Wisconsin's Sand Rush<\/h5> Interactive Map<\/h3>
View locations of sand deposits and frac sand mining and processing operations. Click the image below to open a larger version. Are frac sand miners failing to check for a rare butterfly?<\/a> (January, 2012) BLAIR \u2014 Tucked behind a hill in rural Trempealeau County, farmland undergoes an industrial transformation. <\/p> Outside this city of 1,300, Preferred Sands turns Wisconsin's sandy soil into a hot commodity. A wall of green trees opens to a vast expanse of sand buzzing with activity. Excavators mine and conveyors carry the sand from towering stockpiles up into the processing plant. Every week, this facility ships 7,500 tons of sand by rail to oil and gas fields in Texas, North Dakota and Pennsylvania. <\/p> This 400-acre mine and processing facility is just one of 20 such operations that have sprung up in the past two years in Trempealeau County. The mines and processing plants produce strong, fine-grained sand in high demand for a type of oil and natural gas drilling known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. <\/p> The number of Wisconsin frac sand mining operations has more than doubled in the past year, the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism found, and the state leads the nation in production.<\/p> \"We have the best sand in the world,\" said Tom Woletz, the frac sand specialist at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. <\/p> \"And we have a lot of sand.\"<\/p> The frac sand industry has grown fast, and no government agency has an up-to-date list of all of the mines and processing plants in Wisconsin. A year ago, the Center identified<\/a> 41 facilities operating or proposed in the state. This summer 87 are operating or under construction, with another 20 facilities in the proposal stage. <\/p> \"Our office has turned into a zoo,\" said Kevin Lien, director of land management for Trempealeau County. \"We have seven applications for mining permits in July. Everyone here is engulfed in mining. It's a huge workload for us.\"<\/p> Frac sand fever has hit much of west-central Wisconsin, catching residents and local governments by surprise. Permit applications have come in faster than residents or officials can process them \u2014 or the implications for their communities.<\/p> Minnesota officials believe that state may be poised for a similar boom. Applications have been pouring in for new facilities in addition to the six mines, three processing plants and loading and unloading facilities already operating in southeastern Minnesota, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.<\/p> The frac sand boom has divided residents into those who believe mining will create sorely needed jobs in rural Wisconsin and those who fear the impacts these mines may have on human health, road safety and the environment. Some critics worry that industry tactics \u2014 such as one company buying lunch for residents sporting pro-mining T-shirts at a recent public hearing \u2014 make it hard for local officials to objectively evaluate the proposals. <\/p> Some communities have readily welcomed frac sand mining for economic reasons. Others, including Buffalo, Dunn, Eau Claire and Pepin counties and a handful of towns, slapped on temporary moratoriums to give them time to review and update their land-use regulations.<\/p> \"No doubt it was something we've never dealt with before,\" said Terry Schmidt, the Jackson County zoning administrator. \"Requests come in monthly. We've been busy learning a lot about frac sand.\" <\/p> Bruce Brown, senior geologist with the Wisconsin Geological Survey, agrees with other state officials that Wisconsin may be reaching the peak of the frac sand boom.<\/p> \"I think it's going to slow down,\" Brown said. \"People worry that we're going to sell out all of the sand in Wisconsin. That's not going to happen.\"<\/p> The demand for sand has soared in tandem with the explosion in controversial hydraulic fracturing operations in Texas, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and elsewhere.<\/p> Frac sand production has increased seven-fold in the past decade, according to the United States Geological Survey. Thomas Dolley, a mineral commodity specialist at the USGS, said he can't give state-specific numbers to protect individual companies' proprietary information. But he confirmed that Wisconsin is currently the nation's largest producer of frac sand. <\/p> \"It's like a land rush for this material,\" Dolley said. \"I've been covering this commodity for 11 years and I've never seen anything like this.