All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
Sorted by date Results 2617 - 2666 of 4144
A proposal to create a library district is gaining steam with Boulder City Council, but the question of whether to raise property taxes to pay for it is ultimately one for the voters. At a 2020 kickoff celebration on Jan. 24, the Boulder Library Champions announced that it is seeking volunteers and donations to help win over those voters before November. "If you have energy, and are wondering what to do right now, it's a great time to get involved in fundraising," BLC's Michael Carcaise said....
Meet Chocolate, a 13-year-old ShihTzu-poodle, and Caribou, a seven-year old Alaskan Malamute, who live with companion Cindy Silvis. The pair average about 25 miles a week walking the sidewalks and trails of Niwot, and know the routes so well that they often demand that their human walk a certain direction....
Driving is a feeling of freedom you get when you're able to just travel wherever you wish. But, there may come a point in time when either you or someone close to you must make the decision to put the keys away and find another way to commute. Talking to an older person about their driving can be difficult and is often delayed until their driving is to a point of being dangerous. But if delayed too long, it can be a hesitation that can turn fatal. I speak from personal experience when I lost my...
Excel Electric's office has been located in Niwot for 35 years, so the sale of the building it's in and subsequent move to a newly constructed larger property in Longmont will be momentous. On Jan. 10, 2020, Harrington Stanko Construction closed on the purchase of the property owned by Related Investments Partners LLP, and occupied by Excel Electric (EE). "We're pretty excited to bring something really nice there for the town and the people to enjoy," Tim Harrington, partner at Harrington...
Readers of last week's Courier won't be surprised to learn that FEMA will soon be implementing new floodplain maps for Boulder County. But what does that actually mean for the average homeowner? Some Niwot residents along Dry Creek have lived in a floodplain for years. They attended the county's Jan. 16 information session with one question--would they be required to make changes to their property in response to the new maps? The simple answer is "no." But Boulder County has received a federal...
"The West" can mean a lot of different things to people--everything from "Gunsmoke" with its crime-fighting marshall, or the TV series "Dallas" and its oil-baron family. For author Sandra Dallas, the West is simply part of her life. "I consider myself part of that Western experience," Dallas said. "I was really only about a generation removed from the old West. There were still old men around who knew the early days of Colorado." As a child, Dallas was fascinated by history. Some of her...
Passenger rail service from Fort Collins to Pueblo in Colorado could be a reality in seven to 10 years if the Southwest Chief and Front Range Passenger Rail Commission is successful. Cue the skepticism. But Randy Grauberger, project director for the rail commission, told Niwot Community Association Board members at their Jan. 8 meeting that this group has the potential to be successful. “This group has the legislative mandate behind it,” he said. “We are charged to build, not just study. And we have strong interest in making this happen from...
Doctors' offices as a rule are less fun than say...a walk in the park. It can oftentimes be worse for pets, for whom a confusing visit to the veterinarian's office may be an onslaught of scents, close quarters shared with bewildering beings, possible unpleasant associations, and the scary anticipation of what's going to happen next. Niwot's Left Hand Animal Hospital (LHAH) wanted to alleviate the stress pets go through, so they sought out expert advice on the subject and the entire practice...
At some point in many children's lives, they want to be famous athletes, actors or rockstars. Most children don't fulfill those dreams, but 2015 Niwot graduate Bella Musser has done just that. "In high school, I was performing [solo] at open mics or coffee shops, and then on stage in musical theater," explained Musser. By the time she graduated high school, Musser had been performing for a number of years, so when it came to choosing a college and field of study, she knew what she wanted to do....
Even if you're not sure who Robert Burns is, you've almost certainly heard one of his most famous poems. Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne? For auld lang syne, my jo, for auld lang syne, we'll tak' a cup o' kindness yet, for auld lang syne. The famous Scottish poet wrote Auld lang syne in 1788 based on "an old man's singing" and set it to a traditional Scottish song, creating what is now a classic and standard...
