All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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The Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID) approved funding for the 2025 Why Not Niwot? Juried Art Show, now in its fourteenth year. The amount approved was $2,037, the same amount which was approved last year. The event is sponsored by the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA) and Osmosis Gallery, and features Niwot-related artwork, which is displayed in participating Niwot businesses beginning in July 11 during July's First Friday Art Walk, which will be held on the second...
The weather was no match for the dedicated crowd at the first Rock & Rails concert of the season on Thursday, June 5. Despite the cool temperatures and persistent drizzle during the headliner, fans filled Whistle Stop Park to enjoy an unforgettable start of Niwot's beloved summer concert series. This was not a concert to miss. The night opened with Mark Oblinger, a renowned musician and Emmy-winning composer, who took the stage with Linda Lawson and two other award-winning musicians. Oblinger's...
On Thursday, June 5, the Niwot Business Association Minimum Wage Task Force held its weekly meeting after several members spoke at the Boulder County Commissioners' monthly public comment session earlier that morning. On the agenda was the progress and challenges experienced by prospective new Niwot restaurants, particularly potential entrepreneurs interested in the former 1914 House building on Second Avenue and the former Farow space in Cottonwood Square. In addition, members discussed...
In the past, when local music fans wanted to listen to Niwot’s House Blend Band, they would head to the spaghetti-fueled summer concert series on Second Avenue. But this week, the Niwot favorites will be headlining at Rock & Rails. They’ll take the main stage at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 12. “The group was small when we first started, and the thought of ever headlining Rock & Rails wasn’t even a concept to me,” said Michael Tomich, the band’s co-founder. “By the time we realized that maybe we...
Eight yard signs protesting mandated annual minimum wage increases in unincorporated Boulder County have gone missing. A $100 reward has been offered by a Niwot resident for information leading to recovery of the signs. Rural Boulder County's small shops, restaurants and area farmers are struggling to absorb minimum wage increases imposed by Boulder County which have led to the closure of once-thriving businesses in Niwot and elsewhere. The hourly rate, currently $16.57, is scheduled to...
On Sunday, June 1, members of the Niwot community gathered in Niwot High School's auditorium for the annual Night of Champions celebration. After the student-focused portion of the evening, NHS principal Eric Rauschkolb transitioned to the second inaugural Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Olympian Elise Cranny, former professional baseball player Mike Moat, and longtime school supporter Mabel Miyasaki were each recognized for the profound impact they have had on Niwot High School, the Niwot comm...
Fourth in a series of articles highlighting Niwot's 150-year history. Niwot was platted 150 years ago, but was never incorporated as a town or city. Early settlers in and around Niwot suffered many hardships, one of which was the tragic death of children. In 1881, Jerome and Amy Gould, who had homesteaded near Left Hand Creek north of Haystack Mountain, lost their son, Ernest, who died at the age of 13 of appendicitis. According to their great-granddaughter, Nancy Hindman, who lives on Niwot Roa...
The Niwot Post Office is temporarily closed for renovation. The south wall of the post office building was damaged last January when a driver in the parking lot crashed into the building. Temporary repairs allowed the post office to remain open, but the extensive repairs began this week and are expected to continue until Monday June 30, when the post office is scheduled to reopen. In the meantime, post office box holders and other patrons have been directed to collect their mail at the Valmont...
In just a few weeks, Rock & Rails returns to Whistle Stop Park on Thursday nights with the same positive audience energy that has persuaded some of Colorado's best bands to return year after year. As always, there will be dancing, food trucks, beverages, a 5 p.m. happy hour, volunteers who make guests feel at home, and "Gargoyles" enthusiastically offering helpful recycling and composting guidance. The 2025 series is also starting strong with perennial crowd favorite, Chris Daniels and the...
On May 22, Niwot Hall president Jim Dorvee presented plans for a redesigned storage facility and a courtyard suitable for outdoor events as part of Niwot Hall's effort to make the site formerly known as Left Hand Grange an attractive community gathering place. Dorvee spoke to a gathering of 17 Niwot residents, which included board members of Niwot Hall, a non-profit corporation which owns the property at 195 Second Avenue in Niwot. The meeting was part of a land use process required by Boulder...
