Happy to report that the Save Dewitt Theater group has successfully obtained national historic designation for the Dewitt Center! The county had authorized $100,000 of taxpayer money for an attorney to challenge the designation to better make way for a Costco and gas station. Below is the news from the group. "DeWitt General Hospital, known as DeWitt Government Center, has been placed on the National Historic Registry. Accepted in October of 2015 by the State of California, DeWitt was just recently finalized for National registry status by the National Parks Service in Washington D.C. While this does not offer protection from demolition, it is a great honor for our region, and a fitting tribute to those who served in World War II. It's also a respected footnote of recognition to some important pioneers in Mental Health treatment, when the facility was utilized as a State Hospital, and to Latino Artist Martin Ramirez, who was honored by the Postal Service with stamps featuring some of his "outsider" Folk Art pieces. Congrats and thanks go to activists who have worked long and hard on the Nomination process." http://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20160226.htm