Town of Hay River meets for flood plan

On April 20, the town of Hay River met with residents of Old Town to discuss flood plans and safety preparations as the spring break-up approaches.

Councillor Kevin Wallington said the meeting is held annually to ensure residents move their vehicles and equipment either to higher ground or off Vale Island and to reinstate where residents register if they have to evacuate the island.

Wallington said the town will be putting forward emergency call-in numbers and websites in the near future.

- Katherine Hudson

Water levels rebounding

Water levels in the Mackenzie River are rising, but there's no way to know if that will continue, said the Department of Transportation.

The department is expecting a delay in the operation date for the Merv Hardie ferry, which usually opens around May 13, because of low and fluctuating water levels.

The ferry requires consistent water levels of at least 150 metres above sea level before it can operate.

On Thursday, the water level was around 150.80 metres, up from about 150.58 on Saturday.

Earl Blacklock, manager of public affairs and communications for the department, said in about a week the department will be able to give an estimated operation date.

- Nicole Veerman

HIV and Hep C scare

No one from the NWT has been affected by a recent HIV and hepatitis C scare in the Edmonton area, according to the NWT Department of Health and Social Services, as of Friday afternoon.

More than 200 people who were surgical patients in Edmonton are being tested for HIV and hep C after a former health worker had tested positive for both infections.

Damien Healy, spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Services in the NWT, said it's the responsibility of Alberta's health and wellness department to contact the territory if there was any concern for NWT patients.

- Katherine Hudson

Funding available for sex education projects

Resource kits for the prevention and awareness of HIV and promotion of sexual health are now available through the Status of Women Council of the NWT funding and support team. The kits can be used to host workshops in communities throughout the NWT and include information booklets, activity books, pamphlets and brochures, posters and facilitator workshop packages.

- Katherine Hudson

Preparing for floods

Beaufort Delta

With spring upon us and the weather warming, the territorial government is asking residents in Fort McPherson, Aklavik and Tuktoyaktuk to be prepared for possible flooding with the spring melt.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA) is reminding residents to be ready in case of flooding in their communities.

Listening to the news for information on current flood conditions, preparing an emergency survival kit and having constant communication with the local government during an emergency, and being ready to evacuate, are just some of the tips the department has posted on its website. They also recommend moving electrical appliances and furniture away from potential flood areas, along with toxic substances like pesticides or chemicals.

"We're doing a lot more preparation this year, we've got a good campaign out this year," said Alan McIntosh, public safety director with MACA. "We've done some work with the communities to make sure they are ready."

For more information on how to be prepared during flood season, please visit the Municipal and Community Affairs website.

- Andrew Livingstone

Exhibition of fibres

Thebacha/Fort Smith

Northern Life Museum and Cultural Centre in Fort Smith is looking for people interested in exhibiting their fibre art.

The exhibit - 'The Fibres of Our Lives' - will be at the museum throughout May.

Fibre art includes weaving, knitting, quilting, crocheting, rug hooking, embroidery, quillwork, tapestry and much more.

If there is enough interest, the museum will host an open house for participants to demonstrate their crafts to the public.

- Paul Bickford

Hay Days dates set

Hay River

The second-annual edition of Hay Days - a celebration of music, arts and culture - will be held in Hay River from July 8 to 10.

The festival is presented by the Hay River Music, Arts and Culture Society.

In early March, the society elected a new board, except for a president.

The position remains vacant, and the society would welcome interest from people willing to serve as president.

- Paul Bickford

Talent abounds

Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson

It was a night of talent at the Fort McPherson recreation hall when residents took to the stage to show off their skills in the annual community talent show.

Norma Snowshoe said about 10 people competed in the 14 and up category, performing songs for a packed house of about 150 people. She said the event is usually held on the Easter long weekend, but due to warming temperatures and the possibility of the ice crossing going out, they held the event a week early.

The winners were Tommy Gordon (1st place), Maria Snowshow (2nd), Ally Gordon (3rd) and Richard Gordon (4th) - with the top four taking home $500, $400, $300 and $200, respectively.

"It was a really good turnout," said Snowshoe, adding they had a new category this year for up and coming talent. "Someone was impersonating Elvis Presley."

The top three finishers for the up and coming category were Lorraine Francis, Melba Mitchell and Effie Jane Snowshoe. They each took home a bounty of $150 for their efforts.

- Andrew Livingstone

Providing input

Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson

Residents had the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas on how to reduce greenhouse gases in the territory at a public meeting held Tuesday in Fort McPherson.

