Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 13

Fremont Democrats: Bebout should resign The eight-year legislator announced Tuesday that he was changing his party affiliation. Bebout, whose term expires at the end of the year, said he didn't plan to resign from the Legislature despite switching parties. However, he has resigned his position as the House minority whip and resigned from the various Houscommittees on which he serves. The lawmaker said he doesn't believe Fremont County will be hurt by his absence from committees. In announcing his decision Tuesday, Bebout said he was joining the Republican Party because of philosophical differences with the Clinton administration on such issues as management of public lands in the West and fiscal policies.

"To maintain that a change of heart, of phi losophy, of values led Mr. Bebout to change Fiolitical camps is well and good, and we hol-y support his decision to do hat he feels he must," Lee said. "However, to argue that he remain in the office to which he was elected is more difficult, given that he was elected as representing values, principles and party ideals other than those he now finds suit him better." Had the seat become vacant by death or resignation, for example the Democratic Party "would be given responsibility for selecting a replacement who reflected its values," Lee said. "Such should be the case here." Lee said the party is looking for a Democrat to run in Bebout's district this fall. Republicans have a majority of registered voters in the district, which is in the city of Riverton.

RIVERTON (AP) The head of the Fremont County Democratic Party thinks state Rep. Eli Bebout of Rivcrlon, who has changed his party affiliation from Democratic to Republican, should resign from the Legislature. Edward Lee said Thursday that resigning would be "the ethical thing for Mr. Bebout to do." He said he is seeking "fairness for the people who voted for him and worked for him, and I say that especially for the Democrats who did that." Lee said the county Democratic Party should be able to replace Bebout's seat because voters chose a Democrat for the position. Bebout, who was the second-ranking Democrat in the Wyoming House, could not be reached for comment Thursday.

I'aul NgSlar-Tribune correspondent BORDER TO BORDER Personnel rule changes worry employees' union Farm Bureau upset with rules guiding trust sales RAWLINS (AP) A Rawlins rancher and the Wyoming Farm Bureau are criticizing the state Land Board for rules it is putting into place to limit the sale of state land. Rancher Steve Adams said the rules being considered would lock agricultural entities out of discussions on possible sales. The board has adopted a moratorium on land sales and is now looking at rules regarding the ban. The proposed rules say land can still be nominated for sale by a government agency or a political subdivision of the state. "Anybody can actually still go ahead and nominate for sale any state lands other than the agriculture entities that have preserved it.

That really makes me mad," Adams said. The board's action would "eliminate agriculture and the private Wyoming citizen from participating in the bid process. I think that's totally wrong and unfair to the people of the state," he said. "I guess what upsets me is that the state government would do this on the quiet without notifying the public," Adams said. "I don't think the majority of people in the state even know that it's going on." Larry Bourret of the Farm Bureau made the same point.

"The only group that seems to be excluded from future sales in the next two years is agriculture," Bourret said. "If you are buying it for a subdivision or if you are the government everybody seems to be able to qualify as one of the exceptions except agriculture." State Lands Director Howard Schrinar noted that those who hold leases to graze on state trust lands still retain the right to meet the highest bid if a tract is sold. A hearing is scheduled for June 6 in Cheyenne to gain public input on the moratorium and rules that cover it. Smyth. "The state has the responsibility of treating all employees fairly." Another problem is the leeway that managers have to offer any salary within the pay range of that position, the union said.

"A black guy could be hired at the bottom salary and a white guy could be hired at the top salary," said Bob Reynolds, the WPEA staffer reviewing the rules. "It could even happen that the lower paid guy could have higher qualifications." Smyth also pointed out that agencies that receive funding from the federal government or other outside sources would be able to offer higher raises than smaller agencies or agencies tied completely to state money. Such a discrepancy will create "job-hopping" where employees move from one agency to the next in search for higher salaries. "There's some job hopping going on now because some agencies are simply nicer places to work," Smyth said. "But added to that will be a financial incentive." CHEYENNE (AP) The Wyoming Public Employees Association is expressing worries about revisions to state personnel rules.

The change is designed to give more flexibility to agency directors, but the association said it has the potential to provide inequities to state workers. The group has requested a public hearing on the regulations, which cover the state's management of more than 7,000 employees. The new rules would let agency heads manage workers without approval from the Personnel Management Division of the Department of Administration and Information. WPEA officials contend the division acts as a necessary safeguard against management abuse. "What these rules ignore is that state employees are employees of the state of Wyoming, not employees of the Department of Transportation or the Department of Audit," said association Executive Director Dennis Low birthweight babies' numbers rise LARAMIE (AP) Wyoming's infant mortality rate has lined in the last 1 0 years, but the number of low birthweight ba-.

ties has increased during the same period, the head of the state Pub-- tic Health Division says. Dr. Richard Hillman said many of the state's low birthweight "problems can be blamed on the high altitude of many Wyoming Communities. Babies born at high altitudes arc often smaller than "average babies, but are just as healthy, he said. Prenatal care is often a factor in a baby's birthweight, and Wyoming is one of the best states for providing that care, Hillman aid.

The major problem is getting expectant mothers in remote communities to that care, he added. The number of low-birthweight babies rose from 469 in 1991 to 485 in 1992, according to state figures. "Kelloggs transfer ownership of animals (AP) A state judge has sidetracked a prosecutor's request to revoke the suspended sentences of a former Galen, couple convicted of animal cruelty because they allegedly kept horses, goats, sheep and dogs on their Wyoming ranch. Mary Kellogg, 45, and William Kellogg, 52, were ordered on Jan. 5 to get rid of their animals as a condition of their two-year suspended sentences.

