All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
Sorted by date Results 151 - 200 of 508
Spring has sprung! And with it you're likely to be headed out on all the local trails the area has to offer. If you're a cyclist, now is the time to make sure your bike is ready to go, and you've brushed up on riding safety essentials. Maintenance Fernando Tapia, Master Mechanic at Niwot Wheel Works, says that if your bike hasn't been used over the winter, it's a good idea to get a tuneup. "Get air in the tires, lube on the chain and ensure that everything is in good working order." If this...
I didn't have my glasses on, and thought maybe the brown bump on the edge of my dog Stering's eye was a growth that sprouted quickly. I'd seen bumps like that on other dogs. I went about my day, but puzzled over it. How could I miss something like that when I look into Sterling's sweet brown eyes all the time? Better get out the glasses. Eww! It was alive! A tick had latched on to the corner of his eye. I was horrified that I let it go for even a couple hours. But it truly never occurred to me t...
Good morning, Courier readers! April 22nd is a special day to celebrate our nurturing, Mother Earth. And while tackling climate change might seem daunting at times, we mustn’t give up hope. So, without further ado, here is a comprehensive list of all things you can do to turn your climate anxiety into climate action! At home and other individual actions: *Switch to a more eco-friendly search engine like Ecosia. Ecosia plants trees for every 45 searches you make on the web. It’s the world’s largest not-for-profit search engine and is endor...
A double play sealed a come-from-behind victory for Niwot over Northridge April 19, with the Cougars posting a hard-fought 8-7 win. Niwot took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning with a four-run rally to put the Cougars on top by a run. Northridge got the tying run to second base with no outs, but a heads-up play by first baseman Jack Brooker on a bunt retired the runner at third base as Brooker fired to third-baseman Spencer Olson who applied the tag for the first out. With a runner on...
Residents of Niwot and Gunbarrel, long overlooked by the powers that be in Longmont and Boulder, have begun to do something about it. The LOBO Trail, which reputedly runs from Longmont to Boulder and back, and seemingly uphill both ways, was named for LOngmont and BOulder. But you can't actually get all the way to Boulder from Longmont on a trail, as sections are incomplete as the "trail" makes its way through south Gunbarrel. You can get from Longmont all the way to Niwot, and from Niwot to...
Niwot's Casey Grothus is heading to California next month to give a presentation at the corporate headquarters of a major tech company in Silicon Valley. It's something he never imagined as a child with autism. "I worried all the time that it would be hard to get a job. Absolutely," Grothus said. "Members of the autism community have such a high unemployment rate and underemployment rate that it was a real concern of mine." He had reason to worry. About two-thirds of people with autism don't...
The blinker is the most misused item in a vehicle. It's a great tool to have when trying to communicate with fellow drivers. What an invention – a system that lets others know what you're thinking and you don't have to utter one word or make any other sound. So why are so many drivers afraid to let others know what they are going to do? I know there aren't that many shy drivers out there because I've seen a lot of them. They use the horn for everything. Tapping it to say hi, letting someone k...
Our clocks have sprung forward, longer days are upon us and warmer weather is on the horizon. Of course, we should be prepared to get blasted with more cold days and hopefully some snow, but we are well on our way to the spring gardening season. What does this look like for you and your outdoor spaces? Are you itching to get out and start clearing and cleaning up your garden beds in preparation for things to green up? If so, I can relate, but I'm here to say, don't do it! It's important to know...
If you've dined at Raza Fresa in Niwot (or Ajuua! as it was formerly known) during the last 17 years, chances are good that you've been served by Kelly Paquette. Paquette began her career in the food service industry as manager of a Burger Chef restaurant. "It was my first job out of high school," the Platteville, Colo. native said. "When I had children, it became too many hours." Paquette then began a 12-year stint as a waitress at Colacci's, an Italian restaurant in Longmont. After the...
Tony Engel is the new coach in charge of the Niwot High School girls volleyball program, but he is not new to the team. Engel was introduced to parents and players by NHS athletic director Joe Brown on March 2, but many in attendance were already familiar with the former assistant coach, who moved into the head coaching position after six-year veteran Daisha Agho resigned last fall to take an administrative position at Berthoud High School. Engel noted that the program had made much progress...
A group of school children sits or stands at the front of the class, one apart from the rest. One, or perhaps a few adults sit at a table facing the children with a crowd of parents and students behind them. It's the spelling bee. Since at least 2018, Sunset Middle School has hosted the event with varying levels of participation, this year, there was a record number of 18 participants and according to co-hosters Tanya Gaurmer (language) and Katie Silverberg (special education), it was "a huge...
