FasTracks On A Collision Course?
By Shari Phiel
ShariP@lhvc.com
Less than three years into the
12-year project, FasTracks has become caught in a
quagmire of budget overruns, project delays, rising construction costs and
political wrangling.
One of the primary considerations
behind the FasTracks project is the ability to use
existing rail lines instead of building costly infastructure.
However, shortly after voters
approved the project in late 2004, a commuter rail crash in Southern California
the resulted in 11 deaths, and hundreds of others were injured.
The accident made the current rail
line owners, Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific, reconsider
allowing commuter rail to share the tracks.
A recent bill passed by both the
state senate and state house of representatives may have solved the issue.
Senate Bill 219, sponsored by Sen. Fitz-Gerald, D-Coal Creek Canyon and Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, will allow the
Regional Transportation District to purchase insurance that limits the liability
of freight railroads in the event of an accident involving FasTracks
commuter rail along its rail corridors.
Although the bill passed both the
state house and senate, it did so with contention. Some members felt the project was being held
hostage, since without approval, FasTracks would
likely be unable to continue.
What concerns many is the removal of all liability from the
railroads, even in the event of criminal activity or negligence. Even so, they were left with little or no
choice but to approve the bill.
Even with that hurdle removed, there
are still others plaguing FasTracks. Increases in steel and cement costs have
raised construction costs beyond the inflation factor used in the original
budget.
Current estimates are that construction
costs are likely to run over by just under $350 million.
A recently drafted financial
analysis showed the total project to be running somewhere between $2 and $3
million over budget. But officials
pointed out that the draft analysis was just that, a draft, and still included
some double counting and mathematical errors.
It is unknown when a final analysis will become available.
For those along the Northwest Rail
corridor, delays seem to be becoming the norm.
The environmental study which began in 2006 started off with a bang, but
progress fizzled quickly.
Like many other lines within the FasTracks project, decisions on rail stations, rail car
technology and service schedules have yet to be reached.
Officials recognize the need for
progress and say they are taking steps to move forward on-time and within
budget. Some of those steps may include
eliminating previously included stops, reducing expansion into outlying areas
or even reducing service schedules.
At present, it is unclear what steps
will be taken. What is clear is that the
FasTracks project proposed to voters in 2004 is
likely to look very different from the FasTracks line
delivered in another decade.
No picture
By Mary Wolbach Lopert
MaryL@lhvc.com
No one was going to let a little snow dampen their
enthusiasm for Niwot’s annual Easter egg hunt. And
according to Pat Murphy of Niwot Real Estate, no one in the community was going
to let the kids down.
A big thank
you goes to:
·
Bert
Steele for serving over 300 people at the pancake breakfast and his donation to
Niwot Youth Sports to improve the fields.
·
Tim
Wise, Dale Lamb, Barb Shore, Larry Murphy, Diane Atwood, Sandra Petruccelli, Charlotte Woodward, Patty Beumer,
Verna and Ray Newman, Alice Munford and Niwot High School’s own Cruz Alarcon for serving breakfast.
·
The
Slepicka family, Allie Wise and Rosemary Bruce for
helping dye 1200 eggs.
·
The
Left Hand Grange members for providing the space to dye the eggs.
·
The
Niwot Nifties 4-H Club for face painting.
·
Girl
Scout Troops 221, 383, 454, 480 and 680 for hiding the eggs.
·
The
LaBuda family for their 20 years of help.
Eateregghunt.jpg
Photo by
Curtis Jones
The hunt
for Easter eggs, off to a flying start.
A Lifetime
Of Scouting
By Jessica
Vandyke
JessicaV@lhvc.com
“Trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind,
obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent” is the creed that Heatherwood resident Joe Fisher has lived by for the last
50 years.
The Boy
Scouts of America’s “Scout Law” has been an integral part of Fisher’s life
since he was a youngster. For his dedication to scouting, Fisher is the
Courier’s Left Hand Laurel for May.
“My parents came from different religious backgrounds and
they told me I could choose a church when I became a teenager,” Fisher
recalled. “I kind of beat them to the punch when I was 12. I told them I’d like
to join Boy Scouts.”
When his family
moved, Fisher dropped out of scouting, but he became involved again as a young
man in New York while working for IBM, discovering a new enthusiasm for
scouting and what it could teach boys.
