All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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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...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
Patty Strecker of Niwot is unabashedly red, white and blue patriotic. The co-founder of the Niwot Patriotic Cookie Moms will serve as the Niwot July 4 parade Grand Marshal, an honor given by the Niwot Community Association board which sponsors and organizes the parade. She has asked the entire cookie moms group – about 40 strong – to walk behind the grand marshal’s car in the parade. “I was just utterly shocked to receive this honor,” Strecker said. “I am not the only one who helps in this eff...
Upon first speaking with current Los Angeles resident Sarah Cioni, it becomes immediately clear that she still loves Niwot. In 2001, Cioni opened The Painted Primrose in Niwot. "It was always my childhood dream to be a shopkeeper, whatever that meant." Cioni explained, laughing. She thought selling tulips on Friday would make a nice addition to the shop's current offerings, so Cioni purchased a floral cooler and did just that. One fateful day, a customer came in and inquired about floral...
Jack’s Solar Garden will now have its place in the sun. On June 13, Boulder County Commissioners unanimously gave their approval for co-owner Byron Kominek to commence with plans to build the county’s first of its kind co-mingling of solar power and agriculture. The farm property, which has been in Kominek’s family for three generations, is located at 8102 N. 95th Street, Longmont. Commissioner Deb Gardner was the first to move to approve the solar garden, stating, “This is certainly the dir...
Inviting tables covered in red-checkered linens, padded stools in a neat row at the renovated bar, and a pristine double-wide range and gleaming convection oven in the immaculate galley kitchen indicate the debut of Niwot’s Pinocchio’s Incredible Italian eatery is getting very close. Restaurateur Annie Vick said to expect the enticing scents of garlicky marinara and freshly baked cakes and brownies by the first week of July. Aside from a few finishing touches like the installation of back wal...
The Lefthand 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 can only choose one photo per week for print, but we can display all the photos we receive on our online edition of the paper. This week the Pet Spotlight goes to Simba...
Niwotian Kelsi Singer is making international news as the 2019 Harold C. Urey Prize winner. The Urey Prize is awarded by the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Sciences to early-career scientists, of any nationality, to recognize and encourage exceptional accomplishments in planetary research. The winner must be either under age 37 or have earned a doctorate degree within the past six years. Singer, 35, was nominated for the honor by a group of scientists working with her a...
Niwot Market’s Friday Night Dinners are back, bigger and better than ever. Comments from diners at last week’s dinner were a resounding thumbs up. Chuck, a regular at the dinners, summed it up well. “This is the complete package in that you get the music, the quality of the food and the overall spirit of our town. This is really the Niwot kind of chill.” The rave reviews never ended. Jim, another regular, poetically stated, “Just a great place to get together after a long hard day at work. The f...
According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, one in five adults in the US suffers with mental health issues. It’s estimated that 50 percent of those individuals also deal with addiction. Homelessness, deaths from overdoses and suicide, leaving educational programs, and chronic unemployment are just a few of the results of mental health and addiction issues. On May 29, Recovery Café Longmont (RC) opened its doors to anyone who needs help recovering from mental health or addiction pr...
Mountain View Fire Rescue, established as a special district in 1961, will be growing into a new 23,100 square-foot maintenance facility being constructed at 5322 County Road 7 in Erie, CO. The new building will provide much-needed space for MVFR’s staff to perform maintenance on its larger fire engines and ladder trucks indoors, out of Colorado’s unpredictable elements. Mountain View Fire serves Erie, Mead, Dacono, Niwot and areas of unincorporated Boulder and Weld counties. It also provides ma...
Toot-toot, all aboard the train of thought. Take a seat as it leaves the station, let’s see where it’s going to go. There was a tiny terrorist in my bedroom the other night, whining in my ear each time I started to drift away to dreamland. Thankfully, the siege didn’t last long, either because I successfully whacked it, or it wandered elsewhere. But in the morning I remembered it, and that led me to recall other times when mosquitoes and their ilk have taken nights of sleep away from me. Mexic...
Each moment is a new one and every growing season is unique. Here we are, two weeks into June in Colorado and it’s a remarkable season so far. We experienced the coldest May in 24 years. Most everyone is aware of the record snow pack up in the mountains this spring. Arapahoe Basin has 25 runs still open and ski and snowboard bums across the Front Range have broken out their Speedos and bathing suits for some late season spring skiing action photos. If you are seeing some funky symptoms on your t...
The Niwot Local Improvement District advisory committee held its monthly meeting on June 4. Treasurer Bruce Rabeler presented the LID’s latest revenue report from Boulder County, which showed that the district earned $16,406 in March, the highest total this year and the highest total for March in at least the past five years. Noting a similar total from February 2018 that is still in dispute, Rabeler speculated that this might be another case of a mistaken or misdirected deposit by the State o...
