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News Briefs: Friday, April 05, 2013
Preliminary inquiry for stabbing suspects
A date for a preliminary inquiry has been set for two men charged in connection with a stabbing at Fort Gary apartments last year.
Dean Ruben and Tyson Ruben-Bucher are each charged with attempted murder. The accused are expected in court this summer for a two-day preliminary inquiry beginning Aug. 19 at 9:30 a.m.
The incident in question occurred in the early morning hours of Nov. 29, 2012, on the first floor of the Gitzel Street building. The victim, according to RCMP, sustained multiple stab wounds to the torso.
- Miranda Scotland
Marten Hartwell dead
Marten Hartwell, the bush pilot who spent 31 days with the wreckage of his plane near Great Bear Lake before being rescued on Dec. 8, 1972, died in Nova Scotia on April 2 at age 88.
The crash became infamous in Canadian aviation lore largely because Hartwell survived by eating flesh from the body of nurse Judy Hill, one of three passengers who died as a result of the crash.
No visitation of funeral services were scheduled to be held for Hartwell, at the family's request.
- Laura Busch
Devolution countdown
Alternatives North posted a "devolution countdown clock" on its website, ticking down the time remaining for consultation on the draft devolution deal.
Premier Bob McLeod had said there would be "unprecedented public consultation" on the contents of the deal. However, the clock is showing that, with 35 days remaining in the 60-day public engagement period, the government has yet to hold a public meeting, said Gordon Hamre of Alternatives North.
- Laura Busch
Hospital admissions preventable
Between 2008 and 2011, a number of hospitalizations across the NWT were preventable, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Social Services.
Eighteen per cent of hospital admissions were for patients with one or more mental health issues. Of those, 67 per cent were related to a substance abuse issue.
The report looked at the top five causes of hospitalization by age category. On average, 3,533 NWT residents were hospitalized annually, at a cost of $68.8 million.
- Danielle Sachs
News Briefs: Thursday, April 4, 2013
Seven candidates for chief
Seven candidates have stepped forward for the position of chief with Liidlii Kue First Nation.
The candidates include Olinto Beaulieu, Ernest Cazon, Arnold Hope, Minnie Letcher, Eric Menicoche, Michael Modeste and Bertha Norwegian. The position of chief has been empty since Keyna Norwegian was removed on Jan. 14 through a vote of non-confidence by the band council.
The advance poll was scheduled to be held on April 3. The election for the new chief will be held on April 10 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Liidlii Kue First Nation boardroom.
Winter road closures
Winter roads in the Deh Cho have begun to shut down.
The winter road to Trout Lake was closed to traffic at noon on April 2. This was a slightly later closure than normal for the road, which has a five-year average closing date of March 25, according to information from the Department of Transportation.
The Mackenzie Valley winter road between Wrigley and the junction with the Deline access road was closed last week on March 29.
The Liard River ice crossing near Fort Simpson and the N'Dulee crossing on the Mackenzie River both normally last until late April with five-year average closure dates of April 22 and 21 respectively.
Dates set for annual assembly
Dehcho First Nations has chosen the dates and host community for its annual assembly.
The meeting will be held in Fort Providence from June 24 to 28. Last year the annual assembly was held in Fort Simpson. The most notable event during that assembly was Pehdzeh Ki First Nation's announcement Wrigley was leaving the Dehcho Process to negotiate a community comprehensive claims policy directly with Canada.
Spring snowstorm hits the Deh Cho
Most of the Deh Cho was under the second day of a snowfall warning on April 2 issued by Environment Canada.
A low pressure system that developed over northwestern Alberta was expected to bring heavy snowfall, between 10 to 20 centimetres, to the southern regions of the NWT including the communities of Fort Liard, Nahanni Butte, Trout Lake, Fort Simpson, Wrigley and Fort Providence. The snowfall was expected to move into Hay River, Fort Resolution and Fort Smith on the morning of April 12, according to information from Environment Canada.
Last-place finish
The Inuvik firefighters team had a tough time at the 54th Canadian Firefighters Curling Championship last week.
The team, comprised of Victor Parnell, Dave Dempsey and Duane DeBastien, struggled all through the tournament, compiling a 0 and 10 record in St. John, N.B.
The members were hoping for better luck at the tournament, but acknowledged they were in for a tough time before they left for the East Coast.
At the time, Dempsey said he knew some of the teams participating had top-flight competitive curlers as members.
"We finished last but we had a great time," said Parnell.
Curlers place 10th
A female curling team from Inuvik had it rough representing the NWT at the 2013 Optimist International Under-18 Junior Curling Championships.
"We just returned from Langley/Surrey, B.C., where the girls competed against 12 ladies' teams," said coach Nick Saturnino.
"All teams played seven games with Team NWT ladies winning two and losing five. This was the third time the Inuvik girls represented the NWT at this event. The girls finished 12th in 2010 in Regina and 12th in 2012 in Toronto. This year their final world ranking was 10th."
Work on road begins
Now that the federal government has officially included $200 million in funding for the estimated $299-million all-weather highway from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk, it's time for the people of the Beaufort Delta to get to work building Canada's first road to the Arctic coast.
Jim Stevens, director of the Mackenzie Valley Highway for the Department of Transportation said this year work is being done to widen and strengthen the Source 177 road south from Tuk, and work to upgrade Old Navy Road in Inuvik will begin "later this year."
Next year's construction season is expected to begin around Feb. 1.
Construction of the highway is expected to last four years, putting the estimated date of completion in the spring of 2018.
Centre named after Cournoyea
Nellie Cournoyea, the chief executive officer of the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, now has a place in Winnipeg to call her own.
The Nellie Cournoyea Arctic Research Facility recently opened at the University of Manitoba.
The institute covers 60,000 square feet and includes a salt-water pool where scientists can grow their own ice.
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News desk 
