All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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The Niwot community is home to artists of all sorts. The area's painters, writers, dancers, musicians, potters, sculptors and others enrich Niwot and do what they can to give back to the town. Niwot resident and woodworker Jeff Wolcott exemplifies this inclination. He not only appreciates living here, but he answered the call when he was asked to be part of the effort to restore Spear Lodge Man, and the other iconic Native American tree carvings that are located on Niwot Road near the...
On April 27, Boulder County's Community Planning and Permitting Department held a virtual meeting presentation for the Longmont-to-Boulder (LoBo) Trail Connection Project. The LoBo Trail-Jay Road Connection is a planned off-street, multi-use path along Jay Road and Spine Road in Gunbarrel. The goal of the trail connection is to complete one of the final missing links in the LoBo Trail system, and create a safer, accessible, and more comfortable pathway between Gunbarrel and the Cottonwood...
"Everything I learned, I learned in Jason Watkins' technical theater classes," said Niwot High School grad Jason Marylander. After graduating from Niwot High School in 2008, Marylander enrolled at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, as a computer science major. But when he realized that he didn't enjoy programming, he returned to his roots in theater. It was, in his words, a "bold choice" given the perceived lack of jobs at the time, but luck was on Marylander's side. He moved to Los...
When Eve Bonn and Dave Elchoness lost their son Peter suddenly in November 2022 to myocarditis, they wanted to be sure they honored the person he was. A senior at Niwot High School at the time of his death, Peter Bonn-Elchoness was known to be a magnetic presence who made an impact on those around him. His father said stories about Peter's kindness were endless. "After he passed, we began receiving notes from people about all the kind things he had done. One woman told me Peter had befriended...
Just over a year ago, in April of 2022, a treasured member of the Niwot community, Left Hand Valley Courier Advertising Director and Niwot Jewelry & Gifts staff member Ann Whitehill, passed away suddenly. Since then, she has been greatly missed by the community and members have been working to honor her with the dedication of a bench in her name outside of the jewelry store on 2nd Avenue. A dedication of the bench will be held Saturday, May 6 at 4 p.m. on the patio outside Niwot Jewelry & Gifts...
The Niles commercial structure for 364 2nd Avenue was conditionally approved by the Director of the Boulder County Department of Community Planning and Permitting (CPP) on April 25, 2023. The 4,180 square-foot building will include a new location for the dental office of Dr. Ashley Niles on ground level, as well as an upstairs architectural office. The Determination Letter specifies the conditions on the approval to build. The 720 square-foot building currently at that address which is home to...
Did you know that Niwot had a live nude dancing venue in the 1980s? The Ace of Hearts was located at 112 2nd Avenue, now occupied by Little Bird. The show was apparently short-lived. Kathy Koehler said she contacted the Boulder County Sheriff's Office to see if anyone recalled the business. "One former deputy remembers this location," Koehler said. "She remembers that the business was open for about three weeks. The closure was related to liquor license issues rather than an eviction closure."...
The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approved the Colorado Highway 119 Safety and Mobility Improvements Project and Bikeway Project at a "1041" review in a hearing on April 20. The "1041" designation is shorthand for an "Areas and Activities of State Interest" law which outlines how the county must manage projects that involve State of Colorado lands. The BOCC hearing was the final step and highest level of government review in the county. A significant outcome from this hearing was that the...
The Niwot Community Association (NCA) held its annual meeting at 7 p.m. on April 19 at the Left Hand Grange No. 9. A presentation was made by the Niwot Community Connection (NCC), followed by a slide show and presentation by the principal organizations involved in creating the CO 119 Safety and Mobility Projects (Bus Rapid Transit and the Bikeway). The results of the annual election for one-half of the board to 2-year terms were: Vice President Julie Nelsen-Breyer Treasurer Terry Larsen...
Boulder County has postponed the road resurfacing work on 2nd Avenue in downtown Niwot for a week due to inclement weather last week. The resurfacing work, originally scheduled to begin April 24, will now start May 1. The work will require the closure of 2nd Avenue....
Pun intended: love between Belle Terre Floral and the Niwot community has blossomed since the business opened in 2021. What many don't know, however, is the story of owner Sarah Cioni, who is one of the best floral designers in the region and has maintained a deep love for the area and the town. Her background as an area florist began a little more than two decades ago, coinciding with one of the most striking moments in our nation's history. "In 2001, I decided it was time to open my first...
Candidate interviews have taken place for the new Boulder Library District Board of Trustees as part of the process of organizing the district approved by voters last fall. After a final round of interviews on April 20, the City of Boulder and Boulder County appointed a committee to complete the selection process of seven members of the board. Proposition 6C was approved in the 2022 election to establish a new library district for a large portion of Boulder County, with boundaries that include...
