Page 6A
RECORDS
East Oregonian
Work to demolish
nuclear weapons plant
to resume in September
By NICHOLAS K.
GERANIOS
Associated Press
Work to demolish a for-
mer nuclear weapons pro-
duction factory at the Han-
ford Nuclear Reservation
may resume in Septem-
ber, about six months after
it was halted when work-
ers were exposed to radio-
active particles, the U.S.
Department of Energy said
Thursday.
The agency will imple-
ment extra safety measures
for workers demolish-
ing the Plutonium Finish-
ing Plant at the plant near
Richland. The plant was
involved in producing
much of the plutonium
for the nation’s nuclear
arsenal.
Hanford officials issued
a report in late March that
said a total of 42 Hanford
workers inhaled or ingested
radioactive particles when
they were exposed during
contamination events in
June and December of
last year. Radioactive con-
tamination was also found
outside plant offices and
inside two dozen vehicles,
the report said.
Demolition work was
halted. Experts studied the
dangerous work, looking
for ways to make it safer
for employees and the
environment.
“Right now we are
planning for a Septem-
ber resumption on demoli-
tion,” said Karen Wiemelt,
a manager at CH2M Hill
Plateau Remediation Com-
pany, the private contrac-
tor performing the work
for the Energy Depart-
ment. She predicted dem-
olition could be completed
by next June.
Experts have identi-
fied techniques to make
the work safer, including
better and more frequent
monitoring for radioactive
contamination, better ven-
tilation, minimizing waste
piles and making sure that
materials known as fixa-
tives were used according
to manufacturers’ specifi-
cations, Wiemelt said.
Erecting a big contain-
ment tent over the plant
site was rejected as too
complicated and not worth
the effort, she said.
“It would take us liter-
ally a couple of years to
design and procure and
build a tent,” she said. “It
makes far more sense to
proceed very deliberately
with enhanced controls.”
Hanford is the nation’s
most polluted nuclear
weapons production com-
plex, and the complicated
cleanup costs the federal
treasury around $2 bil-
lion a year. The cleanup
is expected to last for
decades, and it involves
buildings, 177 under-
ground nuclear waste stor-
age tanks and other facili-
ties on a site that is half the
size of Rhode Island.
The March report con-
cluded that Hanford offi-
cials placed too much reli-
ance on air-monitoring
systems that failed to pick
up the spread of radioac-
tive particles. Managers of
the private contractor were
also caught between main-
taining safety and trying
to make progress toward
project deadlines, accord-
ing to the report.
Risk escalated as walls
of the plutonium plant
were knocked down and
the rubble was stored in
piles. Fixatives sprayed on
the rubble to keep radioac-
tive particles from blowing
away may not have been
effective, the report said.
The amount of radiation
involved in the contamina-
tion incidents was low —
even lower than naturally
occurring levels of radia-
tion people are exposed to
in everyday life, the report
said. But the project was
not supposed to expose
workers to any additional
radiation. The amounts of
radiation that have escaped
are considered too small
by state experts to pose a
health risk. All the con-
tamination was found on
lands that are closed to the
public.
Hanford was created
during the Manhattan Proj-
ect in World War II and
made the plutonium for
the atomic bomb dropped
on Nagasaki, Japan, that
effectively ended the war.
The Plutonium Finishing
Plant was constructed a
few years later. The plant
took liquid plutonium
and shaped it into hockey
puck-sized disks for use in
nuclear warheads.
Demolition on the plant
began in late 2016.
Saturday, July 28, 2018
OBITUARIES
DEATH NOTICES
Fred C. Searcey
Alan S. ‘Al’ Grossmiller
Everett, Wash.
February 13, 1927 - July 23, 2018
Hermiston
June 13, 1920 - July 20, 2018
Fred C. Searcey, 91,
passed away peacefully on
July 23, 2018 in Everett,
Wash.
Fred was born
on February 13,
1927, to William
(Tom) Searcey and
Catherine Lynch
Searcey in Pend-
leton, Ore. He
attended
school
there,
graduat-
ing from Pendle-
ton High School in
1945. After gradu-
ation he served in
the Navy.
After his hon-
orable discharge,
Fred returned to Searcey
Pendleton and mar-
ried Mary Kathleen Kopp of
Pilot Rock, Ore. They raised
their four children in Pend-
leton, Woodland, Wash.,
and Walla Walla, Wash. He
was active in the Catho-
lic church, Scouting, and a
member of the Elks Lodge.
He enjoyed hunting and
fishing.
Fred worked for Pacific
Power and Light Company
for 27 years, beginning as
meter reader, then a line-
man, and the last half of his
career as substation operator
until his retirement in 1983.
