Whitehorse Daily Star

July 28, 2008

• Anti-graffiti squad in sore need of paint The anti-graffiti, town beautification squad is back on the streets for a second year, but they need your paint to make a difference.
• Funding designed to discourage domestic violence The territorial government will provide funding for six community-based projects that will help discourage violence against aboriginal women, Marian Horne, minister responsible for the Women's Directorate, said earlier this month.
• Minister made unannounced trip to Whitehorse Federal Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn made a low-key visit to Whitehorse last week to familiarize himself with issues affecting the Yukon's fisheries, according to Premier Dennis Fentie.
• Funding boost for child care operators is called 'a start' For the second time in less than a year, the Yukon government is enriching the funding it provides to Yukon child care operators for staff wages.
• Damp summer helping reduce number of fires While Yukoners might be complaining about the damp summer, it's had its benefits in the low fire risk to the territory.
• Numbers of land visitors fell slightly The number of people entering the Yukon by land in the first six months of this year is down a hair from last year, though visitation last month was up.
• Targeted street crime seen as reason for statistical increase Robbery, property crimes and some violent offences committed in the Yukon were down last year, but drug-related offences in the territory have increased, according to a Statistics Canada survey.
• Freak Occurrence A quick, furious hail storm
• Plaintiff appeals dismissal of suit against government A 34-year-old man, whose $1.2-million civil suit against the Yukon government was dismissed in June following a 12-day trial, has filed an appeal of the verdict.
• Canyon Fun Whitehorse army cadets practised their 'commando crawl' Saturday

July 25, 2008

• What to do about those pesky bugs I received a telephone call from a lady complaining about some large flying insects in her garage and asking if I had ever had the same problem and how I dealt with it.
• The years beyond the Gold Rush in Skagway Sin & Grace traces the development of Skagway and the lives of a number of real historical folk from the winter of 1898 to the winter of 1917.
• Grapes of Wrath's Kevin Kane awed by Dawson DAWSON CITY - Singer-songwriter Kevin Kane couldn't pass up an opportunity to play the Dawson City Music Festival.
• Immaculate Machine revs it up for perfect Dawson experience DAWSON CITY - After participating in Dawson's Artist in Residency program in February, Brooke Gallupe eagerly returned to town last weekend to play the Dawson City Music Festival.
• Oh, to fly business class to find summer Warm, sunny days and travelling business class - these are my definition of pure pleasure.
• Railway sets historic daily ridership record The White Pass and Yukon Route railway set another ridership record Wednesday, for the second time in two weeks.
• Renewable resources council to be created Environment Minister Elaine Taylor has invited residents in the traditional territory of the Carcross/Tagish First Nation to participate in a newly-formed renewable resources council that will help make management decisions in their area.
• First nation will carry on dump cleanup The Ta'an Kwach'an Council will continue cleaning up the city's former dump site after the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board evaluation earlier this month.
• Subdivisions agreements signed Lots are closer to being available in the Arkell expansion and the Whistle Bend subdivisions after the city and territory signed the subdivision agreements for the sites.
• If you've seen this trio, call authorities The public's assistance is requested in locating three Yukoners wanted as of noon Wednesday.
• Apprentice numbers take a sharp rise The number of registered apprentices in Yukon has risen 80 per cent over the past four years, Education Minister Patrick Rouble said Tuesday.
• Gasoline users' crankiness bemuses English travellers A couple from Yorkshire, England say gas prices in North America are "not even on the Richter scale" compared to prices they've seen in their travels around the world.
• Petroleum prices helped boost CPI The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Whitehorse increased by 4.5 per cent from June 2007 to June 2008, according to the Yukon Bureau of Statistics.
• Cold, rain stunting some crops' growth This summer's damp, chilly weather has delayed the growing season by at least two weeks, say local farmers.
• Solar car driver hopes for sunshine on the Dempster DAWSON CITY - Heads turned, jaws dropped and cameras clicked frantically at noon Wednesday as Marcela da Luz arrived here in the Power of One (XOF1) Solar Car.
• Man receives warning, sentence for possessing quantity of crack cocaine A 34-year-old man is serving a 12-month conditional sentence after he pleaded guilty to possession of five grams of crack cocaine.
• Court orders man to pay $2,600 for Faro vandalism A 23-year-old Ross River man received a four-month conditional sentence, four months' probation, and was ordered to pay $2,600 restitution in territorial court last week after he was convicted of a charge of break and enter.
• RCMP pursue truck, nab suspect A 26-year-old Whitehorse man has been arrested in relation to a truck theft.
• Yukon firefighters to assist British Columbia Eighteen initial attack firefighters and an agency representative from the Yukon will be sent to British Columbia this weekend to provide assistance with that province's fire plight.
• 'I can't believe nobody is looking at this thing' Doug Makkonen doesn't pretend to be a scientist, or any sort of expert on glaciers.
• Gas prices' toll may be felt in 2009 While many visitors are unimpressed with current gasoline prices, it hasn't deterred them from travelling in a big way, say local tourists and RV park owners.
• Heavier police patrols easing waterfront woes Ever since RCMP officers started enforcing a new strategy to crack down on public intoxication and unruliness in identified crime "hot spots" such as the Yukon riverfront, local business owners have noticed a change.
• A Surprising Trio A blond grizzly bear cub
• Businesses adjusting to poor summer weather The cloudy, wet weather that's blanketed the Yukon this summer is making its footprint on local business, some for the good and some for the bad.

July 24, 2008

• Yukon arts groups receive $642,150 An increase in the Yukon Arts Funding Program means 21 organizations will share in $642,150, Minister of Tourism and Culture Elaine Taylor said Tuesday.
• Keeping spirits up at the Palace Grand DAWSON CITY - It's been a great couple of weeks for entertainment here.
• College to host fellows International Canadian Studies Institute (ICSI) fellows were to arrive in Whitehorse today to hear presentations Friday on first nations, climate change and aboriginal arts and literature.
• Land sale injunction decision due Monday On Monday afternoon, Yukon Supreme Court Justice Ron Veale will hand down his decision on whether to grant an injunction in the sale of the two territorial waterfront properties in Whitehorse.
• Economic development advisor joins association The Association franco-yukonnaise (AFY) has appointed Louis Martel as rural and economic development advisor with its RDEE team.
• Gangster display scares up controversy In the display window of Sandor's Clothing Ltd., three mannequins battle with toy guns.
• Correction An article in Wednesday's edition regarding contracts for a city well project reported contractor Encore Drilling had closed its local office.
• Concede money will be lost, premier urged The Crown corporation managing federal public servants' pensions has declared a $450-million loss on its $2-billion asset-backed commercial paper (ABCP) investment, and Yukon Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell wants the premier to follow suit.
• Twenty cadets to graduate tonight Twenty Royal Canadian Army cadets will graduate from the first Basic Marksmanship course at the Whitehorse Cadet Summer Training Centre this evening.
• College, foundation help out students Yukon College and the Yukon Foundation have once again teamed up for $20,000 worth of scholarship and bursary endowments for the territory's students.
• Skky Hotel Workers were painting the new sign for the Skky Hotel
• Cam and Legs Brian Fidler poses with his puppet, seen in "Cam and Legs"
• Dismal salmon runs prompt fishery closures An emergency closure of the aboriginal fishery on the Klukshu and Tatshenshini rivers has been implemented by the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations.