[PHOTOSTORY 4: STRUGGLE] Growing up costs more than ever

 By: Dylan Waits

The residence of Tomas Romero-Perez while his 3-year-old dog Milo is on a lead outside to use the bathroom. Tomas Romero-Perez has had Milo for 3 years ever since he was a puppy and he got him to keep him company. 

The inside of Tomas Romero-Perez's trailer with no tv and holes on every wall. Most of the things Tomas Romero-Perez has was given to him by his friends. 

Tomas Romero-Perez carries waters and a soda to his vehicle to start to head to his first job. Tomas Romero-Perez works as a chauffeur for a retired air force veteran. 

 Tomas Romero-Perez drives retired air force veteran Joe Lemire to Woodland trail to go on a hike. Tomas Romero-Perez doesn't own his own car as he uses Joe Lemire's vehicle to get places. 

Tomas Romer-Perez walks behind Joe Lemire while holding a basketball as they begin their journey on the trail. Tomas Romero-Perez works for Joe Lemire every week Monday through Friday and he makes $20 an hour. 

Tomas Romer-Perez eats a spicy deluxe chicken sandwich from Chick-fil-a with Joe Lemire. The meal was paid for by Joe Lemire as Tomas Romero-Perez tries to save money by avoiding eating out. 

Tomas Romero-Perez eats a fry while talking to Joe Lemire about his past and his work. Joe Lemire lives in an assisted living residence and needs someone to help take him places. 

Tomas Romero-Perez gets ready to break the pool balls with the cue ball. Tomas Romero-Perez and Joe Lemire play pool at least once a week against each other. 

Tomas Romero-Perez leans across the table to try and hit one of the pool balls into the pocket as Joe Lemire watches. Between both jobs Tomas Romero-Perez works around 45 hours a week. 

Tomas Romero-Perez returns from his first job after dropping Joe Lemire off. Tomas Romero-Perez has lived at this trailer for eight years but only by himself for two of those years. 

Tomas Romero-Perez gets a drink of chocolate milk after returning home from his first job. Tomas Romero-Perez uses Styrofoam cups because he hasn't had the money to buy glasses yet. 

   Tomas-Romero Perez puts his clothes in the washer and turns them on. Tomas Romero-Perez doesn't even go to half of the trailer because the damage is too severe. 

Tomas Romero-Perez shakes a trash bag out to put a new bag in his trash can. Tomas Romero-Perez had to kick his own 26-year-old brother out because he wasn't helping with finances. 

Tomas Romero-Perez bends down to put a new bag in his trash can. Before getting his second job Tomas Romero-Perez used to walk to work every day and he hopes to save up for his own car. 

Tomas Romero-Perez takes a bite of a protein cinnamon role that he heated up in the microwave. Tomas Romero-Perez's diet mostly consists of sandwiches and frozen food as his stove is broken and that's what he can afford. 

Tomas Romero- Perez reads a book to wind down after his first job and to relax before his second one. Tomas -Romero Perez has worked as a line cook at a bar and grill for five years, having his ups and downs being fired once and quitting twice. 

Tomas Romero-Perez writes in his budget notebook to take into account his check that he earned today. Tomas Romero-Perez has racked up close to $13,000 in debt just four years after he graduated high school. 

Tomas Romero-Perez writes in his budget journal to keep track of his spending and his income. Tomas Romero-Perez usually does this in his car as there is no air conditioning in his trailer. 

Tomas Romero-Perez buttons up his chef's coat as he walks to the truck to head to his second job. Tomas Romero- Perez recently got his phone stolen and broken so he had to buy another one for $30. 

 Tomas Romero-Perez puts his hat on as he approaches his truck to go to his second job. Tomas Romero-Perez hopes to be able to afford college one day as he wants to work on aviation mechanics. 

[Photostory 3: ADITL] Joseph Walker Tours the Savannah River Mission Completion Liquid waste process at the Savannah River Site

Savannah River Mission Comletion (SRMC) employees are testing for radiation on their hands and feet before going on a tour around the Savannah River Site - the nuclear site owned by the US Department of Energy.

During this tour, the group heads to the Defensive Waste Processing Facility, where SRMC take liquid waste, decontaminates it, turns it into a solid, and stores it. While this shows a day, lets dive more into the special guests that is the reason for this tour.

Joseph Walker next to the radioactive control barrier. Walker is from the Department of Energy, taking a tour with SRMC to see all they do for the environment while cleaning liquid waste while also celebrating the finishing of Salt Disposal Unit 11 construction.

Walker with SRMC employees as they explain the intricacies of the DWPF process. DWPF takes a percentage of the liquid waste, turns it into glass and stores it until storage is later created for it permanently.

The tour group being shown the vehicle that transports the glass into its storage position. The glass is stored in cylindrical canisters that are then stored away in a warehouse.

Walker asking questions to the guide about the vehicle. The chances of getting radiation from your phone in your pocket is more likely than getting radiation from the chemical cleaning processes of nuclear waste.

The group heads through DWPF and over to the next part of the tour into a meeting to discuss the progress of the liquid waste reduction mission with SRMC. 

The building we are looking at is the Defense Waste Processing Fecility. This building is major in the liquid waste cleaning processes. The employees here with the technology clean almost 20 gallons a minute with projections going to 25 gal/min by 2027 reaching the missions goal of reduction of liquid waste by 2031.

