All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Thanks to the generosity of the community, Niwot Dental’s first holiday food drive collected nearly 10 boxes of food for the non-profit OUR Center in 2018. This year, from Nov. 11 through Dec. 19 the dental practice is once again offering a convenient drop off spot for your donations which will then be delivered to the Longmont charity on time for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. OUR Center, which helps the working poor, seniors, disabled and homeless members of our community by providing those individuals and families with food, clothing, a...
Just a few shows in and already Willowdale Live is taking root in Niwot. The live arts not-for-profit entertainment series has two more shows before the end of the year and 2020s early year talent lineup of Americana, bluegrass, and folk performers, along with artist-speakers, is nearly all booked. The shows take place once a month at Niwot's community gathering spot, the Left Hand Valley Grange. Willowdale Live's local co-founders Nick Dunbar and Andy Mann kicked off the inaugural show in...
This article continues a monthly series about the artworks and artists chosen for Community Corner at Sculpture Park at the corner of 79th Street and Niwot Road. This month's feature is "Spirit of the River" by artist Scott Campbell Reuman. The full title of this large metal structure is "Spirit of the River Does Not Live Long in an Irrigation Pipe." The piece was donated to the town of Niwot by the artist's family. "Creativity is the source that sustains and connects all humanity. Without it,...
Bear and Mini are two sophisticated, urbane canines. They live in Denver, but vacation in Gunbarrel. Both have found the Gunbarrel staff to be attentive and considerate. Walks are plentiful, especially with trips down the Cottontail Trail and summer swim time at Twin Lakes. A cold nose in the face of staff members at sunrise always produces a breakfast fit for royalty. Their only complaint is not enough scraps on the floor....
On Oct. 26, the Niwot Business Association honored Chuck Klueber with the 2019 Golden Hammer Award for outstanding volunteerism in Niwot. Pat Murphy of Niwot Real Estate presented Klueber and his wife Linda with the plaque shortly before the Halloween festivities began at the Great Pumpkin Party. The Golden Hammer has been awarded to the town's outstanding volunteer annually since 2009, when it was first presented to Curtis Lizakowski....
Our town is home to many noteworthy eateries offering mouthwatering dishes and a place to catch up with family, friends and neighbors. But no place has seen our town's transition quite like Lefty's Gourmet Pizza, on 2nd Avenue and Niwot Road. This pizza place has been a staple in the community, and, for the past 25 years, has outlasted even some of Boulder County's most-famed former establishments. Former astrophysicist, Lefty Harris, moved to Niwot almost three decades ago with his wife and...
While not quite a pet in the traditional sense, Homer the squirrel found his home and calling in Niwot. He's a naturalistic sculpture, Despite the fact that it was not a cut-into pumpkin, he started it, and by gosh, he will finish it! Pumpkin seeds, yummy!...
Local Gunbarrel brewery, Finkel & Garf, is a beloved staple in the community. Sunday afternoons can be whiled away on the patio with a delicious, uncomplicated beer in hand. The father-son team that set out to create a community gathering space did so with a few things in mind. They wanted their establishment to be no-frills where beer was more of a facilitator for fantastic memories, instead of the main event. The logo features toys, because the dynamic duo behind each brew believes that we are all still kids at heart. While Finkel & Garf is b...
The end of October always brings great excitement and joy. From fun decorations and displays to Niwot's annual Great Pumpkin Party, there are plenty of family friendly fun festivities. Many thanks to the Niwot Business Association, the Niwot Local Improvement District, Pat Murphy, along with Charlie Nygren and Premier Mortgage....
Hot Rize band member Pete Wernick (aka Dr. Banjo) entertained and educated a full-house audience at the Left Hand Grange hall Wednesday night Oct. 23, during his lecture on the history of the banjo. Wernick, who calls Niwot home, shared the chronological path banjos have taken as well as his own musical journey as part of this season's Niwot Historical Society's lecture series....
