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Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Internet goes down
Sunny satellite disruptions
With longer, sunnier days on the horizon, Northwestel is warning its customers to expect "sun related" disruptions to satellite services.
Between Feb. 21 and March 7, from 12:22 to 1 p.m., the company's telecommunications satellite will pass directly between the satellite dish on the ground and the sun, Northwestel said in a media release. They say radio frequency noise will be stronger during this time and to expect a brief service interruption.
- Daniel Campbell
Bevington elected to Arctic Conference
Western Arctic MP Dennis Bevington was elected to vice-chair the Conference of Arctic Parliamentarians on Monday.
The conference is a parliamentary body comprising of delegates from Arctic states, including Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States.
The group meets once every two years. In a news release, Bevington said he hopes to bring Northern Canadian issues to the next conference, which will be held Sept. 9 in Whitehorse.
- Daniel Campbell
CanNor gives $100,000 toward Government Dock
Yellowknife's Harbour Plan is getting a financial boost from the federal government. An announcement from Leona Aglukkaq, minister of environment, the Arctic Council and minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor) on Tuesday said CanNor will invest $100,000 into the revitalization of the Government Dock and Pilot's Monument projects included in the plan.
The project will improve public transit locations and add bike racks and landscaping to make the area more appealing to tourists.
- Candace Thomson
Garbage collection change
As of March 12, Franklin Trailer Court, Trails End Trailer Court and 41A Street will have their garbage collected on Wednesday.
According to a news release from the city, "this change is necessary to balance the number of households serviced on each collection day."
Effected houses will receive a hand-delivered notice on March 3.
- Cody Punter
In the spirit
Arviat
The community of Arviat could almost have passed as playing host to a Northern retreat for members of the United Nations with all the different flags on display in the hamlet this past week.
A number of residents flew the flag of their favourite country competing in the Olympic Winter Games' icehockey tournament.
While many were taken down in sorrow, the flags of Canada and Sweden still flew proudly as the puck was being dropped for the gold medal game this past Sunday.
Booze investigation
Coral Harbour
As of press time, the Coral Harbour detachment of the RCMP was still not releasing any information on a booze investigation being undertaken in the dry community.
Nunavut education officials were reported to have sent a schooloperations team into the community to investigate claims one or more teachers had been in possession of alcohol in Coral.
Being a dry community, possessing booze is illegal in Coral Harbour.
Coral has not deemed it necessary to even so much as hold a plebiscite on lifting the restrictions on alcohol since 2007.
The NO vote was an overwhelming winner in the 2007 plebiscite with 75 per cent of the ballots cast.
Hockey time
Rankin Inlet
Hockey lovers in Rankin Inlet will barely have time to catch their breath following the Powerful Peewees and Challenge Cup junior 'C' championships held in their community this past weekend, when the puck will drop tonight to open the annual Sakku First Aviation Avataq Cup.
The tournament runs until this coming Sunday, March 2.
The Avataq Cup is the region's biggest hockey tournament of the year, and usually features teams from six of the seven Kivalliq communities, as well as a squad from Iqaluit.
The host community ices up to four teams for the event each year.
The final tournament of the 2013-14 season currently scheduled for Rankin, will see the younger kids get their time in the spotlight when the community hosts the Arctic Atoms from March 79.
Booze vote
Arviat/Chesterfield Inlet
As of press time, results were not available in the plebiscites to lift the restrictions on alcohol in the Kivalliq communities of Arviat and Chesterfield Inlet.
The plebiscites were held this past Monday, Feb. 24.
A plebiscite was also held on the same day in Kugluktuk.
Arviat has held a number of plebiscites during the past decade to try and ease the alcohol restrictions, but, to date, those in the community who favour lifting the restrictions have been unable to convince the necessary majority to do so.
The YES side needed 60 per cent of the votes cast to carry the day on the plebiscites in each community this past Monday.
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