Mountain Views News          Saturday, July 17, 2010

3

Around San Gabriel Valley

 MountainViews-News Saturday, July 17, 2010 

Sierra Madre

Mt. Wilson

 The Cosmic Café Opens on Mount Wilson 

MOUNT WILSON, CA — Visitors to the world-famous Mount Wilson Observatory can once 
again enjoy a memorable lunch among the telescope domes and Ponderosa pines up in the clear air 
overlooking the Los Angeles Basin. The Mount Wilson Institute today announced the opening of the 
“Cosmic Café” where visitors to this historic site can purchase fresh-made sandwiches, hot dogs, soft 
drinks, snacks and souvenirs. Not since 1992 has food been available for purchase at the Observatory 
to enhance the visitor experience or to refresh hikers as they reach the mountain’s summit. 

The Cosmic Café is located in the open-air pavilion overlooking the large parking lot just inside the 
gate to what has been known as Skyline Park since the 1970s. The pavilion serves as the entry point 
to the Observatory grounds. 

“We’re delighted to reopen this food venue to the public after all these years,” said Dr. Hal McAlister, 
the Observatory director. “The income from the Cosmic Café will support our ‘Second Century 
Campaign’ in which we hope to build a wonderful new visitor center that will entice Southern 
Californians to rediscover this world-class science heritage site in their back yards.” 

Mount Wilson was home to the world’s largest telescopes during the first half of the 20th 
Century. The Observatory’s astronomers utilized those powerful instruments to revolutionize our 
understanding of the Universe. The Hubble Space Telescope was named for Mount Wilson’s most 
famous astronomer, Edwin Hubble. The Mount Wilson Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation 
registered in California and operates Mount Wilson Observatory under an agreement with the 
Carnegie Institution of Washington. 

The Angeles Crest Highway remains closed due to washouts following the Station Fire, but the 
Observatory is still readily accessible via LA County roads from Sunland. “The drive to Mount 
Wilson is a bit longer than we are all used to,” said McAlister, “but the roads are in great shape, and 
you can witness the recovery progress of the forest following the massive destruction of the Station 
Fire.” 

While the Observatory is open daily to public visitation from 10 am to 4 pm during April through 
November, the Cosmic Café will be open initially only on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am until 4 
pm. The Café will also be open on Monday, July 5, for the upcoming Fourth of July weekend. 

A map and driving directions showing the current route to Mount Wilson Observatory are available 
at www.mtwilson.edu. 

Calling All St. Rita Alumni!

School Assembling Database of Graduates

Melissa Delgado Stutenroth, Tom Behrens, Ellen Behrens Hoffman and “Sierra Madre Sue” Behrens 
(L to R in photo) spent the evening identifying photos from class pictures to add to the school 
database under construction for all of the Sierra Madre school’s graduates by PTO members Tom 
Brady and Cheryl Allen.

To add your name to the St. Rita School alumni database, please email Tom Brady, Tbrady@dgrp.
com or call him at 626-355-3471.


Duarte

From Mt. Everest to Route 66

13 Year-Old Mountaineer Jordan Romero Named 

Grand Marshal of Duarte’s Salute to Route 66 Parade

 What’s next after one has 
climbed to the summits of six of 
the highest peaks on the world’s 
seven continents? 

Jordan Romero, the 13 year-old 
mountaineer whose most recent 
conquest was Mt. Everest, will 
serve as Grand Marshal of the 15th 
annual Duarte’s Salute to Route 
66 Parade on Sept. 18. 

“We’re thrilled that Jordan has 
agreed that his next climb will be 
onto the seat of a fabulous classic 
car to lead our Route 66 Parade. 
Route 66 heralds the spirit of 
adventure which this young 
man embodies. He has followed 
his dreams to the highest peaks 
and his accomplishments are an 
inspiration to us all,” said Parade 
Chair, Lisa Magno, in making the 
announcement.

Before he was 12, Romero had 
climbed five of the world’s highest 
mountains. He was only 10 years 
and 12 days old when he stood on 
the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro, 
in Africa, the first mountain in 
his quest to climb the highest 
peaks on all continents. Next 
came Mt. Kosciuszko in Australia; followed by 
Mt. Elbrus, Russia; Aconcagua, South America; 
Mt. McKinley (Denali), Alaska; and Mt. Everest 
last May, the highest mountain in the world at 
29,035 feet. Only one mountain remains, Vinson 
Massif in Antarctica, for Jordan to reach his goal. 
Jordan’s team is scheduled to leave for Antarctica 
in December. 

