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NEWS BRIEFS: Suspected diamond thief charged

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A 39-year-old Yellowknife man has been charged following an investigation into internal theft at Diavik Diamond Mines.

Samson Mkhitaryan faces two counts of theft over $5,000 after a probe led by Yellowknife RCMP and the NWT RCMP Federal Investigations Unit.

Police were alerted to the suspected diamond thefts after receiving a report from the mine in February, stated an RCMP news release Wednesday. A subsequent investigation led to the recovery of diamonds and the arrest.

"It is important to recognize the quick actions of the diamond company and the investigation by RMCP led to the successful recovery of the diamonds," stated Yellowknife RCMP spokesperson Marie York-Condon.

"The checks and balances in place were able to bring this illegal activity to light."

Details related to Mkhitaryan's arrest – including whether he worked at the mine and in what capacity – are still unclear. It's also unknown as to the type or size of diamond reported stolen.

In an email to Yellowknifer, York-Condon said RCMP remained tight-lipped about the investigation and the subsequent arrest.

– Brendan Burke

 

Spring those clocks ahead

Daylight saving time moves clocks ahead one hour, starting at 2 a.m. Sunday. It continues until November.

The Vitamin D enhancement with the longer periods of sunshine will last until we are expected to fall back to increasing darkness on Nov. 4. The clock shift is observed across Canada, except in Saskatchewan, where Central Standard Time reigns year-round.

Safety officials also remind us that it's a good habit to check your smoke alarms and replace the batteries twice a year, when the clocks change.

– Michael Hugall

 

Walk to Tuk interest jumps 20 per cent

The popular annual community challenge, Walk to Tuk, has wrapped up with 4,404 people in 310 teams, from 28 NWT communities participating.

This represents an over 20-per-cent increase in participation from 2017, says NWT Recreation and Parks Association (NWTRPA).

"We have heard so many stories of how Walk to Tuk started someone on a path towards a healthier lifestyle or helped them bond with their teammates or revealed to them the beauty of their community in the wintertime," said Sheena Tremblay, director of active communities at the NWTRPA.

On average, each Walk to Tuk participant accumulated 292 minutes of weekly exercise, which is nearly double the 150 minutes recommended in the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines.

– James O'Connor

 

NWT Senate nominations open

The Independent Advisory Board for Senate Appointments is looking to fill the NWT seat, among others, in its current applications review cycle, which ends in a month.

For this seat, the board will review applications submitted by April 3.

Anyone can apply online to be a senator, by filling out an application form, providing a CV and having three reference letters.

– Tim Edwards