The Billings Gazette from Billings, Montana • 1

BILLINGS FORECAST Maybe a little rumble 82' yiO0 Thundershowers possible FRIDAY September 18, 1998 113th year, No. 137 High Plains Edition For your area forecast, see back page of this section 1998 Billings Gazette, a Lee Newspaper, 401 N. Broadway, Billings, Montana 59101 'VIGOROUSLY PARTISAN' DEBATE 'South Pacific1 Billings Studio Theatre celebrates fall with performances of 'South Pacific' Enjoy! ID 'r Ml "ttl' PvJil XQJ RECENT SEXUAL ASSAULTS lOS Iff MM) tali 7 Police receive dozens of tips on attacker ID INSIDE PRESIDENCY House sources disclosed that former Rep. Pat Williams, was joining Clinton's staff to help solidi Critics say House added to online porn with Starr report 5A Man who revealed Hyde affair says White House not involved 9A El Congress furious at report of Hyde affair WASHINGTON (AP) The House Judiciary Committee delayed a decision Thursday on releasing President Clinton's videotaped grand jury testimony after becoming entangled in a partisan dispute over how much more sexually explicit written evidence to release. The delay came as top House Republicans demanded an FBI inquiry into an alleged "systematic attempt to begun a debate over the question of the release of the tape.

Instead, they said, the day was devoted to discussing what material should be deleted from the thousands of pages of written evidence as part of an effort to shield the public from sexually explicit material and protect the reputation of innocent people. Rep. Henry Hyde, the panel's chairman, said a series of party-line votes was taken during the day. He added: "We're partisan, sure. It was strongly partisan, vigorously partisan.

I (More on Clinton, Page 9A) fy the House dent's support intimidate" the panel's chairman and other lawmakers, and the agency pledged to take appropriate steps in response. In a separate development, White Democrats. Several members of the Judiciary Committee, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the panel had not even By NICK EHLI Of The Gazette Staff Suspect remains at large Dozens of tips about the possible identity of a man who attacked two Billings women this month poured into investigators Thursday, but so far none of the information has panned out. After the release of a sketch of the rapist, about 30 tips had been called into Crime Stoppers by Thursday ANGLING DOWN THE RIVER afternoon, said Detective Lt. Rich St.

John. Many other callers phoned the Police Department directly. "We're in the process of checking out each and every one of those," St. John said. As of Thursday night, the rapist remained at large.

Most of the department's detectives have been chasing leads, and officers from other divisions, including the Special Investigations Unit and the Street Crimes Unit, have also joined the investigation. "We'll be operating as such until every lead is rj if V. The Billings Police Department has released this sketch of a man who is a suspect in two sexual assaults in Billings. exhausted or until we catch the guy," St. John said.

"We'll be hammering away until we don need to. The most recent victim, a 17-year-old girl, was attacked on her porch in the 300 block of Yellowstone Avenue late Monday night. The assailant fled when the girl screamed. Police believe he's the same man who raped and stabbed a newspaper carrier on Sept. 5 near Broadwater Avenue and 24th Street West.

The rapist is described as dark-skinned, 30 years old, about 6 feet 2 inches tall, weighing 225 pounds with a pot belly. He has shoulder-length dark hair and a mole near his right eye. St. John said some callers have confused the suspect with a white man sought by Yellowstone County investigators in the rape of a woman he drove to Riverfront Park early Saturday. Police believe that incident doesn't appear to be related to the two city attacks.

ft Gazette photo by Bob Zellar A pair of fishermen, who did not want to be identified, float the Yellowstone River just downstream from South Bridge in Billings, on a balmy late summer afternoon Thursday. Expect temperatures in the 70s and 80s today in Montana and Wyoming, with thundershowers possible. LEGAL BATTLE WITH FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Nomee will remain Crow leader for now 3 i te, Blacklodge Council north of Crow Agency Wednesday night, said, "With Nomee's conviction, she should have forfeited her position. I feel that the tribal attorneys are nothing more than Nomee's personal lawyers. They should be loyal to code from 1978 clearly states that tribal officials who have been charged may be suspended for office without pay.

Upon judgment of convictidn they, shall permanently forfeit office, the law says. "Nomee has no respect for the law, even things she signed herself. It's like a reservation without laws or resolutions," LaForge said. According to the tribal attorneys, though, a two-thirds majority vote of tribal members at a council meeting could impeach Nomee after her sentencing hearing De. 18.

