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Peter Krizan appeared in territorial court in Yellowknife on Oct. 15. He was released, but only after paying a $1,000 cash deposit.

The judge placed a number of conditions on Krizan's release, including the requirement that he live in Whitehorse until he appears in court in Inuvik on Nov. 14 at 9:30 a.m.

Krizan, a veterinarian who has practised in Inuvik, was arrested and charged following a five-and-a-half hour standoff with police October 2010.

- Lyndsay Herman

Shooting leads to arrest

A 24-year-old Fort Good Hope man was arrested after a man was shot on Oct. 13. Cpl. Barry Ledoux said the community's RCMP detachment was notified at approximately 11:49 p.m. that shots had been fired outside a local residence.

Ledoux said the alleged shooter and victim knew each other and that the shooting was the result of an altercation between the two.

"It was a direct result of a dispute between two known individuals," he said.

The victim received non-life threatening injuries and was treated at the local health centre.

The 24-year-old male was arrested on Oct. 16. As of press time, his court date was not yet known.

Ledoux said Fort Good Hope residents were instrumental in helping the RCMP make the arrest.

"The RCMP would like to thank the community for their assistance in this investigation," he said.

- Kassina Ryder

Near-drowning in Tuk

A Tuktoyaktuk man nearly drowned Oct. 12 after he tried to skip his snowmobile near Mangilaluk loop. Nearby residents were able to rescue the man, who was suffering from hypothermia. He was quickly transported to the Tuktoyaktuk nursing station and recovered fully.

RCMP issued a reminder with a press release on the incident to avoid the dangerous practice of snowmobile skipping across water, and to be aware of ice thickness in the early winter months.

- Lyndsay Herman

Call for candidates

Dec. 10 is the election date for hamlet councils in Aklavik, Enterprise, Fort McPherson, Fort Providence, Fort Resolution, Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk and Ulukhaktok.

Those interested in running can find more information and required forms at their hamlet office or by contacting the NWT Association of Communities.

Candidacy can be declared between Oct. 29 and Nov. 13.

- Lyndsay Herman

School feast and forum

Paulatuk

The first two months of the school year have been busy for Angik School, says principal Russ Hancock.

In addition to bringing new staff on board, the school had a special community feast and forum on education and started this year's round of House Team Assemblies, where school-wide teams participate in various games and competitions.

The feast and forum had been in development for a while and resulted in some important communication about education in the community, said Hancock. It was attended by school staff, community residents and the superintendent of the Beaufort-Delta Education Authority.

The most recent house team assembly took place last Friday and, while the assemblies usually involve games with physical activity, this game was focused on building words. Hancock said the students had a great time and the game had a great focus on literacy.

- Lyndsay Herman

NWT projects need support in funding contest

NWT

The second round of voting for semi-finalists of the Aviva Community Fund opens today until Nov. 5. Six NWT projects are entered into the competition. Entrants are judged on a number of topics, one includes votes received for the project on the Aviva Community Fund website.

The NWT projects are a mobile veterinarian clinic by Arctic Paws from Inuvik, a Fort McPherson Community Complex, Cancer Survivorship Care in Fort Good Hope, the YouthEARN program through the SideDoor Centre in Yellowknife, a soup kitchen in Hay River and the purchase of a vacuum food sealer for Fort Smith.

The first round of 30 semi-finalists were announced Friday with no NWT winners yet. Find more information or cast a vote at the Aviva Community Fund website. Aviva is an Ontario-based insurance company.

- Lyndsay Herman

Parents' report cards

Tsiigehtchic

Last night, parents of Chief Paul Niditchie School students were scheduled to get their own report cards, created by their kids. For parent appreciation night, it was planned for parents to be put through an obstacle course while their children kept close watch and tried their hand at grading.

"We try to keep things fun," said Darcy Douglas, the school's principal.

Other events this month include a Backwards Day, where everyone in school wore their clothing backwards and a two day visit from NWT Parks. The parks staff visit included presentations for grades 4 to 6 on the science of environmental awareness and insight into how the NWT parks system works.

