All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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The Left Hand Valley Courier is spotlighting various local neighborhoods, their history, issues and general nature. This week, the Courier is spotlighting The Cove residential neighborhood. Most Niwot residents are familiar with Somerset and Legend Ridge, but any mention of The Cove is usually met with raised eyebrows and puzzled looks. Small, lovely and secluded, the neighborhood was established in the early 1990s. You won't find The Cove unless you happen upon it while walking or are in the...
Niwot High School seniors Noah Wurth and Noah Hadders have been performing together since elementary school. They have performed duets at the Multiple Piano Festival for several years, and both attended the same piano studio. "We also played together in middle school band," Hadders said. And they both learned new instruments together: Hadders on trumpet and Wurth on saxophone. Throughout high school the two friends continued to play and perform together. Both musicians are members of NHS...
In the February 5, 2020 edition of the Left Hand Valley Courier, an article was published about a young Ugandan boy named Peter Kamuhanda, who was a recipient of the Mwebaza Foundation's scholarship program. This program provided for his schooling, whereas in Uganda, insufficient funding for schools forces citizens to fill the financial gaps. Tragically, Kamuhanda was orphaned as a child and vulnerable to losing his scholarship. His current guardian had planned to send him to live with his grand...
Currently enrolled in Drama 2 at Niwot High School, performing arts student Olivia Cesar Cipriani has an interest in both acting and technical theater, and she speaks thoughtfully about the difference between the two worlds. "As an actor," Cipriani said, "you get to become someone else for a performance, and forget about the real world. Theater techs create a whole new world onstage, and the actors become the people in it." According to NHS drama teacher Amanda Foust, who selected Cipriani as...
The Boulder Valley Regional Spelling Bee was held at Platt Middle School on March 16 with 51 contestants from Boulder and Broomfield Counties. Niwot Elementary School fifth-grader Cooper Edwards took top honors as the Spelling Bee's first place winner. Edwards is one of two students from Colorado who will be competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC, in May. Tejas Raman, a seventh-grader at Boulder Country Day School in Gunbarrel, took second place. A former student at...
Fortitude and resilience are two words that perfectly describe Sarah Magee. The office manager of a tax accounting firm with clients across the United States, Magee, the mother of two young men, is also owner of The Little Shop Niwot in Cottonwood Square. The Little Shop features lovely local art, gifts and children's toys and books, and sits next to Winot Coffee Company. Born in Denver and now living in Erie, Magee said, "I moved all around as a kid and went to 15 different schools. My past is...
The heart of Niwot sits in District 12 of Colorado's House of Representatives. District 12 is represented at the Colorado capital by House Representative Kyle Brown, who was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Representative Tracey Bernett. Since Brown joined the state legislature on Feb. 1, 2023, he has been an active legislator focused on climate action, affordable housing, recovery from the Marshall Fire and health care. Despite joining the current legislative session...
Dear Editor, My name is Nikola Podolefsky. I am ten years old and attending fourth grade at Niwot Elementary. My school district does not let students have snow days anymore, but instead forces us to attend online meetings through WebEx. I have written this article to help people understand why this is so hard for students, and so that maybe this will change. Why Snow Days Should Come Back “Mom! Mom! It’s snowing! Get the sled!” “No, get your iPad, Online Learning Day.” St. Vrain has decided that all snow days should be spent attending...
Niwot Elementary 5th Grade Student Reporters (Kestrel Glick, Graham Ottem, and Sienna Shear) The Niwot High School auditorium hosted the Niwot Elementary School's talent show on Feb. 2 to a sold-out, enthusiastic crowd. The talent show showcased the brave, courageous participants ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade. The talent show was a fun and inclusive experience for all, including a performance done by kindergartener Miles Carland, dancing to "Pretty Bird" in a fantastic parakeet costum...
Vandals struck Niwot late Sunday evening, defacing the LOBO Trail underpass at Niwot Road with graffiti. Niwot resident Tim Hughes reported the incident to the Courier on Monday, and the matter was reported to Boulder County Parks and Open Space that evening. Hughes sent photos and wrote, "I noticed it Monday morning, so it likely occurred Sunday night. We can see it from our house. It is spray paint on the concrete as shown, on both sides of Niwot Road and on the path itself on the [south]...
