Left Hand Grange #9 Celebrates 130 years
By Lisa Whitehead
One hundred and thirty is a lot of years to celebrate. But members of Left Hand Grange #9 were up to the task: a filling midday meal, a birthday cake featuring a photo of the Grange itself, numerous speeches and awards, and a historical slide show courtesy of Anne Dyni.
There was even a birthday gift – a highly appropriate roll of duct tape, presented by Tom Theobald to his wife, Barbara, current Master (president) of Niwot’s Grange. To top it off, the Left Hand Grange also received first place in a state contest for community service.
Left Hand Grange #9 is the oldest active grange in the state. It was established in 1873, while the town of Niwot wasn’t platted until 1875, and Colorado didn’t become a state until 1876. The Grange is part of a national fraternal order formed to meet the needs of rural Americans.
The order is no longer only fraternal (all four officers in Niwot are women) and it now focuses on general community needs, providing a meeting place for numerous non-profit organizations. The Grange partners with several other organizations for community projects and provides a venue for arts and music.
While celebrating the Grange’s longevity, attendees also celebrated the longevity of several of its members. Lulu Mae James, a Grange member for 63 years, was surrounded by her daughters, Dee Bussert and Norma and Janice James. An active member of the Grange in Lyons for 40 years, Lulu mae returned to Niwot and now lives in a brick house off 83rd Street that her great-grandparents built in 1904.
Howard Morton, a Grange member for 62 years, was born in 1920, the only child of parents farming in what is now Morton Heights. His family grew dry land wheat on Niwot Hill, and Morton remembers threshing at many local farms. He ran a steam engine when he was 11 years old, and recalled driving his heavy machinery down Second Avenue.
The current Membership Chair for the Grange, Mildred Seader, has been a member for 55 years. The third of 13 children, Seader was joined at the party by two of her sisters, Grace Burgess and Elaine Gillette.
Reminiscing about her childhood in Boulder County, Seader recalled living near “Alkali Corner” on Oxford Road, so called because the water didn’t drain well, and when it dried, it left an alkali crust. She said, “We farmed on Baseline, near Arapahoe and Valmont, a
Seader and her husband, Jake, farmed for 18 years before deciding farming was in decline. In 1950, they moved to Niwot. Jake worked for Prep’s Feed Store in Boulder, and then became a custodian at the University of Colorado. The Seaders’ lifestyle reflects changes in Boulder County from mostly rural to mostly urban/suburban.
Joe Dembroski, whose wife Dorinda serves as the Grange’s current secretary, has been a member for 50 years, most of those in New York, where he was a fruit farmer. He retired to Niwot, where he and his wife found easy friendships at the Grange.
Current State Master Roger Phelps said, “Left Hand is an outstanding Grange with excellent community support. I compliment you.”
Photo by Lisa Whitehead
Mildred Seader, membership chair who received her 55-year membership seal at the party, celebrates the Grange’s longevity with her sisters Grace Burgess and Elaine Gillette.
City Council Reviews Gunbarrel Community Center Plan
Residents, Commissioners Voice Objection To Structure Heights
By Thomas George
The Boulder City Council had its first official look at the Gunbarrel Community Center Plan at a study session in January, attended by scores of Gunbarrel residents. With a public hearing on the plan yet to come, council members took no strong position on the plan’s key issues, but they did raise questions about the necessity and validity of some language in the plan draft.
After the plan was presented by city planning staff, much of the council questions and discussion focused on the allowable heights of buildings in the retail core of the proposed community center.
A section of the plan draft that would allow buildings of two to four stories in the retail core has been widely protested by Gunbarrel residents, who say four story buildings would be a poor fit in their community.
The Gunbarrel Community Center Plan, a document that would bridge the gap between the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan and the individual site review process, outlines the development of a downtown area in the Gunbarrel community. The plan, created by city planning staff, aided by a working group of landowners, developers and Gunbarrel residents, is an effort to bring retail services and community amenities to the area.
Initially hailed as a model of collaboration, the Community Center Plan has become embattled by the issue of building height and density.
Mike Walsh, speaking for the Gunbarrel Community Association (GCA) said his organization opposes building four-story structures because they would be “very different from the existing character of Gunbarrel today.”
