In what has become a tradition at Route 66 News, here is the latest edition of Frank and Lynne Kocevar's annual video Christmas card. They've been doing this for 16 years running. Scenes and a cast of characters in this year's video come from Williams, Flagstaff, Prescott and Yuma in Arizona. https://vimeo.com/1146274466?fl=ip&fe=ec The Kocevars were … Continue reading Frank and Lynne Kocevar’s video Christmas card for 2025
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.
Travel videographer Adam the Woo dies at 51
Popular travel videographer Adam Williams, better known as Adam the Woo, died on Monday at his home in Celebration, Florida. He was 51. According to the Victorville (California) Daily Press and other media outlets, sheriff's deputies conducted a welfare check and found him deceased in bed. An autopsy is pending, but friends said it appeared … Continue reading Travel videographer Adam the Woo dies at 51
Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum in Sapulpa receives $1 million grant for expansion
The Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, will receive a grant more than $1 million grant for an expansion project. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce earmarked $1,080,000 for the expansion as part of its Route 66 Revitalization Grant Program. A groundbreaking ceremony will take place in January, and an opening date is expected in … Continue reading Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum in Sapulpa receives $1 million grant for expansion
El Cafecito restaurant in Grants for sale for $2.2 million
El Cafecito, a restaurant along Route 66 in Grants, New Mexico for almost 40 years, has been put on the market for $2.2 million. According to Albuquerque Business First (subscription required), owners Larry and Angela Baca are selling because of health concerns. The sale price includes all the fixtures and equipment. The Bacas have offered … Continue reading El Cafecito restaurant in Grants for sale for $2.2 million
Sapulpa giving away pieces of Route 66 during the highway’s centennial in 2026
Route 66 travelers who visit Sapulpa, Oklahoma, in 2026 will have a chance to take home an actual piece of the Mother Road. Sapulpa’s "Great Route 66 Giveaway" marks one of three Sapulpa Main Street projects honoring the 100th anniversary of U.S. 66, which Congress approved on Nov. 11, 1926. The other two: Sapulpa Main … Continue reading Sapulpa giving away pieces of Route 66 during the highway’s centennial in 2026
Oklahoma City National Memorial starts construction on a $12 million addition
The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum, which pays tribute to the 1995 domestic terrorism attack that killed more than 160 people, broke ground last week on a $12 million addition called Forward. The museum stated this about its forthcoming, 10,000-square-foot structure: Foreword introduces new and expanded programming spaces in an engaging architectural work. Designed to … Continue reading Oklahoma City National Memorial starts construction on a $12 million addition
More nondescript design replaces Hi-way Host Motel sign in Pasadena
A local blogger reports that the distinctive neon sign that graced the Hi-way Host Motel in Pasadena, California, has been altered into a much more nondescript design. East of Allen reports that the sign at the motel, located at 3474 E. Colorado Blvd., was recently replaced. Normally a change-out in motel signage wouldn’t stir much … Continue reading More nondescript design replaces Hi-way Host Motel sign in Pasadena
La Mesa Motel in Santa Rosa put up for sale for $500,000
The historic La Mesa Motel in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, was recently put on the market for $500,000. Albuquerque Business First (subscription required) reported that the longtime owners, which have operated the property for over 60 years, wish to retire. The La Mesa is listed on the LoopNet and SunVista websites. This is what SunVista … Continue reading La Mesa Motel in Santa Rosa put up for sale for $500,000
Exhibition baseball game to be held behind walls of Old Joliet Prison
The Joliet Slammers independent baseball team will hold an exhibition game at 3:05 p.m. April 30 at the Old Joliet Prison in Joliet, Illinois, to celebrate Route 66's centennial. The Joliet Area Historical Museum and the City of Joliet announced the game, reported WGN-TV in Chicago. “‘The Big House Ballgame’ is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to … Continue reading Exhibition baseball game to be held behind walls of Old Joliet Prison
Neon sign for defunct Glancy Motel will be restored with a $71,000 grant
The Friends of the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Clinton recently received $71,505 from the Route 66 Revitalization Grant Program to help restore and display the neon sign from the now-defunct Glancy Motel. The Route 66 motel in Clinton was torn down in 2023, but the sign was saved so it could be displayed in … Continue reading Neon sign for defunct Glancy Motel will be restored with a $71,000 grant