Walker meets with President of SRMC Tom Burns. “You guys have something here that is really special,” said Walker. “In my years at DOE, the liquid waste contract has never done as good as in the present.”

Post the meeting, the crew heads into a warehouse that tests out technology to be used in the liquid waste mission. 

The tour group wears eye protection in preparation for the presentation to begin that shows the most recent  evolution of technology to progress SRMC’s mission to reduce the liquid waste in aging waste tanks at the Savannah River Site.

Robert Flannigan is head engineer over the drone facility. These drones are used to fly into the waste tanks  to view the inside, take samples and explore to ensure the safety of the workers at SRMC.

Walker and Flannigan with the tour group are enjoying watching the drone in use while Flannigan expands on the impact these drones have to the mission. “Engineers are here everyday to make technology to take the load off of people who work in the field. These drones not only do the job, but they protect others from potential risk of radiation.

Walker and the group headed to the SDU closure ceremony. This is the event where SRMC and the DOE celebrate the construction being finished on each SDU — SDUs hold a percentage of the decontaminated nuclear waste in a solid form to best protect the environment.

Two members of the group Tasha De Rienzo and Jack Habersham, of SRMC walking up to the ceremony. These ceremonies are held at Saltstone — the main hub for the construction of the SDUs.

SRMC and DOE officials from left Tom Burns, Eric McCloud, Derrek White and Walker speaking to the tour group on the status and honor that has been achieved at SRMC and the conclusion of building SDU 11. “To be here with you all is a giant step in history and an even bigger step in protecting the environment,” said White.

The tour group as they attend the closing ceremony. The reason SDU closure is a huge achievement is because the size of modern SDUs are about the size of a professional football field stadium for reference if these units were water tanks, they could comfortably fit eight whale sharks.

Walker speaks to the crowd. “It is a privilege to be here with you to day to celebrate this great accomplishment,” said Walker. “SDU 11 is only the beginning to the end of this environmental crisis and today you people are apart of something bigger than all of us— the betterment of tomorrow.”

Walker with other SRMC and DOE officials from left White, Burns, Walker, and Smith. Walker places the 11th seal of completion onto the podium with all the other completed SDU seals.

Walker and fellow DOE looking ahead to the future of making the community and environment a safer place by reducing the liquid waste on the Savannah River Site.

 

[ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT 4] Helen Hamilton

By: Layne Kafsky

Helen Hamilton is a rising junior at Georgia Southern University majoring in nursing. Hamilton is currently a lifegaurd at Splash in the Boro and has been a lifegaurd since she was 16. This is her first summer staying in Statesboro and working for Splash in the Boro.  

[ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT] Ariana Ward

Ariana Ward

Ariana Ward is a Savannah native and recent graduate of cosmetology school from Ogeechee Technical College. A fun fact about Ariana is that she has a graphic design business where she creates flyers, concepts, and advertisements for other people and companies. 

 

[ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT] Molly Bowen

By: Molly Bowen

 A love for shopping and fashion turned into so much more, “I already spent so much of my time here, I thought I might as well make some money from it,” said Marissa Hodge, TJMaxx Sales Associate. 

[ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT 4] Colby Snow

By: Sammie Van Landingham

Preparing for the move has been both exciting and emotional as Colby Snow begins this new stage of life. "I'm excited to have a fresh start and make this place my own."

[ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT 4] ANEL FUENTES

"I just got back from my trip from Puerto Rico. I'm now sad that I have to go back to living real life like working and going to school."

 

[ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT 4] Tony Jones

 

"I like coming here because it's a place where I can relax after a long day and catch up with people. Sitting at the bar allows me to meet new people, engage in meaningful conversations, and appreciate the atmosphere. Sometimes, it is the simple moments that make the biggest difference."

[ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT 4] Donny Garmon

 By: Libby Gowen

Donny Garmon, Nonna Picci patron

"My favorite thing about Nonna is the $2 Dos Equis. And the pizza, of course, but mostly the beer." 

[ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT 4] Cheryl Whetstone

 By: Jackson McKenzie

Cheryl Whetstone
Group Fitness Supervisor

"I actually originally joined as a member and then I got certified to teach classes because somebody needed help with subbing their class. And I did that here on the side for 26 years but after I retired in 2020 management asked me if I wanted to start working in administration and I took it. I love fitness and helping people become healthier and better versions of themselves. Being able to get to know our members and seeing the successes they have on their fitness journey, it's a wonderful thing to see. I also love the community feeling that we have within this gym."

[ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT 4]

By Daisy-Grace Hooper

Mikey Stanley posing for the camera mysteriously. Stanley is a rising senior at Statesboro High School with the hopes of going into the fashion industry in vintage clothing apparel. “Everyone needs to be able to express themselves. Even in this country town,” said Stanley.

 

[ENVIRONMENTAL PORTRAIT 4] Clayton Edwards

By: Glenn Ingram

 

Clayton Edwards, US Soccer fan (left) with Jeff Frantzel, South Africa fan (right)

"We couldn't get tickets to the matches but the atmosphere here at the fan fest has been incredible. This is my third day coming and getting to come with my friends is an unforgettable experience. Not only to have the world stage set here in the United States but in Atlanta just hours away from where I live is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Atlanta has been a great host city and should be hosting the finale." - Clayton