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A 58-year-old Yellowknife man believed to be Jim Essery was found dead Saturday afternoon after witnesses noticed a boat spinning continuously on Prosperous Lake.

Yellowknife RCMP Staff Sgt. Brad Kaeding confirmed the detachment received a call about the lone occupant of the boat around 3:45 p.m. Witnesses saw what Kaeding described as a small craft "spinning in tight circles," about four miles away from the boat launch.

"He was found floating and lying face down in the water and a couple of people saw the boat spinning for about 20 minutes before he was seen," said Kaeding. "It was another period of time before anyone was able to get close."

Kaeding said the man was seen about a half hour before the incident departing a nearby camp and was supposed to be heading to the boat launch.

An autopsy has been ordered and will be undertaken in Edmonton this week.

- Simon Whitehouse

Elders' cabin to open

The Fort Smith Metis Council will celebrate the grand opening of an elders' cabin on Sept. 6.

The cabin is located on Pine Lake Road, about 25 km south of Fort Smith in the Alberta section of Wood Buffalo National Park.

- Paul Bickford

Hobart to run again

Mayor Janie Hobart of Fort Smith has decided to seek re-election in October's municipal election.

"I felt that there are many projects that have been started under this council that I would like to see come to fruition," she said.

The mayor said those projects include the tourism and marketing strategy, the community services master plan, the waste management plan, extension to trails and roadwork.

- Paul Bickford

Bevington in Iceland

Western Arctic MP Dennis Bevington is to attend the 10th Conference of Parliamentarians of the Arctic Region in Akureyri, Iceland, from Sept 5 to 7. Bevington will be accompanied by another MP and two senators.

- Lyndsay Herman

Martians in Yellowknife

NWT Tourism announced the Yellowknife, NWT, versus Yellowknife, Mars, photo contest on Aug 30.

Brian Desjardin, executive director of NWT Tourism, said participants have until Sept. 28 to post their photos of a Martian in Yellowknife or a Yellowknifer on Mars to the NWT Tourism Facebook page.

- Lyndsay Herman

Information session for seniors

Hay River

The NWT Seniors' Society, in partnership with the Hay River Seniors' Society, will host a seniors' information highway event at Soaring Eagle Friendship Centre from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 25.

The purpose of the event is to offer information on programs and services available in the community for seniors and other people.

Representatives of various organizations will be on hand to provide the information and answer questions.

The event will be followed by the NWT Seniors' Society annual general meeting.

The guest speaker at the annual meeting will be Hay River South MLA Jane Groenewegen.

- Paul Bickford

Health authority conducting survey

Thebacha/Fort Smith

The Fort Smith Health and Social Services Authority is conducting a community health needs assessment.

During September, representatives of the health authority will be going door-to-door to ask people to complete a survey about health issues in the community.

The surveys will also be available at all facilities operated by the health authority.

- Paul Bickford

Aklavik brings home swim medals

Aklavik

A team of swimmers from Aklavik earned 24 of the 30 medals awarded during the Beaufort Delta Regional Swim Meet earlier this month, said lifeguard Matthew Nolan.

The eight-member team travelled to Tuktoyaktuk for the competition. Competitotrs were between nine and 13 years old, Nolan said.

Nolan and Mary Gordon coached the team. Nolan said the swimmers had trained very hard to get ready for the event.

"They'll probably do 90 to 100 laps every day when they train," he said.

Nolan said competitors from Aklavik usually do quite well.

"We usually get in the top three," he said. "We have a pretty good record."

- Kassina Ryder

Raising funds for Dreamcatcher trip

Ikaahuk/Sachs Harbour

Youth in Sachs Harbour were busy making their best homemade donuts for their chili dinner fundraiser on Aug. 28.

Recreation co-ordinator Doreen Carpenter said the dinner was part of an ongoing fundraising effort to help seven local young people attend the Dreamcatcher Aboriginal Youth Conference in Edmonton in October.

Carpenter said the group needs to raise between $30,000 and $40,000 to attend the conference.

Anyone interested in helping the group can contact Andrea Keogak at the Sachs Harbour Community Corporation.

- Kassina Ryder

Baseball tournament a success

Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson

A baseball tournament took place in Fort McPherson on the weekend of Aug. 24, said Jackie Pascal, recreation director. Four teams from the community played against each other to win one of three cash prizes of $1,000, $800 or $600. Pascal said other communities had been invited to the tournament, but were unable to attend.

