By Ron Goodman

It was one of those “by the way” remarks during the annual county commissioners meeting in Niwot on Tuesday Nov. 19.  Clark Misner, Transportation Planning Division Manager for the county, was responding to a question about the reconstruction of N. 79th Street. First he briefly described the drainage problems that delayed the project until next spring. It had been scheduled for this fall.

Misner said, “…by the way, we have just received $700,000 in federal funds for a traffic safety plan for Highway 52, extending to the county line.  This will include turn lanes and a traffic signal at N. 79th and Highway 52.”

Only 12 citizens were present to hear about the unexpected and long waited for news. One attendee wagged, “You only get a crowd when you have done something wrong.”  The pedestrian underpass to link up trails on each side of Highway 52 was also discussed.  Misner said that the county again has applied for state funding for this project.

Also discussed was the desire for a restaurant to replace Rev Taylor’s on Second Avenue. Chris Finger, who now owns the building, would like to expand it, Ron Stewart said. Finger needs more parking spaces.  The planning and transportation departments are reviewing the appropriateness of the existing parking regulations.  “We need the business community to come forward with a plan,” Stewart said.

Funding will be a problem, the commissioners explained, because the sales tax revenue from Niwot is falling short.  According to Paul Danish, “There are not enough sales tax dollars generated to cover Niwot’s half of the costs of the existing improvement districts’ bonds.” He also said that the county had agreed to cover the other half of the bond costs and is making up for the short fall in sales tax revenue.

Mosquito control was also addressed.  The drought has reduced flow in streams, which tends to create pools of standing water that are breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Danish said, “We should look into this now.  [Not in the spring when it is too late.]”

Retiring Commissioner Jana Mendez responded to a question about the county human services that are available to citizens, not just in Boulder but also all over the county.

The evening ended with a tear and a smile on Jana Mendez’s face, as those in attendance stood and applauded her years of service to the county.
 

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Photo by Ron Goodman

On, Nov. 19, County Commissioners (l to r) Ron Stewart, Jana Mendez and Paul Danish reveal that there is funding for a turn lane and traffic light at Hwy. 52 and N. 59th Street.

By Lisa Whitehead

Responsible decisions, open communication and quick action averted a potentially lethal situation at Niwot High School.
In early November, a student brought a rifle to school in a guitar case.  After he told other students about the gun, a concerned classmate informed a teacher, who searched the case and found the gun.  The student and his gun were immediately taken to school officials, and the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office escorted the young man off campus.

Law enforcement officers confirm that no other students were involved in the young man’s plan to bring a gun to school.  While the student had ammunition in the case, the gun was not loaded. From statements made to Boulder County Sheriff’s detectives, the young man was considering suicide.

Principal Don Haddad points out that he has “2,400 eyes and 2,400 ears at this school.” He said, “We can see and hear a lot.  We try to build positive, trusting relationships between students and staff, so they will come to us when they see or hear something that makes them uncomfortable.

“At least one student had the maturity to recognize the seriousness of this situation and the trust to go to an adult for help.  This student’s decision may have saved a life or lives.”

School security policies are reviewed constantly at in-service meetings, and no changes are currently planned in response to this incident.  To ensure student safety, the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office searched campus that day, determining that a lock-down was unnecessary, and the School Resource Officer remained at Niwot High throughout the week.  Haddad points out that communication between students and staff is the most important safety device at the school, and in this case, it worked.
Notifying parents of the situation did not work quite as smoothly.  The automated phone system did not reach all parents the first night, presumably because those whom it did reach listened to the message repeatedly.  Some parents were jolted when they opened their morning newspapers.  By the second evening, all families were notified. Haddad followed up with an explanatory letter.

The morning after the incident, Haddad used previously scheduled class meetings to tell students about the incident, dispel rumors and reinforce the importance of communicating concerns to adults.  Many students were upset that they were not told of the situation on the day it happened, but all agreed that the situation was handled well overall.   The first response of some students was concern for the young man.  Several students who knew him stated that he was a “really nice guy who must have just snapped.”

The young man appeared in Boulder County Juvenile Court where his attorney asked that he be released from custody.  Magistrate T.J. Cole ordered a mental health evaluation before considering the request.

Principal Haddad is proud of students and staff for handling a difficult situation quickly and responsibly, and is grateful to the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office for immediate action.  Students, staff and parents must work together to maintain a safe campus, and open communication is vital. Haddad stated, “If a student or an adult is doing something to make you uncomfortable, please talk to someone.  This is part of everyone taking care of one another.”
 
 
 

By Hsun Chen

The back stage hallway of Rocky Mountain Christian Church (RMCC) at 9447 Niwot Road is cluttered with music stands, an electronic keyboard, spools of wire and furniture dollies. Cases of liquid ice melt are stacked against the wall, standing ready to do battle with winter’s worst. Sporadic sound checks break the quiet of the auditorium; the massive video screens burst into image and then blank out again.

