All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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On Saturday, Aug. 28, the Niwot community celebrated bees for their contribution to our world--without them, flowers would have fewer pollinators and we certainly wouldn't have honey without them. In recognition of bees, the Niwot Business Association and event champions Deborah Read Fowler and Victoria Keen hosted the Honey Bee Harvest Festival. The celebration included a panel of speakers throughout the day, live music, family activities and more, all throughout Niwot. Niwot resident Jerry...
It's been a week since students, teachers, and staff started the new school year. After the pandemic created an unconventional, some would say difficult, year of learning, returning to full-time, in-person classes throughout the district is something that many parents are grateful for. At the same time, the community is not having the same kind of back-to-school experience as in years past. Students are required to re-acclimate to a more conventional social and learning environment after the...
To a lay person, the new downtown Niwot parking lot on Murray Street may seem like one of the simplest of construction projects. But don't be fooled....it took a lot of planning, red tape, managing, and time to get it to this stage. Integral in that process was this month's Left Hand Laurel recipient, Chad Fletemeyer. In July, the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) was tapped for additional financial assistance owing to unforeseen expenses needed to comply with Boulder County mandates....
Tuesday, Aug. 17, marked the first day of school not only for incoming freshman students, but for nine new teachers at Niwot High School. From new science teachers to a new counselor, the NHS faculty and staff will look a little different this year, and they all seem very excited. "Teaching and inspiring others is something that I have always loved and am looking forward to continuing to do so here," said Nathan Gravelding, who will be joining the science department. A Colorado native, Graveldin...
The school community was hopeful that when they returned to school this fall masks would not be required in SVVSD schools. As it turns out, that won't be the case. Following guidance from Boulder County Public Health through Public Health Order 2021-07, the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) is requiring masking for all students, faculty and staff in grades PK-12 while indoors. The school district did not provide a direct response to the Courier's questions about the decision. Instead,...
Just about four months separate the Niwot Cougars from the heartbreak they endured in the Class 4A boys state soccer semifinals, bumped from fall to spring in the 2020-2021 school year. That is all in the past, though, with a new core of Cougars greeted with the chance to mold their own history. Head coach Stephen Dimit will be tasked with replacing the production of eight graduated seniors that accounted for nearly two-thirds of the goals scored last season. Fortunately for Dimit, the players...
Another championship sweep for Niwot at the 2021 Class 4A cross country meet isn't a foregone conclusion, but it's hard to dismiss the strong evidence in favor of it. Returning to the varsity are two of Colorado's fastest high school distance runners in Zane Bergen and Mia Prok, plus a battle-hardened pack of veterans that is still in shape from the Cougars' recent title run at the state track and field championships. Add to that a coach looking to list another two state titles on his resume,...
Many residents in the area are well acquainted with Geof Sparks due to his passions, the genuine way he connects with others in conversations, and also because he works at a very popular retail store in Niwot. Here are a few tidbits about Sparks which give us insight into the man behind the familiar face. Left Hand Valley Courier (LHVC) – How have you become a familiar face in Niwot? Geof Sparks (GS) - Most people know me as the evening face of Niwot Liquor where I've worked for over 16 y...
After winning two of its final three games last season, the Niwot softball team is primed for continued success in 2021. Head coach Bobby Matthews' Cougars return their ace pitcher and nearly all their offensive production with plenty to prove in the 4A Longs Peak League. Senior Ayva McComas has hit over .500 in each of her three previous seasons and will once again be a leader on the diamond. Matthews' "steady" senior shortstop was named an honorable mention to the All-State team last year and...
Mere weeks after coaching the Niwot girls golf team to a top-10 finish at the Class 4A state championships, seventh-year head coach Ed Weaver was back on the course with the Cougar boys, energized and looking forward to another successful season. "We're a young team, but we have potential going forward," he said during Niwot's season opener in Greeley on Aug. 9. "I think some of the younger guys are coachable. They're doing the right things to stay competitive, or get more competitive next...
Crews are wrapping up the final phase of Niwot High School's 2016 bond construction project, which includes a new covered entryway and new signs. The large bold lettering is meant to help visitors find the front entrance of the school, which Principal Eric Rauschkolb previously described as "nondescript." The project also includes two monument signs directing visitors to the athletic fields and other areas of campus....