"Baseball is a huge sport in our community in the summer," Pascal said.

Pascal also said the community is gearing up for its Terry Fox Run, which is scheduled to take place on Sept. 15.

- Kassina Ryder

Swimming pool closed for maintenance

Thebacha/Fort Smith

The swimming pool in Fort Smith has closed for annual maintenance.

The pool, which is attached to the Fort Smith Recreation Centre, closed on Aug. 29 and is scheduled to reopen on Sept. 17

- Paul Bickford

Cruise ship pays a visit

Ulukhaktok/Holman

A cruise ship was a welcome guest to Ulukhaktok on Aug. 26, said recreation co-ordinator Joanne Ogina.

The ship docked outside of town and ferried approximately 200 people into the community where they participated in a fire on the beach and watched drum dancing. Some visitors played a round of golf at the golf course during their visit, as well as sewing mitts and participating in an Inuinnaqtun language lesson.

- Kassina Ryder

Baseball tournament re-scheduled

Paulatuk

The 25 and over softball tournament was scheduled to take place in Paulatuk last weekend, said recreation co-ordinator Lily-Ann Green. It was originally planned to take place the weekend of Aug. 24, but weather cancelled the event.

Again, the tournament would be re-scheduled if it rained last weekend, Green said.

There were three teams registered as of Aug. 28, Green said. A barbecue was also scheduled to add to the fun.

- Kassina Ryder

Inuvik pool closed

Inuvik

The pool in Inuvik's Midnight Sun Complex is scheduled to close for about a month as of Sept. 2, said Tony Devlin, director of community services.

It is scheduled to re-open the first week of October. Devlin said the closure is part of the pool's annual maintenance schedule. The pool will be completely drained and cleaned, and the water slide will get a fresh coat of wax.

"We do a full cleaning including we sterilize the pool, clean every aspect," Devlin said.

Devlin also said the community's arena is tentatively scheduled to open on Sept. 15.

- Kassina Ryder

Man dead following boating accident

Kinngait/Cape Dorset

One man died following a boating accident near Cape Dorset on Aug. 26.

Peter Parr, 42, was pronounced dead at the health centre after spending several hours in the water clinging to a piece of ice. Parr, along with two others, were returning from the stone quarry in darkness and fog in the early morning on Aug. 26 when their boat capsized after hitting a piece of ice, stated police.

According to RCMP, all three men spent several hours in the water clinging to a piece of ice. A boat passing by came across the stranded men and brought them to their boat but they ran out of gas before reaching land and they paddled a short distance to shore.

One man ran about two kilometres to the hamlet and called Cape Dorset RCMP around 9:30 a.m., stated police. When police arrived at the beach north of the hamlet, they found some of the men walking. One of the three men pulled from the water was found in the rescue boat in critical condition before being rushed to the health centre, where he was pronounced dead, stated police. The other two men are recovering.

RCMP state it is very important for boaters and hunters to carry a SPOT device and/or satellite phone when out of the community.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Man facing weapon charge

Kinngait/Cape Dorset

A man is facing a weapon-related charge following an incident in Cape Dorset on Aug. 27.

Cape Dorset RCMP officers received a call at about 8:30 p.m. that a man and a woman, allegedly his girlfriend, were arguing, said Supt. Hilton Smee. The officers determined the man, who was "highly intoxicated," had allegedly been in possession of a rifle and there was a concern he may harm himself.

Smee said police seized four rifles and ammunition from the location of the complaint. The male suspect was located at another residence where he was arrested without incident, he added.

"These firearms incidents are becoming more frequent in Nunavut and it is fortunate Cape Dorset had three members in the community at the time of this incident," said Smee.

"The availability of this adequate backup enhanced their ability to respond to this situation safely."

He added RCMP officers have recently gone to every house in Cape Dorset to provide them with information about firearm safety and trigger locks.

Smee said this is something they will roll out to every community in the near future.

Iola Toonoo, 30, has been charged with unsafe handling/use of a firearm.

He was released on an undertaking pending his court date scheduled for Cape Dorset on Nov. 5.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Missing teen found dead

Kugluktuk/Coppermine

A missing Kugluktuk teenager was found dead last month.

RCMP stated the 14-year-old male had been reported missing on Aug. 9 before he was found deceased a short time later.

The name of the victim is being withheld at the request of the family.

The cause of death is pending toxicology results but foul play is not suspected.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Nunavut's piece of the pie

Nunavut

Nunavut received 55 per cent of subsidy money given out by Nutrition North between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2011, according to recently released statistics.

