All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Gene Parker was in his late thirties when he and his wife Denise bought a spanking new home in Gunbarrel's Heatherwood subdivision. The year was 1967, and most of Heatherwood was still a twinkle in its developers' eyes. A short walk from the Parkers' new home were a couple of acres of open space with a clear view of the mountains. The site was designated as a future park, but as time passed, the future never seemed to arrive. "The actual space was designated for a park, but it was never...
Curtis Johnson, who was elected Boulder County Sheriff in the November 2022 election, was sworn in as the top law enforcement officer in Boulder County on Jan. 10. Johnson succeeds Joe Pelle, who served an unprecedented five 4-year terms as Boulder County Sheriff. Pelle is a former Niwot resident whose wife Stephanie worked at the Niwot Post Office for many years, and as a result, was very familiar with the community. Johnson, a Boulder native whose father, Clayton "Swede" Johnson, was a...
The 2022 Rock & Rails summer concert season has long been over, but offseason work continues. Co-managers Vicki Maurer and Dan Hawk organized a crew of 11 to meet up at Whistle Stop Park Jan. 7 to clean and reorganize the Depot building for the offseason. Chris Teta, who handles set-up and break-down on concert nights, Tom Smathers, who coordinates the food vendors, and Satir DeMarco, who books all of the bands, were joined by regular beer tent volunteers Tony Maurer, Maureen Miller, Doug...
The Marshall Fire left a scar on Boulder County last year, and since then, we have all experienced anxiety about whether or not the next grassfire will burn down our homes. A Niwot parent of a Marshall fire victim said, "The trauma is still so real. [Our daughter] often feels defeated, angry, sad, scared....lots of emotions. We do what we can to help, but there's a long road ahead. Even though the fire families are so appreciative of all the love and support from the community and perfect...
I am a father of one girl and three boys, all of whom played high school sports. Julia and Andrew are Niwot and CU graduates, while Matt is a senior at CU and Callan is taking a snowboarding-focused gap year. I have lived in or around Niwot since moving here from Boulder to save $100/month on rent while a CU undergrad in 1988. I used to brag about rent at the one-bedroom Countryside condo being under $400/month back then. I belonged to the local gym, known as Cottonwood Health & Racquet Club,...
Jason Champion was awarded the prestigious Eagle Scout rank at a ceremony at the Left Hand Grange Dec. 12. Champion, a member of Troop 161 B of the Boy Scouts of America, has been involved in scouting for the past six years. His Eagle Scout project was to make improvements to Whistle Stop Park in Niwot, where Champion has volunteered for several years as a member of the Gargoyles, who man the recycle and compost stations at the Rock & Rails summer concert series and retrieve traffic control devi...
I moved to Niwot in 1975 from Nebraska (did you know that Niwot used to be in Nebraska Territory?), and I knew it was the right place when I went to a Niwot High School football game....A lady in the stands recognized me... because she used to babysit me....in Nebraska. Since then I've been an attorney, a volunteer firefighter, a coach, a swimming instructor, a Sunday School teacher, a band member, a sportswriter, and now an editor. My wife Susan and I have three children and one bonus son, alon...
A third generation Coloradoan, I was born in Longmont and grew up in Southmoor Park where my parents (Courier carriers Otto and Arlene Ahlgrim) reside today. Graduating from Niwot High School in the 1980s, I saw Niwot as a sleepy farming community with a few subdivisions housing mostly IBM employees. In November of 1980, I was hired at the only law firm in town, the Law Office of Bruce W. Warren, and have been fortunate enough that even though the firm has evolved to Warren, Carlson & Moore,...
Well, I'll start by saying that I interview other people, so I don't have to talk about myself...So this is a little rough, but here goes. A Colorado native, I grew up near Red Rocks and have lived in Denver, Colorado Springs and Durango. A five-year stint in Detroit made me realize how fabulous our state (and its weather) is and I returned, settling in Niwot where my dad and step-mother still reside. I always thought I'd be here for a few years before returning to the "big city." That was 17...
