A vandal singled out a 100-year-old Italian bas-relief carving of the Last Supper, making the historic work of marble his personal piñata. After shaking my head, and wondering just what is wrong with people, I told my wife, “I should go down there and see if I can help fix the damage.”

A 1964 historic building in South Florida that currently houses a condominium complex was designed by Edward Durell Stone and restored by his son, Hicks Stone Son, in the late 1990s. But while the exterior of the building was revived, the Italian marble base of a sculpture that sits outdoors was in need of repair.

It's no surprise to anyone in the stone industry that we are in the middle of a shake-up, driven predominantly by a new construction and remodeling boom, the new import tariffs, the ever-growing number of new competitor fabricators and the merging and acquisition of low-performing and established fabrication businesses.

The 30th edition of Coverings, the international stone and tile exhibition held annually in the U.S., will head back to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, from April 9 to 12, 2019. This year's show will feature interactive onsite experiences, and new activities to commemorate its 30th anniversary.

In this issue, you will see that we address the subject of shop safety, which I think everyone agrees is an important topic. In a matter of seconds, one wrong move or misjudgment can lead to an accident, or even more tragic to think about – a fatality.

Located in San Antonio, TX, the Bexar County Public Works building was designed to mimic the natural environment, having its physical presence and placement along the river act as a metaphor of the varied landscape.

Stone World magazine spoke with Vineet Malik of Stone Showcase about the coalition he is part of that is addressing the tariffs, antidumping and how the fabricator, big or small, can have their voice heard.

Recently, Stone World published a report about the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative releasing a list of approximately $200 billion worth of Chinese imports that will be subject to additional tariffs, including quartz and a range of natural stone products.