To keep up to date with this breakdown of news in the

United States and Canada, visit www.AggMan.com for daily updates.

By Therese Dunphy, Editor-in-Chief

California

Stanislaus County officials are considering Calaveras Material Inc.’s plan to mine 436 acres over the next 50 years. The Modesto Bee reports that the operator would like to mine 62 million tons of sand and gravel from two sites on its plot. If approved, mining would begin on the 315-acre northern site and would include a 28-acre plant with equipment to process aggregate, concrete, and asphalt, as well as recycle asphalt and concrete. Later, mining would move to the southern 121 acres. A draft environmental impact report was being developed at Aggregates Manager’s press time.

California

A fast-moving grass fire sparked a blaze at Cemex’s cement plant in Redlands, causing approximately $500,000 in damages. According to The Sun, the fire started the morning of July 8 and was still going at 6 p.m. that evening. More than 80 fire personnel from various agencies helped contain the blaze with 15 engines and four water tankers. The insides of the buildings were wiped out, according to the local fire chief, but there were no reports of injuries.

Georgia

Vulcan Materials Co. sponsors and presents an annual award to a member of Olgethorpe University’s faculty each year. The university reports that the award is presented to a faculty member who demonstrates a high level of commitment to teaching, student success, and campus life. This year’s recipient, Dr. Beth Roberts, was honored at the university’s commencement ceremony in May with the Vulcan Materials Co. Award for Teaching Excellence and Leadership. Prior to her retirement, she was a Vera A. Milner Professor of Education and director of the Masters of Arts in Teaching — Early Childhood Education Program at the university.

Illinois

The Peoria Times reports that a local quarry may soon be transformed into a residential community. Dirt 101 Investors LLC filed an application for a special-use permit to fill in the 40-year-old quarry with clean fill and develop it with medium-density residential units. In its application for the proposed project, to be named 115th Avenue & Northern Reclamation, the operator stated, “We believe that an operation like 115th Avenue and Northern Reclamation is the next logical step in the lifecycle of the subject property. Its current blighted conditions are the result of mining operations that were not reclaimed properly, and, in order for the property to be cleaned up to once again benefit the city of Peoria and its residents, it needs to be redeveloped.”

Maine

Minot’s summer paving program experienced a hiccup when the low-bid contract winner for work on Jackass Annie Road suddenly closed its doors. According to the Sun Journal, selectmen learned of R.C. and Sons’ sudden shutdown and turned to the next lowest bidder, Pike Industries, to complete the work. Pike Industries stepped in and completed the work, while the town administrator worked with Dayton Sand and Gravel, a subcontractor that performed reclamation work on the road, to ensure it was paid for its services.

New York

Some Washington County Supervisors are taking heat from constituents for scuttling a $46,000 offer from a furniture manufacturer to purchase county-owned property that had been seized for back taxes. The Post-Star reports that supervisors rejected the bid because they thought they could get a higher price at auction. The plan backfired when only one bid was submitted. Local contractor Ruben Ellsworth, who owns an adjacent gravel pit, purchased the property for $40,000.

North Carolina

Following concessions designed to control noise and truck traffic, Raleigh City Council members voted 5 to 2 to approve Martin Marietta’s plans to expand its site. According to The News Observer, blasting will be limited to an 8-acre area, while the remaining 89 acres will be used for overburden storage and berms. The company negotiated the agreement over an eight-month period and agreed to the creation of berms, use of a water truck to control dust, and limitation of blasting to hours between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays.