All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Editor's Note: The Niwot Patriotic Cookie Moms will be collecting for the Rock & Rails tip jars on August 8, not on August 1, as stated in the Courier's July 31 Community Calendar. Want to dance the evening away to some “joyful” rock and roll? Want to increase the happiness quotient by supporting our military members? You have the chance to enjoy both activities at the Aug. 8, Rock & Rails concert in Whistle Stop Park. While Something Underground plays what band members call “joyful rock,” all t...
Hello all. Greetings and salutations, hail fellow well-met, g’day milady. And how is everyone doing today? I’m asking that question not just as a matter of polite form, but rather because I genuinely want to know the answer. It’s something that’s been on my mind a lot recently. It’s a question that’s supposed to express, and model, a general civility. The word “civil” has generally passed into usage as synonymous with “polite.” But that’s a mistake; to be polite is just to observe and practice...
This column is designed to highlight good and bad government in the Niwot-Gunbarrel area. Readers are encouraged to email the Courier with descriptions of local events showing exemplary performance by our government officials in serving the people, as well as those actions that fall well short of that standard. This week’s column features assistance provided to the Niwot Community by the youngest members of the Boulder County Sheriff’s staff. Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle’s staff is often...
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...
Boulder County is now accepting applications for the Niwot Design Review Committee, a panel of local residents that serves as a referral agency for new development applications in the town’s historic district. The county is seeking five new members for the board, which meets on an as-needed basis to review new building proposals for compliance with design and aesthetic standards that preserve the historic character of downtown Niwot (paint color, building materials, signage). The NDRC then makes...
In an effort to help area families save some money, Niwot High is teaming up with Gunbarrel Family Medicine to provide free sports physicals to students participating in athletics in the upcoming 2019-20 school year. “Sports are expensive, from buying equipment, to fees, and everything else that goes with it,” new Cougars athletic director Joe Brown said. “So any opportunity we have to reach out to our community and find scholarship ways to help lower barriers for kids to participate, we want...
Anyone walking down Murray Street from 2nd Avenue was often treated to sweetly scented wafts of freshly baked pies emanating from the unassuming building on the west side of Murray Street, which is home to Excel Electric in the front and a locally loved pie shop, My Mom’s Pies in the back. Sadly, after years of baking, My Mom’s Pies has closed its doors. Owners Jeff Ballard and Kini Christie moved to Hawaii a few years ago and were running the store from across the Pacific. They relied heavily o...
Almost two years of conjecture around the reopening of Colterra Restaurant in Niwot was put to rest by a “For Sale” sign in the front yard as of Thursday, July 18. The 10,000 square foot corner lot at 210 2nd Avenue, including the historic Bader Building, and the scorched larger “barn” building, are being offered for $625,000. Public records show the property was last purchased for $1,150,000 in 2006 by the entity, Table 210 LLC, with a post office box in Niwot. Colterra Restaurant was owned a...
“Great oaks from little acorns grow,” and The Old Oak Coffeehouse in Niwot is no exception. Since its opening in July 2017, the small shop has become deeply rooted within the town and community of Niwot, and now serves as more than just a place to grab a cup of coffee. Though still a fairly new business, The Old Oak (136 2nd Avenue) has quickly become one of the most popular gathering spots in Niwot. Over the past two years, owners Michael Tomich and Patty Machen have continuously worked to imp...
We’re fortunate to live in a state whose geography and geology is diverse and varied, yielding dramatic landscapes that have long inspired exploration and adventure.But Colorado’s beautiful landscape also contains great amounts of natural resources, including crude oil and natural gas. Because of these energy-rich resources, the state’s land rights and use have been hotly contested since its earliest days as a territory. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, almost 9 out o...
Dancing Under the Stars’ inaugural evening in Niwot had an estimated 200 smiling dancers cha-cha-cha-ing in temperatures over 90 degrees in the Cottonwood Square Shopping Center’s west parking lot. It would have been a hot event regardless, given the Latin music playing and the excitement of the social event. Some participants came to town from Denver and Ft. Collins, organizer Catherine McHale reported. The event started at 7 p.m. with a lesson on salsa steps and the number of dancers grew as...
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...
Want a break from cooking dinner at home one night? Love drones, K9 dogs and good music? Then come to the National Night Out event starting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 6, on Murray Street between Second and Third Avenues in Niwot. The National Night Out event gives Niwot area residents the chance to meet and mingle with deputies and staff from the Boulder County Sheriff's department, Mountain View Fire & Rescue, the Longmont Emergency Unit and the Colorado State Patrol. The Boulder County...
