Its good that it is friday….
Today in History,June 8th 1987
The Government of New Zealand establishes a nuclear free zone.
Category: Environment
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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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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- Province warns of elevated flood risk for Fraser River system (vancouversun.com)
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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
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.
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.
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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Image via Wikipedia
The temperature outside is about 20 degrees below celsius maybe up mid 20s were it has a wind chill. A long way from the 30 degrees farenheit from my time here as a young man. It is still cold for people and without clothing dangerous as a frost bite warning is in effect.
Remember that things can escalate in cold weather and danger come out of simple mechanical failures, so be a critical thinker and stay safe.
And do some warm up exercises before going out to shovel snow..
Today in history, January 18, 1886
The modern game called field hockey is born in England.
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Lots of no trespass signs about and some on old hydro meters. Dell from Coopers says they were by and changed his. Some people say they don”t want them because of health issues. Other say they wanted a choice for no wireless connection. The fact is they are being installed and adds in the papers are asking for clear access.
The hydro has worked since it was nationalized in BC as a monopoly and as socialism goes it was considered draconian. However the lower rates we are supposed to get from the monopoly are supportive of the vision of Canada being a mixed economy. As a Non profit crown corporation it is not allowed to have retained earnings and must lower rates for efficiencies it gets. Still you have to watch that the government does not raid it for revenues like raising water licence fees, to accommodate good water levels for the utility.
The off-peak time dynamic will be the next issue us consumers will be watching as we still want it to be an under girding of our economy and not go to profits.
BC Hydro has the rights to all water in the province for generation purposes and a lot of power. When good snow packs occur the next year should see rate reductions, as they have in the past.
The lines and poles are public property and that always raises an issue when they talk about co generation ; recently the utility has replaced a lot of poles and is working to have a third 500 KV line to the lower mainland from the interior.
Today in history December 13 ,2003
Saddam Hussein is captured in Iraq. ( The Ace of Spades)
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There is a beautiful continuous snowfall here today. An accumulation of about 5 inches is making for a picture postcard . The forecast is for the same the next few days. And the 14 day forecast is weighted towards snow.
Looking forward to a White Christmas and lots of good photo ops here in Merritt.
Truck traffic on routes are a great concern of coffee goers so think in terms of a defensive strategy when driving to routes that have transport trucks.
Today in history,November 18 1977
Born Fabolous, American Rapper.
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Kevin Griffiths
percypaschal
The Proprietor Review 