Week of October 16, 2024
Week of October 16, 2024
Lindy Bartruff is a face that is familiar to many in the Niwot Community. She has been teaching dance lessons at the Left Hand Grange for four years. Her classes are popular as she teaches all levels of dance including line dancing, social dancing, tap and jazz. Bartruff 's journey to Niwot is a tale of passion, perseverance, and the pursuit of artistic expression. Born and raised in Montana to artistically inclined parents - her father a renowned UCC minister and counselor, her mother a...
If you ride a bike in Boulder County, you need to know about Community Cycles. Located at the northeast corner of Spruce and 26th streets, (2601 Spruce Street, Boulder), Community Cycles is more than a biker's thrift store with refurbished bikes and new and used biking togs and accessories. It is more than a charity that collects bikes for the economically disadvantaged and also gives away 350 bikes to kids during the Christmas season by attending and supporting bike drives. (Have a bike to...
The Left Hand Valley Courier (Courier), a nonprofit organization, is dealing with the same issues that the journalism industry, particularly local journalism, is grappling with across the country. This article is the first in a series of reports on the current journalism business climate, the history and contributions of the Courier, why local journalism remains an important asset in community-building, and ways in which its business model can be strengthened. There was a time when cities and...
The annual Great Pumpkin Party will be coming back with plenty of spooktacular events on Oct. 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The event, spanning Second Avenue and Cottonwood Square, has been a Halloween tradition in Niwot for the past 27 years. Pat Murphy, one of the founders of the event, continues to organize the activities on behalf of the Niwot Business Association, with funding from the Niwot Local Improvement District. Family-friendly events will include three magic shows in Cottonwood...
It shouldn’t take a research paper to figure out that the reason the cost of living is driving workers and young families out of Boulder County is one thing. It’s not the cost of food, or clothing, or utilities, or other essentials of living that makes it unaffordable to live here. It is the cost of housing. Yet the governing bodies in Boulder County have taken only token steps to address the shortage of affordable, attainable and workforce housing their own policies have created. It’s much too little, and too late. A recent study...
REVENUE Revenues from the 1% sales tax in the Niwot Local Improvement District is down 8.8% compared to a year ago through July, but the percentage of decrease actually dropped a full percentage point, from 9.8%, since June. LID Treasurer Mary Coonce reported that retail sales are down 7.4%, while accommodations and food are up 6.7% year-to-date compared to 2023. The largest percentage decrease is in a category of "Other and Wholesale," which is down 35% year-to-date. Four funding requests were...
The Niwot Trot, a fundraising race for Niwot Elementary School, was a huge success on Sunday, Oct. 6, raising over $10,000 for the school. "We had a record number of over 700 participants, surpassing our numbers by 100 racers," organizer Aimee Morin said. "It was a perfectly cool, sunny morning and everyone brought happy smiles and great energy, making it a memorable and successful event for our community." The event sent runners of all ages through a new route through the streets of Niwot,...
Susan Odiseos has been an active volunteer in the Niwot community since she moved here in December 2018, including organizing food drives, participating with the Niwot Patriotic Cookie Moms, working at Rock & Rails, and being an active member of the Niwot Community Connection (NCC). Odiseos has had a lifetime of community involvement that has changed lives. Odiseos originally lived in Connecticut, and assisted several charity and volunteer organizations there before she moved to Santa Fe around...
Music at the Grange Sunday, Nov. 10 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. This special afternoon of tunes features up to 11 talented local artists performing their renditions of familiar songs with some original pieces sprinkled in. Performers are by invitation only and the community is welcome to listen and enjoy free of charge. Complimentary refreshments are always provided. Niwot Community Connection Thursday, Nov. 14 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. In addition to covering community news and discussing upcoming...
Niwot Historical Society's Now & Then Lecture Series' latest speaker was Gunbarrel resident Tom Myer, an activist and expert on Native American culture. Before an audience of 40 people at the Left Hand Grange on Oct. 10, Myer introduced his lecture called "What is a Powwow?" accompanied by "hand talk," a form of Plains Indian sign language. Myer's information-packed and enthusiastic presentation wove together the tragic history of how American Indians have been treated as a way to elucidate...
