The City of the Santa Rosa, N.M.'s debt from a gross receipts tax appeal has skyrocketed from $400,000 to an eye-popping $1.21 million, reported today's print edition of the Guadalupe County Communicator, based in Santa Rosa. That amount is well over half of the Route 66 town's general fund budget in a year. Mayor Albert … Continue reading Santa Rosa’s debt triples
Category: Museums
Grants joins Santa Rosa in taking a big financial hit
The latest print edition of the Guadalupe County Communicator added a grim twist to the previous week's big story about the sudden fiscal crisis gripping the City of Santa Rosa, N.M. -- the fellow Route 66 town of Grants, N.M., faces a huge financial hit for similar reasons. Santa Rosa learned in late June that … Continue reading Grants joins Santa Rosa in taking a big financial hit
Litchfield Route 66 museum asks for hotel tax funds
Board members for the under-construction Litchfield Route 66 Museum and Welcome Center in Litchfield, Ill., requested $100,000 in hotel-tax funds from the city for equipment and supplies, reported The Journal-News. However, a city committee trimmed that possible grant to $20,000, and it still has to be approved by the full council. Officials undoubtedly balked at … Continue reading Litchfield Route 66 museum asks for hotel tax funds
Victorville will add County Route 66 markers in city
The City of Victorville, Calif., voted to add County Route 66 signs to help travelers seeking out the Mother Road through town, reported the Victorville Daily Press. According to the newspaper: On Tuesday, the Victorville City Council unanimously approved to put up signs near three locations: The California Route 66 Museum, Emma Jean’s Holland Burger … Continue reading Victorville will add County Route 66 markers in city
How to navigate around a bridge project in Joliet
The historic Ruby Street Bridge in Joliet, Ill., is being repaired for the next four months starting Monday, reported Illinois Route 66 expert John Weiss. Alas, the official detour bypasses southbound visitors from Joliet entirely. However, Weiss emailed these directions for those who want to stay close to Route 66: Route 66 travelers should not follow … Continue reading How to navigate around a bridge project in Joliet
Santa Rosa fiscal crisis likely will impact its bid for museum
The City of Santa Rosa, N.M., faces a financial "catastrophe" after the state suddenly withheld $160,000 in gross receipts taxes in June, with an extra $240,000 reportedly withheld in the coming weeks, reported the current print edition of the Guadalupe County Communicator in Santa Rosa. The state abruptly withheld the money after an undisclosed business … Continue reading Santa Rosa fiscal crisis likely will impact its bid for museum
Pontiac and Route 66 booster Betty Estes dies
Betty Estes, the first tourism director for Pontiac, Ill., and a longtime booster of her town and Route 66, died Wednesday at age 81, reported the Bloomington Pantagraph and Pontiac Daily Leader. She served as Pontiac's treasurer, then its tourism director from 1999 to 2005. Among her key accomplishments were developing the Illinois Route 66 Red … Continue reading Pontiac and Route 66 booster Betty Estes dies
A visit with Bill Shea and his gas-station museum
A few films about Bill Shea's Gas Station Museum in Springfield, Ill., have made it to the Internet over the years. But this one by Josh Hester is the best I've seen: Shea's Route 66 Gas Station Museum from Josh Hester on Vimeo. The thing that makes this film different is it concentrates more on … Continue reading A visit with Bill Shea and his gas-station museum
Pontiac now gives tours with mobile devices
The tourism department of Pontiac, Ill., has always seemed forward-thinking. Continuing that trend, it has created a Mobile Device Tour for smartphones and tablet computers. From the news release: The mobile device tour provides additional information on many of Pontiac’s most popular tourist attractions and can be accessed by visitors through the use of a … Continue reading Pontiac now gives tours with mobile devices
Litchfield museum going up fast
On June 7, City of Litchfield Tourism in Litchfield, Ill., emailed a news release about the Litchfield Museum & Route 66 Museum being built in town. This news had already been reported here and other news outlets. However, I didn't know how far along the museum construction had proceeded until I received this photo Monday: … Continue reading Litchfield museum going up fast