All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Niwot's largest and most enchanting holiday display is now officially switched on. The annual jaw-dropping tradition that is Chuck Rodgers' yard atop the hill on 79th Street just south of Highway 52 will be glowing every night until Jan. 6. For more than 30 years, the joyful and extravagent display has rung in the holiday season like no other area spectacle. But, this year it's also the perfect COVID-free, no-charge family holiday highpoint. Amongst the thousands of lights, hundreds of inflatabl...
Lawson and Suzanne Drinkard of Niwot put their energy into making sure members of Recovery Café are wrapped in the warmth of connection with others. Built upon the premise that recovery from challenges with addiction, homelessness, and mental health is made possible through a sense of belonging and being valued, Recovery Café Longmont (RCL) opened its doors a little over a year ago and the Drinkards were committed to support the impactful organization from the start. "Being a part of a caring c...
Jane Leland Langdon's art expresses what's in her heart - a genuine love for life and others. You've seen Langdon's oil and watercolor paintings in Niwot and Boulder County businesses and homes. She's the Niwotian you just can't help but notice because of her lovely large smile and easy laugh. I met Langdon years ago waiting in the check-out line at the grocery store where she struck up a conversation and I was thrilled that we continued to cross paths again and again. This Familiar Face column...
Married for 51 years, Gunbarrel residents Mike and Becky Fellows are partners in life and community service. As a couple, they deliver meals to seniors and those who aren't able to shop for food and prepare meals on their own through the non-profit organization Meals on Wheels Boulder (MOWB). Lisa Hughes, MOWB manager of volunteer services, said, "Mike and Becky are such great volunteers. They deliver meals for us every week to Gunbarrel and often substitute drive as well. They are very...
NASA released a statement on October 14 announcing planetary scientist and associate vice president of Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), Dr. Alan Stern, will be the first private sector scientist to fly aboard a commercial space vehicle, Virgin Galactic's suborbital plane SpaceShipTwo. The exciting news means that Stern will realize his lifelong desire to go into space and Niwot will have bragging rights over its first astronaut. The mission was selected in a proposal process through NASA's...
Amongst the shapes, colors, and textures inside Niwot's Osmosis Art and Architecture on 2nd Avenue, there's a face locals are well acquainted with - that of Michelle Henzel. She's raised a family, worked, and been an integral part of community events and organizations for more than 35 years. The Courier reached out to learn more about this vivacious member of the community. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) – Where is your hometown and what path brought you to Niwot? Michelle Henzel (MH) – I gre...
Leonard Sitongia is an essential worker, or more fittingly, an essential volunteer for the Niwot community. Even before Leonard and his wife Christine moved to their Niwot home in 2014, while waiting for their North Boulder house to sell, he stepped up to be an area representative for the Niwot Community Association (NCA). For the past three years, he's also been the organization's secretary. Hearing about his history, it's clear that connecting through community engagement is Sitongia's modus...
The ability to travel during COVID-19 may feel sidelined, but time travel is still possible thanks to the Niwot Historical Society's lecture series. Unfortunately, the annual NHS lecture series can't take place in person at the Left Hand Grange, so the organization has come up with another venue in which to immerse the public in local history. The first of three speakers will take to the internet in September with a lecture titled, "The Switzerland Trail, a Boulder County Railroad," presented...
I wish I were a painter. I think the immediate effects of that creative energy would be very rewarding. Sometimes that's what I pretend I'm doing when I garden, but in extreme slow motion, especially in spring when the entire vegetable patch is a blank palate. I delude myself that with patience, my subliminal artwork will mature into a beautiful, bountiful 3D canvas of produce first reaching for the sun and then gracing our kitchen. I've had nearly three decades of planting, watering, weeding, a...
Familiar faces abound where people gather for food and there's an especially magical food-centric connection that happens when you get to know the creators of your food. Those are the folks who rise at dawn, dig in the dirt, plant the seeds, labor in the heat, and thanks to their expert knowledge and cooperation from Mother Nature, months later you'll enjoy crispy heads of lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and aromatic basil. This month's familiar faces are a couple you're likely to see often in the...
