The Nunatsiavut Government Department of Education and Economic Development are currently seeking illustrators.

Roberta Baikie Andersen is the Assistant Director Secondary Education for the Nunatsiavut Government in Makkovik.

Baikie Andersen says that so far they have a few submissions to date.

They are looking for a series of illustrations that will be used in a Social Studies Grade 3 resource materials.

The primary goal is to create a suite of characters through Labrador Inuit School children who will see themselves represented.

We will be speaking with Baikie Andersen later in the AtjiKangitut Program to find out more.

The Nain and Hopedale residents were invited to join the Vale and Nunatsiavut Government representatives to learn about and discuss this year’s winter shipping activities.

It was held on Wednesday at the Nunatsiavut Government Building in Nain and was held yesterday in the Nunatsiavut Assembly Building in Hopedale.

We had one of our radio producer’s attend the information session.

She says they had a lot of information and the turn out was good.

Stay tuned to our Sunday Program on January 31st to hear the information session with Vale.

The OKâlaKatiget Society has a job opening for a Television Producer.

This position is a full-time permanent position.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Identifying story ideas and conducting research
• Operating camera, lighting and audio equipment
• Planning and conducting interviews and sources
• Outlining and writing scripts for editing
• Transcribing
• Digitally editing film on Avid software

The closing date for this position is on Monday, February 1st, 2021.

Preferences will be given to Beneficiaries of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement.

Applicants are preferred to be bilingual in Inuktitut and English as well.

You can send in your resumes by email at arlene.ikkusek@oksociety.com or Sarah Abel at sarah.abel@oksociety.com.

For more information, you can contact the OKâlaKatiget Society office at 922-2955.

There are now 5 cases related to the recent cluster with no known source, and another new case has been linked to Marine Atlantic.

Today at Dr. Fitzgerald’s unscheduled press conference she announced four new confirmed cases of COVID-19 today.

Two new cases are located within the Eastern Health care region and are both under 20 years of age.

One new case is travel-related, and the second new case is a close contact with a case in the cluster announced yesterday.

There are approximately 160 individuals who are now in quarantine as a result of the recent cluster.

Two new cases are located within the Central Health care region.

One new case is a male aged 40-49, and the case is travel-related.

A second new case is a male 20-39 and is associated with the Marine Atlantic situation with the MV Blue Puttees.

The province has 13 Active cases of COVID-19.

One person in the hospital.

There have been no new recoveries since yesterday.

To date, 79,289 have been tested.

The press conference is ongoing and we will keep you up to date.

Newfoundland and Labrador has been experiencing unusual weather patterns, and not just in this province but everywhere else.

OKâlaKatiget Radio wanted to hear from Nunatsiavummiut to find out what their thoughts are about the mild temperatures and the sea ice.

Derrick Pottle of Rigolet says that a lot of brooks are not even frozen over and this makes it hard for travel. Although some residents from Rigolet have travelled to Goose Bay so far by snowmobile.

Mary Binky Andersen of Nain says that she has been out on the sea ice a few times but says that the ice is very unpredictable this year.

Andersen says she wonders if they will get a chance to travel north this year.

David Neil is a Meteorologist at the Newfoundland and Labrador Gander office.

Neil says that cold temperatures are lingering out on the Labrador Sea and near Greenland.

Neil says because of the cold temperatures lingering outside, we are experiencing warmer temperatures but we should expect to see some colder temperatures starting on Sunday.

We will be speaking with Derrick Pottle, Mary Binky Andersen and David Neil later in our AtjiKangitut Program to find out more.

There are four new cases of COVID-19 in the province today, three of which are connected to a case reported yesterday with no known source identified.

All new cases are in the Eastern Health region. One involves international travel, but the other three, one man and two women, are contacts to one of the two new confirmed cases announced yesterday.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says this is a concern because the source of the infection has not yet been identified.

It’s what Public Health calls a non-epidemiologically-linked case. That’s worrisome, says Dr. Fitzgerald, because they can indicate wider community transmission. While they aren’t ready to make that determination at this time, it will require extensive trace-back and investigation to identify the source.

Another concern involves a suspect case associated with a daycare. Dr. Fitzgerald is not identifying the daycare involved, but Public Health officials have made contact with those who are potentially affected.

All staff and children in the suspect case’s cohort—that is those who have been in regular contact with the suspect case—have been asked to quarantine for 14 days.

There will be a programming for youth all over Newfoundland and Labrador.

Jeff Young is the Program Project Coordinator with Skills Canada Newfoundland & Labrador.

He says any students in junior high, high school, college, post secondary, university and apprentices into Newfoundland & Labrador can attend any of our programs or competitions.

The students will have to have internet connection to be able to access the virtual programming.

Stay tuned to our Teen Rockers show to hear more from Young on his youth program.

The Nunatsiavut Government is accepting applications for a housing repair program for 2021.

The 2021 housing repair program is being available to all Beneficiaries of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement residing in the Inuit Communities of Nain, Hopedale, Postville, Makkovik and Rigolet.

Completed applications must be submitted by 4:pm on Wednesday, February 3, 2021.

Applications can be picked up from Community Liaison Officers:
Nain- Rutie Dicker- 922-2942
Hopedale- Ethel Hunter – 933-3777
Postville- Betty Vincent – 479- 9880
Makkovik – Carol Gear – 923-2365
Rigolet – Paula Sheppard McLean-Sheppard – 947-3383

Applications are also available online at www.nunatsiavut.com

For additional information please contact Brian Lyall in Happy Valley Goose Bay at 709-896-8582.

The Nunatsiavut Government Department of Education and Economic Development is currently seeking illustrators to work on the development of a new Grade 3 social studies classroom resource to be used in Nunatsiavut schools.

Illustration of characters should include children being represented either in a classroom setting, a local festival, a community meeting.

The theme of the illustration should be people helping one another.

This is a two part series, first series must include 8 to 10 characters and the second part should include 10 to 15 characters.

Timeline for submissions is today and the samples are due in by February 10th, 2021.

Each submission meeting the requirements will receive a one time payment of $250.00, even if you are not selected as the primary illustrator for this project.

You may send a notification of intent to submit and submission samples to Roberta Baikie Andersen at the Makkovik Nunatsiavut Government office, by email Roberta.baikieandersen@nunatsiavut.com or by fax to 709-923-2347.

The Happy Valley-Goose Bay Ground Search and Rescue would like to send out a Public Notice to residence.

Please be advised that there will be Ice Rescue Training taking place on February 6 and 7, 2021.

This will be held at the Hunting and Fishing Association Boat Launch located in the Terrington Basin, HVGB NL.

There will be a large 12×12 hole cut in the ice which will have a barrier and also markers to identify its location.

However the HVGB Ground Search and Rescue Team is advising all individuals who may use that area for snowmobiling and other recreational activities to stay clear of that specific location and to be mindful of the individuals who will be on the ice and in the water completing their training.