Category: Tourists


Liqour licence

The Brambles bakery has in the last few months become licensed. The new provision in the province to bring your own wine to a meal then must apply.

If you call before 11 am in the morning you can place a group order for lunch as well.

Liquor is regulated by the province  here in Canada.

This locally owned and operated business for lunch or a evening meal catered in a meeting room rates : excellent.*****

2151 Quilchena Avenue Merritt BC

Today in history, August 29,2005

Hurricane Katrina causes 80 billion in damage on the south-east coast of the USA.

Black top

There are number of  tandem dump trucks here, with drivers staying at the local Econo Lodge. One of the drivers says they are hauling asphalt to Savona  from a plant to the west of Merritt.

The motel is has rooms booked for them through  thursday. So visitors may be under pressure  for the higher rate motels to the north end of town. 

Savona is on the West end of Kamloops lake a small town of less than a thousand people.

Savona Italy was the home of Christopher Columbus according to  a driver who grew up in Venice Alberta.

Today in history,   August 28,1913

Queen Wilhelmina opens the peace palace in the Haque.

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Driver security

The province daily paper had a picture of a bandaged lower mainland bus driver on its front page this morning. The caption said that the person that sucker punched him will not get jail time. The calls for this are regular and persistent and are mostly on a tone for vengeance.

A talk with a driver named Doug with Merritt BC Canada’s service gave the impression that he was not concerned . When asked if he lets drunks on he said yes if they seem alright. The bus service here does not run late at night and is small town

Editors note: emotional intelligence by people dealing with the public is a premium thing to have.To rely on deterrents such as jail seems to escalate things when people are challenged. However one should not underestimate the life changing effects of physical assault.

Today in history, April 4 1984

The United States president calls for a world wide ban on chemical weapons.

There is a small airstrip here in Merritt, Saunders Field. It is on a nice little bench just north-west of town. The local city council was inviting people who would be interested to be on the airport committee to contact the city. The strip is 634 meters at 500722 North,1204450 west. It is a public airfield and yes operated by the city.

About two decades ago a premier visited it in a whirlwind working tour and a 600 thousand dollar grant was given to put night landing lights on it. The money was never used and was returned to the Cabinet. However in the last year there has been a new hanger building built and there is a going concern helicopter company at the field.

The Merritt Flying Club operates a website that updates weather every 5 minutes as well as almanac and moon phase.However the last reading shows 29/1/12 and there is a registration offer from ambient weather.

The airstrip has had scheduled  passenger service in its history never lasting long as small planes are not comfortable to use as passengers and there is commercial jet service in both Kamloops and Kelowna, about an hour and a quarter away.

A city committee is usually chaired by a councillor and is a good precursor to running for elected office.

Every now and then the Federal government lands one of its four engine search and rescue aircraft and gets fuel adding to the legitimacy of the strip.

Today in History: February 13,2008

 The Australian Prime Minister makes a historic apology to the aboriginal people ; the indigenous Australians and the stolen generations

Editors note: tomorrow  February 14, 2012, afternoon 12-1, Dr.Cora Voyageur at the local college will be giving a presention open to the public on trends in aboriginal communities: there is also and evening session.

Falling rocks

Country road in the Yorkshire Dales

Image by freefotouk via Flickr

 A truck was parked at the Desert inn  in Merritt this AM and its side window was smashed out. The hotel owner reported that there had been a rock come down from off the bank  and go through the passengers widow. The truck minus its side widow is there as a testimony to its story. and we can confirm that in the past when freezing a thawing occurs on roads with high mountain or hilly dispositions rocks do fall ,and they have caused at least one fatality as a decapitation. Our advice is to be defensive especially when both lanes are full and there is little wiggle room. In some instances ducking beneath the dash ( passenger especially) may be the thing that will help. To do this effectively you need to can the sidehill for tracks and moving stones.

Today in History, December 22,1965

A 70 Kilometer speed limit is applied to all rural roads in the UK ,before there was none.

Liquor licence suspended

Liquor Licence:

The Coldwater hotel pub had its licence suspended for four days because of a minor being found in the premises back in September. A source says that the hotel took the sanction and not fight. The hotel will be reopening in four days from the Saturday night closing.

A source says that server’s in the hotels use take an online serving certificate course to serve alcohol to the public.

Today in History, December 19,1843

Charles Dickens Story: A Christmas Carol goes on sale.

  • World War II MemorialThe Japanese needed security and provoked the second world war for fill. Yes fill, the crafty fellows thought that the world would respond by firing artillery shells into the island nation, plugging holes and filling cracks so that they had land to live and grow on. That has to be true as when the game went atomic the war was over because no more fill.
    England, Japan and New Zealand are about the same size with the latter being slightly larger than the Japanese 4 islands that house their 100 million people.
    Points
  • Snakes, there are no snakes in New Zealand as In Ireland they didn’t make it out of the ice age.
  • Did I mention that the Mauri go down to spirit bay to start their long, long journey to Paradise?
  •  A least one 1200 year old tree centers the splendid sand and greenery for the fauna in New Zealand
  • A small lizard survives the from the Dinosaur age we think he must have liked to eat frozen snakes.
    • Did I mention that the Mauri go down to spirit bay to start their long, long journey to Paradise?
  • product placement
  • 1/4 acre syndrome; the  inhabitants of New Zealand have lawns and single family dwellings and their favorite pastime is self home renos.
    • Did I mention that the Mauri go down to spirit bay to start their long, long  journey to Paradise?
  • 20 to 1 sheep, there is peace and contentment as the 3 million odd people in New Zealand can all count sheep to go to sleep at night.
  • *
    • Did I mention that the Mauri go down to spirit bay to start their long, long journey to Paradise?

It’s a long, long way to paradise from spirit bay….

If the Japanese can make it to Vancouver they can fly for about a thousand dollars to New Zealand  via commercial air carrier .

Note there are poisonous sea snakes in the ocean off New Zealand     .

  • Did I mention that the Mauri go down to spirit bay to start their long, long journey to Paradise?
  • please note the one pointless note….*

Construction

The streets in Merritt are full of activity today as at least two major projects for this small community are at work. Sanders and Company are busting up the pavement and concrete at the old Grasslands Hotel site as well.

A sewer and water upgrade and a beautification in the small downtown core are in progress.

The local legion is also readying its front for a country music  possibly Merle Haggard according to an unconfirmed source. The about 10 x 10 black white and gray-scale portraits are done by the muralist Michelle Loughery and the Walk of Stars.

Today in History, October 12 1999

Six billion people alive at one time.

Freeway closed

The Coquihalla is closed by a multiple vehicle accident at the moment. A source says they are rerouting traffic to highway 8 Spence’s bridge and the Fraser Canyon to Vancouver. Exit 286 at the  interchange is closed.

Today in history :August 11 1972

The last US ground forces leave Viet Nam

East coast bound

Off to Newfound land, west coast to east coast and an Island beyond. A pair of brothers Romanian expatriates are on their way to the other side of the country today and have accomplished the first 400 miles stopping in Merritt at a local sub shop to eat. It’s a long way from the cor debois or Alexander Mackenzie and they say its 8000 miles.  As the crow flys it is more like 5000,they may thinking about all the side roads and touring spots coming in to opportunity.  Their motor cycle and sidecar is decked out with equipment and clothing and they are exited about the trip. N and K  look about mid twentys and in  great shape.They will be following many others that come through Merritt with like  touring goals.

Today in history, August  3, 1958

The nuclear powered submarine USS Nautilus travels under the Arctic ice cap.