All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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It is with great sadness that we report the heartbreaking news that Ed Navarro, longtime sports photographer for the Courier, passed away Dec. 31 after a battle with pulmonary fibrosis. Though his death will be felt deeply by his wife Trudy, a retired teacher, and his two children, Ed “Lucky” Navarro and Emily Marcellus, his friends and the many lives he touched will also experience a great loss. I knew Ed as a lawyer in Longmont for many years before he took up photography. I recall seeing him taking photographs along the fence at a Niwot Hig...
Niwot cheer coach Alexis Bellinger isn’t shy about praising her team’s performance at this year’s Class 4A State Cheerleading tournament, held Dec. 8-9 at the Denver Coliseum. “The girls were in a great place,” said Bellinger, who co-coaches the team with former Erie cheer assistant Catherine Linhardt. “Everything was falling into place. We went out to perform, and they had an absolutely flawless routine. They had zero deductions. Absolutely every stunt, every tumbling, and every jump hit, and w...
The Niwot girls basketball team headed into the holiday break on a high note, with a hard-fought win over the previously undefeated Skyview Wolverines. In a defensive battle on the professional-size court at the Pepsi Center, the Cougars held Skyview to a just 33 points, while another multifaceted offensive effort netted the Cougars the 35 they needed to pull off their second victory of the still-young 23-game season. For Head Coach Terri Ward, her team’s effort on both sides of the ball in the...
Junior Tommy Bounds and company sprinted out of the gate in their season-opener against Frederick last Wednesday night, building a quick lead over the Warriors and giving Cougar fans plenty of fodder for their post-season fantasies. A slew of turnovers and missed shots in the second quarter stalled the Cougars’ early momentum, and new head coach Eric Hejl’s team had to battle down the stretch. Buoyed senior Cameron Carlson’s fourth quarter heroics, Niwot finally put Frederick away 60-55, and c...
Led by senior guard Mary Gillett’s 16 fourth-quarter points, the Niwot girls nearly pulled off an improbable comeback against the Erie Tigers last Friday night. Down by seven with just over a minute to go, Gillett rattled off four points in the next 45 seconds to bring the Cougars to within three. After a forced turnover at half court, her senior teammate Sophie Grant evened it up at 55 as the last seconds ticked off, forcing overtime in a game that was seemingly out of reach just seconds earlie...
Niwot has the good fortune of being Alyson Bell’s family. And, as it is with the best of kin, Bell’s positive impacts are deep and immeasurable. “I like to keep a full plate and keep it rolling” Bell said. And that truly is the Alyson Bell effect. Her personal touch on Niwot’s signature events such as Let’s Wine about Winter, Rock & Rails, and The Great Pumpkin Party, through her organizing and hands-on effort and by ensuring that graphics, printed materials and online presences are emblematic,...
Local members of the Alliance of International Aromatherapists will be holding a Holiday Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25 at the Left Hand Grange as part of this weekend’s festivities in Niwot. Lora Cantele, an aromatherapist out of Gunbarrel, said that the event is for people who aren’t certified in aromatherapy, but want to get into using essential oils. At the bazaar there will be information on safe topical uses, inhalation and other different methods of using the oils. “We feel like it’s our duty to provide solid public e...
Niwot High School will soon have a new roof, but not the kind made of shingles. Thanks to a power purchase agreement, the St. Vrain Valley School District will be installing solar panels at NHS, Erie Middle School and Red Hawk Elementary over the winter. Dara Ward, energy and sustainability manager for the district, said that this will become a great opportunity for the students as well as the facilities and constituents. “Going into this project for the district, it was really important to n...
When these two teams met back on Sept. 5, Niwot dispatched then-winless Thompson Valley without much trouble, downing the Eagles in three quick sets 25-20, 25-15, 25-19. But a much different Thompson Valley team took the court last Thursday night, and it would take some late heroics from the Cougars’ big hitters to put the Eagles away this time. “Thompson Valley has improved a lot,” said Niwot head coach Daisha Agho following the hard-fought 25-12, 15-25, 26-24, 25-19 victory. “I knew they we...
The Niwot Community Association is looking for anyone interested in volunteering time and/or tulip bulbs to help fill a space on Niwot Road between the Diagonal Highway and Franklin. Pat Murphy, a member of the NCA, said that several people have already donated bulbs, but more are needed, and help is always appreciated. “We took over that strip of land and we’re going to be planting flower beds,” Murphy said. “People can help however they see fit, we welcome all that we can get.” The sections can be selected as a memorial to a loved one or in...