In early 2017, Virginia Dutkin and 20 of her Niwot neighbors launched the Left Hand Giving Circle, a philanthropic organization that uses pooled resources to donate funds and volunteer hours to area non-profits. In the two years since, the group has granted $30,000 and donated nearly 1,000 community service hours to local programs and events. Now in its third year, LHGC has grown to 50 members and the list of community organizations it has impacted is rapidly expanding. For Dutkin and the group,...
Reminders of Niwot’s historic garden club, originating in 1938, are easily spotted around Boulder County. From the gazebo in Whistle Stop Park — a tribute to the original built by the garden club decades ago — to the club’s scrapbook at the Longmont Museum, this gardening club was an important pillar of Niwot society for many years. The original gardening club was 25 members strong, with a waiting list of potential new members ready to step in when the opportunity arose. The gardening club wa...
Sarah Cioni’s flower bomb and classes took place at the Left Hand Grange on Thursday, July 18. While assembly for all three classes was completed indoors, the capstone display was later exhibited on the wrought iron gates of Osmosis Gallery. Some of the classes were attended by folks from south of Denver, who came to see and learn from Cioni, who previously owned The Painted Primrose. She has been freelancing in the Los Angeles area, and has done many large floral installations, including s...
This summer has been glorious for flowers, thanks to wet, cooler weather for the first part of the summer. Gardens are showing off, and with a little help from those who tend them, the flowers should have a spectacular second show. Keep the bloom going with a simple, but necessary practice. Deadheading, as it applies to gardening, is the removal of flowers from plants when the flowers are fading or dead. If you’ve never done it, here are a few tips to keep it from being a long, strange trip t...
This is the first part of a two-part series covering pollination - what it is and what does that important work. Next week’s article will delve into what can be done to help protect and increase pollinator populations. There’s some free real estate in Niwot - beautiful little bee and butterfly houses on trees along Hidden Valley Trail, just west of the recycling center on 79th Street in Niwot. While it may look like the trees are on open space, most of the pollinator abodes were anonymously hun...
I had one of those moments last night, wherein something taken for granted comes to life again before your eyes, and you realize that it’s a precious gift, and not at all something to assume as natural and given, and I thought: My word, thank goodness for the existence of the Public Broadcasting System, otherwise and more commonly known as PBS. The particular program which endowed me with this sense of gratitude was a two hour-long retrospective look at the Tiananmen Square protest movement in B...
Boulder County’s Transportation Maintenance Division has started its annual chip seal work on county roadways. The work will take place from approximately 6:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and is expected to last three weeks, weather permitting. To aid in cycling safety and to help create a smoother ride, a smaller chip size will be used than is typically applied on other roads that are not maintained by Boulder County Transportation. Boulder County Transportation encourages m...
It’s not a mid-life crisis, but Niwot Youth Sports is hoping to have a little work done after turning the big 5-0 earlier this year. In the coming weeks, the non-profit organization, formerly known as Gunbarrel Lefthand Valley Recreation Association (GLVRA), plans to launch a capital campaign to fund some much-needed improvements to its largest field complex, Hangge Fields at Monarch Park, according to Executive Director Patrick Longseth. “We’re going to raise funds this year to put a build...
Front Range Community College, located in Longmont, is gearing up to open another branch in its Center for Integrated Manufacturing building (CIM). This facility and the degree programs conducted inside expand upon the college’s existing curriculum with additional programs centered on automation, machining, and manufacturing. This 27,000 square-foot space provides the training ground to help Colorado residents fast-track workforce training that offers stable work and a great income. George N...
Summer is officially in full swing, and as visitors and Coloradans alike spend more time in bear country, it is critical to stay bear aware. Colorado Parks and Wildlife reminds everyone that it is crucial to bearproof your property and cars when living in or traveling to bear country this summer. Black bears are curious and smart animals, always on the lookout for a meal that requires the least amount of effort. Cars, garages, and houses unfortunately often provide the meal a bear is looking...
Banners will be flying along 2nd Avenue in Niwot this year for the first time in honor of those with a local connection who have served in the U.S. military. The Niwot Community Association in conjunction with the Niwot Business Association was inspired by Gunbarrel resident Sheila Ray’s suggestion to do what her hometown of Emporia, Kan. does for their Freedom Fest when the faces and names of veterans grace their main street. As a result, the NCA and NBA formed a committee to bring a similar pr...
The Girls Go CyberStart security challenge is as much a test of strategic thinking as programming skills, and for the second straight year, a team from Niwot High has proved highly adept at both. In the three-day finals held last month, the talented quartet of Davita Bird, Julia Curd, MacKenzie Demmel, and Caitlyn Fong beat out more than 100 other teams to finish first in Colorado and ninth nationwide, a feat that garnered them each a cash prize and a newfound respect for the power of...
