Category: Vegtable soup


Citizens Patrol

Merritt has an active citizens on patrol as well as  a community policing office downtown with jacketed volunteers that go out and walk to be a presence. Not much trouble over this, and it gives formal sanction,to that, we all as citizens have. An ability and duty to respond to distress. In this case by reporting to the regular police.

In England there was at one time  a whistle call that engaged the hue and the cry or a number of people that would come running at the request of a constables blow. And there was vigilantism.

I n many places  both activities were considered  stop gap, and ad hoc. It was a way of the government and rule of law to gain control of justice away from the less professional.

These have gone into the past.

There is also speed watch here and a radar gun and board will tell you how fast you are going from a volunteers position.We do not know how busybodies and the like are dealt with in the program and serious crime is not their mandate.

The real remedy is for the people to have the ability and be without barriers to their own self -actualization of responsible behavior.

We reserve judgment on the value of such programs, however as an educational tool the CPO is in our view somewhat redeeming.

Today in History: March 18, 1938

Mexico moves to  nationalize its oil industry.

Bralorne Gold mine

Way up in the British Columbia South Central Interior is a  early 20th century town site and mining site called Bralorne. After leaving Lillooet and going past Gold Bridge the town site remains with its deep underground workings that from time to time and gold price to gold price are reworked.The mine was noted as being a hot one and part of the reason given for abandonment where working temperatures in the lower levels of 103 degrees Fahrenheit.

A  man named Jack Johnson  left yesterday  to start the mill up they have by 2 unconfirmed sources 30,000 tons of stockpiled ore at 1/2 an once per. That should come to 15 thousand ounces of gold at 1400 dollars an once . Jack pours the gold into bricks and places a J on it as well as the initials BGM.

 There are two other residents of Merritt employed at the mine. A mine car from the workings of other years restored on tracks at a residence on Coldwater Avenue.The women’s dad worked at another historic mine: Britannia Beach,  the home of the current mining museum .

We think that that’s good as there are many commercial and social uses for gold these days above the old Kings Treasury that always had strings on its disbursement to pull it back.

Bravo free enterprise and we hope you recover some of your prestige taken by frauds in recent years.

Today in History: March 17th 1987

Patrick Griffiths born.

Big rigs

Large trucks are a concern when driving, a smashed haul truck behind a tow truck yesterday was a reminder of the force and kinetic energy involved when things go  wrong between trucks and others. Drivers have a class one license to run these things and are considered professional drivers. Have medical requirements to pass to keep their license and are very concerned about their driving record as it is a livelihood.

A source tells me that 2 months ago a haul truck tangled with a 50 foot trailer at the Coldwater interchange here, much damage was done and fortunately the accident was survivable.  It’s a great loss of time and effort and a real upset to life’s. We recommend that you keep to the divided freeways and when using the routes that are not remember to keep vigilant and stop to  do your tourist browsing where it is safe to do so. Keep your holiday safe and memorable without calamity.

Today in History, March 16,1968

General Motors produces its 100 millionth vehicle.

Under the influence

Crumpled tickets are often found on Voght street, and often for intoxicated in a public place the allegation carries with it a one hundred and fifteen dollar fine.That can be disputed with in 30 days. Two tickets  neatly typed by the arresting officer except for the details of the offender show 34 tickets  spread issued from the same book in a one calendar day cycle. If you are from Missouri you may wonder why the tickets are found close together and within sight of the Police office. It could be that the people that are issued them are repeaters and talk, to each other.  We believe that if these tickets are not resolved by the people that throw them out, then they wind up in collections and the people are harassed into paying them.

It would seem that a reasonable course of action would be to have a designated driver to take you home as the system is ready and eager to embrace even small malfeasance.

Bye the bye if you are drunk in pubic there is no charge if there is a responsible person with you to take charge and especially a privileged person like a blood relative.

Today in history, March 14, 1943

The Krakow ghetto is exterminated by the Nazis.

