Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 3

star Casper Area Tuesday, June 16, 1987 Star-Tribune, Casper, Wyo. A3 Agreement reached for sale of KFNB-TV But local news suspended until June 22 ees who lost their jobs, Shoup and Wright said. They said the reason the department was cut was to save money. ABC "cleared" the discontinuation of the newscasts because "they would rather have a station on the air without a news department than no station at all," Shoup said. Both Wright and Shoup said they had been told they would be paid "through Monday," although the station is "still two paychecks behind." Since the threatened walkout, they said, they have been paid a little at a time.

Later in the day, Wright said they were told "some sort of agreement" had been reached and the 30-minute, 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. broadcasts would be returned to the air, but "we have not been hired back yet." Fladager said Sieler told him the "negotiations are still going on. they apparently have worked out an agreement." "As far as 1 know the news is going to go back on," he said. "We were told that it was over" Sunday, Fladager said.

"Today apparently. guess things just came to a head and the owners decided to get together." Fladager said he has his job back at the station, "as far as I know." He confirmed that five people had been notified they were without jobs Sunday. Shoup said he was told that Friday was his last newscast. Sieler said that "in discussions late (Monday) with principals of all concerned, there is a strong commitment to news, and we will bring the news department up to full staff over the next couple of weeks." "We will give the news people time off this week because it's been a very rough week for them, and we will return with our newcasts next Monday," he added. He said the original staff were offered their jobs back Monday, and "we will be adding more as time goes on." In addition, employees' pay "will be brought up to date," Sieler said.

"All of the funding of the station will resume." By EMILY QUARTERMAN Star-Tribune staff writer CASPER An agreement has beeri reached on the sale of Casper's KFNB-TV Channel 20, and five employees laid off Sunday were offered their jobs back Monday, the station's general manager said. Channel 20 went without a local newscast Monday, and two employees reported the entire news staff had been laid off Sunday. They also said that as of 5:45 p.m. Monday, they had not been offered their jobs back. Pete Sieler, KFNB's general manager, said that negotiations with a buyer have been successful, and the financially beleaguered station soon will be back on its feet.

However, no local newscasts will be seen on the station until June 22, he said. "An agreement has been reached in principle concerning the possible sale of Casper Channel 20 to First National Entertainment. Sieler said Monday. "The lawyers are presently drawing up the formal contracts for final review and ratification which will take place in the next couple of days." Last month a petition signed by 26 employees demanding that they be paid and threatening a May 20 walkout if they weren't was submitted to the station's management. However, Sieler said May 21 that only three employees had "elected to look for jobs elsewhere" and claimed the holdup in pay had been the result of negotiations for sale of the station.

But the sale fell through then, and the station owners planned to take the "initiative to restore the station to full competence," Sieler said last month. Weathercaster Greg Shoup and anchor Nathan Wright said Monday that News Director Greg Fladager notified them Sunday that the five-person news department, including Fladager, had been eliminated. Courtney Knapp and Frank Gambino were the other employ Slar-TribuneVal Reed A wading pool in Garden Creek Park sils empty in the summer sun as a neighborhood sign asks residents to call members of the Casper City Council for help in opening the pool. Faced with shrinking revenues and additional health department requirements for maintenance, the council closed the city's 9 wading pools this year. Wading woes Trial of man charged in drug scheme begins Sutherland has preferred choice for commissioner CASPER The jury trial of a man charged for his alleged involvement in a drug scheme began Monday in 7th District Court.

Luis Allen Jandro of California is charged with one count of conspiracy to deliver metham-phetamines, court records show. Charges were brought against Jandro after an investigation by state and local law enforcement officials allegedly connected hirfi with the sale of drugs brought to Wyoming from California. Russell Means to speak here CASPER American Indian Movement leader Russell Means, who. in February announced his intention to seek the Libertarian Party nomination for president, will speak at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Downtowner Motor Hotel.

The topic of his talk will be "The Indian, Nicaragua, and the American," according to local Libertarian spokesman Dave Dawson. Means spent a month with the In his opening statement, Assistant District Attorney Brian Christensen told the jury the defendant had $1,100 in marked bills in his possession when apprehended. The money had been used by an undercover Casper police officer to purchase drugs from a Casper resident, the lawyer said. Christensen said there were two separate "pipelines" of drugs from southern California coming into the Casper area the week of Miskito Indians in Nicaragua in early 1986. Means gained national attention in 1973, when he and other Indian leaders occupied the town of Wounded Knee, South Dakota.

Ranch has grazing rights, not leases CASPER Coffman Ranch Co. leases grazing rights on about Jan. 13-17, and there are lots of pieces in the "puzzle" leading to the arrest of Jandro and 1 1 other Wyoming and California residents. "It's pretty long, drawn out, confusing, with many players," he told the jurors. Jandro was asleep in a Rawlins hotel room while another California man allegedly sold a Casper man cocaine, metham-phetamines and marijuana and 150,000 acres of public land in northwestern Natrona County, but does not lease the land itself, as incorrectly reported by the Star-Tribune Sunday.

The paper also reported that Matt Reid is the executive director of the Wyoming Wildlife Federation. Reid is the conservation programs coordinator. Marcia Rothwell is the WLF executive director. Dead colt left in driveway of home CASPER A three-month-old colt's throat was "cut out" and the animal was left in the driveway of a house in the 900 block of Garden Creek Road Friday, a Natrona County sheriff's report says. A "sharp instrument" was used to kill the animal, valued at $100, the report says.