The Colorado League of Charter Schools has named two Flagstaff Academy Charter School teachers as finalists for the 2022 Charter School "Educator of the Year" award. Flagstaff Academy elementary school science resource teacher Stacy Wolff, and sixth-grade language arts teacher Leha Moskoff are two of eight finalists. Wolff is in her 11th year at Flagstaff Academy Charter School as the kindergarten through fifth grade science resource teacher. Wolff teaches an inquiry-based, hands-on science lab...
^%$# happens. We all know it, and a good Plan B is the best defense. Say your child wants to have an outdoor swim birthday party – in July. You’d still better have a back up plan, because while it won’t snow in the Front Range, you must consider the chances of hail and lightning with the accompanying hurricane force winds and tornado warnings. Planning a wedding and you think you have the vendors all lined up? You’d be advised to have a Plan B for that too, because you never know when the florist might wig out and end up living in a van, down b...
The beginning of February finally brought the Arctic chill typical of a Colorado winter. With temperatures dropping below zero and highs barely above freezing, you could be forgiven if you traded your normal exercise routine for sitting by a blazing fire and sipping hot chocolate. We won't judge. But if you are feeling motivated, the ice, snow, and cold temperatures don't have to stop you from getting in your daily exercise. If you aren't inclined to hit the gym, you can still safely get outside...
Sofiya Ivanova has always been creative, dabbling in creative writing and songwriting, but poetry is what really captures her interest. "It feels holy," she said, almost wistfully, describing the writing process as something akin to flying, or an out of body experience. "Art," and poetry specifically, she said, "Is the way positive energy can be channeled." For Ivanova, poetry has been present throughout her life–whether she was trying to make sense of a Lyme Disease diagnosis or make sense o...
With five individual state championships and a Class 4A record to her name, there isn't much territory left for standout Mary Codevilla to conquer in high school swimming. But she still has lofty goals for her senior season, and not just in the pool. "Since I've already committed this year, it's just about fun," the fourth-year varsity and Notre Dame-bound swimmer said between events at a recent meet. "It's about being a good leader to the team, and passing down the knowledge that I've gained...
We live in an age of instant communication. Need to talk to a friend halfway around the world? Between instant messaging, texting and twittering no problemo. But for those of us who live in a small town, how much has all this technology really changed things? I contend, not much. People have always talked whether it was around the pickle barrel in the general store, on a party line or over the backyard fence. If there's a juicy piece of gossip, you know that it's going to spread in a nano...
We have watched the scenes from Colorado Springs (Waldo Canyon Fire in June of 2012) and California where wildfires reached into our towns and cities destroying hundreds of homes in a matter of hours. Most Front Range inhabitants would never have thought that it would happen so close to home. Our idea that wildfires are confined to forested areas and during summer has been challenged and is no longer the norm. We need to be prepared and able to recover should the unthinkable happen. Our...
As 2021 draws to a close, we look ahead to 2022 with hopes for a big (and better) year. However, few people likely have the same definition of a Big Year as local author and birding expert, John Vanderpoel. In May, Vanderpoel published his book "Full Chase Mode: Big Year of Birding in North America" which follows the 365 days he spent chasing a birding record in 2011, in an endeavor known in the birding world as a "Big Year." For birders, doing a Big Year is a kind of bucket list project. For...
Behind any community event in Niwot, there is an unsung army of volunteers, handling details and logistics that most attendees overlook. Among them is the Niwot road crew, a group that has been dedicated to keeping the town's parades and festivals pedestrian-friendly since 2014. "We started with seven, and it blossomed from there," Dick Piland said of the group he founded as Niwot Community Association president nearly a decade ago. "It was amazing. We had people calling up insisting they get...
When I was small there was a catchy little ditty about an echo. Little sir echo, How do you do? Hello (hello) Hello (hello) ...which has now given me an earworm. But never mind. Several weeks ago, I was on a stroll with my good friend Glinda. As we often do, we walked through the underpass for Niwot Road. We always enjoy all the glorious mural paintings down there, and Glinda let out a lovely expletive, which showed her appreciation for the magnificent artwork. As she spoke, there it was, a...
As the Christmas carol goes, it's beginning to look a lot like ... well ... not exactly Christmas. Or at least not a wintery December, as Niwot has yet to see any significant snow accumulation this season.. That, along with unseasonably warm temperatures, has residents wondering if winter will ever show up. And while Colorado's warm weather and dry conditions could easily change at the drop of a hat (as the saying goes, if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes) the longer-term consequenc...
Families in search of a live Christmas tree have their pick of options, but each December many find themselves at Creekside Nursery's Christmas Tree lot at 95th Street and Niwot Road. "We draw new people every year, but we've also had a lot of repeat customers, some even from out of state." said co-owner and Niwot High graduate Shannon Von Eschen, who spoke between helping shoppers at the end of a busy weekend day. The lot provides a range of both Colorado native varieties as well as those from...
