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For the past two years, the Left Hand Valley Courier found a way to survive, barely, by borrowing money to pay the bills, with several key staff members deferring any compensation for 10-hour-plus work weeks. In an era of news deserts in Colorado and across the nation—areas without any local newspapers—newspapers must adapt, or die. Like other small businesses struggling to survive, the Courier owners decided to create a non-profit educational corporation, and donated the newspaper to the non-profit. The transfer took effect January 1, 202...
Nine months came and went. The Left Hand Valley Courier became a non-profit corporation in late 2023, and filed an application with the IRS to be recognized as a Section 501(c)(3) charitable education organization, on January 31, 2024, and waited. Finally, after months of waiting, on Oct. 29, 2024 the IRS approval letter, dated Oct. 11, 2024, arrived, granting the Left Hand Valley Courier the ability to seek tax deductible donations and grants from organizations devoted to preserving local journalism. The IRS determination letter allows the...
Entering last weekend, the Niwot High School girls volleyball team had a 16-3 record, and was cruising through the Granite Peaks 5A/4A League in first place, with a record of 12-1. As is the custom for Coach Tony Engel, the Cougars participated in the Cheyenne Mountain Tournament, held at the Broadmoor World Arena in Colorado Springs. The event is annually the top tournament in the state, held just before playoffs begin, and the Cougars won at least one match in every set, but came away with...
Social media was buzzing with reports of an attempted burglary in a Niwot subdivision adjacent to open space near Highway 52 on Halloween night. According to reports, five men attempting to enter a home on the second floor from nearby open space were caught on a security camera. The would-be thieves were shown in a video lifting one member of the group to the second floor balcony, but the homeowners reportedly turned on the lights at that point, and the group quickly ran. The Boulder County...
In the early morning hours, shortly after midnight on Tuesday, Nov. 5, the siren at the former Niwot Volunteer Fire Department building next to the Left Hand Grange building in Niwot, went off, waking residents of Old Town and beyond. Worried neighbors who called law enforcement were informed that it was not an emergency, and that the siren had simply malfunctioned. Before members of Left Hand Grange No. 9 could respond to the scene, the Boulder County Sheriff's Department responded and pried...
The Great Pumpkin Party began Oct. 26 with an impressive vocal performance by Niwot Elementary School students in the Left Hand Corner parking lot, a fitting prelude to the presentation of the Curtis Lizakowski Golden Hammer Award for outstanding volunteerism to longtime Niwot resident Neal Anderson. Niwot resident and realtor Pat Murphy, who helped create the award many years ago, made the presentation to Anderson, explaining that the award honors often unsung volunteers who make things happen...
Inkberry Books in Niwot's Cottonwood Square shopping center hosted local author Peggy Cline Friday, Oct. 25, who read excerpts from her recently published book, "Trout Farming in the People's Republic of Boulder." Cline and her late husband Steve had a trout farm on the edge of Boulder, off of Valmont Road near 55th Street on the edge of Boulder. The book is a tribute to Steve Cline and the memorable moments they created in the foothills of Boulder. That wasn't the only trout farm the Cline...
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 concl...
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 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 had to come from behind multiple times against Legacy High School, but ended up with a 3-0 sweep Oct. 3 on "Neon Night" with the cheerleaders and most of the student section decked out in neon green construction vests. The Cougars started strong, pulling away to a 16-11 lead in the first set before Legacy took a time out. After a spectacular save by junior libero Elise Arends, who was all over the floor for Niwot, an unintentional dink shot that left the Niwot girls smiling gave the...
When the building at 101 2nd Avenue went up for sale, Niwot's Cornelia Sawle saw it as an opportunity to invest in the town she loves. Sawle, who owns and operates the Niwot Inn & Spa just down the street, also owned commercial property in Ohio, which was recently taken by the local government there through the eminent domain process for public improvements. To avoid capital gain taxes resulting from the compensation paid to her, she had to quickly find a replacement property that was also a...
On Aug. 7 at a special meeting, the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) Board of Education unanimously approved placement of a Bond Referendum Question on the Nov. 5, 2024 Ballot in the amount of $739.8 million “to improve safety and security, preserve capital assets, enhance educational space, and address the increase in enrollment” in the district. The district worked hard to ensure that property taxes will not go up if the bond issue passes. How does this happen? The district’s website anticipates the question, and the answer provi...
The Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) Advisory Committee met on a zoom call Sept. 3 to consider a funding request from the Niwot Business Association (NBA) for holiday lighting, and discuss the planned underpass on CO 119 as part of the planned bikeway, as well as declining LID revenues. Holiday Lighting Angela Hudgins, NBA administrative coordinator, presented the lighting request for funding. In the application requesting funding of $8,607, Hudgins wrote, "Niwot would like to repeat the...
