All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Warm summer nights in June traditionally herald the return of music lovers to Niwot's Whistle Stop Park for the annual Rock & Rails summer concert series, with weekly Thursday night shows featuring a double-bill of local acts and fan favorites. But in 2020, the worldwide coronavirus pandemic has forced organizers from the Niwot Cultural Arts Association and Niwot Business Association to push back opening night to July at the earliest. "The earliest opening date would be July 2, but for that to...
Dozens of great horned owls have made Gunbarrel's Twin Lakes their home for years. See Patricia Logan's video of the owlets from 2018, then read more about the collapse of a prime nesting tree in the area....
In 1969, Mo Siegel made his first herbal blend that would eventually launch his career in the tea industry. Celestial Seasonings was born, and it wasn't long before its one and only factory was built in Boulder County. Since then, it has become a local landmark. But that iconic Boulder County view could soon change. As reported first in February and then again in May, there are proposals for an apartment complex to be built near Celestial Seasonings. At this time, Celestial Seasonings, as part...
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...
The fields south of Twin Lakes Open Space are quietly doing their thing; growing green grass, hosting nests for meadowlarks, supporting voles and mice and the things that eat them, such as raptors and foxes. Kids are racing over mounds and dips at the mini BMX track, people are walking their dogs and admiring the view of the Flatirons. Nothing has changed on the surface, but the long-term fate of the fields is still unsettled and the fight over the status of the land is bubbling back to life. Th...
Staying occupied has been a challenge for many during quarantine, but not for 11-year-old Simon in Gunbarrel. Simon has remained productive by writing and distributing a newsletter for his neighborhood. Over 300 copies of the inaugural Gunbarrel Herald hit the streets on April 24. With now two issues under his belt, Simon has touched on a variety of subjects including neighborhood businesses, reading and outdoor recommendations and local birds. His intentions were to simply shine a little...
According to Eric Skokan, owner of Black Cat Farm, one of the best resources Boulder County has to offer "is the total quantity of agriculture geeks we have here." This summer, Black Cat Farm is beginning an experiment with the regenerative agricultural technique called pasture cropping, Skokan's own geeky agricultural project. This project is one of several to have recently been awarded a 2020 Sustainable Food and Agricultural Funds grant by Boulder County. Black Cat Farm was awarded $43,500...
They were the unofficial, fuzzy, wide-eyed mascots of the fight to preserve the fields south of the Twin Lakes Open Space. But the hollow cottonwood that hosted great horned owls nearly every spring, collapsed, forcing the raptors to find a new place to raise their young. There couldn't have been a more picture-perfect place for people to ooh and aah and get close-up images of owlets. In winter, a pair of great horned owls would nestle into the cavity of a dead cottonwood tree along the ditch...
There was much excitement in Niwot over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. In addition to many joyous graduation celebrations and a socially distanced jazz concert at Inkberry Books, there was also a music-themed fundraiser event at Niwot Tavern. In a collaborative effort with Community Food Share and Boulder Symphony, Tavern Co-Owners Tara Kpogoh-Narh and Stacy Szydlek hosted a special Take Out Family Dinner night on Saturday, May 23, with net proceeds benefiting the two nonprofits. As two music...
Meet Teddy Bear. He is an 8 year old Samoyed mix, from Oklahoma, via a rescue organization in Lakewood. Teddy Bear is a "cancer survivor." He is a super calm, sweet boy who loves his walks and his humans. He tolerates with graciousness the surly kitty who had the humans first, despite being about 5 times the kitty-son's size. Teddy Bear and his humans, Francesca and Peter Howell, recently moved to Niwot after many years in Boulder....
The limited printed edition of the May 20, 2020 issue of the Left Hand Valley Courier is brought to you by our faithful advertisers and a grant which supports local journalism. A limited number of print copies are available from our advertisers, in Courier boxes and at the Niwot Market. We are grateful to our advertisers and those who have subscribed online-they make it possible for the Courier to bring you local news and important information during the COVID19 pandemic. The more subscribers...
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...
Three out of every four COVID-19 deaths in Boulder County have been in a long-term care facility. Each of the more than 40 deaths in these facilities was a parent, grandparent, extended family member or a friend with a special smile, twinkling eyes, a unique personality and rich life experiences. "It's tragic. There is not a better word. Our most vulnerable and cherished population has unfortunately become victimized by this," said Bob Murphy, president of the Colorado chapter of AARP. It's one...
