 | Home page |  | Text size |  | E-mail this page |
Friday, October 16, 2015
Liquor stores, bars closed election night
People looking to consume alcohol on election day, Oct. 19, will either have to stock up in advance, or wait until after 8 p.m. By territorial law, alcohol cannot be sold or served in the NWT until after the polls close. The federal polls close at 7:30 p.m., the municipal polls at 8 p.m. Both Yellowknife liquor stores will be open from 8 to 10 p.m. on election day.
- John McFadden
Councillors attendance figures released
Coun. Adrian Bell has the best meeting attendance record in figures released this week by fellow councillor Niels Konge. Bell missed only four council meetings during the current three year term. Konge only missed three but he was absent from 11 municipal services committee meetings, while Bell missed only seven. Dan Wong missed the most meetings overall - 33, including 25 municipal services meetings. He followed closely by Phil Moon Son with 32 absences. A spokesperson for the city said they do not keep cumulative councillor attendance records. Konge said he received the data from a confidential source.
- John McFadden
Licensing office to move
Residents looking to renew their driver's licences will soon have to visit a new location. As of Oct. 26, the Yellowknife Driver and Vehicle Licensing Office, currently in the Laing Building, will be located on the ground floor of the new government building at 5015 49 St. The move is set to happen over the weekend so it won't result in any service disruption, according to a Department of Transportation news release.
- Erin Steele
Scholarship honours beating victim
A scholarship has been established in the name of young man killed in Yellowknife. Called the Emerson Curran Memorial Scholarship, it offers $3,500 to University of Ottawa students who demonstrate financial need, are in good financial standing and demonstrate community service or leadership. The scholarship was created in February 2014.
Emerson Curran, 21, was beaten to death at a house party two years ago. He was entering his third year in a bachelor of arts in philosophy program at the time.
- Josh Long
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Fort Providence housing reaches front burner
None of the communities in the Deh Cho electoral district received funding from the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation this year under the Small Community Homeless Fund, according to Deh Cho MLA Michael Nadli.
Nadli questioned Housing Minister Robert C. McLeod, who is responsible for the housing corporation, in the legislature on Oct. 7 about the government's efforts to reduce homelessness in the Deh Cho.
Nadli's riding includes Fort Providence, Kakisa, Hay River and Enterprise.
McLeod could not provide information on whether applications had been received from the riding but said money has gone out to other communities that have applied.
Recently, Deh Gah Got'ie Koe Chief Joachim Bonnetrouge sent a letter to the government that he said addressed homelessness and offered potential solutions.
That letter was not available to Deh Cho Drum but McLeod said he will be following up with Bonnetrouge regarding the chief's request for assistance purchasing lumber and woodstoves to assist the homeless.
McLeod added the government is starting a pilot project for homeless people who do not meet the housing corporation's requirements.
Sport North seeks performers
With the 2016 Arctic Winter Games set for March 6 to 11, Sport North has put out a call for six performance artists to participate in the games as delegates.
Criteria for performers is as wide as the arts themselves, with the call open to musicians, storytellers, theatre performers and more.
Performing delegates must be born between 1995 and 2001 and must apply before Oct. 30.
Closing in on election day
The federal election is set to take place Oct. 19.
In the Northwest Territories, four contenders are vying to be the next Member of Parliament: Conservative representative Floyd Roland of Inuvik, NDP representative Dennis Bevington of Fort Smith, Liberal representative Michael McLeod of Fort Providence and Green Party representative John Moore of Inuvik.
Polling stations will be set up at the Fort Simpson recreation centre for voters.
Because the federal election coincides with municipal elections, both will be held at the recreation centre.
Boys group now running
The Inuvik Justice Committee and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation have partnered to put on a boys' group once again this year.
Meeting at East Three School Mondays from 3:45 to 5 p.m., the group is open to boys in Grade 7 and up. The first session saw six boys show up and organizer Ali McConnell said the time was spent talking about what they wanted to do for the rest of the year.
"The enjoyed the rockets we did last year," she said. "They want to do remote-controlled cars and lots of sports."
The program is also being run by Jolene Donovan who occupies a newly-created position with the IRC of student and family support worker.
Yoga starts up again
Yoga is back at the Midnight Sun Complex, with classes on Monday and Wednesday evenings.
Mondays from 7 to 8 p.m. will see a yin/yang class in which participants transition between slow poses that target deep muscle tissue and fast-paced mobile movements, while Mondays are dedicated to Vinyasa Flow, which allows participants to move through poses and build strength and balance.
Classes are suitable for all levels of practice and mats are provided.
New cash for Lights On
The Nihtat Gwich'in Council is donating $2,500 to Lights On, the popular program at East Three School seeking to keep children occupied and off the streets Saturday nights.
"It provides options for the youth," said council president Jozef Carnogursky. "It's a safe environment, giving the kids something to do. It's a positive program producing positive results."
Carnogursky said it's the volunteers that deserve recognition more than anything and that, despite the program's five-year history in the community, he had only learned about it in the past few weeks.
Ski Club AGM this week
The Inuvik Ski Club will be hosting its annual general meeting Oct. 18 at 2 p.m.
The meeting will be held at the ski club itself on Gwich'in Road.
According to Andrew Haas, there will be information available on the programs that will run this year, as well as some changes to bylaws and membership fees.
Free rides for voting
Delta Cabs has announced it will be running a free-ride service to polling stations Oct. 19 for the election.
Cars 23 and 24 will be dedicated to this service and all callers need do is indicate their intention to go vote to the dispatcher or request either of the two cars specifically.
| 
