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August 7, 2008
Posted: 07:28 PM ET

As we approached exit 211 off I-55 near Coffeeville, Mississippi, we saw a billboard for a “Bio Willie” station — the biofuel store chain started by musician Willie Nelson.

willie.nelson

We didn’t see Willie Nelson nor did we see an open Bio Willie biofuel store.

We’d heard that it had closed, but the giant billboard looked practically brand new.

Alas, as we rounded the curve it became obvious that “Bio Willie” had indeed shut down — its shelves were clearly empty and its pumps were dark. There was still a ton of signage proclaiming the brand name. Odd and sad.

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Filed under: Environment • Road trip


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ET   August 7th, 2008 11:02 pm ET

Looks like Willie’s shut her down. Wikipedia has some info, but I can’t find anything on the internet.

He sure sounded like he loved that project. It at the very least got some publicity for biofuels.

Too bad Paris Hilton didn’t mention biodiesel…..

Elizabeth   August 7th, 2008 11:43 pm ET

Hey Cody!

I’m sure you have no idea who I am, but I’m a CNN addict. I’m thrilled that you’re in Mississippi, and was even more excited to check my university email to discover that you are making a stop tomorrow morning at the University of Mississippi. You can bet your money, I’ll be there! Please be on the lookout, and bio is definitely the way to go!

sunny   August 7th, 2008 11:58 pm ET

Interesting! Last week several Biowillie wbsites were up and going, now today I see they’re all inactivated.

I had thought from reading those sites that they weren’t even actually open in Mississippi yet, but were planning to open by the end of the year. That would explain the newness of the signs, in another way.

Jason at DFWbiodieselinc. , the BioWillie station in Keller TX is near you. Are you aware whether it also is shut down now, or what’s going on with it? It was still listed as active on the National Biodiesel Board site as of this morning.

I’d really like to hear some followup on this, as it looked like the right way to really open up the market to biodiesel.

Franko   August 8th, 2008 1:41 am ET

“Willie Nelson Sings for IRS”
“His sad song began after he invested in several tax shelters promising $10 in deductions for every $1 invested. Instead of the deductions, he got a tax bill for more than $16 million. The IRS sold his ranch and auctioned his belongings.”

Live by IRS interpreted standards, sometimes, not a Jackpot.
In the end, all money back to the government, With Willie, more than all !

T Boone, make shure you have close ties to both presidential candidates.
A ticket,for a quick getaway, in case, but to where, inside Osama’s cave ?

crunk   August 8th, 2008 11:04 am ET

look into the people who were running the biofuels companies, including their parent.

Todd Smith   August 8th, 2008 11:19 am ET

I, too, have been searching for Willie’s stations. As those of us from Texas may remember, Willie used to play at a little truck stop / music venue on IH-35E called Carl’s Corner. It is between Dallas and Waco. They even incorporated it and it is an official town. I live in Waxahchie, which is approximately 30 minutes north of there. As I travelled to that area over the last year, I’ve seen a brand new (but darkened) facility there. I’d heard that Willie bought this beloved venue and was going to revive the abandoned property into a “new and improved” version of the original; however, as I would pass and check for progress, there seemed to be only an unfinished project. It was as though they built this modern facility and then left. Only within the last month have I noticed a billboard just before the exit that promised that it would be opening soon. I’d like to go down there, buy some fuel, and listen to some Texas music.

MadScot   August 8th, 2008 12:01 pm ET

As an Earth Biofuels stockholder, I’m very disappointed that my investment is worth next to nothing. I was certainly hoping for better, but with all this global warming, food shortage banter, I guess this should come as no surprise.