Let them drink water. Beer production was paused by Oskar Blues Brewery so that the brewery’s manufacturing equipment could be used to package much needed clean drinking water for delivery to Texas and Florida hurricane victims. This generous response to two back to back crises is the result of the joint efforts of Oskar Blues, Ball Corporation, and the CAN’d Aid Foundation. CAN’d Aid, a not for profit organization started in 2013 by Dale Katechis, owner of Oskar Blues Brewery, originated when...
Going into the 2017 season, Niwot’s new head volleyball coach Daisha Agho counted the Silver Creek Raptors among the potential roadblocks on her team’s path to the state title. As the Cougars’ chief rival for the Northern League title this year, Agho knew the outcome of this highly anticipated early season matchup would set the tone for the rest of the season. So when the Cougars swept the Raptors in front of a boisterous home crowd last Thursday night, Agho was more than a little relie...
It’s hard to describe the past decade of Niwot football without using the word tumultuous. After two classification changes, three head coaching changes, and an abysmal win-loss record, the program’s successes have been few and far between. Last spring, longtime Berthoud defensive coordinator Jeremy Lanter was tasked with rehabilitating the Niwot program, a challenge the first year head coach has taken to heart. As the 2017 season looms, Lanter has a roster full of exciting young players and...
On Monday, Aug. 7, the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) Advisory Committee held its annual joint meeting with the Boulder County Commissioners to provide them with a first-hand account of the state of affairs in Niwot. Commissioners Cindy Domenico and Deb Garder (Elise Jones was out of town) along with County staff Peter Salas, Michelle Krezek and Mark Ruzzin were joined by LID Co-Chairs Laura Skaggs, and Carrie Wise, Vice-Chair Jim Eastman, Treasurer Harris Faberman, and members Tony Sant...
How to Support your Child and Niwot High School The 2017-2018 school year is only days away and the excitement for new opportunities and friendships is buzzing across Niwot and St. Vrain Valley School District. Now is an ideal time for students and parents to get a fresh start and consider the impact they want to have in the coming year. Below are recommendations for Niwot High School families to make the most of the academic year and ways to partner with the principal, administration, teachers and Niwot High School Education Foundation to supp...
The Left Hand Valley Courier has been receiving multiple requests to stop delivering to a certain neighborhood, and we feel it is time to address the issue candidly. I’ve received emails about our “litter” and “trash” being distributed. The Courier also has strong support, and we appreciate all of the kind words from those that understand our purpose and goals with the service we provide. We are a free publication that covers your area. Many people work their tails off to get this paper out every week, the majority of whom work and live in your...
Sorry, Niwot Elementary second graders. It’s going to be hard to top Collin Blatchley’s “What I Did Over Summer Vacation” story this year. On July 26th, the seven-year-old Niwot resident beat out 68 competitors from around the world to finish eighth overall in his age group at the 2017 UCI BMX World Championships in Rock Hill, S.C. For the next year, Collin will preside as “World #8”, and ride with a special number plate on his bike during races. “It was an awesome experience,” said Rob Blatch...
The sixteen Niwot residents who filed suit contesting Boulder County’s approval of a marijuana dispensary in downtown Niwot are not appealing the State District Court ruling upholding County approval. While disappointed, we value Judge Sierra’s confirmation that “the proposed use is not by right.” Our County Commissioners had authority to deny this land use but chose not to. Instead, they set aside multiple well-founded objections, opposition by 94% of the 500+ public comment letters from Niwot and compelling public hearing testimony. This is...
On June 1, Governor Hickenlooper signed SB17-040 into law, and this new law becomes effective August 9. Thus Colorado takes a meaningful step forward on behalf of the people. By updating the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) in accordance with 21st Century information technology, government becomes more transparent and accountable. The bill was introduced on the second day of the 2017 legislative session and passed the Senate unanimously on the final day after a most arduous legislative journey. The success of this legislation is the result of...
Since 2011, a school in Gunbarrel has been helping students with a variety of neurological disorders ranging from autism to Asperger’s. Co-founded by Jennifer Wilger and David Hazen, the school began when a void was created for an increasing need in the community. “There was another private school in town that was closing that served a similar purpose but not as comprehensively,” Wilger said. “So we were able to get a jumpstart on (school) infrastructure by turning that school over and develop...
