Week of January 15, 2025
Week of January 15, 2025
When The Wheel House real estate was sold in 2024, locals questioned the future of Niwot's popular gathering spot, renowned for its eclectic crowd and vibrant atmosphere. On some evenings a small band might be playing in a corner while guests cheered their favorite sports teams competing on the screen across the room at the bar, with patrons enjoying food from La Musette food truck. On Thursday evenings in the summer, amped up locals and visitors stop by after Rock & Rails concerts in Whistle...
With all the road construction going on through the CO 119 corridor (CO 119 Safety and Mobility Project) and surrounding streets (the Boulder Cone Zones map) into 2027, harried local commuters may be gratified to learn that some on-going and near-term trail improvements are going to provide unprecedented off-road connectivity to central Boulder from the Niwot/Gunbarrel area for bikers and pedestrians. The current construction that is continuing next to the Lobo trail south of Jay Road for the...
The Boulder County Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Thursday, Jan. 16, at 9 a.m. on the third floor of the county courthouse at 1325 Pearl Street in Boulder to consider whether the Gunbarrel Public Improvement District (GPID) should be dissolved and then transfer the real property owned by the GPID to Boulder County for open space use. (See hachured lines on accompanying map of GPID in solid blue). The Homestead neighborhood PID which was voter-approved for street paving purposes in...
On January 7, 2025, a group of legislators, business members and community and state leaders, including Governor Jared Polis, came together in the Glenn Miller Ballroom at the University of Colorado - Boulder to review the accomplishments of the 2024 legislative session regarding decreasing greenhouse gas effects through transportation innovation. The meeting was presented by Commuting Solutions, which is one of several state Transportation Management Organizations (TMO's) that are funded...
The Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) opened 2025 by approving several funding requests, including one for new street banners celebrating Niwot's first 150 years. LID members Scott Firle, Eric Bergeson, Mary Coonce, Carla Hunter, Heidi Storz, Cornelia Sawle, and Keith Waters were present, along with Boulder County liaison Mark Ruzzin. Jim Ditzel also attended the LID meeting. Ditzel, who is running unopposed for the position of president of the Niwot Business Association, was the only...
This is the second article in a series on the Consortium of Cities addressing child care challenges in Colorado and Boulder County. According to Kaycee Headrick, Executive Director of the Early Childhood Council of Boulder County, the current child care environment in Boulder County is creating dire circumstances for many working parents, with one-third of highly educated women dropping out of the workforce each year. Seventy-four percent cite the primary reason as a lack of quality and...
The Niwot Community Connection (NCC) hosted its monthly meeting on Thursday, Jan. 9, featuring a talk by 2014 Niwot High School graduate and two-time Olympian Elise Cranny. The event provided an inside look into the life and career of the accomplished runner, who recently moved back to Colorado. Cranny, a Stanford University graduate with a degree in human biology, shared her journey as a professional athlete with a crowd at Niwot Hall. She currently is part of the Nike team, and spent...
The Niwot Annual Health & Wellness Fair at Niwot Hall on Jan. 25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. offers a wide range of wellness products and services, with local vendors showcasing everything from fitness gear to organic wellness products. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore a variety of health services providers, including naturopaths, bodyworkers, nutritionists, acupuncturists, and more. The fair includes a day of hands-on learning, fitness classes, and personal wellness consultations aimed at promoting a healthier lifestyle. Organized...
Gunbarrel resident and author, Jennifer Svendsen, will be signing copies of her new novel, "Stranger to Myself" at The Boulder Bookstore on Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. "Stranger to Myself" is set, in part, in Niwot, Colorado, weventbrite.com/e/jennifer-svendsen-stranger-to-myself-tickets-1112943336479" target="_blank">herehere the main character, a fictional Niwot local named Rebekah Lark, in response to chronic pain finds her life suddenly switched with that of someone in New York. As she attempts to...
Students at Niwot High School were suddenly summoned to the main gym at 9:13 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8, but no one, save for school administrators and a few invited guests, knew what the occasion was. Pep band members received a cryptic message from Band Director Wade Hendricks the day before – "Emergency Pep Band during Cougar CORE!...[G]et your instrument quickly and head [to] the gym as soon as humanly possible." Drumline Instructor Scott Barto followed with a message the next morning at...