Boulder County's Community Planning & Permitting Department has invited the public to a virtual meeting presentation for the Longmont-to-Boulder (LoBo) Trail-Jay Road Connection project on Thursday, April 27 at 6 p.m. Register to attend at www.boco.org/LoBoJayApril27. The LoBo Trail-Jay Road Connection is a planned off-street, multi-use path along Jay Road and Spine Road in Gunbarrel. The goal of the trail connection is to complete one of the final missing links in the LoBo Trail system, and...
A Board of Directors election for the Mountain View Fire Rescue District is scheduled for May 2. The Board of Directors is made up of five residents or property owners within the special district, which provides first responder firefighting and rescue service to a large area, which includes Niwot and most of Gunbarrel. The election will fill three of the positions with a four-year term. Five candidates are running for the three seats: Their backgrounds are described on the district's website...
The Boulder County Sheriff received a report of a stabbing and assault that took place in the 7400 block of Spyglass Court, in unincorporated Boulder County, late in the evening of April 16. According to the Sheriff’s office, the victim of the stabbing had been in an argument with his roommate, Christopher Sherril, 43, at their residence when Sherril allegedly attacked him with a knife, stabbing him multiple times. The victim went to a local hospital for medical care, where law enforcement was notified by the hospital of the stabbing. The S...
Was your house at one time in the middle of a cornfield? Some of Niwot's most interesting history happened as recently as the 1980's and 90's when the downtown streets were just dirt. Shopping meant you were headed to the feed store, and Rev. Taylor's was the place to go for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And yes, many of our houses were just starting to be built on what was once had been farmland. Niwot Historical Society president, Kathy Koehler said, "There were very few trees except for the...
Prairie Orchard LLC has applied to Boulder County for approval to use the property located at 5114 Niwot Road as a reception hall venue, vacation rental and community gathering space. The property sits approximately one-half mile west of the intersection of Niwot Road and 55th Street. The project would use existing structures on a 3.6-acre lot. The site, zoned for agricultural use, contains a renovated farmhouse, a small cottage, a 120 square-foot studio, a renovated barn, and the site's...
With few vacancies in Niwot's commercial district, and an increasing need for administrative help for the many events sponsored by the Niwot Business Association, the NBA is seeking to hire someone from the community to provide assistance to the organization. At the April meeting, president Eric Bergeson said that the NBA would seek funding from the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) for the position. Bergeson reported that since Catherine McHale's term as Economic Development Director has...
With many pet owners going back to work and the cost of living increasing, dog owners nationwide are giving up the pets they acquired during the earlier years of COVID. An estimated 3.1 million dogs were relinquished to shelters in 2022, according to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. How could this problem have been prevented? "By responsible breeders and responsible owners," said Cary Unkelbach, the award-winning Colorado author of Heartbreak Kennel: The True Story...
Last Saturday, hundreds of people flocked to Niwot High School for the annual pancake breakfast and Easter egg hunt, sponsored by The Niwot Group. This is the 44th edition of the event, and it's back to its pre-COVID popularity. Pat Murphy of The Niwot Group - Compass has organized and orchestrated the community event for over 40 years. Murphy estimated that there were nearly 1,000 people who attended Saturday's festivities. "In one group I counted 200 kids," she said. The egg hunt was divided...
Last month, Catherine McHale completed her contract with the town of Niwot as the Niwot Business Association's Economic Development Director (EDD). She has held that role since 2018, and this milestone marks a change in her professional life. "It's been a great five years," McHale said. "At the same time, essentially, I feel that it's time to focus on my core business. I've achieved a lot of things that I wanted to with Niwot but it's time to make a shift." McHale talked about things she feels...
• On April 20 at 9:30 a.m. the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) will hold a hearing on the CO 119 Safety and Mobility and Bikeway Projects (Docket SI-22-0002). This is the continuation of the Colorado "1041" process, which allows Boulder County to evaluate how county land use regulations and the Comprehensive Plan apply to governmental projects. The Bikeway Project is a 9-mile long 12-foot-wide multi-use path in the median between the traffic lanes of the Diagonal Highway. Boulder County i...
Some of us remember when television audiences watched spellbound as pageant host Bert Parks whittled down a row of finalists to reveal the identity of our new Miss America. The year's reigning beauty would hear her name as the last one called, then half-laughing, half-sobbing, she'd parade across the stage, one shaking hand steadying her new tiara, the other wrapped around an enormous bouquet of fresh flowers. She was the very vision of disbelief that her lifelong dream had come true. This...