Jake Sims graduated from Niwot High School last month with a 3.71 GPA, and was a multi-sport athlete for the Cougars, but he had to overcome a serious ankle injury after his junior year to return to action for his senior season. “I fractured my fibula in two places sliding into second base in summer baseball,” Sims said. He also tore ligaments and dislocated the ankle, which got caught up with the second baseman as he went over the base. “It wasn’t fully healed until last January, but he resumed...
Niwotians are gearing up for the annual Independence Day celebration, an event that has been growing every year. Kim Hawksworth, Julie Breyer and Kathy Koehler and many more volunteers have been working hard to make this year even bigger. “We have a lot of new volunteers this year,” Hawksworth said. “It’s getting harder and harder to find them, but we have a great group that helps out.” Hawksworth said this is the first year she is taking over as event coordinator, but that Koehler and Breye...
A public hearing between the Boulder County Commissioners and the Boulder County Planning Commission is scheduled for June 28 from 1 to 4 p.m. The purpose of the hearing is to discuss matters related to the final approval of updates to the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan as part of the 5-year review process. What is of concern to residents in unincorporated Boulder County is that one particular point of discussion during the hearing will also review renewal of the current Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) between Boulder County and the City...
Mother’s Day is a special holiday for Denise Dollar, not only because she values her role as mother to her two children, but also because motherhood is the theme of the community service endeavor she created three years ago. Denise and her husband Tony Ricke relocated their family from Wisconsin to Boulder County in 2013. Their son has Type 1 diabetes and is on the autism spectrum. As the stay-at-home parent, the responsibilities of having a child with multiple disabilities fell mainly on D...
Collin Blatchley (a second-grader next year) and Reid Porter (going into third-grade) will be representing Team USA and Niwot in this year’s world BMX competition next month. The boys earned their tickets earlier this year in Austin, Texas and Rock Hill, S.C., respectively, and will be making the trip to see how they fare with bikers from around the world against the best of the best. “They’ll be competing against kids their age from all around the world,” Collin’s father Rob Blatchley...
It’s no secret that the Niwot girls track team had its sights set on another state title this year. After a dispiriting third-place finish in 2016 following three successive state championships, this year’s squad buckled down, putting in months of grueling workouts, determined to regain the team’s customary place on top of the championship podium. As they cruised through the 2017 regular season, capturing one meet title after another with machine-like precision, the slip-ups that doomed their...
Boulder County residents recently received a mailer concerning property values in the county. For some, there may be some sticker shock, but the point of the mailer is to let people know what is going on. The fact that valuations increased substantially does not mean your taxes will increase by the same percentage. Colorado law limits the tax burden which can be applied to residential properties, and governments are constrained to limit tax increases, accounting only for population growth and...
Led by Maddie Barkow and Kailee Stobbe, the Niwot girls soccer team outscored its opponents 16-3 in three games last week, including a convincing 4-2 win over the high-scoring Erie Tigers (8-4) and a 10-0 rout of the Greeley Central Wildcats (1-10), which saw eleven Cougars tally a point. For head coach Stephen Dimit, though, the game of the week was the Cougars’ narrow 2-1 win over crosstown rival Longmont, a team far more competitive than a 2-10 record suggests. “Any time we can get a win over...
I distinctly recall thinking, “How hard could this be?” when seven of us got together in November 1996 to talk about starting a newspaper for Niwot and Gunbarrel. I assumed that everybody could write well, that people would jump at the chance to send us photos and cool stories of their kids and that businesses would be knocking down our door to advertise. Except that we didn’t have a door. And my expectations were, to put it kindly, wildly optimistic. All of us had other things to do, like...
The Niwot girls soccer team put on another scoring clinic in front of the home crowd last Saturday, getting points from eight players in a 7-0 rout of the Mead Mavericks (4-5-1). For senior forward Meghan Jeske, who scored her second goal of the season in the game’s 17th minute, the lopsided win was especially gratifying after Thursday’s unexpected 2-1 loss to Centaurus. “It was a really big win, because we were able to come back from the other day,” she said. “I just felt like we were working t...