Something big is definitely afoot.

Tickets for RMCC’s annual “A Rocky Mountain Christmas” production went on sale Nov. 9; about half of the estimated 12,000 seats for the nine showings sold on the first day. For the last two years, the show has sold out completely.
“It was nonstop,” said Kevin Fitzner, ticket sales volunteer for the last eight years and stage manager for six years. “We started at 9 o’clock, and we went (nonstop) right ‘til noon.”

This year marks the 11th year of RMCC’s “Rocky Mountain Christmas” show. Every year the show is different – and this year’s production “It IS a Wonderful Life,” is no exception. Featuring a 40-piece orchestra and a choir comprised of over 100 voices, the hour and 50 minute show is a fast-paced musical drama with choreographed dance numbers, several soloists, and impressive lighting effects. There will be nine presentations starting Friday, Dec. 6 and playing through Sunday, Dec. 15. (See sidebar schedule)

“It will not be boring!” promises Paul Stetler, Worship Minister of RMCC since 1992.

“It IS a Wonderful Life” borrows its name from the classic Hollywood movie, but is based on an original script written by drama director David Wahl and members of the production team. The “Singing Christmas Tree” - a 23-foot-tall, 10-tier structure used to support the choir that features over 10,000 computer-sequenced lights – is integral to many of the songs.
There are approximately 500 people involved with the show – only about half of whom are actually seen on stage. Staffed entirely by volunteers, it is the largest outreach program of RMCC.  This year’s benefactor is the St. Vrain chapter of Habitat for Humanity in Longmont. A minimum of $10,000 will be donated and any profits above production costs are also contributed. Last year almost double that figure was raised for Angel Tree, an organization that sends gifts to children of parents who are incarcerated.

“That’s what’s pretty amazing about it – it’s a busy time of the year, so it’s really a labor of love for them. They love what they’re doing, and they want to be a part of it,” said Stetler. “It’s such a collaborative effort – it’s a lot of work, but there’s a lot of people involved.”

The show organizers start working on the production just two weeks after the conclusion of the previous year’s event. “I have a production team of about 20 people that oversee 30 teams. The production team starts in the beginning of January.  We work on it all year long,” said Stetler.

The show involves an overwhelming amount of labor and effort, from rehearsal and stage preparations to ushering and preparing meals for volunteers working long hours. For example, Stetler explained how much time was involved in just programming the lighting for the Singing Christmas Tree.

“The programmers figured out that it takes two hours for every minute of song. Most songs are three minutes long, so it takes six hours for each song – and there’s seven songs we do in the tree, so that’s about 42 hours of programming.”
Les Los, lighting director for the last six years, spent Saturday morning running wiring for new high-tech moving lights to beef up the capabilities of the A/V system. “Today I planned on coming in for about four hours – I’ve been here about eight hours so far.”

Still, Fitzner said, “It doesn’t matter how tired you are when you walk in the door, you’re refreshed – it’s uplifting.” Both Los and Fitzner agree that despite the occasional conflicts among the staff, the commitment to the common goal of the production unifies everyone in the end. “It’s never about  ‘me’,” said Los. “It’s a family-like environment.”

The effort by all the church members certainly results in a professional caliber performance, judging by comments about previous years’ shows.

“The quality of it is amazing – I’ve actually heard people compare it to Broadway – ‘you know, I was in New York last week and saw some shows.  This is just as good!’” Los stated. “That’s something that people marvel at – the talent that comes forward during this production. They think we’ve hired this out.”

RMCC has come a long way since its origins almost 20 years ago. Stetler commented that RMCC first meetings were at Niwot High School, where they used the auditorium for their services.

 Their current building on Niwot Road, renovated and expanded three years ago, is an impressive structure that eclipses the floor space of their first gathering place. The expansion has helped to extend the success of the “Rocky Mountain Christmas” shows.

“We used to sell out on (the first) day, and then we expanded the seating, so we’re not at the point of selling out in one day now,” said Los. “It’s a true community building too. We allow local organizations such as the Cub Scouts and AA to use our facility (meeting rooms) for no cost.”

Stetler emphasizes that the purpose of the annual Christmas show is two-fold. “First of all, it’s to glorify God….  It’s really a big celebration, a party. Second, to reach out to our communities.  It’s a privilege to work with these people, to make Christmas more special. A lot of people say it’s the highlight of their holidays.”

So what happens if you want to experience the show, but find out the date you prefer (or all of them) are sold out?

“The good news is that if people come on the day or the night of a performance and check, there are usually some tickets available that people have turned in because they can’t use them,” said Fitzner.

Los added, “We’ve never turned anyone away - we’ve even put in extra seating, if needed.”

