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Monday, November 7, 2016
Fire leads to stolen vehicle investigation
Hay River
Police are investigating a strange rash of vehicle fires and thefts after flames from one burning vehicle caused a house to catch fire Oct. 29.
Police arrived to find a vehicle on fire in the driveway, which spread to the house, according to an RCMP news release issued Oct. 31.
A sole occupant escaped uninjured and the Hay River Fire Department was able to put out the fire and save the home.
Upon investigating, officers found a vehicle on the property reported stolen earlier that night.
The incident follows another vehicle fire in the industrial area of town on Oct. 21, which was also determined to be stolen. Another stolen vehicle was found nearby.
The two Oct. 21 car thefts are believed to be related. RCMP are investigating whether the Oct. 29 incident is linked.
- Paul Bickford
RCMP seize liquor
Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson
RCMP seized 44 bottles of liquor from a vehicle on the Dempster Highway to Fort McPherson on Nov. 1.
Officers were acting on a tip that a group was planning to drive into Fort McPherson with large amounts of liquor, stated an RCMP news release.
The driver was issued a traffic violation and RCMP are still investigating.
Fort McPherson is an alcohol-restricted community.
- Kassina Ryder
Ferry closes suddenly
Liidlii K'e/Fort Simpson
After a 72-hour notice of closure was dropped for the MV Lafferty Ferry to Fort Simpson, ferry service was terminated abruptly on Nov. 1 as water levels in the river dropped and ice conditions worsened.
The ferry had been put on 72-hours notice again the day before, with a notice to the community that service could end imminently.
The ferry was expected to remain on standby for 48 hours after its closure in case conditions improved enough for service to be temporarily restored. In the end, it was closed for the season Nov. 2.
The MV Johnny Berens ferry to Wrigley has also stopped running.
- April Hudson
Highway on time, budget
Inuvik
Hay River South MLA Wally Schumann reported to the legislative assembly in Yellowknife that the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk highway is on time and on budget.
The Department of Transportation has been working with both communities, aboriginal governments, various GNWT departments and Infrastructure Canada to plan opening celebrations.
A ceremony to mark the closure of the last winter road from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk will come in 2017.
Work on the highway began in 2013. Earlier this year, the north and south sides of the project met for the first time, representing a significant milestone.
The highway is expected to open to traffic in fall 2017.
- Stewart Burnett
$10k thriller for theatre
Inuvik
A $10,000 donation from the Inuvik Choral and Theatrical Society to East Three School's drama department means sustainability for the drama club.
"It means that we'll be able to grow as a program," said Abe Drennan, drama teacher. "It means that we'll be able to live long and prosper. That's a pretty big chunk of money to give and we're really grateful."
Christine Zubko, one of the only members left of the ICATS group, which has ceased operation, said her organization had raised the money years before through its well-attended dinner plays.
The group has been interested in donating to the school since East Three opened, originally intending to give a piano but then learning of the school's equipment needs.
Only Zubko and one other member of ICATS even knew the bank account with the money was still there, she said.
Grade 10 drama club member Katelynn Crocker is excited for the opportunities this year.
"I used to be really shy before I started drama," she admitted. "I'm definitely a lot better now."
Drennan said the donation was needed. The drama program started two years ago with no budget and little equipment.
Two years in, the group has managed to put on a major play each school year through commitment, community donations and ticket sales. After Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz the past two years, East Three School will be presenting the traditional aboriginal tale How The Raven Stole The Sun.
The story, which is widespread among aboriginal groups but with different details, follows a raven turning itself into the grandson of a man who controls the sun, who then goes on to release it.
- Stewart Burnett
Hit the rink!
NWT
CCM donated about $42,000 worth of hockey equipment to Northwest Territories Hockey Schools.
The equipment is part of a $95,000 donation split between the NWT schools and the Hockey Skills Academy Program in Sioux Lookout, according to a news release from CCM.
Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities supports both programs.
