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Monday, January 12, 2015
Walking with our Sisters travel funding deadline
Today, Jan. 12, is the last day to apply for funding to see the Walking With Our Sisters exhibit at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre in Yellowknife.
The exhibit commemorates missing and murdered indigenous women in Canada by presenting moccasin tops that each represent a missing woman. The organizing committee is offering travel funding to bring in families affected by the issue from communities outside Yellowknife.
Interested parties should contact the NWT Native Women's Association. The installation will be on display at the museum from Jan. 9 to 24.
– Dana Bowen
Housing authority employees vote for strike
Eight unionized workers at the Fort Smith Housing Authority employees voted unanimously in favour of a strike on Jan. 8.
Union of Northern Workers president Todd Parsons, who was in Fort Smith for the vote, confirmed the employees had rejected their employer's final offer after months of contract negotiations. Parsons predicted a strike may happen before the end of the month.
The unionized employees manage the approximately 150 public housing units in the community.
– NNSL staff
Missing medical information found
The USB stick containing information on over 4,000 past and current Stanton Hospital patients was found just under a month ago.
Department of Health and Social Services spokesperson Damien Healy confirmed the stick was found Dec. 8 on Stanton property. He said the department alerted MLAs and followed up with the affected patients, but decided not to publicly announce the development. Healy declined to give a reason for the decision.
Stanton Hospital announced a doctor had lost the stick Nov. 27, two weeks after the doctor reported it missing.
– Randi Beers
23 impaired driving charges over holidays
Operation Rednose, a month-long campaign aiming to reduce impaired driving over the holidays, concluded Jan. 1.
There were 23 people charged with impaired driving, while 11 more people had their licences suspended for 24 hours due to consumption of alcohol or use of illegal drugs, according to an RCMP news release.
Last year, 20 people were charged with impaired driving and 11 had their licences suspended for 24 hours during the campaign. This year's blitz also netted several Liquor Act charges, drug offences, and violations of the Motor Vehicle Act.
– Paul Bickford
A couple of prized snowmen
Tuktoyaktuk
Arnold Raddi and Marina Mangelana took first in Tuktoyaktuk's sculpture contest for their creation featuring snowmen during the holidays.
The pair claimed a prize of $250. They also received a further $400 for winning the best-decorated house competition.
Jean Gruben took second in the sculpture contest and received $200.
Third place and $150 went to Dorothy Loreen.
Shirley Thrasher finished second in the best-decorated house competition, followed by Jean Gruben in third.
They were awarded $300 and $200, respectively.
Prizes were also handed out for the best decorated truck or Ski-doo.
Dorothy Loreen came first, Katrina Cockney was second and Stephanie Felix finished third.
The winners received $250, $200 and $150.
– Miranda Scotland
Stained glass workshop at Fort Smith museum
Thebacha/Fort Smith
A stained glass workshop is planned at Fort Smith's Northern Life Museum & Cultural Centre.
The workshop will take place from Jan. 16 to 18 and will continue on Jan. 24 & 25.
The multi-day event will be instructed by Michel Labine, an artist in Fort Smith.
Participants will design and complete a stained glass creation. It will feature a polar bear or Inukshuk bevel glass cluster integrated into a snowshoe.
The workshop is open to all skill levels.
More information, including on the fee, is available by contacting Northern Life Museum & Cultural Centre.
– Paul Bickford
King and queen for a day
Paulatuk
Residents in Paulatuk rang in the new year last weekend by hosting the community's annual New Year's King and Queen Day at Angik School on Jan. 4.
The event, which has been hosted on the first Sunday after New Years for more then 40 years, was attended by close to 80 people, according to Aaron Ruben, recreation co-ordinator for the community.
The goal of the event is to select a king and queen for the evening by handing out muffins to those in attendance, two of which have marbles hidden inside two of them.
"We have so many set aside for men and women," said Ruben, who explained that the muffins are eaten until someone from the opposite sex each discovers a marble. "That's how the king and queen are chosen."
