All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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When Staci Pencis walked into the Garden Gate Cafe two years ago to borrow a cane, she had no idea she would be leaving the Café with a job. Pencis' son, Sy, was putting together a costume for Senior Day at Skyline High School, and he needed a cane to complete his outfit. "He had a hospital gown and an adult diaper," Pencis said. "And he needed a cane." She placed a message on Facebook and soon heard back from Dawn Dunlap, manager of the Cafe, who offered to lend them one. When Pencis came to...
Charlie is a 14-year-old who absolutely loves basketball, specifically the Lakers and the Warriors, as well as Legos and U.S. History. Charlie also loves to eat macaroni and cheese and Doritos. In many ways, he is a totally typical teenager, but something that is unique about Charlie is that he has cystic fibrosis. Make-A-Wish Colorado supports kids just like Charlie, granting their one true wish and raising awareness for kids with critical illnesses. For the past few years, Niwot High School...
Niwot High School is host to over 60 student-run clubs, and one stand-out is the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Club. NASA Club meets every Monday under the supervision of Niwot High School teacher Erin Smith. NASA Club leader and founder, Amelia Koth, collects feedback from club members regarding goals for their next “observation night.” Koth then presents the feedback to the club members to determine the details of their upcoming observation nights. In addition to “ob...
In an era where far too many players shoot first and think second, Sebastian Stenz's approach to basketball is a welcome throwback. The Niwot High School guard drives the court intending to find an open teammate, a selfless style that's yielding plenty of assists. Through Niwot's first 10 games, Stenz recorded at least one dime in each and currently leads the Cougars with an average of 2.6 assists per contest. Stenz, a junior, said his pass-first mindset began to develop during his season-plus...
The Niwot High School wrestling program showed significant improvement at the 49th Annual Alameda International Invite last weekend, according to trackwrestling.com. A total of 22 teams competed from several classes. Jonathan Lopez led the way with a fourth-place finish in the 285-pound division, scoring 16 points. Lopez began the meet with a win over Bobbie Hester of Clear Creek in a tense 1-0 decision. He followed with a quarterfinal win by fall at the 1:23 mark over Romeo Ramirez of Bear Creek. In the semi-finals, Lopez lost by fall to...
The Niwot High School boys basketball squad started slowly as they fell to Thompson Valley High School 72-36 Jan. 9, coming out of the break. Niwot fared better against Frederick High School on Jan. 11 as they lost by 11 in a 60-49 heartbreak after leading early in the contest. The Cougars were outscored by Thompson Valley 36-16 in the first half, keeping Niwot out of reach most of the game as Thompson Valley scored another 36 points in the second half to wrap up a dominating win. Taylor...
The Niwot High School girls basketball squad came out of winter break with a record of 2-6, hoping to get back in the win column, but the first two games of January came against tough opponents, Thompson Valley High School and Frederick High School. The Cougars took on Thompson Valley Jan. 9, on the road, and stayed with the Eagles through the first half. Although they found themselves down 12-7 at the end of the first period, the Cougars outscored the Eagles 11-9 in the second period, with...
As the young Niwot High School girls swim and dive team continues to gain experience, the results are beginning to follow. Head coach Ella Thramann’s Cougars participated in the BoCo Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 13, and finished seventh among 13 local schools of various classes. NHS scored 637 team points at the Broomfield Community Center pool, just ahead of Silver Creek High School’s 588. Fairview High School took first with 1,131 points. With less than one month remaining in their high school careers, Niwot seniors Reese Lavigne and Cha...
When Steven Craig joined the Rotary Club of Niwot shortly after building a home on Portico Lane in the Ranch at Clover Basin subdivision two years ago, he didn’t waste any time in making a difference. Sadly, Craig, who was recently chosen as President-Elect for the club, will not have a chance to serve in that position. Craig was attacked in his home on Dec. 19 in the middle of the night, and died of his injuries Dec. 24. Michael Lucky, 32, turned himself in to the Boulder County Sheriff’s off...
