Category: Government Works


Kevin Falcon

Filed under: Politics and Politicians, Social Activism, Sports and Leisure, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
June 22, 2011

Kevin Falcon, a minister of the crown is visiting here once again. Falcon a member of the ruling liberal party and part of the new premier Christy Clark is visiting the local arts council.

He is deputy premier and finance minister since March. He is the chair of the treasury board.

The honorable member is a volunteer in his riding on the Surrey bike patrol with the RCMP,

The event is on June 29th,6.00 PM till 9 PM, At the Grand grill and pub tickets 15 dollars for a steak fundraiser dinner.

Today in History, June 22,2003

The largest hailstone every recorded falls on  Aurora Nebraska.

Tags:
Comment

Fire investigation

Filed under: Government Works, Politics and Politicians, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
June 7, 2011

About twenty fire fighters, are taking an investigation certification course at the local community college today. They will become credible witness’s to court cases involving insurance companies and criminal proceedings involving prosecutions.

The 4 and a half day of training gives the participants a level 2 certification for civil not criminal investigations another 4 1/2 would give them  level one and a credible witness in a criminal proceeding.

One of the participants said he was looking forward to making determinations.

Those  would have to stand in prosecutions and recovery actions for costs with insurance companies. We think that when loss rears its head it is competence and fairness that needs  to prevail.

Today in History, June 7 1099

The first crusade the siege of Jerusalem begins.

Tags:
Comment

Maintenence

Filed under: Enterprize, Government Works by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
May 27, 2011

The health authority has 3 full-time maintenance people and one part-time. For a 8 bed hospital and with one dormant wing. An extended care facility with 75 beds ; its hard to find published ,the amount.

A young obviously first nation full-time maintenance worker for the city, was chatty this morning about his job saying two days a week its his job to pick up the garbage from the city cans about the city .He said he looks in the top of them for obvious disadvantageous materials such as paraphernalia and needles but never searches them, he considers it a matter of his personal safety. It is good to see a person from his community on full-time for the city as this is Aboriginal awareness week across Canada.

There are numbers of private small maintenance contractors about here including one ex police person who lost his job policing through an unfortunate choice he made to assault a native prisoner.The city enjoys a clean and kept aesthetic through the 5 months of the local growing season. It is working hard at promoting a safe and stable place to spend vacation time.

From the microcosm that is Merritt KDG

Today in history, May 27, 1933

Walt Disney releases the cartoon film three little pigs and the theme song:  Who’s afraid the big bad wolf.

Tags: ,
Comment

Stats can follow up!

Filed under: Government Works, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
May 24, 2011

Census:

Today the crew of stats can are training for the follow up that started on the 20th, the legally required survey was for residence on  the 1oth of May and a follow up of households has started today.

Very simple form deals with language and domicile , if you answer yes to the Farming involvement the only other question you will get another form later.

Today in History: May 24,1893

Anti saloon league founded , by Howard H Russel of  Oberlin Ohio.

Tags:
Comment

All candidates forum

Filed under: Politics and Politicians, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
April 21, 2011

Five federal candidates spoke to an interested crowd of about 110 people last evening. Conservative , Green , New democratic, Liberal and an independent conservative. had an opening statement, responded to questions and a closing statement. The forum was moderated by a journalist from the local radio station.

Five  minute openings and 2 minute questions were the right  mix to get a feel for the hopefuls.

If a winner could be chosen I would say subjectively that John Kidder came off as the most confident and demonstrating knowledge and insight, representing the  Liberal Party he has a lot of experience and tends toward nationalism in arts and culture.

The conservative incumbent seat, and new candidate  Albas also had  a confident view point  and party line., all the candidates seemed qualified for Parliament and word that means talking place….

A source says that the official ballet include another independent.

The ballet is

  1. John Kidder-Liberal
  2. Dan Albas Conservative
  3. Green,Dan Bouchard
  4. NDP,David Finnis
  5. Conservative independent, Sean Upshaw
  6. Independent, Dietrich Wittel

Note , Kidders sister Margo is supporting him  on the hustings Margo played Lois Lane in superman in the film series in the 1970s

Today in History, April 21,1994

First extra solar planets discovered.

Tags: ,
Comment

Bus shelters

Filed under: Government Works, Tourists, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
April 20, 2011

Transit shelters, the city is putting out tenders for installing bus shelters 4 of them in locations chosen by the Nicola Transportation Society are being planned .Tender date deadline early May. Locations according to a confirmed source are:

  1. Intersection of Merritt Avenue and Garcia Street.
  2. Menzies Street near Subway.
  3. Voght Street Near Subway.
  4. Coldwater avenue near Garcia Street.

