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Monday, August 10, 2015
NWT communities to receive helmet donations
Children in NWT communities may soon have some colourful new head gear thanks to Helmets for Hardy - a Yellowknife charity expanding its outreach this summer.
The organization provides multi-sport helmets for kids under 18 along with safety demonstrations and equipment fittings. Founders Ed and Jackie Hardy said they have 40 helmets still to find homes for, along with another 19 donated this week. The Hardy's son Josh was killed three years ago after sustaining a serious head injury while long-boarding. Since then they have been working to raise awareness and promote increased helmet safety in the territory.
- Meagan Leonard
Back-to-back firearms incidents in Hay River
Hay River RCMP were kept busy over the August long weekend with back-to-back calls involving high-risk firearms.
At approximately 10:35 a.m. on August 2, RCMP officers received a call stating a suspect was assaulting an individual while armed with a firearm. RCMP attended the residence and arrested the subject without incident and seized a shotgun.
About half an hour later at 11:11 a.m., RCMP were alerted of a distraught individual with a firearm at another residence. Charges are pending in both cases.
- Meagan Leonard
Alcohol seized in Fort McPherson
Fort McPherson RCMP seized a significant amount of alcohol during a vehicle check in the community August 5, including 25 bottles of spirits and 12 cans of beer.
Fort McPherson is an alcohol-restricted community and quantities of liquor are strictly limited by the NWT liquor act. No charges have been laid and the investigation is ongoing.
- Meagan Leonard
People asked to be careful with fires
Officials with the territorial government's Department of Environment and Natural Resources are pleading the public to be careful with fires.
This message was re-emphasized over the weekend as crews had to deal with a small, person-caused fire near Highway 3, not far from Fort Providence on Aug. 7. Officials think the fire was started by a discarded cigarette. Fire crews have been busy in the area with a controlled back burn between Behchoko and Fort Providence. They were trying to keep a bigger fire from reaching the highway.
- John McFadden
Northwestern Air celebrates 50 years
Thebacha/Fort Smith
Northwestern Air Lease Ltd. of Fort Smith marked its 50th anniversary on Aug. 1.
The company celebrated by inviting members of the community to a free dinner at Queen Elizabeth Territorial Park.
In addition, it offered special rates on 20-minute tour flights over Fort Smith.
Headquartered in Fort Smith, Northwestern Air is a scheduled flight and charter airline operating with turbo-prop aircraft.
Its scheduled flights serve Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Fort Smith, Hay River, Fort Chipewyan and Yellowknife.
- Paul Bickford
Arts festival running this month in Smith
Thebacha/Fort Smith
Fort Smith's fifth-annual Summer Splash Arts Festival began on Aug. 6.
Until Aug. 16, there will be numerous activities and workshops on writing, painting, performing arts, jewellery making, and much more.
Among the many artists passing along their knowledge will be well-known author Richard Van Camp, who will present a workshop on writing.
One of the highlights of the festival will be an Artist's Fair & Farmer's Market at Mission Park on Aug. 15.
The festival is presented by Northern Life Museum & Cultural Centre, in partnership with a number of other organizations.
- Paul Bickford
Special guests at Dark Sky Festival
Thebacha/Fort Smith
The fourth-annual Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Dark Sky Festival, set for later this month, will have two special presenters.
One will be Michelle Nichols, who is an educator on NASA programs at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. The topics include astronomy and physics, the history of astronomy, space exploration and manned spaceflight.
The other presenter will be Yuichi Takasaka, a renowned aurora and astronomical photographer. His photos have been featured as NASA's photo of the day and have been honoured as the best space pictures of 2014 by National Geographic.
Takasaka, who was born in Japan, is a former resident of Yellowknife. Now living in British Columbia, he operates a photography and tourism services business.
The Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Dark Sky Festival will be held from Aug. 21 to 23 in Fort Smith and Wood Buffalo National Park.
The registration deadline is Aug. 18.
The festival will also feature a circus of science, a science academy, planetarium shows and telescope viewing.
The event is presented by the Thebacha & Wood Buffalo Astronomical Society.
