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Newsbriefs: Friday, August 25, 2017
More rescue volunteers needed
Yellowknife Search and Rescue needs more volunteers for missing persons ground searches.
Training director Tom Girrior said a search can involve anywhere from five to 50 people depending on the nature of the search and the area being scoured.
Basic searcher training is held over two weekends in the fall, from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. Anyone interested can come to an information session at Arctic Response on Old Airport Road Sept. 27 at 7 p.m.
– Emelie Peacock
Shop local today
Yellowknifers are encouraged to spend their hard earned dollars locally today.
The city has proclaimed Aug. 25 'Shop Local Day' to promote spending at Yk businesses.
Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce executive director Deneen Everett said these days more people are shopping online, but they can often get the same products locally.
"Local businesses employ local people, they're the ones who sponsor our community events and they pay taxes in our community and provide economic opportunity," she said.
– Emelie Peacock
Veterans Ombudsman visits
Veterans Ombudsman Guy Parent will be in Yellowknife on Sept. 6 for a town hall meeting.
All veterans, military, RCMP and their families are invited to attend the event, which is taking place at the Explorer Hotel from 6 to 8 p.m.
Private consultations are also available on Sept. 6 and 7 via email request.
– by Robin Grant
Pedestrian hurt after being struck by vehicle
A 48-year-old man was rushed to hospital with serious injuries after he was struck be a vehicle downtown early Wednesday morning.
According to a news release from the RCMP, officers and emergency personnel responded to the scene on 51 Street near 52 Avenue at about 1:15 a.m. An RCMP collision analyst examined the scene. Police do not believe alcohol was a factor. The victim's name and condition have not been released. The incident remains under investigation.
– John McFadden
Newsbriefs: Thursday, August 24, 2017
Should sun rise on festival?
A suggestion has been made to move the date of the annual Inuvik Sunrise Festival to better capitalize on the tourism potential.
"We're just not bringing enough people up," said Kylik Kisoun Taylor of Tundra North Tours.
Taylor was speaking the first public planning meeting for the 2018 event.
Taylor said he has had customers who wanted to go to the festival but switched to the Muskrat Jamboree, which falls in April.
"It's almost like push it forward (to make it a New Year's celebration) or move it back a month," said Taylor.
In addition to the poor timing of the date, the sunrise festival occurs at a time of the year when â•„ obviously â•„ Inuvik is very dark and poor for tourism.
24 fires this summer
As of Aug. 18, there had been 24 fires in the Inuvik region this summer.
Twenty of them were out at the time of reporting, with four being monitored.
A large fire 13 kilometres north of Tsiigehtchic received substantial rain and is no longer a fire of concern. The same happened for a fire 23 km south of Fort McPherson.
In total, there had been 237 wildland fires reported in the territory as of Aug. 18.
Run seeks help
Natasha Kulikowski, who is organizing the 37th annual Terry Fox Run, is seeking volunteers for the event. The annual run will take place Sept. 17. Last year, roughly 50 people attended the run.
Volunteers are needed for the registration desk, water stations and barbecue. Anyone interested can contact Kulikowski at 867-678-5252.
Premier supports LGBTQ+
During NWT Pride weekend earlier this month, Premier Bob McLeod issued a statement voicing his support for the LGBTQ+ community.
The NWT recently became the first jurisdiction in Canada to offer a third gender identity on territorial government certificates without the need for reassignment surgery.
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