Whitehorse Daily Star

January 6, 2014

• City official named water association representative David Albisser, the water and waste services manager for the City of Whitehorse, has been named the Yukon's representative on the Canadian Water and Wastewater Association.
• Yukon Learns' Coffers Enriched Ione Christensen, fourth from left, presents a $700 cheque to Mark Davey, with Yukon Learn, on Friday.
• Plan sets out to protect Yukon amphibians Environment Yukon has released its first official plan to promote public awareness and protection of the territory's three species of frogs and one species of toads.
• Picking The Winner Alana Johnson draws the winning ticket in the Habitat for Humanity raffle last Tuesday
• YCS executive director plans to move on After 15 years with the Yukon Conservation Society (YCS), executive director Karen Baltgailis has announced her resignation.
• Presented With Thanks Bob Cameron (left), the outgoing administrator of the Yukon, was presented with a photo by Commissioner Doug Phillips at last Wednesdayʼs annual Commissionerʼs Levee.
• Musician nominated for emerging jazz artist award Local musician Fawn Fritzen has been nominated for an emerging jazz artist award.
• Impaired driving culture isn't changing: RCMP RCMP stop-checks over the holiday season resulted in impaired driving charges against 29 people, with arrests made more days than not since mid-November.
• Board receives proposal for largest mine in Yukon history The proposal for the territory's largest-ever mine was submitted Friday to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB).
• Yukon's Team Koltun books ticket to Scotties Twenty-year-old Sarah Koltun fulfilled a childhood dream today by skipping her team into the Scotties Tournament of Hearts.

January 3, 2014

• Internet service outage lasted one hour DSL Internet users in Whitehorse, Beaver Creek and Carmacks were without any online services for about an hour Thursday.
• Parents, hospital welcome first baby At just five pounds and 12 1/2 ounces, a small baby girl was the cause for some big celebration at Whitehorse General Hospital early Thursday morning.
• Health needs assessment a useful tool, minister says The territory's Health and Social Services minister insists a health needs assessment will assist in providing medical care in Dawson City and Watson Lake – even if it did come after the openings of the two towns' hospitals.
• New Year, Fine Entertainment Madi Dixon performs Wednesday at the Commis-sionerʼs Levee as part of the Youth Showcase program.
• MLAs poised to start tour The legislature's Select Committee Regarding the Risks and Benefits of Hydraulic Fracturing will begin its three-day information-gathering trip to Alberta on Monday.
• ‘We have been waiting for this moment for a long time' They're back, for the first time in more than 50 years.
• Mentorship program may sprout careers in computers It's not difficult to get lost in a conversation with Sam Fleming and Mannie Sharma about computers.
• Housing plans a long time coming: coalition The Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition approves of the territorial government's plan for more social housing.

January 2, 2014

• Construction value of Yukon building permits declined The total construction value of Yukon building permits slumped by $699,000, or 6.2 per cent, when comparing preliminary seasonally adjusted figures for October 2013 with figures for October 2012.
• Young Talent Showcased Galena Roots, Odessa Beatty, Danielle Lister, Alina Lemarre and Lexi Braden (left to right), with the Northern Lights School of Dance,
• Wastewater treatment plant continues to fail tests Dawson's new secondary treatment plant for wastewater is continuing to fail to meet the conditions of the town's water licence, at a time of year when the old primary treatment screening was generally sufficient to the task.
• Outstanding Volunteer, Youth Honoured Amanda Price (above) holds her Commissionerʼs Award for Public Volunteer Service Wednesday at the Commissionerʼs Levee.
• Student loan foregiveness program lauded Yukon MP Ryan Leef has highlighted the federal government's student loan forgiveness program for family doctors and nurses who work, and improve health care, in rural and remote communities.
• Mechanical Problems Cited in Blaze Whitehorse firefighters say a mechanical issue caused this truck fire early Tuesday afternoon.
• Whitehorse woman wins annual raffle The winner of the Big Brother Big Sister of Yukon raffle – Fly/Cruise and Spend – is Renate Schmidt of Whitehorse.
• An Explosion In The Sky The Canada Games Centre was bustling with activity for the First Night celebration on New Yearsʼ Eve.
• Median rent level reached record high, latest data reveal Median rents in Whitehorse and around the territory were $875 in September 2013, a new record-high for the Yukon.
• Committee to start its tour next week The legislature's select committee regarding the risks and benefits of hydraulic fracturing will leave Whitehorse Jan. 6 for its fact-finding mission to southern Alberta.
• Local author in the running for Stephen Leacock Award Local author David Thompson likes to keep an eye out for any reviews of his latest book Haines Junction, which was published last year.
• Salvation Army reaches its Christmas goal Once again, Yukoners have shown their generosity, coming through for the local Salvation Army's Christmas fund-raising campaign.
• Whitehorse Correctional Centre guard charged, held A Whitehorse correctional officer is locked up in the same jail he was patrolling just last week.