All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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Since 1993, the Niwot Historical Society has been on a mission to collect, preserve, and share memories from the town's rich and storied past, which stretches back nearly 150 years. Starting Saturday, Nov. 27, you can help support that mission and check an item off of your holiday to-do list with the purchase of a limited edition Niwot greeting card, featuring original artwork and a short lesson in local history. "The original watercolor paintings of a Niwot location have been donated for our...
As part of the effort to update the town's five-year strategic plan, the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee invited leaders from more than a dozen local community organizations to a round table discussion at the Left Hand Grange on Nov. 2 to discuss how to prioritize tax revenues over the coming years and encourage cooperation among the groups on community projects. Among the groups represented were the Niwot Business Association, Niwot Community Association, the Rotary Club of...
Niwot realtor Pat Murphy presented the 2021 Golden Hammer Award to long-time Niwot volunteer Julie Breyer at the Great Pumpkin Party Oct. 30. In presenting the award, Murphy noted that Breyer was first employed as a waitress at Rev Taylor's Restaurant shortly after moving to Niwot in 1986. She later became a third-grade teacher at Niwot Elementary School, where she currently teaches. Breyer has also been a volunteer for many organizations in Niwot, including the Niwot Community Association,...
Volunteers from Rocky Mountain Christian Church in Niwot came out on a brisk fall Saturday morning Oct. 23 to clean up the Niwot Children's Park after a busy summer. The crew, young and old, picked up apples from the ground, trash and tumbleweeds, and gathered up a few lost items as well. A few trees were trimmed, and a new load of wood chips delivered on Friday was spread around the play structures. The crew (l to r): Suzanne Johnson, Nathan Brix, Nora Swedberg, Anna Swedberg, Brett Swedberg,...
What has thousands of legs and puts on a disguise to invade downtown Niwot each October? The annual Great Pumpkin Party and Parade, a family-friendly celebration of all things fall and Halloween. "The people make it good," longtime Niwot realtor and event sponsor Pat Murphy said. "Seeing all of the costumes that everyone comes up with and working with all of the volunteers is my favorite part." The free festivities, sponsored by the Niwot Business Association with support from the Niwot Local...
In its first face-to-face meeting since March 2020, the Niwot Local Improvement District advisory committee heard a request to fund Niwot Holiday Magic, discussed the recent strategic planning meeting, and got an update on the public parking lot. It was also the first meeting for new business representative Keith Waters, who was appointed to a five-year term by the Boulder County Board of Commissioners last month. Waters is a professor at the CU College of Music and co-owner of Inkberry Books...
Sometimes you just have the music in you, and other times you just wanna get the music in you. Either way, the annual RISE Benefit Concert in Niwot will help satiate music lovers of all ages. The very danceable event returns Saturday, Sept. 11, for the fourth year following an obligatory COVID skip in 2020. This year the event will be held at Whistle Stop Park in Niwot at the corner of 1st Avenue and Murray Street, after the 2019 event was held at the Boulder County Fairgrounds. RISE stands for...
Niwot Boy Scout pack 161 resumed in-person meetings on Monday, Aug. 23 at Whistle Stop Park. The boys, leadership, and parents were pleased to conduct their meetings in real life rather than online. Meetings will continue to take place in person as much as possible, either at Whistle Stop Park or inside at the Left Hand Grange building....
The first Niwot Honey Bee Harvest Festival will take flight on Aug. 28 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring hives of fun activity around town. Look for flyers posted with the schedule of the day's activities. Niwot Business Association vice-president Deb Fowler and Niwot resident Victoria Keen have been very "beesy" organizing the festival since early 2021. Honey bees are not native to the United States and were brought over by the pilgrims, but they have long been a part of the Niwot area....
Niwot isn't anywhere near the North Atlantic coast, but it was hard to tell the difference at the July 31 Lobster Fest at Whistle Stop Park. Between the freshly-caught seafood and the persistent drizzle, the reinvented Bash ended up with even more of an authentic New England vibe than the organizers could have hoped for. "This weather is fantastic, it's like Nantucket comes to Niwot," Mary Coonce of the Niwot Business Association said of the soggy conditions. Coonce led the charge to reboot the...