“There’s only one
thing that can make a man, and that’s a boy,” Fisher said. “They learn
leadership and develop a value system through scouting. It’s one of the few
programs where you can have fun and build your skills at the same time.”
Fisher became a scoutmaster in Kingston, NY, and has
continued in scouting ever since. He and his wife, Anita, moved to Heatherwood in 1968 with their son. “Sam came home one
night and said, ‘Dad, I’ve been invited to a pack meeting.’ I said to myself,
‘Oh boy, here we go again.’” His son became an Eagle Scout in Heatherwood’s Troop 377 in 1979.
Fisher was named
Course Director for the Longs Peak Council of Colorado in 1987 and eventually
became a 4 Bead Wood Badger, which is the highest level of training for adult
leaders in scouting.
He has served on the staff of several national programs and
training committees, including two programs at Philmont
Scout Ranch in New Mexico, two national Jamborees, and 11 regional Wood Badge
courses from 1974 to 1998.
With a strong background in communications, Fisher has been
called upon to organize and plan training programs focusing on leadership
development. He also served as the on-site chaplain at Ben Delatour
Scout Ranch from 1990 to 1992.
Elwin Hebner, who now serves as
chaplain at the Ben Delatour camp, described Fisher
as “very committed.” Hebner, who has worked with
Fisher for two decades, said, “He believes scouting is one of the ways that
young people get acquainted with the reality of the world, the way things
really work.”
Hoping to help others follow the scout motto, “Be Prepared,”
Fisher developed and wrote the book “Adventures in Leadership,” which outlines
a course in practical leadership skills.
The Boy
Scouts of America designated Fisher as a James E. West Fellow in 1997 for his
contributions to the Longs Peak Council. He also received the God and Service
Award for his work in the United Methodist Church and Boy Scouts of America.
His career outside scouting includes 31 years with IBM.
Fisher has a B.S. in management from Regis University and did graduate work at
CU and the Iliff School of Theology.
Fisher’s community participation has not been limited to
scouting. In 1975, Fisher and his wife became Team Couple founders of the
United Methodist Church Marriage Encounter.
Fisher is
also a member of the Denver Mile-High Chapter of the American Society for
Industrial Security, the Colorado Crime Prevention Association, the
International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners, the Masons, and the
Niwot United Methodist Church.
Fisher was chaplain for Ridge Point Assisted Living Inn of
Boulder for six years, retiring in October of 2000. He currently serves as a
member of the Boulder County Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (S.A.L.T.)
Council.
In 1999, Fisher was awarded Mason of The Year by both
Boulder lodges and in 2001 he was the first Mason in Colorado to receive the
new Masonic Daniel Carter Beard Scouters award for 45
years of service to the Boy Scouts of America.
Fisher will soon be recognized for 50 years of service to
scouting. “I still have a bunch of ‘pseudo-sons’ as I call them, around here,”
Fisher said. “They do a good job of staying in touch with me.”
Fisher recently was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic
cancer, but he accepted the news in the spirit of the scout motto, saying,
“Hospice is helping me prepare for this next High Adventure into a new realm.”
Photo
courtesy of Joe Fisher
The
Courier’s Left Hand Laurel for May is Joe Fisher who is being honored for his
50 years of service to the Boy Scouts of America.
Taking
Stock: Shoplifting Is No Game
By Kathy Raczkowski
KathyR@lhvc.com
Shoplifting is not a victimless crime. Its effects are
widespread.
That $1.39
bag of chips could cost you plenty when you add up the costs of the penalties,
court costs and community service hours you’ll rack up for tucking it under
your coat and walking out of the store without paying.
Don’t forget the damage to your and your family’s
reputation, not to mention the pallor you cast on your peer group, whether they
deserve it or not. It’s a sad fact that the actions of a few misguided souls
can affect an entire community, but it’s true.
As certain teenagers were caught shoplifting, all teens were
placed under suspicion. For a while, teens were not allowed to enter the store
without adult supervision.
After the main perpetrators were apprehended and prosecuted,
the restrictions loosened a bit. Now kids just have to leave their backpacks
and big coats at the door. While they’re free to shop, employees still keep an
eye on them, just in case.
The convicted shoplifters are no longer allowed in the
store. They now have criminal records, which are also reported on their school
transcripts. They have paid dearly for the few dollars they tried to “save” by
pocketing purchases, but the immediate criminal costs are just the beginning.