When Victor Valdez-Aguero was a young boy, his father was a big car enthusiast. "He owned a few dozen cars imported from Japan," Valdez-Aguero said. "A few Ford Mustangs--Shelby GT 500s. He owned muscle cars like Corvettes. C3s from 1981, a 1979 Pontiac Firebird, and a couple of Mitsubishi Lancer Evos." Initially, Valdez-Aguero thought that learning about cars was too complex and he didn't pay much attention to them, but in his early teens he started asking to help his father work on them. At...
Niwot Elementary School will showcase over 50 student acts at the "Niwot Kids Got Talent" show on Friday, Feb. 2, at 6 p.m. in the Niwot High School auditorium. Tickets are available at the door for $5 for adults and students in sixth grade and above. Students in fifth grade and under are free. "The talent show is a longstanding, beloved tradition at Niwot Elementary," said Principal Nancy Pitz. "I've been at the school for 10 years now and it was a well-established event when I got here. It's a...
When Merrick Blondeau was in elementary school, his sister Ana's friends were percussionists. Blondeau thought they were cool, so in sixth grade he joined the band at Sunset Middle School. Since then, he has simply loved making music and getting lost in music. Blondeau enjoys listening to classical music, "But," he said, "not often enough to be able to pick a favorite." One piece he does appreciate listening to is "The Planets," a seven-movement orchestral suite by the English composer Gustav...
When Staci Pencis walked into the Garden Gate Cafe two years ago to borrow a cane, she had no idea she would be leaving the Café with a job. Pencis' son, Sy, was putting together a costume for Senior Day at Skyline High School, and he needed a cane to complete his outfit. "He had a hospital gown and an adult diaper," Pencis said. "And he needed a cane." She placed a message on Facebook and soon heard back from Dawn Dunlap, manager of the Cafe, who offered to lend them one. When Pencis came to...
When Steven Craig joined the Rotary Club of Niwot shortly after building a home on Portico Lane in the Ranch at Clover Basin subdivision two years ago, he didn’t waste any time in making a difference. Sadly, Craig, who was recently chosen as President-Elect for the club, will not have a chance to serve in that position. Craig was attacked in his home on Dec. 19 in the middle of the night, and died of his injuries Dec. 24. Michael Lucky, 32, turned himself in to the Boulder County Sheriff’s off...
Niwot High School 2014 graduate Madison Bounds has many stories to tell, and he delivers them with the clarity and the detailed eye of an ardent historian. Ranging from topics as diverse as men's basketball at the University of Kentucky to German immigration, Bounds has documented the lives of teachers, painters, and sports figures on film. And even though LIfeStory Films, the company he founded in 2022, is based in New York, Bounds has strong ties to the Niwot community. In 2001, when Bounds...
Lauren Mocilac's love for art goes beyond the classroom walls. As the art teacher at Niwot Elementary School, she not only cultivates creativity in her young students but also brings her own artistic talents to life through greeting cards, prints, and other gift items. Mocilac's journey as an artist began long before she stepped into the classroom. Her passion for capturing the beauty of the world around her, particularly the Colorado landscapes and the innocence of childhood, is evident in her...
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Contrary to popular belief, I am actually quite private and introverted, so writing this profile on myself is challenging. I am a born and raised Niwot native who attended Niwot Elementary, Altona Middle School, and graduated from Niwot High School (an undisclosed amount of years ago). Having grown up in our cute little town, I've gotten to know a lot of people and become involved in several things over the years. I received my Eagle Scout award from Troop 161 (an undisclosed amount of years...
My name is Jonathan Epstein and it's a pleasure to join the Left Hand Valley Courier. Except for a stint in San Diego to see what all the hubbub was about, I've lived in Colorado for the better part of 34 years, with the last 20 being in Niwot and Gunbarrel. Originally from Buffalo (Go Bills), New York, I moved to Colorado in part because my high school college counselor said I'd fall off the face of the earth if I moved west of Ohio. Challenging her contention, I drove to Boulder to attend CU,...