Parker Sullivan will be learning by trial and error this winter as he navigates his first competitive wrestling season. After moving from Austin, Texas to Colorado before this school year, he joined the Niwot High School boys wrestling team and hasn't exactly been eased into his new sport. The 150-pound junior wrestled at Niwot's annual Gary Daum Classic on Saturday, Jan. 6 and was immediately matched up with Air Academy's Lucas Plunkett, who later took first in the weight class. Although he...
Referees play a critical role in youth sports from recreational leagues to club programs and through high school. Children experience the joy of winning and the lessons of loss, while parents get to be right there with them all because referees are willing to spend their days, evenings and weekends making sure the rules are followed, the score gets kept and the games get played. Unfortunately, youth referees' jobs are becoming increasingly difficult due to the behavior of parents, coaches and pl...
Organized chaos would be the best way to describe this year's Gary Daum Classic at Niwot High School. With 21 total teams and five mats running at all times, including one in the auxiliary gym, NHS wrestling head coach Bobby Matthews said the annual boys wrestling tournament was the "biggest it's ever been." All in all, though, the crowded day went according to plan. Champions were crowned in 14 different weight classes. Pueblo County High School secured the team title on Saturday, Jan. 6....
Niwot is home to the architectural firm Fletemeyer & Lee Associates (FLA). Dave Lee and Chad Fletemeyer and their team are actively engaged in the local business community and offer a complete selection of professional services that include site analysis and selection, architecture, landscape architecture, facility needs assessment and construction. The Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (NLIDAC) retained FLA to update the 2012 Master Plan for Niwot. The Master Plan will assist...
I am a new reporter for the Left Hand Valley Courier after responding to their ad. Although I do not have any reporting experience, I am a retired professional civil engineer who has spent many hours writing technical documents over my career, so I will try not to bore you. I moved to a farm outside of Lyons, Colorado in 1968 with my family and have resided in Colorado the entire time. Although I grew up outside of Lyons, Colorado, I did not attend school in Lyons and consequently graduated...
First, just in case you were wondering, most of these groups of letters are not acronyms but initialisms, as they cannot be pronounced as a word. For example, FOMO (fear of missing out), FedEx, and NASA are pronounced as words, consequently they are acronyms, whereas ATM is not pronounced “attem,” thus an initialism. But the initialisms listed above represent organizations in Niwot, including non-profits, a taxing district and its advisory committee, and a business committee, which are all quite important to local Niwot citizens. The ini...
Niwot High School 2014 graduate Madison Bounds has many stories to tell, and he delivers them with the clarity and the detailed eye of an ardent historian. Ranging from topics as diverse as men's basketball at the University of Kentucky to German immigration, Bounds has documented the lives of teachers, painters, and sports figures on film. And even though LIfeStory Films, the company he founded in 2022, is based in New York, Bounds has strong ties to the Niwot community. In 2001, when Bounds...
Madison Kintzel, an eighth-grader at Sunset Middle School won the Niwot High School Art Show Rising Star Award for her sculpture of a willow tree erupting out of the middle of a book, with long spiraled paper branches and tiny paper leaves hanging over a lake, which was made by cutting several layers of paper deeper into the bottom half of the book. The artwork is entitled "Weeping Willow." The award was presented during the Niwot High School Art Showcase in early December. The Rising Star...
Knowing that she likely won't swim competitively in college, Reese Lavigne is simply trying to enjoy her senior season. The fourth-year Niwot High School swimmer has accomplished plenty in her prep career and wants to cherish these final days with her teammates. "It's been great," Lavigne said. "We do have a close-knit team, and I'll be hanging out with my swim friends outside of swimming a lot. A lot of the seniors that I'm friends with, I've swam with them all of high school, so I know them...
Niwot High School’s annual Gary Daum Classic has quickly grown into one of Colorado’s premiere boys wrestling tournaments. Named in honor of former NHS boys wrestling head coach Gary Daum, who passed away in 2012 following a battle with cancer, the mid-season tournament returns to Niwot on Saturday, Jan. 6, with a bevy of big-name programs attending. Twenty-one teams, including Niwot, will be competing at this year’s event, the 11th under its current title. “This year, we've added Air Academy, Berthoud, as well as Pueblo County, which is a pe...