 

Today in History, April 20th, 1303

The University of Rome,La Spanienza is begun  by the Pope.

Tags:
Comment

Week in pictures, 16/04/11

Filed under: Flora, Government Works, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
April 16, 2011

Merritt, British Columbia Canada.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Tags:
Comment

Vancouver Aquarium Vehicles

Filed under: -Photography, Enterprize, Environment, Fauna, Fish, Government Works, Social Activism, Sports and Leisure, Tourists, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
April 14, 2011

A great attraction to the lower mainland is the Vancouver Aquarium. A noble cause and an expensive one it has the support of the corporate community. A Van stopping here shows a great Public relations value to its BC Hydro sponsor.We are with in a few hours of the facility and it is often used for field trips and an interest point when visiting outside this small community. We also get a great collage of vehicle traffic stopping here on their way to major centers.

Today in History, April 14th 1999

Hailstorm in Australia causes 2.3 billion in insured damage.

Tags:
Comment

Power pole replacement

Filed under: Enterprize, Government Works, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
April 11, 2011

The local power utility yard has  been busy replacing power poles in the last few years. When asked, a person on the crew said that sometimes they replace poles completely in a particular area. However most of the replacement comes from the results of  drilling and testing poles. The poles have plastic plugs put in them and numbers of them can be seen in some poles.

The telephone company also has lines on some hydro poles  lower then the power lines and they must coöperate in maintenance..

About twenty years ago  the utility drove galvanised steel beams by some  poles and bolted them to the beams.They are not apparently doing that now. And when asked about scheduling  the source said he was not aware of any schedule and that  it was ad hoc as far as replacement was concerned.

Today in History, April,11,1976

Apple personal computer created.

Tags:
Comment

Crown corporation

Filed under: Government Works by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
March 25, 2011

At the local city council meeting on Tuesday the chair and administrators of the community futures  had a delegation. They expounded on the 10 year relationship between them and the City.( they do the city’s economic development.)

They announced that Environment Canada is going to have a weather station here so we will be current on the computers . We presume with our postal code. They also spoke on the  pending ILM or Lower Mainland Transmission project 500 KV line. Proclaiming it to be coming. Estimates of the upgrade are about 600 million dollars 543 person years of employment.

My memory of working about the Revel stoke Dam area including the Mica and 5 mile dam site endures me to this.

The Nicola substation less then 10 kilometers from here is a direct feed from that dam and the 5 mile dam just got another turbine generator at a cost of about 1and 1/2 billion.The upgrade was scheduled years ago and it is said they had trouble getting contractors. They are calling for peak  construction of the line upgrade to be in 2012/14 with 376 of the person years being expended then. The construction activity should help Merritt. However there is no guarantee for local hires as the contractors hire according to their need and efficiency.

There could be real economic impact in our view or it could be bottled and self contained. Announcements are one thing start dates another .The contractor needs to submit bids and be awarded as yet , so be careful with speculative investment.

These  two  500 KV lines  below connect  Revelstoke dams the lower  mainland now, and are part of the Interior Lower Mainland under the BC transmission corporation:

5L81 and 5L82 connect Nicola (NIC) Substation in the South Interior to Ingledow (ING) and Meridian (MDN) substations in the LM.

We will try to find another confirmed source to validate the announcement.

There seems to be a bent here in Merritt for non elected officials making announcements and seeking political input, something that democracy trys to avoid.

Today in History, March 25 1958

Canada’s  jet fighter the Avro Arrow makes its first flight.

Tags:
Comment

Career fair

Filed under: Government Works by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
March 10, 2011

A local jobs fair is  being hosted by NVIT here this week on Wednesday at the college campus. Twelve participants including Royal Bank, RCMP, DFO, Corrections Canada and others, mainly government agencies.

Today in History, March 10th 1970

Captain Ernest Medina is charged with war crimes Vietnam war.

Tags: ,
Comment

Prospecting

Filed under: Enterprize, Politics and Politicians by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
March 8, 2011

After the discovery of the rich ore body at Craigmont’s claims in the late 1950’s there was much prospecting and exploration in the area around Merritt. Trenching soil sampling , line cutting were all methods to find sign of mineralization. All through 1960s and into 1980s exploration activity thrived here. Many public-ally traded company’s sought capital to go about the risky business of exploration. Some gave good returns others wall papered dens with split stock certificates and NPL share certificates ( No personal Liability). The government gave 3 year taxation holidays for profits from mines going into production.And eventually flow through shares came along to give tax write offs guaranteed to investors in the risky business.

The scars and memories are all here. And the legacy of success as well livelihoods that were more than subsistence was the hallmark of  the happy times of production mining.

Today in History, March 8th,1817

The New York stock exchange is founded.

Comment