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A game-changing presence at the net, Brooke Caquelin is a large reason why the Niwot High School varsity girls volleyball team has cruised through most of its Granite Peaks League schedule. Through Oct. 13, the senior middle blocker owns the third-most kills (75) and the second-most total blocks (26) on a 12-3 Cougars squad that hasn't lost consecutive matches all year. Caquelin, displaying her growth mindset, believes Niwot still hasn't reached its ceiling. "I think we still have a long way to...
The autumn sun cast long shadows across the tennis courts as the Class 4A Regional Tennis Tournament unfolded at Niwot High School. The air crackled with anticipation as players from various schools gathered, their rackets ready and dreams of state glory in their hearts. Niwot's boys tennis team, a perennial powerhouse, entered the tournament with high hopes. Leading the charge was Sebastian Moy, the school's formidable No. 1 singles player. Moy's journey began with a first-round bye, a...
The Niwot High School softball team has been turning heads this season with an impressive performance on and off their home field. With a solid overall record of 14-8 for the 2024 regular season and a commendable 7-4 standing in the competitive 5A/4A/3A Granite Peaks league, the Cougars have proven themselves a force to be reckoned with. The team's performance has been particularly stellar on the home turf, with the Cougars boasting a 6-2 record. Their away game resilience is evident in their...
The 2024 baseball season was mostly a lost year for Niwot High School grad Skye Messinger, who underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last December. Messinger, a third baseman in the Colorado Rockies' organization, injured his arm while working out in the offseason. The recovery time for the surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right arm is seven to nine months at a minimum before a return to competition for non-pitchers. As a result, Messinger missed all of spring...
Niwot seniors Drew Stapp and Jagger Kilpatrick represented the Cougars at the 4A Boys Golf State Tournament on Oct. 7 and 8, held at the Tiara Rado Golf Course in Grand Junction. Competing against some of the best golfers in the state, both players put forth strong efforts in their final tournament. For Stapp, the state tournament marked his third appearance, and carried special significance as he aimed to end his high school career on a high note. He opened the first round with an impressive...
Niwot High School's cross country teams dominated the Granite Peaks League Championship on Friday, Oct. 11, with both the boys and girls racing to decisive team titles. The varsity boys swept the top five positions, with junior Rocco Culpepper taking first place in 15:23.65, closely followed by juniors Hunter Robbie (15:26.45) and Ryder Keeton (15:28.92). Senior Keegan Geldean finished fourth in 15:32.09, and senior Cole Mazurana rounded out the top five with a time of 15:34.38. Nine of the...
The Niwot Cougars faced another tough night on Thursday, Oct. 10 with a 56-0 loss to the Windsor High School Wizards. The game, played at Everly-Montgomery Field in Longmont, saw the Cougars fall to 0-6 on the season. The Wizards struck early and often, with their first touchdown coming four minutes into the game. By the end of the first quarter, Windsor had built a commanding 28-0 lead. Niwot struggled to find any offensive rhythm, despite a few bright moments, including a solid run by senior...
Six weeks into the 2024 competition season, Cougar gymnasts are reflecting on their growth in collaboration and are looking ahead with optimism as they continue to improve. Since the Niwot team's first meet in early September, it has participated in six competitions across the Front Range. Niwot has secured top-three rankings at every invitational meet it has attended thus far. Competing with thirteen schools on Sept. 21 at Overland High School, varsity took third with 175.125 points total. The...
On Wednesday, Oct. 9, Niwot varsity boys soccer fell to rival Silver Creek High School, 1-0, in a hard-fought contest. The loss dropped the Cougars to a 0-2-1 league record and a 6-4-1 overall record. After nearly completing a monumental comeback the previous week against Longmont High School, they drew against Centaurus High School on Monday, Oct. 7, in a 2-2 tie, with goals by Sullivan Burns and Colin Mundt. However, they went without a goal in their loss to Silver Creek at home. Winless in the Granite Peaks League so far, Niwot is...