This is a Christmas story wrapped up in a baseball story - a story of faith, belief and redemption. I finally got around to reading a book given to me several years ago by my friends and former Boulder Daily Camera sportswriters Bill and Leo Hirsch. The book, "It's Not Who Won or Lost the Game-It's How You Sold the Beer," is an autobiography of Hall of Fame broadcaster Bob Wolff, who happens to be the only broadcaster to call the World Series, the NFL championship game, the NBA championship game...
Dylan Wittstruck Niwot High School lost one of its own when math teacher, Dylan Wittstruck, died Sun. Dec. 17, 2023. Wittstruck had been on the NHS staff since 2016....
The Niwot Sanitation District Board of Directors hosted a public meeting at the Left Hand Grange in Niwot Dec. 14 to let customers know that fees will rise substantially in the new year to fund infrastructure improvements which have been in the planning stages for the past three years. For many years, Niwot Sanitation District customers have grown accustomed to paying only a $71.00 bimonthly cost of service, without a mill levy for property taxes, which most special districts impose for capital...
I am a 2019 graduate of Niwot High School and recently earned a Journalism and Media Communication degree from Colorado State University in 2023, with a minor in Spanish. I grew up in Lyons, Colorado, and moved to southwest Longmont when I was 15. I was on the varsity softball team at Niwot High for all four years and was elected as a co-captain with my best friend, Caitlyn Schreiner, my senior year. In high school, I was an outfielder but I played third base my junior year. I have a brother...
Contrary to popular belief, I am actually quite private and introverted, so writing this profile on myself is challenging. I am a born and raised Niwot native who attended Niwot Elementary, Altona Middle School, and graduated from Niwot High School (an undisclosed amount of years ago). Having grown up in our cute little town, I've gotten to know a lot of people and become involved in several things over the years. I received my Eagle Scout award from Troop 161 (an undisclosed amount of years...
Hi! I'm Camryn Bell. I am a student at Niwot High School, and I have always had a love of writing. I've been a part of the Niwot community my entire life and I love everything about it. I have two brothers, two dogs, and one sister-in-law (my brother has a lovely girlfriend as well). My mom, Alyson Bell, is by far the most inspiring person I have ever met. I'm passionate about a lot of things, writing being one of them, of course. I also enjoy theater, music, sports (specifically horseback...
My name is Jonathan Epstein and it's a pleasure to join the Left Hand Valley Courier. Except for a stint in San Diego to see what all the hubbub was about, I've lived in Colorado for the better part of 34 years, with the last 20 being in Niwot and Gunbarrel. Originally from Buffalo (Go Bills), New York, I moved to Colorado in part because my high school college counselor said I'd fall off the face of the earth if I moved west of Ohio. Challenging her contention, I drove to Boulder to attend CU,...
Because his days on the Niwot High School boys basketball team are limited, Brighton Langenegger has dedicated his senior season toward "inspiring the younger guys." Langenegger's motive stems from an acronym he learned while attending a PGC (Point Guard College) Basketball camp: E.T.D.M.T.Y.S., which stands for "Expect To Do More Than Your Share." Essentially, the instruction promotes going above and beyond in all aspects of life. "Every moment, no matter what you're doing, do it more-that...
The Niwot High School boys basketball team has reached the holiday break with a 3-5 record. The Cougars played their most recent game against the Longmont High School Trojans, falling short of victory with a 67-34 loss. Niwot has now lost five straight after starting hot with a 3-0 start. Niwot still has 12 games left to stop their skid, so there is still hope. Niwot started the game slowly, scoring just five points in the first quarter. While Niwot struggled to get going, Longmont jumped up...
Niwot High School is host to over 60 student-run clubs, and one that represents a multitude of talented and passionate Niwot students is the Drama Club. Aiden Sagner, Drama Club President, defines Drama Club as a group that "meets with students who are looking to improve their acting skills and broaden their knowledge and understanding of the theater world." Drama Club particularly appeals to students who may not have time to involve themselves in theater classes. For example those who are...