The informal committee preparing a report on the feasibility of incorporating Niwot is set to release its findings in the coming weeks, according to Mary Coonce, co-owner of Porchfront Homes and member of the study group, along with local residents and business owners Tony Santelli, Cotton Burden, Robert Discipio, Ron Bernal, Lane Landrith, and Anne Postle. “The committee is very close to finalizing the data,” Coonce wrote in an email response to questions about the status of the study. “We want to be certain our data is solid prior to relea...
Bring your alter-ego, your children and your parents, and a dog or two to Niwot's Great Pumpkin Party on Saturday, Oct. 26. The Niwot Business Association and Niwot Local Improvement District are hosting the 22nd annual masquerade party which includes door-to-door trick or treating at local businesses, a festive parade, and family-friendly entertainment from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Layered in crunchy orange and yellow leaves, stout pumpkins and scarecrows that make you do a double-take, 2nd Avenue bec...
Last year, my partner and I moved to Niwot for the dual purposes of not wanting to live in Boulder while wanting a place that somewhat resembles Taos, the place we just moved from. We found this quiet little haven and knew it would work for what we needed – a soft place to land while we plotted our next adventure. In May, I set my sights on the next horizon. Inspired by the Van Life trend that has spread like wildfire amongst my millennial generation, I purchased a large, bulky, white cargo v...
In late 2017, Gunbarrel resident Kristin Bjornsen was at an impasse. Following a "spectacular loss" in her lawsuit against Boulder County over violations of Colorado's sunshine laws, the full-time mother-of-two was torn on whether to proceed with a costly and time-consuming appeal or whether to leave the legal battle for government transparency to more seasoned professionals. "On the one hand I felt like the issues were clear, and I felt like I had clarity if I could just clear away the muddle...
The abrupt end to the garden season came with an unseasonable chill, smashing record lows and tying for largest temperature drop in one October day ever recorded. Plants that normally shrug off a light frost are struggling to find new life, while the tender plants were killed outright. While the sight of the dead are appealing the closer we get to Halloween, we can't leave those carcasses out there forever. Disease and insects find a nice home amongst the wreckage and for a garden to remain...
Peanut Butterkup, or PBK, answers best to "Kitty" at her new home in Niwot with Biff and Susan Warren. The friendly feline is on loan for a year until their granddaughter, Jenna Willemsen, finds a place at college next year that will allow cats....
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."...
Lamp posts along 2nd Avenue in Niwot were decorated with banners for the first year of a project honoring our local veterans. Each of the 32 banners is a tribute to U.S. service men and women with a connection to Niwot. Honorees' photographs, names, their years of service and which branch they served in are printed on each commemorative banner. Chances are many last names on the banners will be familiar to our readers. Sheila Ray, who first brought the veterans' project idea to the Niwot...
Pete Wernick, aka Dr. Banjo, fell for the stringed instrument in his teens. What brought a banjo into the hands of a NYC kid? It was the legendary Earl Scruggs of Grand Ole Opry fame that first piqued Wernick's musical taste buds. Decades of picking and plucking have made Wernick a world-renowned musician, songwriter, and educator who calls Niwot, CO his home. Dr. Banjo has entertained audiences at Niwot's Left Hand Valley Grange more times than he can count. The next appearance at his hometown...
Fringe Pizza (5400 Spine Rd., Boulder) is celebrating National Pizza Month throughout the month of October with its newest creation - Sweet Heat pizza - and a chance for one lucky customer to win a pizza a month for a whole year. Owner Nate Rajotte created a curiously crafted pie that includes garlic oil, basil, fresh mozzarella, goat cheese, pickled red onion, sopressata and Calabrian honey. This sweet and spicy creation is aptly named and sure to have Fringe's dedicated following clamoring...
Ellen Gostling is a force to be contended with. Gostling, a 2015 Niwot High School graduate, currently holds all of the state records in the junior 84kg weight class in equipped powerlifting, and since graduating college in May, she continues to make a name for herself in the sport. Starting out as a figure skater in high school and then a member of the cross country and swim teams during her senior year, Gostling understands how much hard work goes into being an athlete. So when friends...
