Alpha Presents Check For UBB Memorial

{Whitesville, West Virginia}...Delays in getting granite needed in the construction of the Upper Big Branch Mine Memorial in Whitesville will keep it from being completed by the second anniversary of the tragedy on April 5th. Memorial spokesman Mike Gwinn says, once they get the granite in and it passes inspection, the actual etching and delivery won't take long. The massive granite monument will feature silhouettes of the 29 miners who lost their lives in the UBB explosion. Gwinn is hopeful the plaza part of the memorial will be ready by the anniversary. Representatives of Alpha Natural Resources were at the site Thursday for the first of two $125,000 check presentations. The company, which became the owner of UBB last year, promised to match all the memorial group raised. Gwinn says the project should cost around $500,000.