On a chilly Thursday night, the courtyard behind Front Range Community College's (FRCC) classroom building was dark and still. But voices could be heard; behind a massive tree, a white dome hid, and in it, a group of students and community members learned about the stars. "The college needs to be connected to the community," said Anthony Smith, an astronomy professor at FRCC, and host of that night's event. "That's why I'm really happy we're finally actually doing some PR and some outreach. I...
One day in 2012, a group of moms got together for lunch. All of them had gone to college, and all were part of PEO International, which seeks to help women with their higher education goals. With children of their own, many of whom would soon graduate high school, these mothers wondered how they would best be able to help them. Inspired, they began an annual Q&A event that included counselors, parents of students who had graduated, students who were now in college, and there was one aim–how d...
Let the merriment begin! On Friday, Nov. 26, the 2021 holiday season officially got underway in Niwot with the 21st annual Enchanted Evening. Hundreds of revelers packed 2nd Avenue and Cottonwood Square, looking for bargains or just some festive fun. Click here to see more photos from Niwot's Enchanted Evening...
The Niwot boys basketball team didn't see much success during the abbreviated 2020-21 season, but the "hard lessons" they learned during the 1-13 campaign should pay off in a much improved 2021-22, third-year head coach Clayton Wittrock said. "The fact that we are bringing in a more experienced group is big for us," Wittrock said. "I think you coach a team differently when they've been in those tough situations and faced some pressure ... I'm excited to see us be able to go have a decent...
Celebrating the dark days of winter includes bringing in a few houseplants, and stores are filled with holiday foliage. Pick up a poinsettia - they're a treat for the eyes - then look at some of the other festive indoor plants. Small pines, aromatic mini-trees, and flowering cacti are the perfect touch for your décor. When the tag says, "Place in bright indirect light," it means closely in front of, but not touching, an east or west facing window or one foot away from a south facing window....
The Niwot and Gunbarrel areas have their share of exceptionally talented chefs, some of whom have just opened or expanded restaurants in the past year. Each has expressed appreciation for working out of this community and serving those who live here. As a thank you, they've provided some of their favorite recipes as a gift for readers who might want to try something new for their Thanksgiving meal. Potato Jurasien Pie from Christine Carr of TipTop Pies This recipe is not only decadent and...
October 2021 marked the one year anniversary for the Little Shops at Niwot (7960 Niwot Rd., Suite D-15), a unique small business collaboration that began life last year as the Little Holiday Shops at Niwot. And though the storefront has rebranded and moved across the shopping center, the business, which functions as a type of co-op for local artists and vendors, has continued to see success. "When you think about it, there were a lot of pop-up vendors who lost their opportunity to do farmer's...
As predicted, the nationally-ranked Niwot girls cross country team ran away with the title after a historically dominating performance at the 2021 Class 4A state championships, held Oct. 30 at the Norris Penrose Events Center in Colorado Springs. All seven of Niwot's competitors finished in the top 16, and five of them finished in the top 10. That added up to just 20 points in the final standings, a record low across all classifications. But almost no one predicted that unheralded Eva Klingbeil...
Liz Gould, proprietor of boutique shop Little Bird on 2nd Avenue in Niwot, reported the theft of several large rings from the store's jewelry display case last week. The rings were displayed on a rolled velvet bar that held six or seven rings. "They were all on one display, so someone just picked it up and walked away with it," Gould said. "They were sizes 10 to 12, which usually fit men. We have no idea who did this. Our jewelry cases have been open for the last two years since it is so much...
In September 2020, Niwot distance runner Eva Klingbeil was on the cusp of a breakout season when she suffered an injury that ended her racing year prematurely. For the first time since joining the varsity as a freshman, she would be on the sidelines for the Class 4A regional and state championships, instead of helping Niwot win the titles. That was "really hard," Klingbeil acknowledged, so she was determined not to let history repeat itself during her senior season. "I definitely have gotten a...
Victoria Keen, Deborah Read Fowler, and Dawn Server were busy bees getting together one humming hive of a festival on August 28th. The first ever Niwot Honey Bee Harvest Festival was buzzing with activities from a speaker series to a spelling bee, informational tables to retail booths, free bee antennas to candle making classes. All of the themed moving parts made for a fabulous new festival that will live on, and for that the Courier honors these three women's creativity and hard work with a...
What do the technology industry and education field have in common? According to Natalie Abshier, both require active listening and negotiation. She believes that her experience as both a business owner and manager will make her a unique candidate for the SVVSD Board of Education. She is currently running for the District F area, which includes Mead and much of Longmont. "I'm a long-time resident in the SVVSD community, and have seen this area grow," said Abshier. "I understand the importance...
Behind a title-winning performance from LiChen Liao at No. 2 singles, the Niwot boys tennis team finished third overall at the 2021 Class 4A state tennis championships, held at Pueblo's City Park on Oct. 14-16. Liao efficiently dispatched his three early round opponents in straight sets, before facing Owen Duffy of George Washington in the Saturday morning final. There, the sophomore said, he let Duffy do most of the work. "The way my opponent played today fit my game more, because he was...