Niwot residents are invited to attend a neighborhood meeting hosted by Terry Palmos to review and provide feedback on a preliminary plan for a project in the Niwot Rural Community District I on property formerly occupied by Colterra restaurant. Docket SPR-20-TBD: 210 Franklin, LLC Request: Residential/Commercial mixed-use Location: 210 Franklin, Niwot, CO Owner/Applicant: 210 Franklin, LLC The neighborhood meeting will be held at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 at the Left Hand Grange #9 (...
Meet Fizz the African Pygmy hedgehog! Fizz is about 2 years old and was adopted from the Boulder Humane Society. He can run about 6-10 miles every night on his exercise wheel...What an athlete! Fizz lives with his large extended family at Cottonwood Kennels....
Niwot poet Ian Hayes (left) spoke about his life and the way in which he garners inspiration for his poetry to an audience at Inkberry Books in Cottonwood Square Shopping Center on Sunday, Jan. 19. Hayes read aloud from a few of his 10 books titled, "In Other Words," and presented listeners with full sets of his work. Hayes will be adding three more books to his collection of poetry which comes to him from having read other authors' writings....
It's been nine months since the moratorium on development concluded for downtown Niwot and as yet, no new projects have been born, and new land use codes have not been put to the test. When the Boulder County Commissioners (BOCC) approved updated land use codes in April 2019, the nettlesome issue of access to the mostly unused alley between the residential side of the alley facing 3rd Avenue and the commercial area facing 2nd Avenue had yet to be laid to rest. BOCC approved more prescriptive...
Citing concerns over the appointment of new members of the Niwot Design Review Committee, member Anne Postle resigned from the Niwot LID Advisory Committee at its monthly meeting on Jan. 7. Reading from a letter she planned to send to the Boulder County Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 8, Postle said, "For me, with the NDRC process, this trust has again been compromised to the point that I cannot continue to serve as the NBA representative on the LID. I hope my resignation will be a wake-up...
FEMA will soon be implementing new floodplain maps for Boulder County. A move by the county last week to begin community review and appeals for the newly designated preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) from FEMA is just one step in an ongoing process to reevaluate and replace the old, outdated floodplain maps in Boulder County. In September 2019, the county came one step closer to approving new floodplain maps by adopting the preliminary FIRMS provided by FEMA. Those rate maps will be s...
Egor Zigura's statue titled "Kore That Awakening" will soon be standing tall in the expanded Niwot Community Corner. The winning sculpture created by Zigura of Kiev, Ukraine, along with three other sculptures will be put in place in Niwot next month. Zigura's depiction of a female figure is nearly six feet in height and is described as "a fragmented shape, harkening back to the Classical Antiquity." This piece was the winner of the $750 stipend awarded by the Niwot Sculpture Park Committee....
Prairie dogs are a contentious issue in Boulder County, so it is no surprise that Jan. 7, Boulder County's Annual Public Meeting on Prairie Dog Management ran overtime. In fact, it was difficult to derail the lively conversation long enough to welcome an unexpected visitor. Despite several murmured protests, the crowd hushed when a representative from the Birds of Prey Foundation pulled out a live red-tailed hawk. The hawk was no doubt intended as a reminder of the integral role prairie dogs...
According to Deborah Bowman, Ph.D., and licensed psychologist, "Mindfulness, itself, is like you take a string of pearls on a necklace, each moment is one of those pearls--the goal of it, it creates a continuum of awareness." When googling "mindfulness," after getting past ads for online classes, most search results are definitions, many of which focus on being fully, mentally present in any given moment. It has deep roots in Buddhist tradition and was introduced to much of Western culture by...
Niwot's Little Bird is a symphony of good taste in every form - from art to jewelry, clothing to body care. Sonja Motley-Turman can be found amongst the treasures at Little Bird, offering customers her assistance. Her expertise in all things fashion and style won't come as a surprise to those who know her well. But for everyone else, here is some insight into Motley-Turman's life. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC): Where did you grow up and what brought you to Colorado? Sonja Motley-Turman (SMT):...
