MANDAN, N.D. (AP) _ The Mandan School Board plans to have a new superintendent chosen by early April.
   Superintendent Wilfred Volesky is retiring at the end of the academic year, after four decades in education. Friday is the deadline for applications from people interested in succeeding him.
   The board will decide at its March 5 meeting which applicants to interview.

    
   BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) _ North Dakota legislative leaders are to meet Friday to discuss whether to hire a lawyer to intervene in the Fighting Sioux nickname lawsuit.
   The Legislative Management committee has 11 Republicans and six Democrats. Its chairman is House Republican majority leader Al Carlson of Fargo.   
   The committee oversees legislative business when the Legislature isn't in session.
   Carlson has called a conference call meeting Friday to talk about whether the Legislature should hire its own lawyer for the Fighting Sioux dispute.
   The suit targets a law that says the University of North Dakota's sports teams must be known as the Fighting Sioux.
   The Board of Higher Education wants the North Dakota Supreme Court to rule the law is unconstitutional.
   Carlson sponsored the law.