Here it is the middle of July and the grass is still green. Thunderstorms have been rolling through and the branches of healthy trees are full of leaves. Things are likely to change as we move into August, with continued heat and sun. Often trees will start to shed their excess “solar cells” or leaves that don’t produce enough energy and consume too much water. In the arborist world we call this “compensatory leaf drop” and it is very common to see at the end of summer as trees adjust to make t...
To the editor: Starr Aldrich ~ I recall the first time I met/talked to Starr ... It was at the 4th of July in 2013. I went over to thank him for bringing Sparky and Engine #10, because they are both so integral to the Niwot community events. And I thanked him for the enjoyment I just had observing Sparky talking to a lady. The lady was looking everywhere for the Sparky handler, who acknowledged that her red dress matched his fire engine. The lady looked at the roof of the Niwot Market thinking...
Niwot may be known for honoring its namesake with a great deal of left-handed this and left-handed that, but beginning Friday, July 19, even those among us with two left feet will be celebrating when they join in on the joyfulness of community dancing. You’ve heard of “Dancing in the Streets”, “Dancing with the Stars,” and “Dancing in the Moonlight”, and now...there’s “Dancing Under the Stars Niwot.” Event organizers, Catherine McHale and Tom Masterson want people to come on their own or with ki...
Niwotians will agree that Rock & Rails is a great way to bring the community together each week, hear some killer live music and tuck into delicious, local grub. But what’s even more special about this beloved neighborhood event is the amount of money it raises for local charities each Thursday. Half of the tip jar proceeds from the upcoming July 18 Rock & Rails concert will go to Via Mobility. This Boulder-based non-profit provides residents with limited mobility a convenient, reliable way t...
Motorists who were trying to drive on 79th Street north of Highway 52 on Saturday, July 6, were in for a bit of a surprise. Detour signs were up. The problem was a sinkhole due to a failed culvert. As a safety precaution the hole was marked and the road was closed just north of the Niwot Loop Trailhead and recycling center. It was estimated that the culvert would be fixed and the road repaved by Tuesday afternoon or early evening, July 9....
Behold, the simple prairie dog. Cute, occasionally controversial, almost always an afterthought when contemplating our rugged Western landscape’s wildlife. We easily overlook these ground dwelling creatures until we hear their high-pitched warning call or see their fluffy backsides zipping down into a hidden hole. Well, lo and behold, the once unoccupied Sculpture Park has its first formal resident in the form of a tawny-colored rodent known as the prairie dog. To the untrained eye, it’s dif...
You can’t celebrate all day if you don’t start in the morning, so the festivities got underway early at the annual Fourth of July celebration in Niwot. Sponsored by the Niwot Community Association, this year’s event featured a pancake breakfast at Niwot Market, followed by bike decorating and a concert by the Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band. Hundreds of spectators lined up along 2nd Avenue for the main event, which kicked off a few minutes after 11 a.m., led by a flag-...
After floods ravaged Boulder County in 2013, the Left Hand Watershed Center (formerly the Lefthand Watershed Oversight Group) spearheaded efforts to rebuild its namesake waterway with a series of long-term restoration projects designed and implemented using a science-based approach. Now the 76-square mile system is on its way to a healthier and more resilient future, and the center is hoping to foster a “stewardship ethic” among neighboring communities and the public at large. “We’re at a prett...
One of several storms to recently pass through the area knocked out power for about an hour in downtown Niwot on Sunday night, and created a full arc rainbow framing the tree sculpture of Spear Lodge Man on Niwot Road....
Niwot resident Starr Elliott Aldrich, Jr.,, age 70, died Sunday July 7, 2019. Services at 10:30 am Friday, July 12, 2019 at Calvary Bible Church, 3245 Kalmia Ave, Boulder. Memorial contributions can be made to the Mountain View Fire Rescue Foundation, 3561 N. Stagecoach Drive, Longmont, CO 80504....