The House Blend Band will perform its last concert of the summer on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 6 to 9 p.m. on Second Avenue, in front of Old Oak Coffeehouse. Band leader and keyboardist Michael Tomich said the band will then take a "long winter's nap." Tomich, who co-owns the coffeehouse with violinist Patty Machin, said, “I think my manager has one more big batch of spaghetti sauce in her before she needs a break as well.” “The Niwot Gig will also be joining us again during our intermission,” he said. “We also love having their energy at the eve...
The Niwot Cultural Arts Association's (NCAA) annual Why Not Niwot? Juried Art Show will present awards at the First Friday Art Walk on Friday, Sept. 6, at Osmosis Gallery, 290 Second Avenue, in Niwot, with an artist's reception following at the former Feed Store across the street. Osmosis Gallery has sponsored the NCAA event since its inception 12 years ago, the brainchild of Osmosis owner Anne Postle. The three judges who make up the jury have selected a first, second and third-place winner...
The Niwot High School boys soccer team opened the home season Saturday, Aug. 31, with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Steamboat Springs High School on the Cougar's home turf at Niwot High. Niwot had opened the season with two games on the road, a 2-1 victory over Class 5A Legacy High School, followed by a 1-0 loss at perennial 4A powerhouse Cheyenne Mountain High School on Tuesday, Aug. 27. Against Steamboat Springs, Cougar senior Gavin Engtrakrul scored off an assist from fellow senior Naveen...
The Niwot girls volleyball team opened the season on Wednesday, Aug. 28, with a solid 3-0 win over Class 5A Boulder, which entered the match with a 1-1 record. The Cougars, led by four-year starter Anne Haley, took the first game of the season by a score of 25-18. That set the stage for Haley, Niwot's senior setter, who began the game serving for the Cougars.. Once Haley started serving, Niwot prevailed on every rally, some easy, some hard, with a few aces by Haley thrown in for good measure....
Three writers for the Left Hand Valley Courier, Deborah Cameron, Vicky Dorvee, and Elise S. Marylander, were recognized at the Colorado Press Association (CPA) awards banquet for their articles from 2023 in the CPA's Better News Contest. Judging is conducted anonymously by journalists from another state, and awards are presented based upon size and type of publication. The Courier is a Class 5 publication as a weekly newspaper in a small community. Cameron, who writes for the Courier as well as...
University of Colorado Professor of Linguistics Andrew Cowell spoke to a crowd of over 40 at the Grange Hall in Niwot Aug. 21 as part of the Niwot Historical Society's Now & Then Lecture Series. Cowell has focused his research on Native American languages, and especially the Arapaho language, which he speaks, as well as efforts to preserve it. He described how anthropologists learn about historic travels of indigenous peoples, in part by comparing languages of the Arapaho Cheyenne and other...
After a few drops of rain fell early at the Rock & Rails concert Aug. 22, the evening cooled off and the crowd came out to hear hometown girl Nalani Clisset and her band, The Nalani Effect, entertain the crowd with a mix of blues, funk and soul standards. Joined by Regi Wooten on guitar and Adam Wooten on drums, from the renowned Wooten Brothers, Nalani, her stage name, poured out her heart and soul on vocals while playing bass. Tunes included Chaka Khan's "Tell Me Something Good" as well as a...
All nine members of the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID) met with Boulder County Commissioners Claire Levy and Marta Loachamin on Aug. 12 at the Left Hand Grange building in Niwot. The meeting, which had been rescheduled several times, is an annual affair in which LID members can give an update on the state of Niwot and hear directly from the commissioners about their priorities. County Commissioner Ashley Stolzmann, who is the elected representative from an area which...
Construction is underway on a new building which is designed to include three retail outlets, including a marijuana dispensary. The property, located at 6325 Lookout Road near the intersection of Lookout Road and 63rd Street, is next to the Hampton Inn & Suites, and the Whistling Boar Provisions restaurant site. The property owner is 6325 Lookout, LLC, which was formed in 2020 by Margarita Tsalyuk of Greenwood Village, Colorado. The LLC became delinquent in 2023 according to records of the Color...
Niwot High School graduate Elise Cranny finished 11th in the women's 5,000 meters in Paris, France at the 2024 Olympics on Aug. 5. Cranny, 28, ran with the leading pack for most of the race, generally in sixth or seventh place behind the lead runners. With a lap to go, Kenya's Faith Kipyegon and Beatrice Chebet broke away from the pack, with Cheget taking the lead in the final strides to win the gold medal with a time of 14:28.56. Kipyegon appeared to finish second, but was initially...
The Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) approved funding for three items at its July 9, 2024 meeting. Flower Fest Kathy Trauner of Fly Away Home Decor presented an application from the Niwot Business Association (NBA) for the second annual Flower Fest event scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In the application, Trauner wrote, "Flower Fest is designed to delight visitors and bring new customers to area businesses." "[W]e offer a 'Flower Journey' in which the first 150...
A crowd of 30 gathered July 5 during Niwot's First Friday Art Walk to celebrate and dedicate two donations by Jim and Anne Postle. The sculptures, "Of One Heart" and "Courtship Flight" by world-renowned artist George Carlson, were added to the permanent collection of the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA) on the corner of Niwot Road and 79th Street after the death of Jim Postle in 2021. Anne Postle, wife of the late Jim Postle, spoke on behalf of the Postle family, including daughter-in-law...
