Down Da 66: Route 66 Award-- Needles to Secede?

Some New News About an Old Road. Trying to catch up after the thumb problems of June and July.


1. ROUTE 66 AWARD-- Ethan Suck, a student at Nothbrook Middle School in Mendota, Illinois, won the award according to the May 24th Mendota Reporter.He won the annual Historic Route 66 Illinois Award at the annual Illinois History Expo held Thursday, May 8th, in Springfield.

His project was "Prohibition: Road to Hell Paved with Good Intentions."

More than 1400 junior and senior high school students were winners in regional history fairs. The award was presented by Patty Ambrose, coordinator of the Illinois Route 66 Heritage Project.


NEEDLES TO SECEDE? -- Could this be the opening round to another Civil War? Some folks don't like secession. Just ask South Carolina. According to the Seattle Times of June 2nd, Needles, California complains that they don't get "No Respect." Their roads don't get paved, taxes are higher, building codes stricter and gas almost $1 more than the boom towns across the Colorado River in Arizona.

Of course, they are a very isolated part of California and some 220 mils from their county's county seat. They also complain that they are a dumping ground for parolees and sex offenders.

Needles was founded in 1893 after the railroad arrived. It was named for the pointy mountains south of town. They call themselves "The Best Kept Secret on the Colorado River."

I can agree with the gas prices. We were shocked at how high they were when we passed through back in 2006.

Just don't use the Confederate battle flag unless you want even more problems.

Would Have Liked to See the Project. --RoadDog