Since 2022, Niwot and the surrounding area have become home to an increasing number of Ukrainians seeking safety from the war in their country. Over time, they've become a part of the local community and have placed themselves firmly on a path from arrival to settling and working in their new homes, a progression that many Americans would find familiar from family stories that go back just a generation or two. Last month, two recently arrived local Ukrainians, a former lawyer, V, and his sister-...
Troop 161 Scout Texas Thomas continued his journey to Eagle Scout on May 18, coordinating and executing a plan to construct a new, extended fence in Niwot Children's Park. The fence aims to improve the park's safety, which borders several Niwot residents' properties. The surrounding residential fences have taken damage over the years, and the previous border left no demarcation for the ten-foot alley that runs between those properties and the park. The fence extension installed by Thomas and...
The Niwot Post Office will temporarily close its doors on May 23, 2025, for reconstruction work, requiring residents to make alternative arrangements for mail pickup and package deliveries over the next five weeks. The closure will affect both the main post office and its 24-hour lobby, with services expected to resume on June 30, 2025. Postal officials are urging all PO Box holders to retrieve their mail before the May 23 closure date to avoid any disruption in service. During the...
The House Blend Band kicked off this year's season of concerts in Niwot with a performance on 2nd Avenue Saturday, May 17. The closed-off street was filled with a cheerful audience sitting in a semi-circle around the stage in folding camp chairs, clapping and cheering on the band members. This was the first concert of many scheduled for this summer, with Rock & Rails opening June 5. The band, led by Old Oak Coffeehouse owners Michael Tomich and Patty Machen, was just one spectacle of the night,...
On May 11th, to celebrate Niwot's Sesquicentennial (150th) Anniversary, the Niwot Historical Society released a book, Niwot: The Spirit of Colorado, published in conjunction with the anniversary. The book was created by Kathy Koehler, president of the Niwot Historical Society, and explores the rich history of Niwot, from its roots as a small railroad town to the thriving community it is today. The book contains full-color pictures from decades past along with pages and pages of information about...
The Niwot High School baseball team wrapped up the 2025 season on a positive note, securing consecutive victories in their final two games to finish with a 9-14 record. Unfortunately it was not enough as the Cougars ended the season ranked 33rd in Class 4A, one place short of qualifying for state playoffs. On Monday, May 12, the Cougars dominated their Senior Day home finale against Wheat Ridge High School, cruising to an impressive 11-1 victory. Haden Shaw, who was limited to DH duties due to...
Amid encouraging reports from February sales tax receipts, the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID) recommended approval of funding for two signature events for Niwot – the Niwot Community Association's (NCA) 4th of July celebration and the Rock & Rails Summer Concert Series, co-sponsored by the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA) and the Niwot Business Association (NBA). 4th of July Celebration Kathy Koehler, a member of the NCA's board of directors, presented the 4th o...
Laura Loomis has been hired as the new head coach of the Niwot High School girls basketball team. Loomis replaces Todd Trobaugh, who served as head coach for the past two years. Trobaugh resigned shortly after the end of the 2024-25 season. Loomis served as JV coach and assistant varsity coach at Niwot High last year. Her daughter, Alaina Loomis, was a freshman on the varsity basketball squad, and saw considerable playing time, averaging 9.3 points per game, second highest on the team. "With my...
Seth Steele was hard at work at Niwot Market on March 31 when a 10-member contingent of Niwot residents and business people entered the market, looking for him and his sister, Alison Steele. Seth greeted everyone, but wasn't sure where Alison was. Linda Vehrenkamp, proprietor of The Nook, one of several small businesses that operate out of the Niwot Market, left the group and tracked Alison down. At the same time, Carey Mason, who had been enjoying lunch at the market, joined the group. Mason...
Third in a series of articles highlighting Niwot's 150-year history. If you've ever wondered why the streets of Niwot's old town are laid out as they are, consider that what we now know as Niwot was originally just a section house along the railroad tracks that ran from Longmont to Boulder. The railroad was extremely important to early area farmers, who by then were producing crops on land served by water from a series of irrigation ditches, most dug by hand. Before the railroad, the only way...