Wall-e is a four-year-old yellow lab who lives with Niwot High staffer Michelle Baker and believes he's human. Writes Baker, "He is not named after the Pixar robot. I was lucky enough to have the pleasure to be his human from my family in Iowa. They love to fish for Walleye and Pike, and I wanted to honor their passion. His real name is Wallingford Pike, or Wall-e for short. Also known as Wallace, Waller, and Walls. He's a lover, not a fighter and always wanting to please. He loves the dog...
Within Boulder, Broomfield, Larimer, and Weld Counties, veterans over age 65 number more than 27,000 according to the Colorado Veterans Affairs Department. Boulder County alone is home to more than 9,000 military veterans over age 60 who rely on the health care services provided at regional Veterans Affairs medical facilities. Those neighborhood vets are looking to their medical professionals to help them stay healthy and to diagnose and treat their conditions. But challenges with driving,...
With the first snowfall predicted for Oct. 10, Boulder County restaurants are closing up patios for the turn season. That doesn't mean that our local watering holes and coffee shops are hibernating this fall or winter but instead, embracing the change. Beloved dishes, cocktail menus and draught lists are shifting to feature autumn's tasty bounty of fresh vegetables. Restaurants around south Longmont, Gunbarrel, and Niwot have just begun to feature favorite fall flavors. Here are some more of...
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...
Meet Maverick and Goose, whose names honor two of America's greatest fictional Cold War heroes, Pete "Maverick" Mitchell and his partner Nick "Goose" Bradshaw, who trained during the 1980s at the US Navy's Fighter Weapons School in San Diego, California, before a tragic accident led to Bradshaw's death. While the canine Maverick and Goose don't feel as much "need for speed" as their cinema counterparts, they do enjoy "long walks, playing fetch (or keep away), and spending as much time with...
The 2019-2020 Niwot Historical Lecture series begins with a bang – a bang on an ancient musical instrument that is. In the first of four planned lectures for the upcoming season, archaeologist Marilyn Martorano, will discuss the lithophone, one of the rarest prehistoric artifacts discovered in Colorado. "I always loved the archeology in the San Luis Valley, it's so diverse - from prehistoric times thousands of years ago to the historic period," Martorano said, "but I never thought I'd be s...
Two Niwot attractions sustained minor damage last week, after being tagged by vandals using spray paint and chalk. Sometime between September 24 and 26, graffitists defaced two landscape elements in Niwot's Community Corner Sculpture Park with the decidedly upbeat messages "Love is Real" and "Belivers" [sic], printed in chalk or grease paint. During the same time frame, Wise Buys co-owner Tim Wise discovered orange spray paint marks on the caboose and other structures in Whistle Stop Park. It...
Late last month, a judge in Boulder County District Court dismissed 20 of the 34 claims brought in a lawsuit filed by the Board of County Commissioners in 2018 to halt a large oil and gas drilling project proposed by Crestone Peak Resources. The court further determined that the county is responsible for Crestone’s attorney’s and court fees, the total amount of which will be determined at a hearing on Jan.16, 2020. The remaining 14 claims were either settled in Crestone’s favor, or withdrawn by the county. In a statement released on Sept....
This piece continues a monthly series about the artworks and artists chosen for Community Corner at Sculpture Park at the corner of 79th St. and Niwot Road. October's feature is "Agogo Grow" by artist Maureen Hearty. "Agogo Grow" is a repurposed steel and aluminum sculpture. Standing roughly 3 feet tall, it features flowers situated amongst the twisting, industrial steel rods. It is accompanied by a large drumstick, encouraging the viewer to play. Fittingly, it's in the middle of the park within...
October is arriving and with it the annual pilgrimage to pumpkin patches. Prowling in fields or rummaging through bins looking for the perfect jack-o-lantern, we’re all getting into the fall mood. Memorable fall enjoyment is ripe for picking at area farms, and local growers are holding their harvest festivals complete with orange, grey, white, warty, and giant novelty pumpkins. Hop on a hayride or test your skill at navigating a corn maze; you’ll find there’s fun for everyone at area patch...