\"<\/p> The sand is used to prop open fractures in the bedrock, allowing oil or natural gas to flow past. Wisconsin's world class sand sells for about $45 per ton. Shipping the sand is expensive, so each ton can fetch $200 by the time it reaches the drill site, and each well requires 1,500 to 2,500 tons of sand.<\/p> Wisconsin's sand industry began more than a century ago, although at a much more modest level. Regulators and industry officials note that frac sand mining employs the same processes as all industrial sand mining.<\/p> \"I think the whole process is pretty straightforward,\" said Todd Murchison, the regional manager for Preferred Sands, a Minnesota-based company that operates sand mining and processing facilities, including five sites in Wisconsin. \"If we agree that mining needs to be done, then we want to do it as safely as possible.\"<\/p> Frac sand operations must follow state regulations for non-metallic mines. The rules written two decades ago were meant for small sand and gravel quarries, not 1,000-acre mines or industrial facilities that process up to 800,000 tons of sand a year.<\/p> Currently, all non-metallic mining companies must have a plan for restoring the land and controlling stormwater runoff from their properties. Two damaging sand spills<\/a> occurred in Wisconsin this spring, caused in part by failure to follow existing regulations.<\/p> Mines and processing facilities also must abide by state laws protecting navigable waters, wetlands, large groundwater withdrawals, drinking water quality and endangered species. Wisconsin's sandy soil is prime habitat for the endangered Karner blue butterfly, which, as the Center reported<\/a> in January, some companies may be failing to check for.<\/p> Large mines and processing facilities also must meet state air pollution limits for airborne particles, in part to reduce exposure to silica dust, a substance that can cause a life-threatening lung disease. While silica exposure in the workplace is tightly regulated, there are no specific limits for silica dust in the open air.<\/p> In January, the state Department of Natural Resources decided<\/a> that no additional regulations are needed. <\/p> \"The current non-metallic mining regulations implemented at the county level, as well as the various environmental regulations implemented by the department, are adequate to ensure that permits for individual sand mining operations and processing facilities are protective of public health and the environment,\" the agency said.<\/p> The influx of permits has forced local governing boards to make complicated decisions about how to manage this unfamiliar industry.<\/p> \"Having served as a town official myself, I know that there's many things that we're not prepared for,\" said Pilar Gerasimo, a journalist and environmental activist in Dunn County who served as a chairwoman of the Lucas Town Board.<\/p> Gerasimo believes local leaders are often too quick to go along with mine operator requests. She worries that some decision are not being made by \"qualified people armed with good information.\"<\/p> Others disagree, saying local governments are doing a good job managing the boom.<\/p> \"They are pretty conscientious about it,\" Brown said. \"They want to make sure proposals are realistic and that the reclamation plan is accomplishable.\"<\/p> The ability of local governments to regulate this growing industry depends largely on whether the areas are zoned. In zoned areas, mine operators must apply for conditional use permits from the local governments. Many county officials believe that these permits are sufficient to regulate sand mining because they are flexible and site-specific.<\/p> But the Center found that about a third of existing and proposed facilities are in jurisdictions that have no zoning, leaving local officials with little control over how or where mining occurs.<\/p> \"If you don't have zoning, it makes it very difficult to say no,\" said Dan Masterpole, the conservationist for Chippewa County, where frac sand facilities are located primarily in unzoned towns. \"We have no authority to regulate where (mining) should occur, operations, noise, air, dust or any of those type of nuisance-related impacts.\" <\/p> In unzoned areas, the only control counties have over mining is the reclamation permit, which primarily deals with how the site will be returned to a productive land use, like agriculture or a park, after mining is complete. The permit also requires that the mine put up a bond to cover the cost of reclamation if it goes out of business. The DNR handles air and water regulations for all sites, zoned or not.