Last week, horticulturists from around the world gathered in Denver for the 12th annual Garden Bloggers Fling, a yearly meet-up of gardening bloggers, who spend three days exploring the host city’s horticultural hot-spots. On Saturday, the tour headed northwest to Boulder County, where nearly 100 gardening enthusiasts got a chance to tour some of the local area’s backyard paradises. Among the stops was the Niwot home of Scott and Paula Deemer, located near the Mountain View fire station. “It...
Fitness has always been a part of Niwot High grad Kristy Neary’s life but it wasn’t until attending a Training for Warriors summit that she decided to open a gym of her own. Previously, Neary, who graduated from NHS in 2000, worked a regular job and pursued her fitness goals on the side. She admits her personal fitness regimen was much more than the average person’s and she was always looking for something fun, rewarding and different than a traditional fitness routine. Eventually, Neary befri...
It isn’t exactly Hogwarts, but there’s something magical about Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center, located just east of Niwot at 11968 Mineral Road. For nearly four decades, the CTRC has been providing equine-assisted activities (EAAT) and therapies to people with disabilities, and sometimes the results are nothing short of extraordinary, according to executive director Michele Bruhn. “Horses are very empowering. People can spend time with a horse, and they don’t feel judged. If someone has a di...
To the Editor: I am Winston The Pig’s mom and we would like to ask visitors to only bring an apple or a carrot when stopping for a visit. We have had problems with people feeding Winston other things and it has made him sick. We are also asking visitors to tell/make Winston sit before giving him an apple or a carrot. With all the visitors, he has become very snappy and greedy, and we need to curb this bad habit. We appreciate the love Winston gets to bring to people and the love he receives. E...
Twenty-eight artists, 59 completed people’s choice ballots, and three judges’ professional opinions have resulted in the winners for this year’s “Why Not Niwot?” Juried Art Show., sponsored by the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA). Displayed at more than 15 businesses throughout town, the eclectic and imaginative entries illustrated what makes the town of Niwot inimitable. Following a musical performance by the Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band at June’s First Friday Art...
This year, on what would have marked the ninth year of the much loved Jazz on 2nd Ave festival, downtown Niwot will be void of the wafting notes of trumpets, bass, drums, and saxophones. Craig Blockwick, co-founding director of the event, said that with the closure of Treppeda’s Ristorante, the location of the festival became a problem. While the organizers looked at a couple of other places in town to have the event, the given timeframe wasn’t conducive to either the necessary permitting or...
Debbie Lammers is this month’s Left Hand Laurel recipient because of her dedication to St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) and schools throughout Colorado. Lammers spent her formative years in Las Vegas where her father was a hotel executive. She was in seventh grade when her father passed away. Her family relocated to Northern California a year later. She attended California State University - Chico and then worked as a legal assistant and a paralegal for many years. She and Chris, her h...
Boulder County seems to have a high concentration of talented, creative and accomplished people. Sometimes, we learn about them from the news, but once in awhile, they live in our neighborhood and we learn of their existence through the coincidence of daily routines. Enter Rich Alpers. You’ve likely seen his face many times on his real estate signs in Boulder County. Rich lives in Gunbarrel, and has been in Boulder for 30 years. But before he embarked on his career selling homes, he was an a...
Government officials in Colorado will have to be more transparent about closed-door executive sessions and other internal communications after the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled that Boulder County violated the state's sunshine laws during the debate over development of the Twin Lakes Open Space. In a published opinion released in April, the appellate court reversed key portions of two rulings made by Boulder District Court Judge Thomas Mulvahill against Gunbarrel resident Kristin Bjornsen,...
Niwot Community Association board members agreed at their June 5 meeting to try a different approach with Boulder County Commissioners to find a solution for fixing subdivision roads. County officials are in the process of adding a public health element to the Boulder County Comprehensive Plan. The proposed element includes a goal of “transportation pathways that are safe and accessible for all residents regardless of geography or transportation mode….” “I think we can approach transportation sa...
Conversion of Boulder County leased farmland to genetically modified-free zones has been extended by county commissioners for another two years for corn crops and four additional years for sugar beet crops. The highly-charged issue brought out concerned citizens and farmers, making for standing room only during the June 3 hearing. Fiddling with the genetics of the seeds isn’t the biggest issue. It’s the chemicals added to the seeds, glyphosates (found in Roundup) and neonicotinoids (ne...
Each year, the Niwot Chiefs Cool Car Club gathers in Longmont for its annual Cars & Coffee for a Cause event. Car enthusiasts from all over park their beloved automobiles in the Texas Roadhouse parking lot and spend the day marveling at other restored classics. This past Saturday marked the 4th annual Cars & Coffee for a Cause and drew an enthusiastic crowd. This unique event is the brainchild of Bill Shaffer, a local UPS driver who sought to make a difference and share his passion for classic...
