Jason Zasky of Failure magazine has updated us about Arizona's program of cleaning up leaking underground fuel tanks at abandoned gas stations along Route 66. Not only has the program rectified toxic "brownfields" along the Mother Road, but it has given local economies a shot in the arm. "A lot of businesses are starting to … Continue reading From brownfields to green
Author: Ron Warnick
I'm the editor and publisher of Route 66 News, a clearinghouse of events, information, and entertainment pertaining to historic U.S. 66, the Mother Road.
New “Devil Girl” trailer
A new trailer for the thriller movie, "Devil Girl," has been posted on YouTube. The movie, its producer told me, was shot on Route 66 primarily in Amboy, Calif., with other footage in Groom, Texas, and St. Louis. The film is in post-production now, and won't be finished until March. Until it's released in theaters, … Continue reading New “Devil Girl” trailer
Even the losers need to a place to sleep
While doing a search for Route 66 news items, it was a jolt to find this New York Times book review of Charlie LeDuff's new book, "US Guys: The True and Twisted Mind of the American Man." In this nonfiction book "about folks who claw and hang on by their fingernails," the review says: Things … Continue reading Even the losers need to a place to sleep
New book tells the history of Amarillo
There's a new book about that windy, dusty Route 66 town on the Plains that is Amarillo, Texas. The Mexia (Texas) Daily News reports that Texas Tech University has published "Amarillo -- The Story of a Western Town" by professor Paul H. Carlson. The newspaper says: Amarillo is the first comprehensive history of the “Queen … Continue reading New book tells the history of Amarillo
A place that hasn’t changed
John Weeks of the San Bernardino County Sun takes a look at "Things that Haven't Changed" in the Southern California Inland Empire. One of them is on the Mother Road: Want a good old-fashioned sandwich? Head to Peppi's at 17670 Foothill Blvd. in Fontana. It's a classic Route 66 eatery that has been serving up … Continue reading A place that hasn’t changed
Country Store may close
(Sign hanging above the cash register at the Country Store) When the Country Store opened on 11th Street in Tulsa nearly 40 years ago, it was, in fact, in the country. Four decades of urban sprawl later, the Country Store's location on historic Route 66 is considered part of midtown Tulsa. Farmers are an endangered … Continue reading Country Store may close
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge closes parking lot
In a column by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Matthew Hathaway, we learn that Trailnet, which runs the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge that connects a pedestrian/biking trail from north St. Louis to Madison, Ill., is closing a parking lot on the Missouri side of the river indefinitely because of vandalism to vehicles there. In an … Continue reading Old Chain of Rocks Bridge closes parking lot
Historic hotel won’t be taken over by city after all
A few weeks ago, we passed along a report by the Kankakee (Ill.) Daily Journal that said the city of Wilmington was going to take over the historic Eagle Hotel on Route 66 on Jan. 15 because its owner, William Scales, didn't have it operating as a business by a city-imposed five-year deadline. On Monday, … Continue reading Historic hotel won’t be taken over by city after all
“Devil Girl” movie shot on Route 66
Production recently wrapped on the thriller film "Devil Girl," which was shot on Route 66 and uses the historic road as its setting. Here's synopsis of the film, according to its Web site: Fay is a small town girl on a road trip to Hollywood to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. When her … Continue reading “Devil Girl” movie shot on Route 66
The case of the mysterious traffic surge
Traffic at Route 66 News jumped to record levels today, fueled mostly by a link from the Wigwam Motel in Rialto, Calif. The motel showed how its teepee design inspired the Cozy Cone Motel in the animated hit movie, "Cars." That link to here has existed for nearly 10 months, so I was flummoxed on … Continue reading The case of the mysterious traffic surge