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News Briefs: Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Closed for Easter
Many places around Yellowknife will be closed to mark Easter this long weekend. City hall, schools, liquor stores and the Yellowknife Public Library will be closed Friday and Monday. Banks and many other businesses will be closed Friday.
- Kevin Allerston
NWT furs boom
The average price of NWT furs is up 50 to 60 per cent over last year, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment announced Monday in a news release. The value of beaver pelts increased 110 per cent over last year.
"NWT wild furs continue to be in high demand from buyers around the world," stated David Ramsay, minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, in the release. "With these high sales, our trappers and their communities will continue to benefit."
At the most recent wild fur auction, held by Fur Harvesters Auction Inc., $800,000 worth of Genuine Mackenzie Valley Furs were sold, bringing the sales total for this year to more than $1 million.
- Lyndsay Herman
Recycling rewards
The city of Yellowknife and the solid waste management advisory committee are accepting nominations for people, groups, institutions and businesses that lead the way in waste reduction.
Submissions require a picture and a small explanation of how the nominees are reducing waste.
On April 24, winners will be announced during the city's Solid Waste Forum, which coincides with Earth Week.
- Kevin Allerston
City snow removal
The City of Yellowknife is encouraging drivers to exercise patience and, if possible, to use alternate routes as workers proceed with snow removal through the week.
Today, there will be snow-removal on Wiley Road from McMeekan Causeway to Franklin Avenue; 52 Street from 52 Avenue to 54 Avenue; and all of Majaesic Court.
Tomorrow there will be snow removal along McMeekan Causeway and Hearn Hill Road from Wiley Road to Otto Drive; Otto Drive from Morrison Drive to Ndilo; and the alley between 54 Street and 55 Street from 51 Avenue to Con Road.
- Kevin Allerston
Breakfast program
Coral Harbour - The 20112012 school year has been a successful one for the breakfast program at Sakku School in Coral Harbour.
Volunteers provided breakfast for, on average, 60 students every school morning throughout the year.
The program was funded through Brighter Futures and the Northern store. For more on the Coral program, please see the April 11 edition of Kivalliq News.
Closing its doors
Rankin Inlet/Nunavut - The Nunavut Training Implementation Committee (NITC) closed its doors for the final time this past Friday, March 30.
The NITC was one of the first organizations created after the ratification of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, and remained in operation for almost 20 years.
The committee provided training within the network of implementation organizations in Nunavut, and also provided numerous scholarships to Inuit students.
The NITC was forced to close when both the Nunavut and federal governments decided not to renew its funding to provide scholarships, workshops and employment training for Inuit.
Junior champs
Kivalliq - Team Kivalliq defeated the Baffin two games to one to capture the Challenge Cup junior C championship in Iqaluit this past month.
Team Kivalliq will now represent Nunavut at the MaritimeHockey North junior C championship this coming week in Tignish, P.E.I. The Maritime tournament will run from April 11 to 15.
Kivalliq took the first game of the Challenge Cup 73, before Baffin came back to claim the second game 54 in overtime. Kivalliq defeated Baffin 72 in the deciding game to take the title.
For more on the Challenge Cup and Team Kivalliq's trip to the Maritimes, please see the April 11 edition of Kivalliq News.
Derby time
Kivalliq - The annual Kivalliq 250 Sled Dog Derby gets underway this week. The 2012 derby will begin in Rankin Inlet tomorrow, April 5, with mushers racing to Whale Cove and then on to Arviat.
The top 13 racers in the threeday event will receive cash prizes, with first place being worth $8,000, second $6,000 and third $4,000.
Athletes honoured
Baker Lake - A special feast and celebration was held at the Baker Lake Community Hall this past month to recognize the efforts of the community's young athletes at the 2012 Arctic Winter Games in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Each of the Baker athletes was given a special plaque to commemorate their participation in the 2012 Games.
Dropin facelift
Rankin Inlet - The Rankin Inlet DropIn Centre is receiving a muchneeded facelift and new equipment for local youth.
The centre received a new pool table and foosball table this past week, while the badlyneeded renovations are expected to get underway this week.
The project is being funded through Health and Public Services.
Hockey season officially cancelled
Arviat - While the writing has been on the floor for some time now, the community of Arviat officially announced the cancellation of the entire 2011-2012 hockey season this past week.
Renovations to the Arviat arena have run into numerous difficulties during the past few months, most centred around the new concrete floor being installed at the facility.
The concrete floor has finally been completed, but the quality of its surface finish is still not up to an acceptable standard.
Latest estimates have the project now being completed early in May.
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