All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Thanks to a snowy start to March, the 2022 golf season was delayed until after spring break, but the Niwot girls seem to have made the most of their extra time to practice. In two events during the final week of the month, the Cougars posted two top-five finishes and, to coach Ed Weaver's delight, showed signs that the best is still yet to come. "It was a solid performance all around, from the senior to the new freshmen," he said after Niwot's fourth-place finish among the 17 teams at the PSD...
Whether you need a necklace clasp replaced, the pendulum on your great-great-grandfather's grandfather clock rehung, or are thinking of popping the question, Niwot's one-of-a-kind, full-service jewelry shop will save you a trip into the city. Family owned and operated since 1996, Niwot Jewelry & Gifts at 300 2nd Avenue offers a wide selection of fine jewelry, with prices to fit any budget, plus a range of expert, on-site repair services that are increasingly hard to come by. For owner and...
Mya McGovern has always had a creative side, and, since coming to Niwot High as a freshman in 2020, she has been taking advantage of opportunities to develop it. So far, the sophomore has taken the 2D Design class twice, plus 3D Design, and Beginning Sculpture, which quickly became her favorite. "I really like sculpture best, because it's more hands-on, and you get to really create something, instead of just a drawing," the sophomore said. McGovern finds more "creative freedom" in abstract art,...
After a three-year absence, one of the most competitive bicycle races in Colorado is returning to Boulder County next month. Modeled after one of the world's oldest single-day cycling competitions, the Boulder Roubaix will test up to 1,000 riders on a partially-paved 18.7-mile course that winds through the bucolic hills of Niwot, Longmont, and Hygiene. "Typically we go every other year, but we weren't interested in helping to spread the virus in any way shape or form, so it was an obvious...
When Sydney Rothstein was six years old, her father started taking her to the late lamented Haystack Mountain golf course where, through a series of outrageous bets and parental indulgence, he didn't just teach his daughter how to play the game, but made her fall in love with it. More than a decade later, Rothstein has turned that love for golf into a successful high school career at Niwot High that has included two state tournament appearances, and a lot of fun with friends along the way. But...
A road improvement project first proposed in 2017 is finally underway in Morton Heights, and, when completed later this year, will mean changes for motorists and pedestrians heading to Niwot Elementary. According to Boulder County public works engineer Dave Webster, Morton Heights Concrete and Safe Routes to School Project has been delayed by both design changes and the pandemic over the past several years, but is now on track to wrap-up this summer. "All improvements impacting access to the...
High school soccer in March is not known for its great weather or its top-notch play, and Niwot's home debut on March 16 against Skyline was a case in point-at least in the first half. Fortunately for those in the Cougars half of the stands, the home team was able to overcome the sluggish start, and eventually came away with a hard-fought 1-0 victory. Afterwards, third year head coach Jenna Machado explained that the youthful team has yet to find its identity, but the new dynamics are starting...
Amid staff shortages and unexpected closures, rumors have swirled around town that the Niwot branch of the U.S. Postal Service could be slated to close, as the 230-year-old agency undergoes major reform. In a 10-year plan released in May 2021, commissioner Louis DeJoy outlined steps to bring the financially troubled USPS back into profitability that include, among many, an effort to "consolidate low-traffic stations and branches." On March 8, that plan got a big boost with the U.S. Senate's...
Niwot sophomore Ava Pres started playing the cello as a sixth-grader at Sunset Middle, but long before that, the instrument became a source of fascination to her, thanks to some sibling rivalry. "When I was really little, my brother started playing the cello," she said. "It was really funny, because I wasn't allowed to touch the cello that he played, so I was always really curious what it sounded like and what it would be like to play." Her brother's cello career didn't last, but Pres has made...
The Ken Rosales era of Niwot baseball got off to a delayed start, as last week's wintry weather postponed the Cougars' original opening day, scheduled for March 10. So the boys in green got underway on March 12 instead, on the road against cross-town rival Skyline. Alas, future memories of the Rosales era at Niwot will not include a win in the storied coach's debut, as the Cougars went on to drop the opener 10-9. Worse still, it was on a walkoff single with two outs, giving Niwot no chance to...