The following is part of an ongoing series dealing with road conditions in Gunbarrel and Niwot. The Courier previously has covered what types of road problems are currently being fixed. The following article covers how the Burgundy Park subdivision created a PID to fix and maintain its roads. While everybody talks about the poor conditions of subdivision roads, there is one small community that has done something about it. In 2017, the Burgundy Park subdivision in Niwot formed a Public Improveme... Full story
Is getting away from it all, being one with nature, spending time off the grid appealing to you? Do a toilet and shower, a comfy full-size bed, a well equipped kitchen and easy portability of your outdoor toys also register high on your happiness meter? Dunraven Campers, a Niwot-based business, specializes in hand-built, customizable campers that meet all of those desires. Created by Niwotians Abbie Wathen, an aerospace engineer, and her husband Bob Petty, a software developer, the aluminum... Full story
Tom Theobald only will allow the Courier to bestow a Left Hand Laurel to him if his community involvement is qualified as being historical. Not a problem, because he did begin making a difference quite a while ago. But, we can’t resist saying he’s still a force for what’s good and continues to contribute greatly to this community and beyond. Seventy-six year old Theobald reminisces about his days growing up on a lake in Delavan, Wisconsin roaming the fields, wearing a bathing suit all summe... Full story
This week the Pet Spotlight goes to Missy, Smokey, and Jackson, the three rescued cats of area resident Nancy Arata. The Left Hand Valley Courier is pleased to announce its new Pet Spotlight. Each week we are asking our readers to send in their cutest photos of their pet(s) accompanied by a short caption explaining what their pet(s) of choice are, what their names are and any other fun information you would like to share with our readers. We look forward to seeing your pets in our spotlight.... Full story
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. We pick up with “Three Graces” by artist Sue Quinlan. “Three Graces” features two steel and concrete pillars, covered in ancient faces, intersecting to make a “T.” Fittingly, it boldly faces the bustling “T” intersection at Niwot Road and 79th Street. The sculpture is currently on loan from the artist and available for purchase. Artis...
Dawson School’s canoe and kayak team, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, will be represented by four students at the Wildwater World Championships in Bosnia this July. Dawson's Charlie Sutcliffe (Class of '20) and Kartik Raghavan ('22) will compete in solo Men's Kayak, Olivia Spencer ('21) will compete in solo Women's Kayak, and Peter Coggan ('19) in solo Men's Canoe. The team has had another exciting season of competition this year to earn this opportunity, including racing in n...
In 2018, Mary Gillett graduated from Niwot High School and headed west for Stanford University. During her first year, she joined a local volunteer program called “Mon Ami” that pairs senior citizens with college-aged companions. Started by two Stanford graduates, Mon Ami - meaning “my friend” in French - places activity companions with isolated and lonely seniors to provide social engagement that the seniors may currently be lacking. Gillett was paired with a woman named Doris in the spring...
Recent vandalism at Niwot Children’s Park, and across the street at Whistle Stop Park, has prompted the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA) to install security cameras at the sites. Tim Wise, a member of the Children’s Park building committee who continues to monitor the park for maintenance issues, removed graffiti from the boys bathroom earlier this year. Jim Fletemeyer, another member of the building committee, noticed that someone had placed pornographic material in the Little Free Lib... Full story
At a public hearing on June 19, the Boulder County Planning Commission gave its go-ahead to proposed renovations at the Boulder Country Club that will add approximately 2,000 square feet to its main clubhouse. However, because the 55-year old structure is a “relatively intact and significant example” of local architect Hobart Wagner’s work, the country club must agree to seek formal landmark status before building permits will be issued, according to the conditions attached to the plann...
He might have been a little too short to see the stage, but budding photographer Summit Boerner, age three, had a good eye for the goings on in the crowd at Rock & Rails on June 27. Courier reporter Abigail Scott bravely handed her camera to Boerner, who came back with this perspective of Niwot’s weekly concert series....
Jody Evans didn’t start hula hooping with the intention of forming a business from the activity. Instead, she took up hula hooping as a way to relieve stress and invite happiness back into her life. During a tough period about nine years ago, Evans walked into her garage and picked up a K-Mart hula hoop. In an effort to release tension, shake off the blues and just feel happy again, she tried to hula hoop with the once-forgotten plastic ring. It was broken and aged and didn’t work correctly so...
Dec. 21, 1927 - June 6, 2019 Susie Jane Wilcox Banks passed away on June 6, 2019 in Longmont at age 91. She was born December 21, 1927 in Rockport, Arkansas.She was the first child of Doyle L. Wilcox, and Julia Jane (Hoskins) Wilcox. Susie was a graduate of Malvern High School (Malvern, AR) and earned a BA degree from Hendrix College (Conway, AR) in 1947. In August 1947, Susie married C. Wayne Banks, a United Methodist minister and educator. The young Banks couple were the proud parents of a...
On June 18, the Boulder County Commissioners considered a petition from the owners of the property where Left Hand Animal Hospital is now located, 304 Franklin Street in Niwot, to be annexed to the Niwot Local Improvement District. Mark Ruzzin, a member of the county commissioners’ staff, presented the petition to the commissioners, noting that the business was formerly located on 2nd Avenue, an area included in the district, but had recently moved to a location that is outside the district. The hospital’s new location is less than a block fro... Full story
If you were to do a time lapse video of the past 35 plus years of Niwot, it’s guaranteed you will have crossed paths with Victoria Keen and her husband Mike Selak many times. The Colorado-bred couple has seen Niwot grow from a far-flung rural offshoot to a flourishing hamlet. Living in the area so long means they’re waving and saying hello on a regular basis to folks they know from a multitude of settings. The Courier asked these familiar faces a few questions to shed some light on what makes th...
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...