Invasive weeds

The north east slope of the Nicola Valley in Merritt is getting some warm sun in the afternoons and snow is absent in large patches , at the middle foot about 2400 ft above sea level . Green invasive weeds are seen  today getting the jump on the natural grasses still dead. Bear Berry and Dalmatian ,Toad flax both seem to be asserting themselves for spring.

Bear berry also called Kinnikinnick  it is native to Oregon and when here is somewhat invasive.The plant is gathered in summer for teas ecetera and has many folklore type uses and remedial properties.

Linaria dalmatica or Toad Flax is native to  South Eastern Europe and western Asia and is considered a weed here. However they are hard at it this week in being green before others are green.

Today in History, March 7th,1986

Divers find the crew cabin of the Challenger space craft.

Week in pictures. 5/3/11

Home show

Home show

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Art show, Arts council.

Shirley Reynolds , Jean Kieglerl ,and Wendy Eecout are calling themselves Prism as a group for a month-long showing at the Old Court House Gallery. The handle is an anachronism for “painting really inspires something magical” The group has ambitions to be noticed provincially and as members of the Valley Visual Artists, the show  endorsed by the Nicola Valley Arts Council, which is a member of the provincial arts council umbrella.That is a good ambition and they have the background to do it. (one is a retired arts teacher). Their style runs from impressionism to realism and some abstraction.

The show reception is at 4:00 PM today and the gallery is open and maned  with a curator Fridays and Saturdays 10 am to 4 PM

Today in History, March 4, 2002

Canada bans human cloning.

Ultrasound

There is a very dedicated hospital auxiliary here in Merritt and they raised  a considerable sum for an ultra sound machine for our local 8 bed hospital. The regional hospital authority took it last year and in the midst of a provincial controversy about two technicians that were responsible for misdiagnosis in a Vancouver Hospital and their ultra sound equipment.

The local ultrasound is now being returned to The Nicola Valley Hospital . And  by the by Kamloops has “Canada’s first and only dynamic upright MRI Scanner”, as a quote before you come clinic. We hope that there were  no politics involved. And  we think that the option from Welcome Back MRI and Pain Management  1 hr away in Kamloops  will be utilized ; as not medically necessary  treatment, as well as Workman’s Compensation, police, fireman, and soldiers are legally able to use it. And maybe some lawyers that want a  second option/opinion.

Today in history, March 3,1992

Bosnia is established as a nation.

Health week

 

The local college is having a health week. Events all week for awareness of personal health concerns.Including bowling pep talks home work outs and ending it is a film on friday Laughter is the best medicine.

All week if you use a ball instead of a chair you can get a prize.

NVIT is an aboriginal centered school that offers university transfer and technical training . A high percentage of the students are First Nations.

Today in History, March 2,1989

Twelve European nations agree to ban Fluorocarbons by the end of the century.

Country performers

Ridley Bent and others are appearing at the Merritt Desert Inn  on the weekend .It is also the home show weekend and spending signals will be being broad cast. There is lots of talk about the line up of stars for the Merritt Mountain Music Festival.There is a considerable network of festival /gala supporters here and based on the possibilities of ticket sales it may well occur again. However good will have to prevail as this is not Los Vegas  or Holly Wood and the one and a half million paid to  the last headliner more alienates than draws fans to the event.

Lots of luck for the branding of Merritt and the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.

Today in History, March 1, 2003:

International  Criminal Court hosted by the Hague has its first session.

Christy Clark

The weekend saw Christy Clark wining the leadership convention for the liberals in Vancouver. Christy a former minister for advanced education in the BC cabinet is without a seat. Talk is of her running in a by-election. She supported a number of issues that the party had trouble with. Such as HST referendum date change and inquiry’s in to troubled court actions. We in our view think that now that she is the leader she should clean house and move us forward leaving that baggage behind it’s the only way to show there is a real power change and make the party presentable for the next election.

Local liberals from Merritt attended the convention and Clark visited our small community on her bid for the leadership lots of luck and change, going forward.

Today in History,  February 28, 1935

DuPont invents Nylon.

The week in review, 28/2/11

Cold weather on Quilchena avenue.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.