In the past week, someone posted on YouTube the performance by Randy Newman and James Taylor of "Our Town" during the 2007 Academy Awards. The Oscar-nominated song came from the hit animated movie, "Cars." You'd better watch this while you can. The Academy had inexplicably banned YouTube from posting performances of songs during the telecast. … Continue reading See it before they take it down
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.
Triangle Motel will receive NPS grant
This may be letting the cat out of the bag, but Marianne Logan e-mailed us tonight to report that the Triangle Motel in Amarillo, Texas, has been awarded a cost-share grant from the Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program administered by the National Park Service. Marianne Logan is the mother of Alan McNeil, who owns the … Continue reading Triangle Motel will receive NPS grant
Hail to the chief
The University of Illinois retired its longtime mascot, Chief Illiniwek, in March because the symbol was offensive to some American Indians. Some Illini fans are still none too happy with this development. Tom Heinrich of Dwight, Ill., decided not to let the memory of Chief Illiniwek perish. He had an old elm tree trunk in … Continue reading Hail to the chief
Veteran completing cross-country bike ride
Ken Rhodes, the Vietnam veteran who was riding a bicycle across the country -- including Route 66 -- to raise money for Iraq War veterans and muscular dystrophy, finishes his trek today, according to the Victorville (Calif.) Daily Press. On his 70th birthday, Rhodes is cycling the final 10 miles to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial … Continue reading Veteran completing cross-country bike ride
Notes from the road
I got a call a few days ago from Bill Kinder, co-owner of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, N.M., informing me that all of his motel's neon lights have been repaired. The motel's neon (and others along Route 66 in Tucumcari) were damaged this spring by a severe hailstorm. Missouri Route 66er Tonya Pike … Continue reading Notes from the road
The expert of Cajon Pass
Mark Muckenfuss of the Inland Press-Enterprise writes a feature about Cajon Pass expert John Hockaday, who has researched the Southern California trail for decades and recently wrote a book, "Trails and Tales of the Cajon Pass," about it. Cajon Pass was a predecessor of Route 66 and, later, Interstate 15. He and his late wife, … Continue reading The expert of Cajon Pass
Preservation is their calling
The Kankakee (Ill.) Daily Journal published a fine feature article about John and Lenore Weiss of nearby Wilmington, who have collectively done more for Route 66 preservation in the past 10 years than just about anyone I can think of. The story also reveals what they're have in store for future projects: They plan to … Continue reading Preservation is their calling
Good news about Devil’s Elbow bridge
The Waynesville (Mo.) Daily Guide reports that Pulaski County Commissioner Bill Farnham appears to have been successful in persuading the state Department of Transportation to repair the old Route 66 bridge that leads into the village of Devil's Elbow. State financing is only one $250,000 piece of a multi-part financing package totaling $1.46 million that, … Continue reading Good news about Devil’s Elbow bridge
If Rory wins, she wants to stay in Vega
A reader the other day posted an interesting question regarding Rory Schepisi being a finalist in "The Next Food Network Star": So if Rory wins the Food Network Star Challenge will she tape the show in Vega TX or will someone else be running the Boot Hill? I thought it was a pretty good question. … Continue reading If Rory wins, she wants to stay in Vega
A glimpse of Route 66, pre-revival
Lonestar101 has posted on YouTube a report from 1984 by KPRC-TV in Houston about Route 66 in the Texas Panhandle. (Embedding isn't allowed, but you can watch the video by clicking here.) The video, which is two segments totaling about eight minutes, gives us a fascinating look of Route 66 before Michael Wallis' seminal book, … Continue reading A glimpse of Route 66, pre-revival