Reader: Here’s My Photo of the Wonder View Tower Museum

“Civic Chide,” Off Limits, September 4

Last But Not Least

I agree 100 percent with all your selections. I refuse to shop at Ikea: Its building is an eyesore, like a huge pimple on a supermodel’s face! Cherry Creek North looks like a war zone. When I moved here 36 years ago, Denver was a friendly, warm city. Now it’s just as rude, if not more so, than Vegas, L.A. or NYC.
Don Luciano
Highlands Ranch

I loved most of your list, but all the festivals in Civic Center are not bad. The People’s Fair is my favorite event of the year, although I avoid what I call “Waste” of Colorado….
Michelle Parks
Denver

How did the 16th Street Mall not make it?
Jenny Koziatek Benz
Posted on Facebook

Least favorite place? The city jail.
Gary Weeks
Posted on Facebook

“Unfinished Symphony,” Joel Warner, August 28

Local Heroes

My father built the historic star at Palmer Lake. My grandmother founded the Territorial Daughters of Colorado, and my great-grandfather was a founder of the Denver German Turnverein. These were local people making great additions to our community. Why in the world does Denver continue to look outside for leadership? And why do we allow cultural agencies like Arts & Venues to hire people with no experience in the arts?

I have worked for the SCFD Tier III organizations for twelve years. They have constantly asked for performance space in Denver similar to that of the Arvada Center, Lakewood Cultural Center, PACE and Lone Tree. Renovating Boettcher by raising the current performance floor to accommodate a smaller orchestra audience would provide a lower-level space open to performances and 24/7 affordable food and beverage that would activate that current dead space and introduce cultural events to everyone.
Jane Potts
Denver

“Tough Medicine,” Melanie Asmar, September 11

Good Diagnosis

Melanie Asmar’s article does a super job of reporting on this problem, based upon her thorough interviews with patients, private physicians who accept Medicaid patients, state senator Irene Aguilar, M.D., and state administrators and the managers involved in this issue at Denver Health. As a medical student and resident who did many rotations at Denver Health, I witnessed firsthand that patients receive outstanding care at Denver Health. That said, patients should be able to choose their care provider, and disrupting a previous good doctor-patient relationship is simply not justified by the goals that were behind the automatic-enrollment program!

Thank you to Asmar and Westword for bringing these issues to the public’s attention; the patients Asmar wrote about don’t have a voice. By telling their stories and explaining the complicated systems they have to negotiate to access health care — not to mention the equally difficult challenges of finding employment and safe, affordable housing, and being able to access social services, made even more difficult if the family is learning English — I hope your readers will have more empathy for the challenges faced by these families. Admiration and thanks also go to their private-practice caregivers, like Dr. Jay Markson and his colleagues at Children’s Medical Center, who for many years have provided the highest-quality care to Medicaid patients because of their unwavering commitment to this patient group, notwithstanding the administrative headaches and added expense this has caused for their practices.

I hope to see a follow-up report on this issue in a future issue of Westword.
Sally Easter, M.D., J.D.
Denver

First time in a while I have learned something from a Westword article. Sweet.
Molly Beaver
Posted on Facebook

I have been put on a waiting list to see a doctor in the Medicaid system. I was told it will be anywhere from two weeks to six months. So far it has been two months.
Naomi Wolinsky
Posted on Facebook

“Edifice Complex,” Patricia Calhoun, September 11

Towering Ambitions

Thank you so much for the story on the Wonder View Tower! This has always been one of my favorite eccentric spots to visit, and I wondered what had happened. It is sad that Colorado will lose this landmark; too much of what made our state unique is being replaced by chains that you could find anywhere.
Sally Peroni
Denver

The wonder of it all was not in the tower, but in Jerry himself (“Bet you don’t know what this is!”) and in his lovely wife, Esther, always quietly supportive. I happened on Jerry Chubbuck and his miraculous collection soon after moving to Denver in 1990. I visited many times — to photograph (some of the pictures ended up in books), to show off the place to visiting friends, or just to talk to Jerry.

The last time I happened by, he said that he and Esther were closing down soon. Not too long after that, he died. Above is my favorite photo of Jerry and his museum. I made it in 2001. I sent him a print; he framed it and hung it inside the entrance.

Very pleased you wrote this story. It brought back many fond memories of Jerry and the museum.
Neal Ulevich
Thornton

Rufus Baxter Cartoons, Noah Van Sciver

Mauled on the Mall

Yo, I have to say that the Rufus Baxter strips are hilariously on point. A recent one hit the nail on the head: “Dude, you’re awesome! Can I get a cigarette/a couple bucks?”

I used to play the pianos and sing my ass off on 16th, but I moved to Fort Collins, and it’s a lot more civilized up here! I actually had to spray a motherfucker with Mace once in Denver while playing; I’ve been punched in the face by junkies. The cops don’t do anything, and it’s sad, because for me it’s an actual job; I put on a damn good show, and I’ve played live since I was a kid (I’m not banging around for a cheap bottle of vodka).

You should do a strip where Rufus goes to an open-mike night, sits there buying their $6 (deadbeat hipster) beer, and although he’s obviously the most energetic, most entertaining musician there, they force him to play last — at 1 a.m. and with no mike…because he doesn’t play fucking bluegrass!! (You could call that bar Local 46, if you’re not afraid to use real names! Hahaha.)

Anyway, great concept! I’ll be reading the comics online since I try and avoid the big city like the plague these days…. Looking forward to many more!
Ian Benjamin Tyrrel
Fort Collins