Grange funding approved The Left Hand Grange is on a mission to make the iconic building in the center of Niwot's downtown business district even more of a community center. Jim Dorvee, president of Left Hand Grange, Inc., which owns the building on the southwest corner of the intersection of 2nd Avenue and Franklin Street, presented a funding request to the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee (LID) at the LID's regular meeting Dec. 6. Dorvee asked for a contribution of $15,000...
The new parking lot in Niwot was officially dedicated in a brief ceremony Dec. 2, with Niwot Business Association president Eric Bergeson presiding. Bergeson noted that the project had been long in the works and thanked all those who saw it through to completion. While the parking lot has been open for several months, glitches with the functioning of the two charging stations delayed the official ribbon cutting. Bergeson also noted that approval has already been obtained for expansion of the...
Eugene (Gene) Mason Parker of Gunbarrel died October 29, 2022, at age 92. Gene was often seen at Rock & Rails concerts during the summer, as well as throughout events in Boulder, Niwot and Gunbarrel. The Heatherwood community park was renamed Parker Park in 2021 in honor of Gene and his wife Denise. A Celebration of Gene’s life will be held December 10 at 1:00 pm at the VFW Post 807, 4760 28th St, Boulder. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to TRU Hospice....
The dedication of the Niwot Parking Lot, located west of the intersection of 3rd Avenue and Murray Street in Niwot, has been set for Friday, Dec. 2 at 4 p.m. Niwot Business Association President Eric Bergeson will be on hand to recognize the contributions of Chuck Klueber, NBA Streetscapes Coordinator, Chad Fletemeyer, of Fletemeyer & Lee Associates, a local architectural firm, and others in the acquisition of the property and construction of the parking lot. The lot provides 14 parking spaces...
It is not uncommon to see similar businesses in fierce competition with each other. All it takes is 15 minutes of TV to see the competition between grocery stores, car companies and yes, even lawyers. But the world of independent brewers is a bit different – congenial and downright cooperative. That spirit of cooperation was on display at a recent Thursday night Rock & Rails concert when there was a problem with one of the beer lines. "Dan (Hawk) came up to me and told me that one of the tap l...
Tim and Carrie Wise Founding members of the Niwot Business Association, Tim and Carrie Wise, owners of Wise Buys Antiques on 2nd Avenue in Niwot, have been involved for the past 40 years in just about every improvement to the community – from chairing the Local Improvement District to helping to build the Children's Park, to bringing a caboose and building a band-stand at Whistlestop Park. "We're having fun," said Carrie. An exuberant woman with a glowing smile, she grew up in California's S...
Rock & Rails' second complete season following pandemic interruptions was a notable success. A full slate of musical acts played each Thursday between Jun. 2 and Aug. 25 and included 26 musical groups split between main stage and opening acts. Talent included long time performers who return each year, new performers, Colorado Music Hall of Fame members and newly appointed Colorado Country Music Hall of Famer, Gunbarrel resident Dean Himes. Business numbers also point to a strong season....
The House Blend Band, created by Old Oak Coffeehouse owners Michael Tomich and his wife, Patty Machen, closed out the summer concert season on a beautiful summer night in downtown Niwot with another stellar performance featuring family members, guest artists, and the baristas who work at Old Oak. A crowd of several hundred people, young and old, brought lawn chairs and enjoyed the music, together with the spaghetti house special from Old Oak on a warm evening, where the threat of rain resulted...
On Aug. 21, Gunbarrel resident Dean Himes was inducted into the Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame at a ceremony held at Dougie G's Lounge (VFW Post 7945) in Thornton, Colorado. The Colorado Country Music Hall of Fame was founded in 1998 and recognizes musical accomplishments of Colorado country musicians. Himes was one of seven inductees honored for his significant contribution to the country and western music scene. Himes has been on the local country music scene since 1981. His signature...
The first Thursday night after Rock & Rails will feature a "bonus" concert, sponsored by the JARED Foundation. Anyone looking for one last night of the summer concert season will have a chance to support a local Niwot charity and enjoy live music and refreshments on Thursday, Sept. 1, from 5 to 9 p.m. at Whistle Stop Park. The Jared Foundation, founded by Surinder and Renee Dahiya in memory of their son, Jared Lizakowski, provides music lessons and scholarships for children who are unable to...
