LETTERS

3 eateries deserve kudos

There are at least three Greenwood Village eateries deserving of plaudits for opening today to a major paucity of paying customers, “The Delectable Egg,” where I had breakfast today, being one of the customers who were outnumbered by the employees.

“The Original Pancake House,” and “Bonefish Grill.” They deserve attention, kudos and consideration for patronizing.

God save Greenwood Village. Lou Schneider

A sequel of your excellent article is needed

Dear Freda Miklin,

Your column on the protests in the most recent edition of The Villager was informative and well-balanced—yet spritely. You emphasize that “most businesses are now open…subject to extra precautions.” The precautions in my Denver hair salon, Salon Phoenix, are nonsensical. The salon, located at 760 Colorado Blvd., near the Home Depot, Whole Foods and across the street from King Soopers, is airplane hangar-sized, but there can be only 10 people in the salon at any given time, 5 stylists and 5 patrons. This is ridiculous, given the size of the space.

My schedule now revolves around when I can get an appointment with my superb hair stylist, Jose. He cannot make the arrangements, nor can the girls at the reception desk. Rather the ultimate authority over appointments is actually vested in DORA—the regulatory agency for barbers and cosmeticians. DORA has imposed the 10 person rule, apparently without looking at the size of the salon. The girls at the reception desk are trying to accommodate all 15 stylists within the confines of the DORA regulations.

I called DORA to complain, but of course they are closed. A young man answers calls from his home but has no ability to do anything about the complaint. Only counties can ask for waivers.

And Denver County is Draconian in enforcing the rules re COVID. DORA is comprised of faceless, unelected bureaucrats who will keep salons in thralldom, at least until the end of June (their next meeting date) and citizens as well as stylists apparently have no recourse against the agency.

The purpose of my e-mail? Perhaps a sequel of your excellent article is needed. Another very disturbing rule is the 10 person limit for churches. I don’t know where to begin to appeal that. I live in Arapahoe Country but the two Catholic parish churches I attend are in Denver. They both are large so the problem is analogous to that confronting Salon Phoenix. I would expect the Archdiocese to complain so am standing on the sideline for this issue.

Mary E. Schaeffer Conroy Cherry Hills Village resident and subscriber to The Villager

Jim Buck, a true American

Dear Bob, I was pleased to read your comments regarding Jim Buck. What a special person he was. Years ago we were on a committee that tried to save Stapleton. Obviously we failed, but getting to know Jim was worth it all.

I have enclosed a picture of Jim, not legible for printing, that shows his excitement over a new invention that he had created, a special navigational device that he sold to the navy. In Jim’s eyes you can see inspiration and incentive because Jim was full of life. He was conservative and he was not afraid to take a risk. He accepted challenges without concern for his personal safety. He could be politically incorrect, yet he was his own person and came up with creative ideas and scientific breakthroughs that benefited the world.

He was smart and a fun guy. In the picture of this man you do not see a person with a desire for safety or protection or the dependence on someone else to do the thinking, but instead, you see an undefended man sharing the joy of accomplishment.

Like Jim, I have taken many risks in the past and, truly, I do not deserve to be alive because of the chances that I have taken. In 1960 I purchased a used twin engine Cessna and flew it for 44 years, and I must admit that there were some very “hairy” times.

I guess it was the fact that we were not afraid to take chances and our mutual love for aviation which developed our friendship. I am thankful, risks not withstanding, to have had a friend like

Jim Buck, a true American. Gary Oakley