A weekly re-cap of the events that have made news in Cairns over the past week.

Monday May 14, 2001 14th Edition

The main news in Cairns this week was the arrival of the US Navy. Over 2500 service personnel have descended on Cairns to enjoy a few days of rest and recreation and to provide the vessels with time to restock before the commencement of the joint Australian/Us war games. For a city the size of Cairns this has a major financial impact. By all reports the visit has gone exceptionally well with with Cairns welcoming the visitors who have been reported to be "on their best behaviour".

Ex-Mayor fights back
It has been over twelve months since long term Mayor of Cairns, Tom Pyne, retired and allowed the way for former Mayor, Kevin Byrne, to take the helm of the organisation once again. In the twelve month period Tom Pyne and his Council have been the subject of constant criticism, being blamed for the financial problems being experienced by the current Council. The war of words has been mainly one sided until last week, when Tom Pyne unleashed some retaliation stating that the current Council have no-one to blame but themselves for any financial problems. Mr Pyne stated that when he "handed over the keys" to Mayor Byrne the Council was in excellent financial condition.

Jailed woman's hunger strike protest
A Cairns eco-resort owner has been jailed for three months after ignoring a court order to remove five tent like structures from her resort. Anita Bernstrom has now begun a hunger strike in the Stuart Creek Correctional Facility in Townsville. Ms Bernstrom believes that she has every right to have the structures on her property and her spokesperson has stated that she is a very determined woman who is fighting for a principal.

Tourism row gains momentum
The ongoing dispute between the regions main tourism promotional body, Tourism Tropical North Queensland (TTNQ) and dissatisfied members continues to grow. A splinter group has been formed to help promote the region. This group has gained the ear of the Deputy Mayor, Margaret Gill one of their main supporters. The group is expected to approach Council to assist with funding in the near future. TTNQ has called for unity from all members and this has been reinforced by other key tourism bodies such as the Australian Tourism Commission and Tourism Queensland.

Oasis Fire
The Oasis Resort in Cairns had to be evacuated early last Wednesday morning as the result of a fire in one of the properties guestrooms. No one was injured in the fire with the Queensland Fire and Rescue Authority stating that the installation of fire alarms allowed the problem to be identified quickly and with minimal risk. It is believed that the fire was caused by an electrical fault in a bar fridge.

Retailer to stay
There was a collective sigh of relief as administrators for the national retailer Harris Scarfe released the statement that all stores would remain open for the foreseeable future. The group has 35 stores nationally, including one at Earlville in Cairns. There have been over 50 expressions of interest from companies keen to buy the troubled chain.

Local economy enjoys a mini-boom with the US navy
Two American warships carrying 2500 service personnel will provide a boost of almost $4 million dollars to the Cairns economy during their 3 day stopover. Much of this is expected to be spent by the troops who will enjoy several days of rest and recreation. The visiting war ships USS Germantown and USS Blue Ridge are participating in a series of war games with the Australian Navy.

Police airlift bodies
Almost one month since the accident occurred, rescue services have been able to recover the bodies of four men who died in a light aircraft crash at Thornton's Peak. Rugged terrain and poor weather have continually hindered the recovery process. Most of the wreckage will be left at the site once investigators have been able to identify the cause of the crash.