Niwot Youth Sports held Opening Day ceremonies on Sunday, April 27, at Hangge Fields at Monarch Park. After early games concluded, the ceremonies began with "The Star-Spangled Banner," performed by an abbreviated version of the Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band. Afterward, outgoing NYS President Pat Longseth thanked the assembled parents, players and fans for their support over his decade of service to the organization, which was highlighted by the construction of a multi-purpose...
The Left Hand Valley Courier, a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, launched a fundraising campaign in November 2024 with the goal of raising $250,000 to pay reporters and vendors, print the newspaper weekly, upgrade printing quality, and support our educational mission. On April 28, the Courier hosted a "Thank You" event at The Wheel House to thank donors with games, prizes, and auction items. Bruce Warren, Maria Karagianis, Elise Marylander and Madison Shaw spoke to the crowd about the...
This week's familiar face is Hannah Valadez, a paralegal at the Niwot law offices of Warren, Carlson, & Moore, LLP. You might know her as the friendly person who greets you whether you are there for legal services, a Left Hand Valley Courier matter, volunteer efforts, or youth sports sign-ups. Valadez first moved to Longmont from Michigan during her junior year of high school and ended up in the new Skyline High School's second graduating class. "I thought my parents were horrible at the time be...
Principal Eric Rauschkolb and Athletic Director Joe Brown announced that Elise Cranny, Mabel Miyasaki, and Mike Moat have been selected for induction into the Niwot High School Hall of Fame as the Class of 2025. "These individuals have left an indelible mark on the school and its community through their outstanding achievements, unwavering dedication, and profound impact," Brown said in a press release. The induction ceremony will take place on Sunday, June 1, at 6 p.m. in the school...
A steady stream of Niwotians, past and present, visited Niwot Hall on Sunday, March 30, 2025, for an open house celebrating Niwot's Sesquicentennial. The town plat was recorded with Boulder County 150 years earlier, on March 30, 1875. Niwot resident Laura Skaggs, who chaired the organizing committee, was more than pleased with the turnout. Young and old were mesmerized by the slide show which paired photos of buildings past with current photos of the same property. Pete Wernick on banjo, his...
He was a lawyer in a different life. She worked in the food safety industry. That was before February 24, 2022, in Ukraine. Today, he works for a large retail outlet in Longmont. She is also employed. They live in a garden-level apartment in Niwot's Old Town area. Their surviving extended family members also live in the United States. They live in fear of being deported, with nowhere to go. Though they entered the U.S. legally as refugees, the uncertainty of their status resulting from the...
Katie Wallace, who has long been active in local Democratic politics, was selected to fill the vacant Senate District 17 seat previously held by Senator Sonya Jaquez Lewis, who resigned amid reports of improper treatment of and use of her staff. Wallace was selected over seven other candidates who were considered for the appointment, which was made by the Boulder County Democratic Party vacancy committee, which consists of approximately 100 members. She will serve until 2026, when she will be up...
Skyler Messinger reported to spring training in Arizona this year with the Colorado Rockies minor league organization in his first full season after undergoing Tommy John surgery over a year ago. At the start of spring training, Messinger was listed on the Class A Spokane roster, which is where he finished last season in limited action. But Messinger was also invited to participate in the Arizona Fall League as one of the Rockies' top prospects, and he did not disappoint, earning AFL All-Star...
An ad hoc committee of community leaders will host an open house anniversary party for Niwot's sesquicentennial on Sunday, March 30 from 12 noon to 3 p.m. at Niwot Hall. The event will commemorate Niwot's founding as noted by the handwritten date of March 30, 1875, on a town plat recorded with Boulder County 150 years ago. Activities will include a photo booth, a then-and-now slideshow, and live music by Pete and Joan Wernick, with guest fiddler Justin Hoffenberg. According to event organizers,...
Fred Mosqueda, the Arapaho Language and Culture Program Outreach Specialist Coordinator for the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, returned to Niwot Hall Monday, March 17, and brought his friend, Chester Whiteman of the Cheyenne Tribe who holds a similar role, to address a standing room only crowd of mostly Niwot residents. Mosqueda was the featured speaker in 2024 for the Niwot Historical Society, and was warmly received again. Phillip Yates of the Niwot Cultural Arts Association, which...
