Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 1

Til WYQMlNg Damage i award reduced 1 ECONOMY 1 SfIS Retail prices s- edge up lliaaAAAntaiA ill I 1T WEATHER Cloudy, cold, JasrC more snow I I -A2 Hoop action r'l continues Caspar epublicans send key spending bill back to Sullivan Legislature set to adjourn 1 i ('I ri Road guide Slar-TribuneZbigniew Bzdak A sign on Interstate 25 five miles north of Casper indicates road closures and road openings as the snowstorm that hit Wyoming continued Friday to hamper travel. Sullivan signs drinking age bill Related story, Bl "a tribute to a lot of hard work by people around the state and legislators." "When this becomes effective, we will no longer be an island," Sullivan said. "I think that will be 1 in the interests of our state, but first and foremost it will be in the interests of our young people." The Legislature gave its final approval to the 21-year-old drinking age Thursday, with nearly By SCOTT FARRIS Star-Tribune capital bureau CHEYENNE Republican legislators Friday challenged Gov. Mike Sullivan to again veto or accept a major state spending bill the Democratic governor has said does not meet the needs of the state. The legislators sent the measure SULLIVAN to the governor for a second time with only slight changes, and prepared to adjourn.

Sullivan announced he would postpone his decision until Monday. A veto would force the Legislature back into a special session. Democratic legislators have predicted Sullivan will decide to veto. But the governor softened his attack on the Republican-controlled Legislature Friday, saying there "doesn't appear to be that much difference" between what he wants the bill and what the Legislature approved. Hart uch of Wyo still socked in But snowstorm starting to ease From staff and wire reports CASPER A winter storm that paralyzed much of the state Thursday tapered off Friday afternoon in most parts of Wyoming, but blowing and drifting snow kept sections of Interstate 80 and other highways closed and state workers and students at home.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol reported no deaths or serious accidents on state roads during the storm that began early Thursday. "It is amazing. People are being very careful," said Kathy Moan, a spokeswoman for the patrol. "We've got all the raads closed. People have to stay home." Closed roads, however, didn't stop the Rawlins Outlaws basketball team from making it to Casper for the Class 4-A high school basketball tournament.

The Outlaws chartered a plane to make its state tournament quarterfinal game against Cheyenne Central on Thursday night. The plane dropped off four players at Natrona County International Airport, then returned to Rawlins for the rest of the team. Another team, the Green River Wolves, was forced to forfeit a Thursday night game with the Gillette Camels, however, when the team was stranded in Rawlins. Roads into Cheyenne, Gillette and Moorcroft were closed for most of the day Friday, and the eastern part of the state was still experiencing blizzard conditions Friday morning. The National Weather Service Please see WEATHER, A16 McFarlane WASHINGTON (AP) Former presidential aide Robert McFarlane pleaded guilty Friday to misdemeanor charges that he misled Congress by assuring lawmakers the Reagan administration was not helping arm Nicaraguan rebels during a ban on U.S.

military aid. President Reagan's former national security adviser pleaded guilty to four counts of withholding information from Congress when questioned about Casper Area A3 Classifieds B6-16 Comics B3 Crossword A6 Landers, Oracles B5 Legislature A4 Markets A15 Obituaries, Diary B2 Opinion A14 Sports A7-11 TV-Movies A6 Wyoming Bl Phones 266-0500 Wyo. free 1-800-442-6916 Old Grouch My wife didn't believe I was stranded by the storm at my favorite watering hole. RESULTS Do you want to sell your piano, harp, cello or sax? Try a classified Guaranteed Results ad! In our Guaranteed Results program, you either sell your item, or we happily refund the money you paid to place a classified ad! Last week, 1 6 different musical instruments appeared in the Star-Tribune Classifieds. To place your ad, just call 266-0555 or 1-800-442-6916, in WY toll-free.

to misleading Congress I MILES CLOSED i two-thirds of all legislators supporting the increased drinking age. Sullivan said he has received more mail on the drinking age bill than on any other issue in his first year in office. Wyoming is the last state to raise its legal drinking age to 21 under a federal mandate approved by Congress, which withheld federal highway funds from any state that did not raise its drinking age. Supporters of the higher drinking age say Wyoming will save more than $40 million over the next four years in federal highway Please see AGE 21, A 16 said without showing any emotion. The judge later asked, "Do you know any reason I should not accept the plea?" "No," McFarlane said.

McFarlane played a major role in the Iran-Contra affair, even after he resigned as national security adviser in December 1985. The following May, he led a secret mission to Tehran to open contact with so-called moderate Iranians who were thought to hold influence with kidnappers of American Please see McFARLANE, A16 $7.6 million in out-of-state sales tax income plus $3.4 million in extra federal mineral royalty payments over the biennium, beginning July 1. Rep. Lynn Birleffi, D-Laramie, sponsor of the sales tax assistance bill, said Thursday the Joint Corporations, Elections and Political Subdivisions Committee is expected to conduct an interim study on long-term permanent help for local governments. Robert Cantine, executive director of the Wyoming Association of Municipalities, said the package Please see CITIES, A16 authorizes that up to $445 million in state and local funds be spent on Wyoming's public schools, compared to the current level of about $440 million.

