Journal

Last Friday

This is the ongoing journal of the renovation and reinvigoration of the historic Granada Theatre in Emporia Kansas.

May 30, 2008

Anna’s Resignation In case you do not know, I have chosen to resign from my position as executive director of the Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance. It has been my pleasure to serve the Granada and I look forward to being a patron. I would like to thank the executive committee for the opportunity to be part of this project and the board for their ongoing work and diligence. Many thanks to Bones Ownbey and crew for their ongoing dedication. I have enjoyed meeting all of you and look forward to seeing you at the theatre! -Anna Ryan

Welcome Back A month ago I was saying my goodbyes, interviewing for other jobs, and getting ready to graduate. Well, like somebody once told me, “everything works out for a reason.” That is why I am excited to stay in Emporia to continue to be a part of the project and the Board, completing the renovation of the project and the tax credits, and having a successful grand opening. For a person my age just graduating from college, I am lucky and it is an honor to have the title of Executive Director. Thank you to the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors for giving me this wonderful opportunity. -Doug Ford

Newsletter via E-mail Last month we asked for an e-mail address to receive the newsletter via e-mail. If you would like an e-mailed newsletter, send me an e-mail at director@emporiagranada.com. Thank you to everyone who has already replied. We appreciate your patience and will eventually make this change.

The Granada Well as usual, I’ll let Bones do most of the description of the ongoing renovation of the theatre, but for my personal report: “It is beginning to look amazing.” Again, I am lucky to have this job because something is constantly changing on the ceiling with the stencil work, something is always taking form with the plaster work, or all of the woodworking and construction that is being done. There is always something new happening. Anytime I am having a bad day, all I have to do is walk in the theatre to lift my spirits.

Foreman’s Notes. What a wonderful time it is to be working at the Granada. Every day brings us closer to spectacular!

We are finishing up the stencils that I call steering wheels and diamonds and some of my painters call squares, phones, and pizza parts. No matter what you call them there are around 900 of these design elements or steering wheels each made up of four “Rhumba Orange” phone shapes, eight “Fired Brick” red pizza parts, and a small red center circle. Then the steering wheels are surrounded by four black squares. These are stenciled on a sand finished “Jamaica Bay” blue ceiling under the front of the balcony. The stencils are between nine “Leather Bound” brown and red trimmed ornamental plaster corbels that give the illusion of supporting the balcony. Between the corbels are eight golden decorative medallions cast from plaster. These serve as air diffusers for the heat and air system. All of these design elements are completed on the front edge of the balcony ceiling by a long sweeping dark golden curved plaster piece that serves as trim between the blue and stenciled ceiling under the balcony and the elaborately decorated 78 pieces of plaster that make up the face of the balcony.

An incredible amount of work has gone into this small area of the theater. When we started we found one of the existing corbels that was good enough to make a mold from which to cast the 9 new plaster corbels. Likewise we made molds from one good existing medallion for casting the eight new ones and from one good balcony face piece to cast the 78 new ones. The existing stenciling patterns were visible through the brown paint that has covered the theater surfaces since the fire in 1959. We stripped the paint from several areas of the existing stencils to ascertain the original colors and to make tracings for our new stencil patterns. Then all of the damaged decorative and ceiling plaster was removed. That was followed by repairing and rebuilding the steel framework, new wiring and lights, sprinkler lines, new duct work and new drywall. After all that was done, we were able to install the new decorative plaster elements, then paint and then stencil.

Whew! So much effort for such a small area of the theater. But oohhhh-weee it sure looks good. Walking from the lobby past the concession stand into the theater leads one to this fantastic visual area just before stepping out from under the balcony to get a visual of the magnificent proscenium arch and the stunning stenciled main auditorium ceiling. We definitely are bringing back a sight to behold. Expect to hear a lot of Wows.

-bones

March 28, 2008

THE SCAFFOLDING IS DOWN!!!

I’ll let Bones fill you in on the details, but we are thrilled to be able to move onto the next phase of work. Now that additional construction is beginning, the doors at the Granada are locked in the interest of safety. Please see our website: www.emporiagranada.com to get updates as work progresses.

Want to visit with Bones and some of the people who are making the dream a reality?

Then come to the Lyon County Historical Society’s Night at the Museum, May 13 @ 7:00, 118 E 6th. We will be talking about the progress at the Granada, looking at pictures of the project and doing demonstrations of some of our renovation techniques.

GRAND OPENING!

The Grand Opening Committee has been meeting and planning a wonderful line up of activities to introduce the Granada to the community. Stay tuned for dates and events - it will be a time to remember! If you or your business would be interested in serving as an underwriter for our Grand Opening festivities, call Anna @ 342-3342.

Artist Walk

April 19^th from 10am - 4 pm, Commercial Street will be awash with music, acting, sculpting, painting, and much more. Downtown businesses have invited various artists to perform their art forms throughout the day. Live performances will be happening underneath the Granada marquee. Bring your family and friends out to enjoy the experience!

Foreman’s Notes. a wonderful time it is to be working at the Granada. Every day brings us closer to spectacular!

We are finishing up the stencils that I call steering wheels and diamonds and some of my painters call squares, phones, and pizza parts. No matter what you call them there are around 900 of these design elements or steering wheels each made up of four “Rhumba Orange” phone shapes, eight “Fired Brick” red pizza parts, and a small red center circle. Then the steering wheels are surrounded by four black squares. These are stenciled on a sand finished “Jamaica Bay” blue ceiling under the front of the balcony. The stencils are between nine “Leather Bound” brown and red trimmed ornamental plaster corbels that give the illusion of supporting the balcony. Between the corbels are eight golden decorative medallions cast from plaster. These serve as air diffusers for the heat and air system. All of these design elements are completed on the front edge of the balcony ceiling by a long sweeping dark golden curved plaster piece that serves as trim between the blue and stenciled ceiling under the balcony and the elaborately decorated 78 pieces of plaster that make up the face of the balcony.

An incredible amount of work has gone into this small area of the theater. When we started we found one of the existing corbels that was good enough to make a mold from which to cast the 9 new plaster corbels. Likewise we made molds from one good existing medallion for casting the eight new ones and from one good balcony face piece to cast the 78 new ones. The existing stenciling patterns were visible through the brown paint that has covered the theater surfaces since the fire in 1959. We stripped the paint from several areas of the existing stencils to ascertain the original colors and to make tracings for our new stencil patterns. Then all of the damaged decorative and ceiling plaster was removed. That was followed by repairing and rebuilding the steel framework, new wiring and lights, sprinkler lines, new duct work and new drywall. After all that was done, we were able to install the new decorative plaster elements, then paint and then stencil.

