Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 4

Casper Star-Tribune Monday, January 26, 1998 ommg WEA urges congressional backing for school upgrades Congestion problems cost UP millions According to the survey, 24 percent of Wyoming schools report having at least one building that needs extensive repair or replacement. Greenberg Quinlan Research, a Democratic polling firm, and The Tarrance Group, a Republican firm. It shows 74 percent of voters questioned favor a $30 billion federal expenditure over 10 years to "help local school districts pay for repair, renovation and modernization of their schools," Hayek said. The National Education Association supports that proposal, she said. States and local school districts know what they need to do, but they need help from the federal government.

"It's time for the federal government to provide meaningful assistance to help states and local school districts address this crisis," she said. at a cost of more than $112 billion. Another $73 billion for new school construction is needed to meet soaring enrollments, and billions more is needed to wire schools for the latest in educational technology. "Schools that aren't wired for computers are roadblocks on the information superhighway," Hayek said, "and students in overcrowded classrooms are far more prone to disciplinary problems." A national bipartisan poll found that three-quarters of voters questioned strongly support a federal initiative to renovate and modernize public schools, she said. The poll of 1,000 registered voters in early January was performed by CHEYENNE (AP) The Wyoming Education Association is urging members of the Wyoming congressional delegation to support federal legislation to help modernize the nation's public schools.

"Aging buildings, overcrowded classrooms and inadequate technology constitute a national crisis, affecting students in urban, suburban and rural districts alike," said WEA President Jean Hayek said in a news release. "The condition of public schools here in Wyoming and across the nation is a disgrace," she said. A recent survey of Wyoming schools conducted by MGT of America Inc. shows the need for $350 million for repairs and new construction. "This is a phenomenal figure -one that Wyoming citizens and tax payers will be hard pressed to meet," she said.

According to the survey, 24 percent of Wyoming schools report having at least one building that needs extensive repair or replacement Sixteen percent report a shortage of power outlets and wiring to accommodate computers and multimedia equipment. Another 68 percent report at least one building with an unsatisfactory environmental condition. And, citing studies by the U.S. General Accounting Office, Hayek said one-third of the nation's schools need major repairs or replacements In Brief Standing alone OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Conges-, tion problems on Union Pacific.

Railroad lines cost its parent cor-, poration $353 million in the fourth quarter of 1997. Dallas-based Union Pacific Corp. reported Thursday a net loss of $152 million, or 62 share on a diluted basis, in the final three months of the year. Analysts had predicted a drop of 10 cents a share. "We disappointed our cus-' tomers, we disappointed our' shareholders and we disappoint-, ed ourselves," said Chairman Richard Davidson.

The shipping problems ed Idaho Gov. Phil Batt to support, at least on an experimental basis, an increase in truck; weights to make them more competitive with trains. For the year, the corporation reported net income of $432 railr lion, or $1.74 per share on a luted basis, compared with $664 million or $2.71 cents a share in 1996. Revenue fell 9 percent from $2.81 billion in the final quarter of 1996 to $2.56 billion. The company's poor financial performance meant its four top executives did not receive 1997 bonuses.

For months, Union Pacific was plagued by a service backlog that critics have blamed on the railroad's merger with Southern Pacific. The railroad also has been-troubled by a string of accidents that prompted federal investigators to do a system-wide safety check. Davidson said this week that service on the railroad's miles of track is almost back to normal, except for about 250 miles of track from Houston to New Orleans. The railroad had instituted a recovery plan in October that involved rerouting business to competing railroads, hiring train crews-and adding more locomotives. Those efforts increased Union Pacific's costs but improved service, the company said.

FROM WIRE RETORTS Reno asked to oppose assisted suicide CHEYENNE U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi and some of his Senate colleagues are urging Attorney General Janet Reno to take a stand against people who allow controlled substances to be used to assist a suicide. "I am concerned that the proponents of assisted suicide could interpret her silence on the matter as an approval," the Wyoming Republican said in a news release Thursday. Congress passed the Assisted Suicide Funding Restriction Act, which prohibits the direct or indirect use of federal funds for assisted suicide.

Enzi asked Reno to accept the Drug Enforcement Administration's position that the federal Controlled Substance Act makes it illegal to use controlled substances to assist a suicide. Raises suggested for Rawlins guards CHEYENNE A legislative committee is recommending that the state pay $1 million for raises for guards at the State Penitentiary in Rawlins. The Joint Appropriations Committee also agreed to a change in the training requirements for guards and to create an independent group to oversee prison operations. The change in training requirements was suggested by Sen. John Vinich, D-Hudson, who said prison guards should be trained at the State Law Enforcement Academy in Douglas before going to work at the penitentiary.