Boulder County Sheriffs were summoned to 364 Franklin Street in Niwot to conduct a welfare check on Monday morning, Sept. 27. According to Sgt. Bill Crist, the official who first entered the house, the body of Steve Tubbs, age 70, was discovered. "We are not investigating for foul play," Crist said because the death appeared to be from natural causes. The Boulder County coroner's office is conducting an autopsy to confirm the cause of death and that process may take up to 10 or 12 weeks. Many...
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...
Junior quarterback Ben Classen was definitely the star of Niwot's 42-13 win over Skyview, but it was senior Bryce Nemec who had the most memorable moment of the game. With Niwot leading 35-6 in the 4th quarter, the hard hitting lineman heard a play call he was not expecting. "We practice once or twice a week that if we get close [to the goal line], then I would run it in," he said of his 2-yard rush for a touchdown, the first of his career. "I almost bobbled it, actually. I got a little nervous,...
I recently underwent a health assessment which involved a lengthy questionnaire on how I care for myself. It was part of a getting acquainted process with a new medical company. Things went smoothly until the interviewer asked about any exercise I routinely do. I said "Gardening." She nodded and said she was interested in what I did for exercise, ignoring my input on my green thumb activities. I reiterated, "Yes – I garden. Every day. Vegetable gardening." Again, I got the nod without any n...
Thanks to the pandemic and restrictions on school activities, Sreya Karumanchi's year as a junior drum major for the Niwot Marching Band was a bit of a let-down. But dealing with the challenges from the 2020 season also taught her some valuable lessons in leadership that have helped her senior year get off to a great start. "It made me understand the importance of flexibility and long-term growth," the longtime clarinet player said. "I knew that this year would be difficult, just because of the...
The Niwot offense got off to another slow start in its Sept. 17 matchup against league foe Riverdale Ridge, scoring just six points in three quarters, despite success moving the ball on the ground. But for the fourth quarter, junior quarterback Ben Classen had some late-game heroics up his sleeve, and four touchdowns later, the raucous homecoming crowd was rewarded with a 34-20 victory. "If you sit in the stands, you can see why Ben Classen has such a huge impact when he's playing both sides,"...
Niwot-born Bootstrap Brewing has once again medaled at this year's Great American Beer Festival awards. The brewery received a gold medal for Stick's Pale Ale, a win which placed it among 20 other GABF gold, silver, and bronze medal winners in Colorado. Although the festival portion of this year's event was canceled due to pandemic-related concerns, the awards portion of the ceremony proceeded in person. Brewers, many of whom were already in town for the Craft Brewers Conference, carefully...
Playing NCAA Division I college volleyball has long been a dream for Niwot senior Zoe Gibbs and, after three impressive seasons as a varsity middle for the Cougars, one clearly within her reach. Unfortunately for the versatile Gibbs, her optimum recruiting period coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic, making an already fraught process even more of a headache. But Gibbs didn't let the hassle derail her plans, and after months of patiently making highlight videos and sending out emails to coaches,...
For Niwot resident, Cathy McCall, gardening is much more than a casual weekend hobby. McCall, who lives on 3rd Avenue in downtown Niwot, has used her enthusiasm for gardening to not only curate her own yard into a pollinator (and wildlife) paradise, but she has also been helping her neighbors turn little corners of their property into similarly inviting oases of flowers, shrubs, and grasses. Her latest project is a pollinator garden on the corner of 3rd Avenue and Franklin, where Niwot resident...
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...
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,...
Niwot Community Association board members had a bit of a "green-storming" session at their August meeting. Niwot resident Terry Purcell approached the group with the suggestion that Niwot needs a community garden. "I've been talking to people as I work at the Niwot Market and everyone has been enthusiastic about the idea," he told NCA board members. "This could be a really wonderful social gathering place for the community." Purcell said he was bringing the idea to the NCA because of the...
After months of renovations, upgrades, and minor bureaucratic hassles, the beer is finally flowing at Fritz Family Brewers in Niwot. On July 23, owners Kelly and Cory Buenning opened their doors at 6778 79th St. for a grand opening celebration, and settled in to meet their new neighbors. "We're excited to finally be open," Kelly Buenning said. "We thought it was a long time coming...but it was actually pretty fast considering the remodel that we did." Indeed, the Buennings didn't just update...
Niwot-based author R.L. Maizes' latest book, Other People's Pets, has something new to celebrate. On June 26, her latest book was named as the winner of the 2021 Colorado Book Award for General Fiction. The novel tells the story of an animal-loving young woman who was raised by her burglar father and turns to robbery to pay for legal fees after he is caught. She justifies her way of life by taking care of the pets in the homes she robs. As the story progresses, page by page it delves into what...