Trust is hard earned, but even harder regained.
Niwot Market recently suffered a bout of shoplifting. Bert
Steele and his staff captured the crooks. He told them he wouldn’t stand for
such conduct and that they were no longer welcome in Niwot Market. But he did
cut them a break - this time. He didn’t involve the police, their schools or
their parents. They were lucky - this time.
“Most of the kids around here are good kids,” he said.
Steele’s
view is that if you treat people with respect, even young people, they will
return that respect and behave honorably.
Let’s hope that everyone opts for keeping our community open
and welcoming from here on out by earning the trust they are so willingly given
by others. And always remember to pay for that roll of Lifesavers.
The Year Of
The Grange Kick-Off
By Mary Wolbach Lopert
Maryl@lhvc.com
Come help kick off The Year of the Grange celebration on
Wednesday, May 2, at 4 p.m. at the Left Hand Grange No 9, on 195 Second Ave.
Niwot.
Boulder County Commissioners will be there to help kick off
the fundraising campaign for renovations to Grange Hall. Grange officers will
unveil a fundraising thermometer, which will track the contributions to the
Grange Hall renovation fund.
Also participating in the event will be representatives from
the Niwot Community Association, the Niwot Business Association, the Niwot
Historical Society, the Niwot High School Pep Band and other community
organizations.
This building has always been a vital part of the Niwot
community. Originally built in 1905 by John Nelson, it was most likely the
first commercial building built on the east side of the railroad tracks.
The building became associated with Left Hand Grange No. 9
when the organization began holding its meetings in the hall in 1942. Now known
as Grange Hall, the building was purchased by the Grange from the Nelson estate
in 1945.
While there have been many improvements to the building,
including a new roof in 2000 and a new furnace in 2001, it is estimated that an
additional $200,000 worth of renovations are necessary.
Due to poor drainage and the fact that Niwot Road sits at a
slightly higher elevation than Second Avenue, Grange Hall has suffered major
water damage over the years.
Anyone
making a contribution of $500 or more can have their picture taken with the
Really Big Check, and the picture will be published in the Courier.
Supporters can make a tax-deductible donation to help save
the Left Hand Grange Hall by sending a check payable to “P.I.C.K.” with “Left
Hand Grange” in the memo space on the check, to Left Hand Grange, P.O. Box 301,
Niwot, CO, 80544.
P.I.C.K. (People Improving Communities and Kids) is the
501-(c)(3) corporation set up by the Colorado State Grange to receive donations
recognized as tax deductible by the IRS.
To The NHS
Class Of 2007
By Becky Arters
BeckyA@lhvc.com
The Niwot High School Class of 2007 … you’ve come a long
way, baby! When you started kindergarten in the fall of 1994 at Niwot
Elementary School, there were almost 700 students, and Mrs. Connie Brodt was the principal.
As a class, you watched some of your classmates move on to
Eagle Crest and Silver Creek Schools when the district boundaries changed, but
the majority of you attended Sunset Middle School in the fall of 2000. You
arrived at NHS in 2003 as lowly freshmen, excited to become Cougars at last.
This class has experienced much together, and grown
tremendously. Your class has top-ranked athletes in many sports, numerous
students who have excelled scholastically and posted GPA’s exceeding 4.0,
accomplished musicians and composers, gifted artists, actors and speakers, and
so many who have volunteered your time and talents unselfishly in giving back to
our close-knit community.
You are multi-talented multi-taskers,
and are now going to graduate into the next phase of your lives. You will be
representing Niwot in colleges, universities, services and careers nationwide.
We know you will continue to make us proud.
The Courier joins with your families and friends in
congratulating the Class of 2007 and wishing you much happiness and success in
the future.
Mrs. Percifield’s Class
Row 1 –
Kelly Ganousis, Jamie Jamra,
Olivia Mastronardi, Caitlin McCarthy, Kristen Mercer,
Lily Perry, Kaitlin Hellwig,
Nick Saraceni, Ben Southwell,
Marc Burrell.
Row 2 –
Mrs. Percifield, Caroline Case, Matthew Boren, Lauren
Koenig, Melissa Griffin, Ryan Orendorff, Jessica Lerman, Andy Olsen.