- Paul Bickford
Darcy E. Moses elected chief of Pehdzeh Ki First Nation
Pehdzeh Ki/Wrigley
Nominations have closed and the new chief and council were voted in on Aug. 5.
The new chief of Pehdzeh Ki First Nation is Darcy E. Moses and Albert Clillie, Kyle Clillie, Elsie Hardisty, George Moses, Maurice Moses and Raymond Pellissey will make up the new council.
Polls were open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Aug. 5, with results available the following day.
A chief and council and Dehcho boreal caribou meeting is scheduled for Aug. 11.
- April Hudson
Ferry petition sent
Liidlii Kue/Fort Simpson
A petition by the Fort Simpson Chamber of Commerce to extend the hours of the MV Lafferty ferry garnered 333 signatures and supporting letters. It was delivered by Nahendeh MLA Kevin Menicoche to the Department of Transportation on July 27.
The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs held a sports camp in the village from Aug. 4 to 7.
The pool will be offering another set of swimming lessons starting Aug. 10.
- April Hudson
Youth plays international soccer
Acho Dene Koe/Fort Liard
Fort Liard soccer player James Duntra is in England this week taking part in a soccer camp.
The community has two youth g.oing to the Northern Youth Leadership Canoe Camp from Aug. 13 to 20. They will be paddling from Whati to Behchoko.
The community also has one young woman preparing to go to a FOXY (Fostering Open eXpression among Youth) camp.
Swimmers in Fort Liard are training hard to get ready for a swim meet in Fort Smith from Aug. 12 to 14.
Acho Dene Koe is preparing for the men's handgame tournament on Aug. 22 and 23.
- April Hudson
New aircraft arrives
Aklavik
A refurbished Beechcraft 99 owned and operated by a joint venture between the Gwich'in Tribal Council and Daazraii North-Wright Airways Ltd. arrived in Aklavik last week to begin scheduled service in and out of town. The plane joins the Cessna Caravan already in service at the Aklavik airport.
Band manager Knute Hansen said the people of Aklavik are proud of the new aircraft, which they have been waiting to see since the purchase was announced last winter.
The caribou herds have returned in good numbers this year after a couple of years of not having any good hunting opportunities. The cranberries are also reported as being good this year after a bad season last year. People are already heading out to camps and expecting to return with a good harvest.
- Mark Rieder
Music festival empties town
Tetlit'Zheh/Fort McPherson
The Midway Lake Music Festival took place over
the long weekend.
Jason Francis, with the Fort McPherson Co-op, said he had seen a lot of people passing through town on their way to the festival. He added that practically everybody in Fort McPherson were also heading out to take part and that the streets were almost completely empty.
He said along with the music, there was a wedding planned to take place as well.
- Mark Rieder
Barge on schedule
Ikaahuk/Sachs Harbour
NTCL expects the barge to Sachs Harbour will arrive offshore from the community on Aug. 18.
A spokesperson said it has left the terminal at Tuktoyaktuk and is currently making its way to Paulatuk, where it is scheduled to arrive on Aug. 15.
There have been a couple of polar bear sightings in and around town. Last week one was seen near town. Aside from getting close enough for people to snap photos, no dangerous encounters have been reported.
- Mark Rieder
Day trips for youth
Ulukhaktok/Holman
Youth activities have been taking place over the last couple of weeks in Ulukhaktok.
Fishing, sightseeing, and hunting trips to the surrounding area have proved to be popular.
Instead of camps, where youth can take part in activities and overnight in the wilderness, there are only day trips taking place this year.
Weather has been unsettled and has caused the cancellation of some boating trips.
- Mark Rieder
Polar Bear Dip makes a splash
Ikaluktutiak/Cambridge Bay
Twenty-nine people braved the Arctic waters during Cambridge Bay's annual polar bear dip July 31.
That was the community's largest turnout, said pool supervisor Emily Pope.
The event, which included a community barbecue, raised $2,858.01, with proceeds going toward recreational activities in Cambridge Bay, Pope said.
- Stewart Burnett
Hunters scramble after narwhal
Kangiqtugaapik/Clyde River
About 10 boats left Clyde River quickly after word of narwhal spottings "spread like wildfire" Aug. 5.
