All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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This year marked the introduction of Recovery Café Longmont, a not-for-profit community organization reaching out to those who want support overcoming addictions, mental health issues, and loneliness. It was quiet at first, Executive Director Lisa Searchinger said, but now six months in, word is spreading. "We learned that a slow start is very much in keeping with other Cafés that have opened across the country," Searchinger said. "But, now we have enrolled 71 members." About half of those m...
Edison was chided "It really is berserk, You had so many failures, Before you made it work." Edison responded: "Failures I had none. From my wrong assumptions, I learned to get it done." - By Ian Hayes, based on words from Thomas Edison From his hilltop home, 88 year old Ian Hayes has a front row seat to a long stretch of the Front Range. Hayes and his wife Jackie moved to their home on the edge of Niwot two years ago, along with Monte the dog and Carlo the cat. Yes, that's Monte Carlo when you...
Monday, Nov. 11, is a day set aside to honor those who have served in the United States Armed Forces - our veterans. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as of this year there are nearly 19 million living veterans. This is a story about a group of local veterans who are collaborating on an art project unlike any other. Robert Bellows stashed away his sculpture making tools for decades while he operated a successful business. Retirement meant he could finally get back to the torc...
Niwot senior Samrawit Dishon was holding on to a slim lead heading into the toughest stretch of the state cross country race when she got a boost from an unexpected source-her closest competitors. "It was kind of cool to have them both there like that," Dishon said of Eagle Valley sisters Joslin and Samantha Blair, who trailed the front-runner by just a few meters. "They were hyping each other up and talking to each other, and I thought, 'This is great. I know they're not talking to me, but I'm...
To the editor: Concerning the letter published by Dick Piland of Niwot: First of all WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas stated that his comments were taken out of context and that "It is highly important that we rein in greenhouse gas emissions, notably from energy production, industry and transport. This is critical if we are to mitigate climate change and meet the targets set out in the Paris Agreement on climate change. To stop a global temperature increase of more than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the level of ambition...
Brigadoon Glen residents Martin and Kim Magill want to set the record straight about what they term "the commercialization in our backyard." "We're not harassers," Martin Magill said. "Nothing could be further from the truth." For more than a dozen years, the pair have lived on Haystack Golf Course's eastern edge, and argue that the increase in noise and traffic from weddings at the 53-year old Niwot landmark have threatened to destroy "the peace and quiet of this beautiful area we live in."...
The Niwot softball team is headed back to the playoffs after a thrilling 2019 season that saw dramatic wins and heartbreaking losses, often in the same week. It also featured plenty of Niwot offense, as the team averaged more than 10 runs per game and recorded the highest batting average (.386) in the Northern League. Driving that offense for the Cougars was lead-off hitter Nikki Sims, who took her production to a new level during the regular season, with career-highs in average (.521), on base...
I picked up a packet of gourd seeds last spring with the thought that some of the little, colorful things would look great in my fall décor. I imagined tucking them into nooks near pumpkins, by straw bales and corn stalks, even hot gluing them onto a fall wreath. I should have stopped daydreaming and read the seed packet instead. What these plants produced are not the four-inch, green-yellow-white table décor. Oh, no. I knew something was different when the first one swelled into a large, bulbou...
Volleyball fans were treated to a free emotional roller coaster ride during Niwot's gripping match against arch-rival Longmont on Oct. 1. After staging an improbable comeback over the Trojans to take the first set 27-25, Niwot held on for a win in the second, (25-23), and seemed to have momentum heading into the third. But their hopes of an easy victory plunged when Longmont staged their own improbable comeback, and rolled to easy victories in the next three sets (21-25, 17-25, 10-15). "It...
The Niwot boys soccer team extended their winning streak to four with a 3-0 victory over Thompson Valley on Oct. 3. Junior Aidan Martin scored while most of the crowd was still finding their seats, and then senior Jared Osteen struck twice in the second half to deliver the Cougars’ second Northern League win of the week. “That’s some real good stuff,” Niwot head coach Stephen Dimit said, after noting that his team also has a four-game shutout streak. On Oct. 1, they beat Mountain View 3-0 in...