There are more than 200 NWT children and youth between the ages of four and 18 who participate in Northwest Territories Hockey Schools, which operate in Yellowknife, Behchoko, Fort Providence, Inuvik and Aklavik.
- Kassina Ryder
Hay River replacing water meters
Hay River
The town has made progress installing new water meters on houses. At council's Oct. 24 meeting, Coun. Steve Anderson asked how many meters remain to be installed.
Ruth Boden, the director of finance and administration, said 571 meters had been replaced out of the 870 meters in the community.
If residents are not at home when town employees visit, notices are left on doors requesting people call to set up a time to have their water meters replaced.
Deputy mayor Donna Lee Jungkind asked what process exists if residents don't call.
"We're trying to contact them, and, if we can't contact them, the guys are trying to get back to the house to see," said Boden.
"Our one other possibility is to look at evening installs. It's our last-ditch effort. We're hoping to be able to complete all of these without doing that."
Paul Bickford
Trade show set for weekend
Hay River
The Hay River Chamber of Commerce's Business, Home and Leisure Show was scheduled to return for another year.
The trade show was to take place on Nov. 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Wright Centre.
"I think it's important to Hay River to be able to get out and see a lot of the businesses and services that are available right here in town," Sherry DaRosa, chair of the event's organizing committee for the chamber of commerce, said before the event.
DaRosa added it's sometimes good for people to remind themselves what's available because many businesses are away in offices and different spaces that are not on the beaten path.
She said that includes home-based businesses, such as craftspeople and artists.
Paul Bickford
Dodgeball coming
Liidlii K'e/Fort Simpson
Fort Simpson's Sober Sally/Sober Steve will be hosting a dodgeball tournament on Nov. 5 for teenagers and adult teams.
The tournament is for everyone 12 years of age and older. The tournament will take the format of six-person teams, with two substitutes. Games will begin at 5 p.m.
April Hudson
Sandra Ipana, Marilyn Maring awarded
Inuvik
The Minister's Culture and Heritage Circle awarded late elder Sandra Ipana with a Minister's Choice award, as well as Inuvik's Marilyn Maring with a youth award.
The award recognizes youth, individuals, elders and groups in the Northwest Territories who exemplify excellence and dedication to the promotion and preservation of the arts, culture and heritage of their community or region.
A ceremony was held for the winners on Tuesday, Nov. 1.
- Stewart Burnett
Town launches new tourism site
Inuvik
The Town of Inuvik has launched Truly Arctic, its new tourism website at trulyarctic.ca.
The town has talked before about its push to develop tourism in the region.
The website covers things to do, hotels and other information about the region and more.
- Stewart Burnett
Debt forgiveness bylaw gets two readings
Inuvik
Town council has given first and second readings to a bylaw to forgive several debts in Inuvik,
A third reading will take place after a 30-day public notice period has expired.
If passed, the bylaw will forgive $33,394.43 owed to the town.
Mackenzie Boys Ltd. owes the highest amount at $21,273.97 for unpaid concession rent between October 2010 and April 2011.
The company is no longer in business.
The Inuvik Recreation Hockey Association owes $4,869.98, but the group no longer exists. All nine organizations that owe money to the town are said to no longer exist, be bankrupt or be out of business.
A full list of the debts to be forgiven can be found on the town's website.
- Stewart Burnett
Bouncy castles popular in Tuktoyaktuk
Tuktoyaktuk
Children aged nine and younger have been spending their afternoons jumping in one of two bouncy castles at Kitti Hall, said recreation co-ordinator Caroline Loreen.
Two local businesses, the Tuktu B&B and J&L Transport, donated the castles, which have been operating for the past two months.
The department is also offering a variety of after-school programs, such as arts and crafts, Play-Doh activities and baking evenings for youth.
Movie nights are also being scheduled, and the next one is expected to take place on Nov. 17.
- Kassina Ryder
Got ice? Get fishing!
Aklavik
Residents have begun ice fishing on the Mackenzie River, said recreation co-ordinator Dean McLeod.
