Whitehorse Daily Star

March 30, 2012

• Inmates locked into work-for-meals program With the dawning of spring, the Yukon government has quietly slipped its right-leaning agenda behind the bars of the new Whitehorse Correctional Centre.
• Committee may explore proposed whistle-blower legislation Committee may explore proposed whistle-blower legislation
• Rules are rules, councillor insists Most members of city council are ready to cut some slack for a Hillcrest resident whose new garage was built too close to the property lines.
• Absenteeism rates ‘a crisis', MLA warns Yukon schools have a problem with attendance, and there doesn't seem to be any easy solution.
• Dawson makes the finalists list for Live Right Now Dawsonites learned rather late in the week that their town had been chosen as one of the 13 finalists in CBC's Live Right Now capital of Canada search.
• CBC begins digesting budgetary news The CBC and Radio-Canada have learned their annual federal funding will be reduced by $115 million over three years as part of Ottawa's Deficit Reduction Action Plan as set out in Thursday's federal budget.
• Artist remembered as friend, consummate professional Frank Fry, a former broadcast journalist and producer, communications officer and artist, died suddenly on March 21.
• Winged Majesty Brought Down Tracks and deep wing prints tell the story of the recent and last moments of the snowy owl pictured here and on today's front page.
• Budget cuts will affect thousands of Yukoners Cuts to the public service were confirmed in the 2012 federal budget released Thursday,
• City is preparing for major citizens survey To try to ensure municipal programs and services are meeting the needs of the public, the city will soon be conducting its citizens survey, says Deputy Mayor Ranj Pillai.
• Ice Claims Casualties An icy road surface was a contributing factor in this collision at about 8 a.m. this morning.
• Murder trial hears evidence of bat discovered after fire A bloody bat was among the first pieces of evidence without fire damage to be presented in a Yukon Supreme Court murder trial.
• ATV users may be nudged into safety course Whitehorse could require a mandatory safety course for ATV operators, says the city's manager of bylaw.
• Fire destroys house north of Whitehorse The main house at the Falle Sod Farm north of Whitehorse burned to the ground Thursday afternoon.
• ‘I felt so violated; it was disgusting' The RCMP are investigating after multiple Whitehorse women found their Facebook photos being used on a pornographic website.

March 29, 2012

• Lang, colleagues conducting probe of foreign foundations Yukon Senator Dan Lang is continuing the debate on an inquiry into the involvement of foreign foundations in Canada's domestic affairs in a speech earlier this month focusing on the potential abuses under the current system.
• Yukon business laws reform is in final phase The Business Law Amendment bill, introduced last Thursday in the legislature, completes the suite of modern business legislation developed over the past several years to update the Yukon's 30-year-old business regulatory regime.
• Look Out Below! One sure sign of spring in Dawson City is when the taller buildings start roping off the boardwalks with ‘danger' tape
• Minimum wage doesn't cut it, minister concedes The Yukon government says it's aware the minimum wage is "inadequate,” which is why it requested a review by the Employment Standards Board in November 2011.
• Long Police Careers Honoured The RCMP Honours and Recognition Ceremony took place the afternoon of March 20 in Whitehorse.
• Young Yukoner was involved in celebrating Man in Motion Three Junior Canadian Rangers from across the North took part in the celebrations for the 25th anniversary of the Rick Hanson Man In Motion World Tour in Calgary last month.
• Condos Coming Along Construction on the Mah's Point condominium project at the corner of Second Avenue and Jarvis Street is steadily progressing,
• City recognizes Yukoners' efforts The City of Whitehorse recently recognized two local residents and one business for their important contributions to the community, Deputy Mayor Ranj Pillai said this week.
• Water hasn't seeped into trade talks: official Privatizing the public distribution of fresh water is not on the table in the negotiations to reach a trade agreement with Europe, says a senior Yukon government official.
• City may phase out large caretaker homes One of 40 proposed amendments to the Whitehorse zoning bylaw would end the large "caretaker” homes in industrial subdivisions.
• Dispute resolved; inmates accepting meals again An inmate protest at the Whitehorse Correctional Centre ended Wednesday as inmates in protective custody ate the lunch and dinner they were provided by the centre.

March 28, 2012

• Did you know? On the trail of history! Ed. note: these historic items, submitted by the Whitehorse History Book Society, are published every second Wednesday.
• Test-drive a vehicle and help grads have substance-free event Test-drive a vehicle and help grads have substance-free event
• MLAs to debate fixed election dates, PR The Yukon NDP official Opposition is calling on all parties to support its proposal for reform to strengthen and renew democracy in the territory when the issue is debated in the legislature this afternoon.
• The Sounds Of Spring Howard Chymy is pleased to be able to perform on the street in downtown Whitehorse again.
• Man charged with setting fire which gutted gatehouse A 23-year-old Whitehorse man has been charged with starting the January fire that destroyed the gatehouse at the Whitehorse landfill, says an RCMP press release.
• Panoramic Image Kelly Fraser opened HORI-ZEN at Gallery 22 last Thursday evening.
• Store's closure will eliminate six jobs The city's Rogers Plus store will close its doors April 15, a spokeswoman for Rogers Communications has confirmed.
• Trevor saga cost city $45,000 in legal, staff fees The story of Trevor the dog came to an end last weekend after he was "respectfully euthanized” by the Humane Society Yukon.
• Becoming A Regular Routine Emergency responders attended yet another two-vehicle collision at the corner of Pine Street and 12th Avenue around 9:30 Tuesday evening.
• Outgoing city manager plans to remain a Yukoner City manager Dennis Shewfelt isn't going anywhere when he retires June 1.
• Council paves way for 135-lot subdivision City council has given the green light to a new urban subdivision of 135 lots next to Crestview where the MacKenzie RV park once operated.
• Man charged following stabbing A 61-year-old Whitehorse man has been charged with stabbing a 23-year-old man last Saturday, says an RCMP press release issued Tuesday.
• Cause of death couldn't be conclusively determined The fire at Gordon Seybold's home left his remains so charred it was impossible for forensic officials to conclusively determine a cause of death.
• MP strongly condemns vote results challenge The Council of Canadians is supporting lawsuits to overturn 2011 federal elections results in seven ridings, including the Yukon.