You are presumed to be honest and responsible without evidence to the contrary beyond a reasonable doubt… on the balance of probablilties you are justified by 51 % likelyhood.
John Paul taking a tree down, bench area November File Photo KDG
The forest service requires something called a pre-harvest siliva-culture prescription before logging plans can be approved by mills. Starting in May of most years some crews are about Merritt to plant trees. One time catch phrases such as Weyerhaeuser’s We plant two trees for everyone one we harvest have not rung aloud as much as in previous decades. Regulation seems to have taken over a little from public relations.
There are tree-planters at work this summer in the Black Diamond Ranch area by Brookmere in the Coquihalla, one from Salmon Arm, an immigrant from eastern Europe says that it is possible to plant 3000 a day at piece work rates. A long slender shovel blade distinguishes them from other forestry workers.
The Merritt Desert Inn is an annual venue for a Tree Planters Ball that sees many dress up in costume for a night of hilarity. The Ball was held in June this year and a management source at the Desert Inn said there were few planters this time and she knows of none at this writing.
Weyerhaeuser (pronounced “Warehouser“[4]) is one of the world’s largest private owners of timberlands. It owns or controls more than 6 million acres of timberlands, primarily in the U.S., and manages another 14 million acres under long-term licenses in Canada. The company also manufactures wood and cellulose fiber products. Weyerhaeuser is a real estate investment trust.[2] source wikipedia
A logger sports day in forestry week is on the agenda for Merritt this year, celebrating forestry week September 23rd-25th 2016. Billed as West Coast Lumberjack Show, it will feature a chainsaw carving competition. By two Carver Kings as seen on HGTV. The show will include will be forestry logging equipment displays and a big rig show and shine.
Forestry week was observed with a parade in recent years and the Fall Fair grounds sported two high spars for climbing competitions. Climbing with spurs was a skill that hydro, telephone and loggers practiced at work.
On this Day: July 12th 1971
The Australian Aboriginal flag flies for the first time.
A couple of Underhill and Underhill’s surveyors are doing the alley behind the Murray GM facility today. ‘Only we know were the survey pins are “said one of the operators of the line of sight equipment. “i don’t fully understand what google GPS dose in these things “says the operator of the legal survey.
The GM business has frontage on the Nicola Avenue/ 97c million dollar upgrade involving a lane upgrade and street light overhaul.Trucks turning right going west have had troubles numbers of times do to lane squeeze.
General Motors Canada is reported to be showing interest in smart vehicle navigation according to the CBC.
On this Day: July 8th 1874
The Canadian Mounties begin the march west from Ottawa.
Canoe quest to north west coast of BC File Photo KDG
The Trans Mountain pipeline expansion approved in May/2016 had conditions, one was ongoing consultations .
The expansion will increase tanker traffic from Vancouver, something unattractive to many and in particular First Nations. Because the expansion is considered by the regulator as in the public interest, consideration must have been given to what this will cost us. Including ascetics and life style. The shirt and caricature above was made for a canoe trip by First Nations people up the coast of BC, and shows an attitude that we understand and appreciate.
Large tankers can only be really be appreciated by sailors, double hulls by engineers, natural beauty by most and the coast of BC best by the indigenous residents. This will cost us as paying for any necessity does. A consuming humanity awaits and a vigilance demands a balance and respect for the costs and commitment of watchers and attitude molders.
On this Day: June 24th 1938
A meteor weighing over 400 metric tons explodes in to pieces in the earths atmosphere, landing at Chicora Pennsylvania.
A crane drives piles at the start of a 200 million dollar cogen facility in Merritt BC File Photo KDG
The Merritt Green energy project, is now constructing the stack. The construction consortium that are building the 40 Mega watt facility have a height variance of 45 meters in place. It now is starting to be present on the North side of the main building and is visible front he center of town.
Jack Madrigals a local retired man with plant experienced reminded us that the thermal generator in Kamloops a hundred kilometers north of Merritt needed to get another permit to raise their stack to accommodate population. The generator provided and provides electricity for the Kamloops Pulp mill. The operation never exported power off the property.
The Green energy project takes the wood chips from three local mills and produces power to the grid. Wood chips have been going to the Kamloops mill in Kamloops by Arrow trucks made specially for elevated dumping. The Merritt project is constructing the same truck lifting and dumping. According to Len an employee on site.
The Kamloops pulp mill is now operated by Domtar limited, who celebrated 50 years of operation in Kamloops.
The operation began in 1965, when a new and innovative concept for utilizing waste materials from regional sawmilling operations was developed. Sawmill residuals or waste in the form of sawdust and wood chips would be used to make pulp, thereby providing not only economic development in the region, but also addressing a significant environmental challenge facing sawmills of the day. A group of innovative entrepreneurs saw this opportunity and set to constructing a pulp mill in Kamloops.
The Kamloops Pulp mill get wood fiber from 22 interior mills. No word if the Merritt supply effects them however transportation over local use is a Green prerogative.
