Category: Technology


Nicola Naturalist Society

The local Naturalists had there AGM on September 18th, they reported 63 members after its 4th Year of operation. they have a schedule of monthly meetings in the non summer part of what they do. Speakers included Bruce Archibald ( Fossils of the BC interior),Richard Doucette, ( mine reclamation) Barbara Pryce ( nature conservancy of Canada) and they reported others. The group had outings over the year including the Christmas bird count, Spius Creek Hatchery, and many frogging outings. They had two nature presentation in elementary schools by members. They report their website as having 5 50 visits on average per month, http://www.nicolanaturalists.ca/ .They report a healthy balance sheet with a three fold increase in income over last year to $14,119.11 after paying $11,259.62 in expenses they had a net income of 2,859.49. The club has a balance of $6,936.02 in cash and $4,310.26 in assets, with outstanding liabilities of 75 dollars in cheques to clear, and 1500 dollars in liability to BC nature. they report 15 dollars in petty cash reserve. Directors for 2014/15: Alan Burger Norm Hanson D. Kerridge Anne Pang Chris Lepsol Margret Carlson

The next meeting is on October 16th 2014 with Doreen Olson on the Similkameen Natural park proposal, the presentation starts at 7:00 in the NVIT Lecture Theater

Today in history, October 8th 1904 The Canadian City of Edmonton Alberta is incorporated.

TGIF-Pacific Forest Rally

Every fall  there is a sports car rally in the Nicola Valley,The Pacific Forest Rally is the 4th stop on the national tour and is on October 3rd and 4th this year.Tenty eight competitors are featured in the rally guide and will compete for place and time beginning in a ceremonial start at 5:30 PM on Friday October 3rd, on Granite avenue downtown Merritt.
The rally has an offical charity, The Abilitas Foundation.
Best vantage points:
Lily lake, night special,815-830 PM, Friday October 3rd.


 

Today in History:October 3rd 1955
The Mickey Mouse club has its debut.

Author talk

The cougar lady at the Merritt Public library author Rosella Leslie, on Thursday Oct 23rd 6-7 PM.
Must preregister at the front desk.
Merritt and the Nicola Valley have significant cougar populations. Rosella Leslie from Shelt inlet, recounts her life as a trapper, including being arrested for carrying a rifle in town.
Today in history: October 1st 1981
Born Brazilian footballer Julio Baptista.

Tims in tents

The local coffee watering hole Tim Hortons has two large tents in its parking lot. The Barista at the Starbucks across the highway says that they are to be there for 6 weeks while Tims undergoes a renovation. The drive through is going to be open for the renovation however tents are there to accommodate sit down patrons.
Weather or not this is a global warming support remains to be seen, the schedule puts it into the second week of November and a time that we here at 2000 feet above sea level get our first snow.

 

Today in history: September 30th 1955

Movie star James Dean dies in a road accident at the age of 24.

 

TGIF-Green energy project

A crane drives piles at the 200 million dollar cogen facility in Merritt BC Photo KDG

A crane drives piles at the 200 million dollar cogen facility in Merritt BC
Photo KDG


last week a crane drove a dozen pilings into the ground at the site of the green energy project ( licensed and sanctioned by BC Hydro Power and Authority) The site is at the Tolko sawmill operations and will supply electric power to the mill and to a substation in the Highland valley, which has the massive Teck operation mine as its main consumer of power. There is also a two pole line going from here to the substation near Logan Lake BC with a 130 KV line that replaces a 61 KV line coming from the Merritt substation at this time. The Merritt substation is also having a rebuild.
A young worker at the site told us he was grateful to know that he had two years work from the project at least.
Today in history: September 24th 1948
The Honda motors company is founded.

Corn

Corn grown in the Nicola Valley Photo KDG

Corn grown in the Nicola Valley
Photo KDG


The Nicola Valley has a marginal climate for growing anything other than grass and alfalfa, however the new owners of the river ranch ( the ranch on the Nicola River in the center of town) have a field of cow corn
The ranch is being leased by its local owners to diary interests from the lower mainland and have a number of feedlots. The feedlots confine and feed dairy cows for their first two years and then are taken to the coast for milk production.

Today in history, September 23,1999

The National , Aeronautics  and Space Administration says that it lost communication with its Martian climate orbiter.

 

Nicola Naturalists

The local naturalists are starting their fall/winter program on Thursday the 18th, they will have their member photo night and annual meeting at 7 PM in room 0001.
President Alan Burger, a PHD and artic explorer is the president at this time, and will present a brief AGM. The group has monthly meetings with guest speakers open to the public with a request for membership or donation.

Today in history: September 18th 1906

A typoon kills ten thousand people in Hong Kong.

