All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Behind a much-improved performance on the uneven bars, the resurgent Niwot gymnastics team turned in its top score of the season to claim first place at the Class 4A Region 2 championships, held Oct. 29 at Mountain Range High School. Now the Cougars are heading into the state championships on Nov. 5 with a renewed sense of optimism, according to head coach Marisa Purcell. "We worked really hard on bars, and really tried to get the routines into place," she said afterwards. "You can see the...
Live theater returns to the Niwot High stage starting on Nov. 5 with the premiere of "Peter and the Starcatcher," a semi-musical reimagining of the Peter Pan story that explores his life before Neverland. Bringing the title character to life is senior Ethan Rauschkolb, a veteran of the NHS stage who said he is thrilled to be back in front of a live audience. "Opening is November 5th, and we're super excited about it," he said of the upcoming production, the first non-virtual one in more than 18...
As Veterans Day 2021 approaches, the Niwot Community Association is once again honoring the local men and women who have served their country in the U.S. Armed Forces through the Veterans Banner Project. Earlier this month, nearly 50 full-color banners featuring the names, photographs, branch, and service years of military members past and present with local connections were installed along 2nd Avenue and in Cottonwood Square where they will hang through Veterans Day. Behind each of these...
Growing up, Mina O'Dell loved to copy the colorful cartoon characters she watched on T.V., and, over the years, that turned into a passion for painting and drawing. Now as a sophomore at Niwot, she is exploring a new medium that is challenging her perspectives. "I really like sculpting because it's so much different from drawing and painting," she said. "Because with a drawing, you can only see one point of view of the art that you're making. Whereas with sculpting, you can really put detail...
Education is in Sarah Hurianek's blood–a number of family members were and are educators, and she has worked in early childhood education for over 20 years. In addition to her on-the job experience, she has been an active member of the Mead community and even graduated from Skyline High School in the St. Vrain Valley School District herself. Her husband Noah Hurianek, also a teacher, grew up in Niwot where both of his parents, Dennis and Nancy Hurianek, were long-time teachers. "Serving as a b...
Former Lyons head coach Kenneth Rosales is the new leader atop Niwot baseball. Rosales brings his unique coaching journey to Niwot in hopes of restoring the program's previous glory. NHS athletic director Joe Brown announced the hiring in late September after four-year head coach Adam Strah resigned in June. During his eight seasons leading Lyons, Rosales brought the Lions to four state tournament appearances. He was also an assistant coach there for four seasons prior to taking over the...
With his varsity tennis season now behind him, Niwot senior Raaghav Agarwal is turning his attention to another type of head-to-head match. This year, he is taking on a key technical role for the Up-A-Creek Robotics' Team 1619, one of the top high school robotics teams in Colorado. Though competition season is still a few months away, Agarwal is excited about the youthful squad, and looking forward to getting back into the arena. "This year, we're going back to in-person challenges, which is...
Work on a proposal to create a community garden space in Niwot is starting, Niwot Community Association board member Diane Zimmermann told NCA members at the Oct. 6 meeting. "The first step is to survey our NCA members to gauge interest and gather ideas, and then put together a community group made up of Niwot residents and NCA members interested in getting this project started," Zimmermann said. "We see so many Niwot residents with beautiful gardens and we could use their expert advice and...
As a self-proclaimed "serial volunteer and community member," SVVSD Board of Education member Karen Ragland has been involved in the local educational community since 2007. She started in parent groups and other organization committees before being elected to the Board in 2017. Much of her professional background is in mental health counseling, healthcare consulting and project management. Between her professional experience and having a masters in Community Counseling, she brings a diverse set...
Dung Nam Pham is a gifted violinist in Niwot High's orchestra who pours his emotions into his performances. But for the school's orchestra director, Yin-Feng Keynes Chen, the senior's natural talent is just one of the attributes that make him a great musician. "He has been a very dedicated musician in our orchestra program ever since his freshman year," Chen wrote in an email. "Not only is he one of the hardest workers among his peers, his strong passion for high-level music making is quite...