Meet Zianna and Ben, who live in Niwot with their human companions Alexandra, Richard, and Mikhail, and are the first interspecies pair featured in this space. Writes Alexandra, "I never intended to have a huge white dog, but as it happened, Zianna lives with us and enriches our lives to no end. She is like a sister to our son and resembles Nana from Peter Pan. She charms everyone with her beauty, which is so helpful when there is white hair on everyone. She and Ben, our 10 year old cat, are...
Autumn ushers in more than scenic golden aspen groves and crisp fall evenings. Our locally loved Niwot coffee shops, bars, and restaurants have added delicious fall-themed flavors to their menus. From spiced treats to pumpkin-infused eats, here's the round up of area locales that have new fall surprises on their menus. The Old Oak, on 2nd Street, has a beautiful, hand-drawn menu announcing it's fall favorites. Warm coffee-based drinks are hand-crafted by the shop's experienced baristas and are...
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...
The controversial topic of climate change resides at the forefront of Front Range residents' hearts and minds. Living next to the picturesque Rockies, amidst protected open space, and near pristine lakes and reservoirs, we are acutely aware of climate change ramifications. In years with milder winters and less snowfall, farmers, ranchers, firefighters, forest service, hunters, and many others feel the impact in different ways that can affect livelihoods, incomes, and futures. Some argue that...
On Saturday, Sept. 28, Niwot's Left Hand Watershed Center is partnering with three other local watershed groups for Front Range Watershed Days, a day-long event to celebrate our area waterways and learn more about the efforts to restore and protect their health. "Watershed Days is really just to inspire people to connect to their watersheds and understand what the term is and that it's a resource that they should care about," LHWC Executive Director Jessie Olson said. Joining her group as co-hos...
The Left Hand Valley Courier has some talented readers, among them some knowledgeable gardeners. Reader Katy Bohn, whose garden was featured in the LHVC last summer, is also a member of the Boulder Valley Rose Society (BVRS), the group in charge of the Boulder Dushanbe Tea House rose garden. She and her fellow BVRS members all have home gardens that were also ravaged by the increased number of Japanese Beetles (JB) this past summer, and they were busy trying to protect the rose bushes at the...
Haystack Golf Course's website reads, "Since the 1800s, this land has been cherished for its beauty, bounty, adversity, and challenge." Fifty-three years since its inception those words continue to ring true. Julia Pirnack's mother and father, Lois and Bud Ebel purchased the 214-acre parcel of land on Niwot Road in 1963, including the volcano-shaped Haystack Mountain, after being smitten by its splendor. Originally a livestock and hay farm, the Ebels transformed it into a nine-hole golf course...
Colorado House Bill 1090, which takes effect on Nov. 1, allows for outside investors, including publicly traded companies, to jump into the state's billion dollar marijuana industry. In anticipation, Colorado-based Medicine Man Technologies (MMT) has signed binding agreements to purchase a multitude of dispensaries statewide, including Niwot's Starbuds outlet, along with four other stores in the chain. Medicine Man Technologies co-founder and CEO Andy Williams testified to the Senate Finance...
In the scheme of a community with a two block downtown, Left Hand Valley Grange No. 9 is almost a super structure. The austere corner building with a single third-story window at the peak makes for a big cream colored wall wrapping around the corner. A simple sign sits above the front door. The door is disproportionately small not just in comparison to the building's bulk, but because of all that has passed through it and what that entryway symbolizes. A 35-year resident of Niwot, Kellie Beran l...
It's official - the property formerly known as Colterra's restaurant has been sold for the asking price of $625,000. As of Friday, Sept. 6, the new owner of 210 Franklin Street is Palmos Development Corporation of Boulder. The family-run real estate development business is planning to build a mixed use project with the historic Bader House being the commercial property and the larger restaurant building most likely being replaced by residential property. "It's just a great piece of property,"...
