A man who made an unexpected entrance at an uptown convenience store after his vehicle slammed into the front of the building won't face criminal charges, say police. On June 29, an out of control SUV crashed into the Village Reddi-Mart on Old Airport Road, leaving nearby patrons, ice cream in hand, shocked and bewildered.
The uninjured driver, whose name isn't being released by police, was handed a 24-hour driving suspension under the Liquor Act, and earned a ticket for driving without licence and registration.
No criminal charges were laid.
– Brendan Burke
Transforming transformer boxes into works of art
The streets of Yellowknife are about to be a little more colourful thanks to a returning art initiative backed by the city and Northland Utilities.
For the third consecutive year, Yellowknife artists will transform transformer boxes into residential canvases, giving the common green power distributors a painterly face-lift, stated a news release from the city.
– Brendan Burke
Airshow grounded in 2018
There will be no air show in Yellowknife this year, says the GNWT.
In an email statement, Department of Infrastructure spokesperson Kelley Ryder cited scheduling conflicts as the reason for the decision to not host the show in 2018.
"Yellowknife Airport is the host airport for the bi-annual air show presented by the Yellowknife International Airshow Society. Due to scheduling challenges, there will not be an event this year," stated Ryder in an email yesterday.
Gordon Van Tighem, chair of the Yellowknife Airshow Society, said those scheduling conflicts were related to being unable to bring two of the most popular acts up north this summer.
The Snowbirds weren't available and that's the main act," said Van Tighem. "Then the CF-18 Hornet was scheduled into Europe so there's the secondary feature act."
Van Tighem said that the society is now in talks with the organizers of the Old Town Float Plane Fly-in to try to work together to host an air show next year.
Generally the fly-in happens in the alternating years opposite the air show.
Van Tighem said the society will look to host an air show in 2020 in order to get back on schedule.
– Dylan Short
Dreamliner forced to land in Yellowknife
The Yellowknife Airport had an unexpected visitor last weekend.
Air Canada confirmed through an emailed statement that flight AC845 flying from Frankfurt to Calgary was diverted to land in the capital Saturday evening.
"Flight AC845 from Frankfurt to Calgary on July 7 diverted to Yellowknife due to a medical emergency. Medical response teams met the aircraft and the customer was deplaned," stated an Air Canada spokeperson via email.
The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner airplane is one of the largest commercial aircraft in the Air Canada fleet.
The flight was grounded for a short time before it completed its trip to Calgary.
– Dylan Short
Bootlegger nabbed downtown
A Yellowknife man has been charged with the illegal sale of alcohol after Mounties seized booze and cash in the city.
David Girva, 38, was arrested and charged after Yellowknife RCMP received an anonymous tip on June 29 about a suspicious car that was seen parked downtown several times, stated a news release .
Police, with help from the public, launched an investigation into the possible illegal sale of alcohol.
As a result, RCMP seized nine bottles of Private Stock liquor, four bottles of Smirnoff vodka and $350 in cash.
Police also seized a 1999 Honda Accord under the strength of the Liquor Act.
– Brendan Burke
Physicians, GNWT finalize contracts
The GNWT and NWT Medical Association have agreed to a salary increase of 3.5 per cent over the next five years.
Introduction of daily overtime for physicians and increases in rates for on-call, call-back and travel clinics. were also included in the deal, stated a news release from the GNWT
Discussions between the GNWT and the doctors for a new contract began in January 2016 and ended in May, when both parties agreed to the terms in principle.
The agreement was finalized in June.
– Michael Hugall