First Hole A hawk whistles as it lands on the giant cottonwood just behind the first tee. It's an appropriate send-off as I begin my final round at Haystack Mountain Golf Course. As always, there is something that takes my attention away from the little white ball when I'm here, whether it is the wildlife, peach and purple sunsets, stately trees or the tawny slopes of the odd bump on the horizon, Haystack Mountain itself. This late summer day is the last time I'll play the nine-hole course off...
If there's a Niwot event happening Joanne Neville is likely in attendance, especially if music is involved. Dressed in beautiful long skirts, with her long flowing hair, and a warm smile, Neville's love for shared joyful times shines through as naturally as sunshine. The Courier wanted to hear about this Niwotian's life – past, present, and future. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) - Where are you from and what brought you to the area? Joanne Neville (JN) - I grew up on the East Coast, mostly i...
After a five-hour meeting to review its five-year strategic plan, the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee decided that the best course of action would be to host the leadership of all of the non-profit organizations serving the Niwot community at a roundtable discussion. The purpose of the meeting will be to give each organization, including the LID, a better understanding of each organization’s purpose and short-term goals, as well as start a conversation about how best to share resources. Eight of the nine LID committee member...
The third time was a charm for senior Niwot golfer Christopher Gunlikson at the 2021 class 4A golf championships, held Oct. 4-5 at City Park golf course in Denver. Behind a sharp short game and smart shot-selection, the senior carded a two-round score of 143 to capture sixth place overall, his first top-10 finish after two disappointing state appearances as a sophomore and junior. "I'm happy I had a big comeback, because last round was not the finish I wanted at all," Gunlikson said after...
Vocalist Rianna Rickford loves to perform, whether it's in Niwot's prestigious Evenstar choir, or in a theater department musical, such as Cinderella or Little Shop of Horrors. For choir director Laura Roberts, Rickford's dedication to her craft is nothing short of inspiring. "She is probably one of the most improved singers in the choir program," Walters wrote of the senior, who is currently a member of the school's Evenstar choir, and is deeply involved in the fall musical. "She has the...
Niwot's summer concert series Rock & Rails is a special event. But it doesn't just provide the setting for people to chat and hang out while listening to live music. Rock & Rails was also the catalyst for Niwot to push toward a standard of zero waste. Zero waste means limiting trash as much as possible, usually by swapping out single-use packaging, utensils, etc. for either recyclable or compostable options. "There's no such thing as total zero waste," said Jill Whitener, one of the people invol...
Silence and Respect. Thus reads the first trail sign greeting visitors at the Sand Creek Massacre National HIstoric Site. Thirty Niwot-area residents, both young and old, traveled to the site on Saturday, Sept. 25, by bus exactly 17 months after the original excursion was derailed by the pandemic. What originally started as two busloads of Niwotians dwindled to a little more than half a bus, due to COVID concerns and the difficulty of finding a rescheduled date that fit everyone's schedule, but...
The Niwot boys golf team is heading back to the Class 4A championships, after a rock steady round at the Region 3 qualifying tournament on Sept. 21. Behind clutch putting from Christopher Gunlikson and some well-timed consistency from his teammates, the Cougars finished second overall out of a 16-team field, and secured an elusive team bid to the state tournament for the first time since 2017. For seventh-year head coach Ed Weaver, the Cougars' proficient performance was gratifying on several...
During his first three seasons as a Niwot varsity golfer, talented left-hander Christopher Gunlikson was one of the league's strongest performers during the regular season, but struggled with consistency when it came to high pressure and postseason tournaments. He wanted his fourth and final season as a Cougar to be different, so he spent last off-season getting "tournament tough" at local and statewide junior golf events, while making a few adjustments to his game here and there. The ultimate...
For the first time in the 65-year history of the Sister Cities program of the United States, a sovereign nation entered into a sister-city relationship with a U.S. city. Steven Fast Horse, a representative of Business Council of the Northern Arapaho tribe of the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming and Longmont Mayor Brian Bagley signed an agreement Saturday, Sept. 18, establishing the relationship after a 3-year effort that initially met with resistance from government officials who said it...
