All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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During the Boulder County Commissioners' public comment session on April 3, several Niwot residents addressed the commissioners with significant concerns about the detrimental effects of the current minimum wage ordinance on Niwot's small businesses. Ordinance 2023-4, which took effect on January 1, 2024, established the minimum wage for unincorporated Boulder County at $16.57 per hour this year, $1.76 higher than the neighboring incorporated towns and cities, except Boulder, which is still...
Here at Niwot Dental, we are proud to prioritize our patients’ dental health, comfort, and functionality above all else. Gum disease, tooth decay, misalignment and/or trauma to the teeth are all issues we strive to fix for our patients on a daily basis. But what happens when these issues are combined with a patient’s desire to cosmetically make their smiles “pop,” or have led to issues of self esteem? Enter the smile makeover. Many people believe a smile makeover involves invasive procedures, entire mouthfuls of fake teeth or the need to remo...
Almost all variations of oral cancers start out as abnormalities in your mouth that can be seen by a dentist. So dentists are at the front line of early detection of oral cancer. Most dentists start basic oral cancer examinations at your first visit. It is a one to two minute examination that involves looking for and feeling for signs of cancer. This examination should be done even in younger people considered at lower risk for oral cancer. If your dentist finds oral cancer early, it significantly increases your chances of successfully...
The Left Hand Valley Courier is known for its coverage of athletes and arts students at Niwot High School (NHS). The Courier also honors an array of students who choose to pursue activities such as community service, robotics, academics, and topics that fall under the S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) umbrella. Meleah Perez, a Niwot High School senior, is not only an outstanding student academically, but friends and teachers have labeled her as an incredibly positive...
As I reflect on the last 10 years as a dentist here in Niwot, I come back to my favorite and most gratifying detail - being a part of the community. The relationships that have been cultivated out of a shadow of a common phrase, “I’m scared of the dentist,” have made me feel that this life and the connections to our community are just as important as the technical skill of my career. Whether at Rock & Rails, our kids’ Niwot flag football game, or a Saturday morning coffee hello, I feel grateful for our small-town, big-hearted communi...
Niles Family Dentistry, located at 136 2nd Ave. Suite 101, Niwot, welcomed Dr. Laura Thomas to the team on Aug. 16. Thomas earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and her Doctor of Dental Medicine degrees from University of Pittsburgh. After completing her schooling, Dr. Thomas served in the Navy as the dentist and Medical Department head on board the USS GERMANTOWN, where she cared for sailors and marines while sailing across the Pacific Ocean. Niles Family Dentistry was opened in...
The Niwot Trot, a fundraising race for Niwot Elementary School, was a huge success on Sunday, Oct. 6, raising over $10,000 for the school. "We had a record number of over 700 participants, surpassing our numbers by 100 racers," organizer Aimee Morin said. "It was a perfectly cool, sunny morning and everyone brought happy smiles and great energy, making it a memorable and successful event for our community." The event sent runners of all ages through a new route through the streets of Niwot,...
As I began to reflect on the last 10 years as a dentist here in Niwot, I kept coming back to my favorite and most gratifying detail - being a part of the community. The relationships that have been cultivated out of a shadow of a common phrase, “I’m scared of the dentist,” have made me feel that this life and the connections to our community are just as important as the technical skill of my career. Whether at Rock & Rails, our kids’ Niwot flag football games, or a Saturday morning coffee hello, I feel the need to express my sincere gratitu...
The term Bruxism is the dental word for a condition in which a person abnormally grinds and/or clenches his or his teeth. Bruxism is one of the most common forms of parafunction, or repeatable habits that cause damage or discomfort to our teeth, jaws and even muscles of the head and neck. Nighttime appliance therapy with a comfortable, custom fit occlusal guard made by your dentist can help protect against further damage to your teeth or existing restorations, allow triggered muscles to relax, and result in better sleep for you and your...
This October will have marked two years since long-time Niwot resident and businessman Craig "Lefty" Harris lost his life in a traffic accident at the intersection of the Diagonal Highway and Niwot Road. A little more than two months later, ownership of the beloved 2nd Avenue pizzeria that Harris left behind, was transferred to Maricela Vasquez and her husband, Lorenzo Villalobos, Harris' beloved employee who had worked for him for more than two decades. The transfer facilitated the community's...