"There are quite a few nets out on the river right now," he said.
People are typically fishing for Losh and Coney at this time of year.
"They're eating the liver and eggs and meat," McLeod said.
The river ice is strong enough to hold snowmobiles, but drivers are still being cautious.
"They're crossing with snowmobiles now, they know where it's safe," McLeod said. "They stay on the trail once it's made."
- Kassina Ryder
Workshop for women in
Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson
A workshop with Sahtu elder Be'sha Blondin is scheduled to take place in Fort McPherson from Nov. 7 to 10.
Blondin is known as an indigenous healer and will be focusing on healing during the workshop. For more information, see a poster on the community's Facebook page.
- Kassina Ryder
Education authority adopts lice policy
Liidlii K'e/Fort Simpson
Fort Simpson's district education authority has passed a policy to deal with cases of head lice.
According to an Oct. 28 e-mail from Bompas Elementary School principal Kelley Andrews-Klein, the policy aims to help prevent the spread of head lice. The policy states all families will be encouraged to check the hair of members of their household regularly for live lice, and the school may ask Dehcho Health and Social Services to conduct a regular monthly head lice check.
Students found to have head lice will be sent home from school and parents must have their hair treated before returning.
- April Hudson
Flu shots available in Liard
Acho Dene Koe/Fort Liard
The health centre in Fort Liard is now giving out flu shots to community members in anticipation of the annual flu season.
Service Canada will be coming to Fort Liard on Nov. 9 for the full day.
Acho Dene Koe was scheduled to hold a land use planning workshop on Nov. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at the community hall.
There will be a flea market at the community hall on Nov. 20 from 1 to 4 p.m.
- April Hudson
Reserve awaits online results
K'atlodeeche/Hay River Reserve
Voting has now closed in an online completion that K'atlodeeche First Nation hopes may result in more money to help build an arena on the Hay River Reserve.
However, the First Nation will now have to wait until Nov. 7 to see if it has been successful in winning support from the Aviva Community Fund.
"It was over 4,000 votes we had," said Peter Groenen, the chief executive officer of the First Nation.
Groenen doesn't know if that will be enough votes.
KFN is seeking up to $50,000 from the Aviva Community Fund competition which involved hundreds of projects from across Canada.
Groenen said he sent out a mass e-mail requesting people to vote for the KFN project and received responses from all over Canada.
The Aviva Community Fund was created seven years ago by the Aviva Canada insurance company.
Online voting began Oct. 11 and ended Oct. 28. The winners will be announced Dec. 6.
- Paul Bickford
Three businesses win carving contest
Iqaluit
Annually, Frobisher Inn assistant manager Finlay Gillis hosts a pumpkin-carving contest to get Iqaluit into the Halloween mood.
"We've only missed one year," said Gillis.
"We didn't get the pumpkins shipped on time."
Frobisher Inn staff delivered pumpkins to 30 local businesses and service agencies. More than a dozen took part in the contest, including the RCMP, Arctic Ventures, Canada Post and DJ Specialties.
"The kids come down during the day to see the pumpkins," Finlay said.
Valupharm Drugs won first place with their medicine-infused pumpkin, dentist Dr. Steven Partyka with Arctic Circle Dental Services took second place with his intricately carved Dia de Muertos-inspired pumpkin, while Nunavut Film took third place with a raven cracking out of its pumpkin shell.
Prizes were gift certificates for the hotel's restaurant.
- Michele LeTourneau
Rink opening early
Taloyoak/Spence Bay
The arena in Takoyoak has a new concrete floor, which means skating season is coming sooner.
"This year we are lucky. It's the first time we are going to open our arena early," said Taloyoak recreation co-ordinator Joseph Quqqiak.
Ice would take much longer to freeze on the old rink-bed of packed down ground.
"It's a lot better than having sand in your arena because the water doesn't sink in," he said.
Last week the hamlet was putting an ice covering on the new floor and painting the blue and red lines.
