Stories from Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Another local husband-and-wife musical duo will perform during a free concert Friday evening in downtown Fort Scott. Local musicians Pat and Steve Harry, who are also both music educators, will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Heritage Park Pavilion at the corner of First and Main streets in downtown Fort Scott...

One sexual abuse case appears headed for jury trial while another could be delayed. The case against Edward E. Thomas, 43, Fort Scott, is scheduled for trial on July 17 at the Bourbon County Courthouse. Court records indicate that the case will likely move forward as planned...

After more than 30 years of effort, the Mill Creek and Marmaton Watershed Districts, through their floodwater detention structures, are beginning to have a positive effect on floodwater damages in both the Mill Creek and Marmaton Valleys. Although they are still in the early stages of their program goals, both districts have constructed enough of their planned dams to begin to show very noticeable effects on some tributaries and somewhat lesser effects on the main stems of Mill Creek and the Marmaton River.. ...

A former Bourbon County deputy sheriff appeared in court on Tuesday to face allegations that he stole two high-powered rifles that were stolen property from a 2003 theft case. The Kansas Attorney General's Office filed two counts of felony theft against Jim K. Blair, 48, Independence, Mo. He is accused of stealing a Ruger M-77 .25-06 rifle with a Bushnell scope and case and a custom made .30-06 stamped 1916 C.G. Haenell Suhl 2251 rifle with a Bushnell scope...

Beulah I. "Alderman" Leadstrom, 91, resident of Prescott Country View Nursing Home, Prescott, Kan., died July 7, 2007. She was born June 6, 1916, in Old Elsmore Community --Rural Allen County to John W. Alderman and Sophia Lulu (Sylvester) Alderman...

Mary Francis Kerill, 50, of Mound City, and formerly of Nevada, Mo., died Thursday, July 5, 2007. Graveside funeral rites by the Olson Frary Burkhart VFW Post No. 1165 will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday July 12, 2007, at the Fort Scott National Cemetery in Fort Scott, Kansas. On line condolences for the family may be left at www.coffelschneider.com. Arrangements are being made with the Coffel-Schneider Funeral Home, Mound City, Kansas...

WICHITA (AP) -- For more than three decades, investigators came and went as the search continued for the serial killer who taunted them with cryptic messages. On Tuesday, more than 100 of those current and former officers gathered to be honored for their work in capturing the man who dubbed himself BTK. The initials stand for ''Bind, Torture, Kill.''...

SWINK -- Brady Matthew Swink, a boy, was born at Mercy Health Center in Fort Scott, on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 to parents Brandon and Amanda Swink. He weighed 7 pounds, 8 ounces and was born at 12:34 p.m. He joins a sister, Mahalia Swink. Maternal grandmother is Barbara Harms of Hume, Mo. and paternal grandparents are Mike and Janet O'Brien of Bronson, Kan., and J.D. Swink of Stotesburg, Mo...