Monday Reads -- Not Fade Away

There's lots of nostalgic coverage this morning of the 50th anniversary of the last performance of Buddy Holly, J.P. "Big Bopper" Richardson and Ritchie Valens at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake on Feb. 2, 1959. They died in a plane crash hours later on Feb. 3.

The Mason City Globe-Gazette chronicles tonight's sold-out, "star-studded" anniversary concert, featuring the likes of Graham Nash, Tommy Allsup, the Crickets, Bobby Vee, Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys, Joe Ely, Delbert McClinton and Wanda Jackson. Heck, even former Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler is hanging out in Clear Lake.

The Waterloo Courier ran a story Sundaythat first appeared in the Globe-Gazette about the first reporter on the scene of the plane crash.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune and Chicago Tribune also weigh in with anniversary coverage.

The Des Moines Register brings news this morning that Iowa drivers will now get a new or renewed driver's license by mail. No more over-the-counter, instant gratification at the license station. Iowa is joining the ranks of states that hand you a temporary paper license at the DL office while you wait 10 days for a new license to arrive at your mailbox.

Officials cite security and cost-savings as reasons for the change. Average folks quoted in the article aren't crazy about the idea.

And if your teenage driver manages to get a license, why not install a video camera in the car to watch over them? The Quad-City Times has the goods:

American Family Insurance is offering parents of new drivers the option of installing tiny video cameras in their teens' vehicles for free. The camera begins to roll if the young driver makes an erratic behind-the-wheel move. Parents can view their child's driving performance online.

"If there's a sudden G-force change, such as a quick brake, acceleration or a rough curve, it takes a 10-second snippet on each side of the incident and e-mails it to mom and dad," said Seth Rowland, an American Family agent in Bettendorf.

The camera takes footage of what's going on inside the car as well as outside the car.

Why don't they just put in a remote steering system that allows parents to drive the car? 

Gov. Chet Culver is still the designated driver at the Statehouse, and

today he'll sign a $56 million disaster recovery package. Lee/Gazette's Charlotte Eby also notes that he's expected to sign a bill allowing fast-track local option sales tax votes in disaster zones.