Random stabbings in Bloomington include German tourist

Two people were stabbed Wednesday in downtown Bloomington, Illinois, in what police described as a random attack. One of the victims was a German tourist who was visiting the city's Route 66 visitors center amid a Route 66 trip. According to the Bloomington Pantagraph, the tourist and a Pantagraph employee who happened to be working … Continue reading Random stabbings in Bloomington include German tourist

A look at off-limits Route 66 in McCook

A few weeks ago, Roamin' Rich Dinkela -- with the help of a drone helicopter -- created this video about the closed section of Route 66 near McCook, Illinois. The approximate one-mile section of Joliet Road, aka Route 66, was closed about 2001 when the road became dangerously unstable because of alleged undermining by Vulcan … Continue reading A look at off-limits Route 66 in McCook

Albuquerque plans to upgrade city neon signs to LED

Deep in a KRQE-TV story about the City of Albuquerque's Route 66-themed signs -- including the archways over Central Avenue -- is this item -- the city eventually will upgrade them to LED. Apparently neon owned by the city has been experiencing trouble staying lighted for extended periods -- to the chagrin of residents and … Continue reading Albuquerque plans to upgrade city neon signs to LED

KY3’s reporter’s Route 66 videos

In recent weeks, Paul Adler, a reporter for the KY3 television station in Springfield, Missouri, traveled Route 66 from Santa Monica to help promote the town's Birthplace of Route 66 Festival and broadcast a bunch of on-the-scene segments. Adler in recent days has uploaded many of those reports. You can view all 24 videos in … Continue reading KY3’s reporter’s Route 66 videos

More 1993 videos of a Route 66 trip

Anthony Reichardt of Santa Ana, California, has uploaded four more videos from 1993, when he and a friend drove a 1959 Cadillac down old Route 66. The first is Thelma White, longtime proprietor of Whitehall Mercantile in Halltown, Missouri. She also was a co-founder of the Route 66 Association of Missouri. She died in 2010, but … Continue reading More 1993 videos of a Route 66 trip

Route 66’s close link to “The Graduate” movie

Do you recognize this church? It's not on Route 66, but close. Perhaps this climactic scene will jog your memory: https://youtu.be/l4YUbYU6LmQ?t=1m47s The place where Dustin Hoffman repeatedly screams "Elaine!" at a just-married Katharine Ross in the 1967 movie "The Graduate" actually is the La Verne United Methodist Church of La Verne, California, which sits about … Continue reading Route 66’s close link to “The Graduate” movie

23,000 attend Birthplace of Route 66 Festival

About 23,000 people visited downtown Springfield, Missouri, during the past weekend's Birthplace of Route 66 Festival, only in its fifth year of existence. About 5,000 also attended the Route 66 parade during the festival, according to city officials cited Sunday by KSPR-TV in Springfield. More than 400 entries were in the parade. Business owners, including … Continue reading 23,000 attend Birthplace of Route 66 Festival

Palms Motel in Needles is for sale

The Palms Motel of Needles, California, a historic property on Route 66 that features individual cabins amid towering palm trees, is for sale for $429,900, according to a recent listing on several real-estate sites. The property was listed on Trulia.com about a week ago. It's also on Zillow. According to the listing, the 16 units … Continue reading Palms Motel in Needles is for sale

Clifton’s Cafeteria reopens Sept. 17

The historic Clifton's Cafeteria of downtown Los Angeles will reopen Sept. 17 after a $10 million, multiyear remodeling, reported Los Angeles Magazine. A few days ago, the restaurant's reopening appeared imminent because of a job fair last week. Now, there's a date. The magazine was allowed in the building to take photographs for a sneak … Continue reading Clifton’s Cafeteria reopens Sept. 17

Painted Desert Inn may serve ice cream, baked goods

The historic Painted Desert Inn in the Petrified Forest National Park in eastern Arizona soon may partly go back to its original purpose as an eating place if the National Park Service has its way. For the first time in 75 years, the park is asking for bids from concessionaires, according to the Arizona Journal. … Continue reading Painted Desert Inn may serve ice cream, baked goods