 “Rockin’ and Rollin’ Down Route 66” is the 
theme of this year’s parade. The celebration in 
honor of the historic Mother Road will feature 
antique and classic cars, marching bands, 
equestrian units, and hundreds of parading 
participants representing local schools, churches 
and community organizations.

Heading the list of parade sponsors are the City 
of Duarte, City of Hope, Home Depot, and Sonic. 
Other sponsors include Duarte Elks Lodge, 
Frontier Hardware, Joe’s Place, Store America, 
and Wal-Mart.

Following the parade, which starts at 10 a.m., 
the community is invited to attend the City’s 53rd 
Anniversary Picnic and Route 66 Vintage Car 
Show at Royal Oaks Park, where among many 
other activities, people will be able to meet and 
talk with Grand Marshal, Jordan Romero. 

 For more information, visit the parade 
website at www.duarteroute66parade.com or call 
(626) 260-0993.


Jordan Romero, the 13-year mountaineer/adventurer who 
last May became the youngest climber to conquer Mt. 
Everest, the world’s highest peak, will be Grand Marshal 
of the 15th Annual Duarte’s Salute to Route 66 Parade on 
Sept. 18. 

Arcadia

HBO’S ‘LUCK’ GIVEN GREEN LIGHT FOR FULL 
SEASON, CUTTING EDGE TV PROJECT TO BE SHOT 
AT SANTA ANITA 

 ARCADIA , Calif. , (July 15, 2010)—As was announced in Daily Variety Thursday morning, 
Home Box Office (HBO) has committed “Luck,” a cutting-edge depiction of life on the racetrack, 
to an inaugural season, with shooting to commence at Santa Anita either this fall or early in 2011. 
Highly placed executives at HBO have indicated that “Luck’s” first season will consist of a pilot and 
seven to nine additional weekly episodes. 

 “Luck” is the creation of world renowned writer/producer David Milch, who is also a prominent 
Thoroughbred horse owner and as such, has won two Breeders’ Cup races. 

 The pilot for “Luck,” which is due to air on HBO late next year, was shot primarily at Santa 
Anita this past March and April. Milch enlisted the services of highly coveted director Michael 
Mann, whose credits include “Miami Vice,” “Ali” and “Public Enemies,” and Mann will remain in an 
advisory capacity for the upcoming series. Milch also procured the services of A-list actors Dustin 
Hoffman, Nick Nolte, Dennis Farina and John Ortiz. 

 Although they will not all remain series regulars, it is believed those actors who contributed to 
the pilot will maintain a presence as “Luck” develops in seasonal episodic form. 

 “It’s hard to quantify how much we feel this could mean to Santa Anita and horseracing 
in general,” said Santa Anita Community and Events Coordinator Pete Siberell. “Anyone who’s 
watched ‘Hill Street Blues,’ ‘NYPD Blue’ or ‘Deadwood’ knows what David Milch is capable of. He 
has a heart-felt passion for racing and although he’ll be delving into to some dark areas on occasion, 
we feel strongly that “Luck” has the potential to have a similar impact to that of ‘The Sopranos,’ which 
also aired on HBO. 

 “This is great news and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Horseracing is experiencing 
many challenges right now and now, more than ever, we need to be reaching out to new people in 
a creative and innovative way. ‘Luck’ is going to generate a lot of buzz and it is going to get people 
talking about racing and about Santa Anita—which is fantastic. 

 “From what we understand, the people at HBO are absolutely thrilled with what Michael Mann 
has been able to put together thus far and we feel that people are going to view horseracing as they’ve 
never seen or imagined it before, with a compelling plot line, dynamic acting and film production 
that Mann is famous for.” 

 Live racing will return to Santa Anita Park with the beginning of the Oak Tree meeting on 
Sept. 29. 


Mountain Views News On Vacation


Sierra Madre residents Norma and Hail Hamilton hold a copy of the Mountain Views News 
while vacationing recently in Venezula.

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com