Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 1

Good Morning, It's Wednesday, November 23, 1977 1 f5 vLAsFEJk aTAM Home Final KMJNE COPttiOMt 1977 Hoo'4 Pubi.o'ion Statewide Coverage Wyoming's Largest Newspaper CASPER, WYOMING WORLD ENERGY CAPITAL 85TH YEAR No. 327 Prk 20 Cent ury hears Compton UBIast rocks HJW lab Digest Weather nouMon gteAiony Cloudy, Mountain Snows. LARAMIE An explosion on the University of Wyoming campus injured one professor and caused heavy damage to the Meats Laboratory Tuesday afternoon, a spokesman said. The cause of the blast Is undetermined but a natural gas leak Is suspected, said UW Vice President Vern Shelton. Injured was animal science professor Joe Kunsman, who was taken by ambulance to a Denver hospital with burns to the face and shoulder.

He Is in stable condition, Shelton said. Another professor and two students were In the building at the time of the explosion but were not injured. Laramie police and (Ire units responded to the blast, as well as university police. Most university students were away from the campus at the time of the explosion because Tuesday was the last day of classes before the Thanksgiving vacation, Shelton said. The Meats Laboratory Is located near the College of Agriculture building.

See page 10 V.V 1. 1 2 i TODAY'S ENERGY TIP: Energy consumption in the kitchen can be reduced by planning several one-dish meals each week. IV Winds foul roads; one dies in storm Casper After 28 years of managing, the Casper Commissary manager is retiring Pg. 5 By JOAN BARRON Capital Bureau Chief CHEYENNE Former Criminal Investigation Division Director Neil Compton spent slightly more than an hour Tuesday testifying before the statewide grand Jury. Compton's testimony apparently Involved his role in the Investigation of embezzlement at the Pioneer Home at Thermopolls.

The first six witnesses to appear before the grand jury, which convened Monday, have been associated with the Pioneer Home investigation. Compton said later that he had been admonished not to comment about his testimony, and added that he would not do so even If he had not been so Instructed. The state's former chief Investigator, whose allegations led to the naming of the grand Jury, said he would be called to testify again later. Compton, who was fired by Gov. Ed llerschler May 27 for "gross misconduct" after he accused Attorney General Frank Mendiclno of covering up the Pioneer Home investigation, said he was "satisfied" with the grand Jury.

He reminded reporters that he was the one who demanded that a state grand jury be convened to Investigate his charges. Compton ta Dow chief Investigator for the Larimer Colo. sheriff's office. Other witnesses who testified Tuesday were Jack Tarter, commandant of the Soldiers and Sailors Home at Buffalo and former director of the accounting division of the state auditor's office, who completed testimony begun Monday; Caroj Jones, assistant director of the Pioneer Home; and Morris Gardner and Sandra McLaughlin, both employees of the Board of Charities and Reform, which administers all state institutions. Monday's leadoff witness was State Jurors, prosecutor, court reporter and others connected wilh the Jury In nerrecy but had no control over iinesse The l'73 law authorizing statewide grand Juries appears to prohibit Imposing an obligation of secrecy upon witnesses Judge Maier said if the grand jury witnesses choose to talk after being cautioned not to, there is nothing he can do aboul It But he also said that If a witnesses' comments result in a person evading arrest after being indicted, it Is the responsibility of the news media Meanwhile, the olflce of Special Prosecutor Lawrence Yonkee released I state grand jury policy "The confidential nature of the grand Jury proceedings require (hat the Identify of witnesses appearing before the grand jury be unavailable to public scrutiny," the statement said "Witnesses who appear to testify will be provided a place to wait within the staff room.

The bailiff will be Instructed to prevent any unauthorized persons from entering the room hile the grand Jury it In session, and he shall prevent unauthorized persons from entering the room where persons are waiting to testify." The policy statement said the bailiff will also restrain persons from approaching the exterior doors to the grand Jury room while the jury is sitting "The bailiff will be asked to maintain quiet in the hall and to prevent grand Jurors or witnesses from being photographed or interviewed when entering or leaving the Supreme Court building," the statement concludes. Two special agents of the Criminal Investigation Division, Lynn Duggan and Sherman McClellan, arrived at the grand jury offices Tuesday but left without testifying. Recent snowstorm has been very costly to city, says assistant city manager Pg. 11 Mill, COMPTON 'Satisfied' with grand jury Auditor Jim Griffith, whose audit of the Pioneer Home led to embezzlement charges being filed against the superintendent of that institution, Kenneth Brighton. Brighton pleaded innocent to the charges but died before the case went to trial.