Douglas said anti-bullying has been a major focus for October, and a presentation put on by the RCMP in early October at a Good News Assembly set the stage for conversation throughout the month. Students were also awarded for outstanding attendance at the assembly.

"Attendance has been excellent this year," said Douglas. "Now we're going to be working on the lates."

- Lyndsay Herman

On thin ice

Tuktoyaktuk/Paulatuk

Ice is starting to freeze in Paulatuk and Tuktoyaktuk but is not yet thick enough to use for transportation, residents say.

"It's starting to freeze up slowly, said Lawrence Ruben, a Paulatuk resident and director for the Paulatuk Hunters and Trappers Committee. "We can't really get travelling until the ice totally freezes up. Then we'll start under-ice fishing and travelling east and west for caribou, probably around the end of the month."

Reports from the Tuktoyaktuk Community Aerodrome Radio Station indicate that ice is a few inches thick on fresh water and in Kugmallit Bay, but has not yet begun to form on the ocean.

- Lyndsay Herman

Waiting for wolverines

Paulatuk

The harvest season for wolves and wolverines is just around the corner and the Paulatuk Hunters and Trappers Committee members will be helping the Department of Environment and Natural Resources update their information on the animals' population, location and numbers.

"What I can tell you about the wolves is they are in the area, which they haven't been for a couple decades," said Lawrence Ruben, a director at the Paulatuk Hunters and Trappers Committee and director of the Inuvialuit Game Council. "They are in the Perry Peninsula and also on Pearce Point."

He said the wolves are not necessarily in great numbers but they are encroaching on country foods more now than in the past.

- Lyndsay Herman

Bridge update

NWT

The Deh Cho Bridge is still expected to open before the winter hits, according to the Department of Transportation.

Earl Blacklock, manager of communications for the department, said the bridge is expected to open near the end of November, though an exact date has not yet been set.

- Lyndsay Herman

New hamlet office

Kugluktuk/Coppermine

Kugluktuk residents celebrate the opening of the community's new hamlet office on Oct. 11.

The two-storey, 748-square-metre structure allows all hamlet staff to work under one roof.

Community and Government Services Minister Lorne Kusugak travelled to the Kitikmeot community for the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 11.

"This new hamlet office assists the community of Kugluktuk in providing services to the public more efficiently," he stated.

The federal government invested $5.7 million into the $7-million project through the Provincial-Territorial Base Fund Agreement between the federal and territorial governments. The GN covered the remaining costs. Kugluktuk Mayor Ernie Bernhardt said the building is very modern, environmentally-friendly facility with south-facing windows.

"It was greatly needed," he said. "Finally, we're able to get this building."

He said he was unsure what will happen to the old hamlet office.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Canadian Ranger a role model for youth

Arviat

Curtis Konek of Arviat was in the planning to be among thousands of role models from across the country joining thousands more volunteers to celebrate Global Dignity Day on Oct. 17.

Canadian role models were to speak with youth across the country from Nunavut to British Columbia to instil a new, positive, inclusive and interconnected sense of value in young people to help guide them as they grow.

Konek, a Grade 12 student at John Arnalukjuak High School, is a member of the Nanisiniq Arviat History Project with the University of British Columbia's School of Social Work.

He is also a master corporal with the Canadian Rangers and has been a dedicated mentor and role model to more than 200 Junior Canadian Rangers.

Konek has also presented traditional knowledge and Inuit perspectives on climate change at international conferences such as International Polar Year in Montreal and COP17 in Durban, South Africa.

- Darrell Greer Arena gets new name

Ikaluktutiak/Cambridge Bay

The Cambridge Bay arena got a new name on Oct. 10.

Hamlet council passed a resolution to name the facility the Cambridge Bay Youth Recreation Complex. A number of residents supported the suggestion of naming the arena in memory of Nathan Ookpik Taylor, who died on Sept. 13, 2011. During the Feb. 27 council meeting when the suggestion was presented to council, it was decided to revisit naming the arena when all councillors would be present.

"The issue had been debated thoroughly throughout the year and council believes they have come to a satisfactory decision to celebrate and recognize youth in the community," stated a hamlet council news release.

