All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
Sorted by date Results 1 - 29 of 29
If you were to walk into the athletic training room in Niwot High after the school day is over, you might see tennis balls flying through the air and an array of athletes practically climbing over each other as they do their exercises. Laughter would probably fill the air and someone probably would say, "Maja, you need a new training room." "I know," athletic trainer Maja Watne would say with a laugh and a sigh. "I try to make it fun...My favorite part of the day is when it's a little crazy,...
"I like stuff I can learn from," said Dawn Dunlap, a waitress at the Garden Gate Cafe who has been working at her job in Niwot for the past eight years. Before that, she had been a waitress in Lyons but she lost that job when the town flooded in 2013. "I love it here," she said, with a bright smile. "People in Niwot are so kind." We were sitting at an outside cafe table one recent afternoon, shortly after her 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. work-day had ended. She didn't look fatigued in the least. Talking abo...
When a call for help goes out in Niwot, it seems as though Gil Pomeroy's hand shoots up faster than anyone else's. Oktoberfest, Rock & Rails, Niwot Jazz Festival, you name it, he's there. Pomeroy may be new-ish to town, but he quickly started giving his time and energy to make Niwot a better place. He's made loads of new friends and admirers along the way. That's why a long-time Niwot resident suggested we feature Pomeroy in our Familiar Face column and learn about his life. Left Hand Valley...
You're likely to have noticed this month's Familiar Face, Dr. Jess Johnson, DVM, eating at a local restaurant, browsing in local stores, riding her bike, and on the job at Left Hand Animal Hospital on Franklin Street. She's a quintessential Niwotian because she and her husband are raising their daughter in Niwot and she works in town too. The Courier asked Johnson a few questions to find out about her background and to get to know her better. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) - Where are you from...
If there's a Niwot event happening Joanne Neville is likely in attendance, especially if music is involved. Dressed in beautiful long skirts, with her long flowing hair, and a warm smile, Neville's love for shared joyful times shines through as naturally as sunshine. The Courier wanted to hear about this Niwotian's life – past, present, and future. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) - Where are you from and what brought you to the area? Joanne Neville (JN) - I grew up on the East Coast, mostly i...
Kristina Burgoon is the warm welcoming face at The Niwot Inn & Spa and she's also the face of Niwot through her creativity as the social media coordinator for the Niwot Business Association. The Courier reached out to discover a bit about Burgoon's history and her current life. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) - Where did you grow up and what brought you to the area? Kristina Burgoon (KB) - I was born in Orange, California, and lived there until I was 10-years old. My family moved to Flemington,...
Many residents in the area are well acquainted with Geof Sparks due to his passions, the genuine way he connects with others in conversations, and also because he works at a very popular retail store in Niwot. Here are a few tidbits about Sparks which give us insight into the man behind the familiar face. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) – How have you become a familiar face in Niwot? Geof Sparks (GS) - Most people know me as the evening face of Niwot Liquor where I've worked for over 16 y...
Niwot's walkability is one of its best features, and for those who regularly stroll, over time they're likely to repeatedly cross paths with folks doing their own version of movement in the great outdoors. Since her relocation here in January 2018, Sharon Blatchley has been one of those out and about regulars. Blatchley, in the company of her brown and white spaniel, always offers a friendly wave and smile. Instead of being passing ships, we asked Blatchley some questions to learn about her...
Ed Nuhfer has become a familiar face over his cumulative 17 years in Niwot thanks to everyday walks with Zion, his dog, and the time he regularly spends at local establishments such as Winot Coffee and Garden Gate Café doing work on his laptop. We wanted to hear a bit of Nuhfer's life story, so we asked him a few questions. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) - Where are you from, and besides Niwot, where have you lived? Ed Nuhfer (EN) - I'm originally from a small town on the Ohio River,...
Whether it's first thing in the morning or a break later in the day, time with coffee in-hand is practically a ceremonial daily act. The emotional warmth of that ritual is nearly equal to the physical enjoyment it delivers. Part of that anticipated experience includes the kind people who provide that soul hugging treat such as Winot Coffee's manager Mary Jo Wysocki. The Courier wanted to learn more about the familiar face that is as uplifting as our daily cup of java. Left Hand Valley Courier...
Found either on a bike or working on one, Fernando Tapia is one of Niwot's most Familiar Faces. From the day the doors opened and through the relocation to its expanded space, Tapia has been part of Niwot Wheel Works bike shop and the new Wheel House Bar. With more than 35 years of experience, this master bike mechanic is the go-to person when it comes to bike maintenance. Niwot Wheel Works and Wheel House Bar owner Eric Bergeson said, "Fernando is the definition of a master in his trade. He is...
You're in the midst of Thomas Studholme's artwork when you shop and stroll in Niwot. Studholme's paintings are found throughout the Niwot Market and likely, Studholme himself is at the market, so mask aside, he's got a very recognizable face. For the last four years, he's painted holiday scenes on the windows of local businesses and won several awards as a result. We asked this Familiar Face some questions to get to know the man behind the art. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) - How did life...
For seven years the Bowhaus in Gunbarrel has provided furry family members with daycare and boarding. While the pooches are playing with friends and relaxing in a safe environment, they're likely to spend time with two long-time employees, Klare Black and Suzi Hendrix. We wanted to learn more about these two familiar faces in the community. Left hand Valley Courier (LHVC) - Where did you grow up, and how did Colorado become your home? Klare Black (KB) - I'm the middle child of seven siblings,...
Diners attribute the quality of their eating out experience to the people they interact with – the front of house workers. For 17 years, Leslie Middleton has been the most noticeable front of house person at Gunbarrel’s Café Blue American Grill while her chef husband Kevin runs the kitchen. These days, because of COVID, Leslie isn’t just taking orders and bringing out delicious drinks and food to diners at the restaurant, she’s also driving freshly prepared meals to patrons’ homes. She’s doin...