On Jan. 13, members from the Niwot Business Association and Niwot Cultural Arts Association held a groundbreaking ceremony for The Depot at Whistle Stop Park, a permanent concession stand that will house beverage sales at the Rock & Rails summer concert series. Construction on the 990 square-foot structure is scheduled to start later this spring. In the meantime, the group is still hoping to raise another $50,000 to cover the costs. Tax-deductible donations may be sent to the Niwot Cultural...
This is Bryn, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, who just passed thirteen years on Christmas Day. Along with her guardian, Dave Fletcher, she is certified as a volunteer ranger with Boulder County Parks and Open Space. This job entails walking the county open space trails and greeting guests while reminding them of the rules, such as keeping dogs on leash. When Bryn isn't wearing her official green "Bark Ranger" scarf, she chases her dog sister, sleeps, and begs for cookies!...
Tara Kpogoh-Narh said when the owners of the Niwot Tavern came to her to gauge her interest in buying the bar-restaurant, "I told them absolutely, mostly because it's my house and I've lived there for 14 years. I didn't want someone to come in and buy it from underneath me and take my house from me." As of the first day of the new decade, the Niwot Tavern is officially owned by a partnership of existing owner Tony Santelli, Kpogoh-Narh, and Stacy Szydlek. Kpogoh-Narh has been managing the...
We're spoiled in our part of the world. You know that braggadocious maxim about Coloradoans getting 250+ days of sun every year. Add in the region's vast amount of natural beauty and the multitude of ways to enjoy it and there's no wonder we're all high on life here. But, when winter comes a-knockin' with shorter days, overcast skies, snow and ice, the contrast to how we feel during the rest of the year can make life feel tougher for a while. From early fall until spring arrives, many of us noti...
"We talk about turning the world into a garden. What if as we walked through neighborhoods and communities, everywhere you looked there were vegetables growing, fruits growing, mushroom logs, teenagers who knew their neighbors..." This is the vision outlined by Mara Rose, Co-Founder and CEO of Boundless Landscapes. And this innovative organization is in the process of making that vision a reality. Rose, Josh Tosteson, and Sep Kamvar co-founded Boundless Landscapes in 2019 to answer an important...
An application submitted by the Niwot Business Association to build a 14-space multimodal parking facility with a potential expansion up to 50 spaces at the intersection of 3rd Avenue and Murray Street has been put on hold by the Boulder County Land Use department, pending more information about the potential effects on local traffic. According to a Jan. 3 message to NBA representative Bruce Warren from staff planner Molly Marcucilli, the county transportation department requested a hold of the...
According to Susy Tallman, owner of Niwot's Juniper & Twine Floral and Gifts, "Flowers make people happy." Tallman, who retired from a nearly 40-year career in event planning and catering, heard about the Niwot Florist business being for sale, and eventually took over the business in August 2019, with the help of her daughter Nina, and changed the name. Since then, the mother-daughter duo and their staff have been working to establish Juniper & Twine's presence in the community. Tallman...
When Kate Johnson, author of "Tiny Goat, Big Cheese," started learning about goats and cheesemaking, she didn't realize she was ahead of the curve of a new hip trend sweeping the nation. When Gene Hayworth, owner of Niwot's Inkberry Books, started his own small-town bookstore and printing press, it was a big risk. "But if you don't try it, you'll never know what could happen," he said. Both Left Hand Valley locals are simply following their passions, and their work will be on display at an...
This is Jax, twin brother to last week's Mist. He can be a little shy but is a very loving boy who enjoys cuddles, treats, scratches behind the ears and staring into your soul. He's more than happy to sit and spend slightly too much time watching you, thinking how lucky he is to know you. Jax isn't interested in playing fetch like other dogs, he's not even interested in other dogs-he would much rather spend time with his sister and his human family....
Following the 2013 flood, the state-funded Colorado Hazard Mapping Program (CHAMP) has been re-mapping the regulatory floodplain of the most affected waterways in Colorado. In 2017 and 2018, Boulder County adopted comprehensive zoning map amendments to the Floodplain Overlay Zoning District based on draft CHAMP mapping for unincorporated Boulder County. The draft data were also submitted to FEMA, which released Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for CHAMP-studied stream reaches in September 2019. Boulder County adopted the...
