Missouri

At its annual convention, members of the Missouri Limestone Producers Association (MLPA) elected the following officers: Rodney Linker, president; John Griesemer, vice president; and Dick Kaler, secretary-treasurer. Producer members elected to serve three-year terms include Mark Bussen, Bussen Quarries; Zach Green, Delta Companies; Todd Griesemer, Anchor Stone Co.; and Dick Kaler, Hunt Martin Materials. The MLPA board elected Randy Bailey, Bailey Quarries, to serve a one-year unexpired term and Steve Rust, Riverstone Quarries, to serve a two-year unexpired term. Sam Hayes, The G.W. Van Keppel Co., represents associate members on the board.

New York

S.A. Dun Sand & Gravel Co. owners are seeking state permission to expand their mine, as well as to use it to dispose of construction and demolition debris once mining is complete. According to the Times Union, the company wants to expand the 58-acre mine by an additional 10.5 acres. If approved, it would still be subject to the 100 truck trips per day limitation that has been in place since the mine received its last approval from the state Department of Environmental Conservation in 1993.

Ohio

The Warren County Coroner’s Office ruled that the death of a 31-year-old man whose body was found in Oeder and Sons Sand and Gravel pit was accidental. The Middletown Journal reports that workers found the wrecked car of the victim at the site. He was apparently driving along a road bordering the operation when he lost control of the vehicle. The car traveled off the highway into the quarry, out of the road’s sight lines. Based on footprints around the car, officials believe he got out of the passenger side of the car before the vehicle shifted in the gravel and trapped him beneath the car in a large pool of water where he drowned. There were no signs of foul play.

Pennsylvania

The Associate Board of Directors for the Pennsylvania Aggregate and Concrete Association (PACA) announced that Lou Harris of Clifton Steel Co. has been elected to serve a three-year term (2012-2014) as PACA director.

Pennsylvania

For a number of years, Martin Stone Quarries, Inc. has partnered with the local Washington Elementary School to enhance student learning of rocks and minerals through a field trip to its site. When recent school budget cuts forced the elimination of this year’s field trip, quarry representatives worked with the teaching staff to bring the field trip to the students. Rod Martin talked to one class about the quarry and aggregate production, while senior sales representative Eric Gehman presented an introductory program about wetlands and a project undertaken by Martin Stone Quarries to create large wetlands adjacent to one of its quarries. Students received a photo of a Martin Stone Quarries dump truck and t-shirt at the end of the program.

Oregon

Jerry’s Delta Sand and Gravel provided free sand and sand bags to area residents facing floods. According to KVAL 13, residents were able to pick up those supplies at home improvement centers in Springfield and Eugene, as well as county locations.

South Carolina

Workers at Vulcan Materials Co.’s Liberty Quarry worked with members of the local fire department to sharpen their safety skills. According to The Pickens Sentinel, the operation hosted a fire extinguisher training session for its employees. “Safety is number one in our industry, and we want to stay sharp,” Plant Manager Tracy Snapp told the newspaper. “It is our goal that everyone who works here leaves safely every day. If you don’t think about these things on a regular basis, then when an emergency does happen, you don’t know what to do.” As part of the company’s partnering efforts with the fire department, it also provides space for firefighters to practice life-saving situations.