All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Dr. Don Haddad, the highly respected and impactful superintendent of the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD), is embarking on a well-deserved retirement. He says he will not be completely stepping away, suggesting his invaluable experience and passion for education will continue to enrich the SVVSD as an emeritus superintendent. Emeritus status is an honorary title awarded to individuals, typically faculty or staff, who have retired from a specific position or organization, recognizing...
Boulder County Parks and Open Space (BCPOP) has an amazing portfolio of 107,861 acres of open space. Boulder County protects 67,419 acres of public land owned or leased and 40,442 acres of protected private land known as conservation easements. Conservation easements are recorded legal agreements between the county and a landowner which usually restrict residential or commercial development on the property. There are currently 26,190 acres dedicated to agriculture. Boulder County's Agricultural...
During the Boulder County Commissioners' public comment session on April 3, several Niwot residents addressed the commissioners with significant concerns about the detrimental effects of the current minimum wage ordinance on Niwot's small businesses. Ordinance 2023-4, which took effect on January 1, 2024, established the minimum wage for unincorporated Boulder County at $16.57 per hour this year, $1.76 higher than the neighboring incorporated towns and cities, except Boulder, which is still...
This is a monthly feature summarizing the activities of the Boulder County Commissioners. The Niwot Business Association will be sending you a request for your signature on a letter addressed to the Commissioners. This letter urges the Commissioners to amend the minimum wage ordinance to match the $14.81 rate of neighboring municipalities. Currently, Niwot's minimum wage is $16.57 per hour, and scheduled to rise to $25 per hour by 2030. Data from the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory...
The $165 million CO 119 Safety, Mobility & Bikeway Project, aimed at enhancing safety, mobility, and adding a bikeway between Longmont and Boulder, has progressed to Niwot. The stretch of Niwot Road between the northbound and southbound lanes of CO 119, which are separated by a grassland area referred to as "the median" in transportation terminology, is scheduled to close from Monday, April 7, to Wednesday, April 16. The closure will enable crews to construct the bikeway underpass at Niwot...
In 2004, the Regional Transportation District (RTD) ballot initiative, FasTracks, was a $4.7 billion transit plan for the Denver region, featuring a Northwest Rail line from Union Station to Boulder and Longmont as a key component. Since the FasTracks ballot initiative was passed over 20 years ago, the project has stalled due to poor planning, increasing costs, and a lack of adequate funding resources. The full completion of the Northwest Rail line has been pushed out to 2050 or later, while...
This is the inaugural installment of a monthly feature recapping the activities of the Boulder County Commissioners. Boulder County Commissioners background information: The Boulder County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) consists of three members: Claire Levy, Marta Loachamin, and Ashley Stolzmann. Each commissioner is elected at-large to a four-year term. They represent the entire county, which has a population of 330,758 according to the U.S. 2020 census. The BOCC is responsible for a...
Jim Ditzel is the new Niwot Business Association (NBA) president and is ready to continue the great work of Eric Bergeson, former NBA president and NBA board member. Ditzel said Bergeson and the board "did a great job, especially through Covid and the chaos that created. They provided support to the businesses, helping everyone." Ditzel is originally from the small town of Tipton, Iowa, and graduated from the University of Iowa. In 1983, he relocated to Boulder County to pursue a master's...
Michael Moss, owner of Kilt Farm, is the President of the Community Farmers Alliance (COFA) and is deeply concerned about the new hourly minimum wage and its potential negative impact on local farmers and small businesses in unincorporated Boulder County. COFA represents the farmers who produce 80% of Boulder County's vegetables and is actively working to address the challenges posed by the minimum wage ordinance passed by the Boulder County Commissioners in the fall of 2023. The Boulder County...
Katelin VonFeldt, a junior at Niwot High School, and Kayla Evans, a senior at Erie High School, were among 20 high school student teams nationwide selected to present at NASA's Human Research Program Investigators' Workshop, held on Jan. 28-31 in Galveston, Texas. This marked the first time high school students were invited to participate in the conference, which focuses on biomedical research related to human spaceflight. Von Feldt and Evans presented their innovations regarding the mental...