Whew! So much effort for such a small area of the theater. But oohhhh-weee it sure looks good. Walking from the lobby past the concession stand into the theater leads one to this fantastic visual area just before stepping out from under the balcony to get a visual of the magnificent proscenium arch and the stunning stenciled main auditorium ceiling.

We definitely are bringing back a sight to behold.

Expect to hear a lot of Wows.

-bones

February 29, 2008

The Granada in the News

KSNT TV -Topeka did a wonderful story on the Granada this month. If you happened to miss it, you can still watch it on the web. Type in KSNT.com and search Emporia Granada Theatre. There is a written article as well as the video interview. The Granada is proud to be a bright spot in Emporia’s past, present, and future.

Calling all Volunteers!

Looking for a way to help out at the Granada? We are continually in the process of doing mailings at the Granada and could always use an extra hand. If you are interested in helping “stuff, seal, and stamp”, please let us know. 341-3342 or director@emporiagranada.com

Website Updates

The Granada continues to be fortunate in having computer & network consultant, Dan Boyce update our website and tech support. He is in the process of adding recent pictures of the theatre and making the Last Friday online, as well as keeping our operating systems in good working order. He is another good example of what makes the Granada work. If you haven’t visited the website in a while, take a look today at

www.emporiagranada.com

Emporia Arts Council

The Arts @ the Council Campaign is still in full swing! We at the Granada look forward to being neighbors and collaborators with the Arts Council on Commercial Street and applaud their fundraising efforts. A contribution to the EAC is beneficial to both the Granada and the Emporia Arts Council.

Donor Board

Donor Board letters are included with this mailing. If you have donated $1,000 or more and did not receive a letter verifying your information, please contact the office at 342-3342 or director@emporiagranada.com

If you donated under $1,000, it’s not too late to increase your donation so that you can be included on the board. The Granada is thankful for ALL of your contributions!

~Next Leap Year….

….there will be a Granada event to celebrate!

Foreman’s Notes.

What a difference color can make.

The extensive and colorful stenciling on the ceiling is nearing completion. We have been blessed to have a steady handed crew to hand paint the intricate details of the repetitive designs. Exacting, tedious, the same details over and over. The painters are painstakingly tackling the task. It looks pretty spectacular in the areas that are completed.

The plaster corbels that line the North and South walls are truly becoming “decorative”. It seems like quite a while back when we were carefully stripping a brown paint from the intact plaster corbels for the purpose of discovering what the 1929 colors were. Now here we are close to having them all repaired or recast and painted. Returning the colors to the same garish colors we found to have been original. Colors, oh, so bright. They are so much fun.

And then speaking of decorative plaster, we have made yet another mold ready for casting. This one is the last one we expect to have to make. It is a mold of the carefully re-created canopy pieces that go around the former organ lofts just below the distinctive plaster crowns. We did not have any of the original pieces, so we incorporated design elements from other plaster fragments from around the theatre to recreate these striking new pieces. When the pieces using this new mold are cast, they will have a delicate filigree look. Soon we shall have these last decorative items in place and painted also. My whole crew will be ooohh so glad to have reached the point of having all the recreated or duplicated plaster pieces cast, painted, and installed. Ready for a sigh of relief from us and ready to be looked at by y’all.

Other areas around the theatre continue to move forward. Our volunteer general contractor, John Mallon, has graciously allowed me to hire his crew to help with framing, with sheetrock, and with the many other tasks around the site. John’s crew consists of the brothers Junior, Robert, and John McGuire and a second generation of John Lee and Ronnie McGuire, along with Eddie Bess and Tony Liver. This crew did install the proscenium arch, but the work these gentlemen do mostly gets covered up and hidden. Even still there is no doubt that they have been instrumental in helping move this theater toward being one of the finest examples of ornamental theaters in the state of Kansas. Painters, framers, and all the crews, I’m glad that we have such good people working with us.

- bones

January 25, 2008

Introductions….

While this newsletter is entitled “Last Friday”, I just recently had my “First Monday” with the EGTA. What a joy and adventure my first two weeks have been! Dr. Duane Henrikson, Harry Stephens, Kathy Kessler and John Mallon have been wonderful guides during this introductory period. I cannot express enough thanks to Doug Ford for his welcoming nature and taking me “under his wing” as I become familiar with the office and its procedures. Daily, I am inspired by the passion Bones Ownbey and his crew pour into the magical transfiguration of the Granada. As I continue to meet members of the Emporia community, I am awestruck by the excitement and enthusiasm the city has for this project.

In this time of introductions, I look forward to meeting all of you. Feel free to stop by the Granada office, give me a call or introduce your self if we should bump into each other on the street. It is an honor for me to serve the Granada, and I eagerly look to the day the theatre’s doors are open to serve Emporia.

Donor Board

While there remains a tremendous amount of work to be done in the Granada, its completion is daily becoming a closer and closer reality. As we turn our thoughts to the details of the interior, one of the centerpieces of the lobby will be the donor board. In the next few weeks will be sending out letters to verify:

• How donors would like to have their names presented
• Donation amounts
• Level of giving they will be included in

In addition, there will be an opportunity for donors to increase their giving if they would like to be included at a higher level as well as for our donors who have given less than $1000 to increase their donations so they maybe included on the board. If you have made a financial donation and do not receive a letter to verify your information, please contact us at the Granada office by February 15: 342-3342

Foreman’s Notes.

This last month has been a great time of renewal. A time for a new beginning. We’ve been trying to bring the theatre up to the standards of Wow. These days it feels like we’re starting to get there. The seven large corbels above the proscenium arch are repaired and are being painted as you read this. They were all but when we started. Now they are striking in their appearance.

The decorative plaster pieces that make up the proscenium arch are all in place. It’s easy to see that it’s going to look magnificent. There’s still the tedious task of filling in the cracks and touching up with paint but every inch finished brings us closer to looking glorious.

And speaking of soon-to-be glorious.

The proscenium arch isn’t the only show in town. The decorative pieces that make up the front of the balcony are incredible in their own right. Columns, flowers, and flowing lines make up the striking ribbon of decorative plaster that starts on one side of the stage and winds around the front of the balcony to the other side of the stage. It looks great and it’s not even done.

And then there is soon-to-be wonderful.

Substantial work has been completed in the process of stenciling the main ceiling. We still have a ways to go. But when you are looking at what we have already completed, the word “Wow” barely seems to do it justice. It is awe inspiring. When you see it you’ll know what I mean.