Row 3 –
Jenny Ruddle, Allison Wolfe, Joe Muffly,
Michael Beck, Carly Potock,
Kylie Arters, Danielle Heilmann,
Leah Anderson.
Row 4 –
Colby Ward, Teddy Deere, Corey Parker, Meryl Colton,
Ryan Bahneman.
Mrs. More’s Class
Row 1- Dyanna Becker, Callan Quiram, Luck Chop, Danette
Fentress, Brittany Van Egmond, Shaunie
Weiner, Riley Lindemann, Jessica McNierney,
Mrs. McDermid.
Row 2 –
Mrs. More, Evan Kruegel, Laura Raemer,
Erica Silverman, Kate Settle, Kate Fauk, Ben Hildreth, Jordan Houde, Emily Biegelsen, Jayce Wallingford.
Row 3 –
Josh Wise, Patrick Breyer, Jessica Rinehart, Alex
Hart. Kelly Strong, Tim Creech, Dillon Iarussi,
Leslie Minor, Mrs. Mentzer.
Row 4 –
Jason Sims, Will Beazley, Audra Begley, Michael Dolan, Kelly Doheny.
Ms. Maniatis’ Class
Row 1 – Gini Phillip, Dana Vander Heide,
Alicia Komloski, Zachary Lin, Ryan Spencer, Joey
Baum, Julie Ann Hymas, Kristin Santa, Danielle Esch.
Row 2 –
Jenny Sherwood, Max Wolfe, Doug Carpenter, Brie Helmuth,
Ben Burgess, Carisa Janzen,
Erika Carlson, Joseph LaValle, Ms. Maniatias.
Row 3 – Ben
Lutz, Griff Tanenbaum, Talia Sandoval, Jon Hangge, Mark Deault, Christian Douthit, Luke
Hathaway-Clark, Sarah Pfeiffer.
Row 4 –
Haley Biddle, Chrissy Platt, Steven Ruth, Chelsea Linnell, Ashanti Wallace.
Mrs.
Schulte’s Class
Row 1 –
Callie Healy, Alyssa Collins, Bretl Harker, Chase Van Alstine, Cheyna McGinnis, Phoebe Browning, Matt Diamond, Brie Welsh.
Row 2 – Ms.
Schulte, Erica Anderson, Leah Heil, Jimmie Krack, Alisa Karolin, Kyle Johnson, Kate Lewis Stephen Lichenstien, Jane Mentzer.
Row 3 –
Brittany Adair, Keith Lovin, Scott Binns, Jenny Kintz, Jase Richardson, Joey Fowler, Zachary Francy,
Chloe Hansen, Lindsey Najera.
Row 4 –
Michael Sdao, Cory Quesenbery,
Megan Barker, Tommy Benning
Not
Pictured – Tommy Gorman.
Mrs. Loran’s
Class
Row 1 -
Samantha Rost, Nicole Niederhofer,
Roy DiCharry, Alexis Hildenbrand,
Shannon Depuy, Bill Engelking,
Christiana Botello, Ryan Meske,
Jennifer Alcala.
Row 2 –
Mrs. Loran, Timothy Wild-Herron, Gabriel Habermehl,
Kathryn Hill, Chaz Kramer, Phillip Kutschara, Tyler Grandolm,
Jonathan Jahnz.
Row 3 –
Lindsey Hurtado, Matthew Josey,
Joshua Lostroh, Elijah Smith, Tessia
Steingrebe, Matthew Govin,
Jessica Horner, Olivia Snow
Row 4 – Kaley Fluke, Michael Loffredo,
Laura Jolly, Tom Creech.
Row 1 -
Gabriel Habermehl, Steven Ruth, Olivia Snow, Leah Heil, Kylie Forbes, Amber Cockrum,
John Jahnz, Christian Douthit,
Kristen Mercer.
Row 2 - Callan Quiram, Jennifer Sherwood,
Marc Burrell, Jimmie Krack, Laura Jolly, Joey Fowler,
Joe Muffly, Nick Saraceni, Jase Richardson, Ryan Meske, Alex
Hart, Riley Lindemann, Brett Hawley, Joseph LaValle, Dana van der Heide, Kate Settle.