<\/p> In areas with zoning, local governing boards listen to presentations from mine operators and gather public comments at meetings to determine which restrictions to place on conditional use permits.<\/p> Common conditions include restricting hours of operations or the number of trucks per day, requiring dust monitoring and even rerouting truck traffic to avoid school bus routes. These conditions satisfy many residents, but others believe they don't do enough to keep the community safe. <\/p> Mike O'Connor, a Buffalo County resident, attended many of these meetings in the past year to voice his concerns about the frac sand industry \u2014 particularly what he believes will be unsafe heavy truck traffic on winding local roads.<\/p> \"This just came out of nowhere and caught everybody by surprise,\" O'Connor said. \"We've got a lot of very fearful people and a lot of very greedy people, and the tragedy is the lack of political leadership to bring these people to the table together to work something out.\" <\/p> In Gilmanton, a town with fewer than 500 people in Buffalo County, many lawns sport bright green signs proclaiming \"Sand = Jobs.\" About half the residents in attendance at a public hearing in June wore bright green shirts with the same slogan, provided by Glacier Sands, a mine operator applying for permits.<\/p> Company co-owner Ryan Thomas said he plans to hire about 100 employees plus local contractors for electrical, welding and other services for the four mining, processing and loading sites his Menomonie-based company is planning for Buffalo County.<\/p> In addition to jobs, the local economic benefits of frac sand mining include equipment purchases and increased property tax revenues. <\/p> Negative impacts include wear and tear on county roads from hundreds of sand trucks hauling heavy loads. Some counties, including Chippewa and Wood, have created road impact fees that would shift the costs of damage and improvements to the frac sand companies. <\/p> For many residents, the promise of new jobs and new industry trumps all other concerns. <\/p> \"No one moves here, there's no jobs here,\" said Lisa Bloom, a local teacher wearing a green \"Sand = Jobs\" shirt. \"Change is hard, but Gilmanton needs change to survive.\" <\/p> Bloom and her family intend to lease their Buffalo County farm to Glacier Sands so the company can mine the property's rolling hills. Once mining is complete in about 15 years, she said her family plans to farm on the newly leveled fields. <\/p> Bloom isn't worried about her family living with a mining and processing operation in their backyard. But across Wisconsin's sandy countryside, people living near such operations are concerned about the health effects of dust. <\/p> The sand grains themselves are harmless \u2014 think sand on a beach \u2014 but the silica dust particles created by the sand processing are basically tiny glass shards. <\/p> Exposure to silica dust can cause silicosis, a potentially fatal lung disease. There are federal limits on acceptable silica exposure in the workplace, and some workers use respirators. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health reported 75 deaths in Wisconsin from silicosis between 1996 and 2005, mainly among manufacturing and mining workers.<\/p> According to Darrell Smith of the trade group Industrial Minerals Association, based in Washington, D.C., silicosis is easily prevented with good ventilation and engineering that keeps dust in enclosed spaces and minimizes risks to workers.<\/p> Some mines and processing plants also monitor the air outside their facilities, but according to Hillary Carpenter, a toxicologist with the Minnesota Department of Health, no research-supported safe level of silica exposure in the ambient air has been developed. At a June public meeting in Winona, Minn., he explained that to date, there has not been enough concern about environmental silica exposure to warrant a study.<\/p> At the Preferred Sands facility in Blair, the company has installed dust collectors at key points in the sand process and has erected monitors along the perimeter, Murchison said. The company also only ships sand in covered railcars.<\/p> Another concern centers on the use of chemicals called flocculants that many facilities use to help remove sediments so that they can continually reuse the millions of gallons of water needed for mining and processing.