Community members were given the chance to provide feedback on the government's plan to renew the territorial strategy on greenhouse gas reduction, during a meeting at the hamlet council chambers.

- Andrew Livingstone

Annual cleanup in Hay River

Hay River

The Town of Hay River will hold its annual community cleanup from May 24-27.

The town will be picking up for free only yard waste, which it defines as organic matter from gardening or horticultural pursuits, including grass, trees, and hedge cuttings and clippings.

Items such as cars, refrigerators and freezers, appliances and furniture, fuel tanks and tires will require a tag to be picked up.

The tags range in price from $10 for a tire to $100 for a car or fuel tank.

The items must be placed at the curbside by May 23 to ensure pickup.

- Paul Bickford

Extraordinary hip-hop

Mittimatalik/Paulatuk

Students at Angik School in Paulatuk spent last week learning the ins and outs of being a hip hopper from a Toronto-based hip hop group.

Principal Jessica Schmidt said the Toronto-based group came to the school last year and because of the success it had increasing school attendance and participation they brought the group back.

National break dance champion Mike Smith, co-owner of Ill Skillz, and Sheena Vera Cruz, founding member of the world champion Philippine All Stars, a hip hop dance crew, were in the community offering word shops on poetry, breakdancing and hip-hop dance moves.

Schmidt said students performed their works in front of about 50 community members last April 15.

"These students spent up to four hours each day working hard learning the routine and perfecting their moves," Schmidt wrote in an e-mail. "The community performance was wonderful."

- Andrew Livingstone

Noise dispute ends with firearms charges

A dispute between neighbours over loud music in Pond Inlet on April 17 has resulted in a man being charged with firearms offences.

RCMP Sgt. Stephen Thorne said the detachment received a call at 10:45 p.m. from a group of people saying a man was pointing a firearm at them.

The man had gone to his neighbours' to ask them to turn down their music. He ended up breaking their stereo and went back to his house.

The neighbours then stormed his house and the man pulled out a old .303 Enfield rifle, Thorne said.

James Inootik, 44, has been charged with breaking and entering, pointing a firearm and possession of a firearm contrary to a court order. He was released from police custody with conditions and will appear before the

Nunavut Court of Justice in Iqaluit on Aug. 9.

- Emily Ridlington

Prisoner ran free in Iqaluit for 24 hours

An inmate at Iqaluit's Youth Correctional Centre is back in police custody after he ran free in the city for 24 hours during Toonik Tyme festivities.

He walked away from an authorized outing to a hockey game at the Arctic Winter Games complex on April 16, stated an RCMP press release.

He was arrested at 9:15 p.m. on April 17. The police thanked the public for their tips as they helped to contribute to his arrest.

Samolie Lucassie, 18, is charged with unlawfully being at large and is in custody on other matters.

- Emily Ridlington

Mullin elected Resolute mayor

Former councillor and deputy mayor Tabitha Mullin was elected mayor of Resolute in a byelection on April 18.

Residents also elected three councillors - Sheeba Nangmalik, Tagga Manik and Murray Balsom.

"I wasn't sure if I was going to get in. It surprised me that I did," said Mullin, who has been elected to a one-year term. "Our hamlet is in deficit right now. That's going to be my first goal is to get it out of that deficit. From there, we'll see how things are going to go."

Nangmalik has been elected to a two-year term while Manik and Balsom were elected to one-year terms.

Mullin resigned as a councillor to run for mayor.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Drugs and alcohol seized in mail

RCMP and Canada Post officials cashed in big after four days of postal inspections in Montreal and Winnipeg yielded large amounts of marijuana, cocaine and alcohol destined for Nunavut communities.

"It is believed that the majority of the drugs and liquor seized were destined for resale within each of the respective communities of Nunavut," said Cpl. Yvonne Niego, at a press conference in Iqaluit on April 18.

She said RCMP officers from Iqaluit, Winnipeg, Quebec, Ottawa, members from the Surete du Quebec, the Kativik Regional Police Force and postal inspectors at Canada Post sorting facilities seized the illegal drugs and alcohol between April 11 and 15.

She said RCMP estimate the potential street value of goods seized was approximately $300,000.

- Emily Ridlington

Uranium forum draws a crowd of 20

Ikaluktutiak/Cambridge Bay

The territory's uranium forum in Cambridge Bay drew a crowd of 20 people April 13, a far cry from similar forums in Iqaluit and Baker Lake where more than 100 people attended each.

But the meeting was competing against Susan Aglukark's presentation on the Kamajiit Safe Communities program, a project of the Arctic Children and Youth Foundation.

