,” a team of pre-kindergartners and kindergarteners finished its season on February 25. Submitted by Lane Roberts, Castle Pines Athletics with photos provided by Mark Poschl For the second consecutive year,…

Current Douglas County Board of County Commissioners Left to right: Jack Hilbert, Jill Repella, and Steve Boand By Chris Bonham with photo provided by Douglas County The 2012 elections are right around the corner, and there are – and will be – many politicians vying for the attention of voters as November draws closer. Presidents,…

These polished Club Cotillion students get acquainted and share a smile while taking a break for punch. By Elean Gersack with photo courtesy of JDW Cotillions Come April, girls dressed in party dresses and boys dressed in sports coats and ties will expand their social skills while dancing to current musical favorites like Taylor Swift,…

By Elean Gersack with photo courtesy of the Van Vechten family In his second year as a Cub Scout, local third-grader Jacob Van Vechten came out on top of his pack at this year’s Pinewood Derby (Derby) held on January 12. With a scale speed of 133 mph, Van Vechten was all grins on race…

Cub Scouts (from right to left) Kyle Dawson, Karsten Fisch, Cai Robinson and Rhett Jurkowski. Article and photos by Liz Jurkowski Boy Scout Pack 856 gathered on February 8 for an evening of celebration and entertainment. February marked the 102nd birthday for the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) and all packs around the country held…

Lacee Tasker at Castle Pines Jewelers is interested in buying gold, silver, and platinum items like these pictured above. Stop in for a complimentary consultation to see what your items are worth. Article and photo by Amy Shanahan Do you have single gold or silver earrings with no match? Gold chains tangled, taking up space…

By Elizabeth Wood West More than two years have passed since Castle Pines Village residents organized a petition drive and began working with Douglas County officials in an effort to eliminate, or at least mitigate, train whistle noise along the Santa Fe Drive corridor. Douglas County responded to residents’ concerns and initiated the lengthy and…

By Elizabeth Wood West with photo provided by Craig Williams II Western New York native and Castle Pines resident Craig Williams II is working to make his future and that of others a better place. Williams is the founder of Infinite Future, a company that specializes in environmental consulting services for businesses and residences. Williams’…

Sedalia resident, Orca, enjoys a leisurely swim at the facility’s new current pool. Article and photos by Kathy Dunker The Animal Care Center of Castle Pines recently made a large expansion to its facility as well as its services. In addition to offering full veterinary services, it now also offers a state of the art…

“It wasn’t until I started writing that I found a passion,” remarked Stacie Chadwick, a local writer and blogger. Chadwick decided to embark on the arduous process of writing a novel about a year ago, soon after she turned 40. “With the ankle-biters in school, I had way too much time on my hands,” she…

By Tricia Wackerly It was during a women’s retreat in 2005 that Castle Pines resident Tammy Abramovitz was introduced to Warren Village (WV). The Denver non-profit helps low-income, previously homeless single parent families move from public assistance to personal and economic self-sufficiency. They accomplish this through subsidized housing, on-site nationally accredited child care, intensive case…

Councilmember Tera Radloff (second from left) casts the final vote for the unanimous withdrawl of the city’s dissolution By Elizabeth Wood West with photo by Tim Gamble Two years ago this February, the City of Castle Pines filed a petition with Douglas County District Court asking that the Castle Pines North Metropolitan District (CPNMD) be…

The snow, cold, and lack of parking did not keep people away from BRE. CNN reporter Jim Spellman was on site throughout the evening with venue manager Keri Brehm. By Amy Shanahan Buffalo Ridge Elementary (BRE) was host to the recent Republican caucus, which set new attendance records for local precincts, as well as attracted…

Article and photos by Kathy Dunker What are teens doing these days to add a bright strip of color to their hair in just 15 minutes that costs under a dollar to do and lasts for several weeks? We’re not talking about salon work here, but rather the latest teen craze of Kool-Aid hair dying.…

By Elizabeth Wood West The Town of Castle Rock lies within an area of Douglas County that is surrounded by distinct mesas and ridgelines. To protect these unique geographic areas from being obscured and visually blighted from development, the Town of Castle Rock adopted its “Skyline/Ridgeline Protection Regulations” in 1999. The Town’s Planning Commission recently…