Ashley Niles is a dentist and business owner, an athlete, a wife and a mother of three young children. She admirably manages her very busy life with an aura of kindness and calmness that would be difficult for most of us with her schedule to match. She credits her background in team sports for much of her determination and many of her values. Niles grew up in Geneva, Illinois, a rural Swedish American community west of Chicago. She is from a medical family. Her father was an OB-GYN and her...
Many patients we at Niwot Dental chat with have a desire to change and lighten the color of their teeth. They want their teeth to really shine, and feel the pressure of societal expectations for that “Hollywood White” smile have only grown with the advent of social media. Many are hesitant to professionally whiten and when asked why, one of the most common responses we get is “because I’ve tried all the whitening toothpastes and rinses and they don’t work.” It is crucial to understand that while these products are commonplace and you are inu...
Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, are an interesting example of the way human skulls and mouths have evolved over time. Many dentists advise their patients to have their wisdom teeth removed, but why? Typically, wisdom teeth finish developing and make their presence known around 18-20 years of age. At this age, the body is quick to heal and wisdom teeth can be extracted with very little risk of complication or down time. That is the first reason why your dentist may have advised you or your children to have them removed. This is simply...
One of the most common questions dentists and hygienists receive is some form of: “Why do you want me to come for my re-care appointments three or four times per year? My neighbor only goes twice! And my insurance only covers 2 per year!” We hear you, so here’s the gist of why: 1. You have been diagnosed with gum (periodontal) disease, a chronic condition where the normal germs in your mouth have contributed to the destruction of your gums and the bone which holds your teeth in place. The important part here is, there is no cure for gum disease...
While not indicated in every situation for every mouth, dental implants have quickly become the gold standard of care for replacing missing teeth or severely compromised teeth. Implants have come a long way since their popularization in the 1980s, and the cost has become largely comparable to the bridges and partial dentures of yesteryear. Did you know that a missing tooth can cause the drift and unstable “bite” of healthy neighboring teeth? Dental implants allow the remaining teeth, gums and underlying bone to remain healthy and fun...
The Niles commercial structure for 364 2nd Avenue was conditionally approved by the Director of the Boulder County Department of Community Planning and Permitting (CPP) on April 25, 2023. The 4,180 square-foot building will include a new location for the dental office of Dr. Ashley Niles on ground level, as well as an upstairs architectural office. The Determination Letter specifies the conditions on the approval to build. The 720 square-foot building currently at that address which is home to...
The current state of health in the United States looks dire. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) statistics state, "Six in ten Americans live with at least one chronic disease... Chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in America, and they are also a leading driver of healthcare costs." In addition, the average lifespan of Americans is declining. In 2022, The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) reported the life expectancy at birth at its lowes...
Dr. Richard A. Cross is celebrating thirty years of his optometry practice in Gunbarrel this year. Dr. Cross has helped many people throughout his career, both here in the Boulder area and through the eye care institute he launched in Jamaica twenty-seven years ago. That is enough time to treat generations of people. "I'm seeing the children's children of patients," he observed. Dr. Cross grew up in Mason, Michigan, which is about twenty minutes from Michigan State University in East Lansing. Hi...
Niwot dentist Dr. Ashley Niles has submitted plans to Boulder County for redevelopment of the property located at 364 Second Avenue in Niwot, which is currently occupied by Niwot Pizza, formerly Lefty's Pizzeria. The application is scheduled for a hearing before the Niwot Design Review Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 5 p.m. The hearing will be conducted via zoom and the link is available on the Niwot Design Review Committee page on the Boulder County website. Niles, who owns the property...
Seventeen years ago, Dr. Adam Saeks, DDS, became the owner of Niwot Dental, a practice originally established in 1985 by Dr. David Meisner. Saeks, a Minnesota native and 1998 graduate of the University of Minnesota Dental School, moved the practice in 2016 from its Second Avenue location to a fully remodeled, contemporary dental facility in the professional building located in Cottonwood Square Shopping Center (6800 N. 79th Street, Ste. 203). Saeks was the sole dentist within the office until...