<\/p> Gerasimo and other environmentalists worry that the flocculants may make their way into the groundwater and cause unforeseen problems. According to the DNR's Woletz, these chemicals already are approved for erosion control and even municipal water treatment. The mines use lined storage ponds to prevent seepage into the groundwater, he said. <\/p> Murchison said the Blair mining and processing facility recycles 90 percent of its water \u2014 the remainder evaporates \u2014 further reducing the potential for groundwater contamination. He said the company wants to be a good neighbor and has established a citizen steering committee to help Preferred Sands understand and address community concerns. <\/p> \"We need this stuff, we need natural gas,\" Murchison said. \"We need energy independence, in my opinion. I think that the key is we're going to do it, but let's do it right.\"<\/p> But when companies don't take thorough environmental precautions, accidents can happen, as two spills in May demonstrated.<\/p> At a Burnett County mine, a leak in a new storage pond poured silty water into the St. Croix River for days until a hiker noticed the problem. Shortly after Preferred Sands bought the mine in Blair from a Canadian company, a wet stockpile of sediment slipped and flooded a neighboring home.<\/p> Murchison said the company knew the stockpile it inherited was unstable. Over the winter, the material was too frozen to move. Once it thawed, workers quickly moved to restructure the large pile. But before they finished, a big storm dumped so much rain that the remaining pile slid downhill, he said.<\/p> Both companies are now facing possible fines from the state.<\/p> \"We've had a huge amount of change since we had that spill,\" Murchison said. \"Every day, we have to leave everything so that it will be safe in case it rains two inches overnight.\"<\/p> Gerasimo and O'Connor both worry about other damage to their communities, such as lost tourism or residential development if the mining operations detract from the quiet and peaceful scenery that draw people to west-central Wisconsin. <\/p> \"Many of us are here for Aldo Leopold's sand country,\" O'Connor said, referring to the famous Wisconsin environmentalist. \"This is a really spectacular piece of the world, so to have it ripped apart is kind of emotional. <\/p> \"But there is a pretty compelling story on the other side. It's a very ambiguous issue which makes it emotionally very difficult.\"<\/p> The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (www.WisconsinWatch.org<\/a>) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.<\/em><\/p>\nThis article<\/a> first appeared on Wisconsin Watch<\/a> and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/sandmines3-236x300.png\" "\\"SandMineStillMap\\"")
<\/a><\/p> Previous Coverage<\/h3>
Sand Mining Surges in Wisconsin<\/a> (July, 2011)
Explainer: What is fracking?<\/a> (July, 2011)<\/p> <\/div> Communities caught off-guard by sand boom<\/h3>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/sand_sales2-300x200.png\" "\\"sand_sales2\\"")
<\/a>Power to regulate varies<\/h3>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/sandbycounty2-1024x542.png\" "\\"sandbycounty2\\"")
<\/a>Jobs, environment part of debate<\/h3>
![\"Mine](\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/sandjobs1-300x225.jpg\" "\\"sand=jobs1\\"")
<\/a>![\"Sand](\"https:\/\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/07\/fracsand-5-300x221.jpg\" "\\"fracsand-5\\"")
<\/a>Chemical use raises questions<\/h3>
![](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/wisconsinwatch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/cropped-WCIJ_IconOnly_FullColor_RGB-1.png?fit=150%2C150&quality=100&ssl=1\")
\nPopular stories from Wisconsin Watch\nTired of turmoil, Kiel residents rebuke far-right school officials\nDid Scott Walker try to 'raid' the Wisconsin retirement system?\nSolar for Good: Program enables energy savings for Wisconsin schools, nonprofits\nHave tax cuts saved Wisconsin taxpayers nearly $22 billion over the last 12 years?\nIn rural Wisconsin, former employees lift curtain on troubled crypto mine\nTagged: DNR, Frac-Sand Mining, Fracking, Jobs, local government, mining, natural resources, permits, Rural Wisconsin, water, zoning\nOne reply on \"Wisconsin frac sand sites double\"\nRichard Reinke says:\nCould this article be directed to Assembly Representative Brett Hulsey rep.hulsey@legis.wi.gov\nand Susan Hedman EPA regional director located in Chicago. Because the frac sand crosses state lines: Wisconsin to Pennsylvania, the feds have jurisdiction because it constitutes interstate commerce.\nSupport our work with a gift\nWisconsin Watch is a nonprofit newsroom that focuses on government integrity and quality of life issues. Sign up for our newsletter for more stories and updates straight to your inbox.\nRecent posts and news roundups\nAbout Wisconsin Watch\nPublic Engagement and Opinion\nWCIJ logos\nSubscribe to our free email newsletters\nNews about Wisconsin Watch\nPitch guidelines for freelancers\nTrack our stories\nStories making a difference\n\u00a9 2023 Wisconsin Watch. Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic User Agreement and Privacy Policy\nThis site, like many others, uses small files called cookies to help us improve and customize your experience. Learn more in our cookie policy.","meta":{"redpajama_set_name":"RedPajamaCommonCrawl"}}