The 2022 track and field season officially got underway for Niwot on March 12 at the annual RE-1J meet between St. Vrain Valley district schools. This year the action was out at Mead High, and, as has been the case for many years, the Cougars turned in another dominating performance. While that's come to be expected by 12th-year head coach Maurice Henriques, the season opener still held a few pleasant surprises, he said. "I'm just really impressed with the young kids. We have a lot of new faces,...
What the 2022 Niwot girls golf team lacks in size it more than makes up for in talent, and the tight-knit group should be a force to reckon in the postseason, sixth-year golf coach Ed Weaver said. Led by three-time state qualifier Sydney Rothstein, the six-member team features a balance of returning talent, plus some "exciting" new players who will add depth and give the team a competitive edge. "Last year I had a senior, junior, sophomore, and freshman, at the state tournament," Weaver said. "S...
A second summer concert series and signs for Niwot's new public parking lot were just two of the pending issues before the advisory committee to the Niwot Local Improvement District at its monthly meeting on March 1. The group also met its likely future representative from the Niwot Community Association, heard a year-end revenue report from treasurer Bruce Rabeler, and put the finishing touches on its update to the Niwot five-year strategic plan. Treasurer's Report Boosted by robust earnings...
There's no place in Colorado quite like Niwot, and, with its high quality schools, close-knit community, and bucolic setting, no better place to live, local resident Pat Murphy contends. That was true in 1976 when she was an up-and-coming realtor selling residential lots in Morton Heights, and remains true 46 years later, even as her beloved town has more than doubled in size. Through it all, the now-seasoned real estate professional has been a tireless advocate for the little enclave outside...
When Niwot senior and trombone player Alexis Marez learned that he had been named first chair for the All-District honor band earlier this year, he was not sure how to take it. "I guess I shouldn't have been, but I was surprised to hear that I was even nominated for first chair," he said. "I haven't gotten anything like that before. There was a total of around 10 trombones, and to be the first one in the entire district, it was surreal." It was also well deserved, according to NHS band director...
If being a well-rounded student means engaging with a wide range of opportunities for learning and success at school, then the term applies to Niwot senior Mercer Stauch, whose list of high school accomplishments isn't just long, but also varied. Whether in the classroom, on the track, or, most recently, on the stage for Niwot, Stauch almost never says no to a challenge, or fails to reach a goal. Being well-rounded doesn't mean you can't have passions, and for Stauch, music and performing have...
Two years after the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns sent a shock through the local economy, Niwot isn't just back in business, it's booming. Over the past 12 months, shoppers, diners, and retailers have been flocking to Cottonwood Square and 2nd Avenue, driving sales tax revenues to all-time highs while driving the commercial vacancy rate to an all-time low. Part of this growth is due to an economy that is on the rebound from a slowdown in 2020, plus the easing of many pandemic restrictions....
Jonah Fahlin has always had an artistic side, which he started exploring through digital art. Since coming to Niwot High, however, the sophomore has taken a more hands-on approach to expressing himself, and opened up new worlds of creativity. "As of recently, I've gotten more into things in the real world, like pencils, canvas, and paper," he said. "I really like to draw on paper. No matter what class I'm in, I'm always doodling. I just really enjoy it." During the fall semester, Fahlin took...
Disneyland bills itself as "the happiest place on Earth," but on Saturday, Feb. 26, it had competition for that title from Niwot High School, where the St. Vrain Valley unified basketball teams came together to celebrate eight weeks of hard work, camaraderie and mastering new skills. In the 2022 season finale, each of the eight district teams competed in a two-game tournament, and while there probably was a winner, everyone was having too much fun to pay much attention to the final results....
Ashlee Wood didn't have much basketball experience when she joined Niwot's new unified basketball team-just what she'd picked up by playing with her brothers and dad in the driveway. But what the athletic sophomore lacked in experience, she more than made up for in excitement and determination, and, by the end of the eight-game season, Wood had become a force for the Cougars on both sides of the ball. "I did pretty good," she said about her performance during the 2022 campaign. "It was a challen...