An email from Sarah Brown to the Courier read, "In May I started working at Lucky Pie in Niwot and have had the pleasure of working with Dylan, the general manager. We have a constant joke going at work about how he's the mayor of Niwot since he seems to know everyone that lives in the area. He's one of the kindest people I've ever known, let alone worked with. So, if you take suggestions for Familiar Faces, I'd love to see him in there! He really deserves all the recognition as he is a...
Dia Kline has known since age four that she experiences the world differently than most people do, but it wasn’t until her mid-30s that the Niwot writer and comedian had a formal diagnosis for her lifelong inability to smell—a condition so rare that even a veteran otolaryngologist didn’t believe what he was seeing. “He looked at me like I was a unicorn or the chupacabra—like some magical, mythical being that is sitting in his office,” she recalled. “He told me ‘I’ve done this for 35 years, and I...
Returning students have probably noticed a little more hustle and bustle in the halls at Niwot Elementary. With all bond construction now complete and a boomlet in enrollment, the 2019-20 school year is shaping up to be a busy one, and principal Nancy Pitz said that students and staff have hit the ground running. “It’s been a super smooth transition, and it’s great to be back,” she said. “Teachers are working hard, and students are getting ready to learn.” Thanks to the growth, Niwot Eleme...
Thirty years ago, Anne Postle was new to her career and a transplant to Colorado. Moving from Tempe, Ariz., after finishing her education at Arizona State University and becoming a licensed architect, she journeyed to Boulder to work for a large firm. She got her feet under her and after five years was ready to start her own firm. “Sometimes I look back and think, ‘How on earth did I ever think I could run a gallery or open my own firm?’” Postle said. “I honestly don’t know. I think that someti...
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, or where they’d like to know your name and serve you a warm cup ‘o joe often. One of those friendly places is Niwot’s Old Oak Coffeehouse - thanks in large part to manager Hannah Carlson, this month’s Familiar Face. Customers at Old Oak are recipients of Carlson’s smiles, stellar customer service and culinary contributions, as well as her curatorship of art and music. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) - Where did you grow up and what brou...
Last week’s issue covered the critical role pollinators play in food production and why the decline of pollinators should be getting everyone’s attention. This week, we’re exploring how individuals can help encourage and protect pollinating critters. Boulder County Colorado State University Horticulture Extension agent Deryn Davidson’s days are centered on disseminating information and taking action on behalf of pollinators. “One of the biggest issues is habitat loss,” Davidson said. “Our world...
Less than two months ago, the Boulder Collegians’ upcoming season was full of anticipation. Players from all across the country were arriving in Boulder, optimistic for what was ahead. But just like that, it was over. Over 40 games later, the boys of summer are headed home. The Collegians’ 2019 campaign was full of ups and downs, but one thing that remained the same was the loyalty of their fans. General Manager Matt Jensen said the season broke seven-year attendance records. Scott Car...
For those who love the number of joyful, creative, and rockin’ events just outside your front door, and for those who have lamented that some town festivities have come to an end, there’s a doozy of a reason to once again declare, “Woo-hoo!” It’s Willowdale Arts of Niwot, a new series of events that will feature a cut above visual and musical artists in cozy-sized shows. Created by local professional musician and realtor Nick Dunbar, along with fellow Niwotian and National Geographic photograp...
I Have A Wand And I Know How To Use It I am not a princess. Really - despite any rumors you’ve heard to the contrary. My problem is that I’m just not a handy person. I don’t sew, decoupage, scrapbook, paint, refurbish or generally do crafts. Oh sure, when I was little, during the holiday season, my mother and I would make little things. One year I remember making a kaleidoscope, which consisted of a decal gingerly placed at the bottom of a baby food jar with some glitter. Hey, it was the mid-1950s and that was as high tech as it got. When...
Niwot High principal Eric Rauschkolb wasn’t expecting to need a second replacement for Chase McBride, but putative hire Kevin Clark got an offer he couldn’t refuse. Earlier this month, the former Loveland High administrator announced that he will be assuming the role of full-time district athletic director for the Thompson Valley Schools, a move that allows him to stay in the town he and his family have called home for more than a decade. That left Rauschkolb with an empty spot on the 201...
