Casper Star-Tribune from Casper, Wyoming • 1

nC A RF LLLV 11 Vl, Holiday tourney roundupDl Terrorist in hearingC3 WYOMING'S STATEWIDE NEWSPAPER FOUNDED IN 1891 RemsMd to head Defense Sullivan may be on short list On the Not: 'Y Bush transition site: bushcheneytransition.com that American intelligence officials have been too relaxed. In the waning days of this year's presidential campaign, Rumsfeld signed a letter along with several other former secretaries of defense, critical of Vice President Al Gore for agreeing in 1995 to Russia's sale of military equipment to Iran. Rumsfeld has held more than a half-dozen jobs in Republican administrations. Including head of Nixon's Office of Economic Opportunity and wage-price control program and as Nixon's ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; as Ford's chief of staff and secretary of defense; and as President Reagan's Middle East envoy. He served on a National Economic Commission that studied deficit reduction under former President Bush.

Please see DEFENSE, A4 WASHINGTON (AP) President-elect Bush named Donald Rumsfeld to be his secretary of defense on Thursday, returning to the Pentagon a man who held the job in the aftermath of the Vietnam war. With that surprise announcement, a Rumsfeld reprise after 25 years, Bush filled a vacancy that had been the object of intense speculation since he was reported to be on the verge of choosing a former Indiana senator to take it. Continuing to fill his cabinet. Bush planned to name Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson as secretary of health and human services on Friday, a Republican official said on condition of anonymity.

Rumsfeld, 68, is a veteran of four Republican administrations, dating back to Richard Nixon's time. He served as secretary of defense under President Ford. Interior Department as governor from 19S7 to 1995 and lias represented the United States in Dublin since 1998, has emerged as a dark-horse contender for the post overseeing most of the nation's public lands, according to Del Tinsley. publisher of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Please see SULLIVAN, A4 By JASON MARSDEN Star-Tribuite staff writer A former two-term Democratic Wyoming governor now serving as U.S.

ambassador to Ireland is rumored to be on President elect George W. Bush's short list of candidates for secretary of the Interior -to the chagrin of some in the agriculture industry. Mike Sullivan, who served "He is going to be a great secretary of defense again." Bush said. Bush said he hopes to have the Cabinet completed by the end of the first week in January. "Don't hold me to it, though." he said, answering questions after the Rumsfeld announcement.

He said he thought he was making good progress in staffing the new administration, given the five-week postelection contest before his victory over Al Gore was settled. Rumsfeld headed a bipartisan commission that concluded two years ago Ready to move Census: U.S. at 281 million carefully measured." Census Director Kenneth Prewitt declared in rek'asing the numbers that will re-sliape America's political boundaries for the next decade. Pennsylvania and New York kwt two seats apiece, with a total of eight other states losing one seat apiece. "It more than just losing seats." said Pennsylvania Gov.

Tom Ridge, whose state's delegation will shrink to 19. "It's also a financial loss because so much of the money is tied to the districts." Many of the changes were predicted months ago. as experts examined 1999 estimates, but there were some surprises. Florida's population shot up 215 percent, while Georgia's grew by 26.4 percent. "Now.

we're where we ought to be and it is a tremendous gain for Georgia." said Linda Meggers, director of the (ieorgia lgisla ture's redisricting office, which will now liave 13 congressional districts to reshape. Please tee CENSUS. A 12 By GENAROC ARMAS Associated Press WASHINGTON America's population soared past 281 million as explosive growth provided Arizona. Texas. Florida and Georgia two more Mouse seats each and cut into the political clout of the Northeast and Midwest, the Census Bureau reported Thursday.

The first numbers from 2000 national count provided a few surprises North Carolina picked up a House seat while Indiana and Michigan unexpectedly kt representatives. And Fk da and Georgia fared better than some experts had predicted. But the figures otherwise confirmed a decade-long trend of a population shift from the North and Midwest to the South and West. Overall, the U.S. population rose to 281.121.WW.

up 13.2 percent from 1990. "Never have we been s' diverse, never have we been so many and never have we been so MM by ftOKKT HMWMCIlSSUf-Ti Kema Jamal (foreground) leads a group of children through stretching exercises before the start of a dance workshop Thursday at the North Casper Boys and Girls Club. Jamal, a professional dancer and Casper native, offered free dance workshops for the past two days for children at the club. The children will be performing for the public at 6 p.m. today at the North Casper Elementary School.