RMCC’s production of “It IS a Wonderful Life” is open to the public; tickets for all showings are $5. For more information, call 303-652-2211 ext. 280, or visit www.rmcc.org/rmc online

Photo by Hsun Chen

Rocky Mountain Christian Church’s spacious hight-tech and auditorium gears up for the big show.
 

Photo by Hsun Chen

Worship Minister Paul Stetler, poses with pictures of all the members of the RMCC voice choir.
 
 

By Ron Goodman

      “The good news,” Kathy Peterson, manager of Left Hand Water District (LHWD) told me, “is that we saved about 500 acre feet of water this year, compared to last year.  That is a saving of 18-20 percent.”  Most of that water conservation came from residential customers.

 “The bad news,” Peterson continued, “is that we were just informed that we will receive only 30 percent of our regular water supply next year.”  The Left Hand Ditch Company and the Northern Colorado Conservation District, Big Thompson, supply raw water to the LHWD.  The district owns 6,300 units of Big Thompson water.  The district pays $24 per unit annually, even if no water is available to the district during the year.

 “Because of this shortfall in raw water supply we gave our commercial customers a heads up, a warning this was coming.”    A letter was sent to all commercial customers analyzing their past water usage.  If it indicated that they used more water than was allotted to them, based on their water tap size, they were advised to consider purchasing raw water shares to make up the shortfall for next year.

“We did not intend to alarm people,” Peterson said, “It was just a point of reference, a warning of what was coming up.”  Peterson has spoken to about half of the district’s commercial customers. Many have said that they can cut back, particularly on exterior use.  A few businesses use the water for manufacturing and cannot cut back.

Most district customers do not own water shares or units.  The district is looking into purchasing additional raw water for next year and they will institute an estimated surcharge of $1.20 per thousand cubic feet above existing commercial rates.

The Courier has received several calls about a rash of burglaries and minor crimes in our area.  We spoke with Deputy Joanna Haugse who said, “It started up again, a few months ago.”  She was referring to windshield damage, automobile tampering and trespasses in the Niwot, Gunbarrel and Lake Valley Areas.

An unscientific look at statistics gathered by the Boulder County Sheriff’s office indicates that there were six vehicle trespass incidents in August and five in September.  There were four dwelling burglary incidents in August, but only two in the previous month.  There was only one burglary in September and October.

The Lake Valley subdivision is reported separately.  There were no burglaries during the summer months and only two vehicle-trespasses in July.  “This is an ongoing thing, it fluctuates, it comes and goes away,” sergeant said.
 
 

By Julie Fowler

If your holiday shopping list is anything like mine, now begins the challenge of finding unique and meaningful gifts for family, friends and teachers. All the more reason to shop in Niwot.

“When you shop at the mall, you could be Anywhere, USA,” said Michelle Pool, owner of Botanica on Second Avenue. “People should shop in Niwot if they’re trying to make their Christmas unique, if they’re trying to find something special, or to make their gifts more Colorado.”

Pool carries products from more than 20 Boulder County artists and is one of only 10 stores in the country to sell an award-winning line of lavender bouquets and shea butter soaps from Provence.

A great gift for all ages, Pool said, are her back, body, eye and neck pillows that are sewn locally and filled with organic flax seed, buckwheat and French lavender. Toss them in a microwave for two minutes and they’re ready to sooth.
“They’re the best gift in the world because everyone - young and old - has aches and pains,” Pool said.

That brings me to customer service, something that is scarce these days. Personal service is Niwot’s specialty. You can walk into any shop and many times it’s the owner who will help you find the perfect gift.

As Painted Primrose owner Sarah Cioni said, “Every sale matters.” Cioni is quick to come up with a couple gift ideas: paper white bulbs make perfect hostess presents, there are ornaments to suit every taste, and Candles in a Can are a treat anytime.
Jacque Stauffer, owner of Flowers in Bloom in the Cottonwood Shopping Center, prides herself on putting her personal touch on all customized holiday orders. She sells fresh flowers, greens wreaths and ornaments, too.

How about giving gift certificates to one of Niwot’s two coffee shops - Rosebud Coffee Co. or The Eye Opener?
Casalta, which opened last month, specializes in items with a Mediterranean flair. Here again you can get original gift ideas because co-owner Tisha Wood designs a number of the products herself and works with artisans - many of them local - to produce them.

One such line is Casalta’s table linens. Wood imports gorgeous fabrics from France and has them sewn in Colorado. Consider giving a European-style picnic pocket, which is a placemat-sized fabric wrap that includes a cheese knife, mini cutting board, wine opener and coordinating napkin.

The littlenippers on your list are covered, too, by Baby Cakes Boutique. This store is packed with everything from toys and puppets to baby clothes and blankets to the hippest in fashions for girls up to size 14. It’s a great place to find a sparkly holiday outfit perfect for any age.