And meanwhile…

Bathrooms are being sheetrocked and taped. The main auditorium walls are being repaired and prepared for paint. Ductwork moves closer to completion. The Sprinkler system is in, the fire alarm system is roughed in, and there is more and more! It’s a whole lot of good stuff happening all around the theatre.

I believe that you are going to really be happy with what we’re doing.

-bones

December 28, 2007

The end of 2007 gives the Granada the opportunity to say thanks to:

• The Executive Committee and Board of Directors who give their time and talents to ensure the Granada will be a useful and beautiful multi-purpose facility.
• Those groups who toured or allowed the Granada to present a PowerPoint program to them.
• Participants and attendees of the annual “Flashlight Tour of Haunted Emporia.”
• Media outlets who help us share the Granada renovation with the public.
• Great tenants! The Granada Coffee Company and The Sweet Granada for their continuing support of the Granada Theatre. Also, thanks for tolerating all the noise and dust of the demolition.
• Our Foreman, Bones Ownbey, for his enthusiasm for this project.
• A crew who enjoys coming to work each day.
• Our donors. Without you, this renovation would not be possible.

Annual Meeting. For the Board of Directors, the Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance, Inc Annual Meeting is January 24, 2008 at 4:00 p.m. Invitations will be mailed with a location of the meeting soon.

Thanks for your continued support of the Alliance because it is both needed and appreciated.

Foreman’s Notes.

Looking back over the year, I can’t help but be pleased.

A year ago I could only imagine how wonderful the theatre would look when finished. We were digging dirt out of the stage basement. My crew shoveled dirt into 55 gallon barrels which were lifted out of the building with a track hoe and hauled off. Tons of rotten plaster was also being removed from the main auditorium ceiling. One step, one detail at a time we have worked on and toward the completion of the theatre. So, that now I can actually begin to see all the elements coming together to make a magnificent building.

It’s an exciting time in the construction process. The auditorium ceiling is installed, taped, textured, painted, and now the stenciling work has begun. We’ve only just started but already it is visually delightful. The big plaster corbels above the proscenium arch have been repaired. They look great. They’ll be painted sometime this month.

Even more exciting. Just as the year ends, we have begun to hang the decorative plaster pieces that make up the proscenium arch itself. By the end of the first week of 2008 all the pieces will be on the wall.

Get ready for WOW!

The finishing touches are always fun and a pleasure to see. We have been fortunate enough on this job to find pleasure in the whole building process. We have sweated, worried, toiled and rejoiced at the success of each task finished. Every day this year we have been blessed to have the opportunity to work toward re-creating a vibrant building space. Now we’re getting to bring back joyful colors from the past. We’re getting to make visual candy, eye-popping delights. And there’s more to come.

2008 is going to be a really fun year!!!

-bones

November 30, 2007

The New Executive Director. The Executive Director Selection Committee is in the process of narrowing down and starting to interview candidates for the new EGTA Executive Director position. The group of candidates is well-qualified and the future of the Granada Theatre looks to be bright. The Executive Director Selection Committee hopes to have a new Executive Director hired by the end of December.

Great Sympathy. The Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance, Inc. wishes to offer our sympathy to Bones Ownbey and his family for the death of his father. Bones’ father passed away last week in Oklahoma after a lengthy illness. With the failing health of his father, the past couple of months have been tough for Bones and his family. The Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance, Inc. wishes Bones and his family well in this time of need and would like to again express our gratitude for his dedication to the completion of the Granada restoration.

Donations may be sent to: ‘Memorial for Austin Ownbey’; The Cube at Council Roads Baptist Church; 2900 N. Council Rd.; Bethany, Oklahoma 73008

President’s Words:

With the Christmas and holiday season upon us, I would like to thank all of our supporters for their continued support of the restoration of the Granada Theatre. As you may surmise from Doug’s report and Bones’ update progress is real and we are all anticipating the use of the theatre in the not to distant future. As we near the end of the restoration phase of the project, we will be entering into the new phase of programming, renting the facility, and fund raising to make the project a success. Each day brings new ideas for usage and more inquiries about renting the facility. It is definitely an exciting time for the Alliance and the community.

-Duane Henrikson, President

Thanks for your continued support of the Alliance because it is both needed and appreciated.

Foreman’s Notes.

Here we are in the season of Thanksgiving. My whole crew is feeling thankful for the beautiful sight of finish work. What a pleasure it is to see the theatre begin to take shape

New gas and electric service was turned on after many delays. Wooo Hooo!!! Now we’ve got heat. Let the painting begin!

As I write these notes, the main ceiling and beams are being primed and painted. The stenciling work will start next week. Wow!

The seven plaster columns above the proscenium arch are in the process of being repaired. They are starting to look real good. And right below the columns, the steel support framing for the decorative plaster pieces of the proscenium arch is all but complete. The metal lath is the only part lacking and it will be done in a couple of days. That means we’re going to begin installing the proscenium arch pieces in the first couple of weeks in December. Did say I was thankful? YES, YES, YES!!!

Lots of other things are coming together, too. The sheetrocking is taking place in the mezzanine level. Suddenly the lounge area, bathrooms, and office are feeling less like a warehouse and more like real rooms. The lounge area also will have decorative plaster pieces for crown and curtain molding. It’s going to look awesome. The wow factor will truly be throughout the theatre. It’s going to be so much fun!

Yes, we are thankful that we are at the point of thinking about and installing finishing touches. It already feels like a great holiday season to us. Here’s hoping you have a Great Holiday season, too.

-bones

P.S. We’ve had some good people come forward and volunteer to help stencil the ceilings and beams. But we still need more. Do you want to brag that you helped decorate this delightful theatre? Come talk to me.

October 26, 2007

Another Hopping Month!!! Again, another busy, busy, busy month!!! The crew is finished installing the sheetrock on the main auditorium ceiling. It is just amazing how sheetrock can really make a ceiling and building take shape. Besides all the busy construction work in the theatre, the Granada Theatre also participated in the Flashlight Tour on Oct. 26^th with the Lyon County Museum, the William Allen White Home, and ESU Memorial Union. It was exciting to hear some spooky stories that were told at all of the locations. The Granada Theatre would like to thank S.C. Dixon for telling stories about the Granada Theatre.

The New Executive Director. The executive board is in the process of hiring a New Executive Director. We have received many excellent applications and resumes and hope to be hiring someone soon. The future of the Granada Theatre looks to be bright; we want it to continue in excellent hands.