The Left Hand Valley Courier, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, launched a fundraising campaign in November 2024 with the goal of raising $250,000 to pay reporters and vendors, print the newspaper weekly, upgrade our printing quality and support our educational mission. Your generosity has been overwhelming. To date, we have raised $44,958.00 to date because of the outpouring of local support from you, our loyal readers. We are in the process of applying for grants to supplement our local fundraising efforts. Several of you have also...
The Niwot Community Association (NCA) held its first monthly meeting of 2025 on Jan. 8. With 2024 officially at an end, board members took the opportunity to reflect on their objectives, finances, and accomplishments from the past year as they look ahead to 2025. The NCA 2024 objectives included continuation of events, creating a new informational pamphlet, monitoring trails and open space, working with Wildfire Partners for wildfire mitigation, and creating a social media presence. It was reported that all objectives had been met. Treasurer...
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The Niwot High School wrestling team traveled to Frederick High School on Saturday, Jan. 11, for the 2025 Golden Eagle Invitational, with results highlighting veteran experience and promising young talent across all weight classes. Junior Ryder Evans set the tone for the Cougars in the 144-pound weight class. Evans continued his impressive season by securing second place and contributing 20 valuable team points. Evans entered the tournament with a strong 13-4 record, and received a first-round...
After winning seven of its first eight nonconference games to begin the season, the Niwot High School girls basketball team was greeted by stiffer competition when the Cougars opened their Granite Peaks League slate on Jan. 7. Niwot hosted Horizon High School and struggled on both ends of the court early, falling behind in the first quarter 25-3. The Cougars outscored the Hawks in the second half, 26-20, but ultimately dropped their league opener, 56-34. Freshman Alaina Loomis led the Cougars...
Madison Ackerman is the type of player head coach Todd Trobaugh wants in his Niwot High School girls basketball program. While the senior only averages about two points per game, she plays energetic defense, lifts her teammates, and is coachable. Those three attributes and others have made Ackerman a valuable member of the Cougar team. "She's not going to go out and be a great shooter, not going to be a great ball-handler, but she goes out and does the things you ask her to do on the court,"...
The Niwot High School Cougars' unified basketball team tipped off the season with an exhilarating 52-50 victory over the Longmont High School Trojans on Friday, Jan. 10. With the crowd buzzing and cheerleaders on hand to keep the energy high, the game was a showcase of inclusivity, teamwork, and the unbridled joy of competition. Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Joe Brown donned a referee's whistle to oversee the action for the afternoon. From the opening tip, it was clear that this... Full story
The Niwot High School boys basketball team faced a challenging week, suffering two tough losses to the Horizon High School Hawks and the Longmont High School Trojans. On Tuesday, Jan. 7, the Cougars hosted the Hawks but fell 74-37. Horizon established dominance early, outscoring Niwot 11-9 in the first quarter before widening the gap to 27-17 by halftime. Horizon pulled away in the second half, adding 47 points to Niwot's 20. Senior Rohit Das led the Cougars with six points, while senior...
A team of high schoolers are working to elevate inclusion across the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD). They are the members of the Accessibility Project Team of the SVVSD Innovation Center (IC). The IC houses 24 project teams, each offering learners career preparation, local involvement, and compensation. The Accessibility Team was launched in autumn of 2023. Longmont High School senior Anya Wieder started the group after observing that opportunity was often limited for her peers with...
Ok. I was recently digging into that filing cabinet labeled "The Differences Between Men and Women," and stumbled upon that universal issue of getting dressed in the morning. Specifically, let's talk about men getting dressed at any time. Disclaimer: I asked my husband if it was okay that I throw him slightly under the bus on this one, and he agreed because, well, it is humor that keeps a marriage alive. Or so they say. So, with a gentle nudge onto the third rail, I offer him some observations...
ACROSS 3. dissolve 5. Accessibility 7. Sawle 9. childcare 10. basketball 13. Inclusion DOWN 1. Trojans 2. defense 4. Nike 6. three 7. soccer 8. myself 11. Brown 12.... Full story
Calling all photographers, intentional or accidental! The Left Hand Valley Courier’s Photo of the Week feature is open to any area resident who personally photographs Niwot-Gunbarrel area sights, including people (with permission, of course), buildings, animals, birds, plants, flowers, events, or anything else. Naturally, there are a few rules to follow: • The photograph must be submitted in jpg format via email to [email protected]@lhvc.com in high resolution. • Please include a caption describing the photo, your name, email...
