All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Much to my surprise, I tested positive for COVID-19 in October. We all know of the highly contagious nature of the virus and unfortunately, I must have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yes, I am a 20-year-old college student attending CU Boulder, but I live with my parents in Longmont and limited myself to a small group of friends. Colorado’s cases are skyrocketing and unless you build a hut in Antarctica, odds are you’ll be exposed eventually. Despite this belief, it was still a shock when my turn came. Sometimes life doesn’t go your...
Luring new businesses to town has been an ongoing challenge for the Niwot Business Association, so they've decided to start growing their own. Last month, the group launched the Little Holiday Shops of Niwot, a new retail project to help fledgling entrepreneurs get off the ground. "We've been working on it for about a year," NBA member and project leader Leigh Suskin said about the initiative, which was set to debut in March 2020, but was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Our intention was...
On March 5, 2020, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's public health laboratory confirmed the first presumptive positive COVID-19 test result in Colorado. What followed is well known to Coloradans, but looking back to March, there are some behind-the-scenes heroes from the early months of the pandemic who deserve some added thanks, namely the volunteers and organizations who helped support early mask-making endeavors in local communities. When COVID-19 cases were first on t...
For anybody who has followed Niwot football over the past few years, the name Ayden Bartko should ring a bell. Niwot's senior quarterback has just three games remaining in his high school career and his departure will leave a gaping hole for the Cougars. Between the lines, Bartko has racked up 2,865 passing yards in 32 career games dating back to his 2017 freshman year. At 6-foot-5 and 205 lbs, Bartko towers over his teammates and uses his height to comfortably read the field. Although it...
NASA released a statement on October 14 announcing planetary scientist and associate vice president of Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Dr. Alan Stern, will be the first private sector scientist to fly aboard a commercial space vehicle, Virgin Galactic's suborbital plane SpaceShipTwo. The exciting news means that Stern will realize his lifelong desire to go into space and Niwot will have bragging rights over its first astronaut. The mission was selected in a proposal process through NASA's...
His mom cries every time he heads toward the flames of a wildfire. "She acts like I'm going off to war," said Mountain View Fire Protection District Lt. Chris Queen, who has been a firefighter for 34 years. He recently returned from the Cameron Peak Fire, northwest of Longmont. But his mom may soon be worried again. Queen thinks he'll be back on that fire or another one until Colorado gets multiple snowstorms to help put an end to a devastating string of fires. Queen and other local...
For the past few weeks, Colorado television and the internet have been littered with commercials about Amendment B. This amendment seeks to repeal the nearly 40-year-old Gallagher Amendment, a provision in the Colorado constitution used to calculate property tax rates. As it is now, residential property taxes make up 45% of the overall tax base, while nonresidential properties--primarily businesses, --make up the other 55% of property tax revenue. As Colorado’s population has grown, the value of housing has increased far more than commercial p...
R.L. Maizes is a Niwot local whose debut novel "Other People's Pets" is set in a fictional small town on the front range of Colorado. For Maizes, setting the book in Colorado was a natural choice. "It's so inspiring to look out your window and see a red tailed hawk, to see a fox when you're on your evening walk," said Maizes. "I recently saw a bobcat going behind a neighbor's house. There's incredible wildlife both in Niwot and in Colorado, so it was really a perfect place to set a book about...
Things will look different when St. Vrain Valley School District students step into the classroom next week for the first time since March. Everyone will be wearing masks, there will be arrows on the hallway floors, desks too far apart to steal a glance at someone else's answers. And there will be plenty of new rules and protocols to follow. The first day of school is a mix of excitement and anxiety in normal times. That's ramped up during the pandemic, leading experts at the Colorado...
The Niwot boys golf team learned some painful lessons about their short games at the final Longs Peak League event of the 2020 season, held at Thornton's Todd Creek Golf Course on Sept. 17. Bedeviled by lightning-fast greens and what were described as "challenging pin placements," the Cougars often gave up strokes where they normally don't, and that was reflected in their higher than average final scores. Luckily, it didn't seem to be a handicap for Niwot alone, and the Cougars ended up...