Back when she was a budding high school track star, Elise Cranny never thought she would be honored as she was during this year's Niwot Homecoming celebration. The 2014 Niwot graduate and 2021 U.S. Olympian was given a hero's tribute during the annual parade and football game on Sept. 17. Before finishing 13th in the Olympic 5,000 meter race, Cranny helped Niwot win two 4A girls track titles and competed collegiately at Stanford University. She said that with no fans allowed in Tokyo, the...
This month's Left Hand Laurel goes to Thom Lynch. Lynch moved to Niwot in September 2018 and decided the best way to meet folks and to make a difference was to jump in with both feet. So, the new guy in town joined the Rotary Club of Niwot and not long after became the president-elect of the organization. Lynch had been an active Rotarian for a year before he moved to Niwot, after being recruited to the organization by his then girlfriend who was the president of a chapter in Syracuse, NY "I...
Though his induction into the Boulder County Business Hall of Fame was delayed a year due to the pandemic, Niwot resident Cotton Burden was never at a loss for words when the time arrived Sept. 16 at the Embassy Suites hotel in Boulder. Burden accurately predicted that he would have trouble getting through his remarks without choking up, much as he did during soccer banquets during his 11-year tenure as Niwot High's head coach. He thanked his many supporters who were present. Among those Burden...
It was a beautiful morning for taking out the trash. On Sept. 18, the Niwot Community Association held its annual Clean Up Day in the parking lot of Niwot High School. Turnout was so heavy in the early morning hours that there were cars lined up waiting to enter the parking lot half an hour before the lot opened. The cars kept on coming, and it was 9 a.m. before Niwot Road was cleared of vehicles waiting to turn left into the school parking lot, according to volunteer Kathy K...
Niwot community pride was on display during last weekend's homecoming events. Friday afternoon's bright sun and cool temperatures set the stage for the parade, which returned following a pandemic-induced break. Junior Olivia Lacert was watching with friends from just outside 1914 House. "I'm excited to go to a homecoming game and to have the dance this year," she said. "I love dances. Last year we didn't have a lot of school events, so this is pretty cool. The football game is later and I'm...
Niwot senior Isaac Robinson describes himself as "a little bit of a perfectionist" when it comes to academics, a tendency that has paid off with a top GPA and a selection as a 2021 National Merit semi-finalist. Now the senior is taking those perfectionist tendencies to the cross country course for Niwot, where they have been paying off with top finishes in challenging varsity races. He said that's a result of increased training and focusing on "the little things," that actually have a big...
Niwot High graduate ('14) and 2020 Olympian Elise Cranny is returning to her alma mater. On Friday, Sept. 17, the decorated distance runner will be riding in Niwot High's motorized homecoming parade, which departs the school parking lot at 3:15 p.m. Later that night, Cranny is also scheduled to make an appearance during halftime of Niwot's football game at Everly-Montgomery Field. Cranny is a two-time state cross country champion, and won multiple state titles in track & field for Niwot. In...
The Niwot Community Association will hold its annual Clean Up Day from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 18 in the parking lot at Niwot High School, 8989 Niwot Road, Niwot. Any NCA member can bring two free trash loads, with additional loads costing $25 each; non-members will pay $40 a load. Loads equal a standard size pickup truck at bed level. "We suggest that people come early, because once our collection dumpsters are full we will have to close up," event organizer John Barto told NCA...
As a senior in Niwot High's IB program last year, Mackenzie Demmel created St. Vrain for the Brain, a virtual 5K run/walk that raised nearly $4,000 for brain tumor research. Now the fun run is back for a second year, but this time you can get in on the action with family, friends and fellow runners on a course that starts at the high school. While that meant more work for Demmel in 2021, it's all worth it to raise more money for a cause that is near and dear to her heart, she said. "I'm just...
Whether she's gliding down the snowy slopes of Winter Park or mastering the balance beams, Olivia Sroka does so with ease. The multi-talented athlete has reached impressive heights in both skiing and gymnastics throughout her life. Sroka, who plans on graduating from Silver Creek High School in December, began skiing at just four years old. While skiing for Winter Park, she soon specialized in the freestyle mogul where she placed 24th in nationals last year for the junior North American (NorAm)...