Fred was remarried
in 1980 to Rose Marie
Gutschmidt, and they spent
many adventure-filled years
together before her pass-
ing in 2012. He was able to
fulfill his dream of building
homes, and spent time trav-
eling, climbing mountains,
backpacking, canoeing, ski-
ing, and snowshoe-
ing. He loved to be
the life of the party.
Fred is sur-
vived by his daugh-
ters, Mary (Tom)
Dauchy of Walla
Walla,
Wash.,
Susan Singh of
Anchorage, Alaska,
and Sally (Mitch)
Mullanix of Ever-
ett, Wash., and
his grandchildren
Kathy
Cornejo,
Melissa
Fortin,
David
Searcey
and Kacey Mul-
lanix, as well as six
great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death
by his son, Thomas Searcey,
granddaughter Meagan Mul-
lanix, his parents, and sisters
Eva and Juanita.
A funeral mass will be
held for him at 11:00 a.m.
on August 3, at St. Mary’s
Catholic Church, Pendle-
ton Ore., followed by a lun-
cheon. The committal ser-
vice will be held at 1:15 p.m.
at Olney Cemetery. Please
share memories at www.
beckstributecenter.com.
In lieu of flowers, please
honor Fred by doing some-
thing fun, having a good
laugh, or raising a toast to
friends.
Sláinte, Dad!
Alan S. “Al” Grossmiller, 98, of Hermiston, died Friday,
July 20, 2018, in Hermiston. He was born June 13, 1920, in
Oregon City. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Sept.
15 at 1 p.m. at the Stanfield Baptist Church. Burns Mortuary
of Hermiston is in care of arrangements. Sign the online con-
dolence book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com
Beatrice J. ‘Bea’ Luciani
Echo
Feb. 6, 1924 - July 25, 2018
Beatrice J. “Bea” Luciani, 94, of Echo died Wednesday,
July 25, 2018, in Hermiston. She was born Feb. 6, 1924,
in Watertown, South Dakota. A funeral service will be held
Thursday, Aug. 2 at 11 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 485
W. Locust Ave., Hermiston. Burial will be at the Echo Cem-
etery. Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrange-
ments. Sign the online condolence book at burnsmortuary-
hermiston.com
UPCOMING SERVICES
SATURDAY, JULY 28
BARNES, ROY — Memorial and celebration of life at
4 p.m. at Gardner Funeral Home, 1270 N. Main Ave., White
Salmon, Wash.
DUFF, ETHEL — Memorial service at 1:30 p.m. at the
Des Moines First Baptist Church, 22415 19th Ave. S., Des
Moines, Wash.
HARMON, DICK — Memorial ride beginning at 10 a.m.
at Riverside Park, 3501 N. Spruce St., La Grande; motorcy-
cles, classic cars and other vehicles welcome. A memorial
service will follow at 11 a.m. at the American Legion Hall,
301 Fir St., La Grande.
LEMMON, BOB — Celebration of life service at 2 p.m.
at the Hermiston Elks Lodge, 480 E. Main St. Bring stories
and photos to share.
MAY, MARK — Celebration of life at 2 p.m. at Wild-
horse Resort & Casino, Mission.
RANSOM, FRANK — Services from noon to 2 p.m. at
Leaven Community Salt & Light Church, 5431 N.E. 20th
St., Portland.
WICKS, DORIS — Funeral service at 11 a.m. at Grace
Baptist Church, 555 N.W. 11th St., Hermiston.
SUNDAY, JULY 29
DANIELSON, VERNA — Celebration of life from 2-4
p.m. at Park Plaza, 1400 Dalles Military Road, Walla Walla.
Food, drinks and fellowship will follow.
OBITUARY POLICY
The East Oregonian publishes paid obituaries. The obituary can in-
clude small photos and, for veterans, a flag symbol at no charge.
Obituaries may be edited for spelling, proper punctuation and style.
Expanded death notices will be published at no charge. These in-
clude information about services.
Obituaries and notices can be submitted online at www.eastorego-
nian.com/obituaryform, by email to obits@eastoregonian.com, by fax
to 541-276-8314, placed via the funeral home or in person at the East
Oregonian office.
For more information, call 541-966-0818 or 1-800-522-0255, ext. 221.
LOTTERY
Thursday, July 26,
2018
Lucky Lines
1-6-12-14-19-23-25-30
Estimated jackpot: $24,000
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 0-2-6-0
the president boasted that
“we’ve accomplished an
economic turnaround of
historic proportions.”
He predicted that the
economy would fare
“extraordinarily
well”
in the current July-Sep-
tember quarter and that
growth for 2018 as a
whole would be the best
in 13 years.