Growing up in rural Michigan in a lower middle class family, Sheri Smith recalls her childhood perception that education was going to be her gateway to success. "My parents told me that if you want to be successful in life, you've got to get an education. So I really thought that if I worked really hard, got straight As, and did everything the system told me to do, I would have somehow arrived and made it in life," Smith said. But as many current professionals and some recently graduated...
Congratulations to the “Courier’s” own Jocelyn Rowley for her win in the 2019 Colorado Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest. Rowley won for her reporting on Longmont’s Up-A-Creek Robotics win at the Colorado Regional tournament. The article appeared in the March 27, 2019 issue. The “Courier” is proud of Rowley’s accomplishment and her continued tradition of excellence in reporting....
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, lay people and experts alike have said that this is a virus that does not discriminate based on age, sex, race or class. But just by looking at the numbers alone, it's obvious that this belief isn't exactly the case. "When you look at the population of Boulder County that are people of color and positive cases, those numbers are shocking," said Manuela Sifuentes, the language access program manager for the City of Boulder. "I think that, to me, they'...
The day before the Longmont Humane Society re-opened on Saturday, there were a suspicious number of animals already on hold for adoption. The animals weren't being seen by the public. The majority were not even in the building. They were staying in approved foster homes after the shelter closed to the public in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The key to solving this mystery may have something to do with one of the shelter's worst kept secrets. In normal times, the regular volunteers, the one...
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....
There is just a hint of green in the fields where the small herd of horses stand basking in the sunshine. Longs Peak looms to the west, still covered with snow. The horses seem to not care about the impressive view from their backyard, more concerned with finding the tasty spring greens popping up in their pasture. These are the pastures of Colorado Horse Rescue, located off of N. 65th Street north of Niwot and west of Longmont, a 501(c)(3) impact organization dedicated to the rescue and...
Last week, the Boulder County Board of County Commissioners launched the Small Business COVID-19 Emergency Relief Grant Program to provide "immediate financial support" to small businesses in unincorporated parts of the county, including Niwot, Jamestown, and Ward. Companies with fewer than 50 employees that have experienced substantial financial hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic are encouraged to apply. "The county has been very active in the emergency response for the pandemic...but...
On Tuesday, May 5, the Niwot LID advisory committee gathered via videoconference for its first monthly meeting since March. Unsurprisingly, the coronavirus pandemic and its ongoing economic impact on Niwot drove the discussion. Summer Events Noting a paucity of funding requests on the board's official May agenda, chair Laura Skaggs opened the meeting by asking LID members Bruce Warren and Eric Bergeson (presidents of the Niwot Cultural Arts Association and Niwot Business Association,...
Eating at home more lately? You are not alone. Consumer food demand has pivoted abruptly over the past two months from about 50% of meals consumed outside of the home to virtually none. My experiences early in this shift revealed household purchases stripping local supermarket inventories, leaving shelves bare of produce, meat, eggs, paper products, etc. Trade associations and supply chain experts note there is no major lack of US food supply, aside from some slowdown in meatpacking due to...
In April, the Niwot Business Association had record attendance for its first ever Zoom meeting, due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Amongst the lively discussions, Josh Morin from We Love Trees asked how we could help businesses circulate gift cards. NBA Vice President Deborah Read Fowler suggested a central location in Niwot Market, and owner Bert Steele instantly agreed. There, the idea was born, and Fowler volunteered to lead the project and bring the idea to life. "This is a...
Meet Lalya. Layla is a 16 year old Welsh Pony who saved the heart of her guardian, Lady Cat Powers. On Aug. 17, 2008 Lady Cat was with her Arabian, Ebony, when she happened to notice a pony in the pasture of the Colorado Horse Rescue. Now Cat had no interest in having a second horse, especially a pony. But something about Layla compelled her, and the next day she went over to the Horse Rescue and adopted her. Exactly four weeks later Ebony died in a tragic accident, and since that day Layla has...