"The ice just went out, so we've had a whole bunch of boats out now hunting them," chief administrative officer John Ivey said. "Hopefully the hunts will be successful so we can get some narwhal today."
The news spread quickly thanks to the repeating tower on the top of Black Bluff, a hill near the hamlet.
"It allows us access to a good radius on VHF," Ivey said.
"So when people are out there and spot something 50 miles away, they can call in and the whole town knows."
- Casey Lessard
Walrus tests positive for trichinella
Kangiqliniq/Rankin Inlet
A walrus tested positive for trichinella in Rankin Inlet, a news release from the Government of Nunavut's Department of Health stated July 29.
"If you have eaten any uncooked walrus recently, and have experienced stomach pain, muscle pain, diarrhea, swollen eyelids, sweating and weakness, you might be infected with trichinella, the parasite that causes worm disease," stated the acting director of communications.
The department also advise that anyone who has eaten uncooked walrus should see their health-care provider if they are exhibiting any of these symptoms.
"Testing your walrus will prevent anyone from getting trichinosis. Before eating walrus that someone else caught, ask if it has been tested."
- Michele LeTourneau
La Petite Seduction airs on television and online
Iqaluit
Francophiles gathered July 29 in Iqaluit to watch themselves and other community members on national TV when the Franco-Centre hosted the live airing of La Petite Seduction, which filmed in the capital in late June.
More than 75 people gathered for the airing, Carrefour Nunavut stated in a news release, adding that the show was the culmination of months of work for the organization and the francophone community.
The program was a chance to show off throatsinging, Inuit games, the landscape, and the people who live in the capital.
For those who missed the show, produced for ICI Radio-Canada, it can be found online on the program's website as well as on the website tou.tv.
- Casey Lessard
Flashy prizes to be given
Kugluktuk/Coppermine
Big-time prizes await participants in the Diavik Diamond Extravaganza coming up in late August in Kugluktuk.
In addition to a $10,000 bingo, there will be a draw for a diamond valued at more than $11,000.
The week-long event, including three nights of dancing, is a fundraiser for an accessible bus for community members in need.
Festivities begin Aug. 24. Contact the recreation department for more information.
- Stewart Burnett
Cultural centre prepares fall session
Kangiqtugaapik/Clyde River
The deadline to apply for Nunavut's cultural training centre is coming soon and Piqqusilirivvik is accepting applications until Aug.15.
The cultural learning centre in Clyde River has two intakes, in the summer and in the winter, and the last intake saw 27 applicants from all across Nunavut.
The summer/fall session will start Aug. 19 and run to Nov. 27.
The programming includes in-class and on-the-land training in Inuit culture and history, including hunting, sewing, tool-making, home-making and child-rearing.
Interested Nunavummiut can apply through Nunavut Arctic College or the centre directly.
- Casey Lessard
Inuit Heritage Trust seeks nominations
Kivalliq
The Inuit Heritage Trust is calling for the names of elders who, by passing on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit to the younger generations, help youth find their cultural identity in the modern world and encourage them to become strong, self-confident adults.
Any elders who love sharing their stories and their knowledge in any area of Inuit culture and tradition qualify. The Heritage Trust would like to honour their efforts in keeping Inuit culture alive.
Suggestions can be sent to the Inuit Heritage Trust by summarizing the contributions of the elder who should be honoured. Such elders can qualify for $1,500.
Deadline for submissions is Oct 1. For more information contact the Inuit Heritage Trust.
- Michele LeTourneau
Appointments to Polar Knowledge Canada research organization
Ikaluktutiak/Cambridge Bay
Two appointments have been made to Polar Knowledge Canada, which is the organization responsible for the Canadian High Arctic Research Station in Cambridge Bay.
Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Minister Bernard Valcourt appointed David Scott as deputy head and chief executive officer and Richard Boudreault as the board chairperson.
Scott co-led the merger of the Canadian Polar Commission with the Canadian High Arctic Research Station initiative.
Boudreault is an entrepreneur and executive chairman of Sigma Energy Storage.
The Canadian High Arctic Research Station in Cambridge Bay is expected to be operational in 2017.
- Stewart Burnett
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