The health benefits of halotherapy were first observed nearly 200 years ago, but you had to be a Polish salt miner to get them. These days, all it takes to get your salty fix is a quick trip to North Boulder for a visit to Salt of the Earth spa, a "holistic relaxation and rejuvenation center" that promises relief for a variety of common ailments and illnesses. "We get a lot of clients with allergies, sinus problems, and asthma," Salt of the Earth owner Pamela Martyna said. She opened her...
Classic Looks in Cottonwood Square celebrated its 30th anniversary on Aug. 15. The salon has been a fixture in this community, fulfilling Niwot residents' hair care and beauty needs for three decades. Now, the salon is ushering in a new era. Current owner Sheri Sutton has successfully run the business, building a faithful clientele throughout Niwot, Longmont, and Boulder. Recently, her son Chris Sutton, who has dual certifications in barbering and cosmetology, has joined the talented team. In...
Note: September 12 is National Mindfulness Day, a day set aside to promote and explore the physical and emotional benefits of being present and regulating emotions and behavior. Nearly 2.2 million individuals are incarcerated in the US, according to The Sentencing Project organization. Within those populations 80,000 to 100,000 people are being held in solitary confinement. Some of these prisoners have discovered a Niwot-based nonprofit program that moves them toward a sense of peacefulness and...
Two members of the informal committee exploring whether it is feasible for Niwot to incorporate gave a presentation to Niwot Community Association Board members at the board’s Sept. 4 meeting. Mary Coonce and Anne Postle spoke to the NCA about the work being done by the informal committee. Members of that committee are Niwot residents Tony Santelli, Cotton Burden, Robert Discipio, Ron Bernal, Lane Landrith, Coonce and Postle. Committee members had suggested that an NCA board member be added a...
Lefty’s Gourmet Pizza and Ice Cream has been a staple of downtown Niwot for over 25 years. This summer, the eatery added a new event to the docket - a community movie night. Each week, Lefty’s shows kid-friendly classics like Aladdin or romantic comedies like Serendipity. Movie night comes with a wealth of other additions to the pizza parlor. A new front deck, new tableware, renovated bathroom, and landscaped front and back yards were recent updates completed throughout the summer. Out bac...
Going strong 25 years after its debut, Boulder County Kids (BCK) magazine is the area’s comprehensive guide for all things family oriented. The brainchild of Jennifer Martin, BCK is about to celebrate the publication of its 100th issue. “It’s been a joy to do this over the years, “ Martin said. “Boulder County is extremely lucky to have the kind of facilities and diversity of activities for kids. There’s everything from paleontology to aerial dancing.” Quarterly, Martin puts together a 40...
Niwot’s Community Corner Sculpture Park at the crossroads of Niwot Road and 79th Street has imbued the town with creative inspiration. A meandering sidewalk bordered by ornamental shrubs and colorful perennials, metal benches, a whimsical Little Free Library, a pair of painted Left Hand chairs and nine captivating sculptures have resulted in a peaceful oasis to stroll through and a sanctuary to relax in. The Niwot Sculpture Park Committee is putting out a call to artists for more sculptures t...
Family Village in Longmont is modeled on a communal premise which many societies depended on only decades ago. In the past, families relied heavily on near-by friends, neighbors, and relatives for social connection and support with life’s daily tribulations. As we’ve progressed scientifically, we’ve become more isolated socially, relying on devices to help raise, rear, nurture, or connect. Founder of Family Village of Longmont, Melanie Piazza, believed there was a disconnect occurring, in part d...
Niwot LID advisory committee held its monthly meeting on Sept. 4. Treasurer’s Report Treasurer Bruce Rabeler presented the LID’s latest revenue report from Boulder County, which showed that the district has collected $92,571 in revenues through June 2019, up 3% from the same period in 2018 ($89,844). However, the growth was concentrated in just a few sectors, most notably retail, where revenues were up nearly 7% (to $36,131 from $33,842). Revenues were down for the Accommodation/Food Ser...