Niwot Baseball traveled to Queen Creek, Arizona, over spring break, heading south for the first time in several years to the Valley of the Sun for a tournament at Casteel High School March 20-21. The Cougars opened against Forest Grove High School, Oregon, coming away with a 13-6 victory in five innings due to a time limit. Niwot scored in every inning, as the offense came alive. At the same time, the Cougars made four errors in the field, and a few more that did not show up in the box score....
The Niwot High School baseball team dominated The Academy at home March 12, posting a 12-2 victory in six innings, then traveled to Lewis-Palmer the next day, where they suffered a hard-fought 10-9 loss, their first of the season. Senior Kaige Kennedy and junior Henry Noblin led the Cougar offense against The Academy, garnering three hits each. Kennedy had a single, double and homerun, while Noblin added two singles and a double. Senior Haden Shaw added two hits, including a triple, Ten Cougars...
Niwot's Native Art Show on Sunday, March 16 at Niwot Hall saw a steady stream of visitors, many of whom purchased art and crafts from the emerging Native artists. Tom Myer of Gunbarrel, who helped coordinate the event with Phillip Yates of the Niwot Cultural Arts Association, had his art on display and sold out of some prints. "We had over $4,500 worth of arts and crafts sold by Native artists today at the art market," Myer said. Art included paintings, prints, pencil drawings, cards, jewelry...
Mike Keffeler The Boulder County Commissioners appointed Niwot resident Mike Keffeler to the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID) on March 11. Keffeler will become the Niwot Community Association (NCA) representative on the LID, taking over for Jeff Knight, who resigned due to a family move to Texas. Keffeler, who grew up in Niwot, has resided in the Morton Heights subdivision in Niwot for many years with his wife Kristin and 3 daughters.. He serves on the NCA board of...
The March 4, 2025 meeting of the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID) began with Jim Ditzel, newly elected president of the Niwot Business Association, taking the place of long-time LID advisory committee member and former NBA president Eric Bergeson. LID Treasurer Mary Coonce reported that year-end sales tax revenues for 2024 were down 8.8% from 2023 at just under $250,000. The biggest losses came from the "Wholesale" (down 50%) and "Other" (down 24%) categories, in...
Second in a series of articles highlighting Niwot's 150-year history. Although a plat for the Town of Niwot was recorded March 30, 1875, the recorded history of the inhabitants of the area now known as Niwot began with Native American tribal communities, described in Part 1 of this series. Next came the early settlers, mostly white, who came to Colorado first as trappers, and later in much greater numbers as gold miners, many of whom eventually settled in and around Niwot. Descendants of some...
The Niwot Cemetery, located at 7251 Nimbus Road across the road from the Left Hand Water District offices, was created in the late 1800s when early pioneer Jerome Gould deeded the approximately 2-acre site to "the inhabitants of the Town of Niwot and the vicinity thereof" for use as a cemetery. The Niwot Cemetery Association (Association) was formed and bylaws were adopted on January 4, 1884, and the Association has managed the cemetery ever since. Now, over 140 years later, the cemetery has...
Niwot's premier summer concert series, Rock & Rails, will be here before long, and the organizing committee is hard at work. The season starts Thursday, June 5, and runs through Aug. 28, with 13 concerts. Opening acts start at 5 p.m. with the headliners taking the stage at 6:30 p.m. every Thursday night all summer long. The event, which won the Governor's Award for Best Downtown Event in its 2006 inaugural season, is managed by the Niwot Cultural Arts Association and the Niwot Business...
As the Niwot High School girls varsity tennis team prepares for a new season, Team Captain Magnolia Valentine is focused on leading with an emphasis on community, support, and growth. With tennis in her life since she was five, Valentine, a senior, brings years of experience and a passion for the game to her role. But as captain, her primary focus is on fostering a strong, supportive team dynamic. "One of the most important aspects of leadership for this team is building a strong community,...
The year-end numbers are in, and they show a continuing downward trend in sales tax revenues collected by the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) for 2024. Revenues for 2024 totalled $249,677, down 8.8% from 2023 sales tax collections. The calendar year 2022 marked the high point for revenues collected by the LID at $292,231. But in 2023, LID revenues dropped to $273,747, a decline of $18,484, or 6.3%, from 2022, and the 2024 year-end figures showed an even greater decline. LID members were...