This is the fourth article in a series on the Consortium of Cities, which recently addressed child care challenges in Colorado and Boulder County. The Boulder County Consortium of Cities (COC), which includes the cities of Longmont, Lafayette, Louisville, Boulder, and the Town of Erie, as well as non-voting Niwot representatives, convened on Dec. 4, 2024, to discuss the county's child care challenges. The City of Longmont presented its initiative to support the overlooked network of friends,...
Dustin Wolf, son of Eddie Running Wolf, has been restoring his father's tree carvings, known as Spear Lodge Man, Cheyenne Holy Man, and Eagle Catcher, with assistance from Jeff Wolcott. Spear Lodge Man is now complete, and Wolf and Wolcott want to share the process and the progress with the community at an open house Feb. 15 at 1:00 p.m to 4:00 p.m. at Wolcott's residence at 9700 Niwot Road. The willow tree trunks carved by Eddie Running Wolf stood for years along Niwot Road, just west of 79th...
As many residents of Niwot know, Dustin Wolf, son of Eddie Running Wolf, has been restoring his father's tree carvings, known as Spear Lodge Man, Cheyenne Holy Man, and Eagle Catcher, with assistance from Jeff Wolcott. Once restored, the tree carvings will be reinstalled in Niwot in an outdoor setting that protects them from the sun, wind, rain, ice, and snow in a location yet to be determined. One possible location, per the Niwot Master Plan commissioned by the Niwot Local Improvement District,...
So far in 2025, the Boulder County Commissioners have been silent regarding whether to pause minimum wage increases, despite requests from the Niwot Business Association (NBA), the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee, and community members. Gloria Handyside, Communications Director for the Boulder County Commissioners, stated in an email that there were no new developments regarding the commissioners' position on the minimum wage law. This response remains consistent with the...
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...
At the age of eight, Mai Vu, Program Manager for the St. Vrain Valley Schools Innovation Center's Artificial Intelligence (AI) Program, landed in Washington, D.C., from Vietnam. She recalled the stark contrast of arriving there in February, dressed in flip-flops and a dress, her first taste of the United States. Her father chose D.C. as it seemed like a safe haven from the looming threat of communism in Vietnam. Her educational journey included graduating from the University of Maryland and...
The Consortium of Cities (COC), comprised of 11 cities and towns in Boulder County, including non voting representatives from Broomfield and Niwot, was established by the Boulder County Commissioners in 1986 to provide an organizational structure to promote communication among local governments and facilitate collaboration for the benefit of organizations and residents. The COC met Dec. 4 to discuss the child care challenges in Colorado and Boulder County. Kaycee Headrick, executive director of...
The Niwot Local Improvement District (LID), in conjunction with community organizations, is working to establish a Niwot Public Improvement District (PID). This District would be based on the Niwot Community Service Area (NCSA) map adopted by the County Commissioners in January 1995, and would provide funding for subdivision road repairs, infrastructure for the Master Plan, and ongoing infrastructure maintenance. In 1995, Boulder County was faced with increasing budget demands, and looking for...
The proposed Niwot Community Master Plan was presented at Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) community meeting on Monday, Dec. 2, at The Wheel House in Niwot. Approximately 60 attendees, including Boulder County Commissioner Claire Levy, listened to the presentation by Dave Lee and Chad Fletemeyer of Fletemeyer & Lee Associates, a Niwot architectural firm hired by the LID to create a long-term blueprint for the physical, economic, and social development of Niwot. Dave Lee and Chad...
The second in a three-part series on artificial intelligence (AI) and local school systems. Recently, the National Education Policy Center (NEPC) at the University of Colorado referenced a March 5, 2024, policy brief titled "Time for a Pause: Without Effective Public Oversight, AI in Schools Will Do More Harm than Good." The policy brief states that as existing school-focused platforms and applications are updated to include artificial intelligence (AI), the immediate danger facing educators is...