Julianna Deems was nominated by her art teacher, Jennifer Tjornehoj, as the Sunset Middle School Arts Student of the Week. Deems is in the sixth grade and recently won the Blue Ribbon Award, a prestigious award based on handpicked artwork by the principal of the middle school. Deems loves painting, oil pastels, and creating sculptures in and outside of her classes at Sunset. She also participates in the school's orchestra program. Deems said that she has a strong connection with art. "When I do...
A record number of choir students earned the distinction of becoming members of the St. Vrain Valley School District Honor Choir for January 2024. Fifty-three singers were selected after an arduous try-out process. The Honor Choir consists of both a Mixed Choir and a Treble Choir. Laura Walters, Director of Choirs at Niwot, said, "We practiced in class all semester up until the audition and students had to audition on their own in November." The audition process included learning a portion of...
Niwot High School wrestlers competed at the 9th Annual Keith Kilker Invitational Tournament at Weld Central High School Dec. 16, but attrition left the Cougars with a small roster. The format of the tournament has each wrestler compete against wrestlers in the same weight class from each of the four other schools in a round-robin format. Thus, there are no elimination rounds, and each wrestler comes away with a personal won-loss record. “We have been dealing with some sickness and a few injuries as well as some kids leaving for break,” Cou...
The Niwot High School girls basketball team had to reevaluate expectations. A few injuries and departures from last year's starting lineup forced the Cougars to rebuild the team from the ground up. With seven games under their belt and new lineups being tested, hiccups are to be expected and struggling is an opportunity to learn. In the first conference competition on Dec. 9, the Cougars fought hard to stay in the game but ultimately lost to Silver Creek High School, 46-35. Rose Pacheco stole...
The Niwot High School boys basketball team has strung together two tough weeks as their season continues to slide. Niwot fell roughly to both Severance High School and Riverdale Ridge High School. The Cougars started the week with a loss to the Riverdale Ridge Ravens, 66-48, to fall to 3-3 on the year before losing to the Severance Silver Knights, 59-36, dropping to 3-4 on the year. Niwot started slow against Riverdale Ridge, only scoring 12 points in the first half. The Ravens ran up the...
Even when not at full strength, the Niwot High School girls swim team is a formidable opponent. On Dec. 13, the NHS girls swimming team hosted the Roosevelt High School Roughriders at the St. Vrain Aquatic Center next to Silver Creek High School, and came away with a 197-88 victory. Coach Ella Thramann said, “This meet, we had very few of our girls there, but the ones that stood out the most were Charlotte Heuer, who made state [qualifying times] in 50 free (26.44) [and] 500 free (5:46.29), our A relay for 200 free relay, [which] was 2 s...
Bert Steele was a beloved member of the Niwot community for over twenty years as the face of the Niwot Market in the Cottonwood Square shopping center. Steele, who died last summer after a short illness, was known for his friendly down-home demeanor, and made friends wherever he went. Steele and his family turned the Niwot Market into a successful business that also hosts several other small businesses within its doors. Steele was also involved in most of Niwot's many community events,...
Her name is simply Sunshine – and she totally exudes it. Sunshine provides manicures, pedicures and facials at Classic Looks in Niwot and is this week's Familiar Face. The owner of Classic Looks, Sheri Sutton, met and hired Sunshine in 2005, when Sunshine first moved to Colorado, and they have been together ever since. "Classic Looks is like my second family," Sunshine explained one recent day, sitting in the salon in Cottonwood Square. "I just love, love this place," she added with a smile. "...
Niwot High School’s Second Annual Art Showcase was a big success Dec. 4-6. The show was hosted by the Niwot High School Booster Music Performance and Art which is affiliated with the Niwot High School Boosters, Inc., and sponsored by the Boulder School of Fine Art. The show displayed art from both students at Niwot High School as well as from younger art students at Burlington Elementary School and Sunset Middle School. The show was started a year ago to help display the achievements of local arts students which often has been overlooked due to...
