Whitehorse Daily Star

March 23, 2020

• COVID-19 concerns claim gold show The Dawson City International Gold Show has become the latest casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Bus fares, parking charges waived The City of Whitehorse has waived bus fares and metered parking fees until April 13.
• Pits to be leased to commercial operators The Yukon government is exploring options for maintaining public access to 10 gravel pits it plans to lease to commercial operators, says a government spokesman.
• MMM, A Tasty Meal This four-metre-long beast,
• Council approves trucks purchase City council has approved the purchase of two new waste compacting trucks for $320,414 each.
• Reaction ‘enthusiastic’ as local brewery makes hand sanitizer Yukon Brewing has begun making hand sanitizer, and will be providing it to first responders and essential service workers free of charge.
• Affected couple ‘are doing well’ The Yukon’s first two cases of COVID-19 were found in people who self-isolated after returning to the Yukon from travel, successfully limiting the risk to the territory.
• Travel curtailments, business closures unveiled Business closures and travel restrictions are among the most recent measures taken by the Yukon’s chief medical officer to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the Yukon.

March 20, 2020

• Yukon Ombudsman responds to virus The Yukon Ombudsman, Information and Privacy Commissioner and Public Interest Disclosure Commissioner is taking a number of steps to respond to evolving circumstances related to COVID-19.
• Barlow returns to a Yukon stage – with friends Traditional folk music, rock ’n roll, electro-pop and oriental music made an interesting blend in the KIAC ballroom on March 7.
• The Percy mail must go through – no exceptions Suppose you’re staging an event to celebrate the career of an Iron Man mail carrier like Percy DeWolfe, who always got the mail through in his trips between Dawson and Eagle, Alaska, regardless of the season or the weather.
• Silver screens have faded to black Landmark Cinemas has closed its theatres across Canada, affecting its two outlets in Whitehorse.
• First Nation announces measures to foil virus Kwanlin Dün First Nation Chief Doris Bill held a briefing Thursday to update citizens on what the First Nation is doing to minimize the threat of COVID-19.
• Well-Read Books closes, but is offering options Well-Read Books, the Yukon’s only used book store, closed its physical premises Wednesday, and they won’t reopen until the COVID-19 crisis is over, the store’s owners said.
• International bike relay race is off There will be no 2020 Kluane Chilkat International Bike Relay this summer.
• COVID-19 sinks River Quest The COVID-19 crisis has prompted the cancellation of the 2020 Yukon River Quest.
• Opposition claims wins as house adjourns early The Yukon legislative assembly adjourned until Oct. 1 on Thursday evening after passing the territorial budget for 2020-21.
• ‘We are in a time of intense preparation’ Whitehorse General Hospital will be suspending all non-urgent surgery procedures scheduled from the coming Monday onward, as one of several updates to the territory’s COVID-19 response.
• Territory plans respiratory assessment centre A temporary respiratory assessment centre will open at the Yukon Convention Centre.

March 19, 2020

• Police call off non-essential services The Yukon RCMP suspended all non-essential police services on Wednesday.
• Premier seeks fast approval of budget The Yukon government’s opposition parties are against Premier Sandy Silver’s plan to pass the territorial budget for 2020-21 this afternoon.
• Deputy premier tests negative for virus Ranj Pillai, the Yukon’s deputy premier and minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, has tested negative for COVID-19.
• CMHA looking to virtual mental health services The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Yukon Division, is working on developing virtual mental health services.
• Kwanlin Dün chief will remain in office Chief Doris Bill of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation was re-elected Wednesday to her third term in office.
• House fire claims woman’s life A Porter Creek woman died Wednesday as the result of a house fire on Willow Crescent in Porter Creek.