BUILD IT AND THEY WILL COME HAS GUIDED MICHAEL KEITH during years of determined persistence to renovate The Screening Room in one more step to revitalize downtown Tucson.

 Today the Screening Room renovation at 127 E. Congress to its original 1910 façade is underway. By October the work should be complete, with the film theatre sporting a new overhang movie marquee “that will establish our identity on the street,” Keith says.

Renovated Screening Room Concept Drawing

 It’s been a long road.

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DeANN MELTON AND JAMES P. COOK LIVE WITH THEIR DAUGHTER ELLEN in a far northwest side home the couple established nearly three decades ago where pine trees first planted as saplings now tower over 30 feet high and once tiny agaves are grown into giants.

 Inside their home on a recent visit, I found a calm atmosphere of disciplined work, painting, sculpture, history and a comfortable sense of place earned by the success of achievement.

 They are a family of artists.

La Mortella by DeAnn Melton

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Magic Carpet Bull

The forty-year old BULL from the closed Magic Carpet Golf on Speedway found a new home last week.  The 3000 pound, 13 foot long, 9 foot high sculpture, created by the late Lee Koplin, was removed from its No 1 hole on the East course by a giant crane. It was lifted into a waiting stake-bed truck to be transported to its new home a few miles away.  The Penhall Company using a diamond blade chainsaw had cut the hoofs of the Bull away from its concrete base a few days before.

Bull flying by crane

Bulls are stubborn as anyone knows that has been around them and this concrete and steel creature is no different. It insisted that it be taken to listen to some country music at the nearby Maverick, King of Clubs on its way to its new home.  The Bull named Tucson Toro wanted to meet some of the Toros baseball players signing autographs that day at the club. Toros’ owner Jay Zucker owns the nightclub.                   (more…)