DELIVERING NEWS TO MID-COLUMBIA SENIORS SINCE 1982
MARCH 2022
Vol. 10 | Issue 3
Is the cable bridge ready for the spotlight? Boosters say yes By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz
A well-connected Tri-City trio is building support to give the iconic cable bridge a glittery update. Karen Miller, Kathy Lampson and Deb Culverhouse want to replace the sodium vapor lights that illuminate the cables with programmable LED ones that change color with a few taps on a computer. “Simply put, our lights are totally outdated,” Miller told the Port of Kennewick commission in January. It was one of a series of presentations the trio has made around the community as they work to build support for what could be a costly update – $2 million or more. The port’s commissioners praised the idea but have taken no steps to give it formal or financial support. Still, the port has a vested interest. The cable bridge looms over Clover Island, its home and prized property. The cable bridge, formally the Ed Hendler Bridge, opened in 1978, a
Learn more about the history of the cable bridge and its predecessor, the green bridge. Page 7
Photo by Kristina Lord A fledgling effort led by Karen Miller, Kathy Lampson and Deb Culverhouse aims to replace the cable bridge’s 144 sodium vapor lights with computer-controlled LED ones.
joint venture of the cities of Kennewick and Pasco. Today, it is owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation. The 144 sodium vapor lights that
illuminate the cables were added in 1996. They are dramatic, but old school. To change the color, technicians must bolt colored glass discs over each light fixture.
The first time that happened was in September 2013, when Ovarian Cancer Together turned the bridge teal for an awareness campaign. Karen Miller pushed the project in honor of her mother, Cathy Morris, who was fighting ovarian cancer. Her mother had seen a similar effort in Minneapolis and wanted to replicate it in the Tri-Cities. It wasn’t cheap. It cost $5,000 to cover all the lights, to staff a crew to close a lane on the bridge while the work was being completed and to position two men in a rescue boat below – just in case. HAPO Community Credit Union and other donors provided financial uCABLE BRIDGE, Page 10
Moviemakers aim their cameras at the Tri-Cities By Wendy Culverwell editor@tcjournal.biz
A Tri-City film company is making a name for itself producing short movies featuring local actors, crews and scenes. The semi-retired partners behind 2047 Productions say they have not made a dime on the undertaking, but they hope to eventually cover the cost of producing one to two short films per year. Nat Saenz, Randy LaBarge and Greg Martin said they’re having fun filming short productions including
Gravity Hill in Prosser, a Richland sci-fi bookstore, coffee shops and shorelines. What they’d really like is free or low-cost space where they can accommodate up to 30 cast and crew and build sets that do not have to be torn down at the end of each filming session. They’ve spoken to area property owners, ports, real estate brokers and economic development officials, but have come up empty handed. So, they decided to share the story of 2047 Productions in the hope
someone with spare space (secured, with parking) will step up to support its goal of developing a robust film community in Southeast Washington, and the Mid-Columbia in particular. The timing coincides with the release of its latest production, “Gamma Man.” The superhero-themed story with a nod to the Tri-Cities’ atomic culture will be released in late February. 2047 Productions has its roots in RadCon, the sci-fi fantasy convention held in February in Pasco, said
Nat Saenz, a cinematographer and former metallurgist for Battelle. As media chairman, Saenz brought filmmakers to the area to share their knowledge and collaborate with locals on film projects. One effort led to “Clockwork Infinity,” a film made in 48 hours. Saenz and his team pooh-poohed their first efforts. Every industry has a learning curve and theirs is no different. “If you watch our films, they get better and better and better,” said u2047 PRODUCTIONS, Page 2
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Senior group welcomes new president, looks forward to in-person events
Page 3
MONTHLY QUIZ
Tri-Cities’ first dedicated electric bike shop opens in Richland
Page 13
How many games did the Richland (Columbia) High School Bombers lose in the 1956-57 basketball season? ANSWER, PAGE 9
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