The Camino de Santiago, also known as the Way of Saint James, is a historic network of pilgrimage trails that have been walked for over a thousand years. These routes lead to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great, situated in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. The pilgrimage offers various starting points, including Portugal, France, and Ireland. Tammy Gentry, one of Niwot's beloved community members, recently completed the 160-mile Camino Portugués pilgrimage...
The first in a three-part series on artificial intelligence (AI) and local school systems. In March 2024, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) was held up as a trailblazer for its embrace of artificial intelligence (AI) when it unveiled a custom-designed chatbot called Ed for the students. The intent was for Ed to be a personalized assistant who would personalize academic plans. LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho called the tool a “game changer” that would “accelerate learn...
Eloise Shehan, an alumna of the Dawson School and a former Niwot Elementary School student, recently secured an internship with The Mwebaza Foundation, a Niwot-based nonprofit organization started by retired Niwot Elementary School (NES) teacher Dale Peterson in 2008. The Mwebaza Foundation began as an avenue for penpal friendships between Niwot and Ugandan school children and became a larger cause. Uganda is beautiful, with fertile soils, high biodiversity, rich vegetation, and abundant water...
On Oct. 14, the Left Hand Valley Courier emailed Gloria Handyside, Communications Director for the Boulder County Commissioners, inquiring whether the Commissioners planned to amend Boulder County's minimum wage ordinance, in light of the recent breakdown of the Consortium of Cities (COC) regional approach to establishing a county-wide minimum wage. The ordinance sets the minimum wage in unincorporated Boulder County at a higher rate than incorporated areas in the county. Handyside responded on...
Belle Terre Floral opened a new location in Niwot, taking over the space in Cottonwood Square previously occupied by Blessings Day Spa, which moved to 2nd Avenue. To celebrate this milestone, owner Sarah Cioni hosted a grand opening event last Thursday, Oct. 24, which saw an impressive turnout. Cioni said, "Sales have never been better. Our revenue has doubled, making this our highest-earning year yet!" The move to the new location was driven by a need for more space due to the growing business,...
Tyler Eggers, arrested for causing a crash near Niwot High School after a high speed chase last Valentine’s Day, was sentenced to four years in prison after accepting a plea bargain. Although the defense requested Eggers spend five years in community corrections, the prosecution requested he serve time in the Colorado Department of Corrections. Eggers, 31, was accused of leading law enforcement officers on a car chase through Longmont, which ended in a collision at Niwot High School on Feb. 14, 2024. He was initially charged with reckless drivi...
The City of Boulder, a Consortium of Cities (COC) member, recently voted to increase its minimum wage, as shown in the table below. The increase is less than unincorporated Boulder County's minimum wage ordinance. In contrast, the remaining COC members, including the cities of Longmont, Louisville, Lafayette, and the town of Erie, have either chosen not to pursue this matter, placed it on hold until 2025, or are still in deliberations. In the summer of 2023, the five members of the COC-an...
In the summer of 2023, five members of the Boulder County Consortium of Cities (COC)—an organization that fosters interaction and communication among local governments in Boulder County and now includes non-voting representatives from Niwot—directed the Regional Minimum Wage working group of the COC to study Boulder County’s regional economy, engage the community regarding a potential minimum wage increase, and work with ECOnorthwest, a consultant hired by the COC to prepare an economic analy...
On Sept. 9, 2013, a severe flood started along Colorado's Front Range, particularly impacting Boulder County. The flood continued through Sept. 15, 2024, causing widespread damage. The flood was triggered by an unusual amount of rainfall, surpassing what is expected in a 500-year flood event. A 500-year flood event means there is a 0.2% chance of such a flood happening in any given year. The 0.2% chance is a statistical term that describes the recurrence interval of floods, not a timeline that i...
