Category: Public health


Lumber for plainning

The Ardew mill site has some activity on it this week .Lumber cut at its new owners Aspen Planners Ltd is being piled for planning at the site. A source says that although the Ardew milling operation was not automated they had a good planner.

Aspen planners cut lumber for their mill on Quilchena Avenue and plane it at the old Weyerhaeuser mill site which they also own and use exclusively for planning.

modernization and consolidation of operations have dramatically reduced the amount of workers employed here at local mills.

The old Ardew site remains bare of logs. ardew wood products was a family operation that employed about 60 people.

Today in History: June 4, 1975

California gives farm workers collective bargaining rights.

Cougar

The Vancouver paper is reporting a cougar problem in that city in the lower mainland. When we asked local cougar hunter Kim Robinson this morning about it he replied that some times young cougars will go to populated areas because of pressure by large mature cats  that have defined territories in the surrounding hills. He said a one and a half-year old cougar will be sure of his danger from big mature cats that mark trees and post but not sure if they are in danger from humans. He also estimated that a big cat will kill 50 deer year and sometimes areas get depleted of that kind of food supply and they move. Large cougars will kill and eat smaller rivals according to Robinson

Pets and possibly small children may be in danger from cougars that have moved into the area.

Kim Robertson is noted to have claimed 250 lifetime big cat kills. A says they are in no danger for numbers.

Today in history: May 23,1958

Explorer one ceases to transmit.

Blue box

A source in the City thinks that they will be distributing the Blue box  recycle garbage cans that complement the  gray lidded plastic cans for garbage in April or May. The cans have been siting in a pile at the city works yard waiting for  the go ahead from the powers. The same truck is divided into sides one for recycle another for garbage. A mechanical  hydraulic arm picks them up and dumps them into a compression chamber and returns them to the curb. This is worker friendly taking a lot of the risk of injury away from the one man handler.

Water sewer and garbage rates are being separated from the property tax levy on the billing  from City hall this year.

Today in history:March 27 1998

The authorities approve the drug Viagra for impotence.

1000 posts

Today we are posting our one thousandth post on the WordPress blog service , for The Proprietor Review. To mark the occasion we have a suggestion to all the Facebook fans and users that we are associated with.The  games on that service command some time to get  the mouse control , attention to graphics and directions to master. Since you have these already go to http://www.icbc.com/driver-licensing/getting-licensed/pass-veh/opkt and take the practice road test; that’s the second link down on the menu on the left. Answer the 25 questions untill you get 100 percent. The questions are worth 4 percent each so you need 80 percent to pass; for licensed drivers it should be a breeze.

Today in history: February 28,1784

John Wesley charters the Methodist church

Forklift training

There is a consultant giving forklift training for the Flatiron Contractor  today at the local community college. He says he is recommended by WCB as ” being on their list”. The one day course is includes lunch and discussion at lunch included ” who trains the trainer”.

The private consultant goes by JLS training and is unincorporated.

Checking with a local mill forklift drivers are determined by seniority and they will also but on a one day course.

Today in History: December 17,1969

The salt 1 talks begin.

Vandelism

The forest fighter training facility at Saunders field, is reported to have been vandalised and construction equipment stolen.

The fire fighting school was at Nicola Lake  for many years and last year was in Chilliwack. the announcement of a multi million dollar facility at the local airport . was followed by immediate construction activity this fall.

The airport has a live in watchman.

Today in History: December,13,2000

Al Gore concedes the 2000 election in the United States

Imature bald eagle

Yesterday morning I saw a dead eagle in the back of a pick up. It looked frozen but imagistic even in its fallen spread eagle position. By the time I got up to the conservation office to inquire the owner of the truck had already surrendered the bird. A confirmed source said there was no crime suspected or breach of any regulation. “it starved to death” ,” this time of the year is hard on them” on examination “muscle had been consumed”.

There is a right to sustenance and ceremonial use for eagles by first nations.And its been about 7 years since non FN have been able to get permits to harvest. A confirmed source says about its remains “it will probably go to a local first nations person.”

Editors note: Solders fighting in winter with little food have been autopsied and found to have had shrunken organs consumed to keep all warm blooded creatures at body temperature.

Today in History: November 29,1963

The Warren Commission is begun to investigate the assassination of JFK.

Highland Valley Copper

The huge copper mine about 1 hr from Merritt is still expanding. Lyle Forsyth 31 years an employee and a journey man says his base pay rate is 42.50 an hr. They have had construction recently even giving him some overtime opportunities. The mine some years ago applied to the labour board for a variance so crews could work more then 8 hrs a day with out getting overtime this made for a 4 day work week and one less day of driving as well.

Highland Valley Copper took over the Bethlehem,  Highmont and Lornex operations making for one mining concern under the Teck Corporation banner. The mine produces copper and molybdenum

Today in history: October 15,1970

An Aeroflot domestic flight is hijacked and diverted to Turkey

Demonstration

There is a couple of people on Voght Street  with signs against the Smart Meters that Hydro is installing. One a women about 45  is saying her motivation is because of burying a relative with many brain tumors in the head area around the ear , she says that her relation used cell phones with regularity.

In the 10 odd minutes we talked to her there were no honks from passing traffic.

Today in history: October 4 1957

The Arrow  Jet Fighter’s rolled out in ceremony at the  Avro plant in Ontario Canada.

22-wmr

A spent casing for this weapon was found on the walk path on Voght . The casing was in the middle of the path and was in an area where vehicles don”t often pull over. Baring some child playing with it we remind you readers that discharging a fire arm in City limits is illegal and a wounded bear can be more dangerous then a healthy one with a clear path of escape.

Today in history: October 1st 331 BC

King Darius the third is defeated by the Macedonians in the battle of Gaugamela.

No abatement

The rivers that flow through town are high and some say that watering restrictions are not in effect because of it . A source at the city says that this is not true. The restrictions for watering here in Merritt are still in effect.

Even number homes MWF, odd  TTS no watering by sprinklers on Sunday. Watering when done with an attended hose is always legal. Automatic /underground sprinklers 1 -5 Am. These regulations are said to be new in a brochure picked up at the city today.

The regulations are in effect from May 1st to September 30th 2012 and there is a fifty dollar fine for infractions.

Today in history: June 21,1919

The German fleet is scuttled in Scapa Flow off Scotland making the 9 sailors killed in the operation the last casualties of  World War One

Police helicopter

The area of town about the tourist info booth was busy with police presence this morning at  about 9:30. Constable Tammy  and at least 3 others were walking about looking in garbage cans and  taking notes. An unconfirmed source said that some one had been running. A police helicopter was later noted as being aloft. The police were tight lipped offering little engagement  to passers by. No barriers were up and it dissipated without sirens with in about an hour. A fire fighting crew  was noted as having lunch in the local subway that had been part of the subdued but note able police action.

The helicopter may have been un related.EN

Today in history June 14, 1955

Chile signs on to the Buenos Aries copyright treaty.