Toot-toot, all aboard the train of thought. Take a seat as it leaves the station, let’s see where it’s going to go. There was a tiny terrorist in my bedroom the other night, whining in my ear each time I started to drift away to dreamland. Thankfully, the siege didn’t last long, either because I successfully whacked it, or it wandered elsewhere. But in the morning I remembered it, and that led me to recall other times when mosquitoes and their ilk have taken nights of sleep away from me. Mexic...
Twenty-eight artists, 59 completed people’s choice ballots, and three judges’ professional opinions have resulted in the winners for this year’s “Why Not Niwot?” Juried Art Show., sponsored by the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA). Displayed at more than 15 businesses throughout town, the eclectic and imaginative entries illustrated what makes the town of Niwot inimitable. Following a musical performance by the Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band at June’s First Friday Art...
On March 2, Niwot United Methodist Church (NUMC) hosted its 23rd annual Soup, Soup and More community dinner. Each year, the church selects a local organization or charity as the benefactor of all funds raised. Proceeds from this year’s community dinner went to Boulder Attention Homes to help furnish the non-profit’s 40 new apartments in downtown Boulder. The Soup, Soup and More dinner was a success and event organizer, Janet Gates, couldn’t be happier. Around 80 guests braved the snowy eveni...
A bear visited Niwot last Tuesday, May 14. First reported midday Monday in south Longmont, Colorado Wildlife officers weaved through the area with each report of a sighting, but were unable to locate him. Another call, at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, placed the migrating bear near Hover Road and Highway 119, but an officer didn’t set eyes on him until he’d spent some quality time hanging out in Niwot’s Overbrook neighborhood and his stopover was publicized on the Nextdoor app in the late afternoon. The b...
It was a night of full of laughter, full bellies, and good cheer. The Rotary Club club of Niwot, along with over 200 guests, celebrated the ninth annual Wine, Cheese, and Chocolate Extravaganza at the Longmont Museum on Saturday, May 18. Ron Grunzweig, this year’s President of Niwot Rotary, has been coming to the group’s marquee event for nine years, and said, “It’s the most successful event that has been done. I want to thank Lucky’s Market for supporting us for the past several years for...
We live in Boulder County, which clearly loves dandelions and eschews herbicides. With the mounting proof of the harmful effects of common herbicides, such as Roundup, I feel lucky to be surrounded by the sweet and furry yellow flowers that pop up in most people’s yards, on highway medians and next to sidewalks. However, I still see some neighbors with big jugs of herbicide, spraying away anything that’s not part of their garden aesthetic. It’s a free country, and folks are welcome to do as they...
Lu defends her Class 4A singles titles Niwot head coach Aimee Keronen was delighted with her team’s performance at the Class 4A tennis championships in Pueblo last weekend. Unfortunately, she wasn’t quite as delighted with the final team standings. “The girls played amazing,” Keronen said. “It was a great tournament, and I honestly don’t know how we didn’t win. We exceeded expectations in several lines and got three state championships. I had to redo the math quite a bit, because I just couldn...
Filmmaker Adam Rosenberg’s creations may make you cover your eyes, but you’ll be peeking through your fingers so you don’t miss a thing. Rosenberg’s post on Nextdoor let us in on his latest short film, The Runs. The final scene takes place in his own hood, Cottonwood East. Rosenberg warned, “Beware, the film relies heavily on potty humor,” and that wasn’t an analogy. It took about a day for anyone to comment on his post. Perhaps it was because the film starts with a man on the toilet, which...
Ed Weaver and the Niwot girls golf team have checked off most of the items on their 2019 to-do list: Northern League champions (by 122 strokes), conference Player of the Year (Julia Solem), POY runner-up (Halie Ostrom), and conference Coach of the Year (Weaver). Now they can cross off the penultimate item: qualifying as a team for the upcoming Class 4A championships at Pelican Lakes. “I’m very proud of all the girls,” Weaver said after the Cougars took second overall at the Class 4A Regio...
You are enough. It’s the simple, powerful message that ABLE to Sail, a local non-profit, works diligently to impart into the belief systems of the teens who take part in their sailing camps. Today’s teenagers face more challenges than any have for generations—school shootings and social media, for example—often resulting in drug use, suicide and poor life experiences. ABLE (A Better Life Experience) to Sail was founded in 2012 by Diane McKinney with the sole aim to help each teen realize the “se...