The expression "people person" was created precisely for the likes of Niwotian Andy Lattanzi. He genuinely enjoys being around others and has a natural ease when it comes to interacting. Lattanzi uses his warmth and insight to lean in and bring about positive change for individuals and the community. The Left Hand Valley Courier selected Lattanzi as this month's Left Hand Laurel recipient to honor the tremendous contribution of his time and energy volunteering with many local organizations for...
While spending more time at home soaking in the ambiance of your space, have you experienced niggling feelings that some of those things you're sitting amongst no longer suit you? Maybe you'd like to find a new home for them. Perfect. Here's something you can do about it right now while serving a higher purpose – dogs. For the fifth year, Cause4Paws (C4P), a not for profit organization (www.facebook.com/C4P.ARF) started by Gunbarrel's Laurel Fox, will be holding a fundraising yard sale that far...
Tony Santelli's titles over his lifetime have been progressively more impressive and a couple of characteristics have consistently defined Santelli's legacy in both his professional and volunteer careers – his strong leadership skills and his wonderful way with people. Those traits were highly prized during his 12 years as president of the Niwot Business Association. The first in his family to go to college, Santelli earned an electrical engineering degree. The majority of his work life was w...
Excel Electric's office has been located in Niwot for 35 years, so the sale of the building it's in and subsequent move to a newly constructed larger property in Longmont will be momentous. On Jan. 10, 2020, Harrington Stanko Construction closed on the purchase of the property owned by Related Investments Partners LLP, and occupied by Excel Electric (EE). "We're pretty excited to bring something really nice there for the town and the people to enjoy," Tim Harrington, partner at Harrington...
Doctors' offices as a rule are less fun than say...a walk in the park. It can oftentimes be worse for pets, for whom a confusing visit to the veterinarian's office may be an onslaught of scents, close quarters shared with bewildering beings, possible unpleasant associations, and the scary anticipation of what's going to happen next. Niwot's Left Hand Animal Hospital (LHAH) wanted to alleviate the stress pets go through, so they sought out expert advice on the subject and the entire practice...
It's been nine months since the moratorium on development concluded for downtown Niwot and as yet, no new projects have been born, and new land use codes have not been put to the test. When the Boulder County Commissioners (BOCC) approved updated land use codes in April 2019, the nettlesome issue of access to the mostly unused alley between the residential side of the alley facing 3rd Avenue and the commercial area facing 2nd Avenue had yet to be laid to rest. BOCC approved more prescriptive...
Egor Zigura's statue titled "Kore That Awakening" will soon be standing tall in the expanded Niwot Community Corner. The winning sculpture created by Zigura of Kiev, Ukraine, along with three other sculptures will be put in place in Niwot next month. Zigura's depiction of a female figure is nearly six feet in height and is described as "a fragmented shape, harkening back to the Classical Antiquity." This piece was the winner of the $750 stipend awarded by the Niwot Sculpture Park Committee....
Niwot's Little Bird is a symphony of good taste in every form - from art to jewelry, clothing to body care. Sonja Motley-Turman can be found amongst the treasures at Little Bird, offering customers her assistance. Her expertise in all things fashion and style won't come as a surprise to those who know her well. But for everyone else, here is some insight into Motley-Turman's life. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC): Where did you grow up and what brought you to Colorado? Sonja Motley-Turman (SMT):...
Tara Kpogoh-Narh said when the owners of the Niwot Tavern came to her to gauge her interest in buying the bar-restaurant, "I told them absolutely, mostly because it's my house and I've lived there for 14 years. I didn't want someone to come in and buy it from underneath me and take my house from me." As of the first day of the new decade, the Niwot Tavern is officially owned by a partnership of existing owner Tony Santelli, Kpogoh-Narh, and Stacy Szydlek. Kpogoh-Narh has been managing the...
We're spoiled in our part of the world. You know that braggadocious maxim about Coloradoans getting 250+ days of sun every year. Add in the region's vast amount of natural beauty and the multitude of ways to enjoy it and there's no wonder we're all high on life here. But, when winter comes a-knockin' with shorter days, overcast skies, snow and ice, the contrast to how we feel during the rest of the year can make life feel tougher for a while. From early fall until spring arrives, many of us noti...