The last concert of the Rock & Rails 2022 season opened with the amazing blues sound of Nalani playing the upright bass. Her throaty vocals, accompanied by her bass, made folks want to get up and dance. Nalani's giant smile and big voice kept the crowd's enthusiastic attention as rain threatened to dampen the event. Nalani, also known as Nalani DeMarco Clisset, grew up on Third Avenue in Niwot, and is a graduate of Niwot High School. Her mother, Satir DeMarco, books all of the music for Rock &...
On Aug. 2, Gene Hayworth, Executive Director of the Niwot Jazz Festival, gave a wrap-up report to the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID), which provided funding for over half the cost of the free festival. The event, sponsored by the Niwot Cultural Arts Association, marked its second year of bringing live jazz to Niwot. To measure the success of the festival, volunteers conducted an hourly attendance count and handed out surveys to gather information about those attending. Everyone who compl...
For years, beloved Colorado performer Hazel Miller has been part of the annual Rock & Rails lineup. Fans have packed her performances for a night of blues and boogie among friends and neighbors. We talked to Miller in advance of her Thursday, Aug. 25 performance to see what attendees can expect when she takes the stage this year. Q: Welcome back to Niwot for Rock & Rails. How are you feeling about closing out the series this Thursday? A: Well, we've been playing a gig for more than a decade and...
The Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band opened Rock & Rails Thursday night, Aug. 18, at the Whistle Stop Park with a set list ranging from “Stairway to Heaven” to “In Heaven There Is No Beer.” The band, under the direction of Debbie Benson, featured 24 of the approximately 30 local musicians who perform with the band. The band was formed on July 4, 2005, to perform at the dedication of the Whistle Stop Park bandstand, and returned to its roots to open for Quemando at Rock & Rails. The band performs at local events, with approxi...
The Rock & Rails concert opener Aug.11 was the high energy sound of All About the Brass, a Longmont-based group. The band played favorites from a wide variety of genres, ranging from James Brown's "I Got You" to "You and Me and the Bottle Makes 3" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy to "Smooth" by Santana. Other tunes included Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" with "more cowbell" from Niwot native Katie Warren, Pat Benatar's "Hit Me With Your Best Shot," and Vance Joy's "Riptide," with the...
Residents who've been fine-tuning their Latin ballroom dance moves in Cottonwood Square will have their chance to shine when Quemando takes the stage at this week's Rock & Rails. The band is well known in the area, having performed at the Niwot Jazz Festival in June. The band has also opened for acts like Sheryl Crow at Jazz Aspen Snowmass, and Oscar De Leon. We talked to Quemando's founder, Eric Schneider, to get a preview of this week's high-energy show. Q: Thanks for talking to me today. Can...
People continuously wandered in and out of the historic Niwot Tribune building on Second Avenue, now home to The Wandering Jellyfish Bookshop, as the business celebrated its first anniversary, and the community showed up in support. The bookshop, which largely caters to children's literature, opened last summer in historic downtown Niwot. To celebrate its one-year anniversary, co-owners Carissa Mina and Jerilyn Patterson organized a day-long event Aug. 13 with multiple activities for patrons to...
The turning signal clicked and the sound of tires rolling on pavement sounded in the background as Nalani made her way to a meeting. But inside the car, she was on the phone talking about why she loves music. Raised in Niwot, Nalani is a professional bassist, based in Nashville, Tenn. Growing up around music and with excellent mentors, she became determined to keep music in her life and has been enjoying an ever-blossoming career. "It's been really busy," Nalani said. This week, she has been...
Face Vocal Band, the beloved a cappella band that has been featured on both local stages and in venues as elevated as Carnegie Hall, Red Rocks, The Broncos' Empower Field, and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, is coming back to Rock & Rails. This year's concert comes during a time of change for the band, as longtime member Cody Qualls prepares to step away later this month. We talked to the band's percussionist/beatboxing master Mark Megibow about the band, current changes, some of their favorite...
The opener at Rock & Rails Thursday night Aug. 4 was the band "Good Music Medicine," featuring Niwot resident Joe Pacheco, and Thomas Dow. The duo played a great mix of folk and blues music. Pacheco, who plays with a number of bands in the area, plays amazing bass while mixing in the vocals, with Dow playing the guitar and singing. Other members of the Boulder-based band include Scott Wright on percussion and vocals, and Kit Sawyer on guitar and vocals, but Pacheco and Dow were the only ones...
