Whitehorse Daily Star

March 1, 2005

• Girl was threatened with knife, lighter Being a child stuck in an adult's body is no excuse for luring a six-year-old girl into a sexual assault, a lawyer argued Monday in territorial court.
• Council endorses athletes' village deal The city is giving up its two most valuable pieces of land in voting to ratify a memorandum of understanding with the territorial government for the construction of the 2007 Canada Winter Games' athletes' village, says Coun. Doug Graham.
• Winner was rookie-of-the-year shoo-in The Yukon Quest sled dog race wrapped up with its annual awards banquet in Fairbanks last Sunday evening.
• Twist of fate gave musher the Red Lantern Blake Freking shouldn't have been the last musher to cross the Yukon Quest finish line.
• Yukon water headed for Japan this year Yukon Spring Inc. has signed a five-year deal with an upstart Japanese company to distribute its water there.
• Equipment removal progressing The removal of the submerged loader and Snowcat from the Nisutlin River was scheduled for this afternoon or tomorrow morning, depending on the availability of divers.

February 28, 2005

• It's not a happy time,' union official says The 16 Air Canada employees in Whitehorse would have to apply to work with Air Canada Jazz, which will be taking over the flights into and out of the capital city this fall.
• Heavy equipment sinks into the Nisutlin River A Snowcat and loader remain on the bottom of the Nisultin River today as Northwestel Inc. and representatives from several other agencies try to figure out what to do.
• Devon Canada to start well drilling The Yukon government has authorized Devon Canada to begin drilling its first gas well in Eagle Plain.
• Trek Over the Top marks 12th year DAWSON CITY The first wave of Trek Over the Top snowmobilers has returned to Tok, Alaska, and the Dawson organizers are getting ready for the next group, which will arrive Thursday.
• Premier gearing up for the new budget The premier remains coy on when he plans to tell Yukoners how much he's going to spend next year.
• Yukoners flocked to Rendezvous Marj Eschak, president of the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Society, says it was the 'tremendous public support' that helped make this year's winter festival a success as record crowds came out to the numerous events held over the mild weekend.
• Federal budget receives mixed reviews locally Local groups saw some things in last week's federal budget that left them happy but they were not without concerns.

February 25, 2005

• Just a sleepy northern town, you say? DAWSON CITY When the first wave of snowmobiles from Alaska cruises into town for the beginning of the Trek Over the Top weekends, it will officially mark the end of anything like a quiet winter around here.
• Examining the roots of a wintery conscience Eric Arthur Blair, or George Orwell, as he would eventually be known, came to fit the definition of a self-made man over the course of his relatively brief life.
• Choreographer's work incredibly gratifying' 'And one, and two, and three, and four,' renowned choreographer Lisa Stevens counts her steps across the floor of the Guild Hall dance studio.
• Available Light festival to shine next week Itching to see those underground films you've only read about?
• I worked my butt to do this,' Mackey says FAIRBANKS After 11 long days, the Yukon Quest finally has a winner: musher Lance Mackey.
• It's just going to be fun, fun, fun' The annual Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous Festival is already in full swing.
• Minister is treasuring motherhood The territory's Tourism and Culture minister will take a little more time to be with the newest member of her family.
• Accused granted release from jail Accused murderer Christina Asp was released from jail Wednesday to await her Aug. 22 trial.
• Lawyer loses bid to elude traffic fine Whitehorse lawyer Barry Ernewein was found guilty Wednesday of failing to stop at a stop sign, after a two-hour trial. He admitted on the witness stand that he did not stop last Sept. 1.
• Turner is morning's first musher in FAIRBANKS All but one of the last Yukon Quest mushers have trickled across the finish line. Blake Freking was the only musher still on the trail early this afternoon.
• Final musher was due late this afternoon FAIRBANKS This 2005 Yukon Quest was a record-breaking year as it had the fewest number of mushers to cross the finish line.
• Frostbite society is warm to local waterfront move The Frostbite Music Society is keeping its eye on the waterfront as it works on plans to move to Shipyards Park.
• City may help youth centre relocate The Whitehorse Youth Centre could soon be going home.
• City serving as backdrop for mini-series Principal photography in the Yukon has begun for Northern Town, a CBC television comedy mini-series scheduled to be telecast next season.
• Producers seek free use of arena The producers of Northern Town are hoping to get a break from a northern city.
• Convention bureau hosting visitors The Yukon Convention Bureau is hosting four prospective meeting and event planners on a familiarization trip from today until Monday.
• Decisions on railway study, pipeline expected soon The premier says an announcement on Canada's decision whether to study the northern railway idea with the U.S. is going to come any day now.