They hoped to have the arena open this week, Quqqiak said Nov. 1.
The building also has new lighting, which he said will save in energy expenditures and make the lights turn on faster.
"We used to have to wait five minutes."
The arena was built around 1990. He said with the upgrades nearing completion, students will be able to hit the ice for hockey and family skating.
"It's going to benefit the youth. And it's a big improvement to our building so we are pretty happy about it."
- Beth Brown
Free hockey gear
Kugluktuk/Coppermine
Aspiring NHLers in Kugluktuk are getting a chance at some free hockey gear.
The Scotiabank Community Hockey Sponsorship Program has donated 30 sets of children's hockey equipment to the hamlet.
Prior to this, the association didn't have gear to provide to young players.
To keep things fair, the gear was distributed by lottery on Nov. 1.
"We want to try and distribute the gear to kids who are a little bit less fortunate, or that it is more challenging for their parents to buy them a full set of hockey gear because it is expensive," said Randy Hinanik, president of the CopperMinor Hockey Association.
The gear was distributed by age category and sizes.
The hockey season in Kugluktuk runs from around January to late March, he said, depending on temperatures as the rink doesn't have artificial refrigeration.
Last year there were 42 children enroled in the hockey program. This year Hinanik is hoping for at least 50 kids, especially with this new access to gear.
The lottery was a chance to suit the athletes up and see who was interested, but the players won't receive their uniforms until they are officially signed up with the association.
- Beth Brown
GN's hunter support program to be reviewed
Nunavut
The Hunter Support Program's allocation of $30,000 annually is not enough, Iqaluit-Sinaa MLA Paul Okalik told Economic Development minister Monica Ell-Kanayuk Nov. 2 in the legislative assembly.
"I would like to ask the minister if she can revisit this, as the $30,000 today isn't tied to the cost of living and it rarely gets spent due to the limitation of the fund for one community," Okalik said.
"As a hunter, even just purchasing fuel, gasoline, bullets and supplies is very expensive, especially as an unemployed hunter."
"Can the minister revisit this program funding issue and consider increasing the funds to the smaller communities by adding to the $30,000 for them?"
Ell-Kanayuk said hamlets have not been accessing the funds over the past two years, but with staff newly in place to negotiate with hamlets, she hopes hamlets will be able to access the funds.
- Michele LeTourneau
First fire awards
Kugaaruk/Pelly Bay
Kugaaruk's volunteer firefighters received long-service awards for the first time ever on Nov. 1.
Four 30-year and three 20-year medals were given out, along with engraved Smith and Wesson knives, as a gift of appreciation from the fire department.
"We want to ensure our members are acknowledged for their hard work to help out the community and to show our new guys that we do appreciate their hard work and new recruits can look forward to being given something from the community," said Kugaaruk fire chief Vincent Ningark.
The hamlet has 17 volunteer firefighters.
Ningark said these seven members have been firefighters for many years now, but the fire rescue team also includes new members in their 20s.
- Beth Brown
New skills training program
Qikiqtaaluk
The Getting Ready for Employment and Training (GREAT) program will be offered in several communities starting in January 2017.
The 14-week program will teach essential skills, computers, personal portfolio development and work readiness at Nunavut Arctic College community learning centres in Qikiqtarjuaq, Kimmirut, Kugaaruk, Arviat, Clyde River and Hall Beach.
A two-week, mentored work experience is included.
In Kimmirut, the program looks like it will be well-attended, according to adult educator Ooleetua Judea.
She says people are already inquiring.
"Income support staff is informing (its) clients about the program," Judea said.
Assessments with income support clients interested in the program in all five communities are in progress every Wednesday afternoon, the college's co-ordinator of community programs for South Baffin Dan Page said.
"We're gathering names this month and by the end of the month we'll have a long list of names, no doubt, and then we'll select the students that we can take," Page said.
The program is offered through a partnership between the GN's Department of Family Services and Arctic College.
Program participants who maintain their attendance receive a training incentive.
- Michele LeTourneau
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