The Niwot varsity cross country teams looked formidable as they battled some friendly but fierce rivals at the Fairview Invitational on Sept. 12. Led by junior Zane Bergen in the boys race and freshman standout Mia Prok in the girls race, the Cougars claimed both team titles for the second consecutive weekend, and appear to be in great shape as they head into the most crucial weeks of the shortened 2020 season, according to head coach Kelly Christensen. "The kids are responding to the stress...
A truncated softball season doesn't leave much room in the schedule for tournament appearances, but Niwot was able to make time for four games at the 2020 Berthoud Invitational, held Sept. 11-12 at the Barnes Softball Complex in Loveland. Thanks to clutch play on both sides of the ball from Dulce Amaya, Anne Booth, and Ayva McComas, the Cougars pulled off two wins over non-conference teams, and nearly escaped with a third win over a dreaded conference rival. While far from perfect, sixth-year...
As summer winds down, you might be looking for a few last outdoor adventures. And you wouldn't be alone. Labor Day weekend is prime time for outdoor recreation, as many families take one last trip before school gets going in full swing. But don't expect to find too much peace and quiet on your next outing, whether you are sticking local to Boulder County or heading somewhere else in the state. Colorado, and Boulder County specifically, is known as an outdoor recreation mecca. As the state's...
There's almost nothing normal about the way Jesse Horn's senior year at Niwot High started, so he's grateful for the one thing in his daily routine that hasn't changed much in 2020-the boys golf season. With classes conducted remotely and marching band performances on hold, Horn said having practice with his friends to look forward to every afternoon has kept him centered. "I definitely did not expect golf to be the most normal thing so far," the third-year veteran said. Golf is one of only four...
If you have not yet done so, you have until Aug. 31 to vote for your favorite piece in the 2020 Why Not Niwot ? juried art show. The winner will receive a cash prize for the People's Choice Award. Pieces range from the fanciful to the sublime, and the quality of the work is outstanding, all related to Niwot. Don't let the chance to cast your ballot go by. Ballots are available at participating businesses in Niwot. The juried winners and the People's Choice Award will be announced at 6 p.m. on...
Niwot softball's inexperience proved detrimental at Berthoud High School on Saturday, Aug. 15, as the Cougars dropped their season opener against the Spartans, 15-0. With four out of the nine starting Cougars fresh to the varsity level, Assistant Coach Jason Johnson said he told the girls after the game, "This won't define us." The unfamiliar stage of varsity competition is now a little more palatable for Niwot. "You could see a lot of nerves and first game jitters," Johnson said. "There's a...
Niwot High School head football coach Nikolas Blume had a gut feeling his inaugural season at Niwot would be delayed. Even so, the news was still a punch in the gut. "To be honest, I was pretty disappointed," Blume said. "My whole staff is pretty disappointed. There was a lot of time that had gone by and you could kind of see what else was happening around us. If that decision ultimately was going to be made, it could have been made a lot sooner." Blume's discontent stems from the hours of pract...
A new group has formed in Gunbarrel to go along with the decades-long conflicts between the City of Boulder and the inhabitants of the unincorporated areas to the north of the city itself. The Gunbarrel Community Alliance (GCA) started the process to become a non-profit organization earlier this year after some homeowners received a flyer notifying them about a proposed development on land that they believed was designated to be open space and a preserve for prairie dogs in 1999. The concept proposal, which at this point is only out for public...
Eleven years and a slew of accomplishments later, Niwot girls swimming head coach Sarah Stamp is calling it quits. "It was just time to step away and focus on my full time job and my family," she said. "I have a little one, so time's a precious thing... (it's) time to let someone else come in and take over." During her tenure as a coach at Niwot, Stamp won back-to-back Northern Conference crowns and led the Cougars to a 4A state runner-up spot in 2019. She was also the statewide 4A Coach of the...
Everyone should have the same starting point in life. That's what Oliver Fowler believes, and he's taking action to help make it happen. The 14-year-old Niwot resident is organizing a fundraising dinner to benefit the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, an organization that works for racial equality. "I'm just a kid and can't directly help," Fowler said. "But I think it would be cool if the funds I make from this event do go to people who can move our community, our country and our state forward." The...