Boulder County Sheriff's officers assigned to Niwot's Rock & Rails concert series did not show up July 28, and concert managers later received a message that the officers had been deployed to Erie as part of a SWAT team response. By Friday, Niwot residents learned the tragic news that the Erie response was connected to a murder-suicide that shook not only Loveland and Erie, but the Niwot community as well. Lindsay E. Daum and her daughter, 16-year old Meadow Sinner, were murdered in their...
There's one person who commands the Rock & Rails stage more than once during the course of this season, and it's Mark Trippanese, frontman for Last Men on Earth. While he also leads The Long Run, he calls Last Men on Earth a "variety rock band." It's really a lot more than that. It's arena rock for everyone, featuring popular favorites that audiences know and can dance to. And the band can switch it up In a heartbeat. This popular group has played all around the Front Range including The Buffalo...
Rock & Rails last Thursday evening opened with the great guitars and harmonies of Dean Himes and Mark Kaczorowski. The musicians, who often perform together, sang classics from the Allman Brothers, Loggins & Messina, Don Henley and many others. But their best effort was a song written by Himes titled "Seashell Memories." The duo sang and played country and country-rock style music under threatening skies and cooler temperatures, but the rain never came. Himes grew up in Pennsylvania, beginning...
It was the early 2000s and six men thought of forming a band. That day, Last Men On Earth (LMOE) was born–even though it was one coin flip away from being called "Kamel Toe." One of those men was Michael Holubec. A born and raised Niwotian, he's stuck around the area and performs with LMOE as often as possible. "We were all a little older, we all had kids, we wanted to do [professional music] on our terms," said Holubec. "It's cool to do something in your spare time with your friends." As a y...
There aren't many bands fans can hear at Rock & Rails and also enjoy in a store's music feed while shopping at WalMart, Target or elsewhere. But that's the case for Twenty Hands High, the nationally touring Southern rock band that's this week's performer. We talked to CW, the band's founder, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist, about the band and the upcoming performance. Q: So, what are your thoughts in advance of Rock & Rails? CW: We're stoked to be part of the whole lineup. When you do get to...
A large crowd came early to the July 21 Rock & Rails concert, and were treated to an opening performance by "Dr. Banjo and Nurse Banjo," otherwise known as Pete and Joan Wernick, who have made their home just across the Diagonal Highway on Oxford Road since 1976. Pete played banjo, and his wife Joan accompanied him on the guitar, with both contributing vocals. Pete and Joan have a unique progressive bluegrass, country music style. Joan also has a wonderful voice she shared, singing some of the...
This Friday, July 29, the Colorado Rockies face the LA Dodgers at Coors Field in Denver, and the Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band is scheduled to perform the National Anthem to open the game. Since its founding on July 4, 2005, at the dedication of the bandstand at Whistle Stop Park, the band has always had its collective eye on interesting local venues. The band is a regular at Niwot events, including the 4th of July celebration, the "Why Not Niwot?" Juried Art Show, Enchanted...
Jeff and Dawn Server hosted the July 12 meeting of the NIwot Business Association at their home in Heather Hills, which is also the site of Meadow Lake Honey. Dawn Server explained the varieties of lavender plants they grow to support the bees which produce the honey. She noted that the best health benefits for our immune systems are achieved by consuming raw honey produced by bees near your home. "Bees will go two to three miles," she explained. "Milkweed is their favorite." NBA President Eric...
The Eagles is the kind of music that whenever it's played it's hard to keep from tapping your feet or humming along. Fans know the songs, though many prefer one style of the group's songs over another. When The Long Run takes the stage at Rock & Rails, fans can do more than hum or tap. They can dance the night away while, according to rumors, enjoying more copious adult beverages than at any other Rock & Rails show. Band founder and Don Henley-style vocalist Mark Trippensee talked to us about...
