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February 20, 2015 VOLU M E 1 3 | I SS UE 1 6
ParkerChronicle.net D O U G L A S C O U N T Y, C O L O R A D O
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Deer saved after falling through ice South Metro firefighters ‘lassoed’ buck around neck By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@colorado communitymedia.com A deer that fell through thin ice east of Parker got a second chance at life thanks to a crew of fast-moving firefighters. The young buck fell into a pond on private property on Pine Cone Road and Summit Road, near Inspiration Drive, on Feb. 5. By the time South Metro Fire Rescue firefighters from station 47 arrived at the scene, the deer had been in the icy pond for an estimated 30 minutes and was struggling to keep its head above water, said Becky O’Guin, public information officer for South Metro. First-responders typically cut a path through the ice to establish an escape route to the shore, but because the deer was tiring quickly, time was running out, and the firefighters “lassoed him and pulled him” Deer continues on Page 9
As traffic whizzes by, Big Jim Sullivan inspects a rack of ribs simmering in one of his three barbecue pits. Photo by Chris Michlewicz
Feast, not famine, for food trucks Mobile meal vending more than a passing fad
GETTING LICENSED TO DRIVE
By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@colorado communitymedia.com It’s no surprise that the succulent aroma wafting from the Big Jim’s Ribs truck on South Parker Road causes some motorists to stop — sometimes literally in their tracks — to see what’s cooking. It may, however, come as a shock to regular and casual customers that Big Jim Sullivan is no longer privy to the very thing that attracts so many to the passenger door of his truck. He has been desensitized. “I can’t smell it. I’ve been around it so long,” he says wistfully. It’s a sad notion to ponder, until one realizes that Sullivan’s taste buds are still well intact. After all, that’s the real point to the barbecue madness. The tongue-spoiling flavors, ground in by love, experience, and wood from hickory trees grown in Arkansas, where Sullivan spent much of his childhood, have kept people coming back for 33 years, all of them in Parker. It started as a one-man operation, with Sullivan building his first 20-foot barbecue pit by hand and opening a restaurant that sat 120 people. It lasted two years. Big Jim’s also had eight booths at Mile High Stadium during John Elway’s heyday. Rising rent costs made Sullivan turn to a food truck, and he’s been there ever since. Aside from annual stops at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and the Greeley Stampede,
Jim Sullivan, wearing his Arkansas Razorbacks hat, has become a legend during his 33 years in Parker.
Vanessa and Jamie Hilliker, of Castle Rock, own and operate Sweet ‘Ness Cupcakes in Parker. he has spent the last 16 years’ worth of weekends on a dirt lot on the southwest corner of South Parker Road and Longs Way. The number of employees swelled to two about 15 years ago when Sullivan brought on a former colleague from his teaching days at Denver Public Schools.
Now 70, the towering man with a southern drawl landed in Denver via his past life as a National Football League defensive lineman. He joined the Baltimore Colts out of college and went on to play for the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers. When Sullivan came to Denver to try out for the
A vendor must go through the proper channels to operate a food truck in the south metro area. The Tri-County Health Department serves Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties. On its website, it says a food truck vendor who is licensed in Denver would have to get a different license to operate in the Tri-County area. “Your Denver license is valid only in the City and County of Denver. To sell in Tri-County, you must obtain a State of Colorado Retail Food Establishment License, which authorizes you to sell anywhere in Colorado except the City and County of Denver.” Find more information at www.tchd. org/445/Food-Trucks-Push-Carts
Broncos, he never left, and the decision suits him just fine to this day. Franktown resident Patrick O’Malley, for one, is also glad that Sullivan stayed. O’Malley is among the loyal following that has kept Big Jim’s Ribs thriving for all these years. “When I’m in town, I stop by every weekend,” said O’Malley, who prefers the ribs and ham. But it’s not just the food that blesses Sullivan with return customers — it’s the rapport he has with them. Regardless of their age, Sullivan addresses people as “young man” or “young lady,” and as O’Malley departs, Sullivan calls out a Mayberry-like salutation: “Mr. O’Malley, we sure appreciate you stopping by.” When asked, given the mobility of a food truck, if he has Trucks continues on Page 11
Firefighters from South Metro Fire Rescue’s Station 47 warm a deer with blankets after it fell through thin ice on a pond on Pine Cone Drive east of Parker Feb. 5. Courtesy photo
Teens put TP to good use Service project involves church group in Parker By Chris Michlewicz
cmichlewicz@colorado communitymedia.com Pulling together for a good cause is a pastime that never gets old. Forty teens from Joy Lutheran Church took on an intriguing service project in February that involved more than 4,000 rolls of toilet paper. Usually teens and TP are a mischievous mix, but in this case, they are being used for good. Jeanne Maloney, a church volunteer who coordinates community projects, said a representative from Metro CareRing solicited the group’s help on the unique project after the teens repackaged hundreds of pounds of beans and rice for the nonprofit food bank. As part of Denver International Airport’s TP continues on Page 9