Meet Coconut-Coconut is an extremely sweet and cuddly nine-year-old girl who would love to find her forever home with a person or people she can call her own! Coconut is very affectionate once she gets to know you and loves nothing more than being with her favorite people. This lovely older girl is also very smart, thoroughly enjoys learning new things and as a result possesses significant basic obedience skills including sit, down and stay! Coconut is looking for a home with no kitties, please...
The fireplace in the great room is cold. The chatter of afternoon cheese and crackers get-togethers has been silenced. "It's just different now," said Cornelia Sawle, owner of the Niwot Inn. Business came to a halt in March when the coronavirus pandemic forced the state to issue stay-at-home orders. More than two months later, things aren't looking up much, even as the economy slowly opens. "We watched every weekend in April cancelled, all the way into October," Sawle said. "We have lost all...
Budding O'Keeffes and Monets will soon have paint brushes in hand at Sunflower Art Studio in Gunbarrel, though there will be fewer campers than in year's past. Owner Lika Gitis has cut the number of campers in half. She'll take seven kids a week when she opens June 15. She hopes to slowly increase her numbers as the summer unfolds. Colorado allowed summer camps to open this month with limited numbers and lots of rules. Camps that are primarily indoors can have no more than 10 children at a time...
This year has been strange and challenging for educators everywhere, including in Niwot. In a time of unprecedented change and uncertainty, three Niwot teachers and one administrator are retiring and being honored for their service to the students and to the development of the greater community. Two teachers are retiring from Niwot High School (NHS) this year, as are a kindergarten teacher and an administrator from Niwot Elementary School. Kathy Benning served as registrar and attendance clerk...
Q: Please tell the readers a bit about yourself. A: I am running for the state assembly because, as an engineer, the decisions being made by the governor and other officials did not make factual sense to me. I am not running to make politics my career. I am doing this to serve my district and state with the experience and knowledge I’ve acquired doing business globally over the last 3-plus decades. I am an electrical engineer by profession that works in the telecommunications industry. Most of my career was spent delivering broadband s...
Staging a multi-part choral performance featuring seven dozen voices is challenging even under normal circumstances, but add in online learning, social distancing, and a novice video editor, and things become even more complicated. That was the task facing Niwot High choir director Laura Roberts as she worked to give her students a final chance "on the stage" in a virtual choir performance of Omnia Sol. But as she soon learned, just because something is "virtual," doesn't mean it won't take a...
We moved to Niwot in February 2018 and have been so grateful for the community here, especially during this time of isolation and uncertainty. Our neighbors and the Niwot Market have been lifelines over the last 9 weeks, and when our dog got sick 3 weeks into the stay at home order, we called Left Hand Animal Hospital so we could stay close to home. Let me preface this by saying the our dog Cooper had been seen by veterinarians in New York, Rhode Island, Crested Butte, Gunnison, two in Boulder,...
In most years, Memorial Day marks summer rolling into full-swing on the Front Range. But this year, the three-day weekend undoubtedly was quite different locally with no Bolder Boulder, less long distance travel, smaller gatherings and barbecues and picnics hosted with social distancing in mind. And as people at a local and state level look forward to future summer plans, a fair question is how to best resume "normal" outdoor activities in public spaces. Specifically as public land, parks, open...
When historians write the history of the coronavirus pandemic, they might want to add this description of online learning from Niwot Elementary School teacher Dale Peterson, who does Google Hangouts with his first graders. "It's like if you go to a pet shop and let all the pets out of the cages and you spend the rest of the time trying to put them back in the cages," Peterson said. "I have 23 little boxes. One might have his feet in the air or his bottom in front of the camera, another is...
We asked the departing seniors of the girls track team to reflect on their time at Niwot and share their post-graduation plans. Samrawit Dishon, Distance What are your plans after graduation? I plan to attend the University of New Mexico and major in Psychology. Before it was canceled, what were you looking forward to most about the 2020 season I was looking forward to doing a lot of big things with my teammates. What is your favorite memory or what do you consider a career highlight from your t...