Many have asked if I would be applying for the position as the Executive Director since I am presently the Interim Executive Director. My response is, “No, I am not.” There are many reasons. The main one is that I am still a student at Emporia State University and anxious to see what the world is going to offer when I graduate. I have enjoyed my tenure as the Interim Executive Director. It is an experience that can not be matched. It has been a pleasure working with Bones, the crew, and the Board of Directors. Once the new Executive Director is hired, I will stay on as an assistant until I graduate in May 2008. I thank the Executive Committee for giving me this marvelous opportunity.

Thanks for your continued support of the Alliance because it is both needed and appreciated.

Foreman’s Notes.

Talk about an exciting time. We are making major progress toward the renovation of the theater. The ceiling of the main auditorium is sheetrocked. Taping and mudding is taking place right now. We will start painting in a week or so.

We completed and submitted a Report of the survey of colors originally used in the building. We included a schedule of what we believe to be matching color choices to the State Historical Society. Our color choices were approved at the state level and sent to the National Park Service for their approval. We’re gonna be ready to paint!!!

The sprinkler system is being installed and moving towards completion. Westar finally approved our electrical service plans. This has allowed us to run the conduit underground across the alley, pour the concrete around the back side of the building (hooray), and prepare to connect new service. That alone is worthy of excitement.

But there’s more. We discovered that there were voids under the existing concrete floor a few weeks ago. A good example of the surprises you get when you’re renovating an old building. Before putting the additional weight of new concrete down we had to support our existing floor. We core drilled the floor and pumped concrete under the slab for the needed support. A nasty job that went real well. Now we will be ready to pour the new floors when we can remove the scaffolding.

Another major point of excitement is that our crew has been joined by two master plasterers. They will be helping us repair, patch, and rebuild the existing decorative pieces, the last of the missing decorative pieces, and also help us repair the wall and ceiling plaster spots that need to be patched.

I’m thrilled beyond expression.

We’re really rolling. Wait til you see what we’re going to do now!!

Yee-Haaaa!!!

-bones

September 28, 2007

Busy, Busy, Busy!!! The month of September has been a busy month for the Granada Theatre. There has been lots of activity in the Theatre-A/C rooftop units have been put in place, the roof is being repaired, the waterproofing of the back basement is about completed, electrical wiring and conduits is continuing to proceed at a rapid pace, framing has been started and completed in the mezzanine and the ADA bathrooms on the first floor, interior walls have been power washed with TSP, and the fire sprinkler system has been approved and will be installed in the not too distant future.

“Patience is a Virtue.” In addition to the activity in the theatre, I would like to thank Harry Stephen, John Mallon, Mike Schmidt, Bones Ownbey, and Doug Ford for getting the historical tax credits submitted and approved on both the State and Federal level. This is a great accomplishment and will help insure completion of a wonderful project for the citizens of Emporia and the surrounding Flint Hills region. Work like this goes unnoticed but requires hours of time and great attention to detail to successfully complete. It is all too often that we forget that this project is an extremely complicated one and because of its historical significance to Emporia requires additional thought and study to bring it to completion. The old adage that “Patience is a Virtue” truly holds true for this project.

New Job Description. The executive board has developed a new job description for our Executive Director since the role and mission of the director has changed. We will be advertising the position in the local media and the Historical Theatre publications. We are in hopes to have a good group to interview and hopefully be able to hire a new Director by the end of October.

Thanks for your continued support of the Alliance because it is both needed and appreciated.

Foreman’s Notes.

Ooh Wee! There has been a lot of excitement in the Theatre this month. All the planning and all the background work has come together to bring us to the point where the projects we’re working on now really make a good show. Let me describe to you some of the highlights:

• A small crane arrived and set the roof repair materials up on the roof. The repair work has since been completed.
• The day after the small crane was here a much larger crane arrived to set the 3 large rooftop units (heat and air) in place. It won’t be long now ‘til the building is climate controlled. What a relief that will be! All the sheetrock finishing, the plaster work, and the painting require temperature and humidity control. We’re going to be able to start those projects soon. HOORAY!!!
• The bathroom and concession stand walls under the balcony on the main floor are framed and awaiting sheetrock.
• The ceilings in the mezzanine level for the bathrooms and lounge area are also framed.
• Conduit is in place and wires are pulled throughout most of the building.
• The plumbing and the heat and air ductwork is on going and looking good.

I’ve also been moving forward in the planning of the installation of the proscenium arch. What a pleasure it is to look ahead to the day the decorative plaster starts going up.

Another thing we’re looking forward to is the drywall going up on the auditorium ceiling. When the drywall is up and finished, we will begin the extensive work of painting the stencils. There’s a bunch of them. It’s a lot of work. We are going to be looking for artists in the community to help us. If you are artistic. If you have a steady hand when painting. If you want to be able to brag that you helped decorate the Granada Theatre. Please come talk to me about the stenciling work that needs to be done.

We’re all feeling real good about the progress in the building. Big Changes. Great Leaps Forward. As I said, “A Lot of Excitement!”

-bones

August 31, 2007

The Interim Executive Director

I was born and raised in Topeka, KS and went to Shawnee Heights High School. This is my fifth year at Emporia State University. I will be receiving a degree in Business Administration in May of 2008. I am very involved on campus. I am the President of the Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity.

About three months ago, I became an intern at the Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance. Then as most know, when Vickie Hayes-Walworth resigned, I became the Interim Executive Director. Ever since then, it has been a whirlwind. In the last two months, I have learned more than four years of college (don’t tell my professors). I have done more accounting and attended more meetings than I ever imagined, but it has been an experience that I will be grateful to have. As a college student with the opportunity to do all of this, before I even graduate, I couldn’t ask for better.

I wish to thank the Executive Committee for giving me this marvelous opportunity. It has been a pleasure working with Bones, the crew, and the rest of the Building Committee. As far as the Granada goes, it is hopping! It is just amazing. All the things that are happening right now are exciting.

If you ever need to contact me, the best times are in the afternoon. I have class in the mornings and then I’m at the Granada in the afternoons. Again, I want to thank everybody for giving me this opportunity. Thanks.

Thanks for your continued support of the Alliance because it is both needed and appreciated.

Foreman’s Notes.

For a little while we have been waiting (willing and not so willingly) on starting several aspects of the renovation. Weather problems and other conditions and problems have caused many delays. I, of course, have been trying to solve the problems and deal with the things beyond our control so that we can move forward.

Then, just like life would treat a person. I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to take my youngest son to Babson College in Wellesley, Mass. A wonderful trip. His next 4 years should be incredibly exciting. But the minute I leave several sub-contractors showed up to start their part of our project and some unusual problems occurred that were…interesting. Needless to say, it was difficult for me to run the job from Boston, Mass. And some of the interesting problems had to wait on my return. I was only gone for 5 days. Now, it’s all ok. In fact, what’s happening in the theatre is wonderful!!! It’s hopping around here.