Retiree Kamilla Macar is anything but re-"tired." She's incredibly active, positive, outgoing, and caring. Each week, among the long list of other happenings keeping her busy, the 83 year-old will be found giving her time and energy to Cultivate, a nonprofit organization serving a variety of needs of local seniors. Macar is a person who loves to keep moving, and she's also an avid steward of the environment. For the past two years, twice a week, she's walked the mile each way between her house...
For Gunbarrel's Mary Capone, food has always played a central role and much of her life has revolved around the heart of the home - the kitchen. The renditions of Capone have included starting a creperie in downtown Boulder, being a cookbook author, writing gastronomic columns for magazines, owning a food manufacturing business and offering hands-on cooking classes. "My grandfather was a pretty famous restaurateur and had several Italian restaurants in our hometown," Capone said. "The rest was...
Doug Richards' cyclocross skills took him to first place in Colorado in the 60+ men's division on Nov. 24 and then on to the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Championships in Washington State where he finished 20th in his division. After riding cyclocross for almost 10 years, he attributed his success this season to having worked with Coach John Mansell, who added structure to Richards' training. Richards competes as a member of the Blue Sky Velo Team and raced more than 20 times this season. "Th...
You’re likely to have spotted the recognizable shape of cannabis plants in fields throughout Boulder County and even gotten a whiff of the skunky scent more often this year. Since those spiky-leafed plants are in open fields, rest assured it’s not marijuana – it is hemp. By definition of the U.S. government, hemp has less than .3% THC, which is the psychoactive element of marijuana. With proper licensing, it’s perfectly legal to grow acres of hemp. But there’s a big learning curve for governmen...
Even Mrs. Claus couldn't resist partaking of the goodies offered during the annual Women's International Niwot Club (WINC) Holiday Fayre on Saturday, Dec. 14. Niwot's community center, the Left Hand Grange, was alight with holiday cheer as more than 500 visitors perused the booths of 23 local vendors. Shoppers bought presents for others, some items to keep for themselves, and quickly snatched up tantalizing baked goods to be enjoyed sooner rather than later. Art work, jewelry, candles, body...
This year marked the introduction of Recovery Café Longmont, a not-for-profit community organization reaching out to those who want support overcoming addictions, mental health issues, and loneliness. It was quiet at first, Executive Director Lisa Searchinger said, but now six months in, word is spreading. "We learned that a slow start is very much in keeping with other Cafés that have opened across the country," Searchinger said. "But, now we have enrolled 71 members." About half of those m...
On Saturday, Dec. 7, Niwot's 2nd Avenue was temporarily transformed into Santa Claus Lane as the big guy himself made a return trip to town for the annual Holiday Parade. This year's procession featured a wide variety of scouts (cub, boy, brownie, and girl), as well as classic car clubs, elementary school students, horses, marching bands and much, much more. Santa led the festive procession from the bed of Longmont Rural's Old Engine No. 10, and then headed over to the Left Hand Grange to meet...
Edison was chided "It really is berserk, You had so many failures, Before you made it work." Edison responded: "Failures I had none. From my wrong assumptions, I learned to get it done." - By Ian Hayes, based on words from Thomas Edison From his hilltop home, 88 year old Ian Hayes has a front row seat to a long stretch of the Front Range. Hayes and his wife Jackie moved to their home on the edge of Niwot two years ago, along with Monte the dog and Carlo the cat. Yes, that's Monte Carlo when you...
Their first names rhyme, so it is easy to see them as a matched set and their last name is emblematic of the brightening effect they have on the community. It's Jill and Bill Whitener - the vivacious, capable, and caring duo who have become very familiar faces in Niwot. We posed a few questions to find out what makes this generous couple tick and here is what we've learned. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC): Tell us a bit about your backgrounds. Jill & Bill (J&B): Jill grew up in Aspen. Her...
Russell and Gabrielle Chagolla, owners of Gym No. 5, added the tagline "Level the F*** up" to declare they're fiercely serious about being the best lifting gym in the area. They should know...they've tried them all and when they didn't find one that worked well for them, they decided to invent it. It took two years of planning, months of hands-on work, and a $150,000 investment to bring the facility up to their standards. They quietly swung the doors open in mid-October. The 5,000 square-foot...
