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Gas sign, flags need some TLC after rough winter

After someone had a run-in with the Sonoco sign in Grandview, the owner of the station, Donna Cook, treated it with a giant-sized bandage.

Have you seen the gas-price sign at the Grandview Sonoco? What’s the story with the big “ouch” banner across it? What does “ouch” refer to? – Curious

Pity the woebegone, Rodney Dangerfield of signs: It gets no respect.

Donna Cook is the owner of the Grandview Store and Station, and that dang sign is constantly in the crosshairs of inattentive drivers.

“People keep hitting it. It’s been a nightmare,” she lamented. “Every time I fix it, someone else comes along and creams it again.”

The final straw, Donna said, involved a Budget van: “It totaled the sign, and the letters and numbers fell off. So now, I have to get a new sign, and this one will be digital.”

That fancy new sign is still in production. In the meantime, Donna decided to make light of the situation by placing an “Ouch” banner across the mangled marquee.

“People thought ‘ouch’ referred to gas prices,” Donna said with a laugh.

Other people mistook “ouch” as a sign of going out of business, which is hardly the case.

“It has really caused a buzz,” she said. “People stop to take pictures, and I’m asked all the time about it.”

Maybe when the new Sonoco sign goes up, there could be a banner across it saying, “Much Better!” Either that or “Pay Attention!”

I recently noticed both flags at the Downtown Durango Inn (formerly the Holiday Inn) are in rough shape. I know there are rules regarding the American flag being displayed in a frayed condition, but I’m not sure about faded. I suppose state flags would have the same rules. Should someone contact the owner/manager and suggest they be replaced? – Charlie Black

The Stars and Stripes are governed by the U.S. Code, which outlines how, where and when to display the American flag.

In a nutshell, we need to show respect.

When Old Glory gets too old, the Code says this: “The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”

But what about Colorado’s flag?

The “Governor’s Office Flag Policy and Regulations” outlines some rules. But these apply only to flags displayed at state facilities.

Moreover, there is nothing in the Colorado regulations about what to do with old state flags, other than noting the state rules are based on the U.S. Flag Code.

So that’s the backstory. Fast forward to the busy corner of Eighth Street and Camino del Rio, where the U.S. and Colorado flags are fluttering in the cold, April wind.

Yeah, they look a bit tatty, covered with dust, crud and road grime. Which pretty much describes every vehicle around this town.

C’mon. Let’s do some spring cleaning. Go to the car wash and spiff-up your ride.

In the meantime, the nice folks at the Downtown Durango Inn promise to do the same with their flags.

Action Line called the property, and the front-desk person said he’d look into laundering or replacement.

“I appreciate you letting us know about that,” he said.

If you have flags on their last leg, you can take them to the VFW Post No. 4031 at 1550 Main Ave.

At the back of the building, there’s an old mailbox converted into a drop-off for worn-out flags.

The good people at the VFW will give flags a respectful sendoff – not only for the American flag, but also for the state flag as well. How cool is that?

Here’s a salute to Durango.

We live in a town where people appreciate flags, where businesses care about them and where an organization provides a free service to honor all flags at the end of their days.

Email questions to actionline@durangoherald.com or mail them to Action Line, The Durango Herald, 1275 Main Ave., Durango, CO 81301. You can request anonymity if you know that there are just 55 days left before Flag Day.



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