The second Provincial court circuit to be held in Nain for February arrived this morning and will hold sessions till Friday.

Constable Will McGinnis is with the Nain RCMP detachment.

McGinnis says Judge English is presiding, Crown Prosecutor is Robert Sutherland and Dennis MacKay is the Defence Lawyer.

He says 50 people have to appear before the court.

And the charges range from break and enter, assault, sexual assault, theft and breach of probation.

McGinnis says the next court circuit will be March 24^th to the 28^th.

The Pepsi Team from Natuashish were the big winners in the 2^nd Annual Mushua Innu First Nation Ball Hockey Tournament over the weekend.

Gerry Gregoire was one of the organizers.

He says the Pepsi team received the First Nation Cup as well as $3,500 cash.

Kakatshu team from Sheshashui came in second and also awarded $2,500.

In 3^rd place were the Revenge team from Natuashish who took home  $1,500.

Gregoire says plaque awards were also presented.

Timmy Poker got the Most Valuable Player award, while Gary Rich received the Most Sportsmanlike award, and the Top Defense award went to Raymond Rich.

He says the Best Goalie award went to Paul Selma of Sheshashui, and the Top Scorer award went too Andrew Nuna and Gavin Nuna got the Top Forward title.

He says the team from Hopedale and 2 teams from Sheshashui were flown in to take part in the tournament.   

Gregoire says there was no entrance fee, and 200 spectators showed up to watch the tournament.

He says there was a registration fee of $10 for each player.

Gregoire would like to thank the Innu Agencies and Businesses in Sheshashui and Natuashish who gave donations, and also the referees Veryan Piwas and Adrian Downey.

Youth in Nain participated in an Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training from February 13^th to February 15^th.

Sandra Dicker Youth Coordinator for Nunatsiavut Government says 9 youth took the training.

She says the youth were trained on how to recognize signs of an individual who is thinking of suicide; how to talk to a person who is at risk of suicide and where to go for help.

The participants received a certificate after completing two days of training.

The training workshop was funded by the Department of Canadian Heritage.

A training workshop for youth will be held in Hopedale the week of March 10^th. 

Gerry Dooley, Mental Health Nurse in St. John’s and Jocelyn Rose of Corner Brook were the instructors.

Dooley has been an educator for 28 years and is one of nineteen people in the world qualified to give this type of workshop.

He adds that he also delivers workshops for dealing with stress, control issues and workshops that deal with other mental health issues.

Dooley says the youth in Nain are fantastic because they are open, gentle and have a wonderful spirit.

The “Miss Teen Labrador” Pageant was held this past weekend in Labrador City.

Tobey Andersen of Makkovik was a contestant at the pageant and earned the title of Miss Teen Labrador Achievement.

Andersen, a Level III Student at the John Christian Erhardt Memorial School says she became interested after speaking with Krista Collins, Miss Teen Canada.

She adds she saw it as a good opportunity to be a positive role model to the younger generation, her community and as well to her younger sisters.

The participants were judged on interviews, casual wear, evening wear and business wear, speech presentation as well as taking part in a question and answer period.

Andersen’s speech was about Uranium mining.

She says she has to make at least 9-12 appearances across Labrador, and make visits to hospitals and the Paddon Home.

Overall she’s happy that she was chosen as Miss Teen Labrador Achievement as she sees it as a opportunity to be an Ambassador for youth in a positive way.

As a result Andersen will attend the Miss Teen Newfoundland and Labrador Achievement pageant in April.

As well she is eligible to attend the Miss Teen Canada Galaxy Pageant in September.

Craft making workshops started today in each of the five north coast communities.

Amalia Tuglavina is the Community Development Officer for the Makkovik Inuit Community Government.

She says these workshops are pilot projects, and there are 8 to 10 participants in each Town with a local instructor.

Tuglavina says this project was possible through funds from Innovation Trade and Rural Development as well as the local Trust Committees.

Joan Andersen is the Chair of the Provincial Board of the Moravian Church in NL.

She says she made a report on this matter when she attended the Moravian Church Women’s Conference in Alaska.

Andersen says she would like to see a closer partnership between Alaska, Labrador and the Morongo Indian Reserve in California.

The three congregations are really spread out because of the distance involved.

So, forming a better communication and information system between the 3 groups was also discussed.

Tanya Schlossek is Director of Renewable Resources for Nunatsiavut Government.

She says the training starts on Monday, February 18^th and lasts three weeks.

Seven Conservation Officers and four Pathways students will participate.

In this module they will learn Enforcement Operations; Search and Seizure; and Law Enforcement Ethics.

During the last week the group will go on a Field trip.

Department of Fisheries and Oceans has agreed to coach them the Techniques and Procedures for Patrols.

An instructor from the College of North Atlantic will conduct a Wilderness Survival course.

Schlossek says there are six modules of training the Conservation Officers are scheduled to do over a two year period.

The next module will be held over May and June months.

Trina Pardy is an Employment Councillor with the Corporation.

She says the Lake Melville Community Employment Corp helps people with developmental disabilities find a job.

Pardy says they don’t have many clients on the north coast and this is why she’s making this trip to inform people about the services LMCEI can provide.

She will hold a session in Nain on February 19^th at 1:00 pm at the Nain ICG Office boardroom.

She will then move to Hopedale to hold a similar session on February 20^th.

Some past and present employers of people with disabilities have been the Amaguk Inn and D.J’s Gift shop in Hopedale;

Northern Store, Nain;

Sheppard’s Skidoo and Variety and Postville Inuit Community Government – Postville and Skipper Gils in Makkovik.

She says the overall goal of the Corporation is to support people with developmental or learning disabilities to maintain employment and become more self-sufficient.

Trudy Mesher-Barkman is the Economic Development Advisor for the Centre.

She says originally the focus was to help Inuit to get business opportunities related to Voisey’s Bay Mine site.

But that vision has expanded to any type of business opportunities.

Mesher-Barkman says the Centre also helps people with business plans and directs them to other business agencies if they need to access more funds.

She will be conducting information sessions about the service the Centre provides and arrives in Nain on Monday, February 18^th.

She is also travelling to all Towns on the north coast.

Julia Ford is the Youth Assistant with the Dept. Of Youth & Elders Division of  Nunatsiavut Government.

She says there are 12 youth attending the camp from all North coast Towns, between ages 18-25.

She says that the youth will receive Inuttitut training and participate in traditional activities such as putting up a tent and ice fishing.

Ford also states that they need more instructors, bear monitors, ski-doos, and Kamutiks.

Maria Dicker and Annie Lidd are two of the instructors.

Ford adds that there will be an upcoming throatsinging and drumdancing workshop on the week of 18^th, so look out for the ads.

The deadline for the Spring Camp is TODAY, so hurry up and apply!