7/15/2008
Earth Biofuels, Inc. EBOF today announced a restructuring of certain promissory notes which has resulted in the reduction of $4,000,000 of senior secured debt on its biodiesel production facility located in Durant, Oklahoma. This reduction is part of the Company’s plan to produce biodiesel at the facility using yellow grease and animal fats feedstocks.

j9   August 8th, 2008 12:23 pm ET

This is awesome! I love Cody and Brian. They should have their own show. I’m so tired of the regular TV “anchor” speak, but also don’t love all the Daily-Show- Wannabes. Cody and Brian come across like real people with real interests and some knowledge about what the are doing. Congratulations to CNN.com for finding such compelling content and giving Cody and Brian.

HAM   August 8th, 2008 12:39 pm ET

“On the Road Again”

Steve McGuire   August 8th, 2008 1:54 pm ET

Hi Cody, if your reading, I would like to invite you to see our bio-diesel project in El Paso Texas. Valcent products has appeared on CNN before and I would like to give you a personal invite to see firsthand what we are doing. Kind regards, Steve McGuire, Investor relations, Valcent Products.

Franko   August 8th, 2008 1:58 pm ET

Almost an eco-saint, helping others avoid the imported black devil energy
But the IRS interpreted the standards, to maximize internal promotions.
Making Moonshine, not standardly interpreted as eco-approved for tax deductions.
Lucky, he was not swatted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms

BillF   August 9th, 2008 3:09 pm ET

We ought to be feeding people with he vegetable oil and using the rest of the plant (90% by weight) to make the fuel. If even we to be so crude as to burn it to make electricity (and gasification does a better job) you could charge a lot of batteries. It is the concept of liquid fuels we have to shake or we will never get out of this energy mess because you simply cannot make biodiesel or corn ethanol sustainable.

Franko   August 10th, 2008 12:37 am ET

Zubrin’s idea of a cheap, quick solution, $50 extra ,to make the fuel injectors of new cars, Methanol capable. If all new cars Methanol capable, then Oil is in direct, not Methanol with hands tied the back, competition.The Methanol from wood chips, corn stalks, grass, natural gas, coal, will financially supply adjust. However, current political subsidy issues, not simple and quick, but keep fooling and financially torturing, courtesy of the International Tapeworm,Are the politicians just talking heads, muppets on a string, or the real prostitutes, as the Hollywood Madam identified,

Back to Willie, What really happened ?
Could not get the Bio-Happy-Fuel distributor, Al Capone, in a direct manner. Called in the IRS, always a success. Willie’s real crime ? Smoked banana leaves, drank moonshine, and ran a vehicle, with the extra, without filing the road tax on time ?

This story needs to be told, how the life of a Bio-Saint destroyed.

damygeebo   August 10th, 2008 4:30 pm ET

at first i thought they were referring to Raccoon Willie on youtube, but alas, it was only the stoner, WILLIE Nelson…. (sigh)

Franko   August 11th, 2008 12:16 am ET

IRS, not the FBI, Always Get Their Man.
Real crime of Willie is hidden, sealed, to be revealed in 100 years.
Willie the Racoon, drinking and washing from a Federally Regulated downspout,
Yes, it is a crime, but not IRS Agent dispatchable. Negative cash flow !

If FBI let the IRS handle Osama case; Somewhere-istan, everywhere WaterBoarded

Marie Zarankevich   August 13th, 2008 8:29 pm ET

Yo, Willie. — You just were a bit early. — Now they are working on E-coli that spits out fuel. — If we could feed a septic system the usual, and get fuel out of it, that would be something worth investing in. — Too bad you did not get in on that. — Good luck, man. — Love you.

Biodiesel Processor   September 27th, 2008 6:24 pm ET

Too bad for Willie.I build biodiesel processors which turn waste vegetable oil into biodiesel. It is really amazing how simple the process is, as well as saving the customer $2-3 per gallon at the pumps. Algae biodiesel looks even more promising. As the other poster said, we just need to keep moving in the right direction.

cody   December 11th, 2008 6:50 am ET

The store right outside of coffeeville Mississippi owned by Willie was closed because the store across the street was taking all the bizz due too lower gas prices

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