The jury ol seven men and five women, most of them in the 35-55 age group and" representing ten Wyoming counties, went home for the Thanksgiving Day holiday weekend Tuesday evening The panel will reconvene Monday morning at 9 a.m. Laramie County District Judge Joseph P. Maier instructed the Jury Monday morning. Maier said he told the jurors that if any person, not just news media representatives, try to talk to them, they should report it to the1eourtr The jurist also said that he had sworn the Wyoming Jeffrey Memorial Community Center in Rawlins, according to the Rawlins Chamber of Commerce. Approximately 150 trucks and their drivers were held over at a Laramie truck stop, including drivers like Herb Jackson from Illinois.

"Ninty percent of the people would be out of here It they would plow the roads," Jackson said. The interstate was opened briefly Tuesday around 1 p.m. and cars were allowed to travel the road in groups of 30 at, five minute intervals, But the road was closed again late Tuesday, the highway patrol said. A new storm front was predicted to move into the area Tuesday evening. Travelers in the Casper area were also stopped by the weather.

Winds up to 40 to 50 miles per hour and drifting snow caused the highway patrol to close Interstate 25 from Casper to Douglas around 10 p.m., and at other hours U.S. 85 from Lusk to Newcastle, Wyoming 487 and Wyoming 220-287. Only Wyoming 487 remained closed.the highway patrol said late Tuesday. Casper motels were able to handle the extra Monday traffic, but tow trucks were working around the clock pulling vehicles out of the snow and "we had everything that would roll working on clearing up the roads," Casper Assistant City Manager Mike Acimovlc said. Natrona County schools were closed.

Related Casper story on page 1 1 RAWLINS High winds and blowing and melting snow created havoc In the Laramie and Rawlins area Monday and Tuesday and at least one man died during the storm. People were stranded Monday on a 21-mile stretch of blizzard battered Interstate 80, a stretch of highway which was littered with trucks and campers turned on their sides and cars clustered in snowdrifts. "It was horrible, just plain old horrible," said Mrs. Betty Higbey of Evanston. "I've never in my life seen anything like It.

You couldn't even count the number of semis turned over on their sides," she' said. The one death was reported to have been caused by exposure. Authorities said William Neuman, 55, of Rawlins, apparently became disoriented by the blowing snow and wandered about futilely before succumbing. Officers worked late into the evening freeing people from their cars, many of whom were stranded for several hours as winds gusted to a maximum of 63 miles per hour in the Rawlins area. "Things were happening so fast that we'd get on one thing and lose track of another," a Carbon County undersheriff said.

Travelers were forced to sleep in community centers, buses, private homes and truck stops after the interstate was closed around 5 p.m. Monday. Around 135 motorists were lodged at Cheyenne city officials appeal environmental statement for Huston Park area of the Medicine Bow National Forest Pg. 11 Two life terms given to man accused of arson fatalities Pg. 2 City outlook: more growth Jeffrey City teachers object to plans to have them pay their own utilities Pgll Final land use decisions for public lands in five planning areas published Pg.

11 The state office building is needed to save thousands of dollars and time lost in travel time of state officials and employees around the state, he said. "We must have the cooperation of Cheyenne people, who may be concerned that we are trying to steal away the state "I see no move to dismantle the state '1080' trial set for January THE OLD capital complex in Cheyenne, In which millions of dollars have been Invested," he said. Stroock recalled "gag bills" Introduced In past sessions of the state legislature to move tfie state capital, which has alwayi had a legal "temporary" seat In Cheyqpne, and suggested it would be wise for (Casper to 'ike the lead In new legislation to mae Cheyenne the "permanent capital," thus putting to rest fears that It would ever be moved. 4fle also urged the Casper Chamber of Commerce to take the lead In a statewide approach for higher education, involving the University of Wyoming and all seven community colleges. "There's a real need for Increased educational opportunities at colleges throughout the state, to meet the needs of many who can't leave jobs at home to earn a four-year college degree," he pointed put.