But forecasters cau-
tioned that the April-June
pace was due mainly,
though not entirely, to
temporary factors. Most
analysts are forecast-
ing that growth this year
could reach 3 percent,
which would be the best
since a 3.5 percent gain in
2005. But many think the
annual 4.1 percent growth
rate last quarter is likely
the high point. Many
think annual growth in the
second half of this year
will be 2.5 percent to 3
percent.
“We believe quar-
ter two will represent a
growth peak as the boost
from tax cuts fades, global
growth moderates, infla-
tion rises, the Fed tight-
ens monetary policy and
trade protectionism looms
over the economy,” said
Gregory Daco, chief U.S.
economis.
The latest GDP figure
was nearly double the 2.2
percent growth rate in the
first quarter.
Friday, July 27, 2018
Pick 4
1 p.m.: 0-4-8-2
World gazes at total lunar eclipse,
longest we’ll see this century
U.S. economy grew
at a brisk 4.1 percent
rate last quarter
WASHINGTON (AP)
— The U.S. economy
accelerated last quarter at
an annual rate of 4.1 per-
cent, the government esti-
mated Friday, as consum-
ers spent tax-cut money,
businesses stepped up
investment and exporters
rushed to ship their goods
ahead of retaliatory tariffs.
President
Donald
Trump said he was thrilled
with what he called an
“amazing” growth rate
— the strongest quarterly
figure since 2014 — and
said it wasn’t “a one-time
shot.” But most econo-
mists took issue with that
forecast, saying the pace
of growth in the April-
June quarter won’t likely
last in the months ahead.
The
Commerce
Department said the gross
domestic product — the
total output of goods and
services produced in the
United States — posted its
best showing since a 4.9
percent annual increase in
the third quarter of 2014.
Trump, who has repeat-
edly attacked the Obama
administration’s
eco-
nomic record, had pledged
during the 2016 presiden-
tial race to double annual
economic growth to 4 per-
cent or more. And at a
White House appearance
Friday with his top eco-
nomic advisers and Vice
President Mike Pence,
4 p.m.: 7-3-9-2
7 p.m.: 2-3-4-9
10 p.m.: 2-3-9-6
Harald Tittel/dpa via AP
The moon turns red during a total lunar eclipse in Bernkas-
tel-Kues, Germany on Friday. Skywatchers around much of the
world are looking forward to a complete lunar eclipse that will
be the longest this century.
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Curiosity and
awe have greeted a complete lunar eclipse, the
longest one of this century and visible in much
of the world.
The so-called “blood moon,” when it turns a
deep red, was visible at different times in Austra-
lia, Africa, Asia, Europe and South America when
the sun, Earth and moon lined up perfectly, cast-
ing Earth’s shadow on the moon.
The total eclipse lasted 1 hour and 43 minutes,
with the entire event lasting closer to four hours.
Rio de Janeiro’s spectators cheered when the
blood moon emerged from the fog. Hundreds of
people watched at a fort overlooking the iconic
Copacabana beach and Sugarloaf Mountain. The
local planetarium set up telescopes for astrology
fans.
“These telescopes are fantastic. It’s one thing
to see pictures of the planets in a book and another
to see it in real life,” said Ana Selma Ferreira, a
46-year old lawyer who brought her children to
the spectacle.
LET’S STIRRUP SOME FUN!
August 7 - 11
Tues. • Aug. 7 • 9pm
F AIR K ICK -O FF P ARADE
S ATURDAY ,A UG . 4 TH 6:30 PM
Wildhorse
ino
Resort & Cas
Main Stage
at the Fair
Sawyer Brown
New Rides!
Purchase your all-day
ride pass before
August 7
for $25 ($5 off)
Wed. • Aug. 8 • 9pm
Ned LeDoux
Brewers Grade Band opener for Ned LeDoux
Fri. • Aug. 10 • 7pm
Thurs. • Aug. 9 • 9pm
Skid Row
Rebeldes De La Sierra - 7:00PM • Tormenta De Durango - 8:00PM
Grupo Fatal - 9:15PM • La Noblesa De Aguililla - 10:30PM
Los Canarios De Michoacan - 11:45PM
Sat. • Aug. 11 • 9pm
Blues Traveler
Enjoy Desert Sounds DJ in the Barley Barn Nightly! (21 & older)
Reserved Tickets
ON SALE NOW!
ONLY $12
(does not include admission)
PREMIUM
SEATING $20
(does not
include fair
admission)
Purchase tickets online at
WWW.UMATILLACOUNTYFAIR.NET
1705 E. Airport Rd., Hermiston, OR • 541.567.6121
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