Niwot High School’s Second Annual Art Showcase was a big success Dec. 4-6. The show was hosted by the Niwot High School Booster Music Performance and Art which is affiliated with the Niwot High School Boosters, Inc., and sponsored by the Boulder School of Fine Art. The show displayed art from both students at Niwot High School as well as from younger art students at Burlington Elementary School and Sunset Middle School. The show was started a year ago to help display the achievements of local arts students which often has been overlooked due to...
By Kestrel Glick, Sienna Shear, and Graham Ottem (NES fifth-grade students) "Contemptible" was the winning word as Cooper Edwards, a fifth-grader, outlasted ten other competitors to win the 14th Annual Niwot Elementary School Spelling Bee on Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2023. Fourth-grader Henry Himmerick took second, followed closely by fifth-grader Grayson Michael, who finished third. The bee was watched by all second-grade through fifth-grade students, who supported their schoolmates vigorously with...
Winter is a time for cheer, time with loved ones, good food, and of course, festive music. The Niwot High School orchestras, choirs, and bands will be hosting their annual winter concerts from Dec. 4 through Dec. 7. Kicking off the performance schedule on Monday, Dec. 4 at 7:00 p.m. is the “Winter Jazz in the Rockies” concert featuring the two jazz band ensembles at Niwot High School. The ensembles will perform several pieces including Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five,” Van Morrison’s “Moondance,” Lena Horne’s famous “Stormy Weather,” and more....
The Wandering Jellyfish Bookshop, primarily a children's bookstore, will be closing its doors on Dec. 9, two-and-a-half years after it opened in the former "Niwot Tribune" building on Second Avenue in Niwot. The bookshop, affectionately dubbed TWJ, has been a warm, welcoming place for community members and authors alike. It showcased local authors and diverse perspectives, and catered to young readers and those young at heart. The owners cited a failure to meet financial goals as leading to the...
Niwot High School student Rae Sweeney has been an outstanding leader of the Niwot High School Color Guard for the last two seasons. The Color Guard performs with the marching band at football halftime shows, in parades, and at competitions, using a combination of flags, sabers, mock rifles, and other equipment, as well as dance and other interpretive movements. Its main purpose is to interpret the music that is being played by the band through dance and synchronized movements. Sweeney remembers...
Niwot High School's art show, hosted by the NHS Booster Music Performance and Art under the umbrella of the parent-run Niwot High School Boosters, Inc., is returning for its sophomore year Dec. 4-6 from 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. each evening. The art show is sponsored, in part, by the Boulder School of Fine Art. "Niwot High School is not only academically and athletically driven, but artistically driven," said Lydia Moy, Chairman for NIwot High School Booster Music Performance and Art, who helped to organ...
Snow came early on Saturday, Oct. 28, but it did not deter the hundreds of costumed children (and adults) who gathered in Niwot for the annual Great Pumpkin Party. Pat Murphy, who has been the champion and chief sponsor of the event for over 25 years, was on hand to welcome the children and their parents. "Such a great turnout," she said, in spite of the weather. Murphy's The Niwot Group at Compass Realtors offered treats and hosted a petting zoo for the children. The Niwot Business Association...
For the first time since 2018, the "Pride of Niwot" Cougar Marching Band attended the Greeley Invitational Marching Festival on Saturday Oct. 21. High schools from Greeley, Loveland, Longmont, and the towns in between were invited to come perform their halftime shows. Marching bands who attend the Greeley Invitational receive a score between one and one hundred. Scores are based on musical ability, marching performance, and a general effect category. However, bands do not compete against each...
When Allison Gundmundson was in elementary school, she learned that Candlelight Dinner Playhouse hosted acting classes that included children. Whenever she could find the time, Gundmundson would join in. Her theater repertoire expanded quickly, with roles in the junior production of "Mary Poppins," and roles in "The Aristocats," and "Beauty and the Beast." She also worked in two junior shows at Longmont's Jesters Dinner Theatre, including "Alice in Wonderland" and "Snow White and the Seven...