A public meeting to discuss an issue that could be on the November 2022 ballot is coming to the Left Hand Grange (195 2nd Ave.) next month. On March 8, representatives from the Boulder Public Library will lead a town hall on a pending proposal to create a new library district in the county, and what it might mean for Niwot. "Because Niwot is currently included in the Boulder Library District proposal, I wanted to make sure that people in town have a chance to ask questions and express their...
Just days after her grand finale at the Class 4A state swim and dive championships, Niwot standout Mary Codevilla found herself in the spotlight once again. On Feb. 16, the seven-time individual champion was a featured speaker at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly completed Aquatics Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools, a facility she called "absolutely amazing." "I know all of the swimmers in the district are extremely thankful to be able to swim in this pool, especially with the limited...
A campaign launched by Niwot businesses to raise $100,000 for Marshall Fire victims is more than one-third of the way to its goal after just three weeks. According to organizers for the "Small Town Big Heart" fund, a combination of donations, benefit concerts, and other local events has brought in $38,504 since late January, a testament to the community's generosity. "This town rocks," Colorado Landmark realtor Deborah Read Fowler said. "What's so cool about it is we're seeing residents and busi...
Earlier this season, Cougars swim coach Kyle Bachrodt said that senior Mary Codevilla "can win any race that she swims," and at the 2022 Class 4A state swim championships on Feb. 11, she proved that true. In a stunning career finale, the speedy senior picked up her sixth and seventh individual state titles in two events not usually on her slate. "I got a little bit more leeway in deciding what I wanted to swim, and I wanted to have some fun and try to challenge myself," she said of the decision...
If Niwot wrestling's performance at the 2022 Class 4A Region 3 championships had a title, it would be "A Series of Unfortunate Events." It all started with an injury to a top wrestler in the days before the regional, and ended with a stunning reversal in the third period of a wrestleback match. Like the fictionalized series of the same name, there were plenty of plot twists along the way, but unlike the books, this tale did not have an ambiguous conclusion. For the second straight year, no...
The Niwot Local Improvement District’s advisory committee may be without a Niwot Community Association representative for at least the next few months, after the Boulder Board of County Commissioners office was unable to appoint a candidate for the open position during the latest recruitment period. According to county liaison Mark Ruzzin, both a small number of applications and other priorities in the BOCC office contributed to the inability to seat a new member. “The commissioners, as you can...
The popular weekly concert series Rock & Rails is returning to Niwot's Whistle Stop Park for 13 shows in 2022, and organizers are gearing up for another great summer of live music and family fun on Thursday nights. "We're looking forward to another successful season," co-manager Bruce Warren of the Niwot Cultural Arts Association said. "We're adding some new local talent for opening acts along with the return of popular favorites." Along with Warren, Dan Hawk of Edward Jones and Vicki Maurer of...
As both a featured performer and student dance director for Niwot High's upcoming production of "Mamma Mia", senior Aliyah Backus doesn't have a lot of leisure time these days. But the talented dancer is gaining a new appreciation for her craft, and picking up valuable skills along the way. "I'm learning more and more with every single rehearsal that we have," Backus said of her new role on the stage. "It's difficult, especially with the fact that I'm in a lot of the numbers that I'm teaching...
When Ashlee Wood heard about the new unified basketball team coming to Niwot High, she was excited about the chance to test her burgeoning skills on the court. "My brothers actually started playing basketball, and then after a little bit I started wanting to try too," the sophomore said. "I've played for fun with my brothers, but I've never really played before on a team." The sophomore finally got her chance last month when the Cougars' unified team made its debut, featuring eight athletes...
Outside of the Cougar cheer squad, you probably won't find a student with more unabashed school spirit than Niwot junior Ryan Gray. Whether it's cheering on the home team at a state tournament, or spearheading a student council fundraiser, if it helps the NHS community, it's likely that Gray is involved. But his Niwot spirit doesn't stay on the campus grounds. As student council vice-president, he is working to forge a stronger relationship between the school and the town's organizations, with...