By Karissa Kelly, intern writer, Castle View High School I was recently engaged in a discussion among high school students about the advancement of society and it struck a chord with me. People were excitedly shouting out reasons why our society “advances” as time goes on. “We are always coming up with new ideas, inventions…

Timber Trail fifth grader Jaxson Bell spends the day as a physician at Young AmeriTown, a Denver educational program aimed at giving students a taste of real-world money management and working skills. By Lisa Crockett The “real” world of work, paychecks and paying the bills is still a ways off for the ten and eleven…

Article by Kathy Dunker with photos courtesy of RCHS families Rock Canyon High School (RCHS) held its annual Winter Formal on Saturday, January 28. The event took place in the RCHS commons area and kept the kids on their toes for the evening. RCHS students were found dining all around the Park Meadows area that…

By Birgit Moran Every March for the past twelve years, the Women’s Crisis and Family Outreach Center conducts an evening of food, music, silent auction and ticket holders’ choice of hundreds of artisan made pottery bowls to raise money in support of its many programs and shelter. The event originated from the idea that “an…

By Lisa Crockett At a public hearing held in late February, the City of Castle Pines Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously recommended that the Castle Pines City Council approve a proposal from A&A Investments, LLC to initially zone the parcel of land formerly known as “Lagae South” and now called “Castle Pines Town Center.” The…

Sharon Henning (left) and Amy Tempel (right) are proud of their library and media center, and enjoy having a positive impact on the students at RHMS. Article and photo by Amy Shanahan The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) recently selected Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) as a recipient of the Highly Effective School Library Program.…

The fourth and fifth grade students at Buffalo Ridge Elementary enjoyed the musical performances. One fifth grade student remarked, “I can’t wait for middle school!” Article and photo by Amy Shanahan The Rocky Heights Middle School (RHMS) band and orchestra went on tour in February, and played gigs at Buffalo Ridge, Timber Trail and Redstone…

Baskets are just one of the items needed to fulfill the needs of the “Easter Giving Project.” Consider donating to this wonderful cause – donations are due by March 30. By Amy Shanahan with photo courtesy of Stacy Gaines When Castle Pines Village resident Stacy Gaines moved to Colorado five years ago, she recognized an…

Jordan Koslosky, RCHS senior, reaches out to disrupt the shot of Heritage basketball player, as RCHS successfully avenged its early season loss to the Eagles by winning on the road 78-61. RCHS sophomore, Lexy Thorderson, d’s – up the oncoming Regis point guard as the Jaguars took on the Red Raiders midway through their season,…

Dave Bauer after a training exercise. Bauer graduated from the SMFRA Academy in the spring of 2011. Information submitted by SMFRA South Metro Fire Rescue Authority (SMFRA) is accepting applications for its citizen academy. The academy will run from April 11 through May 30 on Wednesday evenings from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The application…

By Lisa Crockett The Giving Tree: Douglas County United Against Hunger is gearing up for its fourth annual food drive on April 14 at King Soopers. The event to support the Food Bank at the Douglas/Elbert Task Force will run from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. in Castle Pines. Alumni of Leadership Douglas County in…

Article by Kathy Dunker; photos from the CCS website Are you an animal person? More specifically, are you a cat person? There are many lovable kitties who are sadly homeless, just waiting for a new family to come along and call them their own. Cat Care Society (CCS) in Lakewood is one such shelter, and…

“Skellig Monks,” sculpture also known as the St. Brendan’s Voyage, located east of the town of Caherciveen, County Kerry, Ireland. By Patte O’Smith Sure tis true that a monk, St. Brendan, and a seafaring Irishman from County Kerry set out in the sixth century with some fellow monks on a seven-year voyage to find the…

Brand, pictured with her daughter Skylar and her cousin Myrna in September 2011. Myrna passed away from bone cancer in November of 2011 at the age of 25. The Brand family: Mira, Cortney, Skylar, Dylan, and Carter. Article by Kathy Dunker with photos courtesy of the Brand family HOA 1 resident Mira Brand gave up…