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Monday, February 9, 2015

ITI to talk mushrooms at community meeting

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment will host a public meeting in Enterprise Feb. 26 to make a presentation about the economic opportunities of morel mushrooms.

Morels are anticipated to be in abundance this year following the severe fire season of 2014.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. in the Enterprise council chambers.

- Paul Bickford

RCMP seeking info on vandalized tree

The Fort Smith RCMP is requesting assistance from the public to find those responsible for damaging a community Christmas tree.

Between 4 and 7 a.m. on Jan. 4, the tree was damaged by an unknown number of vandals.

According to an RCMP news release, there is visible damage to the tree and its lights are not working, possibly as a result of somebody pulling on the cords.

- Paul Bickford

NWT Wise Women named

The Status of Women Council of the NWT has named the recipients of its 2015 Wise Women Awards.

This year's winners are:

Pertice Moffitt of Yellowknife, Annie B. Gordon of Aklavik, Judy Lafferty of Fort Good Hope, Maggie Sikyea of Fort Smith and Caroline Bonnetrouge of Fort Providence.

The awards will be handed out during a public ceremony at the Tree of Peace in Yellowknife, during the Bread and Roses Luncheon on Mar. 8.

-Elaine Anselmi

AFN to clarify personal credits

With the deadline extended to access personal education credits, the Assembly of First Nations is assisting with the application process.

The assembly will host a series of conference calls, beginning on Feb. 13, during which participants can ask questions and receive advice on the credit application process.

The personal education credits are available to Common Experience Payments recipients under the residential school settlement agreement, and each credit is worth $3,000 towards educational or cultural purposes.

The new deadlines are March 9 for acknowledgment forms and Aug. 31 to complete courses or activities supported by the credits.

More information can be found on the AFN website.

-Elaine Anselmi p>ENR plans to complete firebreak in Enterprise

Enterprise

A representative of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources told Enterprise hamlet council Feb. 2 that a seven-kilometre firebreak cut last year will likely be completed this coming summer.

Daniel Allaire, manager of forests with the department's South Slave region, noted there is a small section left to be completed to bring the firebreak to Highway 1.

"We were going to complete it last summer, but we had some fires come up and we had to take our equipment," he said.

Allaire said the additional work would only take two or three days.

Work began on the approximately 30-metre-wide firebreak in late July with nine bulldozers on the project.

At the time, there was no forest fire threatening the community, but the South Slave was experiencing a very bad fire season. Enterprise already had an overgrown, 15-year-old firebreak.

Allaire was visiting Enterprise to talk about last year's fire season and the concerns about a possible another bad season this coming summer.

The ENR official also encouraged the hamlet to consider the FireSmart program, which involves taking steps to protect a community from wildfires, such as removing trees from residential areas.

Allaire said ENR's FireSmart co-ordinator could offer a workshop in the community, if the hamlet is interested.

- Paul Bickford

Second Trek for Tourette coming up in Fort Smith

Thebacha/Fort Smith

Planning is underway for the second Trek for Tourette in Fort Smith.

The five-kilometre family walk will take place March 29.

The NWT's first-ever Trek for Tourette took place in Fort Smith last year and attracted about 50 participants to raise funds for the Tourette Syndrome Foundation of Canada.

The event, which is held annually on the last Sunday of March, is the only national fundraiser for the foundation.

The Tourette Syndrome Foundation of Canada uses the money raised to help families and individuals affected by the neurological disorder, which is characterized by rapid and sudden movements or vocalizations.

- Paul Bickford

Supper and a survey on wellness

Enterprise

A supper and a survey - to get input from the public on wellness and recreation programming offered by the Hamlet of Enterprise - will be held Feb. 21.

The gathering will be a chance for residents of the community to have their opinions heard on what events and programs they would like to see offered, and to provide suggestions on existing programs.

The hamlet also plans to ask residents to fill out a survey.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. on Feb. 21 at the Enterprise Community Centre.

- Paul Bickford

Delegation arrives to leadership meeting

Tthek'ehdeli/Jean Marie River

Three people, including the Chief Lloyd Chicot are in Fort Simpson for the special Dehcho First Nations leadership meeting taking place this week.

The first meeting of the six-person Mudball Carnival planning committee happened Feb. 4.

The group is responsible for planning the event, including setting a date.

After the meeting, more is expected to be known about the event plans.

Chris Stipdonk and Vee Faria will be in the community on Feb. 9 to give a presentation about chronic disease and community wellness.

As well, Frank and Bev Hope are in the community doing community counselling services until Feb. 13.

Dehcho Health and Social Services Authority will be in the community holding a meeting about cancer on Feb. 11 from noon to 2 p.m. at the gym.