The audience gathered for Rock & Rails last Thursday evening enjoyed a great opening act featuring Longmont's Tim Ostdiek, performing with Jenny Balagna. The music by the singer-songwriter was fun and energetic. He strummed and picked his way lyrically through several of his tunes while Balagna provided close harmony. She also played the keyboard backing her partner's fanciful guitar work. Ostdiek grew up in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, but calls Longmont his home. He is well known on the local music...
Niwot Youth Sports (NYS) is hosting a series of events to raise money for the Monarch Improvement Project. NYS, which was originally formed in 1972 as Gunbarrel Lefthand Valley Boys Baseball, Inc, is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing exceptional recreational and competitive sports experiences for kids ages 4 to 18 in the Niwot-Gunbarrel area. These programs, which include baseball, softball, basketball, flag football & soccer, provide children with the opportunity to participate i...
The race for Boulder County Commissioner in the Democratic primary election had to wait until all corrected and absentee ballots were counted before the results were certain. Ashley Stolzmann, Louisville mayor, had a 42-vote lead over Ealaina Shively, an attorney with the Boulder County District Attorney’s office, after over 55,000 votes were counted. When the last of the corrected ballots were in, her lead increased to 68 votes, with a total of 27,870 votes for her, compared to 27,802 votes for Shively. Though the margin of victory triggers an...
Master blues guitarist Sammy Mayfield comes to this week's Rock & Rails stage after playing with a list of major gospel, soul and blues musical legends. During his time as musical director with Solomon Burke, he traveled the world and he's shared the stage with Ike Turner, The Neville Brothers, Charlie Musselwhite, Little Richard and others. In recent years, he's continued to produce work and locals can also hear him on the airwaves every other Saturday with KUVO's All Blues radio show....
Mark Oblinger and Linda Lawson provided a rare treat for early arrivals at Rock & Rails in Niwot July 7. Oblinger is a Grammy nominee and Emmy Award-winning singer-songwriter who lives in nearby Boulder, and he brought Lawson along to join in the performance. Oblinger played his acoustic guitar while singing an eclectic mix of heartfelt soul, rock, and R&B. Lawson accompanied him with a great keyboard mix and vocals. It seemed almost second nature for them to perform together as they played a mi...
Proving the event has staying power, the Second Annual Niwot Jazz Festival wrapped up Saturday night, June 25, 2022. Approximately 650 people were in attendance throughout the afternoon and evening and enjoyed almost perfect weather and an even better jazz lineup. Keith Waters, the Jazz Festival's Musical Director, as well as CU Music Professor and Inkberry Books co-owner said, "We were really delighted with the way it turned out." Musicians from as far away as New York and Washington, DC,...
Nothing conjures up a deeper sense of patriotism and belonging to a community like a 4th of July parade, and Niwot's celebration has a way of elevating that hometown, apple pie feeling to the max. There are kids riding their streamer-adorned bikes, horse-mounted riders carrying flags, well-represented community organizations walking with their banners, all encased in a backdrop of majestic music. And of course there's the Grand Marshal riding in a spiffy convertible smiling and waving to the cro...
It's not every day that a double billing from the Colorado Music Hall of Fame graces the Rock & Rails stage. But that's what audiences will get on Thursday when Chris Daniels and the Kings with Freddi Gowdy performs. Daniels talked to us about his music, his band's history, the time a movie featuring him and his band was shot at Rock & Rails, and how he approaches his performances. Q: So how are you feeling about the upcoming concert? CD: It's one of our favorite concerts of the entire year....
This past week's Rock & Rails concert had a unique opening performance by the talented Derek DeMuth. Despite the threatening weather, many came to enjoy this young artist's great music. Derek plays his guitar in a unique fashion creating a kaleidoscope of musical color and sounds encompassing the spectrum. Derek uses his hands to tap the guitar in a percussive manner giving the illusion of full band accompaniment. When Derek is playing his guitar, he seems to wrap himself around the instrument...
Nothing conjures up a deeper sense of patriotism and belonging to a community like a 4th of July parade, and Niwot's celebration has a way of elevating that hometown, apple pie feeling to the max. There are kids riding their streamer-adorned bikes, horse-mounted riders carrying flags, well-represented community organizations walking with their banners, all encased in a backdrop of majestic music. And of course there's the Grand Marshal riding in a spiffy convertible smiling and waving to the...