The animals were transferred to a woman who lives on their ranch near Otto, Wyo. Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Attorney Ed Heaudctte called transfer of ownership of the animals to Barbara Fields "a sham." The couple moved about 100 animals to Otto before the Montana charges were filed. They since have been charged in Wyoming on two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals stemming from a Wyoming Livestock Board seizure of 1 47 horses. Wyoming authorities allege that inspectors found 1 5 dead during the raid. Bcaudette could not show that the document transferring the animals to Fields was invalid, or that anyone saw the couple feeding or otherwise caring for the animals.

Fields testified that the animals were in her care. Wool Growers threaten grazing suit CASPER (AP) The Wyoming Wool Growers Association says it will sue the U.S. Forest Service if grazing is eliminated from an area of the Medicine Bow National Forest. The Forest Service is considering the elimination of grazing on the forest's Libby Flats Sheep Allotment. The association, in a news release Thursday, said Libby Flats has been used to graze sheep for more than 1 00 years, and that the condition of the range has improved steadily.

It says material collected for an environmental assessment of the area showed grazing by sheep actually stimulates the production of vegetation. Association Executive Director Bryce Recce said the Forest Service has no evidence to back its claims that sheep grazing is in conflict with other uses of the area. The elimination of grazing on Libby Flats is just the first step of an overall plan to lock up the national forests for wealthy Easterners who want the lands for themselves, Reece said. Slaying suspect faces bomb charge OGDEN, Utah (AP) The Hill Air Force base sergeant au Ditch strider V. -t 11 1 'V IS 1 1 4U I Philip Bobrow 'Star-Tribune correspondent A calf jumps a ditch at the Walton Ranch west of Jackson.

Group urges boycott over sale of book critical of clearcuts thorities say was the last man to see Bret Simmons alive was charged Wednesday with possessing a pipe bomb. Tech Sgt, Michael T. Gendreau was taken into custody at gunpoint Tuesday afternoon in his West Ogden neighborhood by Weber County sheriffs deputies, who with federal agents had allegedly found the pipe bomb in Gendrcau's home. Gendreau was charged with second-degree felony possession of an infernal machine. Simmons, a 21 -year-old airman from Beverley, disap- peared April 15, the day he was to be discharged from the Air Force.

His body was found two days later along a Uinta County road about 50 miles north of Evanston. His father, Harold Simmons, said the airman was naked and had knife marks on his body, suggesting his clothes had been cut off. His wrists were handcuffed behind his back and tied with parachute Cord. i Sheriff Lt. Terry Shaw said tire tread marks found near Siin-'rnons' body appeared to match those of the sergeant's car.

The 'search warrant said a credit card of Simmons' was found near iGendreau'shome. i Simmons had been an assistant F-l 6 crew chief with the 388th IFightcr Wing. A wing spokesman said Simmons received a general Tdischarge, which is a step down from an honorable discharge. Simmons and two other airmen were arrested in October 1 992 jfor buying LSD. Uinta County Attorney Jim Anderson said an autopsy report on lSiinmons would be released Monday.

-Thomas asks Babbitt to reset hearings CHEYENNE (AP) U.S. Rep. Craig Thomas is joining 22 other House members in asking Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt to xhange the plans for his hearings on his proposed rangeland reform package. Babbitt has announced he plans to hold one hearing in each U.S. Bureau of Land Management district office on June 8.

I But Thomas, and his colleagues said the House will be Jeturning from its Memorial Day recess on June 8 a Wednesday and will have to start work immediately on important issues. So they said the hearings should be held on a weekend when they could attend, and when it would be easier for their constituents to attend. The group is also asking that the hearings be scattered over several different dates. They said that would provide a better opportunity for participation by policy makers and concerned citizens. CLEARCUT BOZEMAN, Mont.

(AP) A Wyoming company is urging a boycott of the Patagonia outdoor-products company because its catalog includes a book critical of clearcuts in forests. Patagonia, with a mail-order business based in Bozcman, is known for its environmental activism. Wyoming Resource Providers is disturbed because the company's newest catalog includes a book tilled "Clearcut, The Tragedy of Industrial Forestry." The Wyoming group is circulating a fax that urges people to call Patagonia's toll-free number May 2-6, and tell operators business will be taken elsewhere until Patagonia stops catering to "greenies." Wyoming Resource Pro iders said the fax went to people who advocate multiple use of land. The book featuring color pictures of clearcuts in North America does not accurately portray modern forestry, said Alice Gustin of Riverton. She is the secretary-treasurer for Wyoming Resource Providers.

Patagonia spokesman Mike Harrclson said the book is being sold for $60. ith proceeds going to the Foundation for Deep Ecology. Reedy, a Wyoming Resource Providers leader. He is a forest program manager for the Inter-mountain Forest Industry Association in Laramie. Reedy said the fax went to 1 ,000 numbers on April 25, and circulation is continuing.

Wyoming Resource Providers is a fledgling group consisting of recreation, oil and gas, timber, and outfitting groups and businesses, Gustin said. She said the boycott and telephone campaign are "a means the populace has to show their anger at somebody taking a political stance in the retail business." Harrelson said Patagonia has "a particular concern for forest issues and old growth." He said the company uses a lot of paper and wood products, and advocates sustainable use of forests. Patagonia catalogs arc "a soapbox to voice our concerns," Harrclson said. "We've always been pretty unabashed about who we support and what we believe." Harrelson said a boycott threat is not something he takes lightly, but "the success of the company docs not require that all Americans be consumers of our products." Star-Tribune graphic Cover of controversial book The book is published by Sierra Club Books Earth Island Press. Gustin said the boycott idea came from Matt BORDER PHOTO: Window painting, old rail dining car, Evanston.