moving to the kennewick area in august

[rymandev]

I have lived here for a considerable portion of my life. I've never worked at Hanford. I've almost always started my own companies, operated them and often sold them. I know about the "Hanford mentality". I remember when JA Jones had basketball courts built and knew people who played ball 3 out of every 8 hours of their shift. I also knew- and know- a great many others who were dedicated in their jobs and actively tried to find solutions to the cleanup task.

As I've said many times before, making broad generalized statements regarding everyone, no one, everybody, they're all the same--- You start on a slippery slope of judging entire groups in black and white (no, I'm not suggesting racism, so don't take it that way, please)

I sit and listen to friends vent who butt heads daily with bureacrats who haven't a clue. Let me give you an example of waste.

A large group of containers are to be classified so it can be determined how they are to be stored. Classified by the level of radiation, etc. (Pardon me for not being technical in this!) Now, the chemical engineers and scientists suggest that, after a sample is taken of a statistically relevant number of these vessels, all with the same lot numbers, from the same source, the same date of original filling, etc., that if these contain a certain level of one element or another on the list of hazerdous waste, then that group should all be stored a certain way.

Now, here's the problem. The level of percentage that determines if it's high- or low-level waste is not determined by scientists. It's set by bureaucrats at DOE with no technical or scientific background! When asked how the level is determined, they hmm and haww and refer back to the directive, but can't explain why this was the level set, or how it was determined. So, you get storage of barrels filled with low-levels of waste- not truly hazerdous at all- into areas for high-level waste at an hugely exhorbinate cost.

This isn't the unions. Nor is it the workers on site. It's regulations from DC put out by technical writers without even knowledge of the chart of the elements.

I'm always suspicous of positions stated using analogies in lurid, insulting terms of absolutes. "slurping governmental teat, just like, mediocrity, sloth, nepotistic, inept, ingrained, mentality, never".

My experience is that most people who are on the cleanup mission here at Hanford want to do their jobs well and accomplish the mission. We've years of work ahead of us, without the need to slow the process down just to keep a job.

jaykers_mom, back to the original subject. With the huge amount of funds just authorized by Congress being sent here for the mission, the construction jobs are going to boom. And I think your kids will like it here.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by rymandev

My experience is that most people who are on the cleanup mission here at Hanford want to do their jobs well and accomplish the mission. We've years of work ahead of us, without the need to slow the process down just to keep a job.

If they wanted to accomplish the mission that badly, they'd be a lot farther along by now. When did Hanford's primary mission switch over to cleaning up the toxic waste the previous generation managed to spill? Would you say it was during the WPPSS era, or after? How long has it been...a quarter century (or more, or less)? We are going from generation to generation. One generation makes the mess, the next starts the cleanup, the next arrives to find that the cleanup hasn't gone very far. If it fools around long enough, its children will have lifetime employment as well--provided they too learn the proper pace of activity.

I strongly believe this nation will need nuclear energy. I just hope and pray that when it realizes this, it sets up the operations anywhere but Hanford. A $2 billion project supposed to produce X amount of energy in 5 years at Hanford is likely to become a $6 billion project producing 1/2x energy in 10 years. And I think that's exactly the way most of the employees want it--because it all comes down to the mantra: "Jobs at the site, good. Layoffs at the site, bad."

[MovinOutWest]

Originally Posted by j_k_k

When did Hanford's primary mission switch over to cleaning up the toxic waste the previous generation managed to spill? Would you say it was during the WPPSS era, or after? How long has it been...a quarter century (or more, or less)?

The last reactor closed in 1987 and the Tri-Party agreement (DOE, EPA and Washington Department of Ecology document about clean-up)was signed in 1989.

[jaykers_mom]

i was looking at schools and wondering what part of tricities would be the best. we even looked at burbank but unfortunately they didnt appear to have a highschool bowling team and my daughter has bowled since 1st grade. anyone know what schools are areas are the best areas? I dont want to move my family across the country and end up in a bad area. i find apartments but not sure if they are in a bad area or not.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by jaykers_mom

i was looking at schools and wondering what part of tricities would be the best. we even looked at burbank but unfortunately they didnt appear to have a highschool bowling team and my daughter has bowled since 1st grade. anyone know what schools are areas are the best areas? I dont want to move my family across the country and end up in a bad area. i find apartments but not sure if they are in a bad area or not.

The only rough areas we have, and that's rough not by big city standards but by our considerably gentler standards, are northeast Kennewick and east Pasco. We simply don't have any schools in the three primary cities that are urban war zones. If anything, the rougher schools are in a few selected spots in the Yakima Valley, and in Yakima itself. It's called Crackima for a reason.

So far as I am aware we have no Comptons with automatic weapons carried openly or certain death for walking in the wrong area wearing a given color. There's nowhere I feel unsafe, although, in fairness, I speak Spanish and am a fairly husky guy who doesn't look like a soft target, so even in areas where I'm the ethnic minority I can pretty well assure that no one will cause me trouble simply because Spanish-speaking Anglos get a pleasanter welcome in majority Hispanic areas. Plus, I don't feel afraid or ill at ease, therefore I don't act afraid or ill at ease, therefore I don't appear to be looking for trouble, etc. It might be different for others, to a degree.

In order to find yourself in an even marginally bad neighborhood, you'd have to work at it a little: go for the absolute cheapest and crummiest apartments, check with the police to find the highest crime areas, and otherwise make a concerted effort to seek out suck. And there'd be no point even looking for really bad neighborhoods in Richland, West Richland, west Pasco or central to west Kennewick. None at all in Burbank or Finley (though the latter is very rural by feel so you do get the sense someone's cooking meth somewhere; same is true of Benton City, which is a little further out).

As for bowling teams, I have no idea if any local schools have them, but they have a respectable array of sporting opportunities (golf, tennis, gymnastics, etc.). What's big here is football, followed by basketball--fairly typical of the West overall. Several local school consistently have very good football teams and it is always a source of pride to see one get high in the playoffs and pound the Westside teams.

[Ciao998]

I know Kennewick HS has a bowling team. And even if the HS she goes to does'nt, YABBA still organizes youth bowling leagues which are IMHO of the same level competition. I say do both, if she can.

We did'nt have bowling at any of the local schools when I was a kid(10-12 years ago). The main difference is the schools seem more like "teams"....even though there is no actual "teamwork" involved in bowling.

[jaykers_mom]

she has bowled since 1st grade and loves it. both through school and out of school. our school here has always had bowling. we are a small town, like smaller than any of the tricities towns for sure, (we are lucky to even have a walmart LOL) i keep looking everyday for an affordable place, i hope when the time is right i find what we need. we will move in august. I am hoping to have already found a place and pay deposit and a few months rent to help us as far as looking for jobs. I am so excited, thanks all for answers here, it really helps.