• We’ve poured new concrete slabs for the bathrooms and concession stand under the balcony.
• We’ve framed ceilings in the mezzanine level.
• Areas of duct work are being completed.
• Stage lights, Exterior lights and more are in and soon usable.

And I’m pleased to say that we have discovered that the walls of the theatre are top coated with white portland not plaster. Being all concrete means that we can power wash the walls. That gives us totally clean walls to patch and finish. Way cool! The power washing and accompanying vacuuming are tedious, hard jobs. But my crew can handle it. At least they got the (dubious) pleasure of playing in the water on some really hot days. It is a fun thing and a miserable thing all at the same time

But Ooo-Oooo-Wee!!! GOOD, GOOD, GOOD is how I feel about everything going on around here. There are a lot of Yee-Haws!!! being hollered by the crew throughout the theatre. All of us are smiling.

-bones

July 27, 2007

The End of an Era at the Granada. The month of July has been a busy month for the Granada Theatre Alliance. At the June Executive Board Meeting our Executive Director Vickie Hayes-Walworth announced that she had accepted a job with Ward-Kraft, a printing company in Fort Scott. Vickie had served the Alliance as its director for 5 years. In those 5 years, the Alliance completed its Capitol Campaign of $2.6 million dollars in December of 2003, has made major progress in the completion of the theatre, and has kept a community presence in those years much due to the hard work of our Executive Director Vickie. The Board of Directors thanks Vickie for her service to the Alliance and wishes her continued success in her new job.

The New Executive Director (Interim). With the resignation of Vickie, the Executive Board has increased the job responsibilities of intern Doug Ford. Doug is a senior student at Emporia State University and is doing a fine job as the interim director. The Executive Board is working on creating a new job description for the new Executive Director since some of the needs of the Alliance and the community has changed since hiring Vickie.

In Other News. In mid July, the Emporia Arts Council announced that they had completed their silent campaign to build a new arts center north of the Granada Theatre. This is an exciting development for the Alliance, the Arts Council, and the Community in providing an excellent facility for Emporia. I hope that everyone will support this project and make the vision of an arts and entertainment district in downtown Emporia a reality.

Thanks for your continued support of the Alliance because it is both needed and appreciated.

Foreman’s Notes.

Sometimes there is an interesting balance between modernizing an old building or trying to put it back the way it was. Other times it’s pretty clear cut. For example: it’s kind of fun thinking about the ice evaporative cooling system (very up-to-date in 1929) used by the theatre; but today…we’ll go with modern roof top units and area temperature control. Thank you. In order to install the units, new steel framing was required to be welded just below the existing roofing to support the weight of the modern roof top units. Hot and sweaty work up in that attic, I’ll tell you what. But we got ‘er done. We framed up for two units above the main auditorium and one above the stage. We used the new man lift to build a platform about 43 ft. above the stage, so that we could install the big 6×9 steel I-beams needed for the framing up there. Some kind of fun. Oh, yeah and the heat, whew!!!

And speaking of fun. The theatre once modern, now old, being brought back to modern will some day be old again. In the process of restoring this building my crew and I have occasionally found mementos of the construction crew of 1929. It got me to thinking, someday (hopefully far in the future) the theatre will be taken apart and removed. My crew and I would like to do a time capsule kind of thing in the building while we’re rebuilding. We are looking for advertising magnets and stickers from area businesses, clubs, athletic groups, or whatever that represents today. We are placing the magnets in spots where no one will find them until the building is torn down or the roof completely redone or something like that. We figure the future workers will be quite tickled to find these mementos of Emporia’s past. If you would like us to place a magnet or sticker from your business or group somewhere in the building, please mail them or drop them off at the theatre to the alliance office in the Kress building.

-bones

June 29, 2007

The Granada was the focus for two groups this month. Roosevelt High School and Sunrise Rotary were updated about the progress of the Granada during the month of June. During the reunion picnic, the Roosevelt alumni took up a donation and will now have their name on the Donor Wall of Honor. They donated more than $1,000. Sunrise Rotary made a pledge during our Capital Campaign and will have their name on the wall also. Thanks to them and all groups that have made donations. There is still time to make a donation and get the name of your group on the Donor Wall of Honor.

The Granada welcomes Doug Ford. Filling the Administrative Assistant position, Doug is a welcome addition to the Granada. He is an Emporia State University senior majoring in Business Administration. Doug is from Topeka. He is the President of the Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity.

This is my last Last Friday. It has been my pleasure and a privilege to be the Executive Director of the Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance, Inc. for over five years. Thank you to all the groups who have toured the theatre or let me present a program for them. I enjoyed hearing your memories of the Granada. Thank you to everyone who made our Capital Campaign a success. Our Campaign Leadership Committee and Board of Directors have a passion and vision for the successful completion of the Granada renovation. It has been an honor to work with them. Our crew is a dedicated group of men and women who are proud to work on such a beautiful building. I’ve appreciated working with them. I look forward to being part of the opening night audience and to attending many future events at the Granada.

Foreman’s Notes.

It has been such a pleasure working for Vickie that it’s hard to talk about anything else but her. I have said in these notes before that she has made my job a lot easier. I’m thankful for that. Vickie and I are both looking on the positive side. We believe that good things will be the result of this change.

We have had some excitement on the job this last month. The Alliance purchased an electric 56-foot man lift. It is light enough that we are able to put it on the stage. This gave us access to the ceiling above the stage for the first time. We got right to it and cleaned all the pieces and parts from up there that we don’t want in the building. We welded the steel supports for the rooftop heating and air conditioning unit that goes above the stage. The electricians used the lift to start pulling wires and run conduit up, over, and around the stage. Soon other contractors will use the lift to install gas pipe, ductwork, and everything else that goes up against the ceiling. We’re glad to have that lift!!!

Another opportunity for excitement came when George Crocker notified me that he had completed the paintings for the niches. My crew helped moved the paintings from George’s house to the basement of the Kress building where they will be stored until we can mount them. Everybody on the crew was excited to see George’s work. These wonderful paintings are going to be a nice added detail that will help make the building feel even more special. Thanks, George.

Goodbye Vickie. We’ll miss you even though we expect to see you often.

-bones

May 25, 2007

Many people have had the opportunity to learn about the Granada in the last two months. The following groups have allowed us to share the on-going renovations of the Granada. These groups included people from around the state. We thank them for their interest and support of the Granada.

