Blog

Going underground to understand the yin and yang of carbon in our atmosphere

How a nearly three-decade long experiment in Colorado is offering clues to how ecosystems respond to global warming, even as it’s shut down due to budget cuts

At the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, the heat lamps that had been strung shoulder-high over five plots in an experiment called Warming Meadows were taken down last July. For 29 years, day and night, winter, spring, summer and fall, electric infrared radiators directed heat downward to warm the top 15 centimetres of soil by about two degrees Celsius.…

Putting the struggle for gender equality on ice

I clearly recall the first time I realized that, when it comes to sports, girls and boys aren’t considered equals. My brother had just mentioned he wanted to play in the NHL someday.…

Use of force justified in Whistler RCMP’s arrest of woman, says IIO

Intoxicated woman resisted arrest after ignoring commands to get off bike in pedestrian zone

The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) has ruled that a Whistler RCMP officer was justified in her use of force during the takedown of a woman who ignored commands to get off her bike in a pedestrian zone and resisted arrest. The woman also suffered a broken ankle.…

Revenge, racism and Taylor Swift

For a long time, movie fans underestimated Blake Lively. Partially because they didn’t sneak into Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants at the multiplex in 2005 like I did, and partially because she was a big-time TV star at the tail end of the era when TV and movies were still kind of separate ecosystems.…

Pemberton council draws lesson from “Welcome to Pemberton” sign challenge

Council Briefs: Vaping products regulations; student-built home project; fourth quarter results

The “Welcome to Pemberton” sign that lies between Whistler and Pemberton may be moving—closer to Pemberton During its Jan. 28 regular meeting, Village of Pemberton (VOP) council directed staff to move forward with a Crown land lease application to relocate the sign to a new location near the top of One Mile Lake Park hill.…

WHO declares coronavirus international “public health emergency”

The World Health Organization (WHO) has today declared the China-based coronavirus outbreak a “public health emergency of international concern.” The WHO announcement came after an emergency committee reconvened Thursday in Geneva.…

Environment Canada to release science review backing need for plastics ban

OTTAWA — Environment Canada is releasing scientific evidence today to back up the government’s bid to ban most single-use plastics next year. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced last June the government was getting ready to prohibit the production and sale of single-use plastics in Canada, such as drinking straws, takeout containers and plastic cutlery.…

This year’s Cypress Point Winter Carnival marks 10 years since Whistler Olympics

Arts News: Nominations close this week for Whistler Champion of Arts & Culture Award

The Point Artist-Run Centre is getting in the Olympic spirit for its annual Cypress Point Winter Carnival next month, 10 years since Whistler hosted the world at the 2010 Games. Scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 16, the “Art-lympics” will feature everything from an opening ceremony and torch lighting to an “Olympic ring” donut-eating contest, Olympic-themed improv, art auction and live music by Vancouver’s own rock n’ rollers, Small Town Artillery.…

Freestyle Whistler’s Heslop earns sweep at season-opening Timber Tour

Club earns 17 medals at Panorama

At the Junior National Freestyle Ski Championships last spring, Mattheus Heslop realized what he was capable of on a Canada-wide level with a third-place in his age group in the moguls event. Returning to action on the provincial-level Timber Tour, the Freestyle Whistler member put that positivity into action, winning all three events at the first stop of the season at Panorama Mountain Resort from Jan. 24 to 26, claiming gold in slopestyle, moguls and dual moguls in the U14 male division.…

Why skiing beats a beach vacay any day

Around this time of year I fall out of step with many—most, maybe—Canadians. “Around this time of year?”…

Still no timeline for Whistler cannabis retail

Municipality fields ‘extremely high volume’ of cannabis inquiries

While cannabis retail was considered a 2019 agenda item for the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) at the end of 2018, the year came and went with little in the way of public announcements. “If I look back on 2019, I would put housing as our No. 1 priority, and we have focused on that, and a lot of other major infrastructure projects,” said chief administrative officer Mike Furey.…

Rate of hospitalization for ski-related injuries up provincewide

Trend does not take into account increases in skier numbers

Despite the widespread adoption of helmets, experts with Trauma Services BC said that analysis of skiing and boarding injuries point to a concerning trend. The stats do not, however, take into account the greater numbers of skiers and boarders visiting B.C. resorts.…

Letters to the Editor for the week of January 30

Supporting those fighting the Australian bushfires At Whistler Blackcomb, we’ve been closely monitoring the Australian bushfires and looking for ways we can help.…

Jansen reflects on 30-year career

Whistler’s GM of resort experience to retire

When Jan Jansen first came to Whistler from Toronto some 30 odd years ago, there were just 2,400 people living in the resort. There was also no Meadow Park Sports Centre, no Whistler Olympic Plaza, and little in the way of summer business.…

Free will astrology for the week of January 30

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
My favourite ancient Greek philosopher was the rascal Diogenes. As a joke, he carried around a lantern during the daytime, proclaiming, “I am just looking for an honest man.” When Alexander the Great, the most powerful man in the world, came to meet Diogenes while he was relaxing outside and asked him if he needed any favours done, he replied, “Yeah, stop blocking my sunlight.”…