Category: Preditorial Birds


Fish by prohibited method

Filed under: Crime and punishment, Environment, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
March 13, 2014

So you just can’t catch a fish by any method at all.  A 50 dollar fine under section 63 for not fishing by an approved method is probably a reasonable action in conservation. Using tree pronged hooks or nets or barbed hooks on certain lakes or streams can get you in trouble.  When ever you break a regulation you put  your equipment at risk for seizure. People in the past have lost trucks and campers as well as the fishing rods  and tackle or even boats. Little points like only having two days limit when transporting or not leaving heads and tails on can get you into real dutch.

The conservation people encourage reporting of  poaching and other  infractions including illegal dumping and using deactivated roads.

Regulations are available when licencing and need to be heeded. http://www.britishcolumbia.com/fishing/?id=28

Today in History: March 13 1964

Research into the bystander effect is begun after Kitty Genovese is murdered in full view of her neighbours who do nothing to stop it.

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TGIF – First nations education

Filed under: First Nations People, Public health, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
March 7, 2014

There has been a real transition to self-governing among the First Nations people’s in the Nicola Valley.  Some real markers for the recapture of a near dead culture are here. NVIT is a first nations run public college, it has agreements with major universities for university transfer. They use the facility for traditional feasts and have a FN language dean.

Located behind the senior highschool is a mock-up pit house with architecture that models the original design and demonstrates the importance of circular dynamics of meetings. The Provincial park at Nicola lake also has ancient pit house remains as a topical interest.

The healing of local natives is in some ways apparent including a marked departure from excessive drinking and there is fewer tragic accidents in the last half decade.

The aboriginal mine training association posts employment goals in the near 1000 range and is well on its way to achieving.

There are catagory two, grade schools that are government certified including one at Douglas Lake, featuring kindergarten to grade twelve. nkwala@uppernicolaband.com

Kudos to visionaries like the late Grand Chief Gordon Antoine for his clear vision and patient resolve to create conditions for success.

Today in history: March 7th 1994

The United States Supreme court rules that parodies of an original work is  acceptable under the fair use provision.

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By election result

Filed under: Politics and Politicians, Workers Safety by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
February 24, 2014

Candidate Menard won the local by-election for city council on Saturday.  The only of the six candidates to get more than 200 votes.

Neil Menard has an honorable discharge from the Navy and has a background in the IWA union where he was employed in administration for  decades. ( source NM all candidates forum)

He is purported to be a BCJHL hockey supporter, Merritt boasts the longest existing franchise in the league 41 years

Today in history: February 24th 2008

Fidel Castro retires as Cuba’s president after 50 years.

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Family Day -free swim

Filed under: Public health, Workers Safety by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
February 6, 2014

Monday the 10th of February is BC Family Day. This is the second year that the  legal holiday is being observed.

The Nicola Valley Aquatic center is offering some free events as well as a free swim from 1 to 4 pm on the 10th.

Family day is a holiday in other provinces but some are on the 17th of February.

Today in history: February 6th 1959

The patent for the first integrated circuit is filed by Jack Kilby of Texas instruments.

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Survey Stakes

Filed under: Environment, Public health, Technology by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
January 27, 2014

The Hydro authority has been busy with the construction of a third 500 kilovolt line to the lower mainland from t the Revelstoke dam. lost in the shuffle has been a relatively minor additional line  to the Highland Valley from the Merritt Substation. The huge Teck corporation open-pit moly and copper mine is there and has been having its mill expanded.

The line to a substation in the Highland valley will replace an existing one that follows Voght street in Merritt now. The line in the 60 thousand volt range  will be replaced with a 130 thousand volt range line.

It was also planned that a cogeneration plant from a local saw mill burning green wood waste would add to the electrical production going to the Highland valley.

There is no word on the cogeneration project however on the weekend it was observed that the survey stakes have been placed for the new branch line. The new line follows the Coquihalla highway 5 north for away then heads to the Highland valley. survey stakes go right through Extra foods and Coyote bluffs residential development to the Merritt substation site that is currently being upgraded.

The line also follows an existing  just outrside Merritt Telus fiber line and comes close to a high pressure pipeline to Burnaby before veering off north of Saunders field  the local airstrip outside Merritt city limits.

The province has put up signs saying that BC has 95 percent green energy at at least one EV charging site.

Today in history: January 27th 1961

The Soviet submarine S-80 sinks with all hands.

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Public hearings

Filed under: Climate, Environment, First Nations People, Government Works, Politics and Politicians, Public health, Social Activism, Workers Safety by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
January 17, 2014

The time to be heard at the public process for the Kinder Morgan  twinning project application is fast approaching. opening on Wednesday the 14th and ending on February 12th you must apply to the National Energy board to make a submission.

Here is the contact info according to Trans Mountain Pipeline; Kinder Morgans subsidiary and active agent in this application.

Grass seeding at a construction site in Merritt Photo KDG

Grass seeding at a construction site in Merritt
File: Photo KDG

Trans Mountain notes an error in the email notification that was sent to you this afternoon on behalf of the National Energy Board.

The correct email address for the National Energy Board’s Process Advisor, Reny Chakkalakal is transmountainpipeline.hearing@neb-one.gc.ca.

The National Energy Board (NEB) has issued an Application to Participate Notification about the hearing process for the Trans Mountain Expansion Project.