• Chase County University Women-meeting organized by Merry Rayl.
• Administrative Assistants of Kansas Cities-organized by Michele Rodriguez.
• Kansas County Appraisers-organized by Gary Post.
• Retired Emporia State University faculty-organized by George Milton.
• Ottawa Sacred Heart School 4^th Grade Students-organized by Shae Jackson.
• Trend Club-organized by Jaqueline James.
• Historic Resources Committee of American Institute of Architects, Kansas Division-organized by Julia Manglitz.

A presentation for Main Street Directors was given in Marysville. I went with Harry Stephens, Granada Treasurer, to show our PowerPoint program to the quarterly meeting of Main Street Directors. We talked about our plans for use of the Granada, demolition, renovation, and historic tax credits.

Emporia is so fortunate to have the Granada. As I share the Granada with people, both locally and from around the state, I get such positive feedback about our renovation efforts. The Granada was and will be the most beautiful place for future events. We are such a lucky community!

Foreman’s Notes.

I grow a 1/4 acre of raspberries and blackberries at my house. They are

interesting plants with interesting requirements. It is the nurturing, care, and

work put in this year that produces next year’s berry crop. Each time-consuming chore, each step of pruning, weeding, fertilizing and watering is done this year for upcoming rewards next year; likewise, the Granada Theatre.

Each task completed, each step:

• Installing new house lights and turning them on,

• Removing the temporary work lights no longer needed,

• Putting the under stage showers in place and running all the water and waste supply pipes under the stage,

• Finishing the painting of the proscenium arch decorative plaster pieces,

• Completing every weld required on the ceiling;

Each step leads us to future rewards like next year’s berries. There will be movies, theatre productions, receptions, conventions, shows….. Every effort, every nasty job is being worked on now because we’re looking forward to the bountiful harvest of a beautiful theatre.

-bones

April 27, 2007

Congratulations to The Granada Coffee Company and The Sweet Granada. For the fourth year in a row, The Granada Coffee Company was selected “Best Coffee” in the Best of the Flint Hills Readers’ Choice Awards sponsored by The Emporia Gazette. The Sweet Granada was selected in the “Best Bakery/Desserts” category. We are so proud of these business owners. They are wonderful additions to the Granada. Not only do they run successful businesses, they are involved in the community in many other ways. We are fortunate that they selected the Granada storefronts in which to operate their businesses.

Artist Walk was an exciting event. On Saturday, April 21, the Granada was a busy place. Community Theatre of Emporia performed skits during the event. Our Foreman, Bones Ownbey, provided piano music throughout the day. We also had the Granada lobby open to provide the public the opportunity to get a glimpse at what is going on in the theatre. Painted pieces of the proscenium arch were on display. Laurie Brown and Molly Ropp were painting on pieces during the day and answering questions from the public about their work. Dan Dishman was at The Sweet Granada. He did a chalk drawing on the sidewalk and performed juggling to the delight of many. Alan Tollakson did stone cutting in front of The Granada Coffee Company. Thank you to all who participated and made this a fun and exciting day.

The Granada Board of Directors welcomes three new members.

New Board of Director members were elected at the Quarterly Board Meeting on Thursday, April 26. They are Jan Miley, Janell North, and Tom Thompson. We appreciate their support of the Granada. We look forward to working with them as new Board Members.

Foreman’s Notes.

The difficulties in renovating an old building can frequently feel like the proverbial two steps forward and one step back.

This month we’ve been making great headway. Conduit and wiring for power, lights, chandeliers, speakers, and spotlights are going in all over the building.

Drains, vent pipes and plumbing are being installed in the stage basement. Soon, we’ll start running water lines into the theatre.

Our two fine artistes, Laurie and Molly, have almost completed the painting of the decorative plaster pieces that make up the proscenium arch and will soon be ready to move on to the next finishing project.

Jerry, Ryan, and Preacher have been repairing and rebuilding the steel framework that makes up the theatre ceiling. It’s looking good. We have been lucky enough to have a Flint Hills Technical College intern join our crew. Justin Goertz will be graduating in a couple of weeks with an Associate Degree in Construction. He’s been helping the crew with the steel work, the sweeping, the plaster moving and heavy lifting. We’re glad to have him.

It all feels like everything is progressing nicely. Then, on Sunday, April 22, the wind lifted up and tore the rubber roofing that runs along the south edge of the roof. BAM! An unexpected unfortunate step backward. Thank goodness we didn’t have any sheetrock on the ceiling yet.

The insurance company will help us get the roof repairs squared away. We’ll continue to step forward on this ever exciting project.

-bones

March 30, 2007

The beautiful Granada marquee was turned on twice in March.

It’s always so nice to have the Granada marquee lit up during the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. As a past recipient of proceeds from the annual auction sponsored by the St. Patrick’s Day committee, we show our appreciation each year by turning on the marquee for the parade. If you drove by the Granada on the night before the parade, you saw the marquee being photographed at twilight. A husband and wife team from England photographed the marquee for an upcoming book about the revitalization of downtowns. The book should be out in the summer of 2008. We’ll keep you posted on how to get a copy.

Construction photos, along with historical information and future plans, were seen by many in March. I had the opportunity to present our Power Point presentation to the noon Emporia Rotary Club and the evening Kiwanis Club. Also, through a program sponsored by The Learning Connection, I presented the same information to residents and community members at the Emporia Presbyterian Manor. At these opportunities, I always enjoy hearing the memories that people have of the Granada.

Stop by the Granada during Artist Walk on April 21. Downtown will be the place to be on Saturday, April 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Artists will be in many locations. Come and watch these artists at work. Artists will be at The Sweet Granada, The Granada Coffee Company, and under the marquee. Plans are still being finalized. It will be a fun and busy day at the Granada.

Foreman’s Notes.

A whole lot of excitement going on. We got our full permit on March 2.

This allows us to install and build to our hearts content. Dennis and Jason Torrens, Twin Rivers Electric LLC., are busy running conduit and wiring. Tim Sidebottom of T& M Stage Supply, our theatrical lighting contractor, has been here several times lining out and working with the electricians. My crew works from the top to the bottom of this building. We are painting decorative plaster in the front basement. We’re framing and building above, under, over and around the stage. And, we’re reinforcing and repairing metal framework in the ceiling. It’s a happening place.

I would like to express a special word of appreciation for a person of importance to this renovation. John Mallon is a significant donor to the renovation including paying half of my salary every two weeks. More importantly he gives freely of his time and trust.