“We try to keep it really different and forward looking,” said owner Liz Marin of her inventory. “We try to do things that are different, from traditional Italian knit baby clothes up to funky clothes from LA and New York.”

Seasons at the Christmas Place, owned by Gail Anderson, carries a huge variety of gift items from Groovy Girl dolls and accessories to Department 56 collectibles and Italian link charm bracelets.

When you shop in Niwot, you avoid many of the typical holiday headaches, such as parking. In fact, you can buy for everyone on your list and even feel as though you’ve treated yourself to an enchanting experience. Consider, too, that you’re also supporting the local businesses that work so hard to host events that foster Niwot’s unique charm.
 

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Photo by Mary Wolbach Lopert

The Painted Primrose offers a wide variety of items for the holiday as well as the rest of the year.
 

Photo by Mary Wolbach Lopert

Jacque Stauffer of Flowers in Bloom has all your holiday floral needs, and wishes everyone a festive holiday season.
 

Photo by Jennie Murphy

Babycakes Boutique has everything for your child’s picture perfect holiday season.
 

By Gay Waterbury

There’s no better deal going for a holiday gift than a beautiful picture book.  For well under $20 you can give the fruits of story and art, which just might be inspiration for a future writer or artist.  Here’s a nibble of what’s new for children this year.

Who’s That Knocking on Christmas Eve?
Jan Brett
Putnam, $16.99

Brrrrr!  On Christmas Eve there are a lot of hungry creatures — human and otherwise —  in the snow outside Kyri’s cozy hut high above the Arctic Circle.  Kyri is happy to welcome the boy from Finnmark, who is traveling to Oslo with his ice (polar) bear, but she won’t be opening her door to the horde of trolls whose gluttonous appetites and raucous manners have ruined many a Christmas Eve meal in years past.

Trolls, however, can be very persistent party animals.  Up through the cellar door they come and are soon making short order of Kyri’s smorgasbord.  Just when it seems that everything will be spoiled, the littlest troll makes a grave error.  He mistakes the napping ice bear, which has managed to slumber through the bedlam until now, for a kitty.  Yes, a kitty.
You can probably imagine the outcome of this droll troll tale, but you’ll have to open the book to enjoy Jan Brett’s whimsical and lavishly detailed illustrations.

Christmas Tapestry
Patricia Polacco
Philomel Books, $16.99

It’s not easy for Jonathon Jefferson Weeks being a PK (preacher’s kid) in a new town, especially when his father’s new church is in a rickety old building where no one wants to attend services.  But Jonathon’s parents encourage him join in the renovation effort, and it soon becomes his passion.

By Christmas, the church is ready for its crowning glory, a mural to be painted on the sacristy wall.  Then, another setback: a leak destroys the plaster and leaves a gaping hole.  Feeling daunted, Jonathon accompanies his father into the city on the bus.  There, in the window of an antique store, they find a beautiful tapestry, which will cover the hole.

Waiting for the bus, they meet and befriend an old Jewish woman who later returns with them to the church.  When she sees the tapestry, she recognizes it as the work of her own hands and proceeds to tell Jonathon and his family a heartrending story about her life in Germany over half a century earlier.

It seems a remarkable coincidence.  But is it?  There is yet another wonderful “coincidence” in store for Christmas Eve.
Polacco’s palette is bright and warm, and her illustrations vividly convey her characters’ emotions.

Runaway Dreidel
Leslea Newman; illus. Kyrsten Brooker
Henry Holt, $17.95

“‘Twas the first night of Chanukah and on the fifth floor/ There was holiday hustling and bustling galore.”  So begins the story of a runaway dreidel that spins out the door, down city streets, through the country, and finally into the night sky where it finds a home.

Once again, the forte of this book is Brooker’s quixotic, dreamlike illustrations, a combination of oil paintings and paper collage.  This is a wild Chanukah romp for young and old readers alike.

Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear
Don and Audrey Wood
Blue Sky Press, $15.95

One of my family’s favorite books when my children were small is Don and Audrey Wood’s The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear.  We would crack up every time we got to the illustration where the Little Mouse has disguised himself and the red ripe strawberry with Groucho Marx glasses.

Now, eighteen years later, the Woods have created a worthy sequel, Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear.  Little Mouse discovers his own big heart and something else, too!  Share this book with your favorite little bear or mouse.

Christmas Cricket
Eve Bunting; illus. Timothy Bush
Clarion Books, $15.00

In this simple tale, a little cricket who feels “small and worthless” discovers that his voice is a vessel for angels’ songs.  Bush’s watercolor illustrations are lovely, especially one in which Cricket sees his reflection in a glass ornament while he is hiding in the Christmas tree.  This is a 4-star sweet story.

You can contact Gay Waterbury at the Yankee Doodler Bookstore in Niwot, 303-652-3255, or on-line at <gaywaterbury@aol.com>.
 

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