Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/311502
46 Joseph N. Grano, 1945-2013 Preservation activist and longtime member of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society Joe Grano passed away on Novem- ber 24, 2013 at George Washington Memorial Hospital of complications from a stroke. A native of the Bronx, he was known for his passionate commitment to historic preservation, his Italian-American heritage, and Constantino Brumidi, the Italian American artist of the Capitol. Grano moved to Washington, D.C. in 1977 after obtain- ing a law degree from St. John's University. He worked as a government lawyer until the plans to demolish historic Rhodes Tavern ignited his passion for historic preservation. Quitting his job in 1979, he energetically rallied the opposition and even won passage of a pro-preservation ballot initiative by a wide margin. e tavern, however, was razed in 1984 to make way for the Metropolitan Square project. As Joe remarked watching the "dismemberment" of the building, "Sometimes the good guys don't win." His efforts to commemorate the life and work of Brumi- di proved more successful. As chairman of the Constantino Brumidi Society, he developed a coalition of Italian American organizations and members of Congress to commemorate the bicentennial of the artist's birth in 2005. ree years later his efforts spurred Congress to vote to posthumously award a Con- gressional Gold Medal to Brumidi. e medal was presented in a ceremony in the Rayburn Room of the Capitol in July 2012. Characteristically, Joe Grano boycotted the ceremony because it was not held in the Rotunda, the site of Brumidi's most important work. Joe Grano was enthusiastic and unapologetic in his ad- vocacy. As Jason Dick wrote in his Roll Call blog, "ere's a Latin term for folks like Joe Grano, which he would hopefully appreciate. Sui generis." Randall B. Groves, 1964-2014 Randy Groves, operations manager for the United States Capitol Historical Society, died on February 7, 2014 after a short illness. Randy grew up in Oklahoma and California, graduated from high school in Seminole, Oklahoma, and joined ROTC in college. He then served in the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant. He worked as a sports and news reporter and photographer for newspapers in Seminole and Muskogee, Oklahoma and Merced, California, as well as working for the Gannett News Service. His experience in journalism led him to a position as press aide for Rep. Gary Condit (1993-2002), following which he became a professional tour guide in Wash- ington, D.C. Randy joined the staff of the historical society in 2004 as operations manager, in which capacity he oversaw the production, printing, and marketing of the Society's annual We the People Calendar to congressional offices. His meticulous attention to detail and his contacts and knowledge of Capitol Hill proved invaluable to all aspects of the organiza- tion's programs and will be sorely missed. Working at the Society, Randy became very interested in the life and work of Constantino Brumidi and in the last several years made annual spring pilgrimages to Rome and Assisi. While in Rome he made a point of seeking out Brumidi's work and getting permission to photograph in the Church of the Madonna dell'Archetto and in the theater of the Villa Torlonia. Some of his photographs are displayed on the Society's website at http://www.uschs.org/villa-torlonia-images- march-2013. In M emoriam e U.S. Capitol Historical Society has been saddened by the recent loss of two friends. Randy Groves (far right) stands next to Society President Ron Sarasin and Don Kennon on the occasion of a visit to the office by Washington Na onals mascot Screech (the baby version, ca. 2006). THE CAPITOL DOME SPRING 2014 Joe Grano would gather fellow art lovers, preserva onists, and Italophiles at Brumidi's gravesite in Glenwood Cemetery in northeast Washington, D.C. to observe the ar st's birthday in July and Italian Heritage Month in October.