To meet zoning requirements, a commercial renovation must have a licensed general contractor. Usually a well paid position. John, however, volunteers without monetary compensation as the theatre’s general contractor. More importantly to me, he volunteers his time to line up subcontractors (most, if not all of whom donate part or all of their time). He finds us jobbers who also almost always give us good discounts if not donate the materials outright. From my perspective, that’s his time used to make my job easier. Invaluable to me! And, I appreciate the trust he gives me. My license as a supervisor (also required to meet zoning requirements) is done under his Master Builder License as the general contractor. In effect, that means he accepts some responsibility for my actions.

That’s brave………….. Just kidding!

But, I kid you not about the fact that I and my entire crew wish to express our deepest appreciation to John for truly helping give us a chance to renovate this building. Hip Hip Hooray for John.

And thanks to all of you who contribute to this effort. We’re going to make you proud.

-bones

February 23, 2007

February brings the Youth for Music Concert to Emporia.

As in years past, Flint Hills Music has provided the opportunity for students from the surrounding area to come together, rehearse, and then present a community concert. Each year, the teachers have been updated on the progress at the Granada. This year was no different. Not only do they look forward to presenting the Youth for Music Concert at the Granada, but they thought of many other wonderful programs that could be presented at the Granada. They are anxious to perform with the wonderful acoustics and in the beautiful surroundings of the Granada.

Announcing the Granada web-site. You can now watch the progress of the Granada renovation. Go to www.emporiagranada.com and enter the site by way of the Granada Girl. You can visit a gallery of photos, read the journal, and learn the history of the Granada Theatre. Dan Boyce Consulting has been working with us on developing the site. We appreciate all of Dan’s efforts. Visit the site frequently as new photographs are added.

The Sesquicentennial Birthday Party was a wonderful way to celebrate Emporia’s 150 years as a city. While there were many beautifully decorated cakes brought to the party, my favorite had to be the cake made by Steve and Chase Ihde. It replicated many parts of Emporia, including the Granada Theatre. The Granada Theatre is proud to be part of Emporia’s past and we look forward to being part of Emporia’s future.

Foreman’s Notes.

Progress can feel like a wonderful thing!

Some parts of a job take a considerable amount of time but don’t look like much is going on. And some parts make an immediate visual difference. Like what we have just done. Since the January Last Friday, concrete was cured, the straw blanket removed, wall layouts drawn on the floor, and walls for dressing rooms and bathrooms have been erected. This was followed by probably the most significant visual change.

We built the stage!

Well… We framed it up, at least. As on every part of the project there are details. There will be a lot of finishing touches before the stage will be complete. But, it’s framed up. Almost all the decking is laid. It thrusts out into the auditorium. It looks like a stage! There is a lot going on in the rest of the building, also. Contractors are currently hauling into the building and storing at various locations around the theatre the materials that we will need for all the different mechanical aspects of the renovations. When our permit is granted we’re going to be prepared to be very quick about getting everything in place.

It’s an exciting time!

Last week the building committee and I met with the theatrical lights contractor, the theatrical sound contractor, and the electrical contractor to organize and layout plans for the installation of these important aspects of the future theater.

It feels like progress!

-bones

January 26, 2007

January brings the Annual Meeting for the Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance, Inc. The meeting was held on Thursday, January 25.

Special guests were Rocky Slaymaker and Bev Beers from the Granada Coffee Company and Kim Redeker of The Sweet Granada. Board members were given a financial update as well as a construction update.

Officers were elected for 2007. Serving as President will be Dr. Duane Henrikson, Vice-President will be Kathy Kessler, Harry Stephens will serve as Treasurer, and Mary Helmer will serve as Secretary. In addition to the officers, members of the Board of Directors of the Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance, Inc. are:

William H. Clamurro

Bernie Collins

George Crocker

Ali Geitz

Helen Klostermann

Vicky Lopez

John Mallon

Liz Martell

Kristi Mohn

Paula Sauder

Mike Schmidt

Shirley Slaymaker

Sharon Stewart

Dave Stormont

Mike Turnbull

Mary Sue Wade

A Power Point Presentation was given. The Emporia Area Retired School Personnel had an opportunity to see the progress of the renovation at their January meeting. Questions were answered about future uses of the renovated Granada. I always appreciate being asked to give our presentation to local groups. We want the community to be involved with this renovation. If you need a program, please call me at 342-3342.

Foreman’s Notes.

Molly always shouts “Wa Hoo!” when she hears that we’re going to be pouring concrete. And we have been pouring concrete! We formed up and poured the stem walls at the front of the orchestra pit in two sections. Then, we laid down vapor barrier and re-bar and poured a concrete floor underneath the future stage. My crew had great help from Darin Thomsen and his crew laying down the concrete. We built a long chute to wire to the concrete trucks chutes to run the concrete down to wheelbarrows waiting their turn in the basement. There were a little more than 350 wheelbarrows of concrete run down that chute into the basement. Seven men taking turns at four wheelbarrows, two men steadying the chutes, two controlling the flow of concrete, two women placing the re-bar chairs and lifting re-bar, along with four men screeding and floating the concrete. It went down well and in good time. I was pleased.

We were given a special treat the day before we poured the concrete floor. The finished complete blueprints were brought to us. They have been sent to the Kansas State Historical Society for final approval. Then, we can get city permits to complete this project.

We have a partial permit for the stage area. So, now that we have a concrete floor, we will frame up the walls for the dressing rooms and put a stage in place. We’re really excited.

The whole crew is shouting Wa Hoo now! We’ve got everything ready. We’re eager to start putting this building back together.

-bones

From December 2006

The end of 2006 gives the Granada the opportunity to say thanks to:

• The Alliance Officers and Board Members who give of their time and talents to ensure the Granada will be a useful and beautiful multi-purpose facility.
• Those groups who toured or allowed the Granada to present a PowerPoint program to them.
• All participants of Artist Walk who visited, demonstrated, or performed in front of the Granada.
• Emporia Main Street for presenting the Granada with the “J. Warren Brinkman Historic Preservation Award.”
• Those who shared their memories for the Memory Project.
• Participants and attendees of the first annual “Flashlight Tour of Haunted Emporia.”
• Media outlets who help us share the Granada renovation with the public.
• Great tenants! The Granada Coffee Company and The Sweet Granada for their continuing support of the Granada Theatre. Also, thanks for tolerating all the noise and dust of the demolition.
• Our Foreman, Bones Ownbey, for his enthusiasm for this project.
• A crew who enjoys coming to work each day.
• Our donors. Without you, this renovation would not be possible. Thanks for continuing to support the Granada.

Foreman’s Notes.

