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Last days for ferry

After tense moments late last week when it seemed as though the Merv Hardie ferry could be decommissioned early due to low water levels, the ferry is back at full capacity at the Mackenzie River crossing on Highway 3 near Fort Providence.

Ferry operations were suspended overnight last Thursday but resumed Friday at a limited capacity. By Saturday, water levels had risen enough to lift the weight restrictions and the ferry was still chugging along its route at press time, said Department of Transportation spokesperson Earl Blacklock on Tuesday.

The Merv Hardie is scheduled to make its final voyage on Friday at about 3:15 p.m., shortly after the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Deh Cho Bridge, said Blacklock.

- Laura Busch

Light up the town

Residents should start stringing up the lights for the Northland Utilities Christmas Lights Competition. Judging runs from Dec. 1 to 12. Residents can vote for their favourite display of Christmas lights online at the City of Yellowknife website. There are six competition categories: Christmas scenes, residential home, mobile home, neighbourhood (three homes in a row), commercial exterior and commercial interior.

- Katherine Hudson

Layoffs at Air Tindi

Air Tindi has confirmed that the Yellowknife-based airline laid off an unspecified number of pilots and ground support staff within the last week.

Two aircraft have also been temporarily grounded because of what president and CEO Sean Loutitt said is a normal slump in business this time of year. Last fall and winter was uncharacteristically busy because of extra projects from mining companies and other major customers, said Loutitt. However, this was not the case this year and some staff had to be let go. Loutitt expressed remorse at having to lay off employees.

- Laura Busch

Medals handed out

RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson was in Yellowknife Tuesday to hand out 37 medals to officers and public service recipients, including 24 Diamond Jubilee Medals and four bravery medals. Paulson shared a story about meeting the Queen in London and how Her Majesty showed a keen interest in the RCMP and the happenings with the force. Paulson was on a four-day tour of the NWT with stops in Deline, Yellowknife and Sachs Harbour. It was his first time in the North.

- Svjetlana Mlinarevic

Jubilee medal

Baker Lake

Clayton Ungingai of Baker Lake was honoured with a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal this past week.

Ungingai was presented the medal for his work developing Inuit sign language, and promoting new means for the hearing impaired to communicate using smartphones and tablets.

Ungingai is recognized as a role model for Nunavut youth for overcoming challenges to follow his dreams.

Accidental death

Arviat

The community of Arviat was shocked and saddened by the accidental death of elder Murray Ugyuk, 70, on Nov. 20.

Ugyuk had been trying to move his ATV into a shed when the vehicle shifted and he became trapped underneath the machine.

The elder was transported to the Arviat Health Centre where efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

Tourney winners

Kivalliq

Listed below are the players from the champion Rankin Inlet girl's squad, as well as the runnerup Coral Harbour girl's team and Arviat boy's entry, at the 2012 Kivalliq Regional 18 andunder Soccer Championship in Rankin Inlet earlier this month.

Wall hanging unveiled

Baker Lake

A special tea and ceremony were held at the Nunavut Arctic College (NAC) Community Learning Centre in Baker Lake on Nov. 20 to unveil a wall hanging by renowned Baker artist, the late Jessie Oonark.

The wall hanging had originally been purchased by Baker's first adult educator, David Webster, in 1972 to make the learning centre more attractive.

NAC recently had the Oonark wall hanging professionally framed.

A number of Oonark's descendants were on hand for the ceremony, and some of them shared their memories of the famous artist with the gathering.

Big winner

Coral Harbour/Repulse Bay

Benita Shapangak of Coral Harbour was the happy winner of four airline tickets to Ottawa along with four Level 100 tickets to the sold-out Justin Bieber concert this past week. The First Air prize package also includes twonights accommodation at the Southway Hotel in Ottawa.

Shapangak was in Repulse Bay to attend the week-long antisuicide dance and conference in that community.

For more information on the Repulse gathering, please see the Dec. 5 edition of Kivalliq News.

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