The deputy investigating the incident says in his report it appeared the animal was dropped off at the house. Undersheriff Mark Benton said the officer's report also indicates the colt may have been hit by a car before its throat was cut which may have been an effort to put the animal out of misery. Rash of vandalism reported to police CASPER A garden, clothing on a clothesline, a doorknob, the side of a house and a screen door were the targets of vandalism this weekend, property damage reports filed with the Police Department show. Sometime around 2 p.m. Friday, someone allegedly put Superglue in a doorknob's lock at an apartment in the 3900 block of East 12th St.

In the 200 block of South Pennsylvania late Thursday or early Friday, vegetables in a garden were pulled up, and the perpetrators "possibly took some," another report shows. Underwear, a sweater, night clothes and a dress worth a total of $62 were damaged Sunday morning when someone wielding a the marked bills were transferred to the out-of-staters' possession, the lawyer said. Jandro allegedly later went to Douglas with the other California man to collect $10,000 still owed following the alleged transaction, and he was arrested in Converse County, Christensen said. Janeiro's lawyer, public defender Denise Nau, opted to make no opening statement. Testimony continues today before Judge Harry Leimback.

"knife-like" instrument cut holes in the clothing hanging on a clothesline in the 2000 block of Hyview. Between 1 and 8 a.m. Saturday in the 1900 block of East 24th an eight-inch hole allegedly was knocked in insulation and sheet-rock on the south side of a residence. And in the 200 block of South Jefferson Saturday, $20 in damage was done to a screen by three suspects who reportedly wanted to cut through it to pass notes to someone on the other side. Two Hilltop center businesses burgled CASPER Two Hilltop Shopping Center businesses were burglarized this weekend, Casper police reports show.

At Hilltop Bowl, 2655 S. Third, roughly $300 in damage was done when the business' glass front door was broken with an "unknown object" sometime between 11 p.m. Friday and 11:30 a.m. Sunday. However, nothing was taken in the break-in, the police report on the incident shows.

At California Nails, 235 S. Montana, $50 in damage was done to a cash register and a glass door valued at $200 was broken in a burglary occurring between 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday. All that was taken, according to the report, was a heart-shaped pendant worth $11.

Sunbathing site sparks scolding CASPER Three juveniles' weekend fun in the sun was interrupted Sunday afternoon when a Natrona County sheriffs deputy informed them sunbathing in a roadway was not "suitable," a sheriff's report shows. The youths were sunbathing on 7 Mile Road, about three-quarters of a mile south of state Highway 20-26, when the deputy "requested they use a more suitable" and "safe area to sunbathe in the future," the report says. "They agreed. No further incident," the reports says. The juveniles were issued warnings.

CASPER Natrona County Commissioner Joan Sutherland said Monday she has a "preference" for one of the three Democratic nominees for commissioner, but she won't name her preferred choice. The Democratic Party central committee June 9 nominated Eric Distad, David Park and Joe Shickich to replace Commissioner Don Park, ho died June 1 "All three of them are good names," Sutherland said. She and commission Chairman Frank "Pinky" Ellis have until July 10 to choose one of the nominees. Sutherland said she has "no idea" when a replacement will be picked, however. The commissioners had arranged to make a decision at the end of last week, Sutherland said, but Ellis did not show up at the commission office.

Eilis, a rancher, will be out of town all week, ex Basking cept for an appearance at tonight's commission meeting, she said. Ellis could not be reached for comment Monday. If the commissioners cannot reach an agreement in the next 30 days, the decision will be passed to a 7th District Court judge, who may select any registered Democrat in the county not just one of the nominees. Distad, a Casper lawyer, was nominated for commissioner in the 1986 general election, in which he placed third behind Sutherland and Park. David Park, the late commissioner's son, is a local attorney, a member of the Casper Board of Public Utilities and the Wyoming Environmental Quality Council.

Shickich, a private investor, is former chairman of the county Democratic Party and was Gov. Mike Sullivan's finance chairman in the 1986 general election. Siar-Tnbunc 'Va! Reed blooms Details of bed tax How much is the tax? Two percent, or 80 cents on a $40 charge. Other applicable taxes would continue to be charged. Who pays? All guests of 30 days or less of hotels, motels, tourist courts, trailer parks, dude ranches and condominiums.

What would be taxed? The sales price paid for the rented room or space. The additional 2 percent tax would not apply to incidentals such as food and car rental. How would the tax be spent? Under state law, an appointed joint powers board primarily made up of travel-industry representatives from around the county must spend at least 90 percent of the tax revenues on local tourism promotion. No money may be spent on capital construction. How long would the the tax be in effect? If passed by Natrona County voters, the tax would begin Aug.

18 and expire Aug. 18, 1989, unless renewed for another two years at the next general election. Who may vote? All Natrona County residents who voted in the 1986 general election or who registered before May 18. Where do you vote? Eligible voters may cast their ballot from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

at any of the following locations: CY Jr. High School, Dean Morgan Jr. High School, Wyoming National Guard Armory, Natrona County Public Library, East Jr. High School, Kelly Walsh High School, Alcova School, Evansville School, Midwest School, Bar Nunn School, Mountain View School and Powder River School. ik Mountain bluebells catch a few rays Monday before afternoon rainshowers pelted the Casper area..