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...
Summer in Niwot hasn't been quite the same since Lobster Bash left 2nd Avenue, but the late, lamented community feast is making a comeback. On July 31, the Niwot Business Association is hosting the inaugural Lobster Fest, which "takes it up a notch," according to NBA treasurer Mary Coonce, one of the event's organizers. "Lobster Bash was my first exposure to Niwot," she said. "I was living in Boulder, and used to ride my bike out here, and I would go every year. It's what made me want to live...
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...
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's popular summer concert series Rock & Rails kicks off its 15th season on Thursday, June 3, with local duo Pacheco & Bower at 5 p.m. followed by headliner Mojomama at 6:30 p.m. Admission is free, and gates open at 4 p.m., but before you fold up your camping chair and head to Whistle Stop Park, organizers from the Niwot Cultural Arts Association are asking guests to be courteous and exercise reasonable COVID safety precautions. "We're strongly encouraging people to be safe," NCAA officer...
A combination of familiar favorites and new sounds will be making their way to the Whistle Stop Park gazebo this summer when Niwot’s popular weekly summer concert series Rock & Rails returns to the stage on Thursday, June 3. From blues-inspired rock, to Afro-style reggae, the 2021 lineup has a little bit of something for all music fans and even a few surprises along the way, according to longtime talent manager Satir DeMarco. “I wanted to create a combination of ‘comfort food’, to honor the fol...
"I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy.....Born on the 4th of July" The line from "Yankee Doodle Dandy" fits the Niwot Community Semi-Marching Free Grange Band, which first performed on July 4, 2005, as part of the bandstand dedication ceremony in Whistle Stop Park. "The Niwot Business Association built a bandstand in the park reminiscent of the bandstand that stood for many years on the corner of 2nd Avenue and Murray Street," Biff Warren, one of the founding band members said. "We had everything ready...
Niwot's summer calendar will look more like its pre-pandemic norm, after the Niwot Local Improvement District Advisory Committee voted to provide funding for three familiar events at its monthly meeting on May 4. The board also elected new officers, and discussed its financial priorities for the rest of 2021. Officer Elections In the first order of business, the NLIDAC unanimously elected member Scott Firle as chair, replacing Laura Skaggs, who is leaving her seat on the committee in January...
The Niwot Business Association, known informally as the NBA, is the organization that gets most things done in Niwot's business district. While the Niwot Community Association (NCA) addresses matters of community-wide interest, the NBA has taken the lead on business-related matters. The two organizations often work together on projects of mutual interest, such as the Veteran's Banner Project last fall. But the NBA, whose 150-plus dues-paying members often live in NIwot as well as work there, is...
Jason Champion has spent many nights at Niwot's Rock & Rails summer concert series, volunteering as a Gargoyle for several years, one of the many youths who sit on top of the bins and supervise the compost and recycle deposits at the popular event. Now a sophomore at Niwot High School, Champion was looking for an Eagle Scout project in the Niwot community, and Whistle Stop Park was a natural fit. Jason and his father, Jay Champion, contacted the Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA), owner of t...
Last year, Niwot's signature summer music series, Rock & Rails, went off the rails thanks to pandemic-related safety restrictions. This year, event organizers are doing everything they can to get it back on track. "Right now, we have most of our regular favorites ready to return on the stage," said Satir DeMarco, who is in charge of arranging performers, managing the stage and emceeing the event. "We know people like to get out and dance. And we need to come together to comfort and appreciate...
April is National Volunteer month, a moment when the US acknowledges and honors the impressive impact volunteers make by giving their time and energy. We can all make the world a better place by volunteering in big and small ways, and while pitching in, you're also bringing health and happiness to yourself. Here's a list of nearby organizations where volunteers make a huge difference. Note: For the past year, we've been told to stay socially distant during the pandemic, but many organizations...
