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News Briefs: Friday, August 5, 2011
Man mugged downtown
A 27-year-old man reported being assaulted and robbed just after midnight Wednesday morning by three young men at the corner of 50 Street and 52 Avenue between 12:30 and 12:55 a.m., according to Const. Kathy Law.
The victim was allegedly first assaulted and knocked unconscious by one of his attackers. All three suspects are described as aboriginal men in their 20s one six-feet tall, thin, clean-shaven, having bigger ears and wearing a baseball cap; another under six feet and thin; and the third over six feet and heavy-set.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Yellowknife RCMP or Crime Stoppers.
- Daniel MacIsaac
Hiring policy
in court
William Turner is challenging the GNWT's affirmative action hiring policy, which he wants struck down as unconstitutional, and the case will be heard in Supreme Court for the first time today.
The part of the policy he objects to grants priority status to indigenous, or resident, non-aboriginal job applicants over non-resident, including non-aboriginal, residents. Turner is a member of an Ontario First Nation who moved to Yellowknife in 2010.
- Daniel MacIsaac
Data slowdown blamed on lightning
NorthwesTel said a lightning strike is responsible for the slowdown in data services, including Internet and some Bell mobile services, people in Yellowknife and the surrounding area may have experienced Wednesday.
Spokesperson Emily Younker said the lightning damaged a fibre optic cable between Behchoko and Yellowknife. She said fibre optic cables are made of glass and are fragile.
- Daniel MacIsaac
Ice Pilots targets
Geminis
Ice Pilots NWT, the History Television reality series based on Yellowknife's Buffalo Airways, has been nominated for five Gemini Awards.
The awards are for best documentary series, for best direction, best original music for the episode "Arnie Calls It" and for best photography and best sound for the episode "Under Pressure." The 26th Annual Gemini Awards will take place Sept. 7.
- Daniel MacIsaac
News Briefs: Thursday, August 4, 2011
Golf course damaged
The Seven Spruce Golf Course is facing a large repair bill after one of its artificial greens was damaged.
At some point between the night of July 29 and the morning of July 30, a vehicle drove across a portion of the golf course including the green at hole 8. The vehicle bottomed out on the green, tearing a hole and ripping the artificial grass.
Because the damage is located on a seam, two 3.6-metre-wide sections of the green will need to be replaced. The repair will cost approximately $60,000, said Pat Rowe, the vice-president of the golf club.
The Fort Simpson RCMP is investigating the incident and following up on some information, said Const. Trish Clough.
Anyone with additional information is asked to contact the detachment or Crime Stoppers.
Deh Cho representation on new council
A Fort Simpson resident is one of seven people who has been named to the new Aboriginal Tourism Champions Advisory Council.
Ria Letcher, along with her husband Loyal Letcher, are the primary stakeholders in the North Nahanni Naturalist Lodge. As a council member, Ria will be providing leadership and direction to the tourism industry, helping to identify development opportunities for aboriginal tourism and to promote aboriginal tourism in communities across the NWT.
Each council member will serve for a maximum of two years with an option for renewal by the minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. There are a total of nine seats on the council.
Two-day golf tourney in Fort Simpson
The Seven Spruce Golf Course is set to hold its second two-day tournament of the season.
The Canadian Zinc Open will take place from Aug. 6 to 7. The tournament will follow a four-person best-ball format.
Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. Tee-off times will be at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. A steak dinner will follow the 18 holes on Saturday.
Elective surgeries to resume at Stanton
Stanton Territorial Hospital is planning to resume elective surgeries on Aug. 12.
Although some surgeries have been performed, there have been limits on elective surgeries in place at Stanton since late January. The limits were put in place because of intermittent operational problems with the sterilization machines at the hospital.
Goose vies for award
Inuvik songstress Leanne Goose is campaigning for three nominations for the Aboriginal Peoples Choice Awards.
Goose is running for Best Country CD, Best Producer/Engineer and Best Album Cover Design. The first round of voting, which runs until Aug. 18, is to select the nominees. A second round of voting selects winners of the awards.
To vote, visit the Aboriginal Peoples Choice website to get a password. Round two of voting ends on Oct. 6 with the award show on Nov. 4.
Sale at greenhouse
On Aug. 13, the Inuvik Community Greenhouse will host a bake, salad, lavender and tag sale.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., members will sell extra household items, baked goods and salad mix from the garden such as edible flowers, herbs, beet tops, mixed greens and arugula.
Salad greens and baked goods will be collected on Friday, Aug. 12 and Saturday before 9:30 a.m. Any other produce is also welcome.
Household items can be dropped off anytime and any unsold items will be donated to Next to New.
Dried French lavender, brought up from Vancouver Island will also be sold.
Inuvik-Tuk highway review
Two Inuvik groups have received funding from the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency to support the federal environmental assessment of the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway.
The Joint Secretariat – Inuvialuit Settlement Region and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation will receive $54,420 to assist with the assessment process.
The Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk, the Town of Inuvik and the GNWT are proposing to construct, operate and maintain the 140-km, all-weather highway.
Energy efficiency program
Changes to Arctic Energy Alliance's Energy Efficiency Incentive Program came into effect on Aug. 1.
Residents can apply to receive financial assistance in making their home more energy efficient, with applications being available on the organization's website.
Changes include wood stoves and pellet stoves receiving 25 per cent rebate of the cost of the stove; wood pellet boilers and furnaces now eligible for rebates up to one-third of the cost; and condensing fuel-fired hot water heaters are now eligible for a rebate as well.
For more information visit the Arctic Energy Alliance website.
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News desk 