Those who wish to take part in the NEB hearing must apply to participate. The application to take part is on the NEB’s website at:

www.neb-one.gc.ca select Major Applications and Projects, then Trans Mountain Pipeline ULC – Trans Mountain Expansion.

Applications to participate in the NEB Hearing are due on or before noon on 12 February 2014.

If you need more information, the NEB has appointed Ms. Reny Chakkalakal as Process Advisor to give assistance.

Ms. Reny Chakkalakal Process Advisor, NEB E-mail: transmountainpipeline.hearing@neb-one.gc.ca  Telephone (toll free): 1-800-899-1265

The notice is also posted on the Trans Mountain website. You can read the full notice here.
Sincerely, The Trans Mountain Expansion Project Team

Today in history: January 17th 1946, 2007

The UN security council holds its first meeting.

The doomsday clock goes to 5 minutes to midnight in response to North Korean nuclear testing.

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Flu

Filed under: Public health by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
January 6, 2014

 

Flu shots in the public interest (free) ended at the end of November here. The flu season is November to April . most everyone can benefit from a flu shot. and it may keep you from a unpleasent run of  sickness.

Travel centers are available for those that may be going out of the country. Your resistance to flu that originates in other counties could be poor.

There is information on shots here: http://immunizebc.ca/clinics/flu

 

Today in history: January 6th 1986

Paul McShane Irish football player born.

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Power lines can kill

Filed under: -Photography, Public health, Workers Safety by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
January 2, 2014
Model plane stuck in power line

Model plane stuck in power line Photo KDG

There was a model plane stuck in the power lines this week behind the local arena. When we showed this picture to the City works Foreman Dan, he said he would call Chris  from the hydro the plane was gone before the crews were able to find it and all concerned agreed that to try to recover something like this could be fatal especially with a stick reach we hope that it fell over time and no one attempted to get it down with any method. (including throwing rocks.)

Today in history: January 2nd 2004

Stardust flys past comet wild 2 collects samples that will be returned to earth.

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Defibulator

Filed under: Public health, Technology by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
November 7, 2013
AED & Fire Extinguishers, both necessary

AED & Fire Extinguishers, both necessary (Photo credit: Frederick Md Publicity)

There is a community access defibrillator in the foyer of the Merritt Civic Center. The unit was donated in part by the Boston Pizza organization the defibrillator is marked AED and behind a glass cover.

Today in History: November 7 1996

Nasa launches the Mars  global surveyor

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NVIT speakers series

Filed under: Academics, Crime and punishment, First Nations People, Government Works by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
November 5, 2013
Sharon McIvor

Sharon McIvor

The local community college has a speakers series, its first event of the season last night featured a local member of their faculty, Sharon McIvor. Sharon has an activist’s bent to her career. She is A lawyer but generally refuses income from her place on the bar.  Does not like to practice criminal law,she has however a couple of presidents to her credit including O’Connor vrs Canada were she got on going revisions to the way victims statements are reviewed in sexual assault cases and the McIvor amendment to the Indian act that brought 46,000 grand children of the  Indian women that lost their status over time  through marriage. The women were restored in the 1980s by legislation but their grandchildren were not at that time.

Sharon voiced concerns on poverty oppression and missing or murdered women. she has a voice at the UN through a couple of committees .Sharon also voiced concerns about the relationship of First Nations with the Police. she also said that if it were proportional to population there would be about 19,000 missing or murdered non aboriginal women.

She feels that the way government is addressing issues is by providing money for training to groups, personal safety is the one she took ownership of for her people. She alluded to it being something but seemed less than satisfied.

Sharon McIvor says she was born in the Nicola Valley and can trace her mother’s side as always being here.

Today in History: November 5 1943

The World War Two bombing of the Vatican

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Engaging the world

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Crime and punishment, Education by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
November 4, 2013

Simon Fraser University has a presence here today at the local community college. Their theme is Engaging the world and are specifically presenting to Academic criminology prospects for degrees.

SFU has a distinction of having won the world pipe band  contests in Scotland. The school is named after the Explorer Simon Fraser who was the first to make it to the Pacific ocean by Land. He also relied on the most major river in British Columbia that bears his name today. The Fraser River empties into the Pacific ocean at Vancouver

Jack Lee, Pipe Sergeant of the multiple World ...

Jack Lee, Pipe Sergeant of the multiple World Champion Simon Fraser University Pipe Band warming up prior to the band’s performance at the 2005 Bellingham Highland Games. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today in History: November 4 2008

The United States elects its first Black American President.

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Road block: reporting from last year 2012

Filed under: Crime and punishment, Social Activism, Sports and Leisure, Workers Safety by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
November 1, 2013

The local police had a road block on Voght Street last evening we were taking pictures and a constable asked if ” we could help you sir” . After a reply we both went about our business which included more pictures and demands to see drivers licences.

The corner on Voght street is a traditional spot for the local police to have road blocks . A well advertised campaign at Holiday time called counter attack checked for drinking drivers at  about the same location.  The bend in the road afforded a surprise effect for cars coming down from a hotel on the hill. The hotel is gone in a fire some years ago but there was a good response to the Halloween activities by locals this year, with many people dressing up and having fun.

The road block was not around the bend  and was visible coming down the hill. The RCMP  remind people to be visible after dark on this social occasion.

Editors note: On examination of the photos the police where around the corner from the long hill that used to accommodate the Largest hotel in Merritt’s patrons returning to the center of town.

Today in history: November 1,1765

The British Government makes the Stamp act to fund military operations in North America by the 13 Colonies.

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