Row 3 -
Kate Lewis, Matt Josey, Kyle Hameister,
Mike Dolan, Christiana Botello, Roy Dicharry, Tommy Benning, Kelly
Strong, Kelly Ganousis, Gini
Philipp, Allyson Lee, Shannon DePuy,
Kylie Arters, Nicki Neiderhofer, Jen Alcala, Carisa Janzen, Corey Parker,
Patrick Breyer, Chase Van Alstine.
Absent: Jon Hangge
Want Some
Scams With That Spam?
By Donna
Currie
Donna@Computertoyz.com
The Internet has provided a plethora of opportunities. Unfor-tunately, some of those opportunities benefit people
who are intent on wresting money from innocent victims.
Many phishing scams start with an
email asking you to verify account information. While it’s a dead giveaway when
you’re asked to verify an account at a bank you don’t do business with, if the phishers send enough emails to enough people, at least some
folks will have a matching account.
The latest version of Internet Explorer has a “phishing filter” that will help detect websites that aren’t
what they seem. While that’s a good protection, it may not be enough. Every
time the good guys plug a hole, the bad guys find another way in.
To protect yourself, never give out any personal financial
information in response to an email or any other unsolicited communication. If
you think that there might be some hint of truth to the communication, pick up
the phone and call your bank at a number you know is legitimate.
Sometimes funds are deposited directly into the victim’s
bank account. That sounds fine, until a short time later all the funds
disappear, including whatever the victim had on deposit at the time.
Alternatively, the victim receives a check, and is asked to
deposit it. Then the victim is asked to send back some of the funds, while
keeping the rest. This scam can have a double-whammy. First, the original check
that the victim deposited is fake, so that money must be refunded to the bank.
Second, when the fake check is returned to the sender, the
victim’s banking
Next, the scammer sends a check for more than the amount of
purchase. The victim is sometimes told that this was an error, and asked to
return the extra to the buyer. Other times, the victim is told that the extra
is meant to fund shipping costs, and that the shipper will arrive in person to
collect cash for the shipping charges.
Needless to say, the check ends up being fake. The easy way
to avoid falling for this sort of scam is to never do business with someone who
asks you to send money back – for any reason.
Many people fall for these scams because they believe they
are safe if their bank “clears” the check. By law, banks have to make your
money available in a specific amount of time. The fact that the money is
available is no guarantee that the check is good. It may actually take weeks or
months before the check is actually verified.
Another scam that’s making the rounds also begins with a
classified ad, but this time it is the scammer doing the selling. The most
common items seem to be puppies or cars, but it could be just about anything.
In these cases, the ad will list a phone number, but chances
are that no one will answer. However, the seller will respond by email, and
happily provide photos and other documentation.
That’s where the transaction ends. The “seller” has the
money, and the “buyer” has nothing.
Recently, the Courier had requests to publish a number of
ads for puppies. One came from Wisconsin, and the seller asked to pay by credit
card, which the Courier is unable to do. The ad seemed suspicious, and after
some investigation, it appears that the personal information the seller
provided to the Courier was false.
Another ad listed a local phone number and appeared to be
legitimate. However, now that the ad has been published, the Courier has found
the same ad in papers in other states, listing phone numbers local to those
states. Chances are that this ad is also a fake.
Donna Currie owns B.C. Computer, a repair service and more.
For repairs, just drop your computer off at Longmont Printing, 628 S. Sunset.
Longmont.
For more
information, call 303-651-7433 or email donna@computertoyz.com. Got a technical
question? Just send an email. No charge, no obligation
Drive By
Shooting In Gunbarrel
By Mary Wolbach Lopert
Maryl@lhvc.com
The normally quiet night of a
Gunbarrel Estates neighborhood was shattered on Tuesday, April 10. One neighbor,
who wished not to be identified, said that she was awakened around midnight
after hearing what she thought was a string of seven fire crackers being set
off. It turned out to be gunfire.
A flyer distributed in the
neighborhood stated, “The remains of a .22 caliber slug were found in the rear
interior of the house after hitting a back wall.” At press time, this was still
an ongoing case, so the sheriff’s department hadn’t released additional
information.
The owner of the house requests that
anyone with information please contact Deputy Smith at the Boulder County
Sheriff’s office. The case number is 07-1916.
Please direct information to Deputy
Andy Smith, badge number 582. Smith can be contacted at 303-441-4875 box 92148
or at asmith@co.boulder.co.us