Some called them the Beauty Parlor Police. Inspectors form the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology did make a surprise appearance in Mammoth Lakes and Bishop late last week. It was the talk of the hairdo scene.

Reports from customers said that some women were ensconced in parlor chairs with curlers and other paraphernalia in their hair when the bureaucrats showed up, demanding licenses and other matters of regulation.

We understand that one inspector closed down a Bishop beauty parlor for something like two hours because the owner had not posted her license. There was actual proof of a license in process, it seems, so back to the hair curlers.

Other reports said the inspector fined some beauticians as much as $1,000.

We called the State Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. The media spokesman there said that inspections of salons are routine. He said inspectors look for those who may be unlicensed and also for proper sanitization of equipment. The PIO said he would try to ferret out more information on how many were fined or closed by the inspector, and what about barbers?

The hair raising experience came and went in a matter of a day or two.