Snacks and beverages will be available.

- Shane Magee

Training in Trout Lake

Sambaa K'e/Trout Lake

One community received some Pleasure Craft Operator Card training last week.

The event, coordinated by NWT tourism, took place on Feb. 4 in the community.

Topics included boating rules, operating a boat safely, understanding navigational aides and more.

"It's pretty quiet in the community," said Ruby Jumbo.

She added that while it's sunny it's very cold, with temperatures around -35 C.

- Shane Magee

Sachs student brings home gold

Ikaahuk/Sachs Harbour

Students at Inualthuyak School all wanted to try on Casey Tai's medals Feb. 3.

Tai competed in a badminton tournament in Yellowknife the preceding weekend.

He took gold in doubles under 19 and in singles under 16. He also finished second in mixed doubles.

Teacher Jennifer Griffin said the school is very proud of the Grade 8 student's accomplishment.

- Miranda Scotland

Many youth head to hockey camp

Aklavik

Dozens of youth improved their hockey skills during a clinic held Jan. 30 to Feb. 1 in Aklavik.

Andy Nowicki of Red Deer, Alta., flew in to run the event.

Dean McLeod, hamlet recreation co-ordinator, said he was pleased to see 48 youth participate.

"Some of them, they come a long ways in that little time," he said. "It was a really good clinic. They had three days of learning new skills and drills in hockey because a lot of the kids don't get the opportunity to go south for hockey school. It's too expensive so we bring in a good instructor."

Nowicki worked with ages 9 and younger, 10 to 13 year olds, and 14 and older.

McLeod said he is thankful to Canadian North for sponsoring the clinic.

A second hockey clinic is scheduled for Feb. 5 to 7, said McLeod. Deb Strome from Hockey North will coach.

Any community members interested in the clinic are welcome to stop by, said McLeod.

"The main thing is to come out and have fun."

- Miranda Scotland

Youth Valentine party planned

Tsiigehtchic/Arctic Red River

Tsiigehtchic youth are invited to celebrate Valentine's Day with a bingo and pizza party in the community gym.

The event will being at 6 p.m. on Feb. 11 and is open to children aged six to 15.

"There's going to be a lot of door prizes and everybody is guaranteed to go home with something," said organizer Sasha Blake.

Prizes include chocolates, gift cards, iTunes cards and Valentines Day cards.

- Miranda Scotland

Feast to mark sun's return

Ikaahuk/Sachs Harbour

Sachs Harbour residents gathered at Inualthuyak School Jan. 30 to welcome the sun with a potluck feast.

About 30 to 50 people attended and were treated to reindeer from Inuvik, fish caught in Ulukhaktok, geese, bannock, dry meat and more.

"Everything was great actually," said Andrea Keogak, justice committee co-ordinator.

"More people than we expected showed up. All the food was prepared very good."

The justice committee, in partnership with the Sachs Harbour Community Corporation and the recreation department, ran the event.

The sun rose at 12:05 p.m. on Jan. 30 in Sachs Harbour and it set three hours later, at 3:05 p.m.

- Miranda Scotland

Choir sings at Bompas

Liidlii Kue/Fort Simpson

The Fort Simpson community choir is still meeting up for song.

The group is inviting adults to attend on Wednesday at Bompas Elementary School from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

- Shane Magee

Shinny at the rink

Acho Dene Koe/Fort Liard

Adult shinny hockey is still going strong in Fort Liard.

Players are invited to lace up their skates and chase the puck Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at the Fort Liard Community Arena from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The community only hosts shinny games during the winter months.

- Shane Magee

Man facing nine charges

Arviat

RCMP said Feb. 3 that in the early morning hours of Jan. 27 officers responded to a complaint of a female being forcibly removed from her home in Arviat after being assaulted by a man in front of her mother.

RCMP did not disclose the name of the man.

"Following an arrest, and subsequent investigation, an adult male was charged with three counts of assault, three counts of uttering threats, one count of break and enter a residence, one count of being unlawfully in a dwelling house, and one count of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose," states a news release from the RCMP.

According to the release, the male was later freed by way of an undertaking, which stipulated several conditions, including no contact with the victim or her mother.

- Michele LeTourneau

Street View with no names

Sanikiluaq

Google is sending its Street View team to its third Nunavut community, this time Sanikiluaq, senior administrative officer

Daryl Dibblee said.

There is only one catch to the online map technology which offers panoramic views from positions along roadways - the streets have no names.

"We'll be the first community without street names to be mapped," Dibblee said. "We have house numbers, and I mentioned that to them. That will make life interesting."

