Honouring a Halloween legend
An estimated 300 Hay River residents took part in a Halloween march to honour Linda Carter Oct. 31. The longtime resident was a major-league Halloween enthusiast diagnosed with terminal cancer in the spring. She couldn’t take part in the festivities as she usually did, so Erika Walton put out the call for folks to get in costume and walk from the Homesteader’s Inn along Miron Drive to Carter’s home.
“It was absolutely astounding to me,” Carter, who spent years staging a haunted house for kids, said. “I couldn’t even take it all in and the scope of it was so large it was hard for me to digest.”
Gathering orders extended
With 32 active Covid-19 cases in the Hay River area Nov. 1, public health officials extended the lockdown the community was under until Nov. 14.
Dr. Kami Kandola said the case count wasn’t trending downwards yet.
“There continue to be positive Covid-19 infections occurring with no clear chain of transmission, indicating community transmission is occurring,” she said.
Hay River to require passport at facilities
Town council decided to require proof of vaccination to enter municipal facilities starting Nov. 9. The vaccine passport program enabled the town to apply for higher capacity limits within those facilities, including the Don Stewart Recreation Centre.
About 26 people including children gathered outside town hall during the meeting on the evening of Nov. 8. They said they oppose a vaccine passport program.
The demonstration was the second in a week after about a dozen people picketed the entrance to a grocery store Nov. 6.
Newly elected town Coun. Karen Wall and Hay River South MLA Rocky Simpson visited the protest.
KFN chief praised as restrictions are eased
Chief public health officer Dr. Kami Kandola praised Kátł’odeeche First Nation (KFN) Chief April Martel specifically as she announced restrictive orders for Hay River and KFN would be lifted on Nov. 7.
“Specific recognition is warranted for Chief Martel for the demonstration of leadership that has been on display over the past few weeks to support her community,” Kandola said, noting the orders were being withdrawn early because of the positive trends in Covid-19 activity in the area.
The active case count in the NWT dropped below 70 from a peak of about 170 infected individuals in October.
New fish plant expected within a year
A new fish plant for Hay River should be operating by November 2022. That’s according to the manager of agriculture and fisheries for the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Andrew Cassidy.
The plant has been in development for about five years.
“We’re expecting commissioning probably right around this time next year, hopefully, possibly later November 2022.”
KFN to work with GNWT on squatter cabins
Kátł’odeeche First Nation said Nov. 18 it was working with the Department of Lands on cabins illegally built on KFN lands. The GNWT had announced it was focusing on unauthorized cabins across the territory.
“We’ve been working with them now for about three or four years on this issue and KFN has carried out its own inventory of cabins,” KFN lands director Peter Redvers said. “It’s also just a case of making sure that KFN members don’t unnecessarily receive notices posted on their cabins questioning their right to be there.”