The Left Hand Valley Courier has been selected to receive the Facebook Journalism Project COVID-19 US Local News Relief Grant. For more information about the grant and how Facebook is helping newsrooms across the county, visit https://www.facebook.com/journalismproject/programs/grants/coronavirus-local-news-relief-fund-recipients. And stayed tuned for details on how this grant will help the LHVC continue to bring high-quality news related to the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on our local...
The idea was hatched over dinner as Jeff and Cheryl DeLong sat out on their back deck in Niwot. Jeff said he thought it would be cool to see words out in the grassy field behind their house. Cheryl double dared him to do it. "He got a gleam in his eye," Cheryl said. Jeff got out his electric mower, paced off the letters and cut the first word they thought of, pray. It took hours as he alternated between cutting and charging the mower--once, twice, three times, four. Four passes per letter....
Even as a student at Fairview High School, Jonathan Singer volunteered for Boulder County. "I've been sort of bitten by the public policy bug before I was old enough to vote," he said with a laugh. After graduating and getting a degree--he went so far as to earn a master's degree in social work--Singer found a position in South Carolina to do campaign work. But he soon realized that he loved Colorado more and spent a number of years as a social worker for Boulder County. In 2011, he announced...
When Krista Chiaravalle was first asked to leave her biology teacher position at Niwot High to join Sunset Middle School's staff as the STEM & Learning Coach, she was a little nervous but excited. "I didn't know a lot about coding [or computer science], but thought that it was a great opportunity and that we [she and the students] could learn together," Chiaravalle said. She explained that her STEM classes are hands-on, focusing on the building and designing; but her computer classes largely...
Mark Guttridge speaks and walks quickly while casually throwing out phrases like "ultraviolet spectroscopy," "collaborative incubator," and "regenerative agriculture" during the course of a quick tour of Project 95 in South Longmont. Guttridge, an environmental engineer turned organic vegetable farmer, is clearly obsessed with science and data, said, "The best thing we can do as scientists for this earth is to teach the next generation how to collect data and most importantly, how to make...
Aegidien ( "Giddy the Kitty") turns 13 years old last month and is enjoying a quiet quarantine in Gunbarrel. He was born in Germany and was brought to Colorado in 2008 where he encountered squirrels for the first time. We look forward to seeing your pets in our Spotlight. Please send your photos and a brief description to editorial@LHVC.com...
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...
As the struggle against the global coronavirus pandemic continues, a Niwot resident living near the LoBo Trail has left a larger-than-life message of hope for the community. Look for a new story later today....
With spring well under way, Boulder County's local farms are beginning their first round of harvests with lots of spinach and leafy greens as well as onions, garlic, mushrooms, tomatoes, and cucumbers for sale. As this first round of produce is ready to go to consumers, local farms and the Boulder County Farmers Markets (BCFM) are finding innovative ways to connect with customers in compliance with ongoing state and county COVID-19 regulations. BCFM recently announced the launch of a virtual mar...
Niwot Market has long been a staple of the Niwot community. But in recent weeks, with grocery stores and grocery store employees deemed essential during the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, the market has perhaps played an even more critical role in the community's new normal. At its heart, Niwot Market is a family affair. And this can be seen in the way the Steele family has stepped up to protect their employees and support their community in recent weeks-from implementing curbside pickup to install...
I was walking my dog on the LoBo Trail through Niwot, wearing a homemade blue-cotton mask, when a group of three runners came toward me. None wore masks. One coughed about 25 feet in front of me. I hoped my mask gave me some protection, but I wasn't sure. I heard that wearing a mask was mostly to keep my germs out of someone else's lungs. The cough set me off. I felt like I was put in danger by someone who carelessly spewed his viral or non-viral particles (I'll never know) and I was walking...
One Friday morning, Claire Levy sat in her basement, sewing masks for health care workers in Boulder County. She lives in district one of Boulder County and is currently running unopposed for its county commissioner seat. "I think right now, I just feel like my campaign and my needs are unimportant relative to others'," she said. Levy has been a longtime participant in local and state government. She has worked as an assistant county attorney, a citizen activist, a member of the state...
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...
Meet Al - Al is thought to be a Norwegian Forest Cat, about seven years old. Al decided that he would live at Niwot Rental and Feed about five years ago, that they had a good thing going on. Two years ago Al began living in the store and overseeing operations. A die hard Broncos fan, Al is often seen in team colors. We look forward to seeing your pets in our Spotlight. Please send your photos and a brief description to editorial@LHVC.com...