If it isn’t clear by the random water bowls outside of boutiques and every other person walking a dog or two, Boulder County was made for dog lovers. More often than not, dogs are seated side by side with their human guardians at outdoor cafes, and we have our fair share of natural pet supply stores and dog-friendly trails. And let’s not forget that your well-behaved mutt is as welcome in the aisles of McGuckin’s Hardware as you are. Maybe even more, if your pooch is a real cutie. But even...
School teachers are arguably some of the hardest working people with one of the most difficult, but important jobs. A top complaint that many educators have is that they are expected and forced to fill too many roles at once, stretching their time to be not only educators, but counselors, planners, purchasers, often with their own funds, and social workers. So when a parent or community member volunteers in the classroom, that act helps ease some of those burdens, freeing up our teachers to do...
Dear Editor, It is a Wednesday afternoon at about 2:30. I am standing at the kitchen window making a late lunch. Hey, I am retired I can eat when I want. I just heard the train horns as it was passing through Niwot. Once again, I am saddened. I moved to Niwot in the early 1980’s. My family grew up here. My friends and neighbors often joined us on the back deck for maybe BBQ, wine, margaritas or just plan old friendly talk and a good time. Many a time someone would remark, “Hey the train must be coming thru,” as they heard the whistles. One holi...
Tiny homes have an undeniable charm about them. They’re - well, let’s just say it – they’re super cute. An entire neighborhood of tiny homes is downright adorable. But for one particular community, the tininess is ultra-lovable, because it’s about opening up a whole new world for each resident. The people living in those homes were simply trying to make it through another day, and they were suffering. Now they’re being helped big-time, and deservedly so. The residents are veterans who took an...
Nevin Gilbert may still be a few weeks away from his high school graduation but the future engineer already has the resume of a seasoned professional. Between a demanding robotics internship and a collaboration with a CU professor, the Niwot High student’s precocious talent for math and computer science has created opportunities not afforded to most college students, let alone those still in secondary school. Later this month, Gilbert will get a chance to add another achievement to the g...
When he was just 24 years old, Justin Hirshfield was likely the youngest head chef in Boulder at his gig with Laudisio’s Ristorante. Hirshfield is familiar to those in Niwot because of his 12 years working at the Niwot Market where he could be spotted most days. But, about a year and a half ago he joined the team at 1914 House as their head chef, so now it’s the evening crowd that’s most likely to see him. You may never have crossed paths with Hirshfield when he didn’t have a hat on his head or...
Donating money is wonderful, but engaging with a cause by giving your time and energy is likely to have an even greater impact – to that cause, and to you. It’s completely guaranteed that by volunteering you’ll be making the world a better place, and besides the obvious gratification of bringing about positive change for others, you’ll reap the benefits of connecting with others, which is proven to ward off depression and lower your blood pressure, and will generally make life more satisfying. Y...
At what was potentially the final public meeting regarding the Niwot Rural Community District (NRCD) code update process on March 12, when Boulder County Commissioners (BOCC) could have approved land use staff’s proposed code updates for development in downtown Niwot, Commissioners Elise Jones, Matt Jones, and Deb Gardner instead chose to send the team back to the drawing board on several issues, thereby extending the six month moratorium on development by another month. While commercial entitie...
Good morning, this is I.R.I.T.A.T.E. - International Responders Including Telemarketers and Telepathy Ecosystems. How may I help you? Oh I see, you're finding that people are using call blockers. Just one moment and I can connect you to our anti-blocking hackers. Yes, they can hack just about any phone system. Also, we're working on all types of government systems, but that will be an upgrade and quite pricey. Hello, I.R.I.T.A.T.E. on the line. We're so good we don't need the second "R." Wait a minute. Slow down. You're talking like a...
One day while riding with her dad and chatting about autonomous (driverless) cars, Boulder Country Day seventh-grader Zoë Wagner noticed something at a four-way stop. “We saw that the car across from us turned right and then the car next to us turned right, and I thought ‘well, if this were an autonomous intersection, then both of those cars could have gone at the same time.’” Not content to let the question lie, the precocious Wagner eventually decided to investigate the idea further for her...