Wyo population still smallest State has 493,782 residents Sarafina Benson, 8, of Casper watches for her cue to begin her routine dunng the dance workshop at the North Casper Boys and Girls Club. Over the last 10 years, the Equality State picked up 40,194 people, a gain of 8.9 percent Railroad to cut 2,000 jobs The grouch By ROBERT W. BLACK Associated lYcss CHEYENNE-Wyoming re-mained the least-populated state in the nation in 2inki, with 493.782 residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Over the last 10 years, the Equality State picked up 40.194 people, a gain ol 8.9 percent.

That trailed the nation's growth of 13 1 percent, the Census Bureau rcorted Thursday. Wyoming had 115.045 fewer people than No. 49 Vermont's 608.827. No. 48 Alaska had (526.932.

Other states with fewer than a million people on April 1. 2000. were North Dakota. 642.200: South Dakota. 754.844.

Delaware. 783.6(10. and Montana. 902.195. Of the 281.421.906 people liv-ing in the United States.

0 17 percent reside In Wyoming. II the nation's population could be evenly divided Into U.S. House districts, each district would represent 645.631 people. Since each state Is guaran- Resist ll Dark Sklc.htike teed one House meintief. Mate like Wyoming that are lielow that figure remain slightly over-represented In the ous Wyoming's net gain ol 40.194 ranked 4lh.

ahead of West Virginia and North Dakota. West Virginia gained 14.867 and North Dakota 3.100. Disc ounting the state's natural gain resulting from births outnumbering deaths by about 3.000 er year. Wy oming's In crease was closer to 10.000 over the decade, state senior ec onomist V.cnliii Liu said In other words, the net gain from people either moving in or out of the state was about lO.IKKI. Please see POPt UtK A 12 said.

"We've had some boom times In the "90s and we don't see that In (he luture. We felt we had to accelerate this." Union Pacific will eliminate about 4 percent of Its work force by the end ol February, and those losses are on top ol the 1.600 jobs cut since August In the wake of the 1995 merger with Southern Pacific Rail Corp. and the recent seasonal layolfs ol 4.638 employees lor the winter months, Bromley Mid. He didnt know whether all the seasonal employees would be rehired, he Mid. Please see UP, A 12 Wyoming and its 1.524 employ ees In the state, company spokesman John Bromley Mid Thursday.

"We haven't Identified specific areas." Bromley said from LP's headquarters In Omaha. Neb. While rising furl prices and a cokJcrthanaverage winter play a part, the slowing national economy, and its sectors served by the nation's largest railroad, stands as the major reason for the cutbacks, Bromley Mid. "We're reacting to what our customers are telling us." he Impact on Wyo unknown By TOM MORTON Slar-Trlbune staff writer with wire report! The Union Pacific Corp. will rut 2.000 across the 50.000-employee company and trim capital projects during the next few monthi because A signs of a weakening national economy, the company announced.

But the Impact It not known yet on LP's operations In HJI.l I CAitNpm QSPfJUPt A3 CUSStftO CM2 COVC8 C4.CT CWOSSWQWD Cfl UNPtaS. 64 ICTTTO 9 MAffrtS 85 MOVltS OBlTUAOtS QPtMSmCtS CM OPINION SPQfftS Ol WUTHtH WWWIMQ 81 Critics question Ashcrof t's conservative views and least" conduct. Advocated an Increased role lor charities In assisting the needy. Fought vigorously against abortion rights. Opposed federal job training money to Americans who don't complete high school, saying a diploma was necessary to "enable workers to adapt and meet the needs o( ever-changing let Pushed several amendments that would permanently alter lite Constitution lor various conservative causes, from outlawing abortion to Iwlanc ing the budget Ashcrolt 's Democratic critics have made clear they Intend lo focus cm his views on race and civil rights Issues hie he addressed over a quartet century In puMlc service.

Pke set AM MR (XT. A 12 ident-elect Bush's choice to be attorney general a former state law enforcement official and governor are being laid out tot public as his soon-to-be former Senate colleagues weigh his nomination. An Associated Press review ol his writings, speeches and Interv iews lound that Ashcrolt: Opposed federal money lor drug treatment, saying government assistance shouldn't further the "lowest By JOHN SOLOMON Axitxlated WASHINGTON John Ashcrolt once hailed Confederate war heroes as "patriots." refused to sign a report on minorities In America and rented his fund raising fist to Linda Tripp at the very moment he was sitting In Judgment ol President Clinton at the Impeachment trial. Now the conservative views o( Pres For Star-Tribune customer service, call (800) 442-6916 or (307) 2660550..