Niwot High School graduate Elise Cranny, who now runs professionally for Nike, is preparing for her second appearance at the Olympics, to be held in Paris from July 26 through Aug. 11. Cranny finished second to Elle St. Pierre in the 5,000 meters by two one-hundredths (0.02) of a second in a photo finish at the Olympic trials to secure a spot in Paris on the U.S. Olympic team. Last week, Cranny also ran the 1500 meters at the Olympic trials, finishing sixth with a time of 3:57.87 a sub-4-minute...
Soon after the conclusion of Niwot High School girls basketball's 2023-24 season, the Denver office of the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) received a claim accusing the program of violating Title IX regulations. Enacted in 1972, Title IX prohibits any educational institution that receives federal funding from discriminating on the basis of sex. The law covers all programs and activities, but it has commonly been associated with ensuring equal treatment of male and...
Ron Ivory and his band, One on One, kept everyone dancing and singing along to a never-ending stream of Motown hits, from The Temptations, to Diana Ross, to The Four Tops. One on One has become a staple of the Thursday night concert series, with a good crowd attending the event, in spite of gale-force winds. In spite of a threat of rain, which spared the Niwot area June 27, the concert went on uninterrupted. Jack Hadley opened for One on One, with original blues songs mixed with familiar covers...
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The crowd at last Thursday's Rock & Rails concert, June 13, received an unexpected treat when the Rotary Club of Niwot presented Pat Murphy with the Eli Buzas Community Service Award for 2024 on stage. Rotary president Wick Rowland made the presentation, with Awards Committee Chair Kamla Chopra during a break in the performance by the Alcapones. Murphy and her husband Larry were at the concert and Murphy took the stage to thank the Rotary. Rowland said, "The award is the Niwot club's highest rec...
The June meeting of the Niwot Business Association (NBA) featured Niwot resident Amy Scanes Wolfe, describing her efforts to create a suburban homestead through regenerative agricultural design. She described a small farming operation in Niwot on about an acre of land that is grounded in regenerative agriculture, with volunteers raising crops and farm animals with minimal resources from outside the community. She said, "That's what has stood out to me is how people are craving that genuine...
The Alcapones brought a mix of horns, vocal harmonies and rock to Rock & Rails last Thursday, June 13. The band performed to a generous crowd on a hot summer night in Niwot. Tim Ostdiek and Jenny opened the evening with an hour of folk rock tunes, including familiar songs as well as originals by Ostdiek, who has produced several CD's including his latest, titled "The Lost Days." Ostdiek and his partner, Jenny Balagna, are based out of Longmont, and have been entertaining crowds at Rock & Rails...
Niwot High School's softball season ended last fall, but for seniors Autumn Rutherford and Anne Booth, the last game of the season came in June. Rutherford and Booth were selected to play in the Colorado High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) All-State game June 12 at Rawlings Field in Pueblo. Niwot softball coach Bobby Matthews said, "Players are selected by coaches who are members and teams are put together from all classifications." Rutherford and Booth played for the Blue team, which won...
Niwot High Baseball coach Ken Rosales and his staff, along with players from the 2024 squad, hosted a week-long camp for Niwot Youth Sports players June 10 to 14 at the Niwot High School field. Approximately 63 campers worked on drills from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. before finishing each day with a scrimmage. Drills included agility games, baserunning, hitting, bunting, fielding, throwing and pitching. Rosales and pitching coach Greg Wilcox expressed hope that players participating would take lessons...
Five Niwot High School Cougars received Longs Peak Conference postseason baseball awards, which were announced by NHS Head Coach, Ken Rosales. Leading the way were juniors Haden Shaw, Charlie Shaw, and Kaige Kennedy, who were named first team All-Conference. Haden Shaw caught most of the varsity games this season, but also took a turn on the mound when needed. He led the Cougars with a .507 batting average and had a team-high 27 RBIs. He received Honorable Mention All-State honors as well....
The "Peacemaker" bronze sculpture in Niwot's Sculpture Park, on the southwest corner of Niwot Road and 79th Street, is a big step closer to belonging to the community. The Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA), which manages the park pursuant to an agreement with the Cottonwood Park West Homeowners Association and Boulder County, announced that it has received a commitment for a $50,000 donation towards the purchase of the sculpture created by renowned artist Bobbie Carlyle of Loveland. The...
It was the Boulder Library Foundation, not the Boulder Public Library District itself, which released the minutes of the Boulder Public Library District Board of Trustees’ important May 14, 2024, meeting to the public. These minutes are included on the library’s website: Boulder Public Library District -REGULAR MEETING- Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (https://boulderlibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/05.14.24-Regular-Meeting-Packet-final.pdf) Specifics about the Gunbarrel library project, including the Gunbarrel lease, costs, other locations con...