This wonderful Familiar Face suggestion was courtesy of co-owner of the Niwot Tavern, Tara Kpogoh-Narh. Kpogoh-Narh wrote, "Jennifer Morrison lives and breathes Niwot. She is a local who helps support everyone...small businesses in Boulder, Hygiene and Longmont. She's just amazing. She's always advertising for everyone. I'm sure you've seen her posts." The posts Kpogoh-Narh is referring to are on a public Facebook page called Nifty Niwot. Kpogoh-Narh added, "She brings Stacy [Szydlek, co-owner]...
Jane Leland Langdon's art expresses what's in her heart - a genuine love for life and others. You've seen Langdon's oil and watercolor paintings in Niwot and Boulder County businesses and homes. She's the Niwotian you just can't help but notice because of her lovely large smile and easy laugh. I met Langdon years ago waiting in the check-out line at the grocery store where she struck up a conversation and I was thrilled that we continued to cross paths again and again. This Familiar Face column...
Amongst the shapes, colors, and textures inside Niwot's Osmosis Art and Architecture on 2nd Avenue, there's a face locals are well acquainted with - that of Michelle Henzel. She's raised a family, worked, and been an integral part of community events and organizations for more than 35 years. The Courier reached out to learn more about this vivacious member of the community. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) – Where is your hometown and what path brought you to Niwot? Michelle Henzel (MH) – I gre...
The craziness of 2020 can be quelled a wee bit with the reverent calmness of Chris Doyle's sunset serenades. The long comforting notes of his bagpipe feel like the entire community is taking deep healing breaths. We asked Doyle some questions to learn a little about his life story. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) – What was your hometown and how did Niwot become home to you? Chris Doyle (CD) – I grew up on the east side of Cleveland and finished high school in Chesterland, Ohio. I went to Mus...
Familiar faces abound where people gather for food and there's an especially magical food-centric connection that happens when you get to know the creators of your food. Those are the folks who rise at dawn, dig in the dirt, plant the seeds, labor in the heat, and thanks to their expert knowledge and cooperation from Mother Nature, months later you'll enjoy crispy heads of lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and aromatic basil. This month's familiar faces are a couple you're likely to see often in the...
Niwot Market has long been a staple of the Niwot community. But in recent weeks, with grocery stores and grocery store employees deemed essential during the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, the market has perhaps played an even more critical role in the community's new normal. At its heart, Niwot Market is a family affair. And this can be seen in the way the Steele family has stepped up to protect their employees and support their community in recent weeks-from implementing curbside pickup to install...
Arlene "Tiny" Ahlgrim (née Obrecht) can recall with perfect clarity the day in the late 1950s when the dashing 18-year old Otto Ahlgrim showed up at her family's north Longmont farm to ask her out to the movies. She was helping her father tend to the cows, and, dressed in overalls and boots, definitely not in a state to go out on the town. But Ahlgrim was, and his stylish outfit struck an incongruous note in the Obrecht's muddy barn. "He had on a white shirt, white pants, and white shoes,"...
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):...
Their first names rhyme, so it is easy to see them as a matched set and their last name is emblematic of the brightening effect they have on the community. It's Jill and Bill Whitener - the vivacious, capable, and caring duo who have become very familiar faces in Niwot. We posed a few questions to find out what makes this generous couple tick and here is what we've learned. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC): Tell us a bit about your backgrounds. Jill & Bill (J&B): Jill grew up in Aspen. Her...
It's 6 p.m. on a Friday night in late October, and the unseasonably warm afternoon is quickly giving way to an autumnal chill as the sun slips behind Longs Peak to the west. At Everly Montgomery Field in Longmont, Niwot High Game Manager Sue Prahl grips her handheld radio as she scans the grounds, looking for the game's officials, or "black and whites," as she calls them, due to their striped uniforms. There's still an hour to go before kickoff in the upcoming football game between Niwot and...
An email from Sarah Brown to the Courier read, "In May I started working at Lucky Pie in Niwot and have had the pleasure of working with Dylan, the general manager. We have a constant joke going at work about how he's the mayor of Niwot since he seems to know everyone that lives in the area. He's one of the kindest people I've ever known, let alone worked with. So, if you take suggestions for Familiar Faces, I'd love to see him in there! He really deserves all the recognition as he is a...
There’s just nothing like the anticipation of opening a package, so everyone loves it when the big brown truck stops in front of their house. UPS driver Gabe Amaya is Niwot’s main guy in the brown uniform driving that brown truck. The Courier wanted more than just a friendly wave “hello” from the reliable person who makes hundreds of stops around town. So we asked Amaya some questions and learned that his ties to the town run deeper than his daily route. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) Gabe Amay...
Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, or where they’d like to know your name and serve you a warm cup ‘o joe often. One of those friendly places is Niwot’s Old Oak Coffeehouse - thanks in large part to manager Hannah Carlson, this month’s Familiar Face. Customers at Old Oak are recipients of Carlson’s smiles, stellar customer service and culinary contributions, as well as her curatorship of art and music. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) - Where did you grow up and what brou...
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...
Serving food is what Regina Sidoti has been doing for as long as she can remember. Sidoti, 45, works at two restaurants in Niwot and a third restaurant in Longmont. You also can find her working concessions at Bronco games and other sporting events. Her can-do attitude and easy, outgoing smile are emblematic of her optimistic outlook. Sidoti is a very candid, genuine person who believes we all are more alike than not. She said, “There’s a little piece of you in every person.” That’s why it’s a...
