Articles written by Mary Wolbach Lopert
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Hillside School receives conditional approval for expansion
On Wednesday, March 16, the Boulder County Planning Commission reviewed a revised Hillside School's proposed expansion application, submitted on Nov. 10, 2021. The Planning Commission approved the...
Niwot Market celebrates 20 years 'in a really great town'
Bert Steele of Niwot Market was a bit flabbergasted by friends and patrons with a surprise party in honor of the market's 20th anniversary. Joined by his son Seth, while new mom daughter Alison...
Longtime Niwot Sanitation District's director to retire
It's a testament to Karen Behne's 25-year career at the Niwot Sanitation District when past sanitation board president Jim Jones said, "People come in to pay their bills in person so they can talk to...
There's nothing like a good Plan B
^%$# happens. We all know it, and a good Plan B is the best defense. Say your child wants to have an outdoor swim birthday party – in July. You’d still better have a back up plan, because while it won’t snow in the Front Range, you must conside...
Hillside Learning Center seeks expansion approval with updated plans
Gunbarrel Estates residents received notice from Boulder County Community Planning & Permitting Department (formerly Land Use) that the Hillside Learning Center is requesting modification to an...
Put your ^&#%@*! glasses on
ATTENTION FARSIGHTED PEOPLE OF AMERICA – Wear Your $%!&*^% Glasses. Who do you think you're fooling? No one. And you are doing nothing but aggravating all the people who either can see or who...
It's A Laughing Matter
Kids stink. Oh sure, they smell great when they first come out of the bath, but you have to remember why you put them in there in the first place. The problem is that just as the adult olfactory gets used to, or in our case gets burnt out in one...
How art can heal depression
There's a meme which depicts two paths as to what your road of life may look like. One path shows a straight line going up at a steep angle labeled "What you thought your life would be like." The...
This little piggy went to market
If you're a frequent driver on Highway 52 you have probably noticed a new farm stand, Lazy J. The "J" is for John Scaggs, who is anything but lazy. Scaggs raises pigs, which he's been doing since...
Juried art show gives Niwot a boost
Anne Postle of Osmosis Art and Architecture couldn't have been happier with the outcome of this year's Why Not Niwot? Juried Art Show. "We are so excited because this is our 10th year (and) we had 60...
It's a laughing matter
I am not a princess. Really - despite any rumors you’ve heard to the contrary. My problem is that I’m just not a handy person. I don’t sew, decoupage, scrapbook, paint, refurbish or generally do crafts. Oh sure, when I was little, during the ho...
Rock & Rails brings out the generosity
Adriana Torres, Espana Duenas, Denise Dolan and Eva Tanner from Via Mobility Services manned the booth as tip jar recipients for the July 15 Rock & Rails concert. The concert, headlined by Chris...
Niwot is back along with First Friday Art Walk
When talking about the return of the Why Not Niwot? juried art show and First Friday Art Walk, Anne Postle of Osmosis Art and Architecture said it best. "We are so excited to start it up again ......
Rowley continues tradition of excellence in reporting
Congratulations to the Courier’s editor Jocelyn Rowley for her first-place win in the Colorado Press Association's Better News Media Contest. Rowley’s Sept. 9, 2020, article “St. Vrain parents group seeks return to in-person...
'Because we need to brighten our lives'
It was a perfect evening for an Easter parade. That's right, evening. Besides organizing Niwot's traditional pancake breakfast, sadly without the Easter egg hunt for a second year, Pat Murphy decided...
Where's the snow? ... Oh, there it is
On Saturday March 13, like the old Burger King commercial, everyone was asking where's the snow. We all found out the next day. Fifteen or so inches of heavy wet spring snow fell in Gunbarrel and...
Courier Country
You never know who or what you're going to find on a walk around Niwot. On a lovely day, in-between a bitter cold day, and a foot of snow the next, Karin Antoni and her daughter Alma Boyd were out...
Hiding in plain sight
In the nearly 24 years that I've been reporting for the Courier, I've taken quite a few odd photos. There have been photo shoots of dirt piles, potholes, with gigabytes of prairie dog pictures. But a...
Destructive CalWood and Lefthand fires bring out best in area residents
Drought and high winds continued to create havoc in Boulder County. On Saturday, Oct. 17, a fire broke out near the CalWood Education Center in Jamestown. The fire quickly spread, and within the...
Niwot is going to the birds – literally
A walk around Niwot usually reveals a few interesting sights. Maybe it's the coming of fall, but the bird watching has been extremely good lately. A stroll in the park found some free range,...
Niwot's Sidewalk Sale is second consecutive successful event
After a summer of cancelations, on Saturday, Sept. 12, Niwot saw its second weekend of outdoor events with its second sidewalk sale. Merchants in Cottonwood Square and 2nd Avenue put up tents and...
Little Free Pantry makes its debut
Need is everywhere. To fill that need, and as part of its ministry, Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church's pastor Janet Kettering said an important part of the church's history is feeding those in...
Mural honors spirit of community during quarantine
Gunbarrel resident Julia Williams has been an artist her entire life. A graphic design major at CSU, she has been wanting to paint a portion of the north side Lookout Road underpass for a long time. A...
The terrible beauty of fire
This "beautiful" sunset belies a very dangerous fire. Taken on the Cottontail Trail in Gunbarrel, Saturday Sept. 10, the Cameron Peak Fire exploded to over 34,000 acres, growing over 10,000 acres...