Continued on page 11 By IRVING GARBUTT CASPER An optimistic picture of growth in Casper was drawn by a panel of business leaders at the mid-year meeting of the Chamber of Commerce Tuesday. City Manager Ken Erickson noted that Casper is the fastest growing area in the state and described general business activity as "phenomenal. "We have just begun to grow," he said, after reporting 7,000 new cars adding to traffic problems in the past year, 10,000 new faces, "all with new ideas," 750 acres of open space suddenly filled with 2,500 new homes, 70 miles of new utility lines and 20 miles of new streets. Tom Stroock, outgoing state chairman of the Republican party, declared Casper must strive for a new state office building and a four-year college. But he emphasized that "we must adopt the politics 'of cooperation, not confrontation" with other communities in the state.

Opinion the annual convention of the association in Rock Springs. Smith said ranchers contend the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) illegally prevented them from the use of 1080 on their own private lands, and that the restriction was placed in effect without proper authority. Action on the lawsuit comes after years of delay, Smith said. "Only certain minor and peripheral issues have been considered in the courts to date. CASPER Sheepmen will get their "day in court" on coyote control.

A trial date of Jan. 16, 1978, was set in Federal District Court, Cheyenne, for the suit filed jointly by the Wyoming Wool Growers Association and the State of Wyoming against the federal government, over use of the chemical compound called 1080 for predatory animal control. The announcement was made in Casper Tuesday by Stanford Smith, Thermopolis, president of the Wool Growers, following Reader says that Mercer House deserves a good reputation Pg. 5 Drivers should use more foresight if they plan on driving in the wintertime Pg. 5 I'm trading my tire chains for pontoons.

Abortion vote divided; another ballot today TTV1 i nir r- a 3r: fc. full National Head of Food and Drug Administration calls for warning labels on alchohol beverages Pg. 2 Concorde jets begin New York flights with little trouble Sports Extra Points 12 Terry Miller heads All Big 8 selections Pg. 13 CASPER Natrona County Memorial Hospital has the right to prohibit non-theraputic abortions, board members said Tuesday, but they were unable to reach a decision on whether to do so. With board member William Muller absent, the remaining four members were locked in a tie vote on the issue during their regular Tuesday meeting.

Another vote is scheduled today. Board members Mike Sullivan and Joe Shickich voted against allowing non-theraputic abortions in the hospital while board members Mike Keim and Robert Macy voted in favor. The Wednesday meeting was scheduled so Muller could be present and the tie vote resolved. Muller was unavailable for comment Tuesday evening. "We have been advised by our counsel the decision (whether to allow non-theraputic abortion) is within our authority, which is different from what we were told in our last meeting," Sullivan said.

In its last meeting, the board was advised it would be unconstitutional to prohibit abortions. The issue was put before the board by representatives of the Wyoming Right to Life group a "group which is against abortion. Wyoming Right to Life's national representative, Sharon Cornthwaite of Casper, said a U.S. Supeme Court case, Poelk vs Doe, gives the hospital the authority to make a decision on abortion. "I have no quarrel with Right to Life but I resent that they are forcing us to make the decision.

They should be working with lawmakers," board member Keim said. "As long as it is legal it should be done in the hospital, not in doctors' offices, hotel rooms or back seats of automobiles," Keim said. But board member Shickich said, "Morally it is wrong. Other hospitals in the state aren't doing it, so why should we?" Shickich asked. The board also was officially notified that four medical records personnel have submitted their resignations following a wage dispute with the hospital, hospital Personnel Director Dick Clarke said.

"We couldn't give them a raise because it would affect some 70 other hospital personnel in the same pay category." The four requested the raise after four medical transcript personnel got a raise two months ago, lie said. "The medical transcript personnel were given raises because we found they were substantially underpaid," Clarke said. Three employees have been hired to take the place of those who quit, Clarke added. In other, action, the board unanimously voted to prohibit the sale of tobacco in the hospital and to review hospital policies on smoking. Bridge Pg-7 L.M.Boyd 8 Club Notes 7.

Comics Crossword Editorials Ann Landers 9 Letters 5 Markets 15 Obituaries. 2 Sports 12-13 State News. 11 "T.V."Logs."".T.T. 9 Dr. Thosteson 8 Wyoming Living 1JL1.

7 Wind was here HIGH WINDS raked Wyoming yesterday and toppled a building being demolished in downtown Casper. Parts of the building, near W. and Market Streets, crashed down on parked vehicles, smashing (our windshields but apparently injuring no one. Picture by Ken Sower.