Noah Nochasak of Nain has been sea Kajaking since 2010 and has been interested in the idea since 2003.

Noah has built three of his own Kajait and has traveled north of Nain several times.

Nochasak says that they have ordered four Kajait each for the other Nunatsiavut communities including Hopedale, Postville, Makkovik and Rigolet.

Nochasak adds that he will be traveling to these communities in the near future to teach basic Kajaking so that this tradition can also continue in the other four Nunatsiavut communities.

We will be speaking with Nochasak later in the Labrador Memories program to find out more about his Kajaking.

Labrador-Grenfell Health is dedicated to supporting diversity and providing safe spaces for our patients, staff and community partners. To show their commitment, they will be celebrating PRIDE Week until July 25th, 2021.

To mark the celebration, they rose their PRIDE flags at their facilities.

They are honoured to work in partnership with local 2SLGBTQ+ communities for the flag raisings as well as supporting activities planned for staff throughout the week.

PRIDE is a time dedicated to celebrating diversity of the 2SLGBTQ+ communities, acknowledge their history and hardships, and support the continued progress made in solidarity with all individuals.

They would like to recognize the significance of the 2SLGBTQ+ community and wish everyone a safe and happy Pride Week.

Labrador-Grenfell Health is advising the public that individuals 12 years and older are now eligible to receive their second dose of COVID-19 Vaccine sooner.

Individuals who received Pfizer for Dose 1 are eligible to receive their second dose 21 days after the first. Individuals who received Moderna for Dose 1 are eligible to receive their second dose 28 days after the first.

Labrador-Grenfell Health continues to offer mRNA vaccine interchangeably.

Please note that Pfizer will be reserved for individuals 12 to 17 years of age until more is readily available in the region. Moderna is available for all individuals 18 years of age and older.

Public Health is looking carefully at its mandatory mask policy.

A Special Measures Order requires that masks be worn in public indoor places and where social distancing cannot be maintained.

Prince Edward Island lifted its mandatory requirement for non-medical masks to be worn in public.

Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, says while PEI’s testing strategy is different from that of Newfoundland and Labrador, they are giving the lifting of mask requirements some consideration.

Officials expected some cases being imported to Newfoundland and Labrador when inter-provincial travel restrictions were lifted and having the mask policy in place gave them added assurance that a potential outbreak could be prevented.

Dr. Fitzgerald told reporters yesterday it is something they’re looking at and an update could be coming in the next few weeks.

The Torngat Mountains Base Camp will not be open this summer for visitors.

Jillian Larkham is the Director of Tourism for the Nunatsiavut Government.

She says that ongoing research will continue this summer at the Park.

There will also be maintenance staff, cooks and bear guards at the camp.

We will be speaking with Jillian Larkham later in the AtjiKangitut program to find out more.

Today, Thursday, July 15, Newfoundland and Labrador has no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the last public advisory.

There are 23 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 aboard the second ship anchored in Conception Bay. This brings the total of confirmed COVID-19 positive cases to 31 crew members.

Testing of all crew is ongoing and all are isolating. One crew member is in hospital.
The province continues to work closely with the Public Health Agency of Canada and Eastern Health regarding the two ships anchored in Conception Bay.

The ships and crews are following Public Health orders as directed by the Public Health Agency of Canada. There is no risk to the community. On the ship that was announced on July 5, there remain 14 confirmed cases and testing of all crew is completed.

There have been no new recoveries in the province since the last public advisory, 1,376 people have recovered, and one person is in hospital due to COVID-19.

There is currently one active case of COVID-19 in the province as well as 45 active cases of COVID-19 on the two ships anchored in Conception Bay. The regional breakdown of the active cases is as follows:

· Eastern Health – 1 residing in the region and 45 on ships in Conception Bay
· Central Health – 0
· Labrador-Grenfell Health – 0
· Western Health – 0

To date, 163,675 people have been tested.

SIKU and SmartICE 2021 has announced their Grand Prize Winners.

Inuit from across Inuit Nunangat took part in an Ice Watch Challenge, supporting ice safety and knowledge.

There were 295 ice posts across 32 communities and these posts documented dangerous ice conditions, shared Inuktitut terminology, and contributed to the siku ice map.

The $1000 grand prize winner went to Derek Itkilik of Taloyoak, Nunavut for his post of a lead (âjugak) which is important when travelling in the spring.

Eva Obed of Nain, Nunatsiavut was also one of the grand prize winners for SIKU and SmartICE 2021.

Obed won $500 for her submission to inform residents of safe ice and safe travels.

Harpoon prize went to Ian Alaku of kangigsujuaq, Nunavik, his post shows many types of ice that people travel through in order to get their harvest.

And the $250 grand prize went to Jonny Ippak from Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, and his post showed where cracks are especially in the spring time.

Siku and SmartICE thanks everyone who contributed to their community’s ice safety and knowledge and they hope to see you again next year for the 2022 Ice Watch Challenge.

The OKâlaKatiget Society has an employment opportunity for a full-time permanent Radio Producer.

Under the supervision of the Senior Radio Producer, the Radio Producer prepares news, current affairs for daily broadcast on the Society’s radio network.

The salary will be dependent on qualifications.

The closing date for this position is Monday, July 26, 2021.

Applications should be forwarded to:

OKâlaKatiget Society
P.O. Box 160
Nain, NL A0P 1L0

You can call our office at 922-2955 and our fax number is 709-922-2293.

Applications can also be sent to yvonne.lyall@oksociety.com or eva.obed@oksociety.com.

The regulated price of gas is up again today.

Gas has increased by 1.6 cents per litre, while diesel, furnace and stove oil are all up by less than a cent a litre.

Propane is up by two cents a litre.

The Public Utilities Board, which regulates fuel prices across the province, allowed on Thursday for an increase of 1.6 cents per litre on all grades of gasoline.

The Nain Fish plant started taking char that the fishermen landed last Monday.

Deidi Kohlmeister is the Office Supervisor for the fish plant.

She says to date a total of 847 lbs of char has been landed, there are now three commercial char fishermen.

Kohlmeister says the first catch of scallops was also landed from the Torngat 1 scallop boat yesterday, where a total of 2,039 lbs of green and 31 lbs of shucked scallops was landed.

She says there are 19 employees working, some whose processing char and some shuckers.

The fish plant also started smoking char, and right now they’re waiting for the prices before they start selling some locally or elsewhere and it goes same for the scallop.

Meanwhile, the Makkovik fish plant is busy with the snow crab landed.

Angel Chaulk is the Clerk.

She says a total of 220,947 lbs of crab is landed and processed to date.

Chaulk says they have 27 employees, including 7 summer students.

Theres 5 active crab boats and to now 5 other boats have finished.