At one time or another most of us have found ourselves in a bad situation that we have never experienced before; so what do you do in those situations? Keeping calm and safe is the best advice I have for you. So, if you ever experience a crash, try to keep calm. Check on your passengers to see if they are okay, and then check on the occupants of the other vehicle if there is one involved. A lot of times people feel they need to exit the vehicle immediately. You have just had a very traumatic...
Converting the Town of Niwot into a statutory municipality and funding its initial years of operation will "almost certainly" require an increase in local property and sales taxes, according to the Exploratory Incorporation Feasibility Study, an online report released last month by the Niwot Incorporation Committee (NIC) at www.Niwotstudy.com. Billed as "a grass roots effort to understand the costs, benefits and long-term implications of an incorporated Town of Niwot," the study goes on to...
According to statistics from the Boulder Municipal Airport (BMA), in 2017 there were 33 total complaints regarding aircraft noise. These statistics go back as far as 2009 and even though the number of complaints fluctuate over the years, frustration with the noise is consistent, if not growing. “There’ve been a lot of strong feelings about this for quite a long time,” said Gunbarrel resident Kate Chandler. “I want to move, I can’t sit on my porch, forget it. I can’t have a conversation, that’s how loud it is.” These strong feelings that C...
President John F. Kennedy once said, "If art is to nourish the roots of our culture, society must set the artist free to follow his vision wherever it takes him." Unfortunately for many artists, they are often limited by financial means, thus preventing them from pursuing the activities they love. This phenomenon is not limited to professional artists, many of whom find art later in life after working in "practical" career fields like finance or education. It's well known that schools are often...
According to the American Pet Products Association, in 2019 nearly 112 million U.S. households had a bird, cat or dog as an inhabitant. With horses, fish, reptiles, and small animals included in the statistic, more than 65% of homes have a non-human being of some sort living with them. Homes with dogs outnumber those with cats by a third - 63.2 million versus 42.7 million. Birds are a smidgeon of the statistic at 5.7 million and horses are just 1.6 million. Experts have learned that our...
Congratulations to third grader Beau Fronckiewicz for placing in the top 10 for the K-3rd grade division for his submissions in the Creative Communication's Poetic Power contest. Beaus' poem "Snowy Owl" was selected from thousands of entries. He will receive a poetry anthology and a check for $25. Beau is a third grader at the Mackintosh Academy in Boulder. He and his family live in Niwot....
What's this? Do great minds run in the same mudpuddles? Is it deja vu all over again? Where in the world are these mirror images of dragon mailbox posts? Do they look familiar? And while they are decked out for Christmas, you can only wonder what they might do on New Year's Eve. As always, your prize will be having your name printed in the Courier, and be given the title of "Where in the World Master Sleuth."...
In the fall of 2013, Sarah Echsner lost her younger brother to suicide. "No matter how much time goes by, it doesn't really change how deeply wounded I feel," said Echsner. "It's something that I carry with me all the time." Our community carries the collective grief for many who have chosen to take their own lives. We feel it, we think about it, but often, we don't talk about it. "Talking about him is helpful for me," said Echsner, "and I think a lot of people feel that way. Especially around...
This is Mist, a 9-year-old Sheltie pup who looks like she's all sugar and spice, but is super spunky. During one car trip, not only did she snub a complimentary treat from a friendly banker, she also jumped up on the dashboard of her owner's car. Hunkered down beneath the windshield, Mist refused to move back to the safety of the passenger seat or floorboard. Think Mayhem from the Allstate commercial, but cuter. Despite all this, Mist is a loving dog who enjoys naps in the sun and playing with...
How often do you ask yourself if you are driving impaired? I know you're asking why you would ask yourself that if you are not drinking. But are you actually impaired and don't realize it? Think of it this way, have you ever driven when you were tired or just drove while daydreaming? Let's take a look at this idea. The official definition of Driving While Ability Impaired is driving a motor vehicle when a person has consumed alcohol or one or more drugs, or a combination of both alcohol and one...