{"text":"Peggy Spiegler Melanoma Research Foundation Transforms Tragedy to Action\n\u200bEveryone's life is marked by defining moments. A marriage, the birth of a child, or a job promotion would mark a happy or joyous defining moment. An illness or the loss of a job would mark a sad or unhappy defining moment. I would consider a stage four melanoma diagnosis a tragic defining moment.\nSome people are fortunate and their lives are free of any tragic moments. For the Spiegler family our tragic moment came on February 8, 2008. That is the day when Peggy woke up and said to me, \"I don't feel horrible but something is not right.\" Two weeks later we were in the doctor's office at the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania and learned that Peggy had a stage four melanoma.\nPeggy's bravery in the face of such a dire diagnosis was typical of so many other patients that I have since come into contact with. I do not know where they get their strength. Her gallant fight to beat melanoma lasted only a few months. When she was diagnosed in 2008 there was not much in the arsenal of drugs to help her survive. I once read someone describe how a small platoon of soldiers were all killed by an overwhelming force. The writer said they were not defeated, they were overwhelmed. That is how I will always remember Peggy's struggle.\nAfter we lost Peggy our family decided that we wanted to do something to honor her name and help prevent other families from going through the same nightmare that we did. We had no definite plan in place but we reached out to our family and friends to help organize our first fundraising event. We have been raising funds ever since then.\nIn November of 2014 The Peggy Spiegler Melanoma Research Foundation met with six other foundations in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. The intent was to bring small grassroots foundations together to share resources, make our voice louder, and support each other.\nAs I sat at the table and listened to people tell their stories of how they had lost family members, I was amazed at the strength of these people. They were not going to let melanoma define them. They were going to fight back. I was energized by their strength. I sat there and revealed my innermost feelings to people that I had never met in my life, feelings that I had not shared with my family. I knew that it was safe to do this and that everyone there would know exactly how I felt.\nThe group of seven original members has grown to over 20 members and I am so proud to be a part of what that group, the Melanoma Action Coalition, has accomplished in two short years. MAC has also helped to redefine the mission of the Peggy Spiegler Melanoma Research Foundation. We are spending more and more time on education and prevention. Our free skin screenings and awareness programs are a big part of what we are doing now to help save lives.\nYes, our family and friends are permanently scarred by the Feb. 8th diagnosis, but we are out there fighting hard so that other families do not have to be defined by that same diagnosis.\n\u200b--Neil Spiegler\nNeil heads the Peggy Spiegler Melanoma Research Foundation and is president of the Melanoma Action Coalition\nPolka Dot Mama Raises Melanoma Awareness\n\u200bMy name is Tracy Callahan and I am the Founder and CEO of the Polka Dot Mama Melanoma Foundation established in 2015. I was first diagnosed with early stage melanoma at the age of 38, and by age 40, I had been diagnosed two more times. I am the Mom of two amazing boys ages 8 and 11 and they nicknamed me the \"Polka Dot Mama\" because of my many moles. I consider myself fortunate that my melanomas were caught early. I know that this is not the case for many.