 | Home page |  | Text size |  | E-mail this page |
Friday, October 30, 2015
City seeks input on project plans
The City of Yellowknife is seeking input from community members on three prominent public projects.
Conceptual plans will soon be available for the Twin Pine Hill trail network, downtown revitalization along 50 Street and Hank Koenen waterfront park. Beginning Nov. 6, Yellowknifers can share their thoughts online. There will also be two open house events at City Hall.
- James Goldie
Ice testing this weekend
People may be seen walking out on the ice-covered lakes this weekend but they are likely out there to see if it is safe for the general public to venture out. On Saturday, volunteers from the Great Slave Snowmobile Association will begin testing ice thickness on a number of lakes in the Yellowknife area including Niven Lake, Frame Lake, and Back Bay. These volunteers will wear special suits to protect them in the event that the ice breaks.
- James Goldie
Supreme court dismisses French board's appeal
The Supreme Court of Canada has dismissed appeals launched by the Commission Scolaire Francophone NWT and the parents group lobbying on the board's behalf. The commission sought another opinion on the judgment NWT Supreme Court judges Jack Watson and Frans Slatter made in January, overturning most of a previous NWT Supreme Court decision granting it control over student admission and ordering the territory to expand schools in Yellowknife and Hay River. A news release, dated Oct. 29, states the appeal has been "dismissed without costs."
- Evan Kiyoshi French
No change to Yellowknife mail
Yellowknife residents will not be affected by a recent announcement that Canada Post is temporarily suspending its transition from door-to-door delivery to community mail boxes.
The conversion process across Canada began in 2014 and was slated to be complete by 2019. "The decision won't impact Yellowknife as the work had not started," said Canada Post spokesperson Anick Losier in an e-mail to Yellowknifer.
Restoring door-to-door delivery was a promise made by the Liberal Party during the recent federal election.
- James Goldie
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Keep, clean what you kill
Environment and Natural Resources officers in the Deh Cho are reminding hunters and fishers to eat what they catch and dispose of inedible animal parts away from town, after finding fish and a beaver carcass near Fort Simpson four days apart.
On Oct. 22, two officers found fish dumped on the beach near the village, in contravention of fishery regulations which require all edible fish parts to be used.
On Oct. 26, officers found a beaver carcass on the beach, which officers say could attract wolves, foxes and other unwanted wildlife to the village.
Sambaa K'e board of directors elected
Members of Sambaa K'e Dene Band have elected the next board of directors to oversee the band's development corporation.
Dennis Deneron, Tony Jumbo, Jessica Jumbo, Fred Punch and Gilbert Lamalice have all been elected.
According to a notice from the band, officer positions on the board will be forthcoming.
Thirty-two out of 52 eligible community members voted in the election, a 62 per cent turnout.
Sale process over for CanTung Mine
North American Tungsten Corporation Ltd. (NATCL) has had its sale and investment solicitation process terminated.
The process, which allowed bids on the company's assets – including CanTung Mine near Nahanni Butte – ended Oct. 23 after monitor Alvarez and Marsal agreed none of the bids received would be likely to result in a successful transaction.
The monitor, North American Tungsten and stakeholders will be consulting about next steps and will report to the courts.
Ferry readies for closure
On Oct. 23, the Department of Transportation announced the MV Lafferty Ferry, which crosses the Liard River to Fort Simpson, could be shut down in less than a week.
In a news release, the department encouraged travelers to "complete essential movements of goods" sooner rather than later.
The department intends to provide updates three days and 24 hours before the ferry closes, although those updates may not be possible due to deteriorating conditions on the river.
The MV Johnny Berrens Ferry near Wrigley may also close for similar reasons.
Both ferries were open as of Oct. 28.
Contender for Moses
As of press time, only one of the two Inuvik constituencies will be contested in the upcoming territorial election.
Dez Loreen has announced he will challenge incumbent MLA Alfred Moses for the Inuvik Boot Lake seat while MLA Robert C. McLeod is so far running unopposed in Inuvik Twin Lakes. The deadline for candidates to submit their nomination papers is Oct. 30. The territorial election is Nov. 23.
Homeless shelter seeks board members
The Inuvik Homeless Shelter has put out a call for new board members.
Volunteers would sit on the advisory board for the shelter and join an already active team of five, including Susan Peffer, Peggy Day, Lucy Kuptana, Rachel Kasook and Nathalie Heiberg-Harrison. The position would include attending monthly meetings, offering support to the manager of the shelter and helping with weekly bingos, Kuptana stated in an e-mail.
No Halloween dance
After careful consideration, the board of the Children First Society has decided to change how it will raise money this year, cancelling its annual Halloween dance, as well as rescheduling the yearly gala to February, a board member said.
"The board of the Children First Society is well aware of the challenges that all organizations, including the CFC, face in regard to fundraising," said board member Eric Church. "This community-minded approach to planning and implementing fundraising events in Inuvik – a town where fundraising dollars are limited – is the main reason the CFS board recently decided to change the dates of its two main fundraising initiatives."
Church said such events and all initiatives put together typically make up about 10 per cent of the centre's operational budget, not an insignificant amount.
"Fundraising is a major source of revenue that can mean the difference between running quality programming and not running any programs whatsoever," he said.
Cops clamp down on drunk drivers
Inuvik RCMP have laid impaired driving charges against five individuals in the community in one week.
According to a news release, the first three arrests were made Oct. 23, with two more on Oct. 24 and 25. Five men between the ages of 29 and 58 have been charged.
"According to Statistics Canada, impaired driving is the leading cause of criminal death in Canada," said Const. Elenore Sturko. "Police in Inuvik are working hard to help prevent deaths, and to bring impaired drivers to justice."
| 