The Niwot Community Association (NCA) held its monthly board meeting Sept. 7 in the Mountain View Fire Rescue Niwot Station conference room where several issues were discussed. The Veterans Banner Project celebration will take place on Sunday, Nov. 6, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., in Cottonwood Square shopping center. Banners honoring veterans with local connections will be displayed downtown and in Cottonwood Square this fall. Fall festivities in Niwot will keep the NCA Road Crew busy with several roa...
On Wednesday, August 10, the Niwot Design Review Committee held a virtual public meeting to review the proposed deconstruction of the current structure and new build of a dental office at 364 2nd Avenue.The purpose of this meeting was to provide feedback to the applicant in advance, explained Andrea Vaughn, Planner for Boulder County. "This committee serves as a referral agency for the site plan review." The presenter of the proposed plan for the new Niles Family Dentistry building, Katherine...
Niles Family Dentistry and Lightwell Architecture held a virtual meeting at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3, to obtain feedback from the Niwot community about a development plan for a proposed 3,000-square-foot building planned for 364 2nd Ave., currently Lefty's Gourmet Pizza and Ice Cream. The property is owned by Ashley Niles Properties, LLC. Lightwell Architecture kicked off the meeting with information about their firm and the Niles Family Dentistry multi-use building project. Lightwell's principa...
Staying active is a must for recent Niwot grad Grace Crall, and she accomplished this need well by playing both basketball and soccer during her successful high school career. In Crall's final basketball campaign with the Cougars, she led the team in three categories: rebounds (110), blocks (12) and assists (30). The senior took particular pride in her rebounding, which as a taller player, was a facet of the game that was drilled into her from an early age. "I think a lot of people don't want...
Good morning, Courier readers! April 22nd is a special day to celebrate our nurturing, Mother Earth. And while tackling climate change might seem daunting at times, we mustn’t give up hope. So, without further ado, here is a comprehensive list of all things you can do to turn your climate anxiety into climate action! At home and other individual actions: *Switch to a more eco-friendly search engine like Ecosia. Ecosia plants trees for every 45 searches you make on the web. It’s the world’s largest not-for-profit search engine and is endor...
With 10 goals and 2 assists in five games, speedy senior Kiera Flanagan has led the Niwot girls soccer team to a 5-0 start to the 2021 season, and a 36-4 scoring advantage over its opponents. In three of her starts, the fourth-year varsity forward and captain has scored multiple goals, including four at Roosevelt on May 13. At mid-way through the short season, she is the leading scorer in the Longs Peak League, and sixth overall in Class 4A. For second-year head coach Jenna Machado, Flanagan is...
There is just a hint of green in the fields where the small herd of horses stand basking in the sunshine. Longs Peak looms to the west, still covered with snow. The horses seem to not care about the impressive view from their backyard, more concerned with finding the tasty spring greens popping up in their pasture. These are the pastures of Colorado Horse Rescue, located off of N. 65th Street north of Niwot and west of Longmont, a 501(c)(3) impact organization dedicated to the rescue and...
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...
As graduation quickly approaches -136 days to be exact-life after high school seems not just scary, but scarily expensive, as paying for any higher education looms over graduating seniors and their parents. Colleges may offer up some money, but a full-ride is unlikely. For many families, the hunt for scholarships is on. There are thousands of scholarships large and small up for grabs across the country, and narrowing the field can be a trick for many students. Applying for scholarships tailored...
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...
Reveling in five years of business in Niwot, Left Hand Animal Hospital will have an even bigger reason to celebrate this month. LHAH owners will be able to officially call Niwot home when they move into their very own building at 304 Franklin Street. “For us, the move is a great thing, because it means we get to be permanent residents of Niwot,” co-owner Dr. Nancy Bureau said.” And we get to move just around the corner from where we are.” The practice will take about a week to pack and move the...
The Longmont Community Foundation (LCF) will be celebrating 25 years of supporting charitable giving at its annual dinner on April 4. Since 1994, the foundation has overseen the distribution of $11 million to non-profits. This year alone the organization will allocate more than $1 million to the arts, education, animals, human services, health and environmental causes. There are only 1,900 community foundations world-wide, each honing in on a particular geographic area. LCF was originally under...
