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FHWA By Day

A Look at the History of the Federal Highway Administration
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November 17
1988 A Thanksgiving Drama: In a collision on I-35 north of Austin, TX, a truck turns on its side, allowing the escape of 78 of 2,000 turkeys bound for a processing plant in Waco. Rounding them up takes 3 hours. Only 53 survive, but their "break for freedom" creates an outpouring of public sympathy. The "favored 53" were donated to an alcohol and drug treatment center, where they took up residence near a duck pond. The center planned to serve the turkeys for Thanksgiving, but public outcry resulted in a compromise. Forty turkeys were donated to animal rights groups that promised to place the birds in homes where they could live out their lives in peace. The remaining, unlucky 13 were served for dinner.
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