A 1955 Dodge Coronet police car owned by deceased Route 66 legend Albert Okura was stolen on Christmas Day from the headquarters of the family's Juan Pollo restaurant chain in San Bernardino, California. Okura's son Kyle told the San Bernardino County Sun his father acquired the car many years ago. The vehicle purportedly was used … Continue reading Someone steals vintage police car owned by late Amboy owner Albert Okura
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.
Big Willy’s Hot Dogs stand in Chandler uses 1930 Phillips 66 gas station for indoor seating
Shortly before Christmas, the Big Willy's Hot Dogs trailer in Chandler, Oklahoma, announced it would use a famous 1930 Phillips 66 cottage-style gas station for indoor seating at the restaurant. Here's the announcement by the restaurant: Route 66 artist and author Jerry McClanahan, who lives in Chandler, stopped by that day to check it out: … Continue reading Big Willy’s Hot Dogs stand in Chandler uses 1930 Phillips 66 gas station for indoor seating
Group gets $5,000 Landmarks Illinois grant to preserve McLean water tower
A historic preservation group based in the Route 66 town of McLean, Illinois, recently received a $5,000 grant from Landmarks Illinois to help restore the village’s 90-year-old water tower. CORE of McLean, which took possession of the tower from the village this fall, will use the grant for Phase I of restoration, which includes power … Continue reading Group gets $5,000 Landmarks Illinois grant to preserve McLean water tower
Eateries in Kingman, St. Louis make list of Yelp’s top 100 U.S. restaurants in 2024
Restaurants in Kingman, Arizona, and St. Louis made the list of Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2024. Both restaurants also are close to Route 66. The crowdsourced review site favored by many foodies and hipsters noted that Asian noodle shops, vegan Mexican joints, Latin food, Korean fusion cuisine and Sun Belt … Continue reading Eateries in Kingman, St. Louis make list of Yelp’s top 100 U.S. restaurants in 2024
Frank and Lynne’s video Christmas card for 2024
In what's become a tradition at Route 66 News, here is the annual video Christmas card from Frank and Lynne Kocevar, the former owners of the Historic Seligman Sundries in Seligman, Arizona. This is the 15th annual card they've done. Scenes come from Safford, Arizona; Granbury, Texas; Mineral Wells, Texas; Payson, Arizona; Fountain Hills, Arizona; … Continue reading Frank and Lynne’s video Christmas card for 2024
A 1959 Christmas card from Snortin’ Norton
If you want a Route 66-themed Christmas card, you could do much worse than this one issued in 1959 for Campbell 66 Express trucking company based out of Springfield, Missouri. Richard Crabtree posted the image on the Springfield, Missouri History, Landmarks & Vintage photography page on Facebook. The camel called Snortin' Norton (with the motto … Continue reading A 1959 Christmas card from Snortin’ Norton
Teen driver charged after 6 pedestrians hurt at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis
Police charged a 19-year-old driver after he was accused of hitting six pedestrians with his vehicle in the parking lot of Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis. Rasool Al Janabi faces five counts of leaving the scene of an accident with physical injury, reported the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It wasn't clear whether he was … Continue reading Teen driver charged after 6 pedestrians hurt at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis
The Curve Inn in Springfield named one of the best dive bars in the U.S. for food
The Curve Inn in Springfield, Illinois, was named one of the best dive bars in the United States for food, according to an online survey. The Springfield State Journal-Register reported that Geek Nexus, an entertainment and media website, surveyed 3,000 adults across America to find the best dive bars for unexpected menu items. A total … Continue reading The Curve Inn in Springfield named one of the best dive bars in the U.S. for food
$92 million sculpture park, art center planned along Route 66 in Edmond
Two nonprofit groups are planning an ambitious 62-acre sculpture park at the northwest corner of Second Street (aka Route 66) and Coltrane Road in Edmond, Oklahoma, by the highway's centennial in fall 2026. The Journal-Record reported that Uncommon Ground Sculpture Park Inc. and Edmond Fine Arts Institute want to raise up to $92 million for … Continue reading $92 million sculpture park, art center planned along Route 66 in Edmond
Roy’s in Amboy hopes to have cafe, cottage open by 2026
The owners of Roy's Motel & Cafe in Amboy, California, hope to have the restaurant and it six small cottages reopened by Route 66's centennial in 2026. That factoid was part of a feature in The Guardian newspaper in London about Roy's and the Okura family, who own the complex and the town. Albert Okura, … Continue reading Roy’s in Amboy hopes to have cafe, cottage open by 2026