12 Arvada Press
ALCHEMY
Andrea Doray
LOCAL
March 26, 2020M
VOICES
T
The new language of laying low
o our valued customers ….” You’ve probably received emails or letters in the past couple of weeks that start with this language. Most of them follow with assurances such as: “Your health is our top priority. As a team, we have built a culture that prioritizes safety for our patients and staff ” (EyeCare Specialties). Or, “We want to offer reassurance that we are taking proactive measures in following and implementing CDC guidelines” (Safelite Auto Glass). Or, “As we navigate these unprecedented times, I want to ensure that we are keeping you, our valued customers, informed … providing you with a safe, healthy and enjoyable travel experience” (Frontier Airlines). Many of these messages continue with language such as: “Small businesses are the soul of every
community across the globe. Many of you own or work in a small business … and even more of you support your local community’s small businesses each day” (Vistaprint). And, “We know no words will do justice to everyone’s individual experience over the last couple weeks. All of us feel the weight of our responsibility to the community, particularly right now” (Lyft). And, “With all that is going on in the world today we wanted to send you a little thank you for all the support you have given us throughout the years” (Murray’s Shoes). Some businesses also help customers understand how to patronize them … by purchasing merchandise online, ordering restaurant pickup or carry-out, and buying gift certificates for future services from salons. All of this makes sense … providing information, offering comfort, and exploring alternatives for this crazy time in which we
A spreading message about COVID-19
H
ere’s how this works: Rudy Gobert is a professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz. Moments before the Jazz game two weeks ago in Oklahoma City, he was diagnosed HITTING with the Wuhan coronaHOME virus, COVID-19. Immediately, both the Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder basketball teams were placed in quarantine. In the two weeks prior to Rudy Gobert’s diagnosis, the Utah Jazz played at the Toronto Raptors, at the Detroit Pistons, at the Boston Celtics, at the New York Knicks, at the Cleveland Cavaliers, at the Washington Wizards, and one more against Boston, this time, in Utah. If, for the sake of argument, you assume he only came into contact with other basketball players during those two weeks, that’s at least 60 other players that he ran into in the last two weeks. And, given Rudy Gobert’s style of play, using the term “ran into” is accurate. And, while we don’t know the exact transmission rate of the virus yet, it’s possible that anywhere from three to twenty of those players contracted the virus. Of course, that doesn’t guarantee that any of them are going to get sick, but, perhaps, they are now carriers. How many other teams did those 3-20 players play against in the last two weeks? How many other players? That is how exponen-
A publication of
Call first: 14143 Denver West Pkwy., Suite 100, Golden 80401, 303-566-4100 Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110 Phone: 303-566-4100 Web: ArvadaPress.com To subscribe call 303-566-4100
tial growth works. So, let’s say that one of those players who “ran into” Gobert went home after the game, kissed his kids good night, and then went to sleep. The next morning, he woke up, sat with his kids at breakfast and kissed them goodbye on their way to school. His 10-year old daughter goes to school — on the last day before the shutdown — and sits for a while with the paraprofessional working on advanced math (because she’s brilliant). The paraprofessional, who is a retired city worker, goes home at the end of the day and kisses his wife, who is a 76-year old retired teacher with diabetes (from 35 years of eating all the cookies her students brought to her at school). Five days later, that 76-year old retired teacher is hospitalized with complications from COVID-19, which she contracted thanks to a basketball player that she’s never heard of. Now, multiply that scenario by all the nonbasketball players that Gobert inevitably ran into during his travels. I’m not painting this picture to terrify you, though some of you younger folks apparently need to understand how this gets to grandma (here’s a hint: social distancing is NOT for *your* protection). And I’m certainly not writing this to blame Rudy Gobert for anything. Apparently, he had no idea he had contracted the virus, and — his careless, borderline stupid behavior at the nowinfamous press conference notwithstanding — he should not be held responsible for, ya SEE ALCORN, P23
find ourselves, and, in many ways, aren’t that dissimilar to messages we’ve received before, say, during a three-day blizzard or an extended power outage. But, they are different. These messages tell us that business hours are changed, that staffing is reduced, or that doors are shuttered altogether for an undetermined amount of time. And the language used by health agencies, hospitals and doctors, and governments to provide information and guidance has brought a new lexicon to such laying low. “An abundance of caution,” “self-quarantine,” “shelter in place,” and, of course, the ubiquitous “social distancing” are on pretty much everyone’s lips, as well as “non-essential,” “delayed,” “postponed,” “canceled,” and, god help us, “global recession.”
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Yesterday’s garbage Dear Honorable Mayor and Council of Arvada, wasn’t Arvada giving “single-hauler for trash” suggestions a rest? We find that they aren’t. Don’t most residents remember the meeting a few years ago at a church that drew hundreds in opposition? Arvada police estimated attendance at 600. Half of the crowd was relocated outside, because of fire department regulations. Loud speakers were set up so people outside could follow the arguments. Maybe two spoke in behalf of the proposal, while almost everyone else... Tom Graham, Arvada Hidden heroes We worry about the folks who have had their jobs removed by the COVID-19 pandemic while our nation “shelters in place.” The doctors and nurses on the front line are in the spotlight and in our prayers. But let us take a moment to appreciate the unexpected heroes of the day. We still need to eat. The cooks and pizza and sandwich makers have stepped into the breach. While restaurants are closed, many have opened their back doors to take-out orders so people can still eat. Delivery
JERRY HEALEY President
MINDY NELON Marketing Consultant
jhealey@coloradocommunitymedia.com
mnelon@coloradocommunitymedia.com
GLENN WALLACE Editor
AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager
gwallace@coloradocommunitymedia.com
abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Columnist opinions are not necessarily those of the Press. We welcome letters to the editor. Please Include your full name, address and the best number to reach you by telephone.
CASEY VAN DIVIER Community Editor
ERIN FRANKS Production Manager
Email letters to gwallace@coloradocommunitymedia.com
cvandivier@coloradocommunitymedia.com
efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com
Deadline Fri. 5 p.m. for the following week’s paper.
LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com
SEE DORAY, P13
Columnists & Guest Commentaries
To opt in or out of delivery please email us at circulation@ coloradocommunitymedia.com
people like Postmate, Doordash and Uber Eats drivers have become supply line superstars as they convey food that last 200 feet to your door. Remember the truck drivers and stockers who are working long hours to replenish our store shelves after the panic buying of the last week. These invisible people are suddenly indispensible. Our thanks to you all. Dan Bidstrup, Lakewood Seasonal situation? Now that the precedent has been set by panic-driven autocrats, to indefinitely shut down our state, nation, and the entire world for what may be a nasty seasonal respiratory illness, why should we not expect to see similar shutdowns in subsequent winters? Given that the misnamed ‘Spanish Flu’ peaked in three successive winters, can our nation’s workers or economy survive 3 annual prolonged lockdowns, followed by everincreasing purported bailouts? Further, can the savings or well-being of our fellow citizens survive the $1-2 Trillion so-called ‘stimulus’ packages for the favored few, now working their ways through Congress, as they must be financed entirely with SEE LETTERS, P23 Arvada press A legal newspaper of general circulation in Jefferson County, Colorado, the Arvada Press is published weekly on Thursday by Colorado Community Media, 14143 Denver West Pkwy., Suite 100, Golden 80401. POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Arvada Press, 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225, Englewood, CO 80110