The Boulder County Commissioners have scheduled a public meeting for Sept. 17 to discuss a staff proposal for a potential moratorium to halt the processing of applications for new projects that exceed the median residential floor area in designated neighborhoods within unincorporated Boulder County. For decades, the Boulder County Commissioners have expressed concern about how increasing home sizes negatively affect the county's rural character, sustainability, and affordability. The Boulder County Comprehensive Plan’s Sustainability Element s...
Boulder County citizens gathered at an open house to review and provide feedback on the 63rd Street overpass planned for the CO 119 Bikeway Design Project. The open house also featured presentations about branded wayfinding concept alternatives for the CO 119 bikeway, and the Gunbarrel Shuttle projects. The CO 119 Safety, Mobility & Bikeway Project starts in north Boulder at the intersection of CO 157, also known as Foothills Parkway, and ends in south Longmont at the intersection of CO 119 and...
In the summer of 2023, the Consortium of Cities (COC)-an organization that fosters interaction and communication among local governments-directed the Regional Minimum Wage working group to study Boulder County's regional economy, engage the community regarding a potential minimum wage increase, and work with ECOnorthwest, a consultant hired by the COC to prepare an economic analysis. This directive came from elected officials representing the cities of Boulder, Longmont, Lafayette, Louisville, a...
Residents of The Homestead subdivision in Gunbarrel filed a petition with Boulder County to form a Public Improvement District, a taxing entity for repaving the roads within the District. On Aug. 27 the Boulder County Commissioners attended a staff presentation concerning the petition submitted to the Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners proposing a Public Improvement District to be called the Homestead Public Improvement District of Boulder County. The purpose of a Public Improvement...
On Aug. 13, the Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting Department hosted a webinar to provide detailed updates on various CO 119 (the "Diagonal") intersections and design options for the 63rd Street bike/pedestrian overpass. The intersections discussed included both unsignalized and signalized locations. The unsignalized intersections covered were 55th Street, Monarch Road, Oxford Road, 83rd Street, and Fordham Street, while the signalized intersections included Airport Road, Niwot...
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission website, https://puc.colorado.gov/, states that Xcel Energy conducted a public safety power shutoff for the first time in Colorado over the April 6-7, 2024, weekend. Colorado experienced a weather event that brought wind gusts in excess of 100 mph in some areas of the state and sustained high winds throughout the weekend which precipitated the shut off. Will a power shut off happen again? It looks like Xcel Energy is planning on it. According to Xcel...
Strong headwinds are blowing against the success of small businesses in unincorporated Boulder County, including Niwot. In the last year, small businesses have incurred losses due to a power shutdown and significant increases in sanitation fees, property taxes, food costs, and insurance. Small businesses now face the impact of the recent Boulder County minimum wage increase, with Niwot, Hygiene, and other businesses in unincorporated Boulder County required to pay a minimum wage of $15.69 per ho...
Discussions have been underway since March between Boulder County Community Planning and Permitting and the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID) regarding the location and alignment of the proposed underpass linking the planned bikeway in the median of the Diagonal and the RTD park-n-ride parking lot with downtown Niwot. The original plans for the bikeway did not include an underpass on the northbound lanes of the Diagonal Highway, but the LID and the Niwot Business...
The Boulder County Commissioners have introduced a new hourly minimum wage, a development extensively covered in the Left Hand Valley Courier. This wage change will have a significant and concerning impact on unincorporated communities, and local farmers, a group that is distinct from the incorporated cities or towns and which therefore faces unique challenges. Michael Moss, owner of Kilt Farm, is the President of the Community Farmers Alliance (COFA) and is deeply concerned about the new...
The Niwot Garden Club is an informal group of enthusiastic gardeners who share a love for gardening, flowers, and trees. The club's mission is to enhance the beauty of their yards and the community, promote sustainable gardening practices, and provide educational opportunities related to horticulture. Members enjoy getting down and dirty with the earth, planting and weeding, feeding, watering, and nurturing plant life. In the evenings, they often indulge in a leisurely "walkabout," perhaps with...