It has been three long seasons since the Niwot girls swim team has had a home pool, but with the opening of the Aquatic Center of St. Vrain Valley earlier this month, its wandering days are over. On Jan. 21, the Cougars tested the new waters against league rival Roosevelt, and, for head coach Kyle Bachrodt, having a place that the team can officially call its own is nothing short of "amazing." "To be 15 minutes from school is so convenient for us," he said of the new facility, located next to...
To paraphrase Forrest Gump's mama, a trip to the grocery store these days is like a box of chocolates-you never know what you're going to get because several items on your list are probably out of stock. The reasons for this are myriad, and mostly (but not entirely) downstream from the pandemic, but it can be summed up as bottlenecks at all points along the food supply chain--from the source, to vendors, to distributors, and at the store level. In Colorado and other parts of the U.S., this...
At its first monthly meeting of 2022 on Jan. 12, the Niwot Local Improvement District advisory committee approved two funding requests from the Niwot Business Association, heard an update about the parking lot, and discussed the final version of the 2021 strategic plan. Treasurer's Report After September's record-high revenues of $29,164, the LID's collections "settled" to a more normal $22,790 in October 2021, treasurer Bruce Rabeler told the board in his January report. Still, that was more th...
After a pandemic hiatus in 2021, the girls swim and dive teams from St. Vrain Valley high schools renewed their friendly rivalry at the annual All-District Meet, held Jan. 15 at Mt. View Aquatics Center. Now featuring six teams, after the addition of Frederick, the competition was as fierce as ever, and the final results entirely familiar. For the eighth straight time, the voluminous Silver Creek squad took first place in the team standings, thanks to some speedy relays and a strong contingent...
With five individual state championships and a Class 4A record to her name, there isn't much territory left for standout Mary Codevilla to conquer in high school swimming. But she still has lofty goals for her senior season, and not just in the pool. "Since I've already committed this year, it's just about fun," the fourth-year varsity and Notre Dame-bound swimmer said between events at a recent meet. "It's about being a good leader to the team, and passing down the knowledge that I've gained...
On the gusty morning of Thursday, Dec. 30, Niwot realtor Deborah Read Fowler and her family were on US Highway 36 headed to Breckenridge when they noticed something alarming: a plume of dark smoke rising on the outskirts of Boulder. As they drove on, the scene quickly escalated from alarming to frightening as it became clear that the wind-driven fire was out of control and headed east. For the rest of the drive, she and her husband stayed tuned to radio reports, which only confirmed their worst...
After a truncated 2021 high school season, full-scale wrestling tournaments are back in 2022, and, locally, that means a packed house at Niwot High for the ninth annual Gary Daum Classic, held Jan. 8. More than two hundred wrestlers plus their fans and coaches turned out for the all-day event, named for legendary Cougar wrestling coach Gary Daum (1977-2005), who passed away in 2013 after an illness. On the mat, Cougar wrestlers delivered mixed results, landing Niwot in the bottom quarter of the...
Niwot football's historic 2021 season will be remembered for many reasons, not least the dominating performance of senior Bryce Nemec, a difference-maker on both sides of the ball. Appearing in all 10 games, Nemec's bruising play as an offensive guard cleared the way for a record-setting performance by Cougar rushers, and, as a defensive lineman, helped make Niwot's defense a force to be reckoned with for the first time in many seasons. All of that added up to a 4-6 record in 2021, the Cougars'...
For a growing share of Boulder County residents, the 2021 holidays brought at least one unwelcome visitor-the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In the week between Christmas and New Year's Day, local testing sites recorded nearly 3,000 new positive cases*, one of the highest weekly totals at any point during the pandemic. That has driven the testing positivity rate to 20.2% and the seven-day case rate to 757.5 per 100,000 residents, also unprecedented figures. According to state and county health officials,...
After a series of false-starts and long delays, the 14-space public parking lot on the west side of downtown Niwot could be open to cars in the coming weeks, according to representatives of the Niwot Business Association, who said the final permitting issues have been settled, and just one piece of the puzzle-solar bollard lights-remains. "Mark Ruzzin with Boulder County is working on the final contract for light installation," NBA Vice President Mary Coonce said. "Once that is complete, we can...