It’s counterintuitive for us animal lovers to stumble across a seemingly stranded young wild animal, and leave it alone. Our motherly instincts kick in and we feel compelled to pick up that irresistible young creature thinking we just saved its life. According to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, (CPW) nothing can be further from the truth. Sharon Schaller, senior wildlife biologist said, “We are asking that the public take responsibility and play a part of protecting Colorado’s young wildl...
The family-owned Bank of Estes Park first opened its doors in the friendly mountain town in 1965. It remained a one-branch bank until 1994 when the family opened a satellite bank here in Niwot. Now, that branch is turning the big 2-5 and big changes are afoot, according to Vice President/Branch Manager Wanda Fisher. Most noticeable are the physical changes. In fact, the entire bank got a total overhaul, completely changing the interior and practically doubling its size. The bank took over part...
The first Rock & Rails concert of 2019, produced by the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA) and the Niwot Business Association, drew quite a crowd. Guests arrived early to grab spots in the shade and close to the stage. The sky set a pretty magical backdrop, its gentle sunset mingling with an approaching evening storm, which held off until after the 9 p.m. end of the event. There was a major difference between this year’s Rock & Rails and prior seasons, felt by volunteers and attendees a...
The skies over the Innovation Center were buzzing on Saturday, June 1 as dozens of remote controlled planes and drones took to the air during the first annual AeroFest, an open flight and competitive racing event hosted by students in the St. Vrain Valley School District’s aeronautics program. “As far as I know, this is the largest youth program that we’ve ever put together,” said Richard McCaskill of the Academy of Model Aeronautics, a co-sponsor of the event. “It was all put together...
Niwot’s Caleb Bishop started flying tiny remote controlled drones when he was tiny himself, and as he’s grown, so has his passion for aircraft and avionics. Now a top student in St. Vrain’s aeronautics program at the Innovation Center, Bishop has proved adept not only at piloting complex unmanned machines, but in building and fabricating them as well. The rising senior will get a chance to hone his skills even further, after he was awarded a scholarship to attend the Academy of Model Aeron...
There’s nothing better than a cold beverage on those hot summer nights at Rock & Rails, and this year, organizers are raising money to make getting one a little easier on concert-goers. Last month, the Niwot Business Association (NBA) and the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA) announced that most of the proceeds from the 2019 series will be used to fund the construction of a permanent building in Whistle Stop Park that will be used for beverage sales, as well as storage of large items u...
So look, I don’t want to be a negative nancy, I really don’t. I would much rather talk and write about the abundant wonder and beauty of this world. But it’s impossible for me to think or speak about the development of the Front Range and put on a happy face. I think the most fundamental of all civic values, of the ideas that guide how we interact with one another, is to tell the truth. The basic unit of any successful, healthy, happy society, is that when I speak to you, you can trust that...
Edward “Ed” Parks Conilogue, 80, of Niwot, Colorado passed away May 29, 2019 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Lafayette. A lifelong Niwot resident, Ed was born Aug. 31, 1938 to Evart “Toots” and Annadell Conilogue, he resided on the property until his death. Ed graduated from Longmont High School in 1956, and proudly served in the United States Army and Army Reserve until 1963. On December 9, 1962, Carol Elaine Hall and Edward were married until Carol passed in 2015. They were married for 53 years. They continued a Conilogue Family tradition of li...
Next fall, students and staff will notice huge changes when they return to Niwot High School. Renovations will occur both inside and outside the building. There will be new signage outside the school as you walk into the front patio entrance. Athletes will enjoy the newly resurfaced track. In addition, the tennis courts will be expanded from six to eight and refurbished. Inside the school, solar tubes will be installed allowing natural light to come in from the ceilings. The commons area will...
On March 2, Niwot United Methodist Church (NUMC) hosted its 23rd annual Soup, Soup and More community dinner. Each year, the church selects a local organization or charity as the benefactor of all funds raised. Proceeds from this year’s community dinner went to Boulder Attention Homes to help furnish the non-profit’s 40 new apartments in downtown Boulder. The Soup, Soup and More dinner was a success and event organizer, Janet Gates, couldn’t be happier. Around 80 guests braved the snowy eveni...
This article 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. We pick up with “Aviator” and “Peacemaker” by artist Bobbie Carlyle. “Aviator” — featuring a young boy suspended in air while playing—has been in the Sculpture Park since its opening last fall. “Peacemaker” is the latest dramatic addition to the sculpture park, installed last month, and now greets visitors at the eastern entrance to...