Inkberry Books has partnered with the Left Hand Valley Courier again to bring you a riveting historical fiction account of familial history that deals with ghosts, dreams, and even politics across the centuries. We all carry generations of knowledge and experience within us. We carry our ancestors' hopes, dreams, loves, and fears within our very being. Sometimes they manifest in obvious ways, like when you're told that you seem just like Aunt or Uncle so-and-so. But other times, the past is...
The Niwot Business Association's application to develop up to a 50-space multimodal parking facility on vacant land between the BNSF railroad tracks and Murray Street, between 3rd and 4th Avenues, is back on track at the Boulder County Community Planning and Permitting Department after a three-month delay to resolve transportation questions. Neighboring residents, businesses, and other potential stakeholders have until May 19 to submit comments on the proposal. Assuming no more delays, the...
Gardeners are good at sharing with others. We offer advice, give seeds and seedlings or leave zucchini on doorsteps of neighbors. In good or difficult times, gardeners rise to help with small kindnesses. These everyday things make us happy; it's how we sow community as well as gardens. We know that big things can come from a single seed, that an individual flower, combined with dozens or hundreds of others can turn a vacant lot into a paradise. These things the garden teaches us, along with the...
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...
The Homestead Act of 1862 turned the American West into a promised land for religiously and socially repressed Swedish Lutherans, who were coming off three years of crop failure. Around 1.3 million Swedes immigrated to the United States between 1862 and the early 1900s. But not all Swedish immigrants in Longmont acquired their land through the Homestead Act; at least one earned it by gratitude. In 1870, August Nelson accepted a job in the Blackhawk smelter. With help from his two brothers,...
Here is a ray of sunshine in these dark times; a ray of sunshine, shining on a solar panel, producing energy locally in Longmont for residents of the Left Hand Valley. Jack's Solar Garden, the community solar project created by Byron Kominek on his farm in south Longmont, is on track to be built, connected, and producing power by fall. In early April, Kominek signed a contract with Namasté Solar to build the panels. Namasté is a local solar developer, and as Kominek pointed out, also a c...
It can prove difficult to spot a silver lining amidst the current global pandemic. Daily news bombards us with rising infections, death rates, and unemployment stats. Our lives are upended and new daily routines require patience, compassion and understanding just to make it through. However, catastrophe and disaster often have a way of bringing out the best in humanity. People want to lighten the load for those with heavy burdens and Boulder County is no different. The folks at Vapor Distillery...
The quiver in Nancy Armstrong's voice tells the story. She knows it's time. But she is still struggling with her choice to close the hair salon she's owned in Niwot for nearly a quarter of a century. "I'm sad about leaving Niwot. It's been a very, very hard decision," said Armstrong. "It's just a cool little town. It's been really good for me, and to me, for 24 years." A lot has changed since 2nd Ave Hair Studio first opened its doors. For years, she had a contingent of ladies who came in every...
Our local nonprofits do tremendous work in supporting the Boulder County community. However, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and market drop, they have taken a hit. Many have had to shift day-to-day operations and get creative with funding to ride out the current storm. Via Mobility, which provides free or reduced cost transportation for older adults, people with disabilities, and others living with mobility limitations, has noted a 50 to 70% ridership decrease across its four ride divisions, of...
Buses are a common sight for those living in Boulder and Longmont, but they are easily forgettable since they seem to simply blend into the daily landscape of Colorado traffic. For those living in Niwot, perhaps the primary source of exposure to public transit may come from the park and ride lots on either end of Niwot Road, at Highway 287 and Highway 119. So, it may come as a bit of a surprise to discover that Denver's Regional Transportation District serves close to 3 million people across...
Last week's surprise winter storm might have seemed out of place in April, but as a recently donated artifact to the Niwot Historical Society (NHS) attests, spring blizzards are nothing new in the area. According to the April 6, 1957 edition of the Niwot Tribune (1921-1958), the area was "buried" under 18 inches of snow, which disrupted local phone service for four days. The Tribune clipping was one of several items donated to the NHS in March by longtime member Judy Gould Dayhoff, who has been...
