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Friday, April 25 2014
Third cheque-fraud suspect to be tried
The third person caught up in a fraud scheme is scheduled to be tried in territorial court July 23.
The 31-year-old man appeared in court Tuesday to set a date for the trial. On April 1, he pleaded not guilty to using a $3,852 fake cheque.
Two other men, both unemployed and one homeless, were convicted this month on similar charges and ordered to pay back the money.
Two unknown men are alleged to have targeted the impoverished men, using them to cash the cheques while pocketing at least $16,000 before leaving town.
- Daniel Campbell
Violent crime numbers released
The Northwest Territories has some of the highest rates of victims of violent crime in Canada, according to numbers released by Statistics Canada Wednesday.
In 2012, there were 3,074 victims of violent crime in the NWT. That's compared with 3,006 in Nunavut and 1,252 in the Yukon.
Victims of attacks involving firearms in the NWT numbered 17, with the territory's rate at 40 per 100,000 people being the second highest in the country, behind Nunavut.
- Daniel Campbell
328 new parking meters proposed
A city councillor called out administration's plans to add an extra 328 parking meters in the downtown core as "a money grab" during a municipal services committee meeting on Monday.
The new meters are expected to cost approximately $1,000 each to install and will bring in a estimated total of $287,000 in revenue for the city per year.
Supported by Coun. Phil Moon Son, Bob Brooks spoke against the proposal, saying that it would increase the cost of living, contrary to council's goals.
However, Couns Niels Konge, Adrian Bell and Rebecca Alty said they were all in favour of adding the meters, with Konge and Bell saying they have been approached by residents and businesses downtown to advocate on their behalf.
The city also plans to provide complementary parking passes to residents and businesses with parking meters in front of their properties.
Council will vote on the proposal Monday.
- Cody Punter
Thursday, April 24 2014
Streets names make their way to Fort Providence
The Hamlet of Fort Providence held a public meeting April 23 about the council's street naming project.
Hamlet council began the project in January because the community currently doesn't have any street names. The hamlet has received a lot of comments from residents who apply for services and are asked to provide a street address, which they don't have, said Susan Christie, the hamlet's senior administrative office.
A committee comprised of council members is doing background work on the project that will be taken back to the rest of council. The council requested a public meeting be held so input could be gathered from residents and other organizations in the community, Christie said. Questions include whether the street names should have a theme, or if numbers should be used.
"That will help set some direction for the ongoing work," she said.
Ice crossings close for season
April 24 is the last day of operation this season for the two remaining ice crossings in the Deh Cho.
Both the Liard River and the N'Dulee crossings were scheduled to close to all vehicles at noon on Thursday. The crossings were restricted to vehicles with high clearance and four wheel drive April 18. The Nahanni Butte ice crossing finished the season April 16.
Both the Liard and N'Dulee crossings made it slightly past their 10-year average closure date, which they share on April 21.
March temperatures follow trend
March followed historical trends in Fort Simpson in terms of temperatures.
The village had an average mean temperature for the month of
-14.5 C, a degree and a half lower than the historical daily average of -13 C. The village reached a high of 3.4 C March 13 and a low of -34.2 C March 7.
Neither Fort Liard or Fort Providence had historical data available. Fort Liard had a mean March temperature of -10.6 C and Fort Providence's was -16.5 C.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, based in the United States, announced April 22 that last month was one of the hottest Marches on record for most of the Earth. It was the fourth hottest March in 135 years of records, taking into account the average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces.
Below average temperatures, however, were found across most of North America last month.
Snorkel relay race to end in Inuvik
You know summer must be drawing close when announcements of upcoming zany adventure trips come trickling in.
One such announcement came last week when Susan Eaton, an Arctic scientist and adventurer, said she's planning a snorkel relay trip across the Arctic Ocean starting in Davis Strait and ending in Inuvik.
A team of female swimmers recruited by Eaton will attempt the crossing this summer, using customized equipment.
Part of the attempt will include the use of a "torpedo" propulsion unit that will pull the swimmers along.
"We're planning to end the trip in Inuvik," said Eaton.
"We'll be on a large boat for support, with zodiacs in the water to keep pace with support of the snorkelers."
Funding woes for friendship centre
The Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre is once again struggling with uncertain funding.
Shirley Elias, the chair of the Ingamo Hall board, said she wouldn't directly comment on the issues, which include an unknown number of temporary layoffs at the hall.
Brenda Jerome, the executive director of the hall, said she couldn't offer any comment without the direct permission of the board, but didn't deny layoffs have occurred.
A source at the hall who didn't have permission to speak officially said the centre was waiting for word from federal officials as to how a new funding regime will work following the federal government's decision to eliminate the Aboriginal Friendship Centre Program (AFCP) which provided core funding to the centres across Canada.
Camping season coming soon
With most NWT parks scheduled to open for camping on May 15, the GNWT has introduced a new website.
"People eager to book camping spots online will have a new, user friendly website to make the booking process smoother," states a GNWT news release.
"Visitors will notice several modifications including photos, broader search capabilities and individual campsite details."
The site opened for reservations at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 15.
"Online booking of NWT campgrounds is extremely popular and many campgrounds fill up early. Campers are encouraged to book early," stated the release.
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