The Rotary Club of Niwot is currently the only nationally chartered service club meeting in Niwot. While the Niwot area has in the past had Optimists,Lions, Jaycees and Kiwanis clubs, the local rotary club now serves the community in a variety of ways, with a focus on education. “We just celebrated our 12th anniversary,” Doug Montgomery said of the organization which was formed in 2008. “It’s alive, it’s active, it’s growing.” Montgomery served as president of the Niwot club until July of 2020, and will become president of the affiliated ch...
Pat Murphy and Niwot Real Estate couldn't go another year without an Easter celebration. But rather than host an Easter egg hunt, as she has done for decades prior to the pandemic, Murphy sponsored a pancake breakfast at her office building at the intersection of Niwot Road and 79th Street April 3, complete with balloons, eggs and goodie bags for children. The turnout for the free community event was steady all morning, with families enjoying the music of Eddie Spaghetti as well as the trio...
The Niwot Cultural Arts Association, often referred to as the NCAA, has nothing to do with March Madness, or intercollegiate sports. In Niwot, the NCAA has everything to do with charitable activities involving arts and culture. The NCAA was formed in January 2009 by Tim Wise, Mike Anfinson and Biff Warren at the urging of the Niwot Business Association. The NBA, through Wise's efforts as head of the Historic Projects Committee, had worked with Bank of the West to establish Whistle Stop Park on...
The COVID-19 pandemic turned life upside down for most of us over the past 12 months, but it was especially hard on the local non-profit community, which saw its donations dry up as traditional fundraising events and activities were postponed or canceled. Fortunately, there's still time to help balance the scales as we count down the final hours of 2020. Among the many provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) passed back in March, was a change to an IRS rule...
In 1975, the Lutheran Medical Center Foundation was created as a way to support a nonprofit hospital in West Denver. Since then, it has been renamed the "Community First Foundation" (CFF) and has sought to create change beyond just the Denver Metro. Then, CFF became involved with ColoradoGives.org, an online tool that is a way to connect with and support nearly 3,000 nonprofits around the state. In 2010, CFF and ColoradoGives.org kicked off Colorado Gives Day, which has garnered $355 million in...
A walk around Niwot usually reveals a few interesting sights. Maybe it's the coming of fall, but the bird watching has been extremely good lately. A stroll in the park found some free range, semi-rural clucking chickens. The chickens seemed unconcerned about a crazed photographer and were very focused on the abundant bugs that were hiding the grass. It is, however, the turkeys that stole the show. According to the turkeys' mom Amy Vinson, "We've had them since March, and they were raised inside...
The First Friday Art Walk returned to Niwot on Friday, Sept. 4, after a five-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. The town was bustling with perhaps the largest crowd out and about since the pandemic shut down much of the social life in Niwot and everywhere else in March. Moods were high, masks were worn, people were friendly, but socially distanced, and Niwot seemed to be returning to its usual community-oriented nature. Anne Postle, vice president of the Niwot Cultural Arts Associatio...
At their virtual meeting on Sept. 1, the Niwot LID advisory committee members got a preview of what could prove to be a very busy fall around town, with funding requests for a slew of upcoming events as well as plans to preserve the Native American tree sculptures carved by the late artist Eddie Running Wolf. Treasurer's Report LID Treasurer Bruce Rabeler went first with an update on the district's finances, though there was nothing new to report on the revenue side, as the Colorado Department...
The Rotary Club of Niwot presented a check for $1,000 to the Niwot Cultural Arts Association as a donation to the new concession-utility building at Whistle Stop Park, known as The Depot. The group gathered in front of the building included (l to r) Dennis Daly, Kamla Chopra, Chris Wiorek, Ron Grunzweig, Satir Demarco (NCAA), Biff Warren (NCAA), Vicki Maurer (NCAA), Thom Lynch (Rotary president) , Clay Marsh (kneeling), Dany Dolan, Matt Dolan, and Tony Santelli (NCAA Fundraising...
