Whitehorse Daily Star

April 13, 2012

• Cadets compete for national placing Royal Canadian Air and Army Cadets from the three territories will compete in Whitehorse this weekend, in an effort to win a spot on the Northern Region National shooting team.
• Union serves strike notice on Many Rivers The Public Service Alliance of Canada/Yukon Employees' Union has served a strike notice pursuant to the Canada Labour Code on the Many Rivers Counselling and Support Services Society.
• City to put extra sweeper on the streets: Buckway City hall has ordered an extra street sweeper to be deployed to help beautify Whitehorse roadways, Mayor Bev Buckway said Thursday.
• Territorial minimum wage to rise to $10.30 Effective May 1, the Yukon's minimum wage will rise to $10.30 as recommended by the territory's Employment Standards Board.
• Swan total at Haven is well over 400 There were 430 swans at Swan Haven as of Wednesday night.
• Mayor takes ‘high road' over coalition fracas There's no money this year for the city to fund any initiatives related to its new membership on the Canadian Coalition of Municipalities Against Racism and Discrimination.
• NDP applauds residents' determination NDP environment critic Kate White is pleased by the decision not to issue oil and gas exploration rights in any of the 12 areas of the Whitehorse Trough.
• Moratorium imposed on petroleum exploration Oil and gas exploration rights will not be issued in any of the 12 areas of the Whitehorse Trough, Energy, Mines and Resources Minister Brad Cathers announced Thursday afternoon.
• WestJet firming up Whitehorse operations WestJet Airlines and Strategic Aviation Services (SAS) Ltd. have signed an agreement to provide services for the airline's Whitehorse operations.
• Half-century-old business calls it a day After 50 years in the same location, Qualita Cleaners will officially close its doors to the public on April 30.
• Government moves to ban tents from its lawns A Yukon government draft regulation unveiled Thursday would make another tent city on government land illegal.
• Property tax boosts will be a permanent trend Whitehorse will need a four per cent increase in property taxes every year for the foreseeable future, says the city's director of administrative services.
• ‘Grab tools and go for it,' advises tiny house advocate The latest response to the territory's housing crisis has just been built, and it's sitting at the top of a driveway in Riverdale.
• Ranchers leave the bison business The LaPrairie Bison Ranch has shipped all of its bison to Saskatchewan, the Yukon government has confirmed.
• Don't let mistake be a ball and chain: judge The 12-year-old girl who admitted to helping set last year's multimillion-dollar fire at the Canada Games Centre has received the same sentence as her teenaged counterpart.

April 12, 2012

• A Yukon bishop appears in a new children's book Isaac Stringer, the Yukon bishop who ate his boots, gets a star turn in Whitehorse author Claire Eamer's new children's book, The World in Your Lunch Box, The Wacky History and Weird Science of Everyday Foods.
• Peel commission's work merits public consideration, MLA says The territorial NDP is calling on the Yukon Party government to consult the public on the Final Recommended Peel Watershed Regional Land Use Plan as it's written.
• MLA queries future of water inspections Concerns have been raised in the legislature this week that the entire responsibility for water licensing inspections for mining projects is on the verge of being transferred from the Department of Environment to the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources.
• InFARMation celebrates 25 years as valuable farmers' resource The Yukon government's agriculture newsletter, InFARMation, marks its 25th anniversary as an important information resource for farmers, the agriculture industry and the public.
• Spring Is Here! Photo Spread
• Fox Lake local area plan process announced A process has started to develop a local area plan for the Fox Lake vicinity.
• Ambassador opens famed explorer exhibit A new exhibit showcasing photos and journal entries by the first explorer to successfully navigate the Northwest Passage opened Wednesday at the MacBride Museum of Yukon History.
• City congratulates 17 residents for community contributions Community volunteers were honoured Tuesday for their commitment to society.
• Blood on bat belonged to victim, jury hears The mother of a woman currently standing trial for murder was originally a person of interest in the case, the court heard Wednesday.
• Work includes bridge widening, Range Road upgrades The federal and territorial governments announced $37 million in joint funding for 15 infrastructure projects today.

April 11, 2012

• Ease tax bite on vacant land: councillor The city and Yukon government need to do something to lessen the tax burden on vacant commercial properties waiting to be sold, says city councillor Ranj Pillai.
• Annual Bridge Building Contest goes Saturday Science Adventures, working with the Association of Professional Engineers of Yukon, will stage the 19th annual Bridge Building Contest on Saturday at Porter Creek Secondary School's gym.
• Reductions will cost CBC North six jobs CBC North will lose six jobs as a result of the federal government's cuts to the public broadcaster.
• Seasonal Lake Rapid spring melting is creating a series of large puddles (or tiny lakes) all over Dawson City
• Sprinkler system douses historical treasures in Dawson City The Dawson City Museum is mopping up after a defective sprinkler system poured water into the building, causing extensive damage to many historic artifacts in the museum's collection.
• Council approves budget, related property tax hike City council passed the 2012 operating and maintenance budget Tuesday evening, along with the accompanying three-per-cent increase in property taxes.
• Contract negotiations reach an impasse Staff from the Many Rivers Counselling and Support Services Society could strike as early as Friday, as contract negotiations have stalled.
• More rural residents are depending on food bank Use of the Whitehorse Food Bank by families in rural areas as far away as Watson Lake and Pelly Crossing has increased, says its executive director.
• Tenters expected to set down new stakes The co-chair of the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition says all signs point to another tent city appearing somewhere in Whitehorse as soon as the weather gets warm enough.