Whitehorse Daily Star

May 24, 2007

• Novelist Donna Morrissey records a society in transition Attend a reading by Donna Morrissey and you get more than a literary treat. You get a history of the outport Newfoundland experience she grew up with.
• Teaching Excellence Awards honour five recipients Five teaching Excellence Awards were presented by the Department of Education and the Yukon Teachers' Association during a special ceremony held at the Yukon Convention Centre in late April.
• World Full of Blues lives up to its good reputation Duke Robillard, a legendary, Grammy-nominated blues guitarist, has unleashed a special treat for fans of the genre.
• A search for a miracle cure endangers a scientist's life Publishing runs by fits and fads.
• A sure way how to get rid of nuisance bear problems Having been a conservation officer in that part of our great nation that seemingly is locally politically incorrect to mention (Ontario), I had to deal with a number of nuisance bear problems.
• Bonanza Inn to host Coast Mountain Sports After moving to the top floor of the Hougen Centre on Tuesday, Coast Mountain Sports staff will be getting its Main Street space across from its temporary location ready for new tenants.
• Front' for marijuana grow operation banished to cells A man described in territorial court Thursday afternoon as a 'front' for a local marijuana grow operation at 86 Falcon Dr. in Whitehorse has been sentenced to a year in jail.
• Extension to boast roundabout, truck lanes The Hamilton Boulevard extension will have a roundabout, a parking lot, traffic lights and lanes for dump trucks.
• Cold November may have stalled beetles' damage There is growing evidence and optimism indicating the spread of spruce bark beetle in the southwest Yukon is declining sharply.
• MLAs endorse committee for smoking law The legislative assembly has agreed to create an all-party committee to visit the Yukon's communities to consult on the NDP's proposed anti-smoking legislation.
• Ethics issue lands in Yukon Supreme Court A Watson Lake teacher is seeking a Yukon Supreme Court order that would prevent the Yukon Teachers' Association from deciding on an ethics complaint filed against her by staff at Mayo's JV Clark School more than three years ago.
• Liberals want a longer time limit to file complaints The government has adjourned the debate on a Liberal bill to amend the Yukon Human Rights Act.
• We prepare for the worst fire season' Yukon Wildland Fire Management personnel are hoping Yukoners will use common sense to help stop fires before they even start.
• Nation's nursing shortage is grave, expert says Imagine you've been waiting in the emergency room for hours, and it's not because of a shortage of beds, but a shortage of staff.
• Gold show enjoyed strong turnout DAWSON CITY There were 41 exhibitor tables (some using double and triple spaces) inside the Art and Margaret Fry Recreation Centre, another 11 outside on Fourth Avenue and in the parking lot, and 12 more in the craft tables area.
• Carmacks prefers mechanical sewage system It's clear Carmacks residents want the more expensive but modern system for treating their sewage and waste water, says Carmacks Mayor Elaine Wyatt.
• Public's help sought in finding three men The RCMP are seeking the public's assistance in finding three wanted Yukon men.
• Thefts, access issues plague Dawson landfill DAWSON CITY The Conservation Klondike Society (CKS) is being frustrated in its attempts to manage the Quigley landfill by thefts and access issues, and is also losing operating capital to theft from the site.
• Veteran miner won't give up claims struggle The federal and Yukon governments offer different stories about the same case, according to recent statements filed in Yukon Supreme Court.

May 23, 2007

• Tree-thinning may become mandatory In what's being called a public safety move, city council is set to make cutting and thinning out trees around new country residential homes mandatory.
• Cathers commits $5 million to child care There will be $5 million in new money invested in child care over the next five years, Health and Social Services Minister Brad Cathers announced this morning.
• Climate plan to be crafted by 2008 The Yukon should have an action plan to start dealing with climate change in one year's time.
• Citizen's commission to study MLAs' salaries A citizen's commission will soon be reviewing the salaries of the Yukon's elected representatives.
• Boy approached by strangers in a van Whitehorse RCMP are asking for the public's help in their investigation of a boy from Copper Ridge who was approached by two strangers Wednesday.
• Hart asked to consider new location for sewage lagoon NDP Community Services critic Steve Cardiff is asking the government to consider a new location for the Dawson City sewage lagoon.
• Judge cites lack of consultation, quashes lease Yukon Supreme Court Justice Ron Veale has ruled the Yukon government hasn't met its duty to consult with the Little Salmon-Carmacks First Nation.
• Frozen ground, parts delivery delay sewage main repairs DAWSON CITY Dawson's public works department hasn't been digging for gold just outside St. Mary's Catholic Church lately.
• Marksmen to meet, shoot in Junction The best Ranger marksmen from ten Yukon Canadian Ranger Patrols will meet to compete with rifle and pistol in Haines Junction on Saturday and Sunday and talk about issues of leadership.
• RCI will broadcast from Yukon College Yukon College will host a team of eight journalists from Radio Canada International (RCI) during the last week of May.
• Landlords have needs too, minister declares DAWSON CITY The government needs to consider landlords' needs when looking at the territory's landlord and tenant laws, a minister has said.
• Minister defends welfare rates DAWSON CITY After 15 years with no increase, the Yukon still has one of the best social assistance rates in the country, a government minister has claimed.

May 22, 2007

• Homicide probe begins after assault victim dies An assault beside the Yukon River on Tuesday afternoon has turned into a homicide investigation.
• Opposition to land treatment facility mounting Fearing contamination of their well water, someone from nearly every household in the MacPherson subdivision is opposed to a land treatment facility being proposed by Castle Rock Enterprises off the Alaska Highway.
• Rail buffs greet train's return to Carcross Today marks the return of the White Pass and Yukon Route's rail service to Carcross after a 25-year hiatus.
• Bus strike delays man's sentencing The Greyhound bus strike in British Columbia and throughout the West has delayed a man's sentencing in the Yukon.
• Power line sparks another suit In the latest of lawsuits and countersuits, Yukon Energy is being described as oppressive and high-handed for not sharing an insurance payout
• Lions Club's water park to open in summer Work on the Whitehorse Lions Club's water park near the river will see the park open this summer.
• Overseas residents draw WCB benefits There are currently 10 people living abroad who are receiving territorial workers' compensation benefits.
• MLA's committee appointment was a surprise The Yukon Party government has tabled a motion calling for the establishment of a committee on whistleblower protection legislation.
• Condor flights return to territory The Yukon welcomed the 250th direct flight by Condor Flugdienst (Air Service) from Frankfurt on Tuesday.
• Area not suitable for crematorium: residents Porter Creek residents are concerned a crematorium being proposed in their area would create unsafe driving conditions and lower property values.
• Ex-commissioner welcomes committee assignment Ken McKinnon was recently appointed to a three-year term on the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy.
• Chief seeks public education accountability There must be a way for Yukoners to hold the government accountable for the public education system, says Chief Liard McMillan of the Liard First Nation.
• Development process wins first annual award DAWSON CITY The City of Whitehorse development process for the lower Porter Creek bench has won a sustainability award.
• Wastewater group had meetings here Members of a federal water and wastewater organization floated into Whitehorse last week.
• City meetings being sparsely attended Public meetings to raise citizens' interest and awareness levels about the upcoming green space plebiscite and referendum are not proving successful.
• Haines Road residents seek grid connection Residents of the Haines Road want to be connected to Yukon's hydroelectric grid, says a presentation made last week to the Yukon Utilities Board.
• Bison permits to be in a separate draw The Department of Environment will be administering this year's bison hunt draw separately from the moose, caribou, sheep, deer and goat permit hunt application sales that are now available until June 22.