Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 15

Glsxt Star Trihiine Wednesday, April 10, 2002 OBITUARIES B3 WEATHERCALENDAR B5 Vvyoimng i In Brief Bebout makes run official MansI aeghSer By CA.NDY MOILTON Star-Tribune correspondent RAWLINS Citing delays in the investigation by the Wyoming State Crime Laboratory, Carbon County Attorney Edward Risha on Tuesday dismissed the involuntary manslaughter charge against Quejav Armijo in the March 13 death of Kellie Covey in Encampment. Risha said the charge was dismissed without prejudice. That means it can be refiled or different charges could be filed against Armijo when the state investigation is concluded. The dismissal came just before Armijo's scheduled preliminary hearing in Second Judicial District Circuit Court before Judge Wade Waldrip. "I didn't have the evidence in front of me," Risha said as his reason for dismissing the charge at this time.

He said the Wyoming Crime lab officials are Totally tubular By TOM MORTON Star-Tritxjne staff writer Former House Speaker Eli Bebout. R-Riverton, was in charge, businesslike and very blunt. want to be the next governor of Wyoming, and it's official today," Bebout said Tuesday before a cheering crowd of nearly 100 many wearing "Rely on Eli" stickers on the ground floor of the Goodstein Foundation Library at Casper College. Casper marked the third stop on Be bout's road trip announcing his candidacy, after Cheyenne and Wheatland, and before Shoshoni and Riverton. he said.

He and his wife, Lorraine, called Casper home for a year after they were married. Bebout's announcement formally puts him in the fold of candidates vying to win the Aug. 20 Republican primary. The other candidates are Wheatland lawyer Ray Hunk-ins, former newspaper publisher Bill Sniffin of Lander, and Sweetwater Deputy Sheriff and Rep. Stephen Watt.

R-Rock Springs. During his speech, Bebout recounted his Wyoming roots. He graduated from the University of Wyoming, served in the Legislature for 14 years as Cheyenne, helps unload storm FROM WIRE REPOR1S Campbell's officials get raise GiLLETTE Hie Campbell County Commission has approved a $14,000 salary boost for most of the county's elected officials. Pay for the county assessor, clerk of district court, sheriff and treasurer will be boosted from $46,031 to $60,000 per year, the maximum allowed by state law. The county attorney's salary will go up from S30.000 to $70,000 a year, also the state maximum.

Meanwhile, county commissioners, who work part-time, will see their pay increase from $20,000 to $30,000 per year. The county coroner, a part-time employee who made $20,000 per year, will now be a fuli-time employee making $.10,000 per year. Study. More truck parking needed RAWLINS More parking space for commercial truck drivers is needed along lnterstates 80 and 90 and U.S. 30.

according to a Wyoming Department of Transportation study. About 100 to 200 more parking spaces are needed in Rawlins and Laramie during peak hours, the study said. More parking is also needed between Wamsutter and Laramie: along 1-90 from Gillette to the Montana border, and along U.S. 30 between Granger Junction and Opal, just west of Green River, the study said. The study looked at expanding highway rest areas and turnouts but found that about 65 percent of truck drivers prefer to park at commercial truck stops because of the extra services they provide, the study said.

Group: Study student loans CASPER The yoming Student Loan Corporation cautions college students to check all the facts before consolidating their student loans, according to Kathryn Gasowski with the W'SLC. Borrowers should study the lengths of terms, interest rates and loss of some grace periods before making the decision to consolidate, she said. The benefits of consolidating are many. It simplifies the repayment process. Also, monthly loan payments are often lower.

This can result in decreased consumer debt ratios, potentially giving borrowers more purchasing power," Gasowski said. The down side is, terms could Ix- longer, increasing overall interest paid and if students consolidate directly following graduation they will eliminate their six-month, no payment grace period, she said. For more information on consolidation contact the WSLC at l-ttKMWisn. Problem beavers to be moved SHERIDAN -Hie Wyoming Game and I'ish Department plans to move ISO problem leavers from around the state to the Big Mom Mountains and other areas. The goal is not only to prevent txavers from cutting down trees and building dams where they are not wanted, but also to improve the health of forests such as Bighi rn National Eorest.

The project is scheduled for August and Septemlcr. It will be funded through interest on conservation stamp sales. AU 'iit I'm tx avers will be moved lo areas including the ifth Tongue River. Cook Slove Basin and Porcupine Basin. The other 50 animals are expected to be introduced to areas outside the Big I lorns, including the Liramie River.

a representative from River-ton, and finished his tenure in the Legislature two years ago as Speaker of the House. He attended the Airforce Academy, but left without graduating. He switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party in 1994. During his speech. Bebout introduced family members, and referred to former fellow legislators including the late House Speaker Warren Morton, R-Casper, who once reflected on Wyoming's economy: "'It is better to have boomed and busted, than to have never boomed at As governor, Bebout said he would work to diversify the economy to level the peaks and valleys of the business cycle, he said.

He said he would rely on the power of the private sector and the traditional bases of minerals, tourism and agriculture, he said, but encourage programs through the University of Wyoming to add value to minerals, such as coal-fired electrical generation plants. Wyoming residents want a governor who has business and legislative experience, with a conservative bent that keeps government influence at a minimum and empowered on KELLY ETZEL DOUGLAS AP sewer sections on Morne the l0s. the U.S. Supreme Court awarded the tribes a cash settlement for the Black Hills, which they refused. Attorney Richard Streeter.

who represents the Sioux Nation, said the STB's treatment of Indian treaties likely would be one of the issues in the appeal. He said historic preservation, religious freedom, grave protection and other issues mav be a part of it as well. The deadline to file appeals to the STB's decision was April 1. Many earlier challenges have been consolidated into one case before the Kth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St.