Niwot gymnast Mia Curry admitted that winning a third straight Class 4A all-around title is in the "back of her mind," but there's another piece of hardware that she'd rather have at the end of her senior season: the 2021 team championship trophy. "Right now, my only goal is to help my team get the state win, because I think that would be the best way that I could finish my high school career," she said after Niwot's triangular meet against Fort Morgan and Lone Star on Sept. 8. "I just want to...
Kristina Burgoon is the warm welcoming face at The Niwot Inn & Spa and she's also the face of Niwot through her creativity as the social media coordinator for the Niwot Business Association. The Courier reached out to discover a bit about Burgoon's history and her current life. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) - Where did you grow up and what brought you to the area? Kristina Burgoon (KB) - I was born in Orange, California, and lived there until I was 10-years old. My family moved to Flemington,...
Sometimes you just have the music in you, and other times you just wanna get the music in you. Either way, the annual RISE Benefit Concert in Niwot will help satiate music lovers of all ages. The very danceable event returns Saturday, Sept. 11, for the fourth year following an obligatory COVID skip in 2020. This year the event will be held at Whistle Stop Park in Niwot at the corner of 1st Avenue and Murray Street, after the 2019 event was held at the Boulder County Fairgrounds. RISE stands for...
Many Niwotians know Keith Waters as the co-owner of Inkberry Books, along with longtime partner Gene Hayworth. But underneath that mild mannered exterior lies the syncopated heart of a jazz connoisseur, who brings more than his fandom to the form. Now Waters is bringing the versatile genre back to town with the Niwot Jazz Festival, an all-day showcase of local, regional, and national talent, slated for Sept. 4. "Gene and I have now been part of the community for about three years, and it just...
On Saturday, Aug. 28, the Niwot community celebrated bees for their contribution to our world--without them, flowers would have fewer pollinators and we certainly wouldn't have honey without them. In recognition of bees, the Niwot Business Association and event champions Deborah Read Fowler and Victoria Keen hosted the Honey Bee Harvest Festival. The celebration included a panel of speakers throughout the day, live music, family activities and more, all throughout Niwot. Niwot resident Jerry...
It's been a week since students, teachers, and staff started the new school year. After the pandemic created an unconventional, some would say difficult, year of learning, returning to full-time, in-person classes throughout the district is something that many parents are grateful for. At the same time, the community is not having the same kind of back-to-school experience as in years past. Students are required to re-acclimate to a more conventional social and learning environment after the...
To a lay person, the new downtown Niwot parking lot on Murray Street may seem like one of the simplest of construction projects. But don't be fooled....it took a lot of planning, red tape, managing, and time to get it to this stage. Integral in that process was this month's Left Hand Laurel recipient, Chad Fletemeyer. In July, the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) was tapped for additional financial assistance owing to unforeseen expenses needed to comply with Boulder County mandates....
Tuesday, Aug. 17, marked the first day of school not only for incoming freshman students, but for nine new teachers at Niwot High School. From new science teachers to a new counselor, the NHS faculty and staff will look a little different this year, and they all seem very excited. "Teaching and inspiring others is something that I have always loved and am looking forward to continuing to do so here," said Nathan Gravelding, who will be joining the science department. A Colorado native, Graveldin...
The school community was hopeful that when they returned to school this fall masks would not be required in SVVSD schools. As it turns out, that won't be the case. Following guidance from Boulder County Public Health through Public Health Order 2021-07, the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) is requiring masking for all students, faculty and staff in grades PK-12 while indoors. The school district did not provide a direct response to the Courier's questions about the decision. Instead,...
Just about four months separate the Niwot Cougars from the heartbreak they endured in the Class 4A boys state soccer semifinals, bumped from fall to spring in the 2020-2021 school year. That is all in the past, though, with a new core of Cougars greeted with the chance to mold their own history. Head coach Stephen Dimit will be tasked with replacing the production of eight graduated seniors that accounted for nearly two-thirds of the goals scored last season. Fortunately for Dimit, the players...