Iqaluit and Cambridge Bay are the other Nunavut communities with Street View, which allows site visitors to view images of the communities from the perspective of someone walking the street. Google is set to visit Sanikiluaq from March 2 to 6.

- Casey Lessard

Missing man found

Rankin Inlet/Arviat

A 52yearold man travelling to Arviat from Rankin Inlet was found safe on the land about 34 km away from Arviat.

The name of the man is not be released by police.

Arviat RCMP received a call around 9 a.m. on Jan. 22 advising the detachment the man had left for Arviat two days earlier and was believed to be lost.

The Arviat searchandrescue team, with the assistance of a military Hercules aircraft, began searching the area.

The man was spotted on Jan. 24, at about 10 a.m. by military personnel on the aircraft.

A helicopter was deployed from Arviat to transport the man, who was suffering from non life-threatening injuries, back to the community.

- Darrell Greer

Elders contribute to education

Nunavut

Elders from across Nunavut participated in a consultation process with Nunavut Arctic College in Iqaluit last week.

The college facilitated the consultation to review the early childhood education program outcomes and create strategies for integrating Inuit culture, knowledge and language in all course content.

The week-long discussions were to help enhance curriculum and Inuit-specific content. The elders were professionally filmed and mini-lectures on early child development were produced to create resources for the program and Nunavut.

Participants included facilitator Nellie Kusugak of Rankin Inlet, early childhood program co-ordinators Myna Ishulutak and Aaju Peter, elder Miriam Aglukark of Gjoa Haven, elder Atoat Akittirq of Iglulik, elder Meeka Arnakaq of Pangnirtung, elder Qaunak Mikkigak of Cape Dorset, early childhood educator Chris Mikeeuneak of Arviat, elder Oleepa Nauyuk of Pangnirtung, elder Elisapee Ootoova of Pond Inlet and early childhood educator Kootoo Toonoo of Cape Dorset.

- Michele LeTourneau

Cooking at low cost

Qamanittuaq/Baker Lake

A basic shelf workshop was held in the Baker Lake community hall last week with an eye to helping people prepare meals with low-cost ingredients. The course was open to any community member who has not taken it previously. Participants will learn to cook nutritious meals for their family, learn about lowercost ingredients, receive a box of basic ingredients to use at home, and receive their own copy of the Basic Shelf Cookbook. The workshop was open to adults only, 18 years of age or older, because no childcare service was available.

- Darrell Greer

Grader investment to pay off

Sanikiluaq

The hamlet of Sanikiluaq's investment in a rock crusher and screener appears to be paying off.

The screener came in on the last sealift of 2014, and enables the hamlet's operation to meet Nunavut Airports' standards. The aggregate produced by the machines appears to be good enough to be the source of stone for the new airport runway.

"We've sent some of the samples to their (Nunavut Airports) engineers, and everything looks fine," said senior administrative officer Daryl Dibblee. "That should employ probably eight or 10 people for the summer."

- Casey Lessard

Cultural classes resume

Ausuittuq/Grise Fiord

Umimmak School in Grise Fiord is starting its cultural programming this week, with students exploring traditional activities during school time. In past years, the programming has been on Fridays, but this year, each class's schedule is based on availability of instructors.

"We'll have sewing, storytelling, a bunch of activities going on in the school," said teacher Cara Cormier. "The whole school will be involved. The boys will do some woodworking, and once it gets warmer and the light season returns, they might go out on the land and do some hunting."

- Casey Lessard

Hamlet byelection scheduled

Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet

A byelection for one vacant hamlet council seat will be held in Rankin Inlet on March 9.

The seat became vacant when Sam Tutanuak resigned his position. Voting will take place in the council chambers at the hamlet office from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.

An advance poll will be held during the same hours on March 2 at the same location.

- Darrell Greer

Food market returns on Valentine's

Iqaluit

Feb. 14 is a day for lovers, and in Iqaluit, it will be a day for lovers of fresh food as the IqaluEAT citizens group runs its third farmers' market. The group is working to create a food co-op, and brings "high quality food sourced as locally as possible," a news release stated. The market at Nakasuk School will offer, as in the past, fresh vegetables, fruits and cheese, but will also carry dried fruit and nuts.

- Casey Lessard

Blizzards close schools

Kivalliq

With severe cold and blizzard conditions sweeping across the Kivalliq region during the last two weeks of January, a number of schools closed for a day or more.

Parents in the Kivalliq are advised schools will close on days when two of the following three conditions are met: the temperature reaches -50 C or colder with the windchill, the wind is steady (not gusts) at 50 km/h or higher, or visibility drops to less than 0.2 km.

- Darrell Greer

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