The vote took place on January 31^st and the votes for the ban were 76 and against were 74.

At the end of the day, Natuashish became a dry community.

Ever since then according to some residents, things haven't been going very smoothly for the people there with the new alcohol ban.

Even with a big sign at the Goose Bay Airport saying “ No alcohol is allowed in Natuashish, and anyone not respecting this ban could be charged,” there's still booze being brought in.

A number of people from the community have since been charged with bringing booze in and boot-legging.

Another controversy has recently risen connected to the alcohol ban in Natuashish.

Jim Nui is a resident of Natuashish.

He says that people traveling to their community are having their luggage searched at the Goose Bay airport by Innu Mikun, Air Labrador, and Goose Bay Airport Corporation personnel.

This Natuashish resident says searches done at the Goose Bay airport are illegal because the alcohol ban only applies in Natuashish and so searches should only be done there.

He also says it's only Innu peoples luggage being searched and not the white people.

We spoke to Goronwy Price who is the General Manager with the Goose Bay Airport Corporation.

He says the Airport Corporation doesn't search passengers luggage at any time.

They are only responsible for security having to do with the gates and doors at the airport, not the luggage.

Price says only the airlines and the Federal Airport Safety workers are allowed to search bags if they have safety concerns about what passangers are taking on the planes, or if they have something illegal.

Also, if a client of the airlines makes a request, they can say what passangers can and cannot bring on the plane.

The OKalaKatiget radio staff has been trying to contact officials from Innu/Mikun and Air Labrador since Tuesday but neither airline has returned our calls to make a comment about this story.

Rhonda Walsh is a resident of Nain.

She says she submitted her embroidery work into the provincial arts contest called the Arts and Letters Competition last year.

She says she later learned she had won an award, when she got a phone call about her entry, saying that she had won a cash prize.

And the competition is open again for artists young and old to enter art work and possibly win a prize.

So Walsh says if any crafts or arts person is interested in joining in the Visual Arts Competition for 2009 the deadline to enter is February 6th.

Walsh says the Arts and Letters Competition has a website you can visit for more information, the application and rules and regulations you can go by for entering your artwork.

She says any senior or junior from 18 years and up who has talent in art is eligible to enter and they accept all different forms of artwork.

She also added she is willing to help anyone who has interest in joining in the competition if they need help.

You can give her a call at 922-2036.

And remember the deadline to submit entries is February 6^th.

And another course will be taught in Rigolet, Nunatsiavut this January.

For information about the course we spoke with Andrea Keats.

She is the Youth Worker at the United Cultures Youth Centre of the Labrador Friendship Centre in Happy Valley.

She says there was a couple of classes held in Happy Valley Goose Bay last April and another in Port Hope Simpson last June.

Classes in Rigolet will involve women 18 years and older to defence skills and have discussions about different scenarios.

The courses will be held at the Northern Lights Academy gymnasium starting nine o'clock in the morning until twelve noon and again from one o' clock in the afternoon until four o' clock, for a total of twelve hours beginning on January 24^th.

To sign up or if you would like more information, contact Frances Murphy at the Status of Women Department of Nunatsiavut Government in Nain.

Or Paula McLean-Sheppard, the Community Liaison Worker for Rigolet.

Murphy says the Status of Women Department of the Nunatsiavut Government is funding these sessions and $1,200 is being paid as a fee to the instructors of the course, so the course is free to women who want to participate.

Instructors of the defence course will be Petrina Beals, the Executive Director of Mokami Status of Women Council in Happy Valley and Andrea Keats, a youth worker with the Labrador Friendship Centre in Happy Valley.

Murphy says courses for the other Nunatsiavut communities are in the plans for the future.