Open Stage - a musical community event Sunday, April 16, 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. Performer sign up begins at 1:15 p.m. This free heartwarming, foot tapping, hum-along entertainment is certain to touch your heart and soul all courtesy of our community's abundant homegrown talent. Enjoy Open Stage as an audience member or perform for the community. Everyone is welcome. Play a cover piece or an original – folk, bluegrass, rock, pop or jazz. Bring a musical instrument; a harmonica, guitar, banjo and y...
Growing up in Niwot together, Lena Heilmann and her late sister Danielle developed a close relationship from a young age that held strong into their early adult years. The two spent their childhood summers together in Germany with extended family, and Lena said she even referred to Danielle, who was four years younger, as her "soulmate sister." After completing a double major at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2006 and a Masters in German Studies in 2008, Lena began her doctorate studies...
The Niwot Business Association presented four funding requests to the LID, including funding for five concerts on 2nd Avenue by the House Blend Band. All of the requests were approved unanimously. The House Blend Band concert series is now in its third year, and features co-owners of The Old Oak Coffeehouse, Michael Tomich and Patty Machen with what they describe as "about the most eclectic group of people ever to assemble in the name of music." Both appeared to present the application to the...
The Niwot Community Association (NCA) held its monthly board meeting April 5 at the Mountain View Fire Rescue Niwot Station. Keith Long, Assistant Chief for Special Operations in the Mountain View Fire Protection District (MVFPD), gave a presentation on the new Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) that is being developed under MVFPD leadership. Long has 42 years in service and was a Type 1 incident commander on the Marshall Fire. The goal of the CWPP is to create a planning document with input from the local fire district, government...
On Friday, March 31, the Front Range experienced high winds, creating hazardous driving conditions and causing significant property damage. The National Weather Service issued a "blowing dust advisory" for Boulder County that was in effect until 6 p.m., with winds in Boulder County measured at up to 79 mph. "Strong winds are causing significant dust to blow across lower elevations (below 6,000 ft)," the Boulder County Sheriff's Office wrote in a tweet that day. A large tree fell into the...
A Colorado native, this month's Left Hand Laurel recipient, Kristin Alger, grew up following her parents' advice to "always be a volunteer." Now a half century later, this long-time employee of the international medical device firm, Medtronic, volunteers more than ever, and is an inspiration to her many friends and neighbors in Niwot. A familiar face in Niwot – "Everyone knows my dog," she says, "he's a friendly and gregarious mutt named Maxwell," Alger was born in Green Mountain near Red R...
One of the most popular and effective forms of self-care is getting outdoors for physical activity. Incorporating nature into a self-care routine doesn’t have to cost anything (maybe except for investing in a new pair of sneakers), which makes this form of self-care available to just about everyone. Its impact on health and well-being depends on the amount and quality of exposure to nature. Exercise is essential for a healthy body and mind, and current CDC recommendations are at least 150 minutes per week for adults and one hour per day for c...
This past week, the Boulder Parks and Recreation Department's Forestry Division conducted necessary tree work near Coot Lake. The project removed several Russian olive trees along the trail parallel to 63rd Street. Russian olive trees are considered "noxious weeds." The Colorado Department of Agriculture considers noxious weeds as non-native, aggressive, and invasive plants that tend to replace native plants. Ash trees along the trailhead parking lot that have been impacted by the emerald ash...
When Niwot eighth-grader Meredith Champion of Boulder Country Day School had to choose her Middle School IB Program capstone project, it became the beginning of a journey that transcended the simple impacts of a traditional school activity. As most good projects do, it related to something she and others her age experience, affected her view of the world, and changed the views of friends, family and community members. Her project was designed to build awareness and make a positive impact in the...
The Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) unanimously overruled county staff and approved the construction of a 2500-square-foot hay barn at the location adjacent to the Niwot Cemetery proposed by Mary and Douglas Lyle. The decision occurred at a public hearing for the Lyles' appeal as docket SPR-22-0077 on March 21. The Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting (CPP) Department had conditionally approved the proposal on December 9, 2022, but with a condition that the barn be constructed at...
The Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LIDAC or LID) held its annual meeting with the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) on Monday, March 27 in the Left Hand Grange. The members of the LID are a mix of people from businesses and community plus representatives of the Niwot Business Association (NBA) and Niwot Community Association (NCA). The commissioners serve as directors of the LID while the LIDAC advises the commissioners on ways to benefit the district through...
Niwot real estate agent Pat Murphy has been putting on an Easter Egg Hunt for so long she now sees second-generation participants. The event, originated by Murphy over 40 years ago, and now sponsored by the Niwot Business Association, was Murphy's way of connecting the community and bringing joy to Niwot-area children. It has grown over the years to the point that Murphy recently had to ask Niwot Business Association members not to promote the event on social media or in newsletters to out of to...