Organizers of Niwot's award-winning summer concert series, Rock & Rails, pulled the plug on the 2020 season after holding out hope that gathering restrictions would be relaxed. "We took it month by month," Niwot Cultural Arts Association (NCAA) president Biff Warren said. "We held out hope that restrictions would ease up as the number of COVID-19 cases declined in Boulder County, but after an early decrease, the rate of positive tests began to increase, especially after the Memorial Day...
The popular Niwot summer concert series, Rock & Rails, remains on hold, according to co-managers Dan Hawk, Vicki Maurer and Biff Warren. An amended state-wide public health order was issued June 18, 2020, allowing outdoor events with up to 175 participants, subject to other regulations, which were issued in a separate order, entitled Guidance for Outdoor Events. Warren said that although Whistle Stop Park, at over three-quarters of an acre, is large enough to accommodate an event with up to 175...
The swings at Lefthand Valley Grange Park in Niwot remain still except for the occasional gust of wind. Yellow caution tape prevents little feet from reaching to the sky, a stark reminder of the concerns still present during the coronavirus pandemic. Technically, playgrounds are now allowed to open, according to state of Colorado guidelines. But the reality of following the recommendations and keeping everyone safe is daunting. They include sanitizing the equipment as often as feasible, limiting...
On Tuesday, June 2, the Niwot LID advisory committee gathered via videoconference for its monthly meeting. Treasurer's Report Treasurer Bruce Rabeler presented an update of the district's finances, starting with the revenue report from March. The Niwot LID earned $12,639 for the month, which is down substantially from the same period in 2019 ($16,406), but higher than expected thanks to robust sales in the Retail and Arts, Entertainment & Recreation sectors. Unsurprisingly, the...
Warm summer nights in June traditionally herald the return of music lovers to Niwot's Whistle Stop Park for the annual Rock & Rails summer concert series, with weekly Thursday night shows featuring a double-bill of local acts and fan favorites. But in 2020, the worldwide coronavirus pandemic has forced organizers from the Niwot Cultural Arts Association and Niwot Business Association to push back opening night to July at the earliest. "The earliest opening date would be July 2, but for that to...
On Tuesday, May 5, the Niwot LID advisory committee gathered via videoconference for its first monthly meeting since March. Unsurprisingly, the coronavirus pandemic and its ongoing economic impact on Niwot drove the discussion. Summer Events Noting a paucity of funding requests on the board's official May agenda, chair Laura Skaggs opened the meeting by asking LID members Bruce Warren and Eric Bergeson (presidents of the Niwot Cultural Arts Association and Niwot Business Association,...
Construction continues on the concession building at Whistle Stop Park to be known as "The Depot." Fundraising to date has reached $25,300, with another $50,000 needed to pay for the building. Donations can be mailed to NCAA, P.O. Box 733, Niwot, CO 80544, or can be made online at www.niwotarts.org....
In 1873, the year the Colorado Central Railroad completed its track, one of the first buildings erected was the Depot. Two years later, the official plat of the town of Niwot was filed on March 30, 1875, by Porter Hinman and Ambrose Murray. Niwot is rejuvenating its history with a rendition of The Depot at Whistle Stop Park, to serve as the concessions building for Rock & Rails summer concerts. This new Depot will save volunteers many hours currently spent setting up and tearing down the beer...
Colorado's weather seems to be off the wagon after a dry January gave way to alternating days of record warmth and bone-chilling cold in February's opening week. Between hazardous travel, binge shoveling, and two-hour school delays, hitting the bottle for some fermented relief has never been more tempting. If you'd like to channel that urge towards a good cause, join friends and neighbors at the sixth annual Let's Wine About Winter, a store-to-store tasting event through Niwot. "This is just a...
The Niwot LID advisory committee held its monthly meeting on Feb. 4 Treasurer’s Report Bruce Rabeler led off with a report on current LID finances. The district collected $16,854 in sales tax revenue in November 2019, bringing the total for that year to $183,108, an 8.4 percent increase over the same period in 2018. The rise was most notable in the retail sector, which jumped 44%, to $8,070. On the expense side, the LID has approved $65,024.61 in funding requests so far in 2020, leaving just under $84,288.39 of its $149,313 budget. Rabeler e...
