25 years ago

april 15, 1987

A total 140 people, including county commissioners, engineers, and guests attended a transportation conference Thursday in Marion. Marion County hosted the spring meeting of North Central Kansas County Highway Officials Association at the courthouse.

Kenneth and Anita Rigler, formerly of Marion, suffered a double murder in their family last week in Muskogee, Okla., when their daughter Sheryl and grandson Andy were killed. Two couples on motorcycles, across the street from the crime scene, grew suspicious and investigated. They caught the murderer and called police. The man is being held in jail.

A historical marker has been installed at Hillcrest Cemetery in Florence. Florence Historical Society paid for the tombstone and benches at the site of the mass grave of Russian Mennonite pioneers who died of small pox in the 1870s.

This week’s organist series features Mary Riggs, who has been the regular organist during Sunday services at the Florence United Methodist Church during most of the past decade.

Marion Chamber of Commerce will sponsor an Easter egg hunt Saturday in Central Park. “Thumper” the rabbit and friends will hide the eggs in three areas and youngsters in three age groups will search for the treats in separate zones.

Dick and Charlene Nichols of McPherson, the Kansas couple attacked on the Staten Island Ferry last July during Liberty Weekend will speak May 2 at the monthly meeting of the Chat and Dine Club. Both were wounded in the incident — Nichols with a 10-inch stab wound in the back and his wife with a wound in the stomach area.