That includes $209 million in state support with the rest coming from local revenue sources. House Education Committee Chairman Rep. Alan Stauffer, R-Lincoln, said he was "tickled" by the school funding package approved by the Legislature. "It's as good as anybody could wish for," Stauffer said. But Stauffer warned school districts there is "a real rocky road Please see SCHOOLS, A16 An 1 li There is a difference of about 6 percent in spending levels proposed by Sullivan and those accepted by the Legislature in bill under dispute.

Here are key differences in the bill. The figures are for two years: The University of Wyoming. UW's current spending level on general operations is estimated to be about $201 million a biennium. Sullivan had requested $205.8 million, but the Legislature trimmed that by about $6.8 million to $199 million. Education Department staffing.

Sullivan wants $60.6 million for the department a $4 million cut from current spending levels. The Legislature had voted to eliminate 22 positions, but put the $1.6 million saved into the School Foundation Account for public schools. Restoring six of the positions placed the Education Department's budget as approved by the Legislature at $59.4 million. State employee pay raises. Sullivan requested a 4 percent pay raise for all state workers that would have cost $16.2 million.

Please see VETO, A16 1 AH quits put in escrow until constitutional rule is restored in Panama. A $6.6 million payment is due next Tuesday for operations relating to the Panama Canal. He also suspended trade preferences Panama receives under a Related story, A5 special system for Third World countries and the Caribbean Basin Initiative. Secretary of State George Shultz said $96 million worth of goods would be affected annually. In addition, Reagan ordered stepped up scrutiny of Panama by U.S.

Immigration and Customs Service officials "to apprehend drug traffickers and money launderers." Panamanian Ambassador Juan Plrnse see PANAMA, A16 By SCOTT FARRIS Star-Tribune capital bureau CHEYENNE Gov. Mike Sullivan on Friday signed the 21-year-old drinking age bill into law, making Wyoming the last state to adopt the national drinking age. The 21 drinking age will take effect July 1. There will be no grace period for 19- and 20-year-olds who now drink alcoholic beverages legally. Sullivan, who changed his position and supported the higher drinking age this year, said approval of the drinking age bill was pleads guilty news reports that members of his staff, particularly Lt.

Col. Oliver North were helping to raise money and ship arms to the Contra rebels. McFarlane, who agreed to cooperate fully with independent counsel Law rence Walsh's McFARLANE investigation, could be sentenced to up to four years imprisonment and fined as Legislature By JOAN BARRON Star-Tribune capital bureau CHEYENNE The Legislature has approved a $28.6 million shot in the arm for Wyoming's financially troubled cities, towns and counties over the next two years. Most of the money would come quickly by diverting funds that otherwise would have gone for capital construction by local governments. The money will be shared by the 93 municipalities and 23 counties according to the current sales tax much as $400,000 for the guilty pleas he entered before U.S.

District Judge Aubrey Robinson. Robinson released McFarlane on his own recognizance and did not schedule a sentencing date. McFarlane was subdued and spoke in a soft voice when responding to questions posed by the judge. "You understand that imprisonment could be consecutive?" Robinson said, referring to the option of making the four one-year terms concurrent or consecutive. "I understand that," McFarlane OKs aid to communities Gary Hart waves to supporters at a news conference in Denver Friday during his announcement that he's again withdrawing from the presidential race.

His wife Lee looks on. See story on B4. Reagan steps up pressure on Noriega to step down distribution formula based on population, with 71 percent going to municipalities and 29 percent going to counties. The Legislature offered aid from three separate income sources. The local governments will get a $17.6 million one-time jolt of coal impact tax money before July 30.

However, that money would have gone to local governments anyway, but its distribution would have been delayed and would have been dedicated only to capital construction under existing law. The rest of the aid package gives School Foundation Program are greater than current projections. "If that's the best we can get, we'll have to be pleased with it," Simons said. "It indicates the Legislature is responding to its responsibility to education." Simons said she is hopeful the additional money will be available to the public schools, noting Foundation Program revenue this year exceeded earlier projections. The legislative action reduces the 3.5 percent cut the Legislature made last year in entitlements to Wyoming's public schools to 2.5 percent.

The school finance bill now School funding hike wins final nod WASHINGTON (AP) President Reagan imposed new sanctions Friday against Panama, trying to weaken military strongman Manuel Antonio Noriega's grip on power and end "the illegitimate Noriega regime." In a written statement, Reagan said, "I believe that General Noriega would best serve his country by complying with the instruction of President (Eric Arturo) Delvalle to relinquish his post." Delvalle, the civilian figurehead president regarded as the legitimate constitutional authority by the United States, has been in hiding since Feb. 26 when he tried unsuccessfully to fire Noriega as commander of the Panama Defense Forces. Noriega is under indictment in the United States on drug-smuggling and racketeering charges. Reagan ordered that U.S. government payments due Panama be By SCOTT FARRIS Star-Tribune capital bureau CHEYENNE A last-minute, tentative increase in public school funding shows the Legislature recognized its responsibility to education, State Supt.

of Public Instruction Lynn Simons said Friday. The Legislature Friday gave final approval to a $4.5 million increase in authorized public school spending, though it did not appropriate any additional money for the schools. The additional $4.5 million can be spent only if revenues into the.