Pauloosie Suvega, assistant deputy minister with the Department of Sustainable Development, said during the three-hour meeting some people spoke for or against uranium mining and others did not provide an opinion.

"Those that were for (the mine) mentioned economic benefits that could potentially flow from that kind of resource development, jobs, infrastructure, etc.," he said. "Those that were against, just as they said in Iqaluit and Baker Lake as well, were concerned about the environmental impacts to the people, as well as the animals and the land."

The territory is holding the public forums as it is developing its uranium policy.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Monthly school celebration

Ausuittuq/Grise Fiord

Each month students at Umimmak School get pretty excited for the awards assembly such as the one held on March 30.

"The kindergarten to Grade 6 group love it," said principal Leslie Turpin.

Awards are given out for good attendance and special recognition. She said it serves as serves as a huge motivator for the students and helps to boost attendance and success rates.

Parents were invited to attend the presentation.

- Emily Ridlington

Students go fishing

Kinngait/Cape Dorset

Peter Pitseolak School's Grade 10 to 12 students took a trip on the land on April 13, said the principal.

Cecil Meade said the students were to head to Fish Lake, some 15 kilometres outside the community, to fish and eat a meal.

"It's very important to the students because fishing is a traditional activity and part of the Inuit culture," he said. "They love it. They are very excited about going out and fishing."

He added Grades 7 to 9 students took a similar trip on April 5.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Halifax cadets visit

Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet

The first phase in a cadet exchange program was a huge success in Rankin Inlet this past month.

A total of 20 cadets and two officers from the Bluenose 615 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron in Halifax spent five days in Rankin enjoying Northern hospitality and learning about Inuit culture and tradition.

Members of Rankin Inlet's 3019 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps will travel to a southern destination in 2012.

Cadet 2nd Lieut. Dorothy Tootoo said a couple of the Halifax cadets talked about returning to Rankin Inlet in the future, as a challenging and exciting place to start nursing or flying careers.

"Our kids got to ask questions about what they do in air cadets down south, and they enjoyed telling them what we do in Rankin as army cadets. Some of our cadets taught them a few words in Inuktitut and they got to try all sorts of country foods.

"There was hugging and crying at the airport when they were leaving, so there were some great friendships started while they were here."

- Darrell Greer

Youth share ideas

Arviat

There were numerous ideas and concerns expressed during a four-day Arviat youth forum earlier this month.

Makigiarniq 2011 was co-ordinated by Kukik Baker, who said the primary focus of the event was to hear what youths like, and don't like, about Arviat.

"A lot of what they talked about was the need for such facilities as a bigger complex that could hold more sports, such as a skateboard arena and a swimming pool," said Baker.

She said the youths were also unified in what they don't like seeing in Arviat.

"They don't like the fact there's a lot of drugs and alcohol in Arviat. They're also concerned about the high unemployment and the fact people don't care anymore. It used to be, when kids were misbehaving, the whole community would pitch in and correct the situation. But now it's like people take the attitude it's not my problem because they're not my kids."

- Darrell Greer

Pangnirtung council passes budget

Panniqtuuq/Pangnirtung

The hamlet council in Pangnirtung recently approved the community's budget for the 2011-2012 fiscal year, which took effect on April 1.

The community is expected to have a surplus of $329,718, stated the hamlet website.

Anticipated revenues are calculated at $6,366,177 while anticipated expenses are to be $6,036,459.

Payroll total is estimated at $3,697,037.

- Emily Ridlington

Fire hall to open next month

Kugaaruk/Pelly Bay

The community's new stand-alone fire hall is set to open next month, said the hamlet's senior administrative officer.

Andre Larabie said finishing touches still need to be done but it is scheduled to open May 15.

The metal-structured hall in the shape of a half moon has a one-bay garage with room for the fire engine truck, equipment as well as an office, meeting and exercise rooms.

"We went from having just a little garage inside the normal garage of the hamlet into having their own stand-alone building," he said.

Kugaaruk's 17 volunteer firefighters will work out of the hall once it opens.

"This project got done 100 per cent by the community of Kugaaruk," said Larabie. "We did our own project to get it done so they have a place to finally put their engine in there. It's a fire hall, not just a little garage where you back up the truck."

- Jeanne Gagnon

Easter games for all

Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay

Easter time in Arctic Bay means a visit from the Easter bunny, a day off and games.

"We've got all sorts of games down at the sea ice for the whole community," said Thomas Levi, recreation co-ordinator.

The games were scheduled to take place this afternoon. This year the hamlet combined its events with those of

the vestry at the Anglican church.

Levi said people of all ages could participate in the games.

- Emily Ridlington