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Friday, May 16, 2014

Spring cleaning

Spring is in the air - and all the dust, dirt and trash that goes with it is on the ground throughout the city.

The City of Yellowknife is asking all residents with properties next to a city sidewalk to participate in the Annual Sidewalk Sweep and rid their streetscapes of garbage, gravel and dirt by May 15.

Community organizations will be out and about cleaning up the roadsides this week, so be cautious while driving.

- Laura Busch

No licences at Visitors' Centre

Those looking to pick up a fishing licence in time for the long weekend will have one less place to get one.

The Northern Frontier Visitors' Centre announced earlier this week it will no longer be selling sport fishing licences, effective immediately.

Licenses are still available for purchase at Reddi Mart, Canadian Tire, Old Town Emporium, Polar Tech Recreation, the Laing Building and directly from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources' office.

- Graeme McNaughton

One person's trash ...

The city is hosting its first curbside giveaway event starting this weekend. People are asked to put gently-used unwanted items out on the curb Friday night, marking them as 'free' so others can take them.

Amnesty week begins this Saturday as well, so Yellowknifers can drop off residential items at the dump without paying the $10 tipping fee. The dump is also collecting household hazardous waste on Saturday afternoon.

- Daniel Campbell

Energy plan moves ahead

City council voted in favour of drafting a new 10-year community energy plan at its biweekly meeting on Monday night.

Coun. Niels Konge was the only one to speak out against moving forward with the draft which will adopt new cost-saving and environmental targets for the city, as well as the measures to achieve them by 2025.

"Much has changed in the last 10 years; many renewable energy options are now also the least expensive, we no longer have to choose between saving money and being more sustainable," stated Mayor Mark Heyck in a press release. "This a very good time for us to re-evaluate how we meet our energy needs."

- Cody Punter


Thursday, May 15, 2014

Man talked off of ice

The Fort Providence RCMP detachment helped rescue a man who was seen walking on the

ice on the Mackenzie River May 6.

Residents were concerned about the man's well-being and requested assistance with a call to the RCMP that was received at approximately 1:30 p.m., according to a press release.

RCMP members were able to build a rapport with the man who then made his way safely to shore following directions from one member.

The individual was taken to the local health centre for care.

The RCMP is reminding residents the spring melt is making waterways, rivers and lakes very dangerous.

They are advising the use of extreme caution while around any body of water.

Liard River ferry service commences

One of two ferries in the Deh Cho is starting its season in time for the long weekend.

The MV Lafferty was launched into the Liard River May 12 and began operations at noon the following day.

The ferry is following its normal hours of 8 a.m. to 11:45 p.m.

The Department of Transportation is hoping to get the MV Johnny Berens working on the Mackenzie River as soon as possible, said James Tsetso, a marine operations manager with the department.

As of May 13, ice conditions on the river were preventing the ferry from being launched at the N'Dulee crossing.

The Lafferty started service exactly on its five-year average opening date of May 13.

The Johnny Berens' five-year average date is May 25.

Vehicle restrictions for Liard Highway

Highway 7 is only open to light vehicles following an update of the seasonal load allowances for the NWT highways by the Department of Transportation.

The allowances, which came into effect May 14, included the restriction to light vehicles only with a maximum gross weight of 5,000 kg on Highway 7 from kilometre marker 38 to Checkpoint.

The road allowances are designed to protect and preserve the highway system and apply primarily to commercial vehicles.

Other allowances in the Deh Cho include 75 per cent of the legal axle weight on Highway 1 from its junction with Highway 3, all the way to Wrigley.

The Kakisa and Jean Marie River access roads are set at 90 per cent of the legal axle weight.

Street vendor complains

The Town of Inuvik might be moving to clamp down on street venders in the downtown core.

Following complaints about the Ready Red's mobile food trailer parked near the Mad Trapper, the town's bylaw review committee has recommended banning street venders from parking along Mackenzie Road in the core area.

Instead of using existing roadside parking spaces, the town's bylaw amendment would move street venders on to private property, similar to how Bill Rutherford operates his grocery business.

The town was scheduled to vote on the amendment on Wednesday night.

Roland protests

Inuvik Mayor Floyd Roland complained last week about a reduction in the Northern living allowance for Inuvik residents who are employees of the GNWT.

Roland raised the issue at the NWT Association of Communities annual general meeting during an open forum with the GNWT cabinet.

He said while the amount is based on a negotiated agreement with the Union of Northern Workers that is adjusted annually, some mechanism should exist to make sure any changes make logical sense.

Roland said that while Inuvik residents weren't hit particularly hard, other communities in the Delta were, while prices, particularly for energy, continue to rise. Inuvik GNWT employees saw their Northern living allowance reduced by $383, to $13,756 from $14,139.

"I can't see any prices that are lower here than in Yellowknife," he told the cabinet.

Premier Bob McLeod said the government could have another look at the issue, but he continued to insist the allowance is determined by the negotiated agreement.

Snowmobilers rescued

The Inuvik RCMP detachment reported that two snowmobilers needed to be rescued on the Mackenzie River May 9 due to treacherous ice conditions.

The two men triggered a SPOT device distress call after their snowmobiles went through the ice about 130 kilometres north of Inuvik.

The men were found by a helicopter crew about 6:45 a.m. in good condition, and returned them to Inuvik.

In a news release, RCMP reminded the public that conditions are no longer safe to snowmobile in the delta due to the warm weather conditions.

Milk supplies run low

It's been a challenge for Inuvik residents to buy milk over the last week.

Last weekend, milk supplies were non-existent in town until May 11 when an air freight delivery had been made.

The week before, all of the town stores except Stantons were out of milk.

The problem appears to be attributable to a delay in arranging air freight deliveries, said one staff member at a local store who wasn't authorized to speak on the record.

Youth Centre rocks

Thanks to a partnership with the Inuvik Community Corporation, the Inuvik Youth Centre is offering fiddle lessons with Daniel Rogers on Saturday afternoons and jigging lessons with Erin Simon on Thursday evenings.

The fiddling lessons will run from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. while the jigging lessons will be from 7 to 9 p.m.

There is no cost for either event.

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