For the second Saturday in a row, the Niwot baseball team took a tough loss at home to a league foe, but unlike last weekend’s 16-6 debacle against Centaurus, there wasn’t much to criticize about the Cougars’ performance against the Mountain View Mountain Lions. Up 4-1 after the third inning, junior pitcher Caleb Martinez had Mountain View’s heavy hitters flummoxed, and Niwot’s batters were taking advantage of an error-prone Mountain Lion infield. Even after Mountain View took the lead in the to...
The Silver Creek boys swim team has passed the quarter-pole of its 2017 season, with some goals already accomplished and others still outstanding. The Raptors’ meet record for the season stands at 2-1, with a win over Longmont (122-63) and a close loss at Thompson Valley (92-88) before spring break, followed by a solid victory over Mountain View (126-57) April 6. Silver Creek also finished in 13th place at the Dick Rush Memorial Invitational before the break, swimming in competition against 46 teams from across both the 5A and 4A state division...
Jeremy Tapps, a researcher who operates from a lab in his south Longmont basement, has made a discovery that has turned the scientific world upside down. Tapps’ work has found that what we know as the “periodic table of elements” is — in fact — not periodic at all. “Whether you believe in the ‘Big Bang’ or creationism, no one can deny that these elements have existed since the beginning of the universe,” Tapps said. “It’s as plain as day, and somewhat shocking that we haven’t realized this...
Taking a page from national politics, the Bolder County Bored of County Commissioners (BOCC) has approved a Parks and Open Space (POS) Department suggestion to “drain the swamp.” The move comes on the heels of the Planning Commission’s (PC) rejection of a proposal to change the Bolder County Comprehensive Plan (BCCP) in a way that would have allowed higher density housing in the area. When the memo, obtained by the Twin Lakes Owl Group (TLOG) through an open records request, first was disco...
In a sport where results are measured in thousandths of seconds, and athletes are judged by measured individual results, it can be hard to quantify abstract concepts like unity and team chemistry. But that doesn’t mean such things aren’t critical to a team’s success. When members of the Niwot track teams take the field at their events this season, Head Coach Maurice Henriques wants each one to remember that the whole team has their back. “Our theme this year is loyalty,” he explained. “You’ll s...
The Niwot LID Advisory Committee held its monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 7, and once again, sales tax drove the discussion. Through two months of 2017, the LID has committed to $19,687 in expenses, including half of the Economic Development Director’s salary ($11,250), according to Treasurer Harris Faberman. His report also included an estimate of the LID’s current capital purchases reserve balance ($265,945), based on his calculation of net revenues over the past nine years. The com...
The CrossFit Games are an international contest of strength and agility aimed to determine the fittest athletes on earth. The Games began in 2007, and will be held this year from Aug. 1 – 6 in Madison, WI. Designed for those rarefied elite athletes who turn the pursuit of fitness into a job, the Games require the hiring of trainers and nutritionists, while undergoing months, or more likely, years of grueling workouts to compete at the highest fitness levels imaginable. But for the rest of us, t...
On Feb. 9 Boulder Country Day (BCD) School in Gunbarrel hosted former Oprah Winfrey Chief of Staff, Libby Moore. The free event was open to the public, and covered topics and wisdom gleaned from Moore’s 11-year tenure with the television mogul and other life experiences. Moore was introduced by John Suitor, BCD’s head of school, who said, “Schools and parents need to partner more than ever before so we can raise…confident children.” The talk, he said, would include tips on how to maximize...
It’s hard to beat any opponent more than once in a high school wrestling season, let alone your arch-rival and closest competitor. So, when Tommy Stager and Mountain View junior Erik Contreras faced off for the third time last Thursday night at 145 pounds, it was anybody’s match. For head coach Bobby Matthews, however, the outcome of his star senior’s final regular season match was never in doubt. “Tommy’s had a knack for beating kids multiple times once he figures them out,” he said. Stage...
Tired of the snow and cold and short winter days? Well, it’s time to stop whining about it, and instead start wining about it. This February, take the opportunity to turn those wintertime frowns upside-down at “Let’s Wine About Winter in Niwot.” This will be the third edition of the local annual event, which has grown in popularity each year. “We’ve had horrible weather and it was a blast, we’ve had beautiful weather and it was a blast,” said co-organizer Anne Postle, who owns Osmosis Gallery at 290 2nd Ave. in downtown Niwot. The event’s fir...
