Whitehorse Daily Star

February 20, 2004

• Support for Yukon Party still sliding The Yukon Party's popularity keeps on plunging.
• I'm going to cut you up,' man told police officer Despite a judge's dim view of assaulting police officers, a man who tussled with cops, threatened them and their families and spat at one walked away from court with time served.
• Police called to Roadhouse Whitehorse RCMP officers made a familiar trip to the Roadhouse off-sales store Thursday after staff called at 9:30 p.m. to report a man had dashed in and made off with a 15-pack of beer without paying.
• Gatt takes Quest lead at Dawson DAWSON CITY Reigning Yukon Quest champion Hans Gatt has taken over the lead from rookie Zack Steer, being the first musher to arrive at the midway checkpoint in Dawson Thursday afternoon at 1:58 p.m.
• Phillips, Turner tango on Eagle Summit EAGLE, Alaska The 3,650-foot Eagle Summit is not an easy ride down for many Yukon Quest mushers, especially when you're pinned between two dog sleds.
• Injured musher buoyed by good wishes 'I'm first into Whitehorse.' William Kleedehn laughs at his joke but he is right he is the first musher in the 2004 Yukon Quest to arrive in Whitehorse. The problem is, he didn't arrive at the race's finish line.
• Man faces forgery charges A man suspected of being a fraud artist learned the hard way that local business owners pay attention to the news.
• Winter road equipment reaches Old Crow Bombardier Snowcats brought in to make the first pass of the winter ice road from Eagle Plains into Old Crow have reached the community.
• Trail erosion seen as safety hazard The president of the Riverdale Community Association says sloughing banks on the Yukon River are a growing safety concern.
• Kenyon may be game to change wildlife rules The Environment minister may be changing his tune on the new captive wildlife regulations.
• Jury members weigh dog assault charges Former dog owner Alvin Matthews is waiting to hear today whether he'll be convicted of several serious assault charges coming out of a dog fight in Carcross last summer.
• Heritage award winner has mixed broadcasting, boating Boater and broadcaster Marc Johnson was presented with the Yukon Historical and Museums Association's annual heritage award last Monday evening in Whitehorse.
• Late record keeper, researcher honoured The Yukon Historical Museums Association has awarded the posthumous lifetime achievement award to association member Sarah. She died May 26, 2003 at her Whitehorse home.
• Air show security heightened More security changes are planned for the Foothills Pipelines Sourdough Air Show. It will be held during the Yukon Sourdough Rendezvous at the Whitehorse airport.
• Association salutes volunteer's efforts Longtime Yukoner Melanie Needham has won this year's volunteer of the year heritage award from the Yukon Historical and Museums Association.

February 19, 2004

• Liberal leader demands minister's firing A letter from the Teslin Tlingit Council is a sign the premier should can the Environment minister as far as the opposition is concerned.
• Yukon College staff OK a new contract Yukon College staff will not be up for a new contract until 2007.
• Man assaulted Drugs and weapons appear to have been involved in an assault that left a middle-aged man in an ambulance en route to the hospital last night.
• Solar bicycle fans sought Skills Canada is looking for interested groups of young people and mentors interested in designing, building and racing a solar-powered bicycle at the second annual Yukon Solar Challenge Bike Race.
• Northerners to be surveyed About 1,200 people living in the Yukon and Northwest Territories can expect to be contacted by Statistics Canada in the next few weeks to take part in a national survey on personal safety.
• Jury hears closing words The trial into a dog scrap gone terribly wrong wrapped up with closing arguments to the jury this morning.
• RCMP seek help in finding man The Mounties are asking for a little help catching their man a man charged with armed robbery and three high-speed pursuits with uniformed officers.
• Musher will shun comforts of home EAGLE, Alaska ñWhen Dawson City musher Peter Ledwidge hits his home town during the Yukon Quest, he won't be going home.
• Breeding offer stunned bush musher EAGLE, Alaska Wayne Hall plans to have a competitive edge the next time he races in the Yukon Quest sled dog race a William Kleedehn edge.
• Wiring contest planned Skills Canada Yukon will host an electrical wiring competition Saturday to select the best candidate to compete at the Canadian Skills Competition in Winnipeg in May.

February 18, 2004

• Contentious bylaw will be restudied City councillor Bev Buckway wants to revisit the smoking bylaw in light of complaints from restaurant owners who say bar businesses are profiting from their despair.
• Man guilty of torching trailer home A territorial judge was not willing to believe a man had no idea he was assisting in an arson by taking a 160-kg propane tank into a trailer home.
• Damaged glass sparks dispute A local man may well have to pay up for more than one cracked windshield after an angry dispute at the Ford dealership late Tuesday afternoon.
• Quest's leader modest about prospects EAGLE, Alaska Yukon Quest leader Zack Steer was handing out some gambling advice after being the first musher to arrive at the Eagle checkpoint Tuesday night.
• Man says he tried to prevent dog bite A man accused of telling his dog to attack a five-foot-tall woman sprawled on the ground stopped to wipe his eyes and clear his throat as he told the jury about turning to see his dog Boulder bleeding to death.
• One musher takes first and last in Quest 250 CIRCLE, AK The winner of the 2004 Yukon Quest 250 race walked away with the red lantern as well after being the only musher to finish the 415-km trek in Circle, AK.
• Nightmare' forces out musher CIRCLE, Alaska After Eric Butcher pulled his team through part of Birch Creek just before the Circle checkpoint of the Yukon Quest sled dog race, veteran Quest musher Eric Nicolier scratched from the race Tuesday morning.
• Fentie coy on timing of Dawson's bridge DAWSON CITY When you say there was a Monday night bridge meeting in Dawson, you aren't talking about a game of cards, albeit some might contend any conversation about a bridge might be a house of cards.
• Smokers aren't criminals, manager tells city council Asking local residents if they favour a smoking ban in restaurants would resemble asking the Hells Angels if marijuana should be legalized, city council was told Monday evening.