Whitehorse Daily Star

January 17, 2022

• Boom was heard in city, parts of state A sonic boom from Saturday’s eruption of an undersea volcanic eruption in Tonga were heard in parts of Alaska and the Yukon, including Whitehorse, that morning, residents report.
• Action on addictions demanded “When are these lives going to matter?”
• Politicians express sympathy Premier Sandy Silver and Health and Social Services Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee issued a statement on the eve of Saturday’s vigils honouring Yukoners lost to drug addictions and mental health issues.
• Rendezvous plans to forge through COVID challenges The Yukon Rendezvous is back.
• Increased density advocated for growing city Accommodating future residential demand in Whitehorse should be done using increased density, says a background report prepared by the city last summer.
• Birders report counting 4,162 winged wonders The results are in for the Whitehorse Christmas Bird Count held last month.
• Minister reviewing report on problems with taxi industry Jeanie McLean, the minister responsible for the Women and Gender Equity Directorate, has weighed in on a scathing report on the state of the city’s taxi service.
• Release’s timing called ‘spineless, greasy’ The Yukon government has introduced new health restrictions to combat the Omicron outbreak – and, yet again, has managed to anger the public in the process.

January 14, 2022

• 2023 – let’s write a letter, shall we? “No more sledding for me. I’m cold. Let’s go get some Ovaltine,” declared the young child. “And we could play Mexican train dominoes.”
• The Gold Rush legacy of Fr. William Judge Historians agree that the discovery of gold in 1896 was the single-most important event in Yukon history. This is the 125th anniversary of the world- famous Klondike Gold Rush.
• Referendum voting period underway At the request of Education Minister Jeanie McLean, the chief electoral officer is overseeing the referendum and voting process on the First Nation School Board to ensure it’s transparent and impartial.
• Goodwill Shovellers A group of Whitehorse Canadian Rangers got together Monday afternoon to help out Robert Nantel with the snow in his yard.
• Sporting Girls Of The Klondike By A.J. Gillespie
• City is pursuing fuel contracts City administration is beginning the process of securing new contracts for the supply of diesel fuel, gasoline and propane, city council was told at its meeting Monday.
• City opts for second peek at Peep Street City council is moving ahead with renaming two streets in the Whistle Bend subdivision out of concerns the existing names could be viewed as inappropriate.
• NDP is concerned about covid tests sent to mines The Yukon NDP is condemning the Liberal government’s decision to send what is says was more than 60 per cent of the COVID-19 rapid antigen tests it received from the federal government to mine sites – instead of using them in Yukon communities.
• Active cases numbers close in on 500 for the territory COVID-19 numbers as set out by community are still startling to the eye.
• Update sought on rural COVID tests A Yukon Party MLA is asking when the territorial government will bring free COVID-19 rapid testing kits to rural communities.
• Many parents are keeping kids at home, educators group says There’s a lot of COVID-19 anxiety going around, says Ted Hupé, the president of the Yukon Education Professionals Association.
• CASA reporting deadline has been missed: YP The Yukon Party is questioning why the Putting People First and Our Clean Future committees formed as part of the Liberal and NDP Confidence and Supply Agreement (CASA) “both failed to meet their commitment to Yukoners and release a six-month public report as committed to in the agreement.
• YG’s Facebook post on firewood ignited indignation Energy, Mines and Resources Minister John Streicker is feeling the heat this week after a bit of a social media blunder that riled up the public.
• Examining a ‘vexing, tragic and unsolved mystery’ The Douglas C-54 “Skymaster” was a big airplane.
• Teachers, parents called ‘shocked’ by decision The Department of Education has told Yukon parents it will no longer inform them of COVID-19 exposures in the schools.

January 13, 2022

• MLA seeks information on rural COVID-19 tests A Yukon Party MLA is asking when the territorial government will bring free COVID-19 rapid testing kits to rural communities.
• Winter Pleasure Youth start the maze off Blanchard Street in Riverdale last Sunday.
• Proposed umbrella grant bylaw put before council City administration is bringing forward an umbrella grant bylaw to officially approve all the grants the city issued last year.
• Yukon political parties assess Quebec’s plans for fines Yukon government officials are reluctant to directly answer where they stand on the contentious question of mandatory vaccines for the general public.
• Woman apprehended after RCMP chase A woman with multiple outstanding warrants was arrested New Year’s Day in Whitehorse after a brief police chase, the RCMP said today.
• COVID outbreak reported at Copper Ridge Place Dr. Catherine Elliott, the acting chief medical officer of health, has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at the Copper Ridge Place long-term care home following the identification of two cases.