RoadsideOnline

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation is donating a number of "Vince and Larry" crash-test dummy costumes and related auto safety items to the Smithsonian Institution, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced today. These objects now become part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, DC.
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Here's a nice little ray of California sunshine for our readers that comes by way of the Los Angeles Times.

California's main squeeze

Orange-shaped juice stands recall state's simpler days.

By Martha Groves

As they motored through the scorching Central Valley in the family station wagon, Mel Haynes' nine children watched for the juice-and-fruit stands shaped like immense oranges that dotted California 99, symbolically proclaiming the Golden State's eminence as the king of citrus.

"Those guys could spot those orange stands from five miles off," said Haynes, 78, "and we had to stop at most of them."

Inspired by those family memories, Haynes satisfied his own thirst 11 years ago by buying one of the giant orange stands at the southern edge of the Northern California farming town of Williams from an owner who sold it as part of a package with the motel next door.

Haynes thus finds himself the proprietor of one of California's six known remaining "oranges," 20th century relics that a national preservation group has named to its list of the nation's 10 most endangered roadside places.

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WILDWOOD, N.J. — Given that consumers have been so reluctant to spend lately, the family-run amusement park would seem especially vulnerable.

But amusement park owners around the country say the weather, not the housing downturn or job losses, played a bigger role in their fortunes this past summer.

“We had a lousy, wet June and a couple of hurricane threats this summer, so that was bad,” said Jack Morey, who with his brother Will, owns and runs three amusement piers along the Wildwood boardwalk. “Then the weather got better in August, and suddenly everyone was there.”

If they have sunshine and moderate temperatures, Mr. Morey and his fellow owners around the country say, the slower economy seems to be favoring them.

Indeed, the fact that most of the independent parks are owned by families may insulate them a bit from the normal business cycles, said William Alexander, who teaches courses in family business at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. “In many cases, these are seasonal businesses,” Mr. Alexander said. “And in the summer, the whole family would participate. In difficult economic times, particularly, a family committed to a business will sacrifice in deferring compensation and bonuses.”

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Cuba, Missouri -- The Wagon Wheel Motel, 901 East Washington, a continuously operating Rt. 66 Motel since the 1930s, has a new owner.

On September 15, ownership passed from the heirs of previous owners, Pauline and Harold Armstrong, to Connie Echols, owner of another Cuba Route 66 business The Wildflower, a florist and gift shop. Echols looks forward to her role as an owner of the historic motel and returning it to its former glory. Echols plans a renovation and modernization of the motel while maintaining its historic integrity.

After the September closing, there will be a transition period until October 1 when Echols takes over full operation of the motel.

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