Roy Place office then

Roy Place office now

Recognize these photos? It was the location of the former Walgreen’s downtown which closed sometime after 2001, but the facade has now been restored, and the building rented to the University of Arizona as a center for “urban design, planning and policy classes” for graduate students. The College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture will be the new tenant, and Pima County is the lessor/owner. Read more in Arizona Daily star article:

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/education/college/article_623b03b1-baae-51db-85ba-8043e142cbfd.html.

Or in UA News (click here).

It was the office of local architect Roy Place, who also built the Pioneer Hotel, Roskruge Elementary and Mansfeld Middle Schools, the St. Benedictine Monastery.

The dedication for this building will be on Thursday, Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. with UA President Robert Shelton and Fred DuVal, a member of the Arizona Board of Regents. The dedication ceremony will be on the NW corner of N. Stone and E. Pennington Street at Jacome Plaza, although this Roy Place building is at that same intersection on the SE corner, 44 N. Stone Avenue.

I used to shop in there at Walgreen’s when I worked downtown on Pennington Street at the Domestic Violence Commission (now defunct). But it’s wonderful to see the original facade restored, especially as it was Roy Place’s architect office, which looked out upon the lovely Pima County Courthouse, which he built in 1929. It is perhaps his most famous building in Tucson.

For website of Pima County Consolidated Justice Courts/Courthouse, click here.

Incidentally I have held court (Small Claims) in that historic courthouse building for the Pima County Consolidated Justice Courts, although our courtroom is now in the La Placita Village down south on Church Avenue.

Press release from Arizona Secretary of State’s Office:

State certifies General Election, is granted court order for Prop 112 recount

Counties prepare for first recount of statewide ballot proposition in Arizona ’s history

PHOENIX: Secretary of State Ken Bennett has been granted a court order allowing an automatic recount to proceed regarding the results of Proposition 112.

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Robert Oberbillig issued the order Monday afternoon. A recount was mandated under state law due to the close margin in the race for Prop 112. Out of more than 1.5 million votes cast in that race, “no” votes are leading “yes” votes by just 128 – well within the 200-vote margin that would necessitate a recount.

County elections officials are preparing for the recount now, and will shortly begin re-running ballots through optical-scan machines in order to again tabulate the vote total for Prop 112. Only that contest will be recounted. Judge Oberbillig has ordered the counties to complete their recount activities by Dec. 15. He is scheduled to certify the new results for Prop 112 at a hearing on Dec. 20.

“Together with county elections officials, we’ve been in preparations for this recount since the days following the Nov. 2 General Election when it became apparent that a recount may be necessary,” Secretary Bennett said. “I’m confident that the recount can be conducted quickly and accurately, bringing finality to the Proposition 112 results.”

The recount is expected to cost $150,000-$200,000. As outlined by state law, the counties will be reimbursed for their costs by the state.

The Secretary of State’s Office sought the recount court order immediately following Monday afternoon’s completion of a statewide canvass certifying state and federal results for the Nov. 2 General Election. A signing ceremony for the canvass included Secretary Bennett, Gov. Jan Brewer, state Attorney General Terry Goddard and Chief Justice Rebecca White Berch of the Arizona Supreme Court.

More than 1.75 million ballots were cast in the General Election, equating to statewide voter turnout of 55.6 percent. Turnout was strongest in Yavapai (67.9 percent), Pima (65.5 percent) and Gila (60.2 percent) counties. About 54 percent of Maricopa County ’s registered voters cast a ballot in the General Election.

“Every General Election is a massive undertaking,” Bennett said. “But I’m pleased to report that our Nov. 2 election was conducted safely, smoothly and without major incident.

“My gratitude for that goes out to members of my office and county officials who coordinated the election, the more than 14,000 poll workers who manned polling places on Election Day and – of course – the more than 1.7 million Arizonans who cast a ballot.”

NOTE: Official 2010 General Election Canvass results are available here: http://www.azsos.gov/election/2010/General/Canvass2010GE.pdf

Note: In case you’re wondering, Proposition 112 “would amend the Constitution to require that initiative petitions be filed at least six months before the date on which the measure will be voted on. Under current law, initiative petitions must be filed at least four months before the date on which the measure will be voted on.” (from League of Women Voters of Arizona Education Fund Voter Guide).

So, all this time & expense to recount in all the counties is about reducing the process by 2 months. But congratulations to Pima County voters for their high turnout (65.5 % mentioned above.)

The Arizona Daily Star’s reporters publish a Pueblo Politics blog, and here’s their article on the upcoming Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission process. “The 5 member commission has to nominate 25 people by Jan. 8 to serve on the Independent Redistricting Commission. The top Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate will each get a pick, then the four appointed members will pick the fifth member.” Currently, The Commission consists of five members: two Democrats, two Republicans, and one Independent. The Commissioners are: Daniel Elder (REP), Joshua Hall (DEM), James Huntwork (REP), Steven W. Lynn, Chairman (IND), and Andi Minkoff, Vice Chairman (DEM) (info from their website).

http://azstarnet.com/news/blogs/pueblo-politics/article_536ce5a0-f682-11df-bb02-001cc4c03286.html

Submit comments on applicants to 1501 W. Washington, Suite 221, Phoenix, AZ 85007 by December 3rd. Eleven citizens applying from Pima County are:

DEMOCRATS:

Luis A. Gonzales (Pima County)
Linda C. McNulty (Pima County)
William G. Roe (Pima County)
Mark D. Rubin (Pima County)
S.L. “Si” Schorr (Pima County)
Marshall A. Worden (Pima County)

INDEPENDENTS:

Colleen C. Mathis (Pima County)

REPUBLICANS:
Christopher M. Gleason (Pima County)
Jeffrey D. Miller (Pima County)
Richard Stertz (Pima County)
Benny E. White (Pima County)

If you have anything to say about these applicants, I encourage you to write in as these people will be working on the new state legislative & Congressional districts, due to changes in the 2010 Census. Check the Star article for Maricopa County (mostly), Coconino County (1), Navajo County (1), and Yuma County (1) applicants.

12/9/10 UPDATE: Marshall Worden, Mark Rubin, Linda McNulty, Bill Roe, Benny White, and Colleen Mathis made the cut from Pima County. See comments below.