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News Briefs: Friday, March 23, 2012
Fire hall expansion
A 900-square-foot expansion to the Yellowknife Fire Hall is almost complete with indoor construction set for completion in the first week of April and external construction completed once weather improves, Mayor Gordon Van Tighem said.
"The kitchen is bigger, the dormitories are now the size that they should be," he said. "They can finally get the fitness area out of the fire hall equipment bay. They live there a lot of the time, these were improvements that needed to be done."
The city spent about $650,000 on the project last year and its final cost is pegged at $850,000.
- Lyndsay Herman
Lander memorial planned
Details are being finanized for a memorial service, to be held next week at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, in memory of Karen Lander, who met a tragic end following a standoff with police on Glick Court and Dagenais Drive March 14.
The memorial was to be held Monday but has been changed, said Rev. Ron McLean at Holy Trinity.
Organizers are finalizing arrangements with Lander's family in Kugluktuk.
- Glenn Werkman
Ruling on judges' pay increase
A decision is expected at the end of this month on whether four territorial judges will receive a pay increase.
Last month a remuneration tribunal heard arguments from lawyers representing the territorial government and the judges, who asked for a 13.6 per cent raise, which would bring their annual salary this year to $265,000. A three-person board is to render a decision within 120 days after Jan. 1.
- Simon Whitehouse
Tax levy deadline looms
The city of Yellowknife is reminding property owners that the 2012 Interim Tax Levy must be received at city hall by 5 p.m. on March 30.
- Kevin Allerston
News Briefs: Thursday, March 22, 2012
Fishing derby kicks off
Less than ideal weather conditions weren't enough to stop avid anglers in Fort Liard.
The first weekend of the annual Fort Liard Fishing Derby took place at Fisherman's Lake from March 17 to 18. The weather that had been windy with blowing snow cleared late Saturday afternoon and approximately 32 people came fishing, said Janna Deneron, the event organizer.
Despite even worse weather on Sunday even more people came to the lake. Most, however, stayed in the band's cabin where there were hot drinks and hotdogs provided.
The final weekend of the derby will be held from March 24 to 25. There is already a serious prize contender. A young girl hooked a 17.5 pound jackfish on the weekend. She may win the youths' category and outweigh the winning adult catch with a fish of that size, Deneron said.
Solar ribbon cutting
The Northwest Territories Power Corporation is holding an official ribbon cutting ceremony for the Fort Simpson solar panel installation
The ceremony will take place at the Fort Simpson Airport on March 27 at 2 p.m. An informal reception will follow in the airport terminal building.
With 258 panels, the 91-metre structure is the largest of its kind in the territory. It started producing electricity on Feb. 23.
RCMP calls for service increase in February
The demand for the services of the RCMP increased in Fort Simpson last month compared to the same time period a year ago.
The detachment responded to 104 calls, a 30 per cent increase from February 2011, according to a report from the Fort Simpson RCMP detachment. Causing a disturbance or mischief including public intoxication was one of the primary reasons for calls, accounting for 27 instances.
Offences related to the Liquor Act and assaults were also among the most common reason for calls for service.
Sports award deadline
The deadline for Sport North's awards to honour and recognize sport achievements in the territory is approaching.
People have until April 15 to submit nominations for the categories of team, coach, official, athlete, contributor to sport, corporate contributor to sport and community volunteer. In the athlete category, awards are presented to a male and a female in three age categories including senior - over 21 years of age - junior - 16 to 21 years - and youth - under 16 years of age.
The awards will be given out at Sport North's awards banquet.
Muskrat Cup hockey tournament postponed
The 2012 Muskrat Cup Pond Hockey Tournament, originally scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Book Lake, has been postponed to the April 21 weekend and the location has been changed to the East Arm on the Mackenzie River. The three-on-three tournament is in its fifth year.
Figure skaters last on the ice
The Inuvik Figure Skating Club is hosting the annual Skate Carnival starting at 7 p.m. on Saturday and continuing at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Roy "Sugloo" Ipana Memorial Arena. The theme for this year's carnival is Cruise Around the World. The ice in the arena will be coming out on Monday.
Gzowski golf tourney next week
This year, the Peter Gzowski Invitational Golf Tournament for Literacy is a four-day event including school visits, celebrity guests, a feast, a concert and snow golf.
The festivities begin on Monday at 5 p.m. at the Midnight Sun Complex Community Hall for a community feast.
On Wednesday at 7 p.m. is a concert at the hall with musicians and speakers such as Connie Kaldor, Mike Stevens, Shelagh Rodgers, Jonathan Torrens and Russell deCarle taking the stage. Concert tickets can be purchased at the Midnight Sun Complex.
The guests to town will be visiting the schools as well.
The tournament takes place on snow, ice or slush - whatever Mother Nature dishes out next week. The school students will also have a chance to try their hand at a hole-in-one golf shot.
Man sentenced for drug trafficking
A man charged with having more than seven kilograms of marijuana last August has been sentenced in NWT Supreme Court.
Inuvik resident Matthew Hicks, who is in his mid-30s, was handed a 26-month jail term by Justice Karan Shaner in Yellowknife on Monday.
He was convicted of possession for the purpose of trafficking, stemming from a police raid on Aug. 24 when in excess of seven kilograms of marijuana was seized, along with $20,000 in cash and various other drug paraphernalia.
The Crown and defence lawyers entered a joint submission for 24 to 26 months, acknowledging both the large quantity of drugs as well as Hicks' early guilty plea and good conduct since being jailed at the North Slave Correctional Facility in Yellowknife.
- Laura Busch
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News desk 
