 | Home page |  | Text size |
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Ekati workers vote yea on tentative agreement
Unionized workers at the Ekati mine voted to ratify the tentative agreement with Dominion Diamond Corporation. The result of the vote was announced on Tuesday, with the voting taking place over the course of four weeks to ensure all members could participate.
The new collective agreement will expire on May 31, 2019. The Public Service Alliance of Canada reached the tentative deal in February, after 30 months of negotiation.
- Jessica Davey-Quantick
Higher fines coming for drivers
Some penalties for breaking the rules of the road will increase by more than $200 on April 1, according to a Department of Transportation news release.
Drivers who fail to stop for school buses will soon have to pay a fine of $402, compared to the former $115. Failing to stop at a red light will also be more costly, at $172 compared to $86. The fine for not wearing a seatbelt will increase from $115 to $172.
- Kirsten Fenn
Christmas in July fundraising begins
Fundraising has begun for the annual Christmas in July charity event. Each summer, volunteers distribute bags of supplies and food to the city's homeless. Last year, the group raised around $1,500 to create approximately 170 bags. Organizer Renee Sanderson is now seeking donations of goods and services for a fundraising auction, as well as small toiletries, individually packaged non-perishable foods, backpacks and adult clothing, which can be made by contacting her directly or through the Pay it Forward NWT Facebook group.
- Jessica Davey-Quantick
April 2 declared Autism Awareness Day
Mayor Mark Heyck has declared April 2 Autism Awareness Day in the City of Yellowknife.
The announcement came at a city council meeting Monday night after a presentation by the NWT Autism Society.
Treasurer Jennifer Winsor said the society is focusing this year on education around the disorder, as there is a need to remove the stigma and myths around it.
"It is through education and awareness we help to create more diverse, healthy and inclusive communities," Heyck said in his declaration at council.
- Kirsten Fenn
Trying to compete
Coral Harbour
The Coral Harbour U14 boys' soccer team continues its efforts to raise the money to compete at the annual Super Soccer tournament in Yellowknife. NWT, this coming month.
If successful in raising the money to travel, the Coral boys will be competing in Yellowknife from April 26-30.
The Super Soccer tournament often attracts teams from all three Nunavut regions, as well as across the NWT.
Super Soccer is often the only opportunity soccer teams from smaller communities have to compete against others.
The players on Coral's U14 team hoping to compete in Yellowknife are: Travis Kataluk, Esa Kolit, Ian Stanley, Sam Saviakjuk, Abel Jr. Kalai, Moses Jr. Nakoolak, Justin Budge Bruce, Jonah Jones, Corson Shapangak, Earl Shapangak, Owen Angootealuk; coach Doris Bruce
Science lovers
Chesterfield Inlet
Science-loving students from schools across the Kivalliq region descended upon Victor Sammurtok School in Chesterfield Inlet to battle for top honours in the annual Kivalliq Regional Science Fair this past weekend.
The students are showing off their science muscles in hopes of attending the 56th edition of the Canada-wide Science Fair in Regina, Sask., from May 14-20.
The 2017 Canada-wide Science Fair will feature 500 students from across the country displaying 400 science projects.
The national fair will be held on the campus of the University of Regina.
The students are competing for nearly $1 million in cash prizes and scholarships this year in Regina.
Peewee time
Rankin Inlet
Teams from across the region and Iqaluit will be in Rankin Inlet this coming weekend to compete in the annual Powerful Peewees hockey championship.
Fence us in
Coral Harbour
The community of Coral Harbour is continuing its lobbying efforts to have snow fences erected in the community.
Coral was pounded just over three weeks ago by a three-day blizzard that packed winds gusting as high as 119 km/h.
Coral Harbour Mayor Ronnie Ningeongan points to the subdivision near the Coral arena as a prime example of an area of the community badly in need of snow fence protection.
Kusugak honoured
Rankin Inlet
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is honouring the late Jose Kusugak of Rankin Inlet by adding his name to a list of Canadians who made important contributions to Canadian communications during the past 150 years.
Longtime Northern broadcaster Jonah Kelly was also added to the list, and the two men will now have a meeting room named in their honour at Ottawa's C.D. Howe building, which is the location of the CRTC's head office.
The CRTC made the announcements on March 21.
Shots fired
Rankin Inlet
A man was arrested and taken into custody after shots were fired from within a residence of Area 6 in Rankin Inlet this past Saturday, March 25.
A rifle was also seized by police, who had activated the Critical Incident Command in response to the shots being fired.
Charges had yet to be laid against the adult male as of press time.
There were no injuries reported during the incident.
| 