\nAfter my third diagnosis I decided to start blogging. I knew that I wanted to use my voice to raise awareness for this often unspoken about cancer. Soon after starting my blog I began planning a Gala. I knew that I wanted it to not only benefit melanoma research, but I also wanted to stay committed to keeping it locally sourced. In addition to being a melanoma advocate, I am also a foodie! On May 1, 2016, we hosted our first annual \"Taste For a Cure: Chef's Gala Benefiting Melanoma Research.\" This unique farm-to-table gala allowed us to raise $40,000 that was donated to the Melanoma Research Alliance, our charitable ally. We have been overwhelmed with the support of our local community.\nIn addition to raising money for research through our community efforts we have also raised over $30,000 this year for education and awareness efforts. We have been able to raise awareness both through social media and at a local level. We attend sporting events, run clubs and local events handing out free sunscreen and promoting sun healthy habits and early detection of melanoma. We also provide education to school age children all the way up to adults. Our vision is to reduce the incidence of melanoma by raising awareness, encourage prevention and improving early detection, rapid diagnosis and effective treatment of melanoma.\nThis fall we have several events planned including a Chili Cook Off to fund the installation of sunscreen dispensers at nine local firehouses, a virtual 5K Polka Dot Run that anyone in the world can participate in and a Martinis for Melanoma. We are also in full swing organizing our second annual Taste for a Cure that is already half sold out!\nWe are honored to be collaborating with the Melanoma Action Coalition and hope that together we can have a larger impact.\nRemembering, sharing, and working together\nAnnouncing MAC's new blog.! Over the coming months, we plan to feature both personal reflections and informative articles submitted by our members. In our first post, one of our members recalls her first MAC meeting and all that has happened since..\nMy daughter Rebecca was not a big fan of groups. Although she did meet and share experiences with others in waiting rooms and hospitals throughout the course of the clinical trials in which she participated, she did not seek out support groups or online communities during the seven years she lived with melanoma. We who were caring for her followed her lead. We were like travelers doing our best to navigate strange and treacherous territory without the benefit of the experience of anyone who had gone before.\n\u200bAfter we lost Rebecca and decided to establish a foundation in her memory, we continued to go it alone. We stumbled through everything from incorporating and applying for 501(c)(3) status to planning our first fundraisers and deciding how to spend the money we raised, without ever thinking that we might benefit from talking to others who had done this all before. After about two years of our Lone Ranger existence, it occurred to me that it might be useful to find and connect to other melanoma organizations. I contacted the Melanoma Research Alliance and had the good fortune to speak with Jennifer Engel, who was then MRA's Development Manager for Foundations. She promptly added our foundation to MRA's mailing list and gave me names of a few other foundations working in my local area. I was happy to have this bit of connection but did not reach out any further after that, continuing to steer my foundation along its lonely path.\nA few months later, I brought in the mail and found an interesting letter. It was from Neil Spiegler, who ran the Peggy Spiegler Melanoma Research Foundation in New Jersey, and it invited members of foundations throughout the mid-Atlantic region to attend a meeting in Cherry Hill, NJ that fall. I was excited beyond belief at the invitation. I would actually get to meet some other people doing what I was trying to do, share ideas, maybe get some advice. I promptly accepted the invitation and eagerly awaited the meeting date.\nOn November 1, 2014, I drove the two hours from Baltimore to Cherry Hill through pouring rain. When I arrived I couldn't find the address I was given. After driving in circles quite a few times, I finally located the meeting place and ran from the parking lot through sheets of rain to arrive soaked and disheveled just as the meeting was about to begin. The greeting I received was as warm and welcoming as the outside was cold and nasty. There were 10 of us, representing seven organizations, gathered around the table. We introduced ourselves informally before we began and then told our stories more fully as we sat down together. The stories we told were not just about fundraisers and awareness activities but about why we were doing what we were