Register now for the Southeast Blasting Workshop held March 27 or for the Hazmat Class 1 Explosives Specific Training held on March 28 before this week's deadlines. After March 20, registration for the blasting workshop will increase to $95. March 20 is also the last day to register for hazmat training.

Calling all students pursuing an education degree related to the commercial explosives industry: The SEE Education Foundation is awarding close to $60,000 in scholarships for the 2014-2015 school year, and you may be eligible.

Eligible students must be pursuing a technical, undergraduate, graduate or doctorate degree in fields of education related to the commercial explosives industry. Students also must be able to demonstrate the need for financial assistance. The deadline to apply is May 30, 2014.

The SEE Education Foundation is a nonprofit organization created in 1996 to serve the long-term education interests of the explosives industry through the development of education and training materials, championing the inclusion of explosives instruction in engineering curricula and awarding scholarships to eligible students.

More than 1,300 people from around the world met Feb. 9-12, 2014, in Denver, Colo., for the 40th Annual Conference on Explosives and Blasting Technique, the world’s largest conference on explosives engineering.

For the second consecutive year, the SEE Education Foundation live auction raised more than $20,000. Big-ticket items included a 16-piece mineral collection and a handmade Education Foundation quilt.

The money raised through the auction will go to the Education Foundation ISEE Scholarship Fund, which awards scholarships to college students from across the globe who are pursuing a career in the blasting industry.

Minnblast has been the top venue for blaster training in Northern Minnesota for two decades. The 2014 show offered two days of top-quality courses and speakers plus a trade show. On Wednesday, nearly two dozen attendees completed the ISEE’s Practical Blasting Fundamentals Level 1 and Level 2 courses taught by ISEE’s Administrative Vice President Jack Eloranta. Jack, as well as ISEE Education Director Buck Hawkins, both gave presentations on Thursday to nearly 80 attendees.

MinnBlast continues to offer top quality training for both veteran blasters and those who are just beginning their careers and is the most affordable, local blast training that brings the top speakers from across the country with highest quality content. This year’s attendees was a mix of foreman, engineers, field blasters and explosive delivery personnel all seeking to learn of new regulations, products and methods.

A special person got to push the button to implode the nursing school on Unity Point's campus in Iowa. Joe Mausser,6, has been battling Leukemia since he was four years old. Two years later, he's finishing the last of his cancer treatment.

Living next to a McCook quarry for nearly four decades, La Grange resident Linda Lauterbach has grown accustomed to the periodic blasts. Now she's getting used to the occasional earthquake. Lehigh Hanson, the company that owns the quarry, announced it plans to resume blasting Monday. The company had suspended blasting after a magnitude-3.2 earthquake occurred seven seconds after a routine blast Nov. 4.

The Boy Scouts of America now offer a merit badge for mining in society. The badge encourages Boy Scouts to learn about minerals and the importance of mining and natural resources by exploring nearby cities, highways, rivers and railroads. The badge also encourages scouts to speak with approved merit badge councilors and experts about local mines and how they have impacted the community.

If you are interested in becoming a merit badge councilor or in obtaining a Mining in Society merit badge click the link.

A St. Paul, Minn., landmark came crashing down over the weekend. The 1920s coal-fired power plant was razed with explosives and the demolition was all caught on camera.

A 15 year old is recovering after burning his fingers on blasting caps outside a Seminole County school in Flordia. Police were called out to Lake Mary Preparatory School , located at 650 Rantoul Lane, Tuesday March 11.

A student told police he unknowingly had two blasting caps inside his backpack. When he reached in to retrieve something, one of the caps went off, burning his fingers.

When
April 17, 2014

Where
6201 Joliet Rd, Countryside, IL 60525, United States

Meeting starts at 6 p.m. at the William Tell Inn. Contact Janet Schue at cheriamour@aol.com.

When
March 27, 2014

Schedule
7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. workshop at the Embassy Suites in Huntsville, Ala.

For more information, contact meetings@isee.org.

When
March 28, 2014

Schedule
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Class 1 specific hazmat training at NCETR, Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala.

For more information, contact meetings@isee.org.

When
March 29, 2014

Where
Holiday Inn Boxborough, Mass.

NESEE presents a training opportunity for all--- it will be focused on state and federal changes that will effect our industry beginning this new year. We will be covering changes in the USDOT/FMCSA, ATF, OSHA, MSHA, as well as State regulations. In addition, the State of Massachusetts will be adopting the NFPA 495, which identifies the safety level to manufacture, transport, store, sale and use of explosives material.

When
April 8-10, 2014

Where
Precision Blasting Services, Summers Road, Montville, OH, United States

Training class for Underwater Blasting. Course outline and additional information can be sent by email. For more information, contact 440.474.6700 or email info@idc-pbs.com.

When
April 8-9, 2014

Where
Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Charleston West, 2nd Avenue Southwest, South Charleston, WV, United States

Geared for certified blasters and includes a review of current technology, safety and regulatory issues. Registration deadline March 21, 2014. $80 per person. Contact the West Virginia Office of Explosives and Blasting at 304.926.0464 for more information.