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Friday, January 9, 2015
Christmas tree pickup next week
The city is offering to collect Christmas trees across the city free of charge as part of regular garbage pick-up next week.
To sign up, residents are asked to e-mail treepickup@yellowknife.ca and include a street address in the body of the e-mail. Once registered, residents can leave their tree out with the rest of their waste during next week's regular garbage pick-up days. Trees can also be dropped off at the dump next week at no charge.
– Randi Beers
Canada Winter Games info session coming up
Mayor Mark Heyck and Municipal and Community Affairs Minister Robert C. McLeod will be on hand this evening to provide information about the city's bid to host the 2023 Canada Winter Games.
They will host an information session in the Explorer Hotel's Janvier room beginning at 7 p.m.
– Randi Beers
Long John Jamboree seeks videographers
Organizers of the Long John Jamboree are looking for videographers to shoot this year's event.
A news release states Jamboree organizers are looking to create a high quality video of the event and the preparations leading up to it. Organizers want a 30 to 45-second promotional video as well as a four-to five-minute video of the Jamboree itself with a special emphasis on families. Those who are interested are asked to contact Nancy MacNeill. The deadline is Jan. 19.
– John McFadden
Special grant deadline looms
The deadline to apply for special grant funding from the City of Yellowknife will be coming up after this weekend. Through the program, the city provides funding to community not-for-profit organizations for projects, events or programs with a maximum of $10,000 per organization.
The total special funding pot is $97,900. Applications close Monday at 5 p.m.
– Randi Beers
Thursday, January 8, 2015
SAO search underway
The village of Fort Simpson is moving ahead to fill the vacant senior administrative officer (SAO)position.
Mayor Sean Whelly said on Jan. 6 that village staff had begun the search.
It involves placing advertisements for the position online and in newspapers, followed by screening those who apply and then hiring someone, Whelly said.
Former SAO Dean Pickering was fired by council during a special council meeting Dec. 18. He had been in the position since September 2013. Forrest McWade is currently acting as SAO .
Winners of dog sled race announced
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, followed by Mark Taylor of Hay River in second and TJ Fordy, also of Hay River, in third place. There were 11 participants in that race.
Zack Campbell of Yellowknife came first in the six-dog, six-mile race 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 want. The club is hosting several more races – on March 6 and 7 and then on April 4.
Fiddle jamboree coming up
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 those under eight must be with a chaperone.
Wolfpack Invitational returns
Basketball teams from across the territory and Fort Nelson, B.C., are expected to be in Fort Simpson this weekend for the Wolfpack Invitational tournament.
The tournament, at the village rec centre, runs from Jan. 9 to 11.
Trudeau to visit
Justin Trudeau will celebrate the sun's return to Inuvik this weekend, with a stop in town Jan. 9 and 10.
The leader of the federal Liberal Party recently announced three stops North of 60. Inuvik will be his first stop and the timing of the visit was planned around taking part in Sunrise Festival activities, said press secretary Cameron Ahmad.
Inuvik was also chosen as a destination because of the town's importance as a regional centre, he said.
While in town, Trudeau will visit Aurora College and meet with local business and community leaders. Trudeau is also scheduled to be in Yellowknife on Jan. 10 and 11 before heading to Iqaluit on Jan. 12.
Sunrise Festival nears
The Inuvik Sunrise Festival is almost here, which means two things: celebration and sunshine.
East Three school will be the site for Friday night's events, starting with a sampling of foods found in the region. Next, event goers will have a chance to work off their meals during a performance by the Inuvik Drummers and Dancers, followed by a jigging demonstration and old time dance.
A community breakfast, snowmobile parade and winter edition of the Arctic Market are on the docket for Saturday, with the Snow Park open from noon to 4 p.m. Boot Lake will host the bulk of festivities Saturday evening and Sunday, including the Ice Road Village and snow park.
A bonfire will be held in the park Saturday night beginning at 6 p.m. with the Return of the Sun Fireworks Finale set to begin at 7 p.m.
Peel Watershed decision appealed
The Yukon government has appealed the territory's highest court's ruling against its land use management plan for the Peel River Watershed.
Yukon's minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, Scott Kent, announced the appeal Dec. 30. He stated the decision came out of the belief that the democratically elected government should retain the right to final decisions on management of Crown land.
New oversight on Arctic sovereignty
A change-up on Parliament Hill will see the portfolio of Arctic sovereignty given to former minister of Veteran's Affairs, Julian Fantino.
Fantino was removed from his ministerial position, which will be taken over by MP Erin O'Toole on Jan. 5. Fantino will remain on cabinet and was sworn in by Governor General David Johnston as assistant minister of Defence. Under this title, Arctic sovereignty, along with technological security and foreign intelligence, will be within his purview.
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