An edition of the Littleton Independent
WEEK OF JUNE 5, 2025
VOLUME 24 | ISSUE 27
$2
How to enjoy the worst team of all time Some suggestions for resilient Rockies fans BY JOHN RENFROW JOHN@COTLN.ORG
Youths who attend the Fire Truck Parade & Muster in Littleton will be able to spray a fire truck’s hose.
COURTESY OF SOUTH METRO FIRE RESCUE
Fire Truck Parade & Muster returns June 14 Festive annual event to feature Main Street parade, assembly at Arapahoe Community College BY ISABEL GUZMAN ISABEL@COTLN.ORG
Prepare for sirens, spectacle and hands-on learning as the annual Fire Truck Parade & Muster returns to Littleton on June 14. Hosted by Mile High Hook & Ladder, in partnership with South Metro Fire Rescue, this event allows people the chance to observe fire trucks and emergency demonstrations, such as fire extinguishing and helping victims in a mock car accident. “The theme of this year’s parade and muster will be ‘Neighbors helping Neighbors.’ We want to stress that lending a helping hand to your neighbor will make a strong community, especially in the time of need,” said Brian Willie, South Metro’s communications specialist.
VOICES: 8 | OBITUARIES: 9
Mile High Hook & Ladder is a volunteer antique fire truck club “dedicated to the preservation, restoration and operation of fire apparatus in America,” according to the event description. The free event will begin at 9 a.m. with a parade of fire trucks rolling down Main Street in Littleton. Attendees can expect to see both vintage and modern firefighting apparatus, including South Metro Fire Rescue’s “Black Pearl” ladder truck and, for the first time, a massive 60-foot Tiller ladder truck with dual drivers maneuvering the parade route. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the action moves to Arapahoe Community College for the muster. Muster highlights include: • Live fire sprinkler demo: The National Fire Sprinkler Association will ignite its
side-by-side burn trailer, offering a demonstration of how quickly fire sprinklers can save lives and property. • Burn cell demo: The Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control will demonstrate how a closed door can keep people safer in a fire. • Auto extrication demo: South Metro Fire Rescue will use the Jaws of Life to pry open a crashed car and rescue a simulated accident victim, showcasing real-life emergency response skills. • Helicopter landing: The Children’s Hospital Colorado Children’s One Flight Team will land a neonatal/pediatric emergency helicopter, giving families a close-up look at lifesaving air rescue operations. SEE PARADE, P10
Dismayed Colorado fans still turn up at Coors Field to support their spiraling Rockies, with yells of “Sell the team!” ringing out behind hot dog bites and swigs of beer. But it’s the results on the field that are often difficult to stomach. The old adage in baseball is that before the season even begins, you get 40 wins and 40 losses, and what your team does between them will determine the course of the season. But even before June rolled around, the Rockies had already lost their 40th game on May 20. But at least tickets were only $5 that day, and will likely remain in the single digits for the remainder of the season. There will be price hikes when teams like the Yankees and Dodgers come to town, but the organization knows it’s getting increasingly difficult to put butts in seats. Colorado is on pace to be even worse than the 2024 Chicago White Sox, a team that finished 41-121 last season, the worst since the 1962 New York Mets, who were 40-120. According to an article from ESPN on May 13, the Rockies’ record through 40 games puts them on pace to finish 28134. Let that sink in. So anyway, here are some ways to better enjoy the possible worst team ever. Arrive early for cheap beers
If you arrive two hours before the game’s first pitch, you might see fans double-fisting 12-ounce beers as they make their way to their seats. That’s because fans can enjoy $3 Coors Lights (yes, $3 for 12 ounces) and $6 craft beers (16 ounces) before the game starts. Or you can wait until the drinks are literally $10 more expensive than that after the national anthem. That way, you don’t feel bad leaving in the seventh inning when the team is down a gross number of runs (like the 21-0 loss to the San Diego Padres on May 10, the third-biggest shutout margin in the major leagues since 1901). SEE SUGGESTIONS, P12
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