Another championship sweep for Niwot at the 2021 Class 4A cross country meet isn't a foregone conclusion, but it's hard to dismiss the strong evidence in favor of it. Returning to the varsity are two of Colorado's fastest high school distance runners in Zane Bergen and Mia Prok, plus a battle-hardened pack of veterans that is still in shape from the Cougars' recent title run at the state track and field championships. Add to that a coach looking to list another two state titles on his resume,...
Many residents in the area are well acquainted with Geof Sparks due to his passions, the genuine way he connects with others in conversations, and also because he works at a very popular retail store in Niwot. Here are a few tidbits about Sparks which give us insight into the man behind the familiar face. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) – How have you become a familiar face in Niwot? Geof Sparks (GS) - Most people know me as the evening face of Niwot Liquor where I've worked for over 16 y...
After winning two of its final three games last season, the Niwot softball team is primed for continued success in 2021. Head coach Bobby Matthews' Cougars return their ace pitcher and nearly all their offensive production with plenty to prove in the 4A Longs Peak League. Senior Ayva McComas has hit over .500 in each of her three previous seasons and will once again be a leader on the diamond. Matthews' "steady" senior shortstop was named an honorable mention to the All-State team last year and...
Mere weeks after coaching the Niwot girls golf team to a top-10 finish at the Class 4A state championships, seventh-year head coach Ed Weaver was back on the course with the Cougar boys, energized and looking forward to another successful season. "We're a young team, but we have potential going forward," he said during Niwot's season opener in Greeley on Aug. 9. "I think some of the younger guys are coachable. They're doing the right things to stay competitive, or get more competitive next...
Crews are wrapping up the final phase of Niwot High School's 2016 bond construction project, which includes a new covered entryway and new signs. The large bold lettering is meant to help visitors find the front entrance of the school, which Principal Eric Rauschkolb previously described as "nondescript." The project also includes two monument signs directing visitors to the athletic fields and other areas of campus....
Niwot's downtown was packed on Friday, July 30 – at 4:00 a.m. Over 200 fans of Niwot High grad Elise Cranny packed Niwot Wheel Works to witness Cranny's Olympic debut as part of the USA track team. Cranny did not disappoint her fans, finishing fourth in the second heat of the 5,000-meter prelims to qualify for the finals. The first five runners in each heat qualified for the finals, plus the five next-best times. Cranny's heat began at 4:26 a.m. Mountain Time, but the downtown vibe was what y...
Cooking fresh lobster and serving it to a crowd is a challenge in any circumstance, but doing it in a land-locked state like Colorado state adds another level of difficulty. Luckily for organizers of the inaugural Niwot Lobster Fest, a leading expert in bringing tasty crustaceans to local tables has lived right up the street for more than two decades. "I'm from the Boston area, and I came to the University of Colorado School of Business and never left," Paul Packer, Niwot resident and owner of...
After narrowly missing the qualifying mark for the 2016 Team USA women's discus team, Silver Creek graduate Valerie Allman made the mark and more in Tokyo. Allman became just the third American since 1932 to win gold in the women's discus with a 69.98 meter (229.6 feet) hurl on Aug. 2. She backed up a 66.42 meter (217.9 feet) throw in the qualification round on July 30 which had then set a record for the farthest throw ever by an American woman in the Olympics, yet still short of her 70.15...
Gunbarrel-based nonprofit Cultivate is focused on meeting the needs of our community's seniors. How this plays out is by way of seven programs: Carry-out Caravan (shopping/delivery), Fix-It (home repairs and upgrades), VetsGo (medical appointment transportation), YardBusters (outdoor clean up), SnowBusters (shoveling), RSVP (AmeriCorps Retired Senior Volunteer Program), and File of Life (documents for emergency preparedness). In honor of his volunteerism with the organization, Cultivate wanted...
"Sheriff Joe" has a very different connotation in these parts than in Arizona. Joe Pelle has served as Boulder County Sheriff for over 18 years and is in what appears to be his final term, which expires in 2022. Pelle is a former Niwot resident, and his wife Stephanie Pelle worked in the Niwot Post Office for many years. As a result, many Niwot residents are on a first-name basis with the sheriff, which is comforting considering that the Boulder County Sheriff's Department is the law enforcement...