The annual St. Vrain Valley School District's Band Night was held on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at Longmont High School. Every high school marching band in SVVSD met to build comradery and perform their halftime shows for the other bands. St. Vrain high schools that performed included Lyons (performing "Ex's and Oh's" with the Unified Drumline), Skyline (the music of Santana), Silver Creek (Jackson 5 music), Frederick ("The Macabre"), Mead (Michael Jackson hits), Longmont ("Night of the Living...
Niwot High School is host to over 60 student-run clubs, and one stand-out is the Key Club. Key Club is one of the many high school level branches of Kiwanis, an international club which has a mission to "improve the world one child and one community at a time." Key Club focuses on aiding local communities and volunteering in various ways. Throughout the year, Key Club fundraises, hosts various donation drives, and promotes unity among students to help others. With help from teacher-facilitator...
Audrey Owen's all-time favorite theater show is the coming-of-age musical "Bare" by Damon Intrabartolo. She performed in this show in the spring of 2023, playing the character Diane Lee, an actress who has trouble remembering her lines. "I have never been in a show so educating and heart wrenching," Owen said. The story follows a group of teenagers who reside at a Catholic boarding school in the early 2000s. "What makes this show so relatable is how similar the characters are to teenagers...
Niwot High School Student Council will be hosting the third annual Fall Fest on Friday, Oct. 25 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Fall Fest is a celebration of the season for the entire Niwot community, not just the high school. This event will feature various games, activities, and a trunk-or-treat for our students, feeder schools, and the community in the parking lot in the front of the high school. Niwot's various clubs and sports will be hosting booths with quintessential fall-themed games such as...
As I began to reflect on the last 10 years as a dentist here in Niwot, I kept coming back to my favorite and most gratifying detail - being a part of the community. The relationships that have been cultivated out of a shadow of a common phrase, “I’m scared of the dentist,” have made me feel that this life and the connections to our community are just as important as the technical skill of my career. Whether at Rock & Rails, our kids’ Niwot flag football games, or a Saturday morning coffee hello, I feel the need to express my sincere...
The term Bruxism is the dental word for a condition in which a person abnormally grinds and/or clenches his or his teeth. Bruxism is one of the most common forms of parafunction, or repeatable habits that cause damage or discomfort to our teeth, jaws and even muscles of the head and neck. Nighttime appliance therapy with a comfortable, custom fit occlusal guard made by your dentist can help protect against further damage to your teeth or existing restorations, allow triggered muscles to relax, and result in better sleep for you and your...
"One-Beer Daisy" was written during the pandemic when, thirteen years after the fact, Maikel L. Wise finally had time to process the journey of grief he undertook during the last two weeks of his mother's life in 2007. Being a self-described "mama's boy," the loss of his mother, at her relatively young age of sixty, was particularly acute for him. The book's subtitle, "Facing Death, Life, and Growing Up Along the Way," describes Wise's journey. That it took Wise thirteen years to finally deal...
The Niwot United Methodist Church will be holding its annual Trunk or Treat event on Sunday, Oct. 27 from 1 - 3 p.m., filled with free Halloween festivities including candy, treats and games at 7405 Lookout Road. This is a public gathering where all families can come celebrate Halloween in their costumes in a welcoming, fun and safe environment for children's trick-or-treating. Janet Gates, event organizer for Niwot UMC said, "I always have fun seeing the creative costumes people come up with....
ACROSS 2. powwow 6. golf 8. Bartruff 10. Daisy 12. mother 14. Elementary 16. Caquelin 17. Moy 18. Sweet 19. trunk 20. Lindy 21. Key DOWN 1. golf 3. orange 4. drumline 5. soccer 7. LID 9. Bare 11. Shaw 13. gymnastics 15. third 18....
Ok. Halloween is just around the corner. It is the only time of year when that much-maligned color, orange, is front and center. Orange somehow connotes "scary," doesn't it? When did orange get such a bad rap? After all, it is a completely natural color. Orange is found in pumpkins, oranges, flowers, and Tang. I am not talking about peach or coral. I am talking about straight-up orange. Yet, it is hard to find orange so predominant at any other time of year. Nowhere is this more obvious than in...
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]@lhvc.com in high resolution. • Please include a caption describing the photo, your name, email...
