All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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It has been six months since the death of Arapaho artist Eddie Running Wolf due to the coronavirus, but his memory and his art live on in Niwot. A Saturday gathering, masked and socially distant, paid tribute to the work of Wolf and continuing efforts to preserve his iconic tree sculptures on Niwot Road with a blessing ceremony led by Thornton resident Walt Pourier of the Oglala Lakota Nation, and attended by the artist's wife Melissa, his sons Calvin and Dustin and his mother. "So I called...
Alice Jean Munford, age 94 of Boulder died Monday January 25, 2021, of COVID19. During the 1990s, Alice was a volunteer for the Niwot Senior Advisory Council and reported the NSAC’s news for the Left Hand Valley Courier. A memorial may be conducted once public gatherings are able to be held again. No services are planned at this time.... Full story
As part of Jump Start January, everyone is invited to join in a community fun run. Runners should meet in front of Niwot Market on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 9:15 a.m., with the starting gun set to go off at 9:30 a.m. At the end of the four miles, participants are invited to join in for free coffee, hot cocoa and a prize drawing. Prizes are yet to be determined. The untimed race will be relaxed and fun, not competitive. It will be held in any weather, including rain, shine, or snow. All participants...
On June 11, 2020, a beautiful flower bloomed somewhere in Japan. That same day in Colorado, Gunbarrel resident Beniko Olsen drove home with her family after 45 days in the hospital fighting for her life after contracting COVID-19. But first, she directed her husband and two sons to stop off at Starbucks for a long-anticipated Matcha latte. Olsen is a petite woman with a radiant smile and a joyous laugh. In her late 60s, she worked for over 20 years as a teacher's aide at a local preschool while...
Diners attribute the quality of their eating out experience to the people they interact with – the front of house workers. For 17 years, Leslie Middleton has been the most noticeable front of house person at Gunbarrel’s Café Blue American Grill while her chef husband Kevin runs the kitchen. These days, because of COVID, Leslie isn’t just taking orders and bringing out delicious drinks and food to diners at the restaurant, she’s also driving freshly prepared meals to patrons’ homes. She’s doin...
At its first monthly meeting of the new year, the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Board approved funding for a slew of routine maintenance expenses, as well as new events devised by the Niwot Business Association to help keep traffic circulating through local businesses. The members also discussed their upcoming annual meeting with the Board of County Commissioners, scheduled for Feb. 4. Treasurer's Report LID Vice Chair Jim Eastman delivered the January Treasurer's report in lieu of t...
Across social media sites, pictures of smiling people and a variation of the caption "new year, new me," abound. But this new year celebration was unlike those of years past-there weren't big parties or big crowds, instead, most celebrations were more low key. Despite the change in how we celebrate the new year, people are still promising themselves a better future. Sometimes that's by resolving to be healthier, happier or maybe even just more self-aware. As Joanne Neville with the Southwest...
Longmont based HOPE, short for Homeless Outreach Providing Encouragement, cares for some of the most vulnerable members of the community. Founded in 2007, HOPE has supported the homeless community with the end goal being self-sufficiency. The organization exists to fill people's most basic needs of shelter and food, in addition to providing forward momentum resources such as one-on-one advocacy. Gunbarrel resident Erin Hofer-Shall is an angel of HOPE. While that sounds very ethereal, she and...
The start of a new year typically brings a fresh effort to make better habits. People take part in fitness programs, eat healthier, and set lifestyle improvement goals. A community-wide New Year's focus on overall health, positive change and self-care? That's not so common, but it's taking place in Niwot. The effort, called Jump Start January, was organized by the same local group of business owners that meet weekly on Wednesdays at The Niwot Tavern. In response to pandemic-related challenges,...
The COVID-19 pandemic turned life upside down for most of us over the past 12 months, but it was especially hard on the local non-profit community, which saw its donations dry up as traditional fundraising events and activities were postponed or canceled. Fortunately, there's still time to help balance the scales as we count down the final hours of 2020. Among the many provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) passed back in March, was a change to an IRS rule...
We're in the home stretch of the holiday shopping season, and for those of you with a few names left to check off your gift list, be sure to consider one of the dozens of unique items from the artists, authors and crafters that call Niwot and Gunbarrel home. Niwot in watercolor Niwot's historic downtown is a frequent subject of resident and renowned artist Jane Langdon, whose graceful style evokes warmth and nostalgia. Recently, her wintry depiction of 2nd Avenue was featured on the Niwot...