Behind any community event in Niwot, there is an unsung army of volunteers, handling details and logistics that most attendees overlook. Among them is the Niwot road crew, a group that has been dedicated to keeping the town's parades and festivals pedestrian-friendly since 2014. "We started with seven, and it blossomed from there," Dick Piland said of the group he founded as Niwot Community Association president nearly a decade ago. "It was amazing. We had people calling up insisting they get...
Boulder County is seeking applications for one opening on the Niwot Business Local Improvement District (LID) Advisory Committee, a nine-member independent board that "prioritizes expenditures of the LID sales tax revenue," and makes recommendations to the county commissioners, who serve as the board of directors for the district. The Niwot LID was formed in 1992 and was authorized to collect a half-percent sales tax to pay for street, drainage and other improvements in Old Town, beginning in...
The holiday spirit was in overdrive at the inaugural Festival of Lights, a dazzling open-air celebration held at Flagstaff Academy (2040 Miller Drive, Longmont) on Dec. 9. The event featured 20 original light displays created by staff, students, and families using their cars and a variety of decorating styles, ranging from simple and understated, to seasonal mayhem. For Flagstaff Executive Principal Katie Gustafson, the cheerful event was a positive way for the school's community to reconnect af...
The Niwot girls swim team has faced its share of challenges over the past few seasons, from lack of a home facility, to a coaching turnover, and, of course, the myriad complications due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But with a new St. Vrain Valley district pool set to open next month, plus a more conventional schedule in 2021-22, senior Rowan Osgood is excited for her best swim season yet. "I absolutely think there's more stability this year," the third-year veteran said of her Niwot swimming...
Her winning word may have been 'mystified', but fifth grader Sylvia Madry was anything but as she outlasted 11 other contestants to take first place in the 13th annual Niwot Elementary spelling bee, held Dec. 1. The repeat champion correctly spelled a total of 14 words, including 'technique', 'drudgery', and 'permanence', but it was the first round word she found most memorable afterwards. "My favorite word was 'mink', because the definition was hilarious," she said. For the win, Madry received...
Senior Tessa Whittaker hasn't been a Niwot High student for long, but she's making up for lost time in the school's vocal music department, according to choir director Laura Walters. Though a recent transfer, the talented singer has quickly become "an amazing leader" that other students look to for guidance. "Tessa is always upbeat and brings such a positive energy to her choirs," Roberts wrote in an email interview. "In one of the choirs, she took the initiative to create a group chat so...
It's still early in the 2021-22 winter sports season, but it's not too early for the Niwot girls basketball team to have a better record than it did in its 2020-21 campaign. Behind an impressive performance from freshman guard Rose Pacheco, the Cougars went 2-1 in three games at a season-opening tournament, equaling their win total from the past two seasons combined. After the team's 45-34 victory over Middle Park in the tournament finale on Dec. 4, third-year varsity veteran Carly Toothaker...
The 2021-22 Niwot girls basketball team is on the path to redemption after posting just two wins during the prior two seasons. Helping lead them there is senior captain Madison Tajchman, a second-year varsity guard and natural leader, according to Cougars' new head coach Jon Hill. "Maddi represents our program and Niwot as a whole in a positive light, and is probably our biggest voice, along with Carly [Toothaker]," Hill said after a recent win. "She's an amazing student, on and off the floor....
In 2020, charitable giving rose to an all-time high in the U.S., even as many Americans struggled with uncertainty and disruptions. While that is good news for the nation's non-profit organizations, the unfortunate reality is that much of the bounty went to high profile causes and groups, leaving small and locally-focused charities scrambling to make up for lost fundraising opportunities. As 2021 comes to a close, many of those groups could still use some help to balance the scales. "There are a... Full story
Niwot sophomore Julian Wu took up photography as a middle schooler and has been seeing the world a little differently ever since. "Photography is a really great medium of art," he said. "You just need a camera and great positioning." Living in Niwot has given Wu an appreciation for the changing textures of a rural landscape. "Especially in different seasons. I like to go to the same spot and take photos a few times each year." Most of Wu's photos are shot on either his cell phone or a "dinky...