Boulder County's Transportation Planning Division is working on a Feasibility Study for the US 36/North Foothills Bikeway, an eleven-mile corridor spanning from the intersection of Broadway and US 36 in Boulder to the intersection of US 36 and CO 66 in Lyons. The study is motivated by injury-fatality pedestrian and bicycle crashes along this corridor. For more information, sign up for e-news at County E-News. The purpose of the bikeway is to improve safety and comfort for cyclists. All severe...
In the wake of 1914 House’s announcement that it will close as of July 7, 2024, Tony Santelli, a respected business professional and former president of the Niwot Business Association, has voiced his concerns about Boulder County's Minimum Wage Ordinance 2023-4. Santelli, who is a former site manager of IBM’s Boulder facility and a former owner of the Niwot Tavern, fears that this ordinance, if not addressed, could lead to significant financial strain on small businesses in Niwot and other areas of unincorporated Boulder County. Niwot's cur...
Steve Durian, Boulder County's Director of Public Works since August 2023, plays a crucial role in overseeing the county's infrastructure projects. Durian's expertise and passion for his work are evident, as he was excited to interview for the position when it was advertised. With prior experience at the City of Boulder from 2000 to 2006 and continued ties to the area through property ownership and other connections, Durian is excited to navigate the intricacies of Boulder County's...
Commuting Solutions, a Louisville-based transportation management organization (TMO), is partnering with Boulder County on the CO 119 Safety, Mobility, and Bikeway Project. As a partner, they are leveraging their expertise to create a distinct identity for the Diagonal Highway corridor. This includes designing wayfinding signs, bus station architecture, and other elements along the new Bus Rapid Transit route. Audrey DeBarros, the Executive Director of Commuting Solutions, and Kelly...
In 2008, the St. Vrain Valley School District's (SVVSD) overall graduation rate was approximately 75%, with the Hispanic graduation rate at approximately 55%. Over 16 years, the district has seen significant progress. As of 2024, the overall district graduation rate has risen to an impressive 93.3%, and the Hispanic student graduation rate has also seen a substantial increase, now at 87.7%. According to Don Haddad, Superintendent of SVVSD, these improvements were achieved despite the district's...
The CO 119 Safety, Mobility, and Bikeway Project, a crucial initiative to enhance safety, mobility, and add a bikeway along the CO 119 corridor from Longmont to Boulder, is set to start construction on the bikeway portion in the fall of 2024, with updates provided late summer 2024 according to a Boulder County news release. The entire project is scheduled from fall 2023 through spring 2027. CO 119, unfortunately, holds the second-highest crash corridor for bicyclists in Boulder County. From 2015 through 2019, there were 17 bicycle crashes,...
Danny O'Connor, Senior Transportation Planner for the City of Boulder, presented an update about the proposed Gunbarrel shuttle at the Commuting Solutions membership meeting held on April 24. The proposed Gunbarrel shuttle would utilize microtransit, a new concept within the transportation world. This service would provide on-demand, point-to-point service within a fixed zone using vans or shuttles. The routing and scheduling provided by this service will supplement the existing transit network...
Part three of a three-part series covering RTD regarding TABOR's Impact, RTD Northwest Rail and Front Range Passenger Rail, with an update on key state legislation. Commuting Solutions, a Louisville-based organization dedicated to finding innovative transportation options, held a membership meeting on April 24, providing a comprehensive update on the CO 119 Safety, Mobility, and Bikeway from Longmont to Boulder. Representatives from the Front Range Passenger Rail (FRPR) Chrissy Breit, Chief of...
Part two of a three-part series covering RTD regarding TABOR's impact, RTD Northwest Rail and Front Range Passenger Rail, and an update on key state legislation. Commuting Solutions, a Louisville based organization dedicated to finding innovative transportation options connecting commuters to their workplaces, has strongly advocated for the CO 119 Safety, Mobility, and Bikeway Project. It held a membership meeting on April 24, providing a comprehensive update on the project, including its team,...
