Cyrus Avery Plaza vandalized again

The Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza in Tulsa has again been vandalized, including the LED-lighted Route 66 shield on the bridge, reported the Tulsa World. Whitaker said public works crews sent out to review the damage also found graffiti on two concrete pillars supporting the skywalk. In the plaza, 14 of the 16 ground-level lights that … Continue reading Cyrus Avery Plaza vandalized again

Notes from the road

The "East Meets West" sculpture at the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza at Riverside Drive and Southwest Boulevard (aka Route 66) in Tulsa is inching closer to being installed. Dennis Whitaker at the city of Tulsa gave me this update, via e-mail: [T]he artist is finished with the car group and the foundry has already cast … Continue reading Notes from the road

Notes from the road

If you're traveling the Mother Road this week, you may have to make other plans for the midsection. As this map from the National Weather Service shows, the Route 66 corridor is under a winter storm warning all the way from about Springfield, Mo., to Gallup, N.M. -- much of it freezing rain. Authorities closed … Continue reading Notes from the road

Opposition to museum tax proposal goes to Facebook

Less than a week ago, the city council of Joplin, Mo., voted to put a tax referendum on the April ballot to fund a move and expansion of the Joplin Museum Complex to Memorial Hall. Already, the opposition to the one-sixth-cent sales tax has organized on the Internet, with a "Save Memorial Hall" group on … Continue reading Opposition to museum tax proposal goes to Facebook

Notes from the road

The Pontiac Walldog Committee, which has helped beautify downtown Pontiac, Ill., with a series of murals and related festivals, now wants to open a Walldog Mural and Sign Art Museum  in Pontiac, according to news release from the city's tourism department. The primary purpose of the museum is to pay homage to the men and … Continue reading Notes from the road

Joplin puts museum proposal on ballot

By a 7-2 vote, the City Council of Joplin, Mo., agreed to place a sales-tax referendum on the April ballot to fund the Joplin Museum Complex's proposed move to historic Memorial Hall, according to the Joplin Globe. Voters will be asked to authorize a special museum sales tax of one-sixth of a cent to pay … Continue reading Joplin puts museum proposal on ballot

Roy Rogers Museum fails after moving from Route 66

San Bernardino County Sun features editor John Weeks reports that the Roy Rogers Museum, less than six years after it picked up and moved from its longtime Route 66 home in Victorville, Calif., has shut down in Branson, Mo., and all of its memorabilia will be auctioned in the coming weeks. Weeks writes: What a … Continue reading Roy Rogers Museum fails after moving from Route 66

Notes from the road

Since Paul Newman's death in 2008, speculation has run rampant on whether Disney-Pixar will revive his Doc Hudson character for the "Cars" sequel. Larry the Cable Guy, who portrayed Mater in the original "Cars," told the Whig Standard of Kingston, Ontario, that the Doc Hudson character has been essentially retired: "It's a shame he's still … Continue reading Notes from the road

Joplin museum director Q&A

Brad Belk, the director for the Joplin (Mo.) Museum Complex, answered questions from Joplin Globe readers about his proposal for a one-sixth-cent sales tax to move the museum and its contents to historic Memorial Hall. Most of the questions are worth perusing, but his answer from a person who asked why the historic railroad depot … Continue reading Joplin museum director Q&A