"An affidavit filed in 2001 by Lawrence Woodcraft, a former Scientologist and trained architect, claims that Woodcraft encountered the fibrous minerals while working on the ship in 1987, and promptly informed Scientology leaders."

Hey, remember where Tom Cruise held his birthday party? Jog your memory with Gawker's EXCLUSIVE VIDEO of the embarrassing 2004 celebration. via Gawker

Dr. Robert Gale Martin, founder of Carolina Eye Associates in Pinehurst, North Carolina, died last month of mesothelioma at the age of 65. Carolina Eye Associates opened in 1982, the first ophthalmic ambulatory surgery center east of the Mississippi. He was one of the first doctors to perform small-incision cataract surgery and lens replacement and one of the first, if not the very first, to perform corneal relaxing incisions, a precursor to Lasik. Before opening his practice, Dr. Martin was a member of the 5th Special Forces Group during the Vietnam War and remained an army surgeon until 1971. Dr. Martin lived 5 years from the time of his diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma, and he continued operating and seeing patients for as long as he could.

For the full story, go to the Fayetteville Observer.

The Olympia, which was Admiral George Dewey’s flagship in the Spanish-American War’s 1898 Battle of Manila Bay, has seen serious deterioration from its prolonged exposure to salty seawater since the ship retired in the early 1920s. Despite the ship’s role in the battle that marked the United States as a rising world power, the Olympia was nearly scrapped years ago because its steel hull was so compromised with rust. The Independence Seaport Museum is working to overhaul and save this historic ship. Right now, marine surveyor Charlie Deroko is using ultrasound technology as well as physical inspection to determine the extent of the damage and develop a plan for the upcoming overhaul.

Already 30 tons of rust mixed with asbestos has been dug out of the ship. For decades, asbestos was used heavily throughout ships and submarines because of the risk of fire. But the use of asbestos has created its own health risks, exposing generations of navy members and other sailors to the risk. And asbestos is a concern in making such historic ships safe for visitors as well.

For the full story, go to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

The rare lung cancer afflicting miners on the Iron Range will be the topic of extensive study now that Governor Tim Pawlenty has signed a bill providing money for the research. via KARE 11 TV

"This is an urgent request. You've got Australia with the highest rate of mesothelioma deaths anywhere in the world"

UNIONS have called on the Federal Government to inquire urgently into asbestos as part of a push to eliminate it from workplaces and homes. via The Age

Cuyahoga County commissioners have already spent $35 million on the Ameritrust property in downtown Cleveland, and now it looks like they will have to spend more tax money, as much as $4 million, on asbestos removal just to attract the attention of developers. The property at East Ninth Street and Euclid Avenue includes the old Ameritrust Tower, a rotunda, three office buildings and two parking garages. The county is asking $35 million for the property and does not expect to recoup whatever is spent on the asbestos removal.

For the full story, go to the Plain Dealer.

The Health and Safety Commission has merged with the Health and Safety Executive . via Thames Laboratories

Rodney D. Loftis, Sr. pleaded guilty to ignoring two cease-and-desist orders from the South Carolina Department of Environmental Protection directing him to close down and cap illegal dumps on his property. See related story. The charges against him—violations of the department’s solid waste orders and of the Solid Waste Management Act—are all misdemeanors. Sentencing is scheduled for June 2nd. The prosecutor said that the state recommends two years of probation and a $37,500 fine. Loftis is also required to cap the dumps, monitor them for any releases and allow DEP inspectors access to the property. State officials say that the asbestos products, which were found at both of the dumpsites, were intact and were not believed to present a risk of air or groundwater contamination in “the foreseeable future.” When Loftis demolished buildings for his clients, he apparently dumped the debris, including asbestos-containing debris, on his land, and he claims that he didn’t realize at the time that this was against the law. Loftis already paid a $25,000 fine in 2000 for violating asbestos regulations in his demolition business.

For the full story, go to the Charleston Gazette.

The fire station in Tonawanda, New York has been closed for almost two weeks after concerns that a do-it-yourself tiling project in the station’s basement lounge area could have released asbestos. The station is closed until air monitoring shows that it is safe, but the fire chief is hopeful that those tests can be completed and the station reopened very quickly. Some area residents are concerned that the station’s closure puts them at risk in case of a fire, but the fire chief says that there is no reason for concern because the fire department headquarters is so close that response time will still be very rapid.

For the full story, go to the Tonawanda News.

The Legislature has sent a bill to Gov. Tim Pawlenty providing money for an exhaustive study of a rare lung cancer that has hit especially hard on the Iron Range. via The Minneapolis-St. Paul Pioneer Press