Ancient runes in Gunbarrel...?
Several weeks ago, Gunbarrel Estates residents noticed several workers, along with their trucks, marking up the street. Thoughts immediately turned to street repair and the hope that Boulder County fi...
Plein Air in Boulder County
Thursday, July 2 saw the Plein Air Artists Colorado practicing their outdoor painting skills along the Cottontail Trail in Gunbarrel. According to coordinator Carolyn Bradley, the group meets every...
A COVID-19 Odyssey
When longtime Gunbarrel resident Lori Highfill left Colorado on Saturday, March 14, for a week's vacation in her home state of New Jersey, she never thought that it would turn into a two-month...
It's all just ducky
Just because it's been the snowiest winter on record, it doesn't mean that spring isn't right around the corner. April snow has one great quality; it holds a lot of water. While Colorado champagne...
It's a laughing matter
It's been a long time since my friend Sadie and I have connected. When I was writing this column on a regular basis, Sadie and I would often talk about kids, husbands, work, and dealing with the ups...
Kid Bits
Congratulations to third grader Beau Fronckiewicz for placing in the top 10 for the K-3rd grade division for his submissions in the Creative Communication's Poetic Power contest. Beaus' poem "Snowy...
71st Street project set to begin...
If you drove south on 71st to Lookout Road the week of Dec. 8, you probably experienced some delays. Xcel is repositioning power lines in advance of the long-awaited upgrades to 71st Street. Although...
Niwot celebrates Halloween
The end of October always brings great excitement and joy. From fun decorations and displays to Niwot's annual Great Pumpkin Party, there are plenty of family friendly fun festivities. Many thanks to...
Subdivision Roads: Could a countywide PID be the solution?
This article is the fourth in a series, which explores various subdivision-paving issues and points of views in unincorporated Boulder County. Peter King-Smith, head of the HOA Roads Committee for...
Mosaic Master Laurel True
If you stopped by the white tent outside the Niwot Market last week, you were treated to a community art project. The object of the project was to create a mosaic mural. Samagra Melville, who owns...
New NUMC pastor takes community to heart
Pastor Walter “Skip” Strickland has known what his calling was since he was a high school junior in Tacoma, Wash. Strickland, the new pastor at Niwot United Methodist Church (NUMC), was very...
Pretty purses with a purpose
If you’ve been into Osmosis Art and Architecture lately, you’ve probably seen some interesting purses displayed on the wall. Created by Anne Postle, all the purses are made from plastic bags. But...
Meadow Lake Honey - A sweet place to be
When asked how they got into the honey business and started Meadow Lake Honey, Dawn and Jeff Server both smiled. “We bought this house and they had hives, “ Dawn said. The hives were technically...
New BoCo transportation director and the future of subdivision roads
This article is the third in a series, which explores various subdivision paving issues in unincorporated Boulder County.Of HOAs and PIDs Jeff Maxwell, the new director of Boulder County...
The Burgundy Park PID
The following is part of an ongoing series dealing with road conditions in Gunbarrel and Niwot. The Courier previously has covered what types of road problems are currently being fixed. The following... Full story
It’s A Laughing Matter
I Have A Wand And I Know How To Use It I am not a princess. Really - despite any rumors you’ve heard to the contrary. My problem is that I’m just not a handy person. I don’t sew, decoupage, scrapbook, paint, refurbish or generally...
A roads' scholar for county roadway maintenance
The first thing Ted Plank, division manager for Boulder County Transportation Department, wants people to know is, it’s a big misconception that the county doesn’t maintain roads. “The county... Full story
71st Street project pushed back to 2020
According to its 2017 original schedule, 71st Street in Gunbarrel was due for complete reconstruction beginning in spring 2019. Instead, the project has been rescheduled to start in early winter...
Editorial: 22 Years
This April marks the Left Hand Valley Courier’s 22nd anniversary. Like most things I’ve started, I’ve often wondered, if I had really known what I was getting myself into, would I have done it? This is the type of thing that pops into my head... Full story
It's a Laughing Matter
Good morning, this is I.R.I.T.A.T.E. - International Responders Including Telemarketers and Telepathy Ecosystems. How may I help you? Oh I see, you're finding that people are using call blockers. Just one moment and I can connect you to our... Full story
Ben Franklin liked the turkey better
While it’s a myth that Ben Franklin wanted the turkey as our national bird, he did think that the turkey was “a more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America.” As for the...
It's A Laughing Matter: A Bucket Of Ash
What is it about hair? If we listen to the ads, it’s just one more body part we need to feel overly self-conscious about. From the picture-perfect Breck Girls of the 40s and 50s to the Miss “If I have just one life, let me live it as a blonde... Full story
It’s A Laughing Matter: The Calorie Hole
I knew it. We’ve been hoodwinked, flimflammed and just plain ripped off. Really. After years of aerobics, anaerobics, Pilates and fitness centers foisted on us, which created a gazillion dollar industry based on guilt, bogus studies and ibuprofen,... Full story
Gunbarrel HPD wins photonics award
On Oct. 18, HPD (High Performance Devices) was recognized as and presented with the Photonics Company of the Year award at the Colorado Photonics Industry Association’s annual meeting. The... Full story
