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AROUND THE SOUTH SLAVE: Dark Sky Festival to feature Canadian astronaut

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Thebacha/Fort Smith

Roberta Bondar, the first Canadian woman astronaut to go into space, is headlining this year's Dark Sky Festival in Wood Buffalo National Park.

Bondar, a trained neurologist, was the head of space medicine at NASA for more than a decade.

She is also a landscape photographer whose work has been shown in galleries across Canada and in England.

The annual Dark Sky Festival is a multi-day exploration of the cosmos and the science behind it. The camp-out event features presentations, a tour of the roll-off roof observatory, workshops and arts and crafts.

Wood Buffalo National Park is the world's largest dark sky preserve, meaning it restricts light pollution and is an ideal place to take in the wonders of the night sky.

Each year, the family-friendly festival draws the astronomically curious from around Canada and the world to Fort Smith and the park.

Prospective festival-goers have until Aug. 15 at 6 p.m. to register for the event, which takes place from Aug. 23 to 26.

More information can be found the Thebachca and Wood Buffalo Astronomical Society website.

Man charged with Fort Resolution murder appears in court

Somba K'e/Yellowknife

A 30-year-old Fort Resolution man charged with murder in connection with the death of a man in the community on Canada Day made a brief court appearance in NWT territorial court Wednesday.

Wearing civilian clothes and a black eye, Chad Beck scanned the Yellowknife courtroom as he entered the prisoner's booth.

Beck was charged with first-degree murder after Fort Resolution RCMP located an unresponsive man on Sunday, July 1. The man was later pronounced dead.

Court files identify the victim as 27-year-old Cameron Sayine.

In court Wednesday, prosecutor Blair McPherson informed Judge Christine Gagnon the Crown had provided Beck and his lawyer, Peter Harte, with a "very short" disclosure package related to the case.

Upon McPherson's request, Gagnon okayed a no contact order barring Beck from communicating with one other individual.

Beck is due to appear in territorial court via video on July 24.

– Brendan Burke

Packed schedule of events at Culture Week 2018

Deninu Kue/Fort Resolution

The Deninu Kue First Nation has released the lineup for Culture Week 2018.

A full slate of demonstrations, competitions and cookouts are scheduled for Aug. 1 to 7 on Mission Island in Fort Resolution.

Highlights include fish and meat drying, bannock making and trap and snare setting demonstrations, canoeing, crafts and story telling.

The event is environmentally friendly, so no paper or plastic plates or cups will be provided.

Guests should bring their own dishware, food and camping gear.

All ages are welcome and camping is encouraged.