Articles by James O'Connor

Featured, Law courts, News August 21, 2024

North Slave child molester guilty of six counts against young Indigenous girls

On the stand, a mother’s ‘upset and anger … even some 12 years later, was palpable,’ says judge


  CONTENT WARNING: The following story contains descriptions of sexual assaults against children, which may be triggering to some readers.   A resident of a North Slave community who molested three young girls over several decades has been found guilty after trial of three counts each of sexual assault and…

Environment, Featured, Health, News, Weather, Wildfires August 18, 2024

When will wildfire smoke clear? Don’t hold your breath

As warmer, drier conditions return, smoky winds will push from the south until mid-week


Many areas in the NWT experienced cooler temperatures late last week, which was been helpful in limiting extreme fire growth. However, fire crews are now preparing as the weather fluctuates, NWT Fire stated on Sunday afternoon. Dana Bowen is with the Department of Environment and Climate Change. “There are currently…

Featured, News, Transportation, Weather, Wildfires August 14, 2024

Rain will throw cold water on ‘massive’ wildfire growth in southern regions

‘There is finally a break from extreme heat and high winds in much of the NWT,' says NWT Fire


The rain currently falling in some regions will help limit some of the massive fire growth experienced over the weekend, says NWT Fire. There are several large wildfires still burning in the Dehcho and South Slave regions and smoke will be pushed into various communities, depending on the winds. The…

Community, Culture, Entertainment, Events, Featured, News, Weather August 12, 2024

Enterprise Gateway Jamboree sends good vibes into devastated community

The 25th event still had to contend with heavy wildfire smoke this year, on what was to be its final day


This year’s Enterprise Gateway Jamboree went pretty much exactly how organizers had hoped it would. It was the 25th anniversary of the community festival, there was food, drink, music and about 1,000 people showed up. There was a long list of sponsors and support came from far and wide. After…

Environment, Featured, News, Weather, Wildfires August 11, 2024

Territory experiencing ‘most severe fire weather’ this summer, warns NWT Fire

Structure protection and sprinklers set up proactively in four communities across three regions   


Weather conditions today and Monday are forecast to support extreme fire activity with “significant growth,” building off aggressive fire behaviour on Friday and Saturday, says NWT Fire. Residents of Kakisa, Wrigley, Deline, are watching wildfire activity a couple of dozen kilometres away, but are not at threat at present, read…

Art, Entertainment, Events, Featured, News, Wildfires August 9, 2024

Music and merriment to fill the air one year after Enterprise’s devastating wildfire

The Gateway Jamboree marks 25th anniversary this weekend, with a roster of entertainers, merchants, food and plenty of family fun


The Gateway Jamboree in Enterprise marks its 25th year of family fun this weekend, but another more sombre anniversary will be on minds as well. Just hours after last year’s Jamboree finished, winds pushed a raging wildfire that had been moving away from the community right towards Enterprise, and the…

Featured, Justice, Law courts, Police August 7, 2024

Senior Beaufort Delta educator charged with sexual crimes against children

Education Council assistant supt. Richard Steven McKinnon’s alleged offences occurred in Inuvik and Ulukhaktok between 2018 and 2020


A senior employee of the Beaufort Delta Education Council has been charged with multiple sexual offences alleged to have occurred in Inuvik and Ulukhaktok between 2018 and 2020. Forty-four-year-old Richard Steven McKinnon, assistant superintendent of the Beaufort Delta Education Council, was arrested by RCMP on August 5 and subsequently charged…

Environment, Featured, News, Wildfires August 6, 2024

Campfire carelessness could have sent small island up in smoke

Fire crew quickly extinguishes wildfire within one kilometre of cabins on Great Slave Lake, says NWT Fire


A person-caused fire on a small island near Mackenzie Island on Great Slave Lake “had the potential to spread quickly,” but was snuffed out by crews over the weekend, says NWT Fire. Shannon Graf is a wildfire information officer with the territorial government. “Fire ZF043 … was quickly actioned by…