To the Editor:

The (Kremmling) town council “groaned” at the number of compliance violations performed on the April 11-12 checks, particularly for Kremmling West End Liquor, for whom they had just renewed their license for the second year. The readers of the Sky-Hi Daily News were consequently jackhammered with this hyperbolic embellishment in the April 17 publication. Because of the “groans” and the “jackhammering” (which is my embellishment), I felt I needed to respond.

I first want to compliment the reporter of this two-paged discussion generated ” superb piece of writing. You have style and voice, and you write to your audience.

You make picking up our newly acquired news a look-forward-to coffee shop treat. Enough for embellishments. You write well. You report poorly.

Yes, there were violations in the sting operation. This was not what anyone wanted to have happen. The individuals in these businesses were given citations, and there will be due process for these mistakes. And that is what these violations were. They were people working in a service business who made a mistake and wish they had not made this error in judgment.

I believe they did not do this to “slap anyone in the face.” I believe they did not purposely break the law. The article truly sounded as if these individuals (and businesses) were criminal in their intentions. No one was “trying to sell alcohol to underage buyers.” (Sky-Hi Daily News) Passing judgment on individuals “caught” is also “disturbing.”

Next, the town council heard, that according to Chief Spade, this was “ridiculous.” (Again quoting Sky-Hi Daily News) Punishment needed to follow. Businesses needed to close for 30 days.

Let’s look at Kremmling. Recently closed are two businesses that brought in local revenue, plus Highways 9 and 40 travelers/tourists. This is now lost revenue for the struggling town of Kremmling. And now there is the suggestion that five more sites will be lights out for punitive measures. This, we as businesses owners, find “ridiculous.”

How many additional thousands of dollars would be lost to the town should there be days of no revenue. We work hard. We hire locally. And, we pay and pay. The sales tax generated by Kremmling businesses contributes greatly to Kremmling’s financial resources.

This is a response to both the town council and to the reporter of the daily news. But, to you, Will Bublitz, be aware. Someone may be watching you. Setting you up. You may make an error in judgment in your work. At first they will “groan” and then you’ll make headlines. I hope you were just writing well to poorly embellish, and not truly believing what you were reporting poorly.

Barbara Lucey

Owner/partner

Kremmling West End Liquor