Such buildings, Walsh said, “are just going to tower over everything else.” Though some homeowners have expressed concern over their mountain views, Walsh said that community character, and not view, is the GCA’s primary concern.
Developers and city planners asked that the four-story allowance be left in the plan. “It’s a balancing act,” said city staff planner Peter Pollock. Asked if four-story buildings were necessary, Pollock replied, “The simple answer is yes.”
Terry O’Connor, developer of the proposed Gunbarrel Town Center, previously told the City Planning Board that building to four stories would allow him to better serve the community.
While Mayor Will Toor said he didn’t see a “quality of threshold” that would make four stories necessary, some planners have maintained such a threshold exists. <
Under the plan, many amenities like plazas, small parks, community areas and new streets would be funded and built by developers. Developers and some city planners predicted that the cost of amenities would need to be offset by higher-density units in order to make the developments profitable. With limited land available, some argued that profitable mixed-use developments would require taller buildings. Pollock also mentioned structured parking as a factor in the need to allow four stories.
Looking to minimize the visual impact of tall buildings, the plan’s language requires “a massing that minimizes the perceived height along the pedestrian corridors,” though the plan does not currently specify what defines such a massing.
Walsh, again speaking for the GCA, said four-story buildings were unacceptable to residents, regardless of massing or potential economic benefit. He said the character changes caused by four-story buildings are “significant enough that we feel the whole plan can fail because of that one error.”
With the exception of the height issue, Walsh said his organization supports “ninety-nine point some percent of the plan.”
The Boulder County Commissioners sent a strongly worded letter to the City Council, voicing protest against four-story buildings in Gunbarrel. The letter stated, “We... agree with the citizen objections that four stories are not appropriate in this area when the surrounding land uses, view sheds, and structure heights are taken into consideration” The commissioners, who will take part in the review and approval of the plan, wrote that they “will not support the four-story plan as presented.”
Transportation and public amenities under the plan were also discussed. Council members asked questions about bus service and proposed trails that would serve the new community center. Councilman Shaun McGrath inquired into the placement and demand for community parks, and Councilman Jack Stoakes raised the possibility of a Gunbarrel library.
While the Community Center Plan calls for small amenities to be funded by private developers, larger facilities, like a library, do not have an immediate funding source.
According to the plan documents, the City of Boulder plans to invest some sales tax revenue into the new Gunbarrel Community Center. Still, the cost of some improvements, including a library, would fall well beyond the city’s expected contribution.
Funding in Gunbarrel can be sticky, since the majority of residents live outside the city limits in unincorporated Boulder County. According to the plan, “the county would have to be a major partner in financing such a facility (as a library).”
The Gunbarrel Community Center Plan also raises the possibility of a special improvement district for funding Asked if Gunbarrel residents would consider forming an improvement district to fund a new library, Walsh said, “My opinion is yes.”
A public hearing on the Gunbarrel Community Center Plan will be held the evening of Feb. 3, after which the council is expected to put the plan to a final vote.
For more information on the Gunbarrel Community Center Plan or the February public hearing, visit www.ci.boulder.co.us. For plan information call the city Office of Planning and Development at 303-441-1880.
For City Council information call 303-441-3002. To submit a comment to the City Council, call 303-441-3002, email council@ci.boulder.co.us, send a fax to 303-441-4478, or write to the Office of the Boulder City Council, P. O. Box 791, 1777 Broadway; Boulder CO 80306.
By Claire Chase
After considerable controversy, Longmont officially went non-smoking on Jan. 13, 2004. The new ordinance amended an existing smoking ban in public places and includes taverns.
Many bars and restaurants were opposed to the ban, favoring the right of the owner to decide the smoking issue. Several factions formed surrounding the issue of “grandfathering in” establishments which serve alcohol only. However, no exceptions were made and the changes were approved on Nov. 10.
Several Longmont establishments are seeing the change positively, despite the possibility of losing some income. Although Woody’s Wood-Fired Pizza knew it would take a hit in bar revenue, the management decided to get on board a little early and promote a family friendly, non-smoking atmosphere for the new year.
“We were really excited about it, actually,” said Krissy Keller, General Manager at Woody’s. “There was a concern about business dropping, but we are happy with the environment. We decided to go with the flow and take a positive approach.”