Deb Fowler understands how scary and difficult it can be with a newborn in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of a hospital. So when she learned about the organization Love for Lily, whose mission it is to help families with children in a NICU to thrive while in the hospital and when they go home, she was moved to support them. "It's a charity we chose because myself and Bonnie [Beam], who's on the team, were both NICU moms and we would have loved something like this." Fowler's son Oliver...
Medicine on a leash is how this month's Laurel recipient Jim Thomas refers to his faithful companion, Archie the fox red Labrador retriever. As part of the organization, Therapy Dog Boulder County (TDBC), 65-year-old Thomas and six-year-old Archie are weekly visitors at Superior Elementary School. All 76 pounds of the wagging pooch exudes love, so it's the perfect gig for him. His human partner is all about being there for others too. "My mom and dad brought us up to help people," Thomas said...
Climate Reality campaign organizer and Niwot High School graduate (2013) Natalie Negrelli, presented 24 Hours of Climate Reality, Truth in Action, a world-wide event discussing climate change and solutions. About 35 people were in attendance at the Left Hand Grange, including a contingent of Niwot High School's Environmental Club. Climate Reality is a global nonprofit organization focused on climate change advocacy and education which was founded by Nobel Laureate and former U.S. Vice President...
It's that time of year...the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving when Chuck Rodgers waves his magic wand and the massive extravaganza of holiday merriment in his yard just appears. If only, especially this year. But no - that's not it at all. As has been Rodgers' tradition for more than three decades, he spends several weeks setting up inflatables, lit-up scenes and words, putting out his reindeer, and stringing thousands of lights for what becomes the area's most impressive holiday display. And...
As of Jan. 14, 2020, the Board of the Boulder County Commissioners will be slotting in a new staff member between themselves and many county departments. The new county administrator role will be filled by Jana Petersen, the current head of Boulder County’s Administrative Services Department. In a letter addressed to Boulder County employees dated Nov. 6, the three-member board of the Boulder County Commissioners stated, “After much discussion over the past year with our leadership staff and with the help of a team of organizational con...
After a two-month absence, the female elk has returned to the Schultz Family Farm on Hwy. 287 and Oxford Rd. Sometimes she's in the field with Calvin and Chester, the oxen, and other times she hops in with the chickens, goats, sheep or pigs. This is the third guest stay for what farmer Glen Schultz calls the Spirit Elk. He credits the work done on regenerating the farm soil for her love of the land. She comes and goes as she pleases and she partakes of feed available to the oxen. What's...
Following hundreds of hours of continuing education and hands-on courses, and successfully passing rigorous exams, Gunbarrel's Dr. Gerald Savory, DDS, was awarded his Mastership Award and the new owner of the dental practice, Dr. Rachel Barone, DDS, was awarded her Fellowship Award by the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD). Dr. Savory is the founder of Gunbarrel Dental Center. Less than 2% of general dentists in the United States and Canada have the distinction of earning a Mastership Award and...
Since mid-October, 2nd Avenue between Niwot Road and Murray Street has been lined with 35 banners recognizing veterans with a Niwot connection. On Sunday, Nov. 10, the community came together in observance of Veterans Day and to formally acknowledge the successful inauguration of the Veterans Day Banner Project. Three members of Boy Scout Troop 161 kicked off the ceremony with a presentation of the American flag and the Pledge of Allegiance followed by the Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free...
Niwot's Children's Park on 1st Avenue is a place of joy and playfulness, bustling with happy children. The award-winning, community-funded park has also been on the receiving end of destructive mischievousness. But now, the wrongdoers will be caught on video and there will be ramifications. Sadly, there have been recurring incidents of graffiti scrawled in the bathrooms and on the sidewalks and there has been damage done to the structures and creatures. Embellishments have been pried off of...
Epic Nutrition, serving Herbalife Nutrition smoothies and energy teas, opened its doors in October at the Gunbarrel Shopping Center. This is a sister enterprise to Fit Family Nutrition owned and operated by the same husband-wife team, Brad Larsen and Brook Kirwin. Fit Family Nutrition opened one year ago on South Main Street in Longmont. "We make healthy eating fast, simple, and delicious," Larsen said. "We have over 20 flavors of smoothies and 10 flavors of energy teas, and the smoothies are a...