doing. They were stories of those we had lost and stories of those who were still fighting this disease\u2014and as I told Rebecca's story, I felt that for the first time in many years I was talking to people who got it, who understood, just as I understood their stories,\nWe talked together, cried together, worked and planned together that day, and left knowing that we had already formed strong bonds. In subsequent months, we began the work of building a formal coalition. We are now 20 organizations strong and growing. Our membership reaches from coast to coast. We share ideas and resources, turn to each other for advice, support one another, and bring our voices together to advocate for such public policy initiatives as restrictions on the use of tanning beds. But at the heart of what connects us is still a shared commitment to defeating melanoma rooted in deep personal experience.\nIn February, we held our first annual meeting in Washington, DC. Many of us gathered for dinner afterwards. As drinks were served, one of our members asked for our attention. Raising his glass, he made a toast \"to all those who aren't with us tonight.\" No other words were necessary. Raising our glasses, we looked around the table, meeting the eyes of those who knew our stories, those who understood our pain, and those who shared our determination to work together toward the day when no one has to sit round a table remembering a loved one lost to this dreadful disease.\nChristine Garrison\nChristine is president of The White Aisle Foundation and a MAC Steering committee member.\nThese entries are the collective work of MAC members.","meta":{"redpajama_set_name":"RedPajamaCommonCrawl"}}
{"text":"Advertising Feature\nGAA Club News and Events\nOld Newry\nNorthern Ireland Coronavirus\nAdvertise on Newry Times\nContact Newry Times\nDetails of 2012 St Patrick's Day celebrations announced\nPosted by Declan McAteer\ndeclan@newrytimes.com\nDetails of the 2012 St Patrick's Day celebrations in Newry are beginning to emerge. Speaking about next year's programme, Newry Mayor Charlie Casey announced that the Tulla Ceili Band will be performing at a traditional music and dance Ceili in the Canal Court Hotel on Friday 16th March 2012. Street trading and outdoor entertainment will move to the Kildare Street area of Newry next year as a major environmental improvement scheme commences in Hill Street early in the new year. Other events due to take place as part of the festivities are:\nThe traditional Ceili that normally takes place in Marcus Square, will now take place at 2pm in Newry City Hall.\nAnnual St Patrick's Day parade.\nA funfair will be based at St Christopher's Park.\nSt Patrick's Church on Church Street will host a special ecumenical service for post Primary School students celebrating the life of St Patrick during the week prior to the 17th March.\nCouncil officials have also been working with the Ulster Scots Agency to provide artists and musicians to join in with the festivities. The organising committee are still work on the final details of the festivities and more information will be available in due course.\nNewry residents urged to use postcode Broadband Checker\nFinance Minister Conor Murphy reflects on first year in office\nBuggy Club NI raises funds for children's charity\nExtension to community pharmacy seasonal flu vaccination services announced\nJustice Minister launches public consultation on reform of rehabilitation periods\nDodds urges vocational learners to \"stay focused on the future\"\nNorthern Ireland Covid-19 vaccination programme published\nFresh appeal for witnesses after death of 40-year-old man\nSelf Assessment deadline: less than one month to go\n'Ending The Harm' TV ad campaign shines spotlight on paramilitary assaults\nThis website does not share personal information with third parties nor do we store any information about your visit other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings.\nWe are not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without our permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on 16\/01\/2017. If you have any questions feel free to contact Newry Times by emailing editor@newrytimes.com","meta":{"redpajama_set_name":"RedPajamaCommonCrawl"}}
