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News Briefs: Friday, September 20, 2013
Michael Gilday set for action
Yellowknife's Michael Gilday is a go for the Samsung ISU World Cup short-track speedskating season.
Gilday's travel plans were still up in the air as of Wednesday, as he's still getting back to skating after suffering a concussion following a nasty collision at the Intact Insurance Short Track Team Selections Meet in Montreal last month, but he was cleared to travel with the team.
He departs for Shanghai, China on Monday with the event scheduled to begin next Thursday.
- James McCarthy
Betty House contract passes vote
City council voted unanimously in favour of awarding the contract to build Betty House to Clark Builders during a special council meeting yesterday.
The transitional home for women and children is expected to cost under $3.9 million to build - far below the initial 2012 price tag of $6 million.
Despite the lower costs, this is a "significant project" badly needed in the city, said Coun. Bob Brooks.
"I'm really happy to see this come forward, it's been many years in the making," he said.
- Laura Busch
Phone disruptions
A melted fibre terminal cut off phone and Internet services for some in Yellowknife this week.
Northwestel sent a splicing team to the Morrisey microwave site, near Fort Simpson, where they determined the damage was caused by a forest fire.
Earl Blacklock, Department of Transportation spokesperson, stated in a news release the outage affected internet services as well. He stated the department was unable to issue new drivers licences and vehicle registrations on Thursday as a result.
Northwestel issued a news release Thursday afternoon saying all services were restored.
- Daniel Campbell
Raven blacks out Kam Lake
About 1,060 Northland Utilities Ltd. (NUL) customers were briefly without power yesterday due to a raven hitting the power lines.
Duane Morgan, manager of NUL in Yellowknife, said the power went out in Kam Lake at 11:49 a.m. and was restored six minutes later.
"However, the raven is no longer with us," he said.
- Laura Busch
News Briefs: Thursday, September 19, 2013
Long-distance calling disrupted
People in the NWT and the Yukon had trouble calling long distance on Sept. 18.
According to a news release from Northwestel, technicians were in Fort Simpson working to restore long-distance calling services on the morning of Sept. 18.
"A splicing crew has been dispatched to the Morrisey Microwave Site area to determine whether heavy winds and a forest fire that took place (Sept. 17) have caused the current disruption," the news release states.
On Sept. 18, data services were also affected by the disruption.
Parks closed for season
This year's camping season is over as territorial parks closed on Sept. 15. The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment operates 34 territorial parks from May 15 to Sept. 15.
More people visited territorial parks this summer, said Alayna Ward, manager of public affairs and communications with the territorial department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
"It appears like it was up across most of the territory, but we don't have the final numbers in yet," she said.
"It's always good news to have an increase."
Band meeting
Jean Marie River First Nation will meet on Sept. 18.
Band manager and senior administrative officer Michael Cheeks said one of the main points on the agenda is the band's heritage tourism project. He added the business plan for it is completed.
"They've reviewed drafts of it and the final draft is ready for them to look at approving. And then we're going to look at getting funding for it," he said.
Literacy week
Many students in the Deh Cho region will likely do plenty of reading for Literacy Week.
This year's edition of the Northwest Territories Literacy Council event will be held from Sept. 22 to 28 with the theme Finding your Way Financially.
According to the NWT Literacy Council's website, the theme is meant to "encourage people to improve their financial literacy in order to reach their money goals."
Teachers' association celebrates 60 years
The Northwest Territories Teachers' Association (NWTTA) is celebrating 60 years serving Northern educators next month.
The NWTTA serves more than 800 educators in eight regions in the territory.
Inuvik woman jailed
An intoxicated Inuvik woman rear-ended another vehicle earlier this month, a few hours after being given a ticket for consuming alcohol in public, a Yellowknife judge heard on Sept. 11.
The 26-year-old woman caused extensive damage to the other vehicle and sent the lone occupant to hospital with injuries.
Deputy Judge Brian Bruser said he wouldn't seek probation for the accused, because rehabilitation had been tried before and failed.
Bruser sentenced the woman to 60 days in jail and a driving prohibition of three years.
The woman's name was not released.
Utilidor work continues
Inuvik Gas and the Town of Invuik continue to work on replacing a utilidor on Mackenzie Road near the former Video Effects location.
Inuvik Gas general manager Kevin MacKay said the company is helping the town lower the gas line as part of the town's utilidor replacement work.
A gas line was found in a culvert that was not listed on the existing plans.
"The culvert was a surprise and not on our plans," MacKay said. "This meant a service line had a jog in it that needed to be disconnected for the gas main to be lowered. The service line was nicked by the back hoe and our crews shut it off right away.
"IGL is looking into the accuracy of the plan sheets and a review of actions required for these types of projects."
The street remains open to local traffic only.
Candlelight vigil planned
Inuvik's Take Back the Night walk is scheduled for Sept. 19.
The walk will begin at the Aurora College Campus and proceed to Ingamo Hall. The walk is being organized by various organizations in town, including Anne Kasook from the Transition House.
A candlelight vigil will be held to mark sexual violence against women and time will be given for anyone wishing to speak. Refreshments will be served afterwards.
Volleyball tourney
Volleyball season is underway and the East Three Secondary School annual volleyball tournament is slated for Oct. 4 and 5.
The school teams have begun practising and holding tryouts over the last two weeks at East Three Secondary School.
"Typically the first game will be coaches versus players, then the tourney will follow," said spokesperson Stacey Christie. "We are hoping teams from the Delta will participate."
A full schedule won't be ready until the week of the tournament, Christie said.
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