Spawning salmon

Salmon, Photo: KDG

Salmon, Photo: KDG

Returning salmon, look for spawning opportunity, Photo KDG

Returning salmon, look for spawning opportunity, Photo KDG

Returning salmon, look for spawning opportunity, Photo KDG[/caption]Salmon are seen in the Coldwater River, some dead after spawning some still looking for the right bit of gravel bed that was the water temperature from the time  the fish were fry here. Water temperature is all important for the navigation of returning salmon.

Black bears are also being seen near the water of the two rivers that meet in our Nicola Avenue, with piles of scat about town it makes for a caution that needs to be respected.

Today in history: September 16th 1987

The Montreal accord is signed for the protection of the ozone layer:

TGIF- Asbestos

There is a big loader behind the building in Merritt that burned on July 30th, it is set to demolish the remains of the building, it has been there for nearly 3 days and is waiting on something. The front of the building has big xs on the windows and a sign saying Asbestos removal is going on.

There is no traffic control about the building.

Asbestos (pronounced /æsˈbɛstəs/ or /æzˈbɛstəs/) is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals[1] which all have in common their eponymous asbestiform habit: long (roughly 1:20 aspect ratio), thin fibrous crystals.

Asbestos mining began more than 4,000 years ago, but did not start large-scale until the end of the 19th century when manufacturers and builders used asbestos because of its desirable physical properties:[1] sound absorption, average tensile strength, its resistance to fire, heat, electrical and chemical damage, and affordability. It was used in such applications as electrical insulation for hotplate wiring and in building insulation. When asbestos is used for its resistance to fire or heat, the fibers are often mixed with cement or woven into fabric or mats.

The prolonged inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious illnesses including malignant lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis (a type of pneumoconiosis).[2][3] The trade and use of asbestos have been restricted or banned in many jurisdictions.
Source Wikipedia

The building was owned by an Oliver Kelly, Oliver was a real-estate sales person with Decade Real Estate, before it became Royal Lepage here. It was once an antique store as well as a pool hall and other things.
Today in History: September 12th 1959

The first showing the first scheduled color program, the TV series Bonanza.

Bears about!

bears leaving fish in park

A fish dropped by bears when feeding. file photo KDG

A lady reported that bears have been about and one took a piece out of her iron gate. Helen a resident of the north end of Garcia street says that a big black bear is about and a mother with two cubs.

Its been said that when bears are feeding on meat they are more dangerous to people then when eating berries and grubs, regardless care should be taken  the regional district has a bear aware program.

Bears On The Prowl Before Hibernation

Thompson-Nicola Regional District

tnrd.ca

For Immediate Release (November 19/12): The Bear Aware program and the Thompson-

Nicola Regional District would like to remind everyone to ensure their community stays free of

bear attractants this month as bears make final preparations for hibernation. Bears aim to gain

two to five pounds per day during this period, so they are on the lookout for any easy meals.

Surveys conducted in the last two weeks revealed that

garbage bins, barbecues, and yard waste are the top three bear

attractants in many neighbourhoods. Compost, bird seed, and

outdoor fridges make up the rest of the items noted in the surveys.

Bears have recently been sighted throughout the TNRD

and reports indicate that garbage left outside was the attractant

in most cases. Help your neighbourhood be Bear Aware this

year and next by following these simple steps:

• Store garbage inside or in a bear-proof container until disposal. Do not put garbage

outside the night before pick-up.

• Do not place bird feeders outside until Dec. 1.

• Keep barbecues clean and free of residual food and grease.

• Feed pets inside and store pet food indoors.

• Mix compost regularly or treat with lime to reduce odour.

• Pick any remaining fruit and share with friends if you have too much to handle.

The Bear Aware program would also like to extend a warm welcome to two new

enthusiastic volunteers in Clearwater.

To view bear sightings in your area, check out the new Bear Aware interactive online map

at http://www.bearaware.bc.ca that locates bears and identifies attractants. For more on bears sightings,

go to http://www.facebook.com/BearAwareBC.

The Bear Aware program is sponsored by the TNRD and the Ministry of Environment.

Please report sightings or conflicts with bears to the Conservation Officer Service’s RAPP hotline

at 1.877.952.7277.

Bears and humans cannot coexist at some point there will be an action taken.

Today in history September 11 1941:

Ground is broken for the Pentagon</code>

Mars observer

Have a great day, we are on holidays, for a week, please enjoy the day in history untill we return.

Have a great day, we are on holidays, for a week, please enjoy the day in history untill we return.

Today in history: August 21 1993

Nasa loses contact with the Mars observer spacecraft.

Windy

Have a great day, we are on holidays, for a week, please enjoy the day in history untill we return.

Have a great day, we are on holidays, for a week, please enjoy the day in history untill we return.

Today in history: August 17th 1915
A category 4 , 135 mile an hour hurricane hits Galvastan Texas