Careless smoking is suspected of causing an apartment fire that claimed the life of 55-year-old Karen Petersen.
"The cause is suspected to be smoking materials too close to combustibles," NWT fire marshal Chucker Dewar told Yellowknifer last Friday, adding the blaze has been ruled accidental.
Petersen was pronounced dead in hospital after being found in her Aurora Suites apartment unit in the early hours of April 7.
Another occupant was treated for smoke inhalation at Stanton Territorial Hospital. It's not yet know if Petersen died from smoke inhalation herself.
– Brendan Burke
Inquiry's scope appears unchanged
It remains unclear whether the scope of the inquiry into allegations of workplace misconduct at the Municipal Enforcement Division (MED) will expand beyond accusations made in 2014.
"I can't talk about discussions from in camera meetings," Coun. Adrian Bell said Monday.
"What I can say is the inquiry is going to take a look at a variety of allegations,"
Doug Gillard, the head of MED, is alleged to have created a sexist and toxic workplace environment at the bylaw enforcement division.
The inquiry's terms of reference, which were released publicly in March, appear to limit the investigation to allegations made in 2014.
Yellowknifer and other media have published accusations of sexual misconduct and harassment at MED that date back to the early 2000s.
Bell brought the motion that called for an inquiry into allegations of workplace misconduct. He said on March 27 that it was still possible for the inquiry's scope to be broader than the terms of reference.
– Sidney Cohen
Campground reservations set new first-day record
NWT Park bookings during day one of opening hit a new record.
During the first two days of booking campsites the government made a total of $174,750 in sales.
The GNWT Department of Industry Tourism and Investment tallied a Day 1 booking total of $101,900 coming from 710 reservations, stated a news release.
This breaks the 2017 record of $87,000 in first day reservations.
Fred Henne Territorial Park saw a total of 655 bookings. Second to the popular attraction was Reid Lake Territorial Park with 278.
Prelude Lake Territorial Park had 263 bookings and Fort Providence Territorial Park had 88. Eighty-nine per cent of purchases came from Canadians. Over half are residents across the NWT.
There are still spots available.
– Michael Hugall
Circle of Knowledge Holders
Aurora College has taken another step towards implementing the calls to action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission with the creation of a Circle of Knowledge Holders.
The Circle of Knowledge Holders is composed of elders, Indigenous instructors and staff at the college, two allies with academic knowledge in the area and the college president.
At its first meeting in March, the group discussed a number of fundamental questions and issues over four days in Whitehorse, Yukon.
– Paul Bickford