The Great Pumpkin Party is one of Niwot's most beloved traditions, with costumed children of all ages, often accompanied by pets dressed up as well, going trick-or-treating at Niwot businesses in Old Town and Cottonwood Square. This year, the event will be held on Saturday, Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. And as is customary, 2nd Avenue will be closed briefly at 11:30 a.m. for a children's parade. The 2-block affair kicks off with a choral performance by students from Niwot Elementary School in...
Brian Dietzen, a 1996 Niwot High School graduate, has gone on to a Hollywood acting career, where he is known mainly for his recurring role in the popular drama “NCIS.” Born in Illinois, he moved to Colorado and started acting in Niwot Elementary’s Christmas pageant and various school plays. After graduating from Niwot High School where he performed in several theater productions, Dietzen went to the University of Colorado at Boulder to study theatre and get his BFA in acting. He got his start...
Gunbarrel resident Elinor Ann Sorenson (95), died Sept. 30, 2023. Services were held Oct. 12, 2023. Prior to retirement Elinor was an elementary school teacher for over 30 years in Colorado, Iowa and Illinois. Former Niwot resident Jan Bova died Oct. 3, 2023. Bova was a volunteer for Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center for many years....
The 2023 Niwot Trot 5K, which began and ended at Whistle Stop Park Oct. 1, brought a record number of participants, some running, some walking, and some with strollers. Aimee Morin, one of the main organizers, said the event was well attended, and was a huge success. "We had a record number of participants, just over 600," 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...
The Niwot Trot returned to the streets of Niwot Oct. 1 with a 5K course winding through residential areas and looping back to the starting line, and finishing line, at Whistle Stop Park. Hundreds of runners and walkers participated, raising money for the school’s PTAC to support salaries for paraeducators. Some students manned aid stations along the route, providing water as well as encouragement to the participants....
“Music,” Abby White says, “is important to so many aspects of life. It uses so many different parts of your brain in different ways than you would get from academics. And that has really helped me in my academic success. And I think it’s just good for your soul. “Music makes us happier. And it’s something that you can really work hard on. It’s difficult, but it gives you such a sense of accomplishment when you’re able to perform something at a high-level or like get through a hard passage....
Michael Tomich and Patty Machen have owned The Old Oak Coffeehouse since 2017. In 2019, they also formed The House Blend Band. The original three-piece band started small, performing inside the coffee house. But soon, they had to move outside to perform because there was not enough room inside for the band and the audience. The band would eventually grow to the current eight members, and often features additional cameo appearances by Old Oak Coffeehouse staff members. The House Blend Band...
Fall came to Niwot a day early on Friday, Sept. 22, with Niwot's annual homecoming parade. The parade followed the usual route, winding past Niwot Elementary School, where students greeted the parade, then down Niwot Road past Cottonwood Square and onto Second Avenue. Parents and other community members eagerly waited for the event. Brady Toothaker, the parent of a junior at the high school, was excited to cheer the teams on. "We come because we just love how they get all the sports teams out...
The Niwot Elementary Parent Teacher Advisory Council (PTAC) is hosting the annual Niwot Trot for the 15th year to raise money for Niwot Elementary School. The Trot will start on Oct. 1 at 9 a.m. in Whistle Stop Park, and will likely end around 12 noon. Registration is $25 and includes a T-shirt, with race day registration at $30. All proceeds go towards the PTAC to help improve the school. Register at https://www.niwotptac.com/niwottrot.html. The PTAC is a non-profit organization composed of...
This year, Niwot Elementary School has hired six new teachers due primarily to the recent retirements of previous teachers, all of whom worked at the elementary school for at least well over a decade. In addition to Hanna Sandhoff, Lyndsey Moauro, and Nina Starks, who were profiled (https://www.lhvc.com/story/2023/09/13/education/new-teachers-at-niwot-elementary-2023/8339.html) in an the September 13 issue of the Left Hand Valley Courier, there are three more new teachers at Niwot Elementary thi...