This year's king was Johnny Q. Ruben, who was joined by his queen, Coleen Ruben.
After being anointed, the king and queen both get to pick a slave that has to serve them for the rest of the night. They also received prizes.
This year, King Johnny was given a tarp, a rope and fishing tackle box, while Queen Coleen received a blanket and an eight-piece cooking set.
After playing some games, which were chosen by the king and queen, the couple opened up the dance by sharing a waltz, after which everyone in attendance was invited to join in.
Ruben said the event was a success.
"We went until about 2 a.m.," said Ruben. "Everyone had a good time."
– Cody Punter
McMaster returned as Enterprise deputy mayor
Enterprise
Craig McMaster has been returned for another year as deputy mayor of the Hamlet of Enterprise.
McMaster was appointed by a resolution passed at the hamlet council's first meeting of the year on Jan. 5.
Under the Hamlets Act, a deputy mayor shall perform the duties and exercise the powers of a mayor who may be absent or unable to act.
– Paul Bickford
Fireworks down by the fire
Aklavik
Residents in Aklavik kicked of the New Year with a bang. On New Years Eve residents gathered around the pond for a bonfire before firing off some fireworks to mark the end of 2014.
After that people jumped into their vehicles for a truck parade around town before heading over to the Sittichinli Complex for night of live music featuring the country stylings of Tuktoyaktuk's Irwin Elias, who led the party well into the early hours of 2015.
"He was just playing live music and people were saying happy new years and enjoying their stacks," said Mary Gordon, youth co-ordinator.
The following day, residents started their New Year off on the right foot with a Ski-Doo rally and community feast, followed by an old time dance, which included jigging and jiving contests.
Gordon did not know how many people turned out for the various events but said the fact that people travelled from other communities to celebrate contributed to them being very well attended.
– Cody Punter
Australian performer appearing on stage
Thebacha/Fort Smith
The Northern Arts & Cultural Centre in Yellowknife is bringing an Australian performer to Fort Smith on Jan. 12.
Sunny Drake will present a magical, whimsical and honest look at addiction, grounded in LGBTQ experiences.
Drake melds stop-motion animation and live performance into a fast-paced one-man show.
The performer is largely self-taught and has created his own unique style of multi-genre theatre, which he has been evolving since he was a teenage girl.
– Paul Bickford
Lucky dancing shoes
Tsiigehtchic/Arctic Red River
Tsiigehtchic residents jigged and jived over the holidays for a chance to win cash prizes.
James Andre and his partner took first place in the jiving contest, winning $150.
Second place winners, Jesse Hanthorn and Tara Greenland, took home $100 while Darius Andre and Erica Lugt were awarded $50.
Robert Koe and Sasha Blake claimed first in the 16 and over category for the jigging contest.
Joel Hanthorn and Dinah Blake finished second and Eric Blake and Geraldine Blake came third. The winners received $300, $200 and $100.
– Miranda Scotland
Fiddle jamboree coming up
Liidlii Kue/Fort Simpson
The Fort Simpson Fiddle Jamboree will be taking place in the village next weekend at Bompas Elementary School.
The weekend will include fiddle dances, fiddle classes for all experience levels, jams and orchestra classes taught by six instructors from across the country.
The event starts Friday, Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m. and runs to Sunday at 1 p.m.
Saturday classes will start at 9 a.m. and end with a community concert and dance at 8:30 p.m.
There is a registration fee for the classes, which includes meals.
Festivities are open to those ages six and up, although participants under eight years old must be accompanied by a chaperone.
– Shane Magee
Annual dog sled race results
Deh Gah Got'ie Koe/Fort Providence
The Deh Gah Dog Mushers Club hosted its third annual Christmas Sled Dog Fun Race on Dec. 20 in Fort Providence.
Two races were held – a 12-mile and a six-mile – starting at noon at the Big River Service Station.
Roger Beck of Fort Resolution came first in the open class 12-mile race with a time of 44:38:35.
Mark Taylor of Hay River came in second place, followed by TJ Fordy, also of Hay River, in third.