Niwot's downtown was packed on Friday, July 30 – at 4:00 a.m. Over 200 fans of Niwot High grad Elise Cranny packed Niwot Wheel Works to witness Cranny's Olympic debut as part of the USA track team. Cranny did not disappoint her fans, finishing fourth in the second heat of the 5,000-meter prelims to qualify for the finals. The first five runners in each heat qualified for the finals, plus the five next-best times. Cranny's heat began at 4:26 a.m. Mountain Time, but the downtown vibe was what y...
Cooking fresh lobster and serving it to a crowd is a challenge in any circumstance, but doing it in a land-locked state like Colorado state adds another level of difficulty. Luckily for organizers of the inaugural Niwot Lobster Fest, a leading expert in bringing tasty crustaceans to local tables has lived right up the street for more than two decades. "I'm from the Boston area, and I came to the University of Colorado School of Business and never left," Paul Packer, Niwot resident and owner of...
After narrowly missing the qualifying mark for the 2016 Team USA women's discus team, Silver Creek graduate Valerie Allman made the mark and more in Tokyo. Allman became just the third American since 1932 to win gold in the women's discus with a 69.98 meter (229.6 feet) hurl on Aug. 2. She backed up a 66.42 meter (217.9 feet) throw in the qualification round on July 30 which had then set a record for the farthest throw ever by an American woman in the Olympics, yet still short of her 70.15...
Gunbarrel-based nonprofit Cultivate is focused on meeting the needs of our community's seniors. How this plays out is by way of seven programs: Carry-out Caravan (shopping/delivery), Fix-It (home repairs and upgrades), VetsGo (medical appointment transportation), YardBusters (outdoor clean up), SnowBusters (shoveling), RSVP (AmeriCorps Retired Senior Volunteer Program), and File of Life (documents for emergency preparedness). In honor of his volunteerism with the organization, Cultivate wanted...
"Sheriff Joe" has a very different connotation in these parts than in Arizona. Joe Pelle has served as Boulder County Sheriff for over 18 years and is in what appears to be his final term, which expires in 2022. Pelle is a former Niwot resident, and his wife Stephanie Pelle worked in the Niwot Post Office for many years. As a result, many Niwot residents are on a first-name basis with the sheriff, which is comforting considering that the Boulder County Sheriff's Department is the law enforcement...
This August marks the 36th annual Sunrise Stampede organized by the St.Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation. Founded in 1986, the race was first organized by the Longmont Sunrise Lions Club and sponsored by Mountain Bell as a way to support students. The Education Foundation partnered with the Stampede for the first time in 2016, updating the race route to one that starts and ends at Silver Creek High School. As for the 2021 race, students, families and the planning committee alike seem to...
Niwot High School alum Elise Cranny will take the world's center stage on July 30 at 4 a.m. MST when she competes for Olympic gold in the women's track and field 5,000 meter event. Cranny, who graduated from Niwot in 2014 with multiple Colorado state titles in cross country and track before running at Stanford University, won the Team USA 5,000m qualifying race in June with a time of 15:27.81. Her family watched from the sidelines at Hayward Field in Oregon as Cranny punched her ticket to...
The Niwot track and field program has produced its fair share of talented athletes, most notably Elise Cranny, who will be representing the U.S. in the 5000-meter Olympic race on Friday, July 30. But Taylor James stands out even in that elite group. During a storied track and cross country career at Niwot, the versatile performer earned seven individual state track titles, a handful of relay titles, a runner-up title in cross-country, and set at least two Class 4A records. For longtime Niwot tra...
Water goes down the drain. In Niwot’s early days, homes had a septic system with a leach field to collect wastewater. While these systems worked well, they could lead to contamination of groundwater and drinking water. Boulder County began requiring permits for septic systems and gradually imposed stricter regulations on wastewater systems, such as increased lot size requirements. As Niwot developed from a small unincorporated townsite surrounded by farmland and farm houses, into a community with subdivisions to serve the growing population, t...
