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Cover the brake….

Coutlee and Voght  File Photo KDG

Coutlee and Voght
File Photo KDG

Some intersections have limited visibility, if someone misses the stop sign there is very little time to react.

Editors note: We believe that when approaching a limited visibility intersection the practice of taking your foot off the gas pedal and covering the brake with your foot will give you a split second that could make a difference .

On this Day: January 31st 1930

Scotch Tape is introduced to the market.

 

 

 

 

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TGIF- Hockey player burger

 

Cooking hamburgers for hockey File photo KDG

Cooking hamburgers
for hockey
File photo KDG

The local Albert and Walter on Voght street has a new dedicated hamburger for local stops. The burger is named after a member of the local junior hockey team.
The restaurant is also having theme nights for the team on nights when they are playing in town.
No its not made out of junior hockey players, stop by and find out the distinction. It is called the Jacob and its a Berger.

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On this Day: January 27th 1824

Born:  Urbain Johnson Canadian farmer and legislator, in New Brunswick.

 

 

Finished

One of 8 volumes of the environmental assessment. for the Lower Mainland 500 KV line. Hard copy at Public library. File Photo :KDG

One of 8 volumes of the environmental assessment. for the Lower Mainland 500 KV line. Hard copy at Public library.
File Photo :KDG

The completed work saw a 3rd lower mainland 500 KV line go through Merritt on its way to the Lower Mainland from Revelstoke. The project had rigorous permitting process and is complete since last year including a new substation here in Merritt .

The local 200 million dollar Green energy project is delayed opening until next fall a full year past the expected time. Something a private operation trys  to avoid.

At this writing a small piece of the 138 KV line at central park is going underground. the poles it will be replacing were placed  next to a housing walled community and a golf course.

On this Day: January 26th 1992

Russia announces that they are no longer targeting the west with missiles.

Union

Anglican church interior, Merritt BC File Photo KDG

Anglican church interior, Merritt BC
File Photo KDG

The local Anglican community has a church and alter as well as some missions on local reserves in the BC interior. The alter solemnizes marriages and does services. the Church also have a kitchen in a hall that gives a free hot meal once a week to anyone with no questions asked. Because of dwindling numbers they sometimes share services with the United Church of Canada, kitty corner from them on Chapman Street in Merritt.

A matter of some confusion for Anglicans elsewhere in the world is that while the Anglican Church of Canada is a province of the Anglican Communion, the Ecclesiastical Province of Canada is merely one of four such ecclesiastical provinces of the Anglican Church of Canada. This confusion is furthered by the fact that Canada has ten civil provinces along with three territories

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=anglican%20churches%20merritt&bs=intersect(places(139801652749645)%2Cplaces-in(105500516151263))

Marriage is a personal affair, many civil unions are tremendously successful.

On this Day: January 25th 1533

Henry the Eighth of England takes his second wife Anne Boleyn.

 

The Dome of the Coldwater hotel in Merritt. Photo KDG

The dome of the Coldwater Hotel in Merritt.
Photo KDG

Dr. JJ Gillis had an office and a practice in this hotel for may of the years of the first half of the 20th century.  The government long term care facility  near the museum and archives in downtown Merritt, bears his name.

Gillis had the fortune or misfortune of being the member of the provincial legislature for two decades here. His time included the great depression and the second world war. Dealing with local Japanese citizens and coal mine s in the valley.

A graduate of Mcgill University in 1918 he was invited by a director of the Canadian Pacific Railway  to Merritt as a Doctor. He was responsible for a work camp and he ran a nursing school at a Merritt Hospital .

A man in a wheel chair was covered head to toe by a blanket on the sidewalk during the December cold spell, when approached he said nothing a neighbor said his name is JJ and I some people left him there, ” I called the police” . The man then came alive and said ” leave me alone”. The police later were seen talking to him and it was resolved somehow.

Gillis was also the local coroner. He passed from this life in 1965: source

If the ghost of  Dr. JJ Gillis visited and I was him I would say leave me alone.

RIP DR.Gillis

On this Day: January 24th 1972

Sgt .Shoichi Yokoi of the Imperial Japanese Army is found  hiding in the Jungle since war end in 1945.

Despite hiding for twenty-eight years in an underground jungle cave, he had known since 1952 that World War II had ended.[5][6] He feared to come out of hiding, explaining, “We Japanese soldiers were told to prefer death to the disgrace of getting captured alive.”[1][5]
Yokoi was the third-to-last Japanese soldier to surrender after the war, preceding Second Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda (relieved from duty by his former commanding officer on 9 March 1974) and Private Teruo Nakamura (arrested 18 December 1974). source: Wikipedia

TGIF-Pomp and circumstance

Still waters are great.. Photo KDG

Still waters are great..
Photo KDG

Happy new president day to our American cousins….

 

 

On this Day January 20th 1981

Ronald Regan is made President of the United States, twenty minutes after Iran releases 0ver 50 American hostages.

Show your stuff…

The old court house on Nicola avenue , in Merritt. File Photo  Photo KDG

The old court house on Nicola avenue , in Merritt.
File Photo
Photo KDG

Fran Mcmurchy and others are having a combined showing in the local Old Court House Gallery. The show begins with an artists reception on Friday, the 20th from 4 to 7.

