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Newsbriefs: Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Mellow fireseason continues
Twenty-seven new fires have been reported in the North Slave since last week, according to staff from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. on Monday. Of those 27, 11 have been declared out and 16 are being monitored. In the North Slave region, fires are affecting 140 square kilometres of land.
Since last week, 39 new fires have been reported across the NWT as a whole, bringing the total to 106 fires affecting 1,148 square kilometres. Of those 106, 50 have been declared out, 49 are being monitored, one is under control and six are being fought.
- Emelie Peacock
Phone lines down at Yk primary care
Some residents trying to reach the Yellowknife Primary Care Centre by phone this week got a busy signal. The centre's phone lines were down from 8:05 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Monday and from 8:05 to 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday.
Georgina Veldhorst, regional COO of the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority, said she has no information yet about the cause of the outage and could not say how many clients were affected, adding most calls during those times would have been for same-day appointments or follow-ups. Veldhorst said clients can call the Frame Lake Community Health Centre to book an appointment if the outage happens again.
- Emelie Peacock
TerraX reports more good drilling results
TerraX Minerals Inc. announced positive initial results from the company's exploration program yesterday.
The Yellowknife City Gold Project had significant finds at Angel and Duck Lake. According to TerraX, Angel topped out with a sample of 65.7 grams of gold per tonne, while Duck Lake had veins of up to one-metre thick and samples topping 20.30 grams per tonne.
- Jessica Davey-Quantick
Snap Lake goodies up for grabs
Around $30 million worth of equipment from Snap Lake Mine will go up for auction, De Beers announced on Monday. The live auction will take place in Yellowknife on August 1 and 2. De Beers ceased production at the diamond mine, about 220 kilometres outside of Yellowknife, in 2015. The auction will include surplus equipment and other items from the mine.
- Jessica Davey-Quantick
Boy's death ruled a homicide
Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet
The death of a youth in Rankin Inlet, initially described by RCMP as suspicious, is now being investigated as a homicide.
The youth was originally reported to be 12 years old, but in a July 12 news release RCMP confirmed he was 11.
The victim's name has not yet been released by RCMP, who are waiting for the body to be identified.
QEC eyes renewable energy
Nunavut
Qulliq Energy Corporation (QEC) is seeking to harness local energy sources, pending approval of a net metering program by Minister Johnny Mike.
The program would let residential customers produce their own electricity through a renewable generation system, according to a July 13 news release from the corporation. The program would also apply to one municipal corporation per community.
People who take part in the program would be able to send extra energy they create to QEC's grid and receive credits for future electricity use.
The program must first be cleared by the Utility Rates Review Council before being given the green light by Mike.
National inquiry comes North
Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet
The national inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women and girls will stop in Rankin Inlet for a community visit the week of Aug. 14.
The announcement came earlier this month as the inquiry released its summer and fall schedule. The visit will be followed up in December with a community hearing.
Rankin Inlet is the only Nunavut community on the summer and fall schedule.
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