Whitehorse Daily Star

May 14, 2012

• Yukon government enriches Rendezvous festival funding The Yukon government will provide an additional $25,000 in funding to the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Society for the 2012-2013 year, bringing the funding to $75,000 through a one-year agreement.
• Mental health strategy will be unveiled here Following last Tuesday's national launch of Changing Directions, Changing Lives: The Mental Health Strategy for Canada, the Mental Health Commission of Canada has made Whitehorse the site of the first of a series of cross-Canada regional launches of the strategy.
• Doing His Part Marjorie Rogers gives Yukon MP Ryan Leef a green apple Saturday morning
• Whitehorse writer will present Word Project What would you get if you tossed the ideas of Canadian media theorist Marshall McLuhan into a blender with those of Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein?
• Council to vote on unfinished capital projects The city is carrying more than $12 million in unfinished capital projects from last year, representing more than one third of what was budgeted in 2011.
• Moose Munch These twin moose were spotted over the weekend
• Talented young pianist a source of pride for family Local pianist Jamie Phillips-Freedman isn't good for his age, he's just plain good.
• Fund-raisers for ailing youth generate $12,000-plus Many in Whitehorse were dancing for a good cause over the weekend, to '80s hits and Latin tunes.
• Yukon College graduates will represent the North The Yukon College graduating class of 2011-2012 crossed the stage at the Yukon Arts Centre on Saturday afternoon.
• Enforcement proves the best reminder of dangers: RCMP Leading up to the Victoria Day long weekend, the RCMP in the Yukon will be taking part in a national cross-Canada traffic blitz targeting unsafe and impaired drivers.

May 11, 2012

• Plans firming up for Relay for Life With Wednesday's kick-off, the countdown is on to the 2012 Whitehorse Relay for Life, organized by the Canadian Cancer Society.
• Former columnist, instructor passes on Nelson Lewis, a former stalwart member of the Whitehorse food industry and former Star columnist, died April 17 at a Princeton, B.C. nursing home.
• AYC awards laud achievement and sustainability The Association of Yukon Communities' (AYC's) annual general meeting banquet was also the occasion for the presentations of two of its annual awards.
• Walk planned for dog guides On May 27 residents of Whitehorse are participating in the Purina Walk for Dog Guides to help provide dog guides to people with disabilities.
• Food bank director lauds Yukoners' generosity Food Banks Canada's National Hunger Awareness Week will conclude this weekend, after Canadians were challenged to give up at least one meal to raise awareness of the nearly 900,000 people who rely on the food bank to make ends meet every month.
• Speaker receives Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal Commissioner Doug Phillips presented a Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal Tuesday to David Laxton, the Speaker of the Yukon legislature.
• Conservation tradition links fun and education Longtime Whitehorse resident Dean Turner is celebrating his 18th year offering free bird houses for children as well as adults.
• Peel issue dubbed ‘watershed for democracy' Yukoners of all ages rallied outside the legislative assembly Thursday afternoon, urging the government to accept the Peel Planning Commission's final plan – as written.
• MLA talks food access with UN Interim Liberal Leader Darius Elias has made a submission to the United Nations regarding Old Crow's experiences with access to food and the Nutrition North Program.
• Monday Melodies Rebekah Bell conducts the All-City Junior Concert Band
• Territory highlights emergency readiness Community Services Minister Elaine Taylor has joined Public Safety Canada along with provincial and territorial emergency management organizations in recognizing Emergency Preparedness Week (May 6-12).
• Young bruin relocated amid mounting bear calls The first four calls on issues involving bears came into Environment Yukon earlier this week, resulting in one young female black bear being trapped and relocated.
• Enraged driver who ran over ex-Yukoner is sent to prison A B.C. resident has been handed a 5 1/2-year prison sentence for running a truck off a Langley road, then driving back to mow down a 21-year-old passenger standing nearby.
• Reign of the crane will adjourn to the wilderness A crane found injured in the woods last fall in Faro is now strong enough to be released back into the wild.
• Trial hears details of violent confrontation Ed. note: this story contains graphic descriptions of a crime scene.
• Willie Gordon: the empty peg speaks volumes Walking down Third Avenue in Dawson City almost anytime in the last two decades, one could hear the joyful noise emanating from the century-old Westminster Hotel (the Pit). The source was their house band, the Pointer Brothers.
• Opposing sides of abortion issue meet downtown Demonstrators on both sides of the abortion debate assembled in downtown Whitehorse on Thursday afternoon.
• Much of budget unscrutinized as legislature adjourns The spring session of the legislative assembly wrapped up Thursday, and all three party leaders say they're pleased with how it went.
• Controversial aerial wolf-kills shot down Shooting wolves from helicopters to help boost moose and caribou populations in the Yukon has been taken off the table.

May 10, 2012

• Geologist named to college board The territorial government has appointed Mike Burke to Yukon College's board of governors for a three-year term.
• Premier praises co-operation with AYC Introducing Premier Darrell Pasloski as the guest speaker at last Friday evening's banquet session of the Association of Yukon Communities (AYC), president Bev Buckway referred to her long struggle to finally have a premier attend an AYC conference.
• Concession spot opens at Games Centre The city is seeking a new concession stand partner at the Canada Games Centre, indoor facilities manager Art Manhire said this week.
• Year-end Recital On Stage This Evening Photo Spread
• Island featured in podcast series The inaugural episode of a new podcast series, The Living North, strikes a chord that's made in the Arctic with a song for Herschel Island called Qikiqtarukf – The Island.
• Book, exhibit highlight Herschel Island's history Wednesday evening's launch of a new book, Herschel Island/Qikiqtaryuk – A Natural and Cultural History of Yukon's Arctic Island, coincided with the opening of a Herschel Island exhibit at the MacBride Museum of Yukon History.
• Show and Tell Weekend Chris May, with Mid Arctic Technology Services
• Three Yukon students to compete at science fair Three Grade 7 students from Whitehorse will compete against 500 other young scientists from across Canada in Charlottetown next week.
• Telecommunications woes frustrated lottery enthusiasts Wednesday Yukoners were unable to purchase or check lottery tickets nor play other online gambling games Wednesday because of a problem with telecommunications.
• Signs prompt Speaker to clear legislature The legislative assembly was shut down briefly Wednesday afternoon as a group of youth raised signs in the public gallery protesting the possible development of the Peel watershed.
• ‘Disturbing' assault sees trio sentenced to cell time Three men have been sentenced to two years in jail after an attack which led to a man getting a finger cut off.