Whitehorse Daily Star

June 20, 2006

• Canadian Chamber of Commerce board meeting Thirty-five board members with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce will converge in Whitehorse for a two-day meeting this week in what its president describes as perhaps the 'most important meeting of the year.'
• Quarry proposal review angers mayor The mayor is angry and a local community group is calling for the ombudsman after miscommunication sparked a city-led investigation into a McLean Lake quarry proposal without the consent of council.
• Mayor, advocate lock horns over green space In what caused a certain amount of tension at city hall, the mayor and the president of the Porter Creek Community Association argued publicly over green space Monday evening.
• Councillor sets out his views Questions from Carole Bookless, president of the Porter Creek Community Association, to members of city council:
• Ambassadors will meet in Whitehorse next week Ambassadors to Canada from all regions of the world will be in Whitehorse next week for three days of meetings.
• Wanted: independent election candidates It's time for the Yukon to rid itself of party politics, says local businessman Kenn Roberts.
• Judge authorizes accused man's release from jail A man accused of breaking two conditions of his bail conditions has been released from jail.
• Suspect sought by local RCMP An 18-year-old woman was accosted downtown last Thursday night and Crime Stoppers is now seeking the public's help to find the man involved.
• We're asking the city for help': ski society City council has been asked to contribute $163,000 to help fund the construction of a new ski chalet at Mt. Sima.

June 19, 2006

• Since it squawks and waddles, it's a duck Anyone concerned about the future of the Whitehorse riverfront should make every effort to contribute to the ever-so-brief three-week consultations currently underway.
• Escaper made his bed look occupied A man convicted of aggravated assault is on the run from the law, once again, after breaking out of jail.
• Second well construction moved to 2007 The city will not draw $1.45 million from its rainy day funds to drill wells this summer.
• Special day drew tepid response World Elder Abuse Awareness Day passed last Thursday without much fanfare besides a man with a poster board and several news releases from the Yukon government.
• Fire crews attack blazes near communities Fire crews were busy in Carmacks and Watson Lake on Sunday.
• Locals fare well at annual kennel show More than 300 people, most from Outside, attended the Yukon Kennel Club's 35th Annual Dog Show last week at the Mount McIntyre Recreation Centre.
• Consultant to assess subdivision's impact The city will hire a consultant to assess the impacts on the Whitehorse community and economy of a proposed Porter Creek subdivision which could house up to 10,000 new residents.
• Driver falls asleep at the wheel Drivers are reminded to pull over, get out of their vehicle and stretch if they start to feel tired.
• Environmental sensitivity of Lower Bench to be studied The city will have a consultant assess the environmental sensitivity of the Lower Bench in Porter Creek this summer.
• Consultations on riverfront are underway The Yukon government has begun public consultations on the future of the city's waterfront.
• Continued flow of payments called puzzling Continuing to issue government money to an advisory council whose members emptied the group's bank account without following proper accounting procedures is puzzling, says the president of the Association of Yukon Communities (AYC).

June 16, 2006

• The Game of Bones arrives in Whitehorse If horses could understand the human need for game playing, Sparky the pony might be a little concerned and confused about the first and annual Bunnock & Bannock event.
• Film festival to feature a Yukon flavour Yukon stories, films, and filmmakers will feature prominently at the Yukon International Film Festival, June 21-25, in Whitehorse.
• Author David Baldacci looks for the simple, genuine truth Rufus Harms is a black soldier who has been imprisoned for 25 years for the brutal murder of a young white girl.
• Women musicians were a highlight of Alsek festival HAINES JUNCTION When the organizers of the Alsek Music Festival saw the list of applicants for this year's event, they knew they had to do something special.
• Band Scotch toasted from Alsek to Sunstroke Scotch (skoch) n. : 1. Whiskey distilled in Scotland; especially whiskey made from malted barley in a pot still. 2. The Yukon's hottest young music group.
• Graduation is a time of passages and reflections DAWSON CITY As the graduation stories begin to pile up in the Star, I can't help but think that it's wonderful to see a batch of good news stories about what we do in schools.
• Visitors need more sign guidance: resident A local businessman is calling for Mayor Ernie Bourassa and Premier Dennis Fentie to do lunch to discuss the need for more tourism signs on the highway.
• Action plan to target downtown crime By the end of August, an action plan should be in place to deal with crime affecting downtown businesses.
• Lot bought for $48,819 is going for $84,900 Following a mix-up in the public land lottery, two Whitehorse residents are selling an undeveloped lot in Copper Ridge for $36,000 more than they paid for it, six months after they bought it.
• Whitehorse answers census-takers' call In the span of just over a week, the number of Whitehorse residents fulfilling their Statistics Canada census obligations has jumped from 50 per cent to 80 per cent.
• Yukoners nearly top volunteers The Yukon Territory has the second-highest volunteer rate, according to Statistics Canada.
• Lightning ignites new blazes Close to 2,600 lightning strikes, most of which touched down in central Yukon, have resulted in four new fires in Dawson City and one in Mayo. Fire crews were busy Thursday and overnight working to extinguish the fires, Wildland Fire Management officials said today.
• Planned new party called oxymoron' Liberal Leader Arthur Mitchell says the newly-announced Yukon Independents Party is an 'oxymoron.'
• Marathon walker happy to sit down There's something just a little bit different about grey-haired, big-bellied Buckwheat Donahue.
• Deadly fishing line will be cleaned up A Whitehorse resident has embraced the challenge to clean up deadly fishing line around Pump House Lake.
• Court found flawed credibility analysis' A new trial has been ordered for former Yukon Party Copperbelt MLA Haakon Arntzen.
• Local singer makes show's last episode Whitehorse residents can see one of their own make it to the final episode of a reality TV show tomorrow.
• Dawson City elects new council DAWSON CITY Ashley Doiron, a Yukon College instructor and co-owner of Whitehouse Cabins in Dawson, led the pack in the race to become one of the town's four new councillors Thursday.
• Fentie salutes hard-working employees The second annual Premier's Award of Excellence barbecue was held last Monday afternoon and public servants were recognized for their achievements.
• Communities in line for cellphone service By the end of June, seven communities in the territory will have the option of using a cell phone.
• Liquor enforcement Between today and July 2, liquor inspectors, including the RCMP, will be checking for proper identification (ID) to make sure minors are not purchasing liquor and that there are no minors in cocktail lounges.
• History, heritage dominated Commissioner's Ball DAWSON CITY The 32nd Commissioner's Ball took the theme Klondike Snowflake, perhaps in anticipation of the many varieties of costume that would walk through the doors that night.
• Forty Mile site to be managed jointly FORTY MILE About 70 representatives of the Yukon government, the Tr'ond'k Hw'ch'in First Nation, Dawson citizens and tourists gathered at Forty Mile last Sunday. They were there to witness the signing of the Forty Mile, Fort Cudahy, and Fort Constantine Historic Site Management Plan by the two levels of government.
• Forty Mile was the first Gold Rush boom town FORTY MILE Forty Mile, located some two hours from Dawson City by highway and somewhat longer than that by power boat, was the site of the Yukon's first big Gold Rush town. It was established in 1886 as a result of a large strike on the Forty Mile River.
• YTG's Games volunteers won't be insured The Yukon government may be encouraging its employees to volunteer at the 2007 Canada Winter Games, but it isn't providing the insurance to go along with it.
• Faro: a most expensive legacy Massive. A billion dollars perhaps.
• Minister's Lang's excuse for silence is erroneous With reference to last Friday's article concerning Yukon government (YTG) Forestry removing pine on warrants for spruce: