Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, June 22, 2019

4

Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 22, 2019 

 
HONORED AT LAST!

Congresswoman Chu Delivers Overdue 
Award On Behalf of the US Army

John D. Wagner of Altadena recently received a 
Certificate of Congressional Recognition, with 
very complimentary language, from U.S. Rep. 
Judy Chu for his service as an active-duty Army 
journalist more than 30 years ago.

 The award reads, “In Recognition of Your 
High Standards of Excellence and Outstanding 
Achievements. Your Exemplary Actions in the 
United States Army as a Journalist from January 
1981 to July 1986 are Truly Commendable and 
Greatly Appreciated. Your Accomplishments 
Will Always Be Remembered and Serve as an 
Inspiration to All Americans. Thank You for Your 
Service to the United States of America.”

 Wagner, 64, is a retired Army Reserve soldier 
and Iraq vet and received multiple Army awards 
for that service. But he received no award after 
being honorably discharged in 1986 from his 
final active-duty assignment as a journalist at 
Letterman Army Medical Center, Presidio of San 
Francisco. That always bothered him, afterward.

 “I unfortunately was sometimes untactful and 
my supervisor held that against me even though 
it is standard to give an award when someone is 
honorably discharged,” Wagner said. “I did some of the best writing of my Army career then. I wrote more 
than 40 stories for the medical-center magazine about the emerging AIDS crisis, stress on the job, sports 
competitions, and many other issues and did extensive photography as well.”

 He contacted Chu’s office to see if a very late award from the Army would be possible, but learned it 
would be very difficult to obtain. He sent copies of some of his stories he wrote at Letterman to Chu’s staff, 
who then approved an award from their office.

 “I am very happy to receive this,” Wagner said. “This is truly an honor.” 

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills

thechefknows@yahoo.com


SUMMER TIME BEER

Seems Spring doesn’t want to leave us quite yet. I turned my attention just 
this week away from wine and to concentrate on beer. Though there are 
some fine wines to sip on a hot day. This will go well with your backyard 
party plans. I left out our regular domestic beers and the new ‘craze” of 
craft beers, to introduce or reintroduce you to three beers that have been 
around for a while. That are my favorites on a blistering day that I call “beer 
drinking weather beer”.

First we visit the Czech Republic, for Pilsner Urquell-Czech for “original 
pilsner” was first brewed in the 1840’s this is a clean, light beer with a 
relatively low alcohol rate of 4.4%, this the perfect beer for a tailgate party 
on a hot summer day, when I see Pilsner Urquell on a menu it is my first 
choice, probably my favorite beer in the Pilsner class, a little bit of that 
skunky smell, though not as noticeable as Heineken.

4 . stars !!! Available by the six pack at most grocery stores and is on tap at the Yard 
House.

Off we got to Japan for Sapporo Beer also a Pilsner with a German Style, this beer has 
serious drinkability, and can stand alone without a food pairing, though Mexican and 
spicy Thai food would indeed complete this refreshing beer. Alcohol content is 4.7%. 

4 out of five stars

For my last beer I travel south of the border for Negra Modelo, sure Corona gets the 
notoriety but Modelo for me is the best of the best as far as Mexican Beer, go to any 
restaurant were patriots are 
drinking beer and nine times 
out of ten it’s Modelo they 
are drinking. The Negra 
Modela reminds me of a 
German Dunkel style, makes 
sense since many German 
beer makers made their 
homes in parts of Mexico. 
This a dark beer, goes well 
with tailgating foods such as 
bratwurst, potato salad and 
of course fried chicken.

4 out 5 stars

With hundreds of beers I might have missed your favorite. Email me at thechefknows@
yahoo.com. Listen to my new podcast on Itunes and as always GO Country 105 FM 
Sunday Mornings at 8 AM !! 


Foothill Gold Line Update:

SUNDAY, JUNE 23 (10 AM TO 8 PM): TRAIN TESTING IN SAN 
DIMAS, LA VERNE, POMONA, CLAREMONT AND MONTCLAIR; 
EXPECT DELAYS

THIS Sunday, June 23, the Construction Authority will be testing a newly installed underground com-
munication system for the freight train system that runs through the cities of San Dimas, La Verne, Po-
mona, Claremont and Montclair, requiring stoppage of all traffic across the rail corridor for approximately 
3-5 minutes each test run, with the possibility of longer delays. The testing, which is being conducted to 
ensure safety of the freight system, will require a Metrolink train to run at 40 miles per hour (MPH) between 
San Dimas Canyon Rd in San Dimas and the crossover just west of Cambridge Ave in Claremont. 
The testing involves several trials on the active freight corridor to ensure the new communication system 
will activate and deactivate the train signals at all street crossings. Additional streets east and west of 
those being tested will also be impacted to allow the train to accelerate and de-celerate; see the list below.

The communication system’s testing is part of the initial construction activities for the Foothill Gold Line 
light rail project being built from Azusa to Montclair.

WHEN

Train testing will take place on Sunday, June 23, 2019, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM. 

WHERE

Intersection/rail crossings affected during the testing include:

City of San Dimas: Eucla Ave., Bonita/Cataract Ave., Monte Vista Ave., San Dimas Ave., Walnut Ave., 
and San Dimas Canyon Rd.

City of La Verne: San Dimas Canyon Rd., Wheeler Ave., A St., D St., E St., White Ave., and Fulton Rd.

City of Pomona: Fulton Rd., Garey Ave., and Towne Ave.

City of Claremont: Cambridge Ave., Indian Hill Blvd., College Ave., and Claremont Blvd.

City of Montclair: Pedestrian crossings at the Montclair TransCenter

WHAT TO EXPECT

• Expect 3-5 minutes of delay at the railroad crossings periodically throughout the day, with the 
potential for longer delays.

• The testing will require a Metrolink train to run at 40 MPH between San Dimas Canyon Rd in 
San Dimas and the crossover just west of Cambridge Ave in Claremont. The testing involves several trials 
on the active freight corridor to ensure the new communication system will activate and de-activate 
the train signals at all street crossings. Additional streets east and west of those being tested will also be 
impacted to allow the train to accelerate and decelerate. See listing of impact-ed streets above.

• Testing will take place on Sunday, June 23, 2019, from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

• The train’s horn will be sounded as it approaches each street crossing.

• Safety officials, called Flaggers, will assist with traffic management at the intersection/rail cross-
ings being tested.

• Pedestrian access via the sidewalks will remain open; however, pedestrian traffic will also be 
stopped when the train is approaching.

NOTE

The Foothill Gold Line Construction Authority is conducting this testing; not Metrolink.

QUESTIONS/CONTACT US

For questions about the upcoming train testing, contact:

Yesenia Arias, Community Relations Manager

(626) 305-7012

yarias@foothillgoldline.org


PASSAGE TOELDORADOTHE EARLIEST PHOTOGRAPHS 
OF THE AMERICAN DESERT WEST8888888888a presentation 
BY JEFF LAPIDESSierra Madre Public LibraryJUNE 22, 2 P.M. 
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