Week of November 20, 2024
Week of November 20, 2024
A request for a Sketch Plan Review of a proposed Transferable Development Rights Planned Unit Development (TDR/PUD) in Boulder County has been sparking controversy among local officials and residents for over a year. In July of 2023, Ifrain and Shannon Rodriguez, the owners of a 39.5-acre property located on the southwest corner of 63rd Street and Niwot Road, submitted an application to Boulder County Land Use Department to construct nine new residential homes (for a total of 10 homes,...
A water main break at Walker Drive and Marathon Road in Morton Heights on Wednesday, Nov. 13, cut off water to approximately 15 homes in the Morton Heights subdivision in Niwot. Left Hand Water District discovered the break around 6 p.m. Wednesday night, according to resident John Thornbury. Homes between Niwot Road and Comanche Road were affected, but Niwot Elementary School, which is connected to a Morton Road water main, did not suffer a loss of service. "Our water was restored about noon on...
Alison Steele, co-owner of the Niwot Market, conquered the New York City Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 3. For Steele, the race was not just about covering 26.2 miles. For Steele, it was about balancing her passion for running with her roles as a mother, a business owner, and a community member, all while honoring the memory of her father, Bert Steele. Steele has been a runner since high school, where she competed in cross country and track. Though she ran her first marathon in college, it was not...
The Niwot Community Association (NCA) received notice from Wildfire Partners, a group partnering with the Boulder County Planning & Permitting Department dedicated to wildfire mitigation, that the NCA's annual "Clean-Up Day" was one of the larger chipping events in Boulder County in 2024. Zack Bertges, Chipping Coordinator with Wildfire Partners, notified John Barto of the NCA that an appreciation event was being held for those with successful chipping events in 2024. Barto has been leading the...
The Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID) has scheduled a community meeting for Monday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m. at The Wheel House in Niwot as the final step in getting feedback on the draft Master Plan for Niwot. The Master Plan is a working document commissioned by the LID to guide future development and community projects in Niwot, created by Dave Lee and Chad Fletemeyer of Fletemeyer Lee & Associates (FLA), a Niwot architectural firm. Throughout the past year, meetings have...
The Niwot Community Association’s board of directors held its monthly meeting on Nov. 13 at the newly named Niwot Hall. The agenda consisted of a financial report update from the NCA Treasurer, Terry Larsen, the President’s report from David Limbach, and area reports from the area representatives. The directors then addressed the 2024 goals, which were to monitor land use, incorporate a wildfire protection plan, and create and engage on social media platforms. The NCA also hosted Jim...
How did the Left Hand Valley Courier get here? The Left Hand Valley Courier was founded in November 1996, by seven residents of Niwot and Gunbarrel, who each contributed $50 toward start-up costs. With little journalism experience, the founders sought to fill a growing lack of coverage of happenings in Niwot and Gunbarrel by the daily newspapers in Boulder and Longmont. It took four months to create the first Courier issue, which was published on April 1, 1997, by Karen Copperberg, Ron Goodman,...
The Camino de Santiago, also known as the Way of Saint James, is a historic network of pilgrimage trails that have been walked for over a thousand years. These routes lead to the shrine of the apostle Saint James the Great, situated in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. The pilgrimage offers various starting points, including Portugal, France, and Ireland. Tammy Gentry, one of Niwot's beloved community members, recently completed the 160-mile Camino Portugués pilgrimage...
The plat of Niwot was recorded on March 30, 1875 by Ambrose Murray and Porter Hinman laying out the streets, alleys and lots of what is now known as Old Town Niwot. March 30, 2025, will mark 150 years since the founding of the community, and the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) has asked community organizations to begin planning a year-long celebration of the community's first 150 years. Sparked by a discussion in October of plans by the Niwot Historical Society to publish a book...
The Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID) met at the Niwot Inn on Nov. 12 to consider funding requests and other issues related to Niwot's business district. Landscape Project Improvement in the appearance of the west entrance to Niwot on Niwot Road has long been a topic of discussion. Several Eagle Scout projects over the years have improved the appearance for a time, especially on the north side, including installation of a "Welcome to Niwot" stone sign completed last...
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Reaching the state playoffs was an important goal for Niwot High School boys soccer senior Santiago Nahas as it was for his teammates. Nahas cracked Niwot's varsity roster for the first time this fall and was determined to capitalize on his lone season playing at the top. Unfortunately for Nahas and the Cougars, they hit a rough patch midway through the season, dropping three games in two weeks. "During that time, we were even contemplating if we were going to make it to the playoffs or not,"...
On Wednesday, Nov. 13, Niwot High School honored nine standout athletes during its Fall Signing Day ceremony. Held in the Commons during lunch, the event celebrated those Cougars committing to continue their athletic and academic careers at the collegiate level. Surrounded by teammates, coaches, family, and friends, the athletes celebrated their accomplishments and looked ahead to the exciting next chapter of their lives. Kianna Butler signed with Metropolitan State University of Denver to play...
By winning the Granite Peaks Conference title with a 12-1 league record, the Niwot Cougars were poised to dominate post-season volleyball All-Conference awards. Anne Haley, Jade West, Elise Arends, and Bella Berger achieved first-team All-Conference selections, marking their contribution to the team's success. Jiselle Sales and Brooke Caquelin were also honored with All-Conference honorable mentions. Two Cougars received Granite Peaks Conference special recognition. Arends was named "Libero of...
Niwot High School trumpet player Jannik Stranzenbach appreciates the peaceful feeling that settles over him when he plays music. "I would describe it as a passion that allows your mind to rest," Stranzenbach explained. "When playing music there is a lot to focus on, so any stress that you might be experiencing is relieved, because there is no time to think about it when you are playing." NHS Band Director Wade Hendricks selected Stranzenbach as Arts Student of the Week. "Jannik has progressed...
Niwot High School's talented Cougar thespians captivated audiences with its production of "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie Nov. 14, 15 and 16. The production blended outstanding performances, elegant costumes, and an impressive set design built to fully bring this classic mystery to life. The play, set aboard the Orient Express train, begins with the famous detective, Hercule Poirot, finding himself in the middle of a murder investigation when an American passenger is found...
At Niwot High School, the Special Education Department is dedicated to fostering growth, independence, and inclusion for students with disabilities. Serving students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), the department offers a robust range of specialized classes designed to prepare students for life beyond high school. By embracing inclusion both in the classroom and beyond, Niwot High School's Special Education Department and Unified programs are shaping a community where every student...
Dear Boulder County Board of Commissioners, We, the Niwot Business Association Board of Directors, are following up on a letter submitted to the Boulder County Board of Commissioners late in September of this year. Now that the major municipalities in Boulder County have concluded their current deliberations concerning adjusting their minimum wage beyond what is required by the State of Colorado, we respectfully repeat our request that The Boulder County Board of Commissioners take steps to place us on equal footing with our neighboring...
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...
Cranberry Concoctions What would Thanksgiving dinner look like without cranberry sauce its progeny? Probably a little more peaceful since the debate between homemade cranberry sauce and the jellied kind from a can dominates the very important Thanksgiving cranberry decision. Go ahead, buy the canned kind, slice it into half-moons and enjoy. But here are a couple of alternatives. CRANBERRY SAUCE MADE FROM CRANBERRIES Basic cranberry sauce is almost as easy as opening a can. The bonus is that...
ACROSS 1. Nahas 3. Master 6. donations 11. libero 12. entrance 14. trumpet DOWN 2. speed 4. water 5. Niwot 7. soccer 8. Steele 9. four 10. minimum 11. LID 13....