The bill approved by the committee would let the academy work with the state Corrections Department on training. Vinich also suggested the creation of a panel to oversee prison operations and prepare a report each year on the status of the state's prison system. MIKE CONAWAYSUr-Tribun oacrwpondwil A group of rocks breaks up an otherwise barren landscape south of Rock Springs. Counties discuss joint effort on Yellowstone EIS on a tentative mission statement calling for the impact statement to be an objective environmental document that will provide for the protection and management of park resources, along with continued public access during the winter. While Fremont County was not granted cooperating agency status, it will lend support where possible to the efforts of Park and Teton counties, said Fremont County Commissioner Alma Nicol.

"We support what they're doing," she said. LANDER (AP) County commissioners from Park and Teton counties have met to discuss working together on an environmental impact statement on Yellowstone National Park's winter use. Both counties have been designated "cooperating agencies" in preparing the impact statement, which means they will have a say in determining what issues are examined. During their meeting Thursday in Lander, commissioners discussed pooling not only the resources of Park and Teton how the process would take shape after their first meeting with Park Service off rials Feb. 13 in Montana.

"We don't know if we're going to walk in there and there's going to be a document sitting on the table and (the Park Service will) say 'This is our justification for closing Yellowstone:" said Teton County Commissioner Mike Gierau. "Or is it really going to be an honest to-goodness collaborative process where we're all going to work together?" Commissioners also agreed officials are thinking about hiring a consultant familiar with the rules for preparing impact statements and letting other counties use his services. The impact statement is being prepared as part of a settlement of a lawsuit filed against the National Park Service by two environmental groups. The groups charged the Park Service failed to determine the impact of winter use in the park, especially by snowmobiles, on its environment and wildlife. During the meeting, commissioners said they were not sure counties for work on the impact statement, but involving as well three counties in Montana and Idaho to receive the "cooperating agency" designation.

However, the commissioners said they were not sure such a move would be legal. "I'm really nervous about my ignorance of the process," said Park County Commissioner Charlie Johnstone. "This (designation) was tough to get for us and we better not screw it up or we'll never get the opportunity again." Johnstone said Park County Bill approved to change self-audit law Buffalo rake in big bucks at trophy show auction By MARTHA BELLISLE Associated Press DENVER The bull buffalo snorted defiantly as the crowd shot to its feet Saturday when a buffalo rancher set a stock show record with his bid of $101,000 for the brown, shaggy beast. "It's a lot of money, but it's a lot of fun," Robert Allen of Shelbyville, said after outbidding Trent Schwitzer of Melville, Saskatchewan, for the 2-year-old Chief Joseph. The sale quashed the National Bison Association's Gold Trophy Show and Sale record of $61,000, set two years ago, said NBA executive director Sam Albrecht.

Last year, the top grossing bull sold for $36,000. Albrecht said the live auction brought in $873,000, compared with $625,000 last year. With the video auction late Saturday, the total sale was $1.1 million for the almost 300 bison sold to buyers from around the world at the National Western Stock Show, Rodeo Horse Show. Hundreds of the massive animals munched hay in pens outside the arena. Bison can stand up to 6 feet tall, span almost 9 feet in length and weigh 2,500 Please see BISON, AS ft? rjin I CASPER (AP) The records of companies that report and try to fix their own environmental problems would be available for use in criminal charges against the companies under a bill approved by a legislative committee.

The Legislature's Joint Minerals Committee approved for legislative debate a bill to remove the controversial provision from the state's environmental "self-audit" law to make it comply with federal rules. Under the law adopted in 1995, companies that report and try to fix their own environmental problems can avoid fines and penalties from the state Department of Environmental Quality. One portion of the original law also said information in the "self-audit" report of a company's environmental problems could not be used as the basis for criminal prosecution of the company. But the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency refused to let the state take authority over certain environmental rules because of the provision, saying it would give internal reports too much immunity from regulatory oversight.

The EPA said the criminal immunity must be repealed before it would give the state authority over air quality laws. DEQ Director Dennis Hemmer said removal of the immunity provision is a good idea. But several environmental group representatives attending a hearing on the issue in Casper said the change does not go far enough to make the "self-audit" program a good one because companies are allowed to keep records of environmental problems confidential. "Responsible corporations do, not need secrecy provisions to audit their own operations," said Jill Morrison of the Powder River Basin Resource Council. "The real purpose of this law is to protect bad actors." Committee members agreed to seek introduction for the bill during the legislative session that be 1 gins Feb.

9. DAVK) ZALUBOWStUAT Denise Cummlngs of Peralta, N.M., feeds a yearling bull bison In the Stockyards at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo on Friday. For information, questions and comments about this page, call (307) 2660582 or (800) 442-6916; email statetrib.com; fax (307).