Niwot high School Head Coach Nik Blume and his staff will be hosting a youth football camp on July 24 from 9 to 11 a.m. The free camp will be held at the NHS football field and players ranging from kindergarten to eighth grade are invited to attend. Walk-up registration begins at 8 a.m. and there is no ability level requirement. Blume hopes to introduce young players to Niwot football while teaching the skills of the game through drills. Several current players will also help coach. “Parents drop kids off for a couple hours and do some skills a...
With both the Niwot girls and boys track and field teams taking first place in the 4A state meet, it was no surprise that the All-State teams were drenched in Niwot green. Eleven girls and four boys received the recognition, which was based upon state meet results. Leading the list for the girls was senior Lucca Fulkerson, and for the boys junior Zane Bergen, who each won Athlete of the Year honors. Head Coach Maurice Henriques led the historic season and was named Coach of the Year. In girls...
Niwot's walkability is one of its best features, and for those who regularly stroll, over time they're likely to repeatedly cross paths with folks doing their own version of movement in the great outdoors. Since her relocation here in January 2018, Sharon Blatchley has been one of those out and about regulars. Blatchley, in the company of her brown and white spaniel, always offers a friendly wave and smile. Instead of being passing ships, we asked Blatchley some questions to learn about her...
It's not an "extreme" makeover, but Niwot High is having a little work done before the 2021-22 school year begins. Last month, construction began on the final phase of the school's 2016 bond construction project, which will bring an updated look to the exterior and help newcomers find their way around. "People that come here that aren't familiar with our setup, a lot of times they'll ring the doorbell at the front and ask, 'Is this the gymnasium or where's the baseball field?', or there are gran...
After a quiet summer in 2020, Niwotians were up early and ready for a festive Independence Day. The first post-pandemic fourth featured a fun run starting at Niwot High, a pancake breakfast at Niwot Market, a concert by the Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band, and a patriotic motorcade led by Grand Marshal Chuck Klueber. See additional photos on page 6....
Niwot head baseball coach Adam Strah announced his resignation on June 21. Since his promotion to the head coaching position in 2017, the Cougars compiled a 20-57 record in four seasons, with the 2020 season cancelled due to COVID. . Strah, who joined the program as an assistant coach in 2012, will continue teaching physical education and health at NHS. In his final year, the Cougars finished their 2021 season with a 5-11 record. Athletic Director Joe Brown said he was grateful for Strah’s leadership. “We're so thankful for all that he has giv...
People strolling along Niwot's Second Avenue looking for a peaceful place to sit in the shade can thank their lucky stars that Chuck Klueber gives his time to Niwot. Klueber, who has been named the 2021 Grand Marshal of Niwot's 4th of July patriotic motorcade parade, is the quiet force in the background making sure that "streetscape" projects are completed in the town. The "bump out" patio in front of Old Oak Coffeehouse, allowing for inviting umbrella tables, chairs and trees, was one of the...
May 23, 1938 - May 20, 2021 James Grey Postle of Niwot, Colorado passed away on May 20, 2021 peacefully at home after a lengthy illness. His crystal-clear blue eyes, positive outlook, infectious smile, and dry sense of humor will be missed by all who loved him. "Jimmy" was born on May 23, 1938 in Cleveland, Ohio to William and Evelyn Postle. He grew up in Southern California and graduated from Dorsey High School. His beloved mother died at the young age of 44, leaving Jim heartbroken, but... Full story
To say that Niwot's track and field teams turned in a historically dominating performance at the 2021 Colorado Class 4A championships is technically true, yet also understates the magnitude of the accomplishment. From Lucca Fulkerson's unbeatable kick in the 3200 meter race on opening morning, to the boys' stirring second-place finish in the 4x400m relay to close out the three-day meet, the Cougars won state titles in 14 events, the runner-up title in six events, and set two new Class 4A state...
Looking for a fun way to celebrate Independence Day this year? Now you can kick off the 4th with a celebratory run down Niwot Road. Brand new for 2021, the Niwot Downhill Mile will feature a mostly downhill course starting at Niwot High School at 8 a.m. and finishing at Niwot Market. After the race, participants can enjoy a pancake breakfast at the Market until 10:30 a.m., along with local vendors before the motorcade kicks off at 11 a.m. Registration starts on the day of the race at Niwot...
