Whitehorse Daily Star

February 22, 2008

• Judicial appointment is greeted positively Mike Cozens' appointment as a territorial court judge has been met with support from prominent legal community members.
• Diners hear of adventures on the high seas The executive officer of HMCS Toronto regaled Whitehorse Chamber of Commerce luncheon delegates Tuesday with accounts of piracy, terrorism, and humanitarian missions conducted during a five-month journey around the horn of Africa and through the Red Sea to the Mediterranean.
• Another piece of Whitehorse history abruptly destroyed A century-old home originally owned by the superintendent of Whitehorse's first hospital was unceremoniously demolished Thursday afternoon at its final location on Wood Street.
• Three-plex proposed for downtown City council is being asked to permit the construction of a two-storey three-plex on a lot currently occupied by an older single-storey duplex.
• Sodden musher couldn't wait to doff boots After a gut feeling brought him back to the Yukon Quest, perseverance brought William Pinkham to the finish line last night.
• Youngest, oldest Questers expected in on Saturday The Quest's youngest and oldest mushers are expected to arrive in Whitehorse tomorrow, with all signs pointing to Kyla Boivin as the prospective Red Lantern winner.
• Canadian Forces to take part in Sourdough Rendezvous Members of the Canadian Forces (CF) will be attending the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous festival this weekend as part of Operation Connection, an initiative whose aim is to highlight the Forces' role at home and abroad.
• Band performing in city Three musical ensembles from the Naden Band of Maritime Forces Pacific, Canada's Pacific Fleet Navy Band, will perform at the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous festival this weekend.
• Race lives up to its name: musher Musher Phil Joy has now finished what he set out to do two years ago.
• Recruitment contest winners from Europe arrive in territory Two young French women are enjoying Yukon hospitality, courtesy of a recruitment contest run by the Carrefour d'immigration/Crossroad Yukon, the immigration section of the Association franco-yukonnaise (l'AFY).

February 21, 2008

• Third-placer battled knee-deep overflow After much pacing, waiting and watching the clock, the Yukon Quest's third-place musher crossed the finish line late Wednesday night, and was promptly handed a beer.
• Poverty is everyone's business: Dryden Poverty is an urgent problem that must be addressed now, a Liberal MP and chair of his party's social development committee told an audience at the MacBride Museum Wednesday afternoon.
• Cozens summoned to the bench Crown prosecutor Michael Cozens, 52, has been appointed as a new territorial court judge, the Star learned this afternoon.
• Sodden musher finishes Quest's last leg After a difficult, 18-hour run from Braeburn, veteran musher Kelley Griffin walked her dogs across the Yukon Quest finish line in Whitehorse this morning, saying she was ready for a dip in a hot tub.
• Phillips happy with fourth-place finish The Quest's top Yukon musher crossed the finish line late last night after a run that had her screaming out to the sky in frustration.
• Sass full of praise for remaining eight dogs At midnight this morning, Brent Sass' handler and childhood friend, Aren Gunderson, paced the Yukon Quest finish line, back and forth.
• Dawson council eyes in-town quartz claims DAWSON CITY - "No bona fide hardrock company would stake claims within a municipality," municipal councillor Ed Kormendy said Feb. 12.
• Trekkers to reach Dawson this evening DAWSON CITY - There is no truth to the rumour that the first group of Trek Over the Top snowmobilers had to cancel their trip to Dawson because they had not obtained passports to enable them to go home afterward.

February 20, 2008

• Treasury Board helps Whitehorse go greener Treasury Board president Vic Toews made another appearance at city hall Tuesday morning and announced a $73,975-grant.
• Cougars evolve into part of daily life in Destruction Bay Regular sightings of cougars in Destruction Bay have Brenda Guthrie and others - including the local elementary school - adjusting their routines.
• 'It's a pretty special moment,' victor says First a headlamp came into view, then the silhouette of a dog sled, turning the bend off the Yukon River trail and onto the last stretch of the race route.
• Northwestel volunteer fund helps 19 northern groups The volunteer efforts of Northwestel Inc. employees during the past year have resulted in nearly $10,000 in sponsorship funding for 19 northern charities and non-profit groups.
• City officials pursuing purchase of new $450,000 'kneeling' bus City officials are seeking the permission of council to sole-source the purchase of a new $450,000 transit bus.
• Committee researches northern rural poverty Members of the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry hosted a day-long public hearing Monday which gave Yukon community leaders an opportunity to voice their concerns about rural poverty.
• 'I worked my butt off,' says second-placer Hot on the heels of Lance Mackey's sled-dog team, Yukon Quest rookie Ken Anderson steered his team into the downtown Whitehorse finish line early this morning, to a sea of cheers and applause.
• Next mushers expected in late tonight While two Yukon Quest mushers are now resting after completing the 1,600-kilometre (1,000-mile) journey from Fairbanks, Alaska, the remaining 13 will continue to trickle in across the Whitehorse finish line.
• City seeks changes in premiums Not so much for the money, but for the principle, the City of Whitehorse wants to be treated like other levels of government when it comes to workers' compensation payments.