Dig out that oversized spoon and put on your elastic-waist pants for the 23rd annual Soup, Soup and More community dinner and fundraiser, coming up on Saturday, March 2 at Niwot United Methodist Church, located at 7405 Lookout Road in Gunbarrel. Event organizer Janet Gates said this year’s event will be familiar to repeat visitors. Doors open at 4 p.m., and there will be a wide selection of soups, chilis, stews, and chowders available, as well as bread, salad, desserts and drinks, served in a...
You can complain about it, but you just can’t change the weather. So why not make the most of the chill in the air by joining fellow whiners at the fifth annual Let’s Wine About Winter event in Niwot, 1 to 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 23. Nearly 200 tickets have already been sold for the stroll from business-to-business occasion, but there’s always room for more merrymakers. Over 35 establishments, along 2nd Avenue and in Cottonwood Square Shopping Center, will be serving up samples of wines, beers...
Niwot head basketball coach Terri Ward is still on the hunt for win number 301 after the Cougars’ mid-season resurgence turned out to be short-lived. After a tough 1o-point loss to rival Silver Creek on Feb. 7, Ward seemed especially frustrated at the team’s recent offensive struggles. “You can’t miss lay-ups and little baskets,” she said after Niwot fell 50-40 to the Raptors at home. “I bet we missed 20 points worth, at least. You can’t miss those in a game like this.” That wasn’t the only...
I’d like to take a quick poll among local gardeners. Last year, after spending hundreds of dollars on bedding plants, how many of you swore to yourselves that next year, you would take some time in late winter to begin sowing your own seeds indoors, so that you could not only save those dollars, but also feel the deep satisfaction that only comes from putting a wee seed in the dirt that will eventually grow into something you can eat or admire? Show of hands. Oh, that’s a lot. Hey, I’m not j...
Every teenager in every generation faces stress and strain, simply due to the very nature of the age. But teenagers today are dealing with higher levels of pressure, with more outside influences, than previous generations. All teens in the history of the world has had to shoulder stressors such as the physical and cognitive changes that some with puberty, conflicts with family and friends and being bullied or exposed to sexual violence or harassment. But average teenagers today also deal with overly crammed schedules; social media pressures...
Let’s face it. For some, Valentine’s Day is a thrill--what will my sweetheart buy me? What fantastic restaurant will we indulge at? For others, it’s a stressful minefield of procrastination, uncertainty about gift choices and inadequate feelings about available finances with which to buy said gifts. Those minefield veterans often walk through the door with last-minute mylar balloons, a sheepish smile, and are often met by a cold-shoulder welcoming committee. And for others, it’s just plain l...
Reporter’s note: I’ve been reporting for the Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) since July 2018, although as a Gunbarrel resident, I’ve been reading the paper for four years. Much of my life has been in small towns, so I have a fondness for small, independent papers—which, by the way, are a rapidly disappearing breed. When I began working with the LHVC team, I was struck by the founders’ fierce dedication to the integrity of the paper, but even more so by their dedication to the community...
No one was happier than head coach Terri Ward when the Niwot girls snapped their five-game losing streak on Jan. 18 against Silver Creek. Down by six at halftime, the Cougars came back for a 38-35 win in overtime over the Raptors, thanks to some stepped-up defense and clutch free-throw shooting. However, Ward said afterwards that how her team won the game mattered less than why they won. “Our first half wasn’t great, and I pretty much went in and ripped them new faces,” she said. “I basical...
Niwot head basketball coach Terri Ward was visibly frustrated after her team’s single-point defeat by cross-town rival Longmont on Jan. 11. Up by double-digits late in the third quarter, the Cougars and their normally trustworthy defense yielded 13 straight points to the Trojans, turning what should have been a blowout win in regulation into a 47-46 heartbreaker in overtime. Afterwards, Ward said a shortage of “basketball IQ” played a role in their failure to hold the lead. “It’s hard when you...
When winds are high or lights are bright or sometimes for no clear reason, Ivan Schlutz’s head “gets pretty raw,” he said of the pain and sensations that make it hard for him to plan each day. Winters are spent in his art studio where he creates award-winning bronze sculptures, an art form he was drawn to while recovering from a near-death accident in his late 20s. The studio once housed calves on his parent’s property, but was renovated into an impressive workspace with a spectacular floor-to-c...