A meeting was held with staff to discuss why Woody’s was making the switch early. The hope was that by encouraging a clean, smoke-free environment they would see an increase of families in the pizzeria.
Customers have responded well to the new and improved Woody’s. Keller said that comments have been positive and supportive.
The Silo restaurant is also taking a positive approach to the new ordinance. Silo manager Barbi Freitag attended and spoke at city council meetings regarding the revision of the ordinance.
“I firmly believe that the business owners should decide whether to be smoking or non-smoking,” said Freitag. She was opposed to some businesses being exempt from the ordinance.
“What we were trying to achieve is an atmosphere people can gauge fairly, where there is an even playing field. The Silo went in as a group that supported whatever decision was made environmentally,” said Freitag.
The Silo, a relatively new restaurant, had already invested a sizable amount of money in a smoke filtration system to combat smokiness in the bar area. According to Freitag, the biggest drawback is lost revenue from the bar business. The main concern is fallout in the 21 to 35 year-old-crowd that frequents the Silo late-nights on weekends.
“Most enjoy a cigarette when they drink,” said Freitag.
The restaurant anticipates an increase in dinner patrons and plans to have a patio open in the summer.
“I’m happy about it,” said Silo server Rachael Ellis. “It’s one more step towards taking care of yourself and respecting people’s space.”
Photo by Claire Chase
Kevin S. Ford Achieves The Rank Of Eagle Scout
Kevin S. Ford earned the rank of Eagle Scout and was honored for his accomplishments at the Court of Honor on Nov. 29, 2003 at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Gunbarrel.
Ford is a member of Troup 377. He most recently served as senior patrol leader and troup guide. He is also a member of the 2003 Junior Leader Training Conference Staff and a Red Cross Certified First Responder.
His Eagle Project consisted of coordinating volunteers for the Boulder county Share-A-Gift. He oversaw more than 40 scouts and family members for a total of 170 plus man-hours.
He is currently a sophomore at Fairview High School where he has a 4.0 grade point average.
Ford now joins his two older brothers, Brian and Michael, as Eagle Scouts from Troop 377. His parents are Laura and Scot Ford of Boulder.
Photo courtesy of Laura Ford.
Kevin S. Ford earned the rank of Eagle Scout on Nov. 29 2003.
By Lisa Whitehead
Niwot High School’s dance team, Jungle Express, went to state for the second time, winning seventh place to beat rival Longmont. “We placed higher than last year,” said coach George Anderson. “There was one other team I thought we could have beat, but I’m not sure how much higher we could have placed even if our routine had been mistake-free.”
Anderson noted that the top competitors were very high level; those teams practice every day and have much more money. Jungle Express is still “small-time, and we like it that way. We really concentrate on performing for schoolmates rather than competitions. Our girls practice twice a week because most have five to eight dance classes each week in addition to [Jungle Express].”
Two members of the CU Express dance team choreographed this year’s routine. Usually Jungle Express members choreograph their own dances – “some really enjoy that,” said Anderson – so using paid choreographers is a sign of inching toward a higher level. Another sign is attending Nationals, which Anderson and eight members of the team did for the first time in January.
“This is more to check it out than expecting to place,” said Anderson. “Eight people are much too few for a competitive team.” But it is definitely a sign of growth and higher expectations to come.
Photo by Lisa Whitehead
Jungle Express members show off their style: (back to front, l-r) Chelsea Hopperstead, Lisa Picard, Loni Taylor, Michelle Reed, Holly Rotter, Rachel Posnick; Brie Helmuth, Stephanie Anderson, Kelsy Kiyota (co-captain), Kate Kennelly, Elizabeth Doggett; Amy Armantrout, Tina Cookson, Becca Pickerell. Missing: Lindsey Sokol (co-captain) and Christina Mehler
Embroiled In Embroidery In Niwot
By Ron Goodman
It is nice to know, for those really dedicated corporate types, that you can get the corporate logo embroidered on your pillowcase right here in Niwot. And on many other things too.
Deborah and Robert Haas, 11-year residents of Niwot, started DR Haas Embroidery in their home on Paiute Drive two years ago. “We do all the work right here,” Deborah told me.