It's not easy being a high school coach, and baseball and softball coaches have extra duty to keep their programs running. While many sports run off-season programs, only baseball and softball coaches also must maintain their fields of play, as well as installing and maintaining improvements such as windscreens, bullpens, batting cages and warning tracks. School districts mow the grass, supply some watering and provide baseballs. But baseball coaches often can be found before and after games and...
It wasn't easy for Niwot girls soccer coach Jenna Machado to find the positives after the Cougars' 7-0 loss to Windsor in the first round of the Class 4A playoffs on June 16, but she did see opportunities for growth and predicts a bright future for a team that is highly talented, but still learning the ropes of high school soccer. "We're not there yet, competition-wise," the second-year coach said after addressing her emotional team. "This young group is really strong, but they definitely need...
The Niwot girls golf team didn't win any titles at the 2021 Class 4A state championships, but after a resilient performance during the grueling tournament at Common Ground golf course in Aurora, head coach Ed Weaver sees a bright future ahead for the youthful squad. "It's a tough two days," he said after his team's 10th-place finish in the two-day event, held June 21-22. "It's long, emotional, and there are highs and lows. But we had a lot of fun, and the learning that happened, especially for...
On June 7, Niwot Boy Scout troop 161 held its spring 2021 Court of Honor ceremony at Whistle Stop Park, where they awarded merit badges, inducted six new Eagle Scouts, and recognized longtime scout leader Bill O’Donnell. “Bill loved all the young men he mentored over 28 years,” wrote Kathy Koehler of the Niwot Historical Society of the ceremony. “If you needed anything scout-related you contacted Bill for so many years - such a proud part of our Niwot community.” According to Koehler, Bruce Gri...
Softball was not added as a high school sport for girls in the St. Vrain Valley School District until after the 1991-1992 school year. Although the Boulder Valley School District had added a girls softball program at the high school level in the late 1980s, it took an effort by area high school girls and volunteer coaches to convince the St Vrain Valley School District that there was sufficient interest to add softball to the sports available for girls in the district. In the fall of 1991, teams were formed at Niwot, Longmont, Skyline and...
It's not every year that a Niwot varsity baseball roster will include 10 seniors. Following a COVID-19 stolen junior season, the Cougars' crowded senior class led Niwot to a 5-10 record, the program's most wins since 2017. In their final four games together, Niwot cruised to a 3-1 record highlighted by a 16-7 win at Silver Creek on June 8 for the first time since 2016. The Cougar season ended at home with an 11-4 loss to the Class 4A eighth-ranked Windsor Wizards on June 10. Head Coach Adam...
Starved concertgoers were refreshed and refilled by the return of Niwot's famed Rock & Rails concert series on Thursday, June 3. Attendees not only were entertained by opening band Pacheco & Bower and headliners Mojomama, whose self-described "funky blues rock" had the crowd up and dancing, but also by the fact the day marked the premier of the new Depot building at Whistle Stop Park, which replaces the old beer tent. Niwot resident Joe Pacheco, who teamed up with Loveland resident Billy Bower...
Niwot High School Boosters, Inc., is a non-profit parent organization that supports all activities at Niwot High School, from cross-country to chess club, from marching band to musicals. Although booster clubs were historically organized to support high school athletic teams, Niwot High School Boosters, Inc., has been active in supporting all student extracurricular activities. You will often see parents and students from an unrelated activity selling concessions at a football or basketball...
The Niwot baseball team won back-to-back games for the first time in 2021 after taking down Skyline on June 3 and Centaurus on June 5. Now sitting at 4-9, Head Coach Adam Strah said his team hasn't panicked despite its record. A postseason appearance may be unlikely but Niwot has found its groove in the season's waning stretch. "I would say they just have kept pushing forward and a little bit of that is paying off now," Strah said. Following a 5-3 loss at Riverdale Ridge on June 1, the Cougars...
Not even the hottest temperatures of the year could keep the Niwot track and field team from yet another record-breaking* performance, this time at the 44th annual Boulder County Championships, held June 5 at Everly-Montgomery Field in Longmont. Under an unrelenting sun, the Cougars set a total of six new meet records*, set several new top times in Class 4A, and claimed both the boys and girls 2021 team titles with room to spare. Afterwards, Niwot senior Taylor James, sophomore Kimora Northrup...