Boulder County has committed to be the biggest subscriber to date in Jack's Solar Garden. As of Nov. 5, the county commissioners pledged to be a holder of 10% of the 1.2 megawatts solar array, equalling a $376,000 investment. Jack's will be the first and only solar garden in the county and the largest commercial agrivoltaic system in the U.S. Jack's Solar Garden founder Byron Kominek said, "Having the confidence of Boulder County in becoming an anchor tenant and having them fully appreciate the social and environmental benefits we intend to...
Monday, Nov. 11, is a day set aside to honor those who have served in the United States Armed Forces - our veterans. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, as of this year there are nearly 19 million living veterans. This is a story about a group of local veterans who are collaborating on an art project unlike any other. Robert Bellows stashed away his sculpture making tools for decades while he operated a successful business. Retirement meant he could finally get back to the torc...
The Niwot Business Association (NBA) received word in June that a Boulder County Economic Vitality Grant it had applied for on behalf of Niwot's Left Hand Valley Grange had been approved. The grant is part of Boulder County's overall distribution of grant funds to one economic development organization in each municipality including Erie, Longmont, and Nederland. The fund was formerly called the Economic Development Grant. Boulder County's Economic Development website page reads, "In support of...
Thanks to the generosity of the community, Niwot Dental’s first holiday food drive collected nearly 10 boxes of food for the non-profit OUR Center in 2018. This year, from Nov. 11 through Dec. 19 the dental practice is once again offering a convenient drop off spot for your donations which will then be delivered to the Longmont charity on time for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. OUR Center, which helps the working poor, seniors, disabled and homeless members of our community by providing those individuals and families with food, clothing, a...
Just a few shows in and already Willowdale Live is taking root in Niwot. The live arts not-for-profit entertainment series has two more shows before the end of the year and 2020s early year talent lineup of Americana, bluegrass, and folk performers, along with artist-speakers, is nearly all booked. The shows take place once a month at Niwot's community gathering spot, the Left Hand Valley Grange. Willowdale Live's local co-founders Nick Dunbar and Andy Mann kicked off the inaugural show in...
A spontaneous chorus of cheers went up as the red ribbon was cut by the Front Range Leading Ladies professional group. FRiLLs was officially inducted into the Longmont Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, Oct. 22, in the Niwot offices of Colorado Landmark Realtors at a gathering of more than 20 women. The organization is a revamping of the group, Take a Chair Lady, which, after 10 years was in need of modernization, FRiLL's chairperson Deborah Read Fowler explained. "We all got together and decided...
Hot Rize band member Pete Wernick (aka Dr. Banjo) entertained and educated a full-house audience at the Left Hand Grange hall Wednesday night Oct. 23, during his lecture on the history of the banjo. Wernick, who calls Niwot home, shared the chronological path banjos have taken as well as his own musical journey as part of this season's Niwot Historical Society's lecture series....
A frustrating quest to find the ideal elegant, simple, and convertible bag led Ann Whitehill to the conclusion that she would need to create it herself. So Ann Whitehill Studio, maker of fine leather bags and portfolios was born in 2013. Her handmade bags are beautiful, functional, extremely durable, and meticulously crafted completely by hand. Because Whitehill loved traveling, commuting by bike and creating art, the bag needed to be large enough to hold a lot of gear and had to be incredibly...
Bring your alter-ego, your children and your parents, and a dog or two to Niwot's Great Pumpkin Party on Saturday, Oct. 26. The Niwot Business Association and Niwot Local Improvement District are hosting the 22nd annual masquerade party which includes door-to-door trick or treating at local businesses, a festive parade, and family-friendly entertainment from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Layered in crunchy orange and yellow leaves, stout pumpkins and scarecrows that make you do a double-take, 2nd Avenue bec...
Lamp posts along 2nd Avenue in Niwot were decorated with banners for the first year of a project honoring our local veterans. Each of the 32 banners is a tribute to U.S. service men and women with a connection to Niwot. Honorees' photographs, names, their years of service and which branch they served in are printed on each commemorative banner. Chances are many last names on the banners will be familiar to our readers. Sheila Ray, who first brought the veterans' project idea to the Niwot...