- Jeanne Gagnon Another polar bear shot

Iglulik

Another polar bear was spotted in Iglulik on Oct. 13

Assistant senior administrative officer Celestino Uyarak said the community expects polar bears to be around until the ice freezes.

"A polar bear (was) seen just a few metres away from the convenience store, which is on the right side of the town, between the gas station and convenience store," he said of a sighting on the weekend of Oct. 13. "There are polar bears still around but that was the closest one we had over the weekend."

The Department of Environment is investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting of three polar bears during the Thanksgiving weekend, he added. Uyarak said he believes the government is investigating because one of the polar bears shot had cubs.

"We told the department we will co-operate with this investigation," he said. "They were not small small cubs. They were well over-sized."

Uyarak said the polar bear monitor the hamlet hired is no longer in service, at the request of the territorial government.

Six polar bears have been shot in Iglulik in recent weeks but Jimmy Kennedy, co-ordinator of operations and regulations with the Department of Environment in Iglulik, said he could not say much as the kills are under investigation.

"Every single kill that's happened outside of open (hunting) season, where the HTO (hunters and trappers organization) hasn't allocated a tag to that person, will be investigated by a conservation officer," said Kennedy. "We have six bears that have been shot. We're trying to figure out what happened - will they fall under the defence of life and property or if there is anything else that was going on."

He could not provide a specific timeline as to the completion of the investigation.

- Jeanne Gagnon

Qikiqtarjuaq narwhalseason ends

Qikiqtarjuaq/Broughton Island

Hunters in Qikiqtarjuaq finished their narwhal harvest Oct. 5 after killing 90 since the hunt opened in August, Nativak Hunters and Trappers Association manager Harry Alookie said Oct. 16.

The hunt lasted three to four weeks, not counting gaps when the animals were not in the area, he said.

"The majority of the young people had their first narwhal, as well as the wives of the hunters," Alookie said. "Each year, more and more youth and hunters' wives are getting involved in the hunt."

As the quota is a first-killed, first-counted system, most of the animals killed were younger and smaller than in previous years. That's partly due to the high number of hunters hoping to put food on their tables, whereas in previous years hunters have sought larger, older narwhals that are more attractive to the commercial market.

"The longest tusk we recorded was a nine-and-a-half footer," he said. "It's a lot less than previous years because the community hunted the first group that migrated from the north. That's usually females and young bulls."

The big bulls are now swimming carefree near the community, he said.

- Casey Lessard

Sing-along group starts

Panniqtuuq/Pangnirtung

Daphna Mills could find few activities in Pangnirtung for her one-year-old daughter, so she started her own. Now parents, grandparents and caregivers with their kids are meeting every Wednesday at the community centre for activities from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.

"It's for babies and toddlers, so kids below pre-school age, and parents, grandparents and caregivers," Mills said of the free group, which had seven adults and 10 children the first day, Oct. 10. "We sing songs and read books in English and Inuktitut."

She said her goal was "to have one person other than myself and my nanny," so the turnout was a pleasant surprise, "and I think people had fun."

The hamlet provides the space for free, and Mills hopes to get funding in the future to expand the programming, as well as for healthy snacks.

- Casey Lessard

Lake char season nears end

Qikiqtarjuaq/Broughton Island

Anglers in Qikiqtarjuaq are working to stock up before winter hits, travelling to the Arctic char lakes to harvest the fish, Nativak Hunters and Trappers Association manager Harry Alookie said last week.

"There are quite a few harvesters heading out to the Arctic char lakes," Alookie said. "The fishing has been great for community consumption."

Anglers take boats down the coast about 100 km north and south of the hamlet, and then drive ATVs or snowmobiles, which are hauled on the boats, eight kilometres in from the shore.

"This time of year is our last leg," he said, "and we need to get as much food as we can because normally during freeze-up it's dangerous to travel upon the sea ice."

- Casey Lessard

Building donated to youth

Salliq/Coral Harbour

The Hamlet of Coral Harbour has donated a building in the community to its youth committee to be converted into a local youth centre.

The building is currently being renovated and spruced up before eventually being handed over to youth in the community.

- Darrell Greer

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