{"text":"World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association - World Governing Body\nWorld Women's Snooker Tour\nWorld Disability Billiards and Snooker\nWorld Seniors Snooker Tour\nWPBSA Tournament Manager\nLatest Provisional Seedings\nLatest Provisional EOS Rankings\nRace to the Crucible\nRanking Records\nWhy become a coach?\nWorld Snooker Federation\n147 Breaks\nTotten Wins European Championship\nScottish teenager Chris Totten dreams of emulating his idol John Higgins after winning snooker's European Championship.\nWishaw's 18-year-old Totten captured one of the biggest titles in amateur snooker by beating Estonia's Andres Petrov 7-3 in the final of the EBSA main event last weekend. Totten made it through the group stages then won five knockout matches to reach the final before comfortably beating Petrov, coming from 3-2 down to win five frames in a row (view all the results). Totten is now in line to be nominated for a two-year card for the World Snooker Tour.\nHe first picked up a cue eight years ago, inspired by a certain four-time World Champion from Wishaw. \"I started playing when I was ten years old,\" said Totten. \"John Higgins has always been my idol because he comes from the same town as me and I went to the same High School. When I was 12 I spent a day practising with him, just after he had won the World Championship in 2011. It was fantastic, I learned so much from him.\"\nTotten progressed quickly through the junior ranks, winning individual titles as well as helping Scotland to capture the Home Internationals crown last year. He also played in Q School but suffered an early exit.\n\"I found Q School very tough, so cut throat,\" he admits. \"I lost to Alexander Ursenbacher in one event and Lu Haotian in the other. There are so many good players. Peter Lines said to me that it's hard to get on the tour, and ten times harder to stay on it. You need to be solid in all aspects of your game.\n\"I played in the European Under-21 Championship and I was struggling, I lost in the last 32. Then in the main seniors event something clicked and my game came together. I wasn't scoring that heavily but my safety was very strong. That's the best part of my game, I don't give away many chances.\n\"For the next few weeks I'm going to try to arrange as many practice games as I can. I know I have to keep improving. I played in the Scottish Open as a wild card earlier this season (losing 4-2 to Dominic Dale) which was good for me in terms of seeing what it's like at a ranking event. And I will be playing in the World Championship qualifiers ( which again will be great experience.\"\nTotten had already earned his place at the World Championship qualified having qualified for the Scottish Open earlier this season through the WPBSA's development work with national governing bodies.\nThe Betfred World Championship qualifiers run from April 5-12 at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield. Tickets are on sale now and cost just \u00a310 per day \u2013 for details click here.\nChris Totten\nWATCH: On Yee and Pillai React to Epic Finale\nClosing In On the Cut: Crucible 2017\nWPBSA News\nInternational Round-Up | June 2019 16th July 2019\nSnooker Under The Stars 15th July 2019\nAnderson's South African Title Triumph 12th July 2019\nIn-form Gilchrist Wins Pacific International Billiards 11th July 2019\nChallenge Tour Calendar 10th July 2019\nArchive News Select Month July 2019 (11) June 2019 (22) May 2019 (15) April 2019 (19) March 2019 (27) February 2019 (22) January 2019 (15) December 2018 (13) November 2018 (13) October 2018 (21) September 2018 (12) August 2018 (14) July 2018 (15) June 2018 (11) May 2018 (14) April 2018 (13) March 2018 (28) February 2018 (19) January 2018 (15) December 2017 (11) November 2017 (20) October 2017 (23) September 2017 (24) August 2017 (23) July 2017 (22) June 2017 (14) May 2017 (11) April 2017 (25) March 2017 (22) February 2017 (15) January 2017 (18) December 2016 (16) November 2016 (18) October 2016 (25) September 2016 (20) August 2016 (15) July 2016 (14) June 2016 (13) May 2016 (11) April 2016 (13) March 2016 (23) February 2016 (17) January 2016 (13) December 2015 (15) November 2015 (11) October 2015 (9) September 2015 (10) August 2015 (7) July 2015 (7) June 2015 (7) May 2015 (7) April 2015 (13) March 2015 (13) February 2015 (8) January 2015 (8) December 2014 (6) November 2014 (2) August 2014 (1) December 2013 (1) October 2013 (1) May 2013 (1) November 2012 (1) October 2012 (2) August 2012 (1) November 2011 (1) October 2011 (1) September 2011 (1) June 2011 (1)\nLike the WPBSA on facebook\nLatest WPBSA tweets\nTweets by @WPBSAofficial\nOfficial World Rankings\nProvisional Seedings\nProvisional EOS rankings\nRace to the Masters\nIncorporate Travel\nARISF\nSport Accord\nIWGA\n\u00a9 Copyright WPBSA World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association 2017. Terms and Conditions","meta":{"redpajama_set_name":"RedPajamaCommonCrawl"}}