A 40-acre property west of Niwot has been eyed by Boulder County for years, prized for its views along the Diagonal Highway and for its agricultural use. This week, it is being recommended for purchase as open space, pending approval by the Boulder County Commissioners. The Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee (POSAC) earlier recommended the purchase. The land is west of the Diagonal Highway, south of Oxford Road. Some of it abuts the highway directly and a portion is west of the Kilt Farm on...
Owners of Niwot Tavern are conducting their second annual coat drive to help the homeless as the holidays approach. The inside lobby, once filled with people, is currently filled with boxes of coats, hats, blankets and hygiene essentials, all to be donated to organizations with less support. "We try to deliver to places that don't get as many donations," co-owner Stacy Szydlek said. "A lot of the well-known shelters get overloaded with donations while the smaller ones are left without, so we do...
At the final monthly meeting of 2020, the Niwot Local Improvement District's Advisory Committee met virtually to consider two funding requests related to marketing and economic development in 2021. Treasurer's Report But before the fun could get underway, the board heard from LID Treasurer Bruce Rabeler with an update on the district's finances through the end of November. To date, the board has approved $254,303.08 in funding requests in 2020, including $101,512 for the public parking lot....
This wonderful Familiar Face suggestion was courtesy of co-owner of the Niwot Tavern, Tara Kpogoh-Narh. Kpogoh-Narh wrote, "Jennifer Morrison lives and breathes Niwot. She is a local who helps support everyone...small businesses in Boulder, Hygiene and Longmont. She's just amazing. She's always advertising for everyone. I'm sure you've seen her posts." The posts Kpogoh-Narh is referring to are on a public Facebook page called Nifty Niwot. Kpogoh-Narh added, "She brings Stacy [Szydlek, co-owner]...
Niwot's 2020 holiday celebration continued last weekend with the Niwot Holiday Market and WINC Holiday Fayre. Cottonwood Square and 2nd Avenue were decked out for the occasion, including this joyful ice sculpture by Ice Cubed, which stood in front of Adam Robinson's Seven Wealth office at 240B, 2nd Ave. Carolers and musicians entertained shoppers with holiday standards, while Santa and Mrs. Claus took gift requests outside the Left Hand Grange. The festivities will continue on Dec. 12, with the...
The Niwot Patriotic Cookies Moms have been hard at work since Thanksgiving, packing up goodie boxes for the Christmas mailing to the troops. Julie Breyers' 3rd grade class from Niwot Elementary school provided wonderful pictures and notes, as did others. Each of the 28 boxes eventually sent out included many home baked treats, as well as a holiday letter from the group, and a copy of the most recent Left Hand Valley Courier....
Back in March, streaks of panic buying due to COVID-19 left stores barren of cleaning supplies, bathroom essentials and canned foods. Niwot Market owners were forced to limit purchases of certain items to one or two per person. The supply chain slowed down as big vendors shifted to the bigger markets, leaving owners Alison Steele and Bert Steele to look towards quickly developing new relationships with smaller vendors. However, the Steeles are confident now that they have the resources necessary...
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...
In 1975, the Lutheran Medical Center Foundation was created as a way to support a nonprofit hospital in West Denver. Since then, it has been renamed the "Community First Foundation" (CFF) and has sought to create change beyond just the Denver Metro. Then, CFF became involved with ColoradoGives.org, an online tool that is a way to connect with and support nearly 3,000 nonprofits around the state. In 2010, CFF and ColoradoGives.org kicked off Colorado Gives Day, which has garnered $355 million in...
Niwot has long been a destination for old fashioned Christmas charm, with traditional events such as Enchanted Evening, the Holiday Parade, and WINC Holiday Fayre, which provide a festive ambience and attract families from both close to home and towns all around. What's more magical than seeing children's faces light up at the iconic Santa on the fire truck, or people marveling at the ice sculptures, or the comfort and joy of hearing carols sung beautifully, or sipping a fabulous holiday...
In a year when many well-loved group events have had to be canceled, it's refreshing to see the beginning of a new annual tradition: The Niwot Turkey Trot. Holding an event in light of rising Covid-19 numbers isn't something to be taken lightly. The event's organizing committee, a group of Niwot business owners, know this. They're doing everything they can to be careful. While the race, due to its nature, will be held outdoors, there are other things organizers are planning to keep things safe....
