Frank Munger

• Frank Munger: Uranium Processing Facility still trying to catch up Published 05/22/2013 at 3 a.m.

  The designers of the Uranium Processing Facility are almost back to where they once were.

• Frank Munger: Courtroom drama in Y-12 case pitted guard against guard Published 05/15/2013 at 3 a.m.

  One of the intriguing stretches of last week’s federal trial of Y-12 protesters was the back-to-back testimony of Sgt. Chad Riggs and (former) Security Police Officer Kirk Garland.

• Frank Munger: Mason: New deputy is 'natural fit' for lab Published 05/06/2013 at 4 a.m.

  The new deputy lab director at Oak Ridge National Laboratory won’t arrive until June 1, but ORNL chief Thom Mason said Ramamoorthy Ramesh is a “natural fit” for the job.

• Frank Munger: Migrating rad waste a continuing concern Published 04/24/2013 at 3 a.m.

  The concern has been around for several years now, but it’s still not clear whether radioactive wastes seeping from Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s old burial grounds are polluting groundwater on the other side of the Clinch River.

• Frank Munger: GAO ruling on Y-12 contract due by April 29 Published 04/10/2013 at 3 a.m.

  The combined contract to manage the Y-12 and Pantex nuclear weapons facilities is a big deal to a bunch of people, and a ruling on the contract protests is expected before the end of the month, which should make a ...

• Frank Munger: Expand the SNS? That's a billion-dollar question Published 04/03/2013 at 3 a.m.

  The government’s science budget is tight, and the future outlook is for more of the same. It might even get worse.

• Frank Munger: When Y-12 breach was over, finger-pointing began Published 03/20/2013 at 3 a.m.

  There were various, unofficial reports of testy relations between B&W Y-12, the managing contractor at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant, and WSI-Oak Ridge, Y-12’s protective force contractor, long before the July 28, 2012, security breach. But it would seem the ...

• Frank Munger: Would copycat protests result in bloodshed? Published 03/13/2013 at 3 a.m.

  The penetration of Y-12’s vaunted security last year by three protesters, one of whom was 82 at the time and all of them eligible for AARP, made it look all too easy, and that has some folks worried about copycats.

• Frank Munger: Y-12 contract delay is like putting chaos on hold Published 03/06/2013 at 3 a.m.

  The transition of contractors at the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant is on hold because of protests lodged against the government’s award of a new combined contract, which includes the management of the Pantex Plant in Texas as well as Y-12.

• Frank Munger: ORNL knows the drill for fateful Friday Published 02/27/2013 at 3 a.m.

  There’s a lot of uncertainty about sequestration and the potential impacts, but Oak Ridge National Laboratory Director Thom Mason indicated one thing was for sure: Lab employees will report to work on March 1.

• Closing on EnergySolutions merger Published 05/24/2013 at 6:01 p.m.

  EnergySolutions and Energy Capital Partners today announced the closing of their merger. EnergySolutions stockholders earlier approved the merger agreement in which they would receive $4.15 cash per share, according to report by the Salt Lake City Tribune.

• Paducah enrichment operations to cease; plant to be returned to DOE Published 05/24/2013 at 2:46 p.m.

  USEC Inc. today announced that efforts to extend operations at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant had failed, with operations to cease at the end of May. "USEC expects to begin reducing its workforce at the plant in the coming months," ...

• Cost of Uranium Processing Facility may be going up — again Published 05/22/2013 at 8:24 p.m.

  OAK RIDGE — The government has balked at giving a definitive price tag for the Uranium Processing Facility, instead using a series of escalating cost ranges — the most recent of which was $4.2 billion to $6.5 billion — during ...

• Oak Ridge guards union elects president Published 05/14/2013 at 9:55 a.m.

  Shannon Gray is the new president of the International Guards Union of America (IGUA), Local 3, which represents the security guards at Y-12, ORNL and the Federal Office Building.

• Reporter's Notebook: Was the judge wearing blue under his robe? Updated 05/11/2013 at 7:36 p.m.

  Last week’s trial of Y-12 protesters proceeded at a speedy pace, reminiscent of a fast break by one of Kentucky’s highly talented basketball teams.

• Y-12 protesters must stay in jail, judge rules Published 05/11/2013 at 4 a.m.

  U.S. District Judge Amul Thapar issued an order Friday that will keep the convicted Y-12 protesters in jail until their Sept. 23 sentencing hearings.

• Federal judge rules Y-12 protesters must stay in jail Published 05/10/2013 at 7:25 p.m.

  U.S. District Judge Amul Thapar issued an order Friday that will keep the convicted Y-12 protesters in jail until their Sept. 23 sentencing hearings.

• Judge Thapar rules: Convicted Y-12 protesters must stay in jail until sentencing Published 05/10/2013 at 6:14 p.m.

  U.S. District Judge Amul Thapar on Friday issued an order that will keep the convicted Y-12 protesters in jail until their Sept. 23 sentencing hearings.

• NNSA changed selection official for Y-12/Pantex contract 8 days before selection Published 05/10/2013 at 2:07 p.m.

  Following the release of the redacted version of the GAO's full decision on the protests of the Y-12/Pantex contract award, B&W-led Nuclear Production Partners -- one of the losing bidders -- said it's now apparent that it had the best ...

• Convicted Y-12 protesters remain jailed while judge mulls legal options Published 05/09/2013 at 7:15 p.m.

  Three Y-12 protesters convicted of obstructing the national defense apparently will remain in jail until at least next week while U.S. District Judge Amul Thapar considers whether they can be released pending their Sept. 23 sentencing.

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