Niwot's first First Friday Art Walk of 2025 will occur on March 7, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Old Town Niwot and in Cottonwood Square. "It's easier to hold the events when it's warmer and lighter outside, although we still had a great turnout in December before the holidays, so we are excited for the year coming up," said Coordinator Anne Postle. Postle estimates the First Friday Art Walks have been occurring since 2010. The events are sponsored by the Niwot Cultural Arts Association and hosted...
As Niwot's Sesquicentennial approaches on March 30, 2025, the ad hoc committee charged with coordinating a year-long celebration is hard at work on everything from lectures, to birthday parties, to puzzles, to time capsules. The committee, first suggested by the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee and Kathy Koehler of the Niwot Historical Society, is comprised of members representing Niwot's many non-profit organizations, including the Niwot Business Association, the Niwot...
Niwot Cultural Arts Association's Let's Wine About Winter event celebrated its eighth successful year this past Saturday, Feb. 8, from 1 - 5 p.m. in Cottonwood Square and old town Niwot's business district. The event invited locals and visitors to explore the unique shops and restaurants of Cottonwood Square and Second Avenue while they enjoyed tasting a variety of wine, beer, and other culinary offerings. Everyone was able to gather, share good conversation, and enjoy the welcoming atmosphere...
In what was the last official meeting for Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID) members Eric Bergeson and Jeff Knight, the LID approved three funding requests. Bergeson's term as the Niwot Business Association (NBA) representative expires at the end of February, and the county commissioners have already appointed newly elected NBA president Jim Ditzel as his replacement. Bergeson, who has served on the LID for five years, said, "It's been a privilege. I won't be a stranger."...
Changes are on the horizon for the Niwot Business Association (NBA) as several key officers prepare to step down, making way for new leadership in the spring of 2025. The term of current NBA President Eric Bergeson of The Wheel House will end and Bergeson has decided to step down from his leadership role. Jim Ditzel of Summit Commercial Real Estate will be the new president, having been elected after running unopposed for the position. Ditzel, a longtime NBA member, has already begun...
The Niwot boys varsity basketball team suffered two losses this week against highly-ranked Legacy High School and the Cougars' cross-town rival, Silver Creek High School. The game against Legacy on Tuesday, Feb. 4 ended with the Cougars on the short end of a 76-44 score, while Friday's Senior Night battle was close until the final minutes, with Silver Creek coming out on top, 56-42, leaving the Cougars eager for a win as the season winds down. Rohit Das led the Cougars in scoring against Legacy...
First in a series of articles highlighting Niwot's 150-year history. The unincorporated community of Niwot was first platted in the Boulder County real estate records on March 30, 1875, almost 150 years ago. Now home to 4,306 individuals in the contiguous subdivisions, according to 2020 U.S. Census reports, the community was founded when Ambrose Murray and Porter M. Hinman filed a plat, laying out the lots, blocks, streets and alleys of what is now known as "Old Town" Niwot. But Niwot's history...
The Boulder County Commissioners reappointed Niwot resident Bruce Larsen to the Niwot Design Review Board on Jan. 23. Board members serve three-year terms, and may not serve more than three 3-year terms. Larsen, who serves as a community member, has served as the chair of the board in the past. Rachel Gart, a real estate agent, was appointed as the Historic Preservation Advisory Board (HPAB) Representative on the Design Review Board. Jason Emery, a surveyor who formerly resided in Niwot, was...
Niwot resident Gil Gilmore saw a need in the community, and took action. Now 13 years of age, the homeschooled eighth-grader was only nine years old in 2020 when he noticed "there was a lot of hate towards law enforcement," he said. "We didn't think that was okay" he said, speaking of himself and his mother, Susan Gilmore, He acknowledged that there were incidents which garnered much negative national publicity toward police officers, but he felt it was unfair to lump all law enforcement...
Jeff Knight, the Niwot Community Association's representative on the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) Advisory Committee, submitted his resignation from the committee via email Jan. 24, due to a move out of state at the end of February. Knight also serves on the NCA's board of directors as the Area 1 representative, and has been an NCA representative on Niwot's Sesquicentennial Committee. He indicated that he plans a move to Texas, saying, "Family support is the central issue mandating...