She howls, sews masks, plots to honor grads, helps kids learn, gets them moving, organizes the occasional birthday car-parade, and that's just some of the stuff Diane Zimmermann does during a pandemic. Supporting others is a way of life for the Niwot resident. "Anywhere there is room for helping out. I'm always up for that," Zimmermann said. Some of her volunteering is organized, such as her work for the Niwot Community Association and the Niwot Historical Society, and some she does on her own....
Pringles® may not represent the Platonic ideal of a potato chip, but its stackable shape makes for a fascinating computational challenge, according to Niwot senior Maedee Trank-Greene. The self-described "total math nerd" investigated the hyperbolic paraboloid structure of the famous "potato snack" for her senior-level IB math class, and called it one of the highlights of her four years at Niwot. "I loved writing my math IA, which is not usually what people say," Trank-Greene said,...
The 2020 Niwot baseball team had just three seniors on the roster, but what they lacked in numbers, they more than made up for it in baseball and leadership talent, according to head coach Adam Strah. Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic put a premature end to a promising season behind the trio, and ended their chance to leave a winning mark on the Cougars program. Bidding farewell to the program in 2020 are Felipe Castro, Tim Stokes, and Ben Strid. We asked the departing seniors to reflect o...
Jeanette McPherson first started making jewelry out of necessity instead of desire. From 1998 – 2000, McPherson owned Mount'n Memories, an antique shop in downtown Niwot, and described her initial foray into jewelry making, "Much of the (antique) jewelry required restringing or repairing. I became adept at jewelry design out of necessity, plus my desire to turn someone else's trash into another's treasure." Now, McPherson owns Little Wing Jewelry and uses her self-taught skills in silversmith t...
Every wonder what your family dog or cat might be thinking of present circumstances? Here's one writer's take on her family pets' impression of the current situation. Dear LHVC, What a crazy time this is! Where to begin ... Well, let's start with the walks-the glorious walks galore! I think my humans finally realized the benefits of the W-A-L-K. Which, of course, I have been telling them since day one. Why settle for one walk a day when you can have three! Or six! Or ten! We've been all over...
Timing and relationships have been key to the success of several local small businesses that received loans in the first round of funding from the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The $350 billion fund dried up within days, leaving some businesses empty handed and hoping to get a piece of the $310 billion second round of funding that is funneled through lending institutions. "It's been a chaotic process for everyone," said Kate Head of Pebble Jewelry. She got on the phone with her...
As I was at home dealing with all of the aspects of the Covid19 experience, I was contacted by so many people from our community. Everyone was so kind and thoughtful. I want to thank the community for all of their support and true kindness they have shown Classic Looks and myself. From the purchasing of gift certificates, to all of the caring phone calls, and emails that meant so much to all of us. We have also been thinking of all the families and businesses that were affected so very negatively through this awful pandemic. Our hearts go out...
In school, students are taught the basics of government; there's a president for the country, governors for states and mayors for cities and towns. There are various boards who oversee different aspects of communities, but these boards are often overlooked when teaching civics. "What is a county commissioner?" Boulder County residents constantly ask Longmont resident Marta Loachamin. Loachamin is, arguably, a prime candidate for this question. This is not only because she is currently running...
Playing collegiately is a goal for many high school athletes across the country. It takes talent, hours of work, and equally important, the ability to get recognized and connected with a college coach. Niwot High School counselor and Head Track and Field Coach Kelly Christensen has not let the coronavirus prevent him from helping student athletes connect with colleges. "We're doing more than we normally would as far as really reaching out to coaches of these programs that kids want to go to and...
If you haven't noticed by now, this spring has been a little different. The birds are still chirping and the flowers are still blooming, but the absence of baseball is apparent. As of April 12, CHSAA has put a halt to all spring sports until at least April 30. Local high school baseball programs are feeling the ramifications. With the state-wide stay at home order extending through April 26, there seems to be little realistic hope baseball will be played in the near future. "I would be more surp...
