To the seasons of life
The local Chamber of Commerce will be hosting an all candidates forum on October 27th and 29th for the November 15th general election. All incumbents are running , with three Mayoral candidates, Susan Roline, Neil Menard, and Mike Jolly, there are a number of new contenders as well.
The events are at the Merritt civic center Mamette avenue downtown Merritt.
Today in History: October 17th 1994
A Russian journalist, Dmitry Kholodov is murdered while investigating corruption in the Military.
Contractors for new
5oo KV line hiring
File photo start of
project KDG
Two sources on the third 500 KV lower mainland line under construction for two years have said that there is a problem with the bolts that assemble the transmission towers. The most recent report says that 150 towers are having their bolts all replaced by higher grade bolts. This extends the project for one local contractor for some time. The project is now being constructed from both ends with one of the contractors going to the lower mainland end.
A problem with a collapsed tower at the beginning of the project was caused by a failed lifting cable with the crane installing it. The tower construction is now at the Murray lake area, in the Coquihalla ; a source says that they are installing snow legs and estimates they are the strongest worked on in memory.
Today in History: October 15th 1878
Graduation parade, school district 58
file photo KDG
Today in history: September 26th 1969
Abby Road the last Beatles album is released.
The local literacy Merritt group has a fun function for young ones
File photo KDG
previous elections and those that vie for power:
file photo KDG
The Civic election is November 15th 2014,there are usually 6 councillors and one mayor up for election, although there was talk of having a split term there appears no change for positions at the City Government.
To be a candidate there are few qualifications,
There are various disclosers and rules for financing a civic campaign,it may be more that a novice can take on. However every person should have the opportunity to have their voice and perspective be in the voting bar of a civic council. good luck.
New this election is the term length of 4 years, it may be a precursor to split terms after 2018.
The old municipal act once said that to run you could not be in a contention with the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (an incentive to drop.) This is no longer expressed.
There are also 3 positions on School district 58 on the ballot.
The construction of the Tolko co gen and the 130 KV line are going to be in full swing at election time, vote.
Candidates packages are available August 22, through city hall, non resident property owners may also qualify for candidacy, however there seems to be a 30 day actual residency in Merritt. In the past the Tolko mill manager lived in Kamloops and held a seat on Merritt City Council.
Today in history: August 13 1918
Women are welcomed into the United States Marine corps for the first time,
A crew is at work on the new transmission line to the Highland valley from Merritt. A source says that 80 percent of the cut line was already in place before starting the current round of work. “We are dealing with Christmas tree size stuff now”. The work of placeing lines and poles will begin in October with “twin poles” placed by cranes.
Not to be confused with the new 500 KV line to the lower mainland that is currently being completed. That is the 3rd 500 KV line to the west from the interior of BC, and the first in a decades long hiatus from that sort of construction.
Today in history: August 12 1992
Canada, the US and Mexico complete free trade negotiations.
A contractor was flushing out the sprinkler system at the Nicola Valley Memorial Arena on the 29th. Fire safe from Salmon Arm had hoses connected to the system on both sides of the building, and water was flushing through a fine filter at the end of it and into the storm sewer. the rusty water was the result of the 15 year time since any flow had been in it, according to a worker that identified himself as just a helper.
The Nicola Valley Memorial Arena, is home to the oldest BCJHL hockey team in the province, and had a major reno and expansion some two decades ago.
Today in history: July 30th 1729
The foundation of the city Baltimore.
There is a lake up in the Coquihalla Valley , a small lake about 1000 feet wide in a narrow area. The lake has cabins on it and it is considered scenic. The access is off the freeway near the Juliet creek bridge, in the area of Larson hill. There was a fire South of there and presumable from the conditions of wind and conditions the two helicopter working to extinguish the fire had to go over Merritt and to Nicola lake to get their water buckets filled. The fire was discovered Monday, thought to have been started by lightning it has prompted an evacuation order for the residents in the area, of the fire, not Merritt. The order comes from the Thompson Nicola Regional District.
The Vernon info news has published what an evacuation order means to those effected by it: http://infotel.ca/newsitem/evacuation-order-issued-for-murray-lake/it11597
The absence of helicopters being seen going by Merritt Thursday to Nicola lake may mean that ground crews are in there and have a measure of control over the fire.
Get authoritive information at the regional district site: http://www.tnrd.ca/ click the red button to see what it means to you.
Today in history: July 18th 2013
The government of Detroit files for bankruptcy with a record 20 billion dollars of debt.
A bus used by firefighters from New Mexico,sits in a local motel.
Photo KDG
At one time firefighting was a nuisance tackled by the authorities and community . Decades ago a forest fire saw untrained conscripts and people who logged or mined in the bush thrown at a fire in a makeshift way. today with technology and a closeness of population to possible fire it has become more of a science. and professionals are often sent to help other jurisdictions to deal with overwhelming fires.
The local scene here saw a training facility opened at our airstrip with a capacity of 58 and three classrooms in joins a permanent presence that sees fire fighters trained every summer, often students from college or universities securing employment for the summer. The nearly 5 million dollar facility was opened last September. And echoed the commitment of words by the Forest minister ” we have an international reputation for fire fighting and hit it hard and hit it fast is our modus operandi.”
Lets hope that this a reality this summer as hotter weather is drying out the country side here.
http://infotel.ca/newsitem/new-provincial-training-centre-opens-in-merritt/it4348
Today in History: July 17th 2001
The supersonic Concord returns to service a year after a 2000 crash.
Gas price, the availability of fuel
Photo KDG
On July 4th there was another step in the ladder for approval of the twinning of the Trans Mountain pipeline to Burnaby, the company a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan has operated a pipeline from Edmonton to Burnaby for 60 years. The line goes by Merritt by the local airstrip. the twinning is to accommodate Tar sands bitumen and is still controversal. To see the regulatory timeline and construction schedule visit: http://application.transmountain.com/whats-next?utm_source=Trans+Mountain+Today+Jul+3rd+2014+&utm_campaign=TM+Today+07%2F03%2F14&utm_medium=email
The July 4th step was the filing of intervener requests and supplemental filings asked for by the NEB of Trans Mountain. this is leading up to the NEB Public hearings in January 2015.
Hey Merit what do you say?
Kevin Griffiths
percypaschal
The Proprietor Review 