Out of the total $8,534,537 of subsidies spent in Nunavut, $5,679,632 was spent in the Baffin region, $1,742,111 in the Kivalliq and $1,113,064 in the Kitikmeot. That subsidized a total of 2,780,118 kg of food.

The highest amount given out in one community was $1,516,037 in Iqaluit on 758,859 kg of food, with Pond Inlet next in line at $843,091 on 108,581 kg of food.

The lowest amount was received in Whale Cove, at $59,659 on 26,923 kg of food.

Residents continue to protest food prices throughout the territory, with the most recent, as of press time, being in Iqaluit and Grise Fiord on Aug. 25.

- Tim Edwards

Principals meet in Kugluktuk

Kugluktuk/Coppermine

Kitikmeot school principals and vice-principals were scheduled to get a chance to mingle while getting some advice for the school year in Kugluktuk from Aug. 27 to 31.

The annual meeting, held in the first few weeks of school, usually features orientation and guest speakers from labour and employee relations, for instance, said Jonathan Bird, executive director of Kitikmeot School Operations. He added his office will visit the various principals during the school year.

"Looking at the Kitikmeot as a team, it's a team-building opportunity to actually have that face-to-face contact," said Bird. "It's a real luxury to have that opportunity just to get together for the week."

- Jeanne Gagnon

Celebrating life in Iqaluit

Iqaluit

A workshop, vigil and barbecue will mark World Suicide Prevention Day in Iqaluit this weekend.

The workshop, at the Youth Centre from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, will be led by Nelson Tagoona, whom the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention calls "a great role model and true inspiration for all ages." Tagoona, a throat boxer, will then perform at 7 p.m.

On Sunday, there will be a barbecue in Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park from noon until 4 p.m. There will be an Inuit games demonstration, activities for children and Tagoona will perform once again.

The event will end Monday night with a candlelight vigil in Iqaluit Square at 8 p.m. to remember loved ones, support survivors and support the anti-suicide cause.

- Tim Edwards

Diamond Jubilee medal recipients

Ikaluktutiak/Cambridge Bay

Four Cambridge Bay residents were honoured with the Diamond Jubilee Medal when federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq and Prime Minister Stephen Harper visited the community last month.

Charlie Evalik, Attima Hadlari, Darrell Ohokannoak and Elik Tologanak received the medals to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II to the throne. During the year of celebrations, 60,000 Canadians will be recognized with the medal.

Ohokannoak, a life-long resident of Cambridge Bay, was recognized for his leadership in expanding communication services in the Kitikmeot and territory as founder and manager of PolarNet.

"It was absolutely incredible. It was really unexpected," he said.

Evalik, the president of the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, received the medal in recognition of his public service while Hadlari was honoured for demonstrating and encouraging Inuit traditions, including drum dancing, across the North and the world. Tologanak received the medal for her work in counselling and healing.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Women in politics

Iqaluit

A workshop encouraging and supporting women to get involved in politics will be held on Sept. 6 in Iqaluit, just four days before the nominations close for the city's municipal election.

The workshop will be held at the Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum from 5:30 until 9 p.m., and is aimed at helping women overcome the obstacles they may face in running for municipal office.

Inuktitut interpretation will be available.

- Tim Edwards

Scholarship opportunity

Kivalliq

The Sakku Scholarship is available to Kivalliq Inuit, but there's less than a week left to apply.

The deadline is Sept. 7, and applicants must be residents of the Kivalliq region, beneficiaries of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, and enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited university of college program. Applications must have a cover letter, and must include the applicant's most recent high school transcripts.

For forms or more information, contact Kelly Kaludjak at Sakku Investments Corporation.

- Tim Edwards

Visit from the Fortrus

Mittimatalik/Pond Inlet

A charter yacht stopped in Pond Inlet on Aug. 25 on its journey through the Northwest Passage.

"It was passing through on Saturday," said Pond Inlet economic development officer Colin Saunders. "It was only here for a couple hours."

Saunders said he wasn't sure if anyone got the chance to get off the ship and explore the community.

Pictures posted on the Tracking the Fortress website show scenes from the foggy voyage into Pond Inlet, and those posting on the site write with excitement about seeing polar bears among the sea ice throughout the journey. After stopping in Pond, the ship went on an ultimately unsuccessful journey to look for narwhal in Koluktoo Bay.

The ship originally departed from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

- Tim Edwards

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