I have been here for what seems like 18 quick weeks. I’ve been fortunate to have good craftsmen and excellent workers helping to make it possible to accomplish a lot in a short time. Recent accomplishments that are good to see include: The completion of all the under slab plumbing in the future dressing room area under the stage; pouring of concrete footings and of the support wall at the front of the stage; and the safe removal of the giant squirrel cage fan, pipes, and fittings in the mechanical room at the top of the building. Tons of steel were cut into pieces small enough for two people to carry and then remove from the building, an interesting task. I’m glad it is done and glad it was done well.

My crew and I would like to extend a special thank you to our Executive Director, Vickie. Not only does she take good care of us every day, but she also gives us special treats from time to time. She gave each member of the crew a really cool Christmas present. We sure are lucky to have you, Vickie!

At this time of renewal and a chance for a fresh start as the New Year begins, I imagine the theater to be like an amaryllis that once had glorious blooms and then withered and went dormant, only to send up a new stalk and once again show fabulous blooms. The Granada Theatre will rise again and bloom wonderfully anew. -bones

From October 2006

October is a special month for the Granada. Seventy-seven years ago, the Granada Theatre opened to the public. This October a quarterly Board of Directors meeting was held in the Granada Mezzanine Lounge. The meeting was held in the glare of work lights and with warm clothing being worn by members. The meeting gave Board members an opportunity to see the scaffolding that has been erected and the demolition progress. They were updated on the future demolition and construction plans. One member commented that “the first meeting has now been held in the Granada.”

The Emporia Gazette covered the original Granada opening. An eight page supplement was printed on October 1, 1929 covering the upcoming Granada Theatre opening on October 3, 1929. The newspaper said about the Granada, “Executed in Spanish Colonial design, the front of the new playhouse is of light cream texture stucco, trimmed with contrasting golden-toned terra cotta. Neon signs announce the Granada’s name, and the entire street exposure is brought into prominence by flood lights during the hours of darkness. A system of color lighting brings into relief the ornamental work at particularly interesting points.”

The first flashlight tour will be a ghostly affair. S.C. Dixon, owner of the Granada Studio, will tell of his experiences with the ghost of the Granada. Rocky Slaymaker will also be on hand to tell of his experiences as he renovated the original Granada Studio into The Granada Coffee Company. Dr. Duane and Jerilynn Henrikson will host our visitors for this spooky evening. We appreciate everyone’s help and support of this event. We hope this will become an annual Halloween happening.

Have you paid your annual pledge? If you have any questions on your pledge status, please call our office at 342-3342. Thank you to all who have paid your pledge for 2006. We appreciate your support. You can now make tax-free, charitable transfers from your IRA. These transfer gifts can count towards your IRA required distribution for the year. If you have questions about this transfer opportunity, please contact your financial advisor.

Our PowerPoint Presentation is available for your club or organization. Let us bring the Granada history and future plans to your group. During October, two groups heard about the Granada and saw pictures from the past. They also were able to see the ongoing work being done on the renovation. Contact our office at 342-3342 to book your program.

Foreman’s Notes. The crew has continued to prepare the building for the upcoming renovation. All the water damaged plaster that is accessible from the scaffold has been removed from the ceiling. On the mezzanine and balcony levels woodwork is being stripped of brown paint. It is great fun discovering the mixes of colors used in different parts of the building when the theatre was new. Everyone involved in this project is excited about bringing back the exuberance of these delightful colors. I want to thank the community for helping us move this project forward.

-bones

From September 2006

Come join the Flashlight Tour of Haunted Emporia. Put October 27, 2006 on your calendar for a spooky experience. You are invited to explore four historic (reputedly haunted) Emporia sites and learn of their associated ghost stories. This will be presented in a unique interactive flashlight theatre format. The William Allen White Community Partnership, in cooperation with the ESU Educational Theatre Company (ETC), will present this unique evening.

This tour will benefit the sites visited. The Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance, Inc., Plumb Place, William Allen White House State Historic Site, and ESU Theatre Scholarships. What a wonderful way to have fun, learn Emporia history, and donate to these wonderful places. This is the first year of what we hope will be an annual event.

Tickets will be available before the event or at the door of any location. Advance tickets can be purchased at The Granada Coffee Company, The Sweet Granada, WAW Historic Site Visitors Center, and the Memorial Union Information Service Center at ESU. Other ticket locations may be announced later. Ticket prices are $8 for adults, $4 for children ages 6-15,

$6 for students age 16 to college. If you come as a family or group, tickets will be $20. Tickets should be available the week of October 9. It is recommended that children be age six or older to attend.

Bring your flashlight. Your flashlight illuminates the performances in the dimly lit historic sites and enables you to see the building details. Performances begin at 6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., 8:00 p.m., and 9:00 p.m. at each location. Each program will be approximately one-half hour long and allow you to get to the next site. You can begin where you wish and go to the locations on your own route.

The historic sites to be visited are:

• The Emporia Granada Theatre

807 Commercial Street. Learn about the photography studio ghost from Granada Studio Owner, S.C. Dixon. You can get a preview of S.C.’s story at http://kansastraveler.com/ghosts/emporia.html.

• Preston Plumb House

224 East Sixth Avenue. Learn about Senator Plumb’s ghost presented by ETC.

• William Allen White House State Historic Site

927 Exchange Street. Learn about Mrs. Gillette and the ghost dog presented by ETC.

• ESU Memorial Union

ESU Campus, 12^th and Commercial. Enter through the South entrance off of Kellogg Circle. Learn about “Martha” the ghost presented by ETC.

“Good Morning Kansas” filmed The Sweet Granada. On Thursday, September 28, 2006, Channel 49 filmed inside The Sweet Granada for a segment to be aired in the 6:00 a.m. hour on either October 4^th or 5^th. Channel 49 has been wonderful to the Granada family. They first filmed a segment on the Granada Coffee Company, then one on the Granada Theatre. Now, they have filmed The Sweet Granada. We are grateful for the area-wide exposure that this has given to Emporia and to the Granada.

Foreman’s Notes. The crew has made some significant changes inside the Granada Theatre over the last month. With a mighty show of physical strength and cunning, they have removed the concrete slab in the area below the stage and the concrete slab that was the ceiling of the boiler room. Daunting tasks, but this crew made it look easy. With the help of a fine backhoe operator, Randy Graybeal, the orchestra pit was dug out. Dirt came up and out from under what will be the front of the new stage. We’ve also removed almost all of the old duct work and most of the water damaged plaster. Dirty, dusty, noisy, backbreaking work! The men and women working on this renovation project have been facing unpleasant and difficult work. They have left nothing less than jobs well-done in their tracks. Best crew I ever had.

-bones

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