Like Goldilocks, it took recent Niwot graduate Halie Ostrom a few tries before she found the sport that checked all the right boxes. "I did gymnastics until fifth grade, and then I did swimming until fifth grade too, and I think I played a little soccer," she recalled of her early athletic endeavors. "With swimming, the water was too cold, so I didn't really enjoy getting in and out of the pool all of the time. Gymnastics was just really expensive, and it took up a lot of time. It took like...
The Niwot Community Association (NCA) began as a reaction to a regional shopping center proposed by an out-of-town developer in the early 1980s. The concept put forth was that the property kitty-corner from the IBM site on the Diagonal Highway would be developed into a regional shopping center as part of a plan to incorporate the town of Niwot, with a sales tax providing all the revenue the newly incorporated town would ever need. At the time the City of Boulder had not yet annexed the IBM site or the would-be shopping center property and Twin...
She was born to the late Robert E Ringdahl of LaCrosse, Wis. and the late Janice Ringdahl of Sarasota, Fla. on September 10, 1955 in LaCrosse, Wis. Cherie graduated from Central High School in 1973 before attending the University of Wisconsin - LaCrosse for a short time thereafter. She was married to Jeff Fassbinder in 1977 and relocated to Boulder, Colo. shortly after they married. Cherie is survived by her husband, Jeff, children Katie (Ben) of Frederick and Brian (Crystal) of Westminster,... Full story
After a school year filled with upended routines, unprecedented challenges, and, above all, uncertainty, 270 students from Niwot High came together on May 29 to mark the end of their high school journeys. For IB programme valedictorian Carter Kruse, graduation was also a chance to reflect on the positives that emerged during the pandemic year, and the importance of connectivity beyond Webex and Zoom. "Without question, our senior year was a memorable one," the future Dartmouth student said...
In his final stretch at Niwot High, the dreaded senioritis has eluded pitcher/outfielder Micah Sheats on the baseball diamond. His two-way talent shined on May 22 when he pitched a six-inning shutout and hit a home run during a 12-0 mercy-rule victory at Thompson Valley. The performance was nothing new as Sheats owns an over .300 batting average in 52 career games through May 30. As a freshman in 2018, Sheats hit .311 and played in all 23 of Niwot's games. He followed that season up with a...
The following is text of Niwot High Student Council President Benjamin Goff's commencement address: In the years of 2002 or 2003, what would eventually be the Class of 2021 came into the world. We came into radically different circumstances from one another. It led us all here. The last 18 or so years have led to the end of the beginning of the journey which we will spend the rest of our lives on. I'm sure many questions will be asked, some without answers, but perhaps the most crucial will be,...
Carter Kruse didn't set out to get the top grade point average in Niwot High's International Baccalaureate programme this year, but his penchant for hard work and precocious talent for advanced math made that outcome literally inevitable. Nonetheless, he was humbled by the honor, even though it seemed more a function of statistics than anything else. "I am fortunate to be up there simply just because of some of the classes that I took," he said of being named IB valedictorian for 2021. "I took a...
Not many high school students relish the idea of delivering an important speech in front of a large crowd of strangers, but Victoria Isuani isn't like many high school students. When the Niwot senior learned she would have an extra responsibility at the 2021 graduation ceremony, she quickly went to work crafting a message that was "inspirational, but still lighthearted." "The day that my principal told me that I was going to be valedictorian, right away, I started coming up with ideas and I was...
When Niwot High School principal Eric Rauschkolb told senior Isobel Tuck she was salutatorian, it was a surprise. "I didn't expect it at all," she said. "It was a really big shock, but I was really excited." Tuck has had a fruitful high school career. She laughed saying her freshman year that she was intense about her grades, adding that she wished she had chilled out a little. "Relax...trust the process," she advises current and future students. "One of the things that made me successful was...
Eighth grade graduation is already a celebratory occasion, but for the 93 members of Flagstaff Academy's class of 2021, the May 26 ceremony was also one last chance to celebrate together, after being kept apart for so much of the past year. For co-valedictorian Olivia DeRose, it was also a chance to reflect on some of the unexpected lessons she learned in and out of the classroom. "This year has taught us many things," the future Niwot Cougar said in a speech to her classmates. "Some of these...