Proponents of a regional library district got a boost last month when the Boulder City Council agreed to prioritize the issue during an upcoming "deep dive" into the city's long-term budget and budgeting processes. At a study session on Dec. 10, eight members of the council approved a proposal by city manager Jane Brautigam to conduct "a holistic review" of the city's funding needs, starting in early spring with a "robust conversation" about a potential Boulder Library District. "We are very...
Colorado state minimum wage is $11.10 an hour. But by various exemptions provided by law, many agricultural workers make only $7.25 per hour. That might be enough during the long days of summer, but for those whose livelihoods fluctuate with the seasons, winter can be an economically trying time. Casa de la Esperanza means House of Hope, and this local organization is dedicated to supporting agricultural workers and their families year-round. In 1993, the first migrant laborers moved into this...
Retiree Kamilla Macar is anything but re-"tired." She's incredibly active, positive, outgoing, and caring. Each week, among the long list of other happenings keeping her busy, the 83 year-old will be found giving her time and energy to Cultivate, a nonprofit organization serving a variety of needs of local seniors. Macar is a person who loves to keep moving, and she's also an avid steward of the environment. For the past two years, twice a week, she's walked the mile each way between her house...
For Gunbarrel's Mary Capone, food has always played a central role and much of her life has revolved around the heart of the home - the kitchen. The renditions of Capone have included starting a creperie in downtown Boulder, being a cookbook author, writing gastronomic columns for magazines, owning a food manufacturing business and offering hands-on cooking classes. "My grandfather was a pretty famous restaurateur and had several Italian restaurants in our hometown," Capone said. "The rest was...
Looking for a winter outing that is fun for parents and children? Look no further than Gunbarrel Brewing Company. This treasured neighborhood brewery consistently hosts a bevy of year-round, community events, delicious food trucks, and musical performances. Beat the winter blues and get the kids out of the house by attending Gunbarrel Brewing's winter concert series, featuring award-winning children's entertainers, Jeff & Paige. This husband-wife duo met when each were studying environmental...
Niwot's local law firm, Warren, Carlson & Moore LLC (WCM), is excited to introduce the community to their newest member of the team. Attorney Heather Rutherford has taken over much of the firm's family law practice and is thankful to have been welcomed both by the WCM family as well as the Niwot community at large. She joins attorneys Bruce Warren, Tom Moore and Laura Moore as well as paralegals Vicki Maurer and Hannah Valadez at the law firm, which was established by Warren in 1975. Rutherford...
During the first week of December, the Niwot Patriotic Cookie Moms packed and sent 25 boxes full of Christmas goodies to troops deployed overseas. Hattie Steege and her daughter Michelle added some festive flair to the boxes, which were then loaded with home-baked cookies and other holiday treats for military personnel all over the world who will be away from their families during the holidays. One of those boxes reached an Army Major, who sent the following response: Good afternoon, I sincerely...
Featured this week is Iggy, who resides in Niwot with companions Dawn and Jeff Server of Meadow Lake Honey. Writes Jeff, "Iggy the bee cat watches over his realm from his favorite warm spot near the barn. He enjoys chasing down voles, field mice and an occasional tomato hornworm caterpillar. We call him the bee cat because he likes to hang out with us while we work the beehives out in back. Not sure if he's got a taste for honey, but he does love popcorn."...
To celebrate the season, sing along with me (with apologies to the original version of the carol). In the final days of Christmas, the garden calls to me: Twelve seeds-a-sprouting – In late winter, change up your garden by starting your own seeds. You'll expand your varieties beyond the choices everyone is offered and have a garden custom fitted to your taste or pleasure. Eleven pipes- a-bursting – If you don't get your backflow preventers wrapped before the arctic blast in November, take tim...
Every year, the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators holds contests for up and coming illustrators. In 2017, the Rocky Mountain Branch recognized then-Niwot High School senior Anya Berlova for her artwork and published it in their annual calendar. Drawing on her love for artwork and her interest in business, she knew she wanted to find a way to combine these passions. Thanks to the support of the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder, Berlova has created...