In the closing line of the poem First Things First, W.H. Auden writes, "Thousands have lived without love, but not one without water." Water is the topic of author and retired water resource manager Bob Crifasi's lecture for the Niwot Historical Society's latest Now & Then lecture series set to be released on Nov. 18. Crifasi's lecture, "From Desert To Oasis, A Land Made From Water," will be available for the public to watch on the Niwot Historical Society's YouTube channel. Crifasi worked for...
Much to my surprise, I tested positive for COVID-19 in October. We all know of the highly contagious nature of the virus and unfortunately, I must have been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yes, I am a 20-year-old college student attending CU Boulder, but I live with my parents in Longmont and limited myself to a small group of friends. Colorado’s cases are skyrocketing and unless you build a hut in Antarctica, odds are you’ll be exposed eventually. Despite this belief, it was still a shock when my turn came. Sometimes life doesn’t go your...
This year, 3,207,983 votes were cast across Colorado, resulting in a voter turnout rate of 84.83%. Boulder County's rate was comparable at 84.81%, with 230,721 votes cast. Traditionally seen as a more liberal part of the state, the Boulder County results tend to lean blue this election cycle. The average turnout across the sixteen precincts that make up the Courier's readership was 90.74%, higher than both the county and state rates. Of those sixteen precincts, the lowest turnout was 80.87% and...
Veterinarian Dr. Crystal Conner has devoted her career to helping animals ever since graduating from CSU's veterinary school in 2007. In June 2016, she joined Niwot's Left Hand Animal Hospital after several years of working as an emergency veterinarian. Connor's work helping animals in the local community extended to a pet CPR training that she offered for first responders in Boulder County, a class that she has previously taught to firefighters and medics with the Mountain View Fire District...
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...
Whether you read the Nov. 4 issue of the Left Hand Valley Courier on our website or in our print edition, you will notice some big changes. While the pandemic had forced us to stop weekly printing for several months, we recognized that we needed to enhance the Courier's website to attract new subscribers to help us through this crisis. We were fortunate enough to receive a Facebook Journalism Grant that recognized the importance of community journalism. These funds helped us subsidize advertisin...
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...
4 marks the centennial anniversary of the 19th Amendment which guaranteed women the constitutional right to vote in the United States. However, this year does not mark the 100th year of women voters in Colorado as the state actually granted women voting rights in 1893, 27 years before the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920. The Niwot Historical Society will be exploring the history of women's suffrage in Colorado with Dr. Rebecca Hunt in the latest NHS Now & Then fall lecture series. Hunt's...
The CalWood and the Lefthand Canyon Fires have impacted our community. I want to extend my thoughts and prayers to those who have lost their homes and have been evacuated. I also want to thank our first responders who have stepped up to keep us safe. The immediate and long-term impacts of these fires are significant. Both fires are burning close to the creeks that provide us with safe drinking water. As soon as the fires are out, we need to begin post-fire recovery work to ensure our water supplies continue to be clean and reliable. Protecting... Full story
Last week, Renee and Bill McDermid of the Hampton Inn in Gunbarrel needed help feeding firefighters working on the CalWood and Left Hand Canyon fires, as many area restaurants were closed for dining. That spurred a number of Niwot residents into action, and before long, firefighters from Oregon, Nebraska, and elsewhere were well fed and ready to battle the blazes. Niwot Community Association donated $500 to be used towards the purchase of food. The Niwot Cookie Moms also chipped in with home...
History can be learned from books and films and lectures, but a deeper layer of understanding comes from being in the place where things happened. That belief was what led me to visit Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site in southeastern Colorado earlier this month. I had planned to join dozens of people who signed up to take a bus from Niwot to the site this fall. The trip, organized by the Niwot United Methodist Church in cooperation with several other community organizations, has been...
Last Tuesday, the Niwot Community Association (NCA) hosted a virtual forum for the Boulder County Commissioner Candidates. This year, two of the district seats are up for a county-wide vote, District 1 and District 2. Though the third commissioner, Matt Jones, is from District 3 which includes much of the Left Hand Valley, all commissioners are elected on a county-wide basis. County commissioners assist in making a number of decisions that affect the whole county--road maintenance to allocation of funding for services such as mental health and...
