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News Briefs: Friday, September 9, 2011
Women's council to hold candidates forum
The NWT Status of Women Council is hosting an all-candidates forum at Northern United Place on Sept. 26, starting at 7 p.m.
The forum will consist of audience input and a panel of representatives from five community agencies, including the YWCA and Alternatives North. The forum will focus on topics pertaining to women and social justice. A two-piece questionnaire about pressing issues in this territorial election will be sent to Yellowknife candidates prior to the forum.
The Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce will also be hosting a public forum, although dates and locations have yet to be confirmed.
Typos plague Dolynny
Yellowknifer is not the only one that makes embarrassing mistakes.
Just ask Range Lake MLA candidate Daryl Dolynny, who unveiled his website earlier this week that described himself as part "Uranium" - meaning Ukrainian - and of French "decent." That portion of his biography was removed after Facebook followers pointed out the errors.
"Web design can be very finicky," Dolynny said with a laugh Tuesday.
"The site was pushed just yesterday (Monday) and as with most websites, you don't see the kinks until its up and running."
Dolynny isn't the only candidate with some small errors on their websites.
As of yesterday, there was still a missing word on Frame Lake candidate Duff Spence's website, which states he "will work
constituents" to get answers.
Yellowknife Centre incumbent Robert Hawkins' website could also benefit from scanning his site a little more closely.
There's a missing preposition in a statement about his stance against cuts to supplementary health care that would've affected "healthcare coverage many Northerners."
Campaign colours
The city is alive with colour, and not just from the autumn leaves. Yellowknife is becoming festooned with brightly coloured posters for MLA candidates.
Great Slave incumbent Glen Abernethy is bringing back his burgundy and deep blue signs because they don't resemble any of the major political parties, he said.
The deep blue reflects Great Slave Lake; the burgundy was chosen to complement it.
"I like the way they look together," said Abernethy.
Wendy Bisaro has been using her red, white and blue colours since her days as city councillor. She hopes people have come to identify them with her campaign.
"I chose them for no reason, I've had them since the city councillor days," said Bisaro.
The bright yellow signs filling the downtown core are Robert Hawkins' chosen colour.
"I just wanted something fresh and exciting," said Hawkins.
The yellow also makes a good background colour to read the words on his signs, said Hawkins.
Yk Centre MLA candidate
Arlene Hache has officially announced she is running for the Yellowknife Centre MLA seat in the upcoming territorial election on Oct. 3.
She is the only candidate running in the riding other than incumbent Robert Hawkins.
Hache, 58, came to Yellowknife in 1974. She is currently the executive director of the Centre for Northern Families.
- Terrence McEachern
Old Town water switch
Surface water lines in Old Town will be turned off for the season on Monday, and residents in the area will switch over to trucked water service.
City crews disassemble and winterize the lines, starting that day, and the maintenance will go on for approximately two weeks.
In its newsletter, the City of Yellowknife advised residents to make sure their tanks are full prior to Monday. Contact the city for more information.
- Tim Edwards
Fall cleaning
It's the best time of the year to clean up any junk lying around the house or yard.
Amnesty Week at the landfill will run from Sept. 19 to 26. During that time, the fee at the Solid Waste Facility will be waived. Amnesty Week does not affect other tipping fees or the three-bag limit for curbside collection.
Between Sept. 19 and 22, the city will also be collecting large garbage items free of charge. Residents who have items to be picked up must fill out a form no later than Sept. 16. The form is available at city hall, the gatehouse at the landfill and on the city's website.
On Sept. 17 from noon to 4 p.m., there will also be free household hazardous waste collection at the Yellowknife Community Arena parking lot.
- Nicole Veerman
Draw for industrial lots
The city will be holding a ballot draw for two industrial lots in Kam Lake on Sept. 26.
One lot up for grabs is 20 Ellesmere Dr., with a price tag of $114,000. The other is 98 Deh Cho Blvd., with a price tag of $103,000.
Ballots must be submitted to the city, complete with a $1,000 deposit, before 10 a.m. Sept. 23.
The ballot draw will be held in the city hall council chamber.
