You are presumed to be honest and responsible without evidence to the contrary beyond a reasonable doubt… on the balance of probablilties you are justified by 51 % likelyhood.
The Nicola Naturalists are having their monthly meeting on Thursday March 15th at 7PM. The meeting is in the NVIT lecture theater, top of the hill on Belshaw avenue in Merritt and features Don Gayton with a presentation Fire Ecology in the Southern Interior.
Don is a well-known ecologist who has worked on the roles that fire (accidental and intentional) has played in shaping our environment over the past centuries. How did Indigenous people work with fire before the arrival of Europeans? Why was 2017 such a bad year for wildfires? Don has explanations for these and many other questions about wildfires in our area. Not to be missed.
On this Day: March 7th 2007
The British House of lords in parliament becomes 100 percent elected.
Shortly after 2AM this morning an emergency alert was broadcast on Global BC telling people of a Tsunami and to go inland, this was all down the BC coast including Vancouver. Over time and expecting waves to reach lower BC by about 5 AM the alert was lifted before the expected time arrived.
The recently restored, agency NOAA National, Oceanic and Atmospheric administration US (after the US Government shut down) reported that there was no longer a danger.
Wave warnings on the coast are still in effect from tidal and wind actions.
Between January and March 2018 there is a review team in BC meeting with community members in regard to the response to recent wildfire and flood events.
The independent review was commissioned by the Province to examine government plans for, and responses to, flood and wildfire events, with a focus on the 2017 season. It will examine the implementation of both provincial and local government emergency management systems to determine how the Province can improve its governance systems, statutes, regulations, policy, and leadership practices to benefit responses to future emergency events
Between January and March 2018, the review team will meet with community members, regional and local stakeholders, and government and First Nations leaders and officials – all of whom will help shape recommendations on how to better plan for and respond to flood and wildfire events in the future: source UBCM
On this day: January 17th 1773
Captain James Cook leads the first sailing beyond the Antarctic circle.
The UBCM has a link on it to a ” farmers market” for carbon. Registration is available for buyers, sellers, and or local government. They are selling C3s or carbon credits.
Use our Carbon Footprint Calculator to calculate the carbon footprint of your organization or your recent activity such as a recent flight somewhere. You may then choose to invest in the community carbon credits to not only reduce your carbon footprint but also support the inspiring GHG reductions initiatives of your liking. You can do so by signing up and creating your profile to pick through the growing list local reduction initiatives.
The credits can be sold to local governments looking to meet there carbon commitments to such things as the Climate Action Charter.
The Union of British Columbia Municipalities is a forum for local governments to agree on action.
Union of BC Municipalities, 60 – 10551 Shellbridge Way, Richmond, BC V6X 2W9 Canada
The price of gasoline is down at the Corner of Nicola and Highway 5A, that’s 4 cents from earlier in the week, 9 cents over the provincial low at Costco in Prince George.
The country average is $1. 15.9, trending by 11 cents this week, from last years average in August.
Many places in BC and Alberta have upper levels that require a lot of snow removal. Watch for snow removal equipment, limit travel, take extra time when traveling. Use the drive BC service on line for conditions and warnings. Stay safe and arrive alive.
File Photo KDG
Snow is falling in the interior of BC and the forecast is for more and colder conditions.
A moist Pacific frontal system will bring heavy snow to the southwestern interior. The snow will intensify later this morning and will ease Wednesday morning . Source Environment Canada.
The sun west of Merritt, Red from smoke, of the 2017 fire season in the Sothern interior of BC File Photo KDG
The provincial government is doing an intake for their 2018 Wildfire protection initiative. Embers can find fuel in places around and on buildings, making your property fire safe is a goal of the BC government.
Applications for fuel management prescriptions supported by a current and approved Community Wildfire Protection Plan, and for operational treatment projects supported by a current and approved prescription, will be considered for funding.
Program materials and intake information for the February intake will be available at the Union of BC Municipalities website at the end of December 2017.
Future intakes to SWPI will be subject to the outcomes of the provincial wildfire reviews. source UBCM
The local Merritt Naturalists are having their annual bird count and identification of species this coming Saturday.