At age 46, Kim Needham Watkins had been dealt an extremely frightening hand. The Watkins’ family jumped into action last year when Kim was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer. This very aggressive form of cancer statistically has a 40 to 50 percent chance of recurrence in a different organ system within the next five years. But there’s wonderful news to report – after five months of chemotherapy treatments and surgery on Jan. 28 to remove 16 lymph nodes, results showed her response to t...
Boulder County hosts discussion of proposed NRDC regulations Residents of Niwot’s 3rd Avenue were unusually quiet during the community meeting with Boulder County Land Use Department staff at Niwot High School on Jan. 24. The first pass at the Niwot Rural Community District I (NRCD) proposed changes to the Land Use Code had been emailed to interested parties on Jan. 18, which meant that specific proposed code updates had been digested to some degree prior to the meeting. NRCD code provisions are...
For the fourth year, Chuck Rodgers’ holiday light extravaganza has collected contributions for the non-profit organization Longmont Meals on Wheels (LMOW). Last year he encouraged visitors to place $4,100 and 31 pounds of food in donation boxes located within the light display. This year the festive spectacle brought in nearly $5,800 and collected 208 pounds of food. Xcel Energy, where Rodgers works, partially matches employee giving and will be adding to this year’s pot. Rodgers’ tens of thous...
Old age ain’t for sissies and until you’ve experienced it to one degree or another, it’s hard to comprehend the shifts growing old can bring. Our elderly furry family members are far more stoic than we are and, while in our hearts they feel like they’re our children, sadly they speed by us when it comes to the advancement of age-related changes. How old is old? Cats are generally considered senior citizens around age ten. While the typical lifespan of felines is upwards of 12 years, Dr. Nancy B...
Niwot Dental, owned by Dr. Adam Saeks for over 13 years, is sponsoring a food drive to benefit OUR Center in Longmont. The public is encouraged to drop off non-perishable items at the Niwot Dental offices through Dec. 15. Donated food will be delivered to OUR Center, a non-profit, for distribution to clients. OUR Center serves to help the working poor, seniors, disabled, and homeless members of the community by providing those individuals or families with food, resources, and services to make ends meet. Kim Schwartz, office coordinator at...
Boulder County Land Use Director Dale Case knew he was walking into a hornet’s nest when he met with eight Niwot developers on Oct. 1. In the ten days since the county enacted a six-month moratorium on new development in the Niwot Rural Community District (NRCD), concerned local business and property owners have politely and not so politely let their displeasure about the halt be known. “This moratorium, out of the blue, with no prior warning, is totally outside the spirit of cooperation tha...
In an unannounced move at their Sept. 20 business meeting, the Boulder County Commissioners imposed a six-month moratorium on new development applications in the Niwot Rural Community District (NRCD), the three-block span of Second Avenue that comprises the downtown commercial zone. Citing concerns from community members about the pace and scope of new building in the district, commissioners Elise Jones and Cindy Domenico agreed to the temporary halt in order to give county planning staff time...
As reported on Von’s Colorado Concepts’ website, the local building company is planning a development project in Niwot. The website states, “This development in the heart of downtown Niwot, Colorado will offer a combination of charming single family homes and a commercial boutique space.” Von’s Colorado Concepts, run by Bob Von Eschen and his brother Scott, plans to build the project on the corner of Second Avenue and Niwot Road. According to Bob Von Eschen, it would include the property presently occupied by Lefty’s Pizza at 364 Second Aven...
Auburn Meisner, daughter of former Niwot dentist David Meisner, recently opened her own business in Niwot, Intimate Inquiries, located at 376 2nd Avenue. Meisner obtained her social work degree from Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and went on to work with sex offenders, but felt she needed to work in a less regulated field. She’s continued her education in human sexuality and sex therapy, leading her to open her own private practice in sex therapy and intimacy. “It’s such a field that...
Niwot Dental is closed this week in order to move its office a few blocks away to 6800 N. 79th St. in Cottonwood Square. Doctor Adam Saeks said that the move was for a number of reasons, including timing and space. “It was good timing because I’ve been in this building for 10 years and Niwot Dental has been here for a little over 30 years,” Saeks said. “I felt that it was a good time. “The new office has more space, we did a complete demo and basically started from scratch and built to our specs. It should be very comfortable for our patients....