- Nicole Veerman
News Briefs: Thursday, September 8, 2011
Awareness walks
Two walks are taking place in Fort Simpson to raise awareness about health issues.
An FASD Awareness Walk will be held on Sept. 9. Participants will gather in the parking lot of the Nahanni Inn at 8:50 a.m. and the walk to the recreation centre will begin at 9 a.m.
Coffee and snacks will follow in the community hall where there will be information booths about fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. The Sanaeah Pre-Natal Program along with the Open Doors Society and Health Promotion is organizing the event.
Three days later, on Sept. 12, Health Promotion is holding the Don't Just Stand There AIDS Walk for Life.
Karen Simon, a community health representative, said the walk is the first of its kind in the village. The walk will begin at 3:30 p.m. at the Health Centre and conclude at the Stanley Isaiah Wellness Centre where there will be refreshments and information on HIV and AIDS.
First Air Open tees off
One of the final golf tournaments of the season at the Seven Spruce Golf Course will take place this weekend.
The First Air Open will be held on Sept. 10 to 11 in Fort Simpson. The tournament will follow a two-person scramble format over 36 holes.
Registration will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday followed by tee-off times at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Participants will receive a steak dinner as part of the tournament.
Science class takes to the Mackenzie River
Twelve students from Deh Gah School are about to embark on a canoe trip.
As part of their experiential Science 30 class, a group of Grade 12 students are canoeing from Fort Providence to Jean Marie River between Sept. 13 to 16.
The class is about freshwater systems so the students will be examining the Mackenzie River during the trip, said Lois Philipp, the school's principal.
Behchoko team wins Wrigley handgames tournament
A total of eight teams gathered in Wrigley last month for a handgames tournament hosted by Pehdzeh Ki First Nation.
The tournament took place from Aug. 25 to 28. Two teams from Behchoko won first and second place in the event.
Third place went to Hart Apples' team from Fort Simpson while Darcy E. Moses's team from Wrigley came in fourth. The other participating teams were from Meander River and Assumption, Alta., and Tulita.
Leanne Goose nominated for award
Inuvik songstress Leanne Goose's album Got You Covered has been nominated for Best Country CD at the Aboriginal People's Choice Awards.
The album offers country hits often heard along the Mackenzie Delta. This year Goose also received nomination for the same CD at the Native American Indigenous Image Award. Her first album, Anywhere, received five nominations at the 2008 Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards and Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards.
The second round of voting by the public ends on Oct. 6 at midnight, with the show airing on Nov. 4.
Greenhouse fall fair
With fall in full swing, the Inuvik Community Greenhouse will host its annual fall fair this weekend.
On Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. there will be games, a photo/vegetable display and contest, competitions, bouncy castle, cake sale.
The winning enteries of the fall fair will be displayed. Groups include kids crafts with a garden or garden creature theme, youth craft, baking or photography, adult crafts, baking and photography and all categories for jams/jellies, pickles, flower arrangements, most unique veggie, longest cucumber, longest bean, largest beet, largest tomato and best salad dressing.
All entries must be dropped off by Sept. 9 at 5 p.m. Also on Sept. 9 the Greenhouse will host the End of the Vine event, with live music, beer, food and wine.
Interfaith symposium
The Islamic community of Inuvik will host an interfaith symposium to discuss the role of women in building a healthy society.
Scholars of Islam, Catholicism, aboriginal traditions, Judaism and Sihkism in Inuvik will speak on the topic on Sept. 18 from 3 to 6 p.m. at Aurora College. The speakers will be Gene Gruben, Fay Trombley, Dan Hellerman, Muhammad Afzal Mirza and Gian Singh Kotli.
There will be free admission and refreshments. Aurora College Inuvik campus director Doug Robertson will moderate the event.
NACC season starts
The new season of the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre starts on Sept. 20 in Inuvik.
Six Canadian musicians and storytellers will perform at the Igloo church over the winter months. Performers include the stories and music of Pat Braden, young pianist Jan Lisiecki, Celtic and Latin musicians The Compadres, Quebecois band De Temps Antan and storyteller Raoul Bhaneja.
The first performance by pianist and composer Lorraine Desmarais will take place on Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. in the Igloo church.
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News desk 