Winter finds adults spending more time indoors, keeping warm and making plans for the rest of the year. This season also encourages self-reflection and time to initiate the changes you’ve been considering. Fortunately, this community is bursting with opportunities to exercise the mind, body, and spirit. Here is a sampling of self-improvement projects to consider: Discover your innate musical talent: Christopher Macor will get you started and soon you’ll be accompanying yourself in the bathtub instead of singing acapella in the shower. Mac...
The Boulder County Planning Commission will be reconsidering a land use decision made last October for the Twin Lakes area on Jan. 18. The meeting will begin at 1:30 p.m. and proceed as usual.The commission estimates that discussion on Twin Lakes will begin around 4:30pm at the Boulder County Courthouse, 1325 Pearl Street, Boulder. A land use designation change for parcels on the 6500 and 6600 blocks of Twin Lakes Road along with the zero block of Kalua Road are in question. The commission will be hearing written and oral comments on the...
Snow on the ground got you down, golfers? Well, Becky Clark at Haystack Mountain Golf Course just might have the cure for your wintertime blues. Clark is the golf pro at Haystack Mountain, and she runs a “virtual golf” operation in a small, cozy building just north of the main clubhouse. Inside there’s a tee-box in the center of the room, from which you take your swings; with real clubs, with which you strike a real ball. After that, the “virtual” part takes over. The set-up includes video cameras, motion-capture machinery beneath the tee-box,...
Ok ladies, we’re back. I want to thank you for tuning into the first interactive radio broadcast for Super Uber/Competitive Parenting. Not that any of us have to worry, because in the world of parenting, my audience is always at the top of the parenting food chain. I have to say that I did find some inspiration in an article I found while perusing USA Today as I was also making some killer stock trades. According to an interview super uber/competitive parent and self described “Alpha Mom” Constance Van Flandern, “I’m at my Alpha-Mom...
According to Boulder County Transportation, there will be a culvert installation at Glendale Gulch (approximately seven miles up the canyon from US 36). The department will have a closure on Monday, Dec. 19 and Tuesday, Dec. 20 to set a crane to install the culverts. The road will be closed from 6:30 a.m. to noon and 12:15 to 4:30 p.m. both days. It will open for 15 minutes at noon to let cars pass in each direction. After this project is completed, travel though the canyon will be completely...
It was quite a year for Chicago Cubs prospect David Bote, son of former Niwot High baseball coach Bob Bote. The younger Bote began the season as the fifth infielder for the Class A Myrtle Beach Pelicans of the Carolina League. Bote, who has played every position except catcher in his pro career, was a super utility player, with most of his playing time coming at second base. After seeing action in only six games in April, the 23-year old was placed on the disabled list for a month, with no...
Niwot's 16th annual Enchanted Evening on Friday, Nov. 25, delighted locals and visitors despite chilly, 30-degree temperatures. Children got some needed face time with Santa, and families gathered to sing holiday songs, enjoy egg nog, hot cocoa and other holiday cheer while they shopped, dined and visited with old-and-new friends and loved ones. “My goal this year was to get attendees to visit both Cottonwood [Square Shopping Center] and Old Town--that has always been a challenge,” said eve...
Powered by Kenny Lang’s second-place medal, the Niwot boys cross country team claimed first place at the Class 4A Region 3 championship meet, held Oct. 20 at Cherry Creek State Park. With 45 team points, the Cougars edged out Northern League rival Centaurus (49) by just four points. “It was exciting,” Coach Kelly Christensen said. “The guys finally broke through that mental plateau.” Lang’s final time of 16 minutes 39 seconds was just one second slower than regional champion Trevor Smith’s (St...
“The shadow self seems to be the opposite of love. Actually it is the way to love.” Deepak Chopra My book Living in the Shadow of the Too-Good Mother Archetype explored the meaning of the shadow and addressed many of the unconscious beliefs held by mothers today. In my upcoming book Reconciliation of the Heart, I address the common shadow aspects that many of us, not just mothers, have still haunting us. In my personal and professional life I have witnessed many examples of ways that we car...
Who Owns the Canaries? Let’s say that you have a product you’d like to sell. What’s one of the best marketing tricks you could pull off? It would be to convince people that you were simply offering your product for sale out of the goodness of your heart to benefit them, not because you wanted to – oh, the horror! – make money. Such is the achievement of the organic industry. And while fooling the general population about their supposedly pure motivations is one thing, we should be very concerned when our policy-makers are too naive to recogn...
