Past and present Hanford workers will be honored Friday in Richland during a national day of remembrance for nuclear weapons program workers. A ceremony is planned from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Richland Community Center, 500 Amon Park Drive.
In addition, the Tri-City Herald will publish a special section Friday honoring Hanford's contributions to winning the Cold War.
In May, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution designating the national day of remembrance for workers, including those who developed illnesses because of exposure to radioactive and chemical hazards.
The Cold War Patriots, a nonprofit group, will discuss its plans Friday for creating time capsules with material from Hanford and other weapons sites. The Friday ceremony also is expected to include remarks by Dave Brockman, manager of the DOE Hanford Richland Operations Office, and Rep. Larry Haler, R-Richland.
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Cold War nuclear workers to be honored Friday
Cold War nuclear workers to be honored Friday
The Tri-Cities will celebrate a National Day of Remembrance on Friday for Cold War nuclear weapons workers at Hanford and other Department of Energy sites.
Cold War Patriots, a nonprofit organization, has organized a celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Richland Community Center, 500 Amon Park Drive, Richland.
The event will launch a new project to add to quilts honoring Cold War nuclear and uranium workers. Supplies will be on hand to allow participants to sign fabric quilt squares with markers to honor workers.
Hanford layoffs timeline
Hanford layoffs timeline
Here is a timeline showing the Tri-Cities' roller coaster layoff history:
1943: Hanford, White Bluffs and Richland are transformed from rural villages with a combined population of about 1,200 into a construction camp of 51,000 workers.
1946: Employment drops to a low of about 5,000 as construction slows after World War II.
Vets get range of salutes in Tri-Cities
Vets get range of salutes in Tri-Cities
Robert Wilkinson of Pasco held his salute for the full singing of The Star-Spangled Banner on Friday in Kennewick's Columbia Park, despite frigid temperatures.
The 80-year-old retired Navy Gunner's Mate 1st Class feels a particularly personal patriotism on Veterans Day because he is one of six brothers, all of whom were in the military, during either World War II or the Korean War.
About 150 people joined Wilkinson at the Regional Veterans Memorial ceremony to remember and honor the men and women who have served in the military to defend and protect the U.S.
Hanford critical mass lab demolished (w/ video)
Hanford critical mass lab demolished (w/ video)
RICHLAND — One of the most contaminated buildings at Hanford, the 209 East Critical Mass Laboratory, has been demolished.
The 8,979-square-foot building was used for more than two decades for research on plutonium and uranium solutions to identify controls for uncontrolled nuclear reactions called criticalities.
After research stopped in the central Hanford lab in 1983, most of the radioactive materials were removed and the tanks and pipelines were flushed. But work to clean out the building to prepare for demolition still took almost two years of work by CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Co.
Hanford stimulus spending called a success
Hanford stimulus spending called a success
Not since environmental cleanup began at Hanford has the nuclear reservation had a period where it could point to as much work completed as in the last 30 months.
As the Department of Energy wraps up most spending of its $1.96 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act money, Hanford regulators and the state of Oregon, which keeps a close eye on Hanford, are calling the program a success.
Within a day of receiving its first Recovery Act money in spring 2009, Department of Energy contractors were hiring to ramp up cleanup.
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