Easter was different for everyone this year: there were no community egg hunts or egg rolls, and for those who hold the religious side dear, there weren't (in-person) services either. Instead, families--religious and non-religious alike--spent the holiday together, which really is the main point of the day. Easter is a time to celebrate what we have, it's a time of new beginnings and reflection. Even though this Easter is unlike any other recent years, individuals and organizations alike sought...
As the economic impacts of the coronavirus shutdowns continue to accumulate, more and more families are seeking supplemental food assistance from state and county agencies. To help fill the growing demand in Boulder County, Kilt Farm of Niwot will be distributing fresh, organic produce to more than 40 local families on a weekly basis starting in June. "My mission as a farmer is to improve my community through the food I grow and the neediest amongst us deserve to have access to the best food,"...
To the Editor: First of all, many thanks to the Courier for 23 years of community reporting. We will miss the print edition, and urge everyone to subscribe to the online edition to keep this publication going! In response to the March 18th letter to the editor by Cornelia Sawle promoting Niwot “self rule:” (Cornelia is the owner of the Niwot Inn and a member of the NEISC - Niwot Exploratory Incorporation Study Committee.) While we appreciate the considerable effort that has gone into the Incorporation Study, we think it is time for the NEI...
It seems like everywhere you look there are articles about maximizing your experience during this COVID quarantine. But when you’re not usually working from home and trying to maintain some semblance of your formerly busy life, boredom is sure to settle. Being cooped up in your house is sure to become overwhelming after a few days; that’s why there are so many memes about it on the internet right now. When that sense of boredom strikes, you don’t always want to maximize that time; sometimes you just want to distract yourself. Those distr...
Former Niwot High School baseball player Caleb Martinez was shocked when he learned his sophomore season at Northwest Nazarene University in Idaho would be canceled due to the coronavirus. "It was just unreal," he said. Martinez pitched for Niwot High from 2017-18 and pitched for the Boulder Collegians this past summer, and he was looking to make an impression after redshirting his freshman season. The coronavirus caught him and his teammates off guard. "On Monday, we were getting ready for the...
New measures by Boulder County to enforce prairie dog social distancing are facing blazing criticism from scientists and citizens alike. The county commissioners last week announced the new decree, aimed at "helping the small creatures in our county show solidarity with the humans who have been enduring increasingly extreme social distancing and stay-at-home measures," according to Boulder County Manager Barbara "Red" Taype. The measure, which calls for a $10,000 budget to build walls in county...
An emergency coronavirus response measure that Colorado Governor Jared Polis rolled out this week has an unexpected loophole, and local businesses are rushing to be the first to corner a new market. The initial "stay at home" order by Denver's mayor Michael Hancock, which went into effect on March 24, at 5 p.m., caused a panic and rush to liquor and pot stores, which were initially set to be closed under the order. Governor Polis extended the order to the entire state on Thursday, March 26, at...
It's not the way Leland Oxley expected to launch his Gunbarrel restaurant, Motherlode. In less than two weeks he opened the new restaurant, closed down the dining room, started a carryout and delivery business and began room service for all of five guests staying at the nearby Hampton Suites hotel. "At some point you just say it is what it is and make the best of it," said Oxley. Motherlode isn't the only restaurant suffering after the coronavirus forced Gov. Jared Polis to limit all...
Niwot businesses are staying nimble as each day brings new developments in the fight against the coronavirus. A new page on the business community's website, Niwot.com/COVID-19, has the latest information on when shops and restaurants are open and what services they are providing. The idea is to support the local economy by keeping potential customers in the loop, according to the town's economic development director, Catherine McHale. "I think we all have to get a little bit clever about how...
It happened so fast. Our minds are reeling as we try to cope with a shocking new reality that upended the way we live our lives. But there are many small, manageable things we can do to keep from being overwhelmed by anxiety, fear, loneliness, loss and other difficult feelings. “The first part is to begin to slowly accept reality, that this is, in fact, what’s going on,” said psychologist Dr. Marek Dvorak, who practices in Niwot. “You can feel some sense of freedom by acceptance. You don’t have to like it, but there is an acceptance.” Once we a...