The annual Longmont Lights Parade was held on Saturday, Dec. 9, on Main Street in Longmont. Niwot High School and Silver Creek High School have both been participating in this parade for many years but in 2014, the two schools started to team up as a super-band for this particular parade. The increase in cross-school band cohesion among St. Vrain Valley schools has been remarkable. "Since we are a combined band and don't wear our typical marching uniforms," said Wade Hendricks, Director of...
The Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) Advisory Committee approved two funding proposals from the Niwot Business Association (NBA) at its Dec. 5 meeting. Chuck Klueber presented a request for funding to clean up the area along Niwot Road where Eddie Running Wolf's iconic tree carvings have been removed for restoration. The application requested $862 toward the total cost of $1,062, based on a bid from Niwot arborist company We Love Trees. The NBA and the Niwot Cultural Arts Association each...
Niwot High School junior Kennah Brackett has been selected to participate in the Colorado All State Jazz Choir (ASJC), which is open to students in the 11th and 12th grades. Brackett is the first NHS student to be chosen for this honor. According to Laura Walters, Choral Music Director at NHS, Brackett worked hard to prepare herself for the initial audition. "She had to prepare two solos as well as several scales," Walters said, "all performed in a swung/jazz style. For one of the solos, she...
Niwot High School is host to over 60 student-run clubs, and one stand-out is the Best Buddies club. In the words of Claire Jensen, vice-president of Best Buddies, "Best Buddies is a global organization that is devoted to promoting the friendships between students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and students without. We promote activism, acceptance, and education all while having lots of fun. Our club specifically focuses on one-to-one friendships between students outside...
As one of only two seniors on this year's Niwot High School boys basketball team, Jackson Carano prides himself on being a leader. The third-year varsity forward has his own personal goals, but nothing compares to the value he puts on overall unity. "The biggest thing I've taken away is the importance of team building," Carano said. "As a team captain this year, that's one of the biggest things that I've wanted to focus on. I think we're doing it pretty well. It's building each other up as a...
The Niwot girls basketball team had a tough week, but if the team's last three quarters are any indication, things are looking up for the 2-3 Cougars. On Dec. 5, Niwot traveled to Roosevelt High School to take on the Roughriders, but came out on the short end of a 71-17 score. The Cougars had trouble generating any offense as sophomore Ella Zechman led the team in scoring with five points. Junior Evelyn Melis added four points and no other player had more than two points. Rose Pacheco, the...
In the world of high school sports, triumphs and setbacks are an inevitable part of the journey. The Niwot High School wrestling team faced challenges in the first three duals of the season, resulting in a 0-2 record to start the year. Breaking into the regular season, the Cougars dropped their dual against Timnath High School on Dec. 6 in a 48-30 loss. Despite the team's defeat, several athletes performed well. Sergio Rodriguez at 132 pounds pinned his opponent at 4:57, adding 6 points to...
Several young talents on the Niwot High School girls swim team are finding success early this season despite their inexperience. In the Cougars' 207-106 dual meet victory over Erie High School on Wednesday, Dec. 6, four underclassmen managed a first-place finish. Sophomore Emmy Hostelley won the 100-yard freestyle (1 minute, 4.65 seconds), freshman Camilla Wier-Bigelow's endurance proved best in the 500 freestyle (6:10.24), sophomore Lila Repsher led the 100 backstroke (1:11.11), and sophomore...
The Niwot High School boys basketball team started hot with a 3-0 start to the season before a tough second week. The Cougars took on Roosevelt High School and Silver Creek High School, falling in both games. Niwot started the week on Tuesday against the Roosevelt Roughriders, playing their first away game of the year. The Roughriders gave Niwot its first loss of the year, outscoring the Cougars 48-40. Walker Bounds, NHS boys basketball coach said, “I was encouraged by the team sticking together after a tough loss. They are a tight-knit g...
As expected, Colorado's girls dominated the 2023 Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) Saturday, Dec. 2, in Portland, Oregon, but no one was more dominant than Niwot's Addison Ritzenhein who now adds the title of National Champion to her growing list of credentials. Ritzenhein, just a sophomore, came into the 18th Nike national race expected to be one of the top five or six finishers in the race, but splashed through the mud and deep standing water on Portland's Glendoveer Golf Course to outpace in-state...