There were 11 participants in that race.
In the six dog, six-mile race, Zack Campbell of Yellowknife came first with a time of 21:16:10.
Kristy Cooper of Hay River came second, followed by Susan Fleck of Fort Providence in third.
The open class was a new event for the club and meant that mushers could run as many dogs as they wanted.
The club is hosting several more races this year on March 6 and 7 and then on April 4.
– Shane Magee
More charges for alleged shooter
Iglulik
Donovan Iyerak, 27, made his second appearance by video in Iqaluit court Jan. 6 in relation to a shooting spree in Iglulik Oct. 4, where a man on a snowmobile drove around the community, shooting at the RCMP detachment and vehicles and other buildings.
One officer was shot and recovered. Originally charged with four counts of attempted murder and reckless discharge of a firearm Oct. 6, Iyerak is now facing an additional four charges of attempted murder, for a total of eight.
Iyerak also faces charges of assault and uttering threats in related incidents.
Iyerak's next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 24. He continues to be held at the Baffin Correctional Centre.
– Michele LeTourneau
Extra learning for students
Nunavut
An online university course affiliated with the University of the Arctic will be offered by Nunavut Arctic College beginning in January.
The course, offered in English, has no prerequisites except the ability to read and write at a college level.
Pre-NTEP (Nunavut Teacher Education Program) students get to take part free of charge. Students taking part are located in Pond Inlet, Cape Dorset, Clyde River and Sanikiluaq.
Introduction to the Circumpolar World will explore the peoples and cultures of the circumpolar world, the environment and global climate change, and the political climate of the North. The course is also intended to build skills in critical thinking, essay writing and online learning.
Instructor Amanda Kilabuk will offer support and tutoring. Kilabuk is the university studies co-ordinator with Nunavut Arctic College.
– Michele LeTourneau
First day back delayed
Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay
The first day back to school had to be delayed in Arctic Bay, where there weren't enough teachers to start classes on Jan. 5. The first day classroom instruction resumed was Jan. 6 instead.
"It was supposed to be on Monday," said district education authority office manager Cindy Kilabuk, adding the cause was travel delays and sicknesses.
"Everything's back to normal," she said.
– Casey Lessard
RCMP, community spread joy
Qamanittuaq/Baker Lake
Two events to celebrate Christmas took place in Baker Lake with great success.
Over the course of 2014, community members donated anonymously into an account at the local Northern Store. Those funds were then used to buy turkeys, vegetables and baking supplies for Christmas hampers.
RCMP Const. Jeremy Balzer, Const. Cory Chaloner and families, along with Department of Family Services employees, teamed up to fill 50 food hampers, which were then delivered to families in need. The Northern Store was an active partner.
The second merry happening took place Dec. 23 when Baker Lake RCMP delivered 1,000 Christmas presents to the hamlet's children. Local businesses donated these gifts.
– Michele LeTourneau
Radio announcer hired
Kimmirut/Lake Harbour
The hamlet radio station is ready to resume operations in Kimmirut thanks to government funding to hire an announcer until the end of the fiscal year.
"We got $15,000 from (the Department of Culture and Heritage) to use by March 31," said acting senior administrative officer Petanie Pitsiulak.
The new announcer is expected to be hired and on the air by Jan. 10.
The schedule would be "a couple of hours in the mornings and evenings Monday through Friday, on weekends a couple of hours in the evenings, and a couple of hours sometime Sunday," she said.
– Casey Lessard
Door prize helps food bank
Ikpiarjuk/Arctic Bay
A Christmas games door prize of $250 in cash was attractive enough to draw in a pile of non-perishable food items for the Arctic Bay food bank.
"A fair amount was brought in," said acting senior administrative officer Clare Kines. "The food bank is always looking for stuff here. We collected quite a bit of canned food, boxed goods."
The food bank is operated on an ad hoc basis when donations come in, and the volunteers alert the community when food is available. At that time, the food can be picked up at a volunteer's house because the food bank does not have a dedicated space.
– Casey Lessard
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