It's shaping up to be a busy, but socially distanced winter around Niwot, as the LID advisory committee members considered funding requests for upcoming holiday themed events at their virtual monthly meeting on Oct. 6. Treasurer's Report First, however, they heard from LID treasurer Bruce Rabeler, who led off with a concerning notice from the Boulder County finance office regarding the district's 2020 earnings. According to county analyst David Thayer, the state of Colorado believes the LID's hi...
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...
Something sweet has found a new home in Niwot. Late this August, chocolate candy maker Little Secrets moved its offices from Boulder to a new location just behind 2nd Avenue. According to President and COO Jeremy Vandervoet, they plan to settle in. "We signed a three year lease and anticipate being in the area for the near, medium, and longer term," he said. Founded in 2015, the company has fairly large ambitions for doing something different in the chocolate world: re-making chocolate so...
For five years, Niwotian Rich Anderson has brought nurturing and nutrition to homebound community members through Longmont Meals on Wheels (LMOW). The organization's motto is Delivering Hope One Meal at a Time, and Anderson does that in batches of 12 to 16 deliveries per shift, each one providing greatly appreciated smiles and sustenance. "Being retired," Anderson said, "I felt I needed something besides the activities in life I normally get engaged in. I just can't sit around the house. I...
In 2020, the public receives news from an enormous number of electronic as well as traditional sources. The information onslaught is relentless, can be frustratingly inaccurate, and isn't always able to portray what occurs in a localized area. Local journalists have an important role to fill in this kind of potentially confusing environment. Community newspapers such as the Left Hand Valley Courier tell stories about businesses, schools, parks, open spaces, neighborhoods, local infrastructure,...
For her 48 years of "service, dedication, and love for Niwot," the Rotary Club of Niwot honored longtime resident Kathy Koehler with its second annual Community Achievement Award. "This year's winner could not be more deserving," RCN member and past president Doug Montgomery said during the presentation, held at Old Oak Coffee's OctoberFeast Celebration on Oct. 3. "To say that her love and care for the Niwot community has been on full display since she moved here in 1972 would be a colossal...
The craziness of 2020 can be quelled a wee bit with the reverent calmness of Chris Doyle's sunset serenades. The long comforting notes of his bagpipe feel like the entire community is taking deep healing breaths. We asked Doyle some questions to learn a little about his life story. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) – What was your hometown and how did Niwot become home to you? Chris Doyle (CD) – I grew up on the east side of Cleveland and finished high school in Chesterland, Ohio. I went to Mus...
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...
Back in the summer of 2005, Biff Warren, his daughter Katie, and a few other like-minded locals decided to dust off their band instruments and revive the time-honored tradition of live concert music in Niwot. In the decade and a half since, the band's popularity, its repertoire, and its name have exploded in size, while its unique musical stylings have become the soundtrack for the town's signature events. Needless to say, 2020 has been quiet for the Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange...
The Rotary Club was founded over a century ago in Chicago, and since then, the organization has advanced to nearly every corner of the globe, including several local clubs in the Left Hand Valley and St. Vrain Valley areas. Rotary International is best known as a service organization, and their work on polio eradication is well documented, a hallmark of local Rotary clubs around the world, including those in the Left Hand Valley. A recent merger between two local clubs, the St. Vrain and the...
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...
Unfortunately, the title from The Platters' song didn't mention the smoke that invades your nose and lungs. While there are no fires in the mountains directly to the west of the Left Hand Valley, most everyone in northern Colorado is suffering from poor air quality due to fires in the west. Many residents have had to deal with falling ash as well. According to Colorado Air Quality's website, high ozone and periods of heavy smoke are expected for the Front Range through the week of Aug....
On Aug. 13, the Niwot boys tennis team traveled to Thompson Valley for the opening match of the abbreviated 2020 season. Despite temperatures in the high-90s and new social distancing regulations, a robust crowd was on hand to see the two teams battle it out under the new pandemic rules, which mandate face coverings and limit player contact. However, only Cougars fans left with something to celebrate, as Niwot cruised to a 7-0 win. Click hereto see more photos from the match....
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...
Admirers left flowers, notes and appreciative comments on social media for the artist who brought Native American images to life from the stumps of massive willow trees along Niwot Road. Artist Eddie Running Wolf died Aug. 5 at age 62. "He put his heart and soul into that project," said his sister Margie Albert. "He knew all the history of what he was putting in there. And knew it as if it was his own history, as if he was that Indian warrior. He put himself into it." Starting in 2007, Running...
