Category: Environment


TGIF Free power

Filed under: Environment, Technology by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
June 29, 2012

Have a great weekend, and visit merit and malice and rate them

A source at the city says that the car charger installed in the Voght street parking lot will be free for a time. The city economic development officer  James A.Umpherson, says that they are negotiating with the province and the company to see how that will shake down .

The site is GPS enabled and will eventually be available to smart card use. There is a sign saying the area is video scrutinized. No camera as yet visible. an although the charging cable is attached no one has been seen using it. Something that you would think would have accompanied the start up.

Today in History, June 29, 1926

Sir Arthur Meighen returns to the office of Prime Minister of Canada.

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lightning damage

Filed under: Environment, Government Works by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
June 27, 2012

The storm on the weekend has the local hydro crew out repairing damage done to transformers. A source says they had five calls yesterday for fuses in transformers. And one call not in their jurisdiction. Three flagging persons and 3 vehicles deployed to repair. There is also a report of damage at a substation in Lower Nicola. Lightning and cloud bursts over the weekend have also caused people to say that the province was swamped with reports of flooding in places like Sicamoose.

There is little damage is visible here.

Today in History, June 27,1977

France grants independence to Djibouti.

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Chargeing station

Filed under: Environment, Government Works, Technology by Kevin Griffiths — 1 Comment
June 25, 2012

The public parking lot on Voght street here in Merritt got a quick charge outlet . The 220 volt charge station with a single outlet will charge an electric car in 4 hours. the regular one twenty home charge can take up to 10 hours.

Chevrolet Volt and other electrics can run up to about 80 kilometers on a full charge.

Some electric also come with a small gasoline  engine to charge the battery while running.I talked to a fellow recently that came from Saskatoon with out stopping in an electric pickup so equipped.

Today in history, June 25th, 253

Pope Cornelius is beheaded in execution

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No abatement

Filed under: Crime and punishment, Environment by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
June 21, 2012

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

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TGIF

Filed under: Environment, Technology, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
June 8, 2012
Merit of Merritt

Its good that it is friday….

Today in History,June 8th 1987

The Government of New Zealand establishes a nuclear free zone.

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100 dollar prize

Filed under: Environment, Social Activism, Sports and Leisure by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
June 6, 2012

The organizers of the river festival on June 8th are offering a hundred dollars for the best costume at their June 8th event. Today the art for the festival is due. The Baillie House,Merritt BC is receiving 5 x 7 small paintings on the topic of rivers.

Bev Veale an oft principal in the Valley Visual Artists turned in a half-dozen entries this AM promising to make the day a cultural delight.

No you can”t put maschera on your right eye and come as a sockeye.

Today in History,June 6th,1946

The National Basketball League is established with 11 teams

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Fire season

Filed under: Environment, Government Works, Sports and Leisure, Workers Safety by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
May 16, 2012

There are the tell tale signs of impending summer around. A tall young fellow in the signature blue heavily pocketed pants with the forestry tan shirt was in the local Starbucks this morning. A fire fighter. He said he was from the Fraser Valley and wore a ball cap with a helicopter on it and Valley Helicopters written about it. He said he was in wild fire suppression.

There is a a fire camp north of here and training school with in days we will expect to see hopefuls running across Voght Park with heavy equipment to qualify for the fire season. Indications are that people are expecting a more pronounced season this year then last.

A fire hazard sign is at the City Fire Hall leaving Merritt towards Highway 8 West,it is operated by the Ministry of Forests and is strategic for those that may be traveling the Fraser Canyon Route. It is sometimes effected by fires.

Today in History, May 16th 2005

Kuwait allows women suffrage.

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Rivers Day, water festival

Filed under: Environment, Social Activism by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
May 10, 2012

June 8th there is a rivers day celebration at Rotary park. 100

 Dollars for the best dress up , fish water , environment. music and photo/ painting contest.

Displays and PR come as you are if not a fish.

Today in History, May 10, 1924

J Edgar Hoover is made the director of the FBI and stays on till 1972 and his death.

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Xeriscape interest

Filed under: Environment, Flora, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
May 7, 2012

There is interest in the dynamic of Xeriscape landscaping here. with water restrictions and some metering and a sence that more may be coming  people are looking for less maintenance of yards. Using rocks and natural plants and ground cover is taking hold.

The naturalists had a recent presenter on natural plants for British Columbia and eastern Washing ton .Something she referred to as the the great basin desert. The natural plants or those from this area take less water then the ones from the coast.And beyond. as well a yard looks good in ground cover whether its plants such as Bear Berry plants or rocks and crush.

On Saturday the 12th there is another workshop one by Gwen Steele, a Director of the Okanagan Xeriscape Org. It is endorsed by the city but cost 35 dollars you can register by calling the City of Merritt at 250-378-1050

The session is 6 hrs 10 am-4 pm.

Today in history, May 7 1915

A passenger liner is sunk by a German submarine to bring the US into WW 1

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Cameras

Filed under: Environment, Vegtable soup by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
May 1, 2012

The regional district recycle facility is being upgraded to have a camera system today. Workers from the city say its because people that dry wall take their scraps there and put them in the bins.

The cameras are being mounted on a pole a city worker says there will be a fine for putting recycle that does not meet the criteria of the Regional District.

Editors note: what is acceptable for recycle is posted with signage at the site, or on brochures and calendars published by the authority.

Today in history: May 1 1989

Disney MGM  studios opens at Disney world in Florida.

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Run off

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Environment, Fauna by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
April 18, 2012

 The junction of the Nicola River  and the Coldwater River at Highway 8 has three high water dynamics today, someone planted a shovel in the soil in a stand up position as an apparent gauge for the water level, and a knotted rope is suspended over the flow of the river  by a thin appendix of board tied off in a tree. A worker was seen to be putting a pizometer down a river side well on the south slope of the river.Pizometers are used to measure flows of water.

Last year there was a large snow pack and visible snow could be seen into August. Mid May through June is characterized by high water in the local rivers.

There is a Dam at the ouflow of Nicola Lake that regulates the Nicola River.

Today in history April 18,1912

705 survivors of the Titanic land at New York Harbour.

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Smart meter

Filed under: Barns and Old Buildings, Enterprize, Environment, Government Works by Kevin Griffiths — Leave a comment
April 10, 2012

On the 1900 block Quilchena Ave, in Merritt there is a couple of businesses in the same building. Around the back are two hydro meters one an analog one a digital.(more later)

At this time there are complaints about higher bills then before the utility put in digital meters. The Hydro in BC operates as a not for profit business and lower rates are mandated by law. When the production and distribution of power is efficient, there becomes a benifit to consumers. They can not take retained earnings from year to year except for projects. If people have been not fairly metered in the past by old analog meters then eventually a rate decrease will come through fairer and less defeated metering.

We know of a couple of techniques  the utility is employing to ensure that complaints are legit. Remember that taking any unmetered power, is theft and subject to criminal prosecution.

Today in history, April,10 1983

Born Haig Sutherland Canadian Actor.

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