Louis. Opponents include the cities ol Rochester and M.tnkto, Olmsted County, the Mavo Foundation, the Phase (MvTKir.LS.B2 -V ELI BEBOUT Officially announced gubernatorial bid a local level. Bebout said. Education will be another top priority, as are the multiple use of public lands and wise use of our natural resources, he said. As a conservative, he supports school choice and Second Amendment rights, and opposes a state income tax.

Bebout said. A Bebout administration would be passionate for Wyoming, and would be inclusive by listening to people's ideas, returning phone calls, and maintaining an open-door policy, he said. "And yes. I will get better with my e-mails." Residents support multiple use plan By JEFF GEARINO Suutliwest Wyoming bureau ROCK SPRINGS Sweetwater County residents advocated the multiple use of public lands in the controversial Jack Morrow Hills area of southwest Wyoming during a meeting Tuesday. Residents and Sweetwater County officials said the Jack Morrow Hills should not be closed off to oil and gas exploration under a revised management plan for the area.

County residents told Bureau of Land Management officials the area can be developed responsibly and the resources protected, while helping a lagging local economy and the nation's future energy needs. "This area is so vital to Sweetwater County because it's a big part of the future of our economy," said County Commissioner Ted Ware. "This is a hugely important area for our economy and 1 believe we can responsibly develop (the hills) without trashing the environment," Ware told BLM officials. About 70 people participated in a BLM-sponsored open house and discussion Tuesday afternoon in Rock Springs on the newly unveiled management alternatives for the supplemental environmental study of the hills. The agency is currently rewriting the Jack Morrow Hills Coordinated Activity Plan (CAP) that will eventually determine the level and pace of development over the next decade in the hills.

The area is prized by conservation groups for its distinctive geography and a rare desert elk herd, but it also contains large reserves of oil. natural gas and coal. are pointed to a new state report that estimated It is possible. to recover upwards of 4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and alKHit barrels of oil from the Jack Morrow 1 1. lis us-inc current technology.

The yoming State Geological Survey report issued last mouth said development of the area's resources could generate Please we PLAN. B2 still processing information collected at the home where Covey was found dead early the morning of March 13. Risha and Encampment Police Chief Derreck Craig said they are waiting for materials such as the autopsy, ballistics reports and other forensics reports from evidence collected by state investigators. Risha said he decided to dismiss the manslaughter charge against Armijo because of his "duties not only to the victim, but to the defendant as well." He said evidence collected during the investigation could show that Armijo did not contribute to Covey's death. In an affidavit filed as part of the manslaughter charge, Armijo is reported to have struggled with Covey over a gun after the two had argued.

Risha said he is "still comfortable with what we filed" in the original involuntary Please see CHARGES. B2 ANWR has local conservationists worried about federal lands development here in Wyoming where natural gas is budding on public lands. Thomas worked to craft an earlier version of Use energy bill passed by the Finance Committee. Those measures contained a $16 billion package of energy-related tax provi sions called the Energy Tax Incentives Act of 2002. Thomas said of particular interest to Wyoming producers in that package is a revision of the Section 29 Nun-Conventional Fuels Tax Credit.

It would spare coalbed methane producers from paying about 50 cents in regular federal taxes on every thousand cubic feet (mcf) of natural gas, according to Thomas' office. CoallK-d methane in the Powder River Basin alone is expected to pay more than $11 billion in taxes, according to Industry estimates The bill being considered by the Senate on Please sec ENERGY, B2 and comments about this page, call Isaac Hernandez, who works for Mechanical Systems Inc. of Avenue on Monday in Cheyenne. Tribes ioin Senate girds for energy debate opposition to railroad project By DUSTIN BLEIZLTFER Star-Tribune energy reporter GILLETTE Tax incentives for mineral production and debate over drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will take center stage next week as the U.S. Senate continues efforts to draft a national energy bill.

Wyoming Republicans Sens. Craig Thomas and Mike Eni. will continue efforts to bolster support for a revised "non-conventional fuels" tax credit and several other tax provisions beneficial to mineral producers in the state. Early delate this week stalled as Republicans blocked votes on an amendment to require increased federal oversight of energy traders. Democrats likewise promised to block a vote on an Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) amendment, according to wire reports.

A vote on the oversight measure was anticipated today. Debate over drilling in RAPID CITY, S.D.(AP)- Six American Indian tribes are among groups filing appeals to a federal board's approval of the Dakota, Minnesota and Eastern Railroad's $1.5 billion coal train project. The Sioux tribes appealing the Surface Transportation Board decision are the Oglala, Cheyenne River, Crow Creek. Lower Brule. Rosebud and Standing Rock.

The railroad, based in Brookings, wants to rebuild and extend its line into Wyoming's Powder River Basin to haul as much as 100 million tons of coal a year to the Mississippi River and beyond. Signs point to Hie Fort l.arainie Treaty as the basis for at least some of the appeals. That treaty with the U.S. government gave Sioux tribes all of western South Dakota In the news de-k (Wj JfAi or Slate Editor Nadia White. For information, questions 412 e-mail oditors5inbom: UxOCi3fOX..