Tony Santelli's titles over his lifetime have been progressively more impressive and a couple of characteristics have consistently defined Santelli's legacy in both his professional and volunteer careers – his strong leadership skills and his wonderful way with people. Those traits were highly prized during his 12 years as president of the Niwot Business Association. The first in his family to go to college, Santelli earned an electrical engineering degree. The majority of his work life was w...
When you're spreading the love to friends and family this Valentine's Day, don't forget another valuable member of your everyday life: the local community. There are a number of simple but thoughtful ways to show your appreciation for the people and organizations that help make the Left Hand Valley such a unique place to live. Replenish the books at Niwot and Gunbarrel's Little Free Libraries The Little Free Library neighborhood book exchange program got its start just over a decade ago, when a...
Excel Electric's office has been located in Niwot for 35 years, so the sale of the building it's in and subsequent move to a newly constructed larger property in Longmont will be momentous. On Jan. 10, 2020, Harrington Stanko Construction closed on the purchase of the property owned by Related Investments Partners LLP, and occupied by Excel Electric (EE). "We're pretty excited to bring something really nice there for the town and the people to enjoy," Tim Harrington, partner at Harrington...
On Jan. 13, members from the Niwot Business Association and Niwot Cultural Arts Association held a groundbreaking ceremony for The Depot at Whistle Stop Park, a permanent concession stand that will house beverage sales at the Rock & Rails summer concert series. Construction on the 990 square-foot structure is scheduled to start later this spring. In the meantime, the group is still hoping to raise another $50,000 to cover the costs. Tax-deductible donations may be sent to the Niwot Cultural...
Following a prolonged delay, plans for a permanent concession stand in Niwot's Whistle Stop Park got the final nod from Boulder County Land Use in early December, and now the project's co-sponsors, the Niwot Business Association and Niwot Cultural Arts Association, are kicking off a community campaign to raise the remaining $70,000 needed to fund the construction. "We have over $35,000 in the bank from donations and fundraising efforts, and we just received a $5,000 donation today, giving us...
Two Niwot attractions sustained minor damage last week, after being tagged by vandals using spray paint and chalk. Sometime between September 24 and 26, graffitists defaced two landscape elements in Niwot's Community Corner Sculpture Park with the decidedly upbeat messages "Love is Real" and "Belivers" [sic], printed in chalk or grease paint. During the same time frame, Wise Buys co-owner Tim Wise discovered orange spray paint marks on the caboose and other structures in Whistle Stop Park. It...
On Sept. 22, the highly anticipated Niwot Trot road race returns once again to the tranquil streets of Niwot.This year marks the 14th annual 5K fundraiser, hosted by Niwot Elementary School PTAC. Runners, joggers, walkers, and even trotters are invited to enjoy this race at their own pace. A fun and flat 3.1 mile course winds through town, giving participants the chance to see Niwot in its turn season. This year, the Niwot Trot will benefit from financial support and in-kind donations from 20...
Niwot LID advisory committee held its monthly meeting on Sept. 4. Treasurer’s Report Treasurer Bruce Rabeler presented the LID’s latest revenue report from Boulder County, which showed that the district has collected $92,571 in revenues through June 2019, up 3% from the same period in 2018 ($89,844). However, the growth was concentrated in just a few sectors, most notably retail, where revenues were up nearly 7% (to $36,131 from $33,842). Revenues were down for the Accommodation/Food Ser...
Returning students have probably noticed a little more hustle and bustle in the halls at Niwot Elementary. With all bond construction now complete and a boomlet in enrollment, the 2019-20 school year is shaping up to be a busy one, and principal Nancy Pitz said that students and staff have hit the ground running. “It’s been a super smooth transition, and it’s great to be back,” she said. “Teachers are working hard, and students are getting ready to learn.” Thanks to the growth, Niwot Eleme...
