In brief: Lawsuit identifies priest in claims

BILLINGS – A Northern Cheyenne woman has filed a lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Great Falls-Billings contending she was sexually abused as a young girl by a popular priest at the St. Labre Mission School in Ashland, Mont., between 1955 and 1962.

The Rev. Emmett Hoffmann is not named as a defendant but is identified as the reason for the lawsuit. The 85-year-old Hoffmann retired in 1993 and lives in Ashland.

Hoffmann was sent in 1954 to close the mission, but instead revived it. It had a $50 million endowment when he retired.

Attorney Vito de la Cruz, who filed the lawsuit, said in a news release that Hoffmann’s stature “certainly makes it more difficult for victims to muster the courage to come forward.”

Redistricting accord due today

OLYMPIA – Members of Washington’s redistricting commission worked into the evening Saturday, struggling to redraw the state’s political maps.

The panel spent most of the day Saturday in recess, and have one, final meeting scheduled for today. Washington’s commission comprises two Republican appointees and two Democratic appointees. At least three of them must agree on the maps to approve them by today’s deadline.

If the panel fails to reach an agreement, the state Supreme Court will take control of the process. If the commission does reach an agreement, the Legislature will have an opportunity to make minor modifications.

The hangup still appears to be on legislative district maps. The commission had previously announced agreement on congressional districts.