December 2008

The Department of Energy was very busy this month cleaning up tons of debris along the Columbia River in Tri Cities Washington. The DOE met a milestone in an area Hanford Site when they improved 53 waste sites. The Tri City Citizen has this to say about the cleanup: "DOE's River Corridor contractor, Washington Closure Hanford, loaded more than 408,369 tons of waste during their work on 25 of the waste sites. In addition, they characterized, sampled and identified more than 40 unknown items, found seven pieces of spent nuclear fuel, evaluated more than 300 bottles containing laboratory waste, and collected more than 1,500 samples. To meet the milestone, DOE and its contractors had to complete excavation of contaminated materials, document that the…

Congratulations are in order for the nursing students at WSU Tri-Cities. Most of these 28 men and women will be recognized Saturday, December 20 at the Convocation ceremony for the completion of their bachelors while the remaining few will be recognized for the completion of their masters. The Tri City Citizen writes: "Convocation is a thoughtful occasion where faculty, staff, medical professionals and students' family members celebrate the hard work and special relationships of the 28 members of the Fall 2008 graduating class. Of those, 21 are earning Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees, one is completing the Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science program, and six are earning Master of Nursing degrees. The two-hour ceremony features student speakers…

On December 20, 2008, four of the local youth organizations will join together for a great performance. Mid-Columbia Ballet, Tri-Cities Figure Skating Club, Tri-Cities Amateur Hockey Association, and An Daire Academy of Irish Dance will be performing together at the Toyota Center in Kennewick using the stage and ice to create an unforgettable performance. The cost of admission is only $6. After the performance the public is invited to skate on the ice for free with skate rentals available. To purchase tickets, go here.

"Exciting!" "Rewarding!" "Entertaining!" are the words used to describe Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance. An enchanting Irish folklore of love, danger, and desire that will capture your attention from the moment you take your seat. For this reason Lord of the Dance has remained the number 1 dance for the past 11 years. To learn more about Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance visit the official website, www.lordofthedance.com, where you can find information about the origin, find photos, and learn more about the dance. The Lord of the Dance group is scheduled to perform at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, Wednesday, December 17, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. For more information or ticket sales go to Tri City Herald's Calendar

The ENERGY STAR homes program is having a significant impact on the housing industry. Over the last decade, the new home industry has experienced an impressive transformation to high-performance homes that combine the latest advances in energy efficiency, building science and indoor air quality. ENERGY STAR homes are now found all over the country, resulting in an increasing number of homes that provide more comfort, healthier indoor air, and increased durability while reducing ownership costs by thousands of dollars. Today, there are more than half a million new homes having earned the ENERGY STAR rating nationwide, with projections of 2 million by the end of the decade. Consumers are becoming more aware of energy efficient improvements and the tangible…