On this day: February 13th 2000
The last original Peanuts strip is published the day after creator Charles Schultz dies.
Category: Vegtable soup
Gasoline has gone up to a dollar and 4.9 cents a liter here at the local Petro Canada, at the intersection of highway 5 and 8 downtown Merritt. It had been to a low of 95.9 cents a liter but has now moved a whole 9 cents since yesterday.
No sence of a gas war but a sence large market forces and political intervention in geo politics making for price changes geared to agendas.
On this day: February 5th 1919
Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford,Douglas Fairbanks and DW Griffith form Untied Artists.
The price of gasoline has dropped again , another sent brings it down to 97.9 cents a liter.
There is a referendum going on in the lower mainland at this time that would see a 1/2 cent a liter levy on gasoline to pay for an expansion of transit.
On this day: January 23rd 1986
The first induction of artists to the Rock and Roll hall of Fame in Cleveland Ohio
The City of Merritt British Columbia has Canadian Flag at about 3000 Ft above sea level on the west side. Set on the hillside it commands highway number 8 below.
Placed and maintained by a local business the 8 by 16 foot flags last about 600 thousand “severe flaps of the flag by the wind and cost about 1000 dollars to replace”. The business has done this for the community since 1967.
Below at the highway level there is a concrete bin that offers free sand. The owner says its not construction grade or washed but it’s fine for walks and cat boxs etc… People are welcome to take amounts appropriate for those uses.
Today in history:January 15th 1892
James Naismith publishes the rules to basket ball.
The Nicola Valley Film Society is presenting the international film Tracks on January 19th 2015,at the NVIT lecture theater. set in Australia the film sees the use of camels in sever conditions.A companion dog makes better the danger of a 1700 mile journey. Rated PG 13, it features award winning cast , Mia Wasikowska,Adam Driver and Lily Pearl… One hundred and 12 minutes.
There is no food or beverage allowed in the theater, show time is 7:PM, season ticket holders must present early to have admission.
Movie Trailer:http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2802756121/imdb/embed?autoplay=false&width=400
Today in history January 6th 1931.
Thomas Edison files for his last patent.
Tuesday, December 23rd is the last day for school a the local college, the facility opens again on January 5 2015. The local community college is used by many community users and is open to the public ( library ) on a triage basis. (student preference).
Today in history: December 18th 1999
Nasa launches its Terra platform.
Two sources on the third 500 KV lower mainland line under construction for two years have said that there is a problem with the bolts that assemble the transmission towers. The most recent report says that 150 towers are having their bolts all replaced by higher grade bolts. This extends the project for one local contractor for some time. The project is now being constructed from both ends with one of the contractors going to the lower mainland end.
A problem with a collapsed tower at the beginning of the project was caused by a failed lifting cable with the crane installing it. The tower construction is now at the Murray lake area, in the Coquihalla ; a source says that they are installing snow legs and estimates they are the strongest worked on in memory.
Today in History: October 15th 1878
Royal Astronomical Society, Okanagan observatory. The Astronomical society has a free observatory open Friday’s on the way to Big White ski resort outside Kelowna. they report that they started with a long term lease for a dollar and have put 300 thousand more to convert the old gravel pit into a viewing platform. At a recent presentaion in Merritt, they showed an interested crowd the heavens from the local Public Library parking lot. The equipment they have on site is more powerful and they offer it free on Fridays. http://www.okanaganobservatory.ca/
The Okanagan Observatory hosts free public observing nights every Friday. The Okanagan Observatory is exactly 4 kms up Big White Rd from Hwy 33. That makes it only 35 kms from Rutland Rd. We will be pointing out the Milky Way and constellations with special astronomical laser pointers as we tour the night sky. Club members will have their telescopes on hand and be using the observatory 25 inch telescope to show off celestial wonders such as the Moon, planets, comets, dying stars, stellar nurseries, globular clusters, open clusters and galaxies.
Today in history: October 10th 1967 The outer space treaty come into effect after being signed by over 60 countries.
There is a young man going around the area of Quilchena and Chapman with a gas sniffer he says that it is routine testing and that you can expect that a test sniffer will happen be about every five years in residential areas. Fortis BC tests annually in commercial applications. Leaking natural gas smells like rotten eggs and is unmistakeable.
The man has a proper picture ID around his neck that identifies him is a Fortis contractor. ( still it never hurts to call and ask for a description if anything looks out of sorts)
Call before you dig!
Today in history: September 2 1998.
Flight 111 crashes in the sea off Nova Scotia
