The local artist community has a couple of venues in this small British Columbia town including the Secret Door showing that is becoming a monthly event in Merritt. The Secret Door shows at Brambles Bakery across from the Q101 FM station on the historic Quilchena Avenue in the cities downtown.

The Secret Door Show begins on February 3rd and is a single presenter.
Merritt’s history compresses into a short time after serious european contact in the last half of the 18 hundreds. Seven hundred locals strived to keep up with world events into the 20th century and were successful in integrating cultures into the fray.

First Nations culture is also rich and can be seen in many attractions and showings as well.
The Old Court House Gallery is open to new members to drive content. Jackie the director can be found at the gallery most weekends Thursday through Saturday 12 to 6 PM.
The Court House Gallery showing is called Elements, other presenters include Helmut Kanduth and Gale Simpson.

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On this Day: January 19th 1915

Georges Claude patents his neon tubes for use in advertising.

 

Ducks and Ice

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These creatures were at the Highway 8 bridge on Nicola Avenue , Sunday,few skaters among them.

The ducks came to me as if to want to be fed….

Editors Note: the Nicola Naturalists are having their regular monthly meeting on Thursday. The group did a Christmas bird Count in December and their is likely to be a report….

On this Day: January 18th 1670

Henry Morgan captures Panama.

 

Skating rink

Monday evening saw use of the Voght Street Rink used Photo KDG

Monday evening saw use of the Voght Street rink used
Photo KDG

The Lacrosse court on Voght street has been used as a skating rink with some success this year. Cold weather cooperated to give  a longer uptime to the facility this year.

“We are out tonight because the weather is warming Tuesday and it may be the last chance to use it.” A couple and a man with a grandson were getting ready for quiet enjoyment on the rink before show time at the Film Society showing.

The rink /court is a use at your own risk venue.

Editors note: Lacrosse is Canada’s official sport, Ice Hockey the official National Winter Sport.

 

 

On this Day: January 17th 17873

Sea Captain James Cook goes south of the Antarctic Circle.

 

 

Film Schedule 2016/17 NVFS

Monday the Local Film Society are back at it with, Captain America …

Kevin Griffiths's avatarInternational Films in Review

The Nicola Valley Film Society presents six international films from September- March

( none in December) at the NVIT Lecture Theater Belshaw Avenue in Merritt. The film nights are 3rd Mondays at 7PM, no food or drinks in the lecture hall. Membership is two dollars 30 dollar seasons pass available.


Monday September 19th 2016


Monday, October 17th 2016


Monday, November 21, 2016


Monday, January 16th 2017


Monday,February 20th, 2017


Monday, March 13, 2017

The Annual General Meeting of the Nicola Valley Film Society is on Oct 4th 2016 6:30 PM at Library 1691 Garcia Street Merritt, BC.

Tickets advance at Blacks Pharmacy….

Editors note tickets at the door….

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TGIF-Health

Wheel of knowledge File Photo KDG

Wheel of knowledge
File Photo KDG

Guard your health it has nothing to do with luck or fortune, it has to do with diligence and attitude.

If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, your doctor will review your pathology report and results of any imaging tests to understand the specifics of your tumor.

Using a tissue sample from your breast biopsy or using your tumor if you’ve already undergone surgery, your medical team determines your breast cancer type. This information helps your doctor decide which treatment options are most appropriate for you. Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/breast-cancer/in-depth/breast-cancer/ART-20045654

On this Day: January 13th

Born: Paul Higgins Canadian Ice Hockey Player.

Regulation and self government, CEPA

Pipe for oil field File:Photo KDG

Pipe for oil field
File:Photo KDG

Drilling equipment for dewatering Photo KDG

Drilling equipment for dewatering
File Photo KDG

The Canadian Energy Pipeline Assc. has been working to see better conditions for pipeline activities. The self governing body has as a member the Trans Mountain pipeline group and they have reported on successful lobbying to provide   assurance to concerned people that delivery of  oil from Alberta is well regulated and safe.Yesterday the CBC reported that BC is satisfied with the environmental  provisions of the approved expansion.

The international pipeline conference.

Pipeline professionals, engineers and scientists gathered to talk about leadership and innovation and to share insights into the future of the industry. Among other things, we saw that the importance of communication and sustainability is a key focus for our industry.

Inspector  certification

CEPA has been working with the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) and the INGAA Foundation, to develop a pipeline inspector certification program. The program will give a consistent framework for inspector training programs across North America.  Source: Trans Mountain Pipeline.

The CEPA has also been involved in local fire chief certification and  the using their members mandate  to get legislation that makes polluter pay the law on right of way properties along pipelines.

Its been four and a half decades since we first saw locals here in the interior of BC take up jobs exploring for tar sands in northern Alberta some of them have passed on after spending a good part of their life in the exploration and development of a resource for future generations. Companies like Tonto Drilling and Connors Drilling, and the engineering supervision that gave that first drive for a better life have been absorbed and fractured into a different lifestyle today.

Wages for a stand up citizenry were more the focus then . A global corporate structure demands more today.It  is still desirable that a big share go to the individuals that command a wage  reflecting the status of working people who will live here and contribute time and talent to the future  of the community.

Pipe File photo KDG

Pipe
File photo KDG

You can learn more : http://www.cepa.com/en/

On this Day: January 12th 1998

Nineteen European nations agree to ban human cloning.