Route 26 Cafe marks last day of business

Barb Curtiss, proprietor of the Route 26 Cafe in LaCrosse, had one of her busiest nights of the year Saturday night. Her husband Keith and other friends helped with a crowd that at one point numbered 50 people. She finally closed the doors after 9 p.m.

The closing included lots of hugs and farewells because it was the last night of business. She had informed LaCrosse Community Pride, owners of the restaurant, that she could not continue to operate because of health reasons.

Her contract with the Pride group, which owns the building, began last July, but Curtiss had to make some improvements be...