Do not be fooled, this is not a mom and pop operation. “We use state of the art Tajima machines and software. We offer over 20,000 stock designs and can digitize anything you would like embroidered on almost any fabric item.”
There is a caveat, Deborah explained. “We can only guarantee the work if we supply the garment or item.”
Right now the Haas’es are offering a terrific deal on jackets for sport activities. The jackets are available in almost any color, in pullover or zip-up styles with a removable stripe panel on which they can embroider your team logo. The jackets cost about $55 with one stripe.
The DR Haas showroom is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, at 6797 Paiute Drive, Niwot. Call for special appointments, 303-652-2870. You can also see their embroidery at www.drhaasembroidery.com.
Photo by Ron Goodman
Some of the many items available for embroidery at DR Haas Embroidery.
By Claire Chase
Patti Roper needed a change. She enjoyed working as a video editor for a successful television show on PBS, but felt like she was spending too much time alone in the darkroom.
“I took up a still camera and started learning through classes and workshops and friends,” said Roper.
She started Wildberry Photography, and has not looked back.
“I’m social, so I enjoy contact with people. Kids, their families and weddings are my main subjects,” said Roper.
Many of the family and children’s portraits are taken outdoors in natural settings. Roper’s philosophy is to capture people’s interactions with each other and their surroundings.
“Outdoor photography, for me, is interaction of people and environment. Being on location somewhere that is meaningful to them brings out more comfortable, introspective shots. It brings out the inner self, with adults and kids,” said Roper.
For her, less is more. She strives to achieve an integral balance between setting up the shot and letting her subjects be themselves. The more relaxed and comfortable people are, the better the image will be.
“I want for it to be an enjoyable experience. There is a way to let kids be kids and get nice portraits and have fun at the same time. People look best when they are themselves,” said Roper.
About 50 percent of her business is wedding photography. An upcoming issue of The Knot Colorado will feature her work.
“With weddings, the formals are directive. Then I try to fade into the crowd, blend in and take images of events as they unfold,” said Roper.
When selecting a wedding photographer, she suggests first choosing the photographic style that best suits the day and the couple. Some photographers lean more towards traditional portraiture, others toward a candid style called photojournalism, or documentary.
“Nowadays documentary is the trend. Some who specialize in it have never even done traditional. Decide what kind of photos you truly want in order to decide on a photographer,” said Roper.
She also suggests meeting face to face with as many photographers as possible. Look at the sample albums. Decide whether it has the look and feel you want. Then think about the photographer.
“Ask yourself, ‘Is this someone I want at my wedding? How does this person feel to be around?’ Go with your intuition, that gut feeling,” said Roper.
Photography has undergone a major overhaul with the introduction of digital technology. Roper still uses a 35mm camera, but about half of her work these days is digital. She said the great thing about digital photography is the instant gratification. It allows better control over the shot because it can be viewed immediately. Sometimes the difference between a good shot and a great one is a slight change in angle, which can be corrected immediately with a digital camera.
“This is an interesting time to be a photographer; it’s good to be on the digital wave. It is fascinating because of changing technology. It changes the characteristics of how images are made. Grasping digital makes a big difference,” said Roper. “It opens up creativity.”
By Ron Goodman and Mary Wolbach Lopert
In honor of St. Valentine, our intrepid “Two
Fer” reporters, Ron and Mary, braved the balmy weather to interview patrons of
the Garden Gate Café in Cottonwood Square Shopping Center. This year two
questions were posed: “What was the worst Valentine’s Day gift you
ever received?” and “How would you like your Valentine’s gift delivered?”
As always, the answers were entertaining even if some were not exactly to the point.
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Arlene Clayton – I would like my gift delivered with flowers and balloons, probably with my husband behind it. |
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Lyndsay Fry – I'd rather have a Valentine's present delivered as a surprise. |
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Chris White (left front) – No comment. Cathy Bryarly (left back) – The worst Valentine's gift I received was a small box of hand tools. Jeff Heibert (right back) – I don't celebrate Valentine's Day. Lynette Anderson (right front) – My husband put together a CD and then put it in the CD player in the car |
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Tom Smith – A surprise trip to someplace warm with heat |
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Mary Sharp – I would like my gift delivered in a big truck hoping it was something big. |
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John Lawrence – The worst Valentine Day was the year I received nothing. |