The Crow Tribal Constitution and bylaws contains no provision for immediate removal or impeachment of a tribal official for any (More on Nomee, Page 9A) Tribal chairwoman convicted of using influence to buy land below its value By ROBERT STRUCKMAN Of The Gazette Staff CROW AGENCY Attorneys for the Crow Tribe said Thursday that convicted Crow Tribal Chairwoman Clara Nomee would remain the leader of her tribe for at least the next several months. The tribe's administrative duties will continue to be carried out by Vice Chairman Joe Pickett. Pickett has been the administrator since mid-July, when Nomee's legal battle with the federal government impeded her ability to run the tribe. The finding on Nomee was based on an interpretation of the Crow Tribe's Constitution written by Crow attorneys and endorsed by Bureau of Indian Affairs officials. The announcement came after a long night of impromptu caucuses in tribal district buildings across the Crow Reservation after a U.S.

District Court jury in Billings delivered the guilty verdict to Nomee on Wednesday. The caucuses generally called for Nomee to resign or be removed from office. Alex LaForge who attended the Bank account set up for victim A savings account has been established for The Billings Gazette newspaper carrier who was attacked and stabbed recently. The public can donate money to the account to help the family with expenses. Gazette staff members and newspaper carriers have been donating money to the account this past week.

The family has said it would like to thank everyone for the flowers, support and prayers. "It has made this whole ordeal much easier to handle emotionally, spiritually and financially," a note to The Gazette said. To donate, send checks to: Gazette Carrier, co US Bank, P.O. Box 30678, Billings, Mont. 59115.

NOMEE tribal chair the tribe, not one person. That really upsets me. They should be taken off the payroll. Nomee should be paying them personally." LaForge said a tribal law-and-order X- COMING UP INDEX i School District 2 enrollment-; -J Elementary Oct. '97 Sept.

8, '98 Middle School Oct. '97 Sept 998 7 ELEMENTARY ENROLLMENT DECLINES Billings school population holding steady, figures show Teens drive car that simulates drunk driving Saturday Castle Rock Lewis Clark Riverside Will James Auto Plus 1E Classified 2E Comics 5C Deaths 8A Enjoyl 1D High Plains 1B Markets 8C Movies 14D.15D Opinion 6A Sports 1C TV 6C Weather 10A 708 662 544 552 770 664 534 581 TOTAL 7th-8th 2,466 2,549 mm High School Oct. '97 Sept. 9, '98 Senior Skyview West 1,982 .1,371 1,894 1,962 1,395 1,852 357 426 274 428 464 305 392 379 279 408 365 274 295 239 438 337 275 255 312 243 225 251 380 321 381 488 272 443 481 308 346 384 297 407 379 309 310 256 435 327 286 273 324 264 242 266 378 319 Alkali Creek Arrowhead Beartooth Bench Big Sky Bitterroot Boulder Broadwater Burlington Central Heights Eagle Cliffs Garfield Highland McKinley Meadowlark Miles Newman Orchard Poly Drive Ponderosa Rimrock Rose Park Sandstone Washington TOTAL 5,247 5,209 President urged to educate Americans on how advantages granted to whites discourage others 2A are attending school at Boulder Elementary this year as part of a plan to ease crowding at Arrowhead. Soon after school began, District 2 transferred teachers from low-enrollment schools to schools where enrollment had increased.

Officials also counted 2,549 students in the district's four middle schools, compared with 2,466 in school last October. The three high schools reported 5,247 students, compared with 5,209 counted last October. A big jump in enrollment occurred at Castle Rock Middle School, where 770 students were counted on Sept. 8, compared with 708 in school last October. "We didn't anticipate having this many," said Castle Rock Principal Randy Morrison.

"We've had a lot of kids move in since last July." Morrison said a larger-than-average seventh-grade class contributed to this year's (More on Students, Page 9A) By TOM HOWARD Of The Gazette Staff An early enrollment count in School District 2 shows fewer students in elementary schools, but higher numbers in middle schools and high schools. District 2 counts students on the first day of school, again just after Labor Day, and again in October and in February. The February and October counts are sent to the Office of Public Instruction and help determine state funding for the next school year. District 2 counted 7,922 students in the K-6 elementary district on Sept. 8, a 3 percent drop from 8,175 counted in October of 1997.

Sixteen of the district's 24 elementary schools showed enrollment declines between last October and the most recent count. Arrowhead Elemcntary's enrollment showed a decline of 62 students from last year to this year, but that reflects an effort to ease crowded conditions at the school. More than 50 Arrowhead kindergartners Managing wildlife in the i Peace park Sunday TOTAL Elem. 8,175 7,922 Gazette graphic by John Potter tm mm mmmtMMMt mm1.