Trust account for fire victims

A trust account has been set up for Pam MacQuarrie-Higden and Bill Higden, who lost their home at 22 Rycon Con Camp Road to fire on April 17, their friend Maxine Morin.

"They lost everything and nothing was insured," said Morin.

To donate, just ask for the Bill and Pam Higden trust account at the Scotiabank.

--Heather Lange

Garbage amnesty

Between May 9 and 12, residents can have large landfill items collected by the city free of charge.

For the service, fill out a form at city hall, the gatehouse at the landfill or on the city's website before May 6.

From May 15 to 23, the $7 fee at the Solid Waste Facility will be lifted for amnesty week. Other tipping fees and the three-bag limit for curbside collection will still apply.

Hazardous household waste will be collected May 14 from noon to 4 p.m. The event will be held at the Yellowknife Community Arena parking lot.

--Nicole Veerman

Casting votes for fishing town

Yellowknife was in the top three Northern towns in the Ultimate Fishing Town contest as the first round of voting came to an end Tuesday.

In first place for the region was Lutsel K'e with more than 850 votes. Deline was in second with about 230 votes and Yellowknife was in third with just over 150 votes.

The three locations will now move on to the final round of voting with 17 other towns from across Canada. Voting for that round begins again May 10 and continues to May 31.

The town to receive the most votes will be named Canada's Ultimate Fishing Town on June 6. It will also receive $25,000 to put toward a fishing-related cause.

--Nicole Veerman

US military flies through Yellowknife

On Sunday morning just before 11 a.m., onlookers may have been surprised to see a fleet of US Armed Forces planes flying east through Yellowknife.

Department of Transportation spokesperson Earl Blacklock said the six planes – one large jet and five smaller fighter jets – were on an overflight through Canadian airspace to Maine, in the northeastern United States.

Yellowknife Airport manager Steve Loutitt said the region has seen an increase in US Armed Forces planes flying through the region in the past couple years.

"It seems to be happening more and more as they do a lot of exercises up in Canada's North," he added.

According to Blacklock, the larger jet was a fuel tanker, which supplied the fighter jets with in-flight refueling during their voyage.

-- Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison

Off to the Islands

Ottawa/Nunavut

A group of students from the Nunavut Sivuniksavut (NS) program will be returning to Ottawa, Ont., this week after spending 10 days in Hawaii.

The students spent their time in the Islands exchanging history, culture and political lessons with indigenous Hawaiians.

Program co-ordinator Morley Hanson said Hawaiians have a history that has many parallels with that of Inuit.

"There is a strong cultural and political movement there, and the NS students met with a variety of Hawaiian groups to share the Nunavut story and, hopefully, pick up some inspirational lessons at the same time," said Hanson.

Access program

Rankin Inlet

The director of the University of Manitoba's Engineering Access program (ENGAP), Randy Hermann, will hold an information session at Maani Ulujuk Ilinniarvik in Rankin Inlet on Tuesday, May 17.

ENGAP is designed to provide aboriginal students with access to university studies, and delivers academic, social and personal support based on the individual needs of the student.

It is the most successful program of its type in North America.

ENGAP offers a chance for aboriginal students who may not meet normal entrance requirements for engineering by providing academic upgrading and support.

Hermann is inviting students, graduates and parents to attend the session, where he will explain the program and answer any questions.

Drag racing

Arviat

The second annual Noah Muckpah Memorial Bravo drag race was held in Arviat this past weekend.

The event is open to racers 50 years of age and older, and offers cash prizes to the top finishers.

Final results from the drag races and the Sam Napayok Memorial racing event were not known as of press time.

Draw date changed

Rankin Inlet

The Rankin Inlet Fire Department has changed the draw for its giant raffle to July 1 at the community hall. The draw had originally been scheduled for Nunavut Day.

The department also announced the prize of a pair of Canadian North round-trip tickets to either Edmonton or Ottawa will no longer include tickets to an NHL game.

Rankin Fire Chief Ambrose Karlik said he was notified there was too much time between the draw date and the start of the NHL season to offer the tickets.

The raffle is the only fundraiser of its kind in the Kivalliq and allows the department to upgrade equipment for its firefighting and ambulance services.

Baker B-ball

Baker Lake

The annual Kemp Angoyuaq Memorial basketball tournament is set to be held in Baker Lake on May 14 and 15.

Action will be featured in both a men's and women's division, with a maximum of 10 players per team. The age limit for the event is 18 and older for males and 16 and older for females, with team shirts with numbers being required.

Time is growing short for those interested in competing at the event. Any last minute participants are asked to please contact Steve Paterson on the Kemp Angoyuaq Memorial tournament page of Facebook.

No medal this year

Rankin Inlet/Yellowknife

The Rankin Inlet senior men's hockey team failed to advance to the medal round of the annual senior men's hockey tournament in Yellowknife this past month.

The Rankin squad was eliminated after suffering a pair of heart-breaking one-goal defeats during the round robin.