Whitehorse Daily Star

May 29, 2009

• What on earth is next? Having to register fishing rods? My first experience with kayakers was back in 1960,
• There are all sorts of Critters out there for your enjoyment There was a time when there was a shelf of Little Critter and Little Monster books in my son's bedroom,
• B.C. author is touring the territory, stopping at several communities What was it like to live in an isolated company-owned mining village some 50 to 60 years ago?
• The bluegrass festival, 2009: 'the bands really love coming here,' organizers say (Preview) As bluegrass musicians and fans descend on Haines Junction next month for the Kluane Mountain Bluegrass Festival, it's going to be a toss-up as to which group will have more fun.
• Uth Ink youth audio plays coming to a street near you this coming Tuesday Gwaandak Theatre is celebrating the launch of Uth Ink in Whitehorse,
• Senator's tenure to be steered by bill's fate Senator Dan Lang said his appointment to the nation's upper chamber last December would be for eight years,
• Trans North donates underwater sonar camera to search unit Adam Morrison, operational manager for Trans North Helicopter Service, recently made the donation of a $3,500 special sonar unit to the Whitehorse Search and Rescue unit for its rescue and recovery work.
• New Democrats take fund-raising sweepstakes The territory's New Democratic Party was tops in political fund-raising last year, garnering nearly $16,000.
• Springtime Ritual Biologist Ben Schonewille did some bird banding at the McIntyre Marsh banding station last Sunday.
• Bombay Peggy's basks in national recognition Wendy Cairns learned that her business, Bombay Peggy's Victorian Inn & Pub, was on National Geographic Traveler's second annual Stay List
• City issues Commuter Challenge to NWTel Win or lose, a plaque will remind both city and Northwestel Inc. employees about who defeated the other in the 2009 Commuter Challenge.
• Solid waste bylaw in place Whitehorse residents who are on the city's garbage and compost collection program each week are now officially limited to leaving one cart load for collection rather than four bags.
• Board cracks down on missing safety equipment The Yukon's workers' compensation board is saying, "Enough is enough" to workers refusing to wear protective equipment on the job.
• Dressed For Success Leaping Feats, Extremely Moving and Ground Work Sessions are presenting 'Dancing Through Life' this weekend at the Yukon Arts Centre.
• Sustainable projects manager recruited The city has hired a new sustainable projects manager.
• Youthful Talent Rachel Nunez sings at the F.H. Collins Secondary School talent show
• Case goes to appeal court After having his appeal of a human rights board decision turned down in Yukon Supreme Court in April, Darrell March is taking his case one step further, to the territory's court of appeal.
• Growth of Mayo-area fire stifled Firefighters from Pelly Crossing, Dawson City, Haines Junction and Mayo were successful Thursday in preventing a 60-hectare fire from threatening nearby recreational properties.
• Rock slide suspended train service 36 hours A rock slide just before the White Pass summit on the scenic Skagway rail line on Wednesday caused a shutdown of the historic train for 36 hours.
• Store owner and lottery commissionhave a court date An injunction preventing the Yukon Lottery Commission from removing a Porter Creek retailer's lottery machines was cancelled this week, and a hearing has been scheduled in its place.
• Mother up with her baby hears intruder in her home A Whitehorse couple had a very rude awakening early this morning when they discovered someone had broken into their home while they slept.
• SCAN eviction rapped after legal challenge The Yukon's Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods legislation failed its first test in court.
• Residents concerned about liquor licence application Loitering, "unsavoury characters," offsales and the effects of a liquor establishment on a nearby day care were some concerns raised at a Yukon Liquor Board hearing this week to discuss an application for a liquor licence in Granger.
• Conservatives gather to unveil huge dam, power line projects The Yukon will finally see its hydro grids linked with the expansion of the Mayo Dam and construction of the much-talked-about power line connecting Stewart Crossing to Pelly Crossing.

May 28, 2009

• Comments invited on practical nurses regulation Yukoners are invited to review proposed amendments to the territory's Licensed Practical Nurses Regulation and to respond with written comments on the proposed changes.
• Pumps attack flooded highway ditches DAWSON CITY - Efforts to dry out the Klondike Highway and prevent more damage continue this week.
• Keeping Active and Healthy Summer Active Kick-off in the Shipyards Park
• Kids invited to Run of the River The Yukon Conservation Society plans to take education to activism with the first annual kids' run, Run of the River, on July 18.
• Jail sign photo opportunity draws two ministers, officials More than two dozen Yukon government employees, including a pair of ministers, took a break from their busy schedules to applaud a sign this morning.
• Telehomecare project will improve services delivery Health and Social Services Minister Glenn Hart announced a telehomecare project Wednesday to improve the delivery of services to homecare clients.
• Winged Visitors An estimated 200 Lapland Longspurs swooped in for a visit to a Porter Creek yard earlier this month.
• Substance-free grad celebrations funded The Yukon Liquor Corp. is helping 2009 Yukon grads enjoy substance-free activities as they celebrate the end of the school year.
• Fire burning 20 kilometres from Mayo Increased lightning activity in Dawson City and close to 200 strikes in Mayo last night sparked three new fires in the territory, officials said today.
• Commander wants to widen Rangers' scope The Canadian military's northern commander wants the Rangers' role expanded but stopped short of agreeing they should be trained for combat.
• Raven Recycling gets $320,000 from territory The Yukon government will help keep the lights on at Raven Recycling over the next two years to the tune of $320,000.
• Local CBC staff will be reduced The normally buzzing office at the corner of Third Avenue and Elliott Street in Whitehorse was quiet Wednesday, as four local CBC

May 27, 2009

• Shocking scene greeted plane passengers Travellers arriving at Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport on Tuesday were met by white-faced shell shock victims,
• Author's first full-length novel was worth the wait I can't remember the last time I wrote a book review, but when Star publisher Jackie Pierce asked me to do this one, I was intrigued.
• Birdathon takes flight Friday The 26th annual Yukon Birdathon will take place from 5p.m. Friday until 5 p.m. Saturday.
• Legal opinion sought over city contract The city has sought a legal opinion on awarding the contract for the construction of two well houses.
• Ross River-area fire quickly extinguished A small human-caused fire was reported near Ross River on Tuesday and a three-person initial attack crew was dispatched immediately.
• Judges hear McLean Lake referendum arguments The City of Whitehorse took its battle against Marianne Darragh and her petition to create a park around McLean Lake into the territory's highest court this week,
• Those accused in rock shower episode make court appearances The people held responsible for the hail of rocks and debris which fell on Lobird Park residents last May appeared briefly in court day.
• Coming Right Up City councillor Dave Austin (right) and senior city official Brian Crist
• City awards contract for composting operations Arctic Backhoe has been awarded the $146,906 contract to expand the city's compost operation at the landfill.
• Peace and quiet would reign: studio owners For three years, Don and Julie Bishop have operated a part-time recording studio out of their garage at 21 Zircon Lane in Copper Ridge.
• Firefighters braced for a 'typical' summer The lightning season came early this year, the air has been dry and hot, but Wildland Fire Management firefighters are still anticipating a typical Yukon summer.
• 'This project cannot wait for land claims' With the Alaska government onside and decades-old Canadian legislation favouring TransCanada,