Niwot High School's annual homecoming festivities are a joy to both witness, and be a part of. This year's theme is "A Night in New Orleans," more commonly known as Mardi Gras. Niwot's student council team, sponsored by counselor Leah Messinger, has been working hard planning events, choosing spirit week activities, and more. Wednesday's spirit day theme is "Western Wednesday." Western-style hats are welcome and encouraged. Wednesday's activities are "Senior Night" and two sports events held at...
There are six new teachers and a new family liaison starting at Niwot High School this year, teaching a wide variety of different studies. According to Principal Eric Rauschkolb, these hirings are due to a large increase in Niwot High School's enrollment, This year, the school had 100 more students enrolled compared to last year, and the St. Vrain Valley School District has given NHS more staffing distribution. Three of the new teachers are familiar to the high school students because they have...
Niwot Elementary School has hired a significant number of new teachers this fall due to retirements and student enrollment. In the past year, several teachers retired at Niwot Elementary School, including Julie Nelson-Breyer, Jessica Easley, and Lori Charbonneau, all of whom taught at Niwot for an average of two decades. As a result of the retirements and the school's commitment to maintain an appropriate student-to-teacher ratio, the school hired six new teachers. "Because we lost teachers, we...
Dressed in white suits, with finely choreographed dance moves, the musicians of One on One made the music come alive at Rock & Rails Aug. 10. Although the early afternoon began with a light shower, by the 5 p.m. start time, the rain had stopped, the wind died down and the sun was out. Singer-songwriter Megan Burtt opened the evening with her guitar and vocal artistry as the crowd gathered. One on One's setlist, featuring the best of Motown, had the crowd singing along. Early in the evening the...
Beautiful blue skies and high temperatures brought out a huge crowd to the July 13 edition of Rock & Rails. And the bands didn't disappoint. Award-winning songwriter Tim Ostdiek got the evening started and was joined by Jenny Balagna, bringing their upbeat mixture of folk originals and covers to the stage. Ostdiek and Balagna are both based in the Longmont area and perform around the Front Range, often with a full complement of band members, but Niwot was treated to an intimate performance by...
Niwot is no stranger to wildlife occasionally roaming into this neck of the woods every now and then. There have been recent sightings of lynx, bobcats, foxes, deer, raccoons, snakes, prairie dogs, and even bears. While this is not the first instance of a bear making its way into Niwot, it surely is the furthest east that we know of. There have been several bear sightings in the Lake Valley area, closer to the foothills. And there was a bear on the railroad tracks across from IBM during daylight...
Niwot High School's band program is full of dedicated musicians, and that includes the drumline. The marching band as a whole is under the instruction of Wade Hendricks, and the drumline is being instructed by Scott Barto. Once the audition and selection process, held in the spring semester, has concluded, the Summer Sectionals begin. During these Thursday early morning practices, members of the drumline are given time to learn and master fundamental techniques in order to begin memorizing...
"You know you did something right when your kids throw you a retirement party and all you have to do is show up," said Julie Breyer, recently retired Niwot Elementary School third grade teacher. On June 17, a joint retirement party was held at The Wheel House on 2nd Avenue in Niwot for Breyer and her husband, Bob Breyer, who also retired this year. Bob is an aerospace software engineer who worked for many companies over the years and takes significant pride in working on the Hubble Space...
Niwot High School's graduation ceremony last Saturday was equal parts bright and sentimental. The football field was awash with rows of white chairs and green capped and gowned members of the class of 2023. Proud families, teachers and staff assembled under a photo-ready crisp blue sky to honor the students. Nearly 300 students accepted their diplomas from Principal Eric Rauschkolb, after experiencing one of the most normal school-year experiences since classes were disrupted by the COVID-19...
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Each year the St. Vrain Valley School District requests submissions from families for their annual Teacher of the Year award. Together with each school's input from their respective administrations, every elementary, middle and high school then reviews family submissions and nominates a teacher to send to the district-wide competition. This year it came as no surprise to many of the students she has taught over the years that Niwot Elementary's 2022-2023 recipient is third-grade teacher, Lise...