There Is a new table at the parking arena parking lot on Voght Street. The round four seat-er appeared last week and is on a concrete platform under the maple trees that make the area so attractive for the Farmers market in the summer time.
It is also 25 feet from the quick charger and the 90 amp green highway EV charger.
It makes an invitation to bring a lunch to your EV recharge experience in Merritt. the quick charger is 20 minutes the 90 amp about 2 hours for most EVs.
On this Day: June 10th 1925
The first meeting of the New United Church of Canada in Toronto, making Presbyterian, Methodists and Congregationalists one entity for worship.
The May 19th decision of the twining of the trans mountain twinning of a pipeline was not an absolute, now the conditions are demonstrated is the next challenge.
The 157 conditions apply during various stages of the Project’s life cycle, including before construction, during construction and during operation of the pipeline. Conditions are designed to reduce possible risks identified during the application process and ensure the pipeline is planned, built and operated safely. The requirements also ensure Trans Mountain protects the environment and respects the rights of those directly affected by the Project through construction, mitigation and into many years of operations.
The conditions, which would be enforced by the NEB, cover a wide range of topics, including:
•Safety and integrity of the pipeline;
•Emergency preparedness and response;
•Protection of the environment;
•Ongoing consultation with those affected, including Aboriginal communities;
•Socio-economic matters;
•Affirmation of commercial support for the Project prior to construction; and
•Financial responsibility.
Shell Canada giving up expired oil exploration leases in the arctic, is not one of them listed unless you consider it ongoing consultation and expand it to interested parties.
Health and safety of the stakeholders are an ongoing concern . To live up to the adds on environment and economy in balance is not a mean feat. Its a great promise but should we just say lets see…
clean gas clean gas pump
Trans Mountain has a great record here.
On this Day: June 9th 1948
The International Council of Archives is established.
The Petro Canada Station here in Merritt received a delivery of gasoline yesterday ending its 2 day lack. Today it is selling regular gasoline at a dollar nineteen a liter.
When we asked a customer fueling his vehicle bearing Saskatchewan plates if he had any trouble greeting gas on his trip from the east he said no. ” didn’t have to carry some in your pockets to get here ” “no”.
At this writing the Chevron station on Dewolf way is selling regular gasoline at $116.9 a liter. http://www.gasbuddy.com/
Gas price, the availability of fuel File Photo KDG
There was no gasoline available at the Petro Canada outlet at the Junction of Highway 5 and 97c.
On Monday there was no word on when there would be any available from their refiner Sun Corp.
The outlet was selling regular gasoline at 119.9 a liter on the weekend.
At 11 am this morning the downtown Petro Canada said they don’t have any idea when they will have fuel and the other Petro Canada off the freeway exit here has none.
The source didn’t know if other such as Shell or Chevron had gas.
Gas buddy is reporting prices but not availability. The postings are calling it temporary.
On this day: June 7th 1909
Mary Pickford starts her cinematic career the tender age of 16.
The Kinder Morgan environmental response team is drilling this week in Nicwala park behind the local lawn bowling facility off Merritt avenue.
Different organizations are involved including Regulators from the regulator, provincial environmental responders and contracts that do the ” integrity work” on the pipeline that runs to Alberta through here to Burnaby.
Today they have a boom and collector spread out on the Nicola River in an exercise they have people stationed on the river with poles to catch anyone that may fall into the fast moving water.
A contractor from Hope that is responsible for the integrity of part of the line says ” every thing is GPS now we know where the welds are within 3 meters with our technology including the smart pig inline sensor”
Jason a person in charge of the response vans pointed out materials for sopping up oil as well as generators and small tools.
On this day: May19th 1921
The US sets quotas on immigration.
Trees can be a lethal hazard in falls. File Photo KDG
There are 20 young people at the Forest Service Training center at Saunders Field here in Merritt. One trainee says that they are doing tree intervention.
Trees along roads are sometimes dead falls and can be a real hazard to people and vehicles. An innocuous looking snag on a high road bank can quickly become a deadly spear coming in an open window of a moving Vehicle.
Cut block also expose untested timber to wind and the possibility of a falling tree. Look up and live.
A member of the group says ” we are identifying the problem trees at this point”.
On this day: April 8th 1952
United States President Harry S. Truman calls for the seizure of all US owned steel mills to stop a national steel strike.
There is a walk through display trailer at the City Furniture parking lot on the 2000 Block Coutlee Avenue in Merritt. A set up person says that it will be ready for the public in the AM on Wednesday. Showcasing its new all fast fiber service to Merritt it has smart boards and appliances in a raised glass level walk through. A velvet rope barrier similar to a theater welcomes the interested at the bottom of a flight of about 7 stairs to the raised platform.
The last word going out the back end is ” Gigabit enabled future.”
Telus making its presence known in Merritt. Photo KDG
The display continues on to Vancouver Island after Merritt.
On this Day: March 30th 1964
The popular game show Jeopardy debuts with hoist Art Fleming.