Data collected is shared for such things as global warming and conservation.
Merritt Christmas Bird Count – Saturday December 16th, 2017. If you are interested in participating send an e-mail to nicolanaturalists@gmail.ca For information on our 2016 count click here: 2016 Merritt CBC
The Trans Mountain Pipeline people have a equal opportunity policy to hiring:
Worley Parsons Cord (WPC) is the Engineering, Procurement and Construction Contractor for the Edmonton Terminal and 12 pump stations included in the Trans Mountain Expansion Project. Their work includes addition of four new storage tanks at Edmonton Terminal, 11 new pump stations along the route in British Columbia and Alberta and one new pipeline on the existing pipeline.
What’s your process for hiring the construction crews and related workers who will be building the Trans Mountain Expansion Project?
WorleyParsonsCord is an equal opportunity employer. Our process includes a very strong local and Aboriginal hiring focus for multiple reasons, including commercial returns to the communities engaged in the project, reduced travel risks by using workers and subcontractors living close to our construction sites, and creating a sense of pride among the respective work forces which results in improved quality. We have dedicated human resource staff that research local and Aboriginal labour sources and identify skilled workers who can bring value to our project delivery source: Trans Mountain.
The expansion of the existing line to Burnaby was approved by the NEB, the detailed route is under review( Chapter Four) by the NEB at this time. detailed route.
There is a coming a local transit service increase. Sunday service and a 10:15 PM end service trip to Lower Nicola is part of an increase. As well Trying a curb side service and two buses running at the same time ” requiring an increase of a driver.”
Merritt British Columbia Canada, a semi rural city in BC’s South Central Interior is celebrating 10 years of transit. Former councillor Alastair Murdock initiating chair.
Former City council member and transit principal Alastair Murdoch cuts anniversary cake . File Photo KDG
Alastair Murdock at an earlier anniversary of the local transit he was able to establish after moving to Merritt from Victoria. Alastair had joined the community of Merritt after purchasing the Accounting firm Best, Reimer, Mclean he also taught Ti chi at the Merritt Seniors center. and used the bus service as well. Murdock did not use a private motor vehicle in his normal routine.
The Merritt transit service is 10 years old and is having a contest to celebrate, enter by December 15th.
Sunday bus service begins on January 2nd 2018. source
The provincial government has received its federal gas tax report for monies spent…
Since 2005, the Federal Gas Tax Fund has provided $1.4 billion to 3,729 infrastructure and capacity building projects in B.C. communities. UBCM’s report on expenditures for the 2016 program year is now available. Along with aggregate comparisons of 2014-2016 reporting data, the report provides a complete list of the 896 projects under way during reporting period. Source UBCM
We are still inextricably tied to the production, distribution and consumption of Fossil fuels.
The gasoline prices going into the American Thanksgiving weekend are from $1.29.9- $1.32.9 a liter. Long weekends should not effect prices as oil is done by futures contacts. However as a trigger to action we in Canada could reduce our driving by regulating speed, tuning up autos, pooling, planning trips to advantage, not driving unnecessarily.
Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) works with provinces and territories, other government departments, and Canadian and international groups to explore how to meet our energy needs and adapt to changes in distribution methods while considering the environmental impact of doing so.
Canadian crude oil and petroleum product inventories have been relatively stable for the last five years. Inventory levels for some products, such as gasoline and furnace oil, fluctuate significantly over the year. Demand for these products is very seasonal and at its peak can exceed the production capacity of refineries. Therefore, refiners need to anticipate the peak consumption periods by building inventories in advance. Gasoline inventories increase during the first quarter of the year and are used during the summer months to supplement refinery production. Furnace oil stocks grow during the fall and are drawn during the coldest months of winter when demand is at its highest level. Source Canadian Government.
Sixty percent of Americans are traveling this weekend, slow down and save a little gas in your travels, better your chances to arrive alive and save some grief. Delay a pipeline a minute without costly retail gas prices encouraging it.
On this Day: November 24th 1973
An oil supply crisis sees a speed limit put on the German Autobahn , it lasts 4 months.
Kevin Griffiths
percypaschal
The Proprietor Review 