Well, I was finally able to get the database opened. I tried the R6 method mentioned above about using a full access admin to open the database, but that didn't work.
We eventually found someone who had editor rights to the db, so we were able to view the ACL. Apparently an ex-employee as well as the server (???) had manager rights. So I simply recreated the employee and I was able to reset the ACL, but why was I not able to access the db as the server?? Baffling.
Thanks for everyone's help. This forum I feel is one of the best ones out there.