Calling all photographers, intentional or accidental! The Left Hand Valley Courier’s Photo of the Week feature is open to any area resident who personally photographs Niwot-Gunbarrel area sights, including people (with permission, of course), buildings, animals, birds, plants, flowers, events, or anything else. Naturally, there are a few rules to follow: • The photograph must be submitted in jpg format via email to [email protected] in high resolution. • Please include a caption describing the photo, your name, email address and phone numbe...
The Left Hand Grange is all about April showers bringing flowers, music, nostalgia, and dancing. Niwot Community Connection Monthly Meeting Thursday, April 13, 10- 11:30 a.m. Local gardener extraordinaire Cathy McCall will give a presentation during April's Niwot Community Connection monthly meeting on how to beautify our area with water-wise pocket gardens on small plots around town. Join the group for this special presentation as well as updates on what the many other NCC groups are up to....
A standing-room-only rapt crowd gathered at Inkberry Books on March 24 to enjoy local resident author Julie Kaewert's articulate discussion of her "Plumtree Series of Mysteries for Booklovers." Kaewert described the Penguin Random House published six book series as "bibliomysteries" set in England that follow Alex Plumtree, an "upstanding protagonist who always does the right thing" who is based upon her husband. Kaewert's candid remarks about the creation of the series, her inspirations, the wo...
Earlier this month, Valerii Danylenko and Anna Bilous, a professional couple in their 30's from Kiev who were forced to leave Ukraine due to the war, found a place to live in Niwot. "Eight or nine million left Ukraine," said Danylenko. "Our apartment was damaged and unfit to live in because of the Russians. For three days no power, no water, no anything in Kiev." Before they left, the pair had previously held professional office jobs making airplane meals for a food manufacturer. He served as a...
In 2019, with only 24 hours until takeoff, Korean War veteran Dick Hall, now 92, had a decision to make. That year, he had been accepted to the Honor Flight, which honors veterans by taking them on a two-day, all expenses paid trip to Washington D.C. where they visit memorials and build camaraderie. But tragedy and depression had also wreaked havoc on Hall that year, since he had recently lost his wife and other loved ones. "I didn't do anything, I had just given up," Hall said. "And I thought i...
The Boulder County Planning Commission recommended to the Board of County Commissioners that they approve the CO 119 Safety and Mobility and Bikeway Projects (Docket SI-22-0002) at their March 15 meeting. These projects will provide Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and a bikeway on CO 119 (the Diagonal) between Boulder and Longmont. This hearing was part of the Colorado “1041” process, which allows Boulder County to evaluate how county land use regulations apply to governmental projects. The commissioners present for the meeting were Mark Blo...
Each month brings a fresh round of paintings to Winot Coffee Company and The Old Oak Coffeehouse in Niwot. March was no exception. Both venues have showcased area artists on their walls for the month, with the work of each artist available for sale. Winot featured Megan Gael McCarthy, a member of the Longmont Artists' Guild, Boulder Art Association, and Art Students League of Denver. McCarthy's work recreates emotion of a time and place. It also focuses on paint textures and the physical...
Though the Marshall Fire was more than a year ago, its impact is still top of mind for many area residents. It has made the threat of wildfires, including grassland and urban wildfires, more apparent to Boulder County residents. In addition, recent years have seen extensive summer months with rural wildfires in close proximity to the Front Range. Those fires bring secondary impacts including resident displacements, air quality issues and ground instability which contributes to flooding and...
Calling all photographers, intentional or accidental! The Left Hand Valley Courier’s Photo of the Week feature is open to any area resident who personally photographs Niwot-Gunbarrel area sights, including people (with permission, of course), buildings, animals, birds, plants, flowers, events, or anything else. Naturally, there are a few rules to follow: • The photograph must be submitted in jpg format via email to [email protected] in high resolution. • Please include a caption describing the photo, your name, email address and phone numbe...
A portion of the Hidden Star Trail located at Niwot Trails open space will be closed for a culvert replacement beginning Monday, March 13. A detour around the closed section of the Niwot Loop Trail will allow bikers, runners and pedestrians to continue using the trail. Construction is expected to take several weeks with an expected reopening date of Friday, April 7. Severe erosion under the Hidden Star Trail pedestrian bridge has created unstable conditions, necessitating the repair. Boulder...
Blue skies and a warm early spring day set the stage last Saturday for Lucky Niwot Day festivities held on 2nd Avenue and at Cottonwood Square. As part of the event, families and groups of friends dressed in green walked between stations and into shops, filled tables at restaurant patios and made lines at coffee shops. Street musicians performed at stations along the street and Irish dancers performed in front of Inkberry Books. Individual retailers gave away a range of delicious food fit for...
