The death toll from wildfires that struck the Texas Panhandle has risen to 11, with two missing. The fires also have killed countless livestock, as recounted by this heartbreaking article from the Amarillo Globe-News (free registration required). Davie Gipson, one of the volunteers at the Devils Rope Museum in McLean, told me on the phone … Continue reading Panhandle wildfires update
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 Route 66 map is published
Here's a story about the creation of the "Route 66 Greatest Hits Map" by Dave Brackney and photographer Todd Masinter. The map pays tribute to the 80th anniversary of Route 66, according to the Pasadena Star-News. "The face we are putting forward here is not the face of one-size-fits-all corporate America, with Targets, Wal-Marts and … Continue reading New Route 66 map is published
Third-penny tax includes funds to Route 66 museum
I would have posted this earlier, except I had to verify a few things about it. Here's the skinny: The Tulsa City Council last week passed two third-penny sales-tax-extension questions for a May 9 election. One is for $459 million in capital improvements; the other is $4.3 million for improvements toTulsa International Airport. The news … Continue reading Third-penny tax includes funds to Route 66 museum
Central Avenue chowdown
Eckleburg & Grumblecake have updated their I8Route66 Web site with three reviews of restaurants along Albuquerque's Central Avenue, aka Route 66. Their goal is to review every Central Avenue eatery in 2006. The new reviews are the 66 Diner (8.0 rating out of 10), Loyola's (6.5 rating) and Bob's Fish & Chips (4.5 rating).
Massive wildfires burn Texas Panhandle
This is really bad. Huge wildfires fanned by a lengthy drought and high winds have killed at least six people, closed long stretches of Interstate 40, burned homes and forced the mandatory evacuation of the Route 66 town of McLean. One of the big wildfires started near the Route 66 town of Groom. The fires … Continue reading Massive wildfires burn Texas Panhandle
Fat Man returns to the road
Steve Vaught of thefatmanwalking.com has returned to his cross-country trek, according to his journal (scroll down to the March 11 entry). He's having some problems with one of his feet and finding proper foods for his eating regimen. But, as usual, he'll probably cope.
Old building on Route 66 finds new life
The 80-year-old Front Door building on Route 66 in Strafford, Mo., which once was cited by Ripley's Believe It or Not as having two fronts, is now being used as an after-school hangout for latchkey teens, according to the Springfield News-Leader. The Front Door Student Center is a project led by Alter Student Ministries and … Continue reading Old building on Route 66 finds new life
The man behind Mater
Yeah, many of you already know that Larry the Cable Guy supplies the voice of Mater the tow truck in Pixar's upcoming film, "Cars." But Joe Marusak of the Charlotte Observer reports that the character was inspired by Doug "Mater" Keever of Sherrills Ford, N.C. Keever has a small speaking part in the movie. He … Continue reading The man behind Mater
More images from the Mother Road
I received an e-mail from a reader, Amarillo photographer Shannon Richardson. He's been shooting photographs on Route 66 for the past few years, and his work is sublime. Check out the Mother Road images here.
Report from Rick and Jane
Rick and Jane McKinney, the evangelical couple that is walking the country as part of their Walk to Reclaim America crusade, have posted their first report in nearly two weeks. Some tidbits: HBO is planning to interview them on the road for its "Religion in America" documentary. Rick and Jane also were interviewed for a … Continue reading Report from Rick and Jane