County, state agree on housing prisoners in Bedford

The Bedford County commissioners approved an agreement Tuesday to house state inmates, producing projected revenue of about $40,000 to $70,000 per month. The tentative agreement will mean the state will house 25 to 50 inmates in the county jail in Bedford Township at $47 per day per inmate, according to Warden Dan Keen. County officials and the state Department of Corrections met in early May to discuss the state's overcrowded prisons and how counties could help if they had spare bunks. Bedford County's jail has the space. The population at the jail, which has a capacity of 185, was 116 as of Wednesday. Sue McNaughton, press secretary for the department of corrections, said the state's population is about 50,500 and the capacity at its 27 institutions is about 43,000. The deal also calls for Bedford to board those inmates who are nearing the end of their sentences and are considered lower risk.

Casket flag of first county WWII casualty donated to museum

More than 65 years ago, the first Bedford resident was killed in World War II action. The news of his death no doubt shocked and saddened his family but the community as well. Cpl. Thomas "Tommy" V. Straub, 22, was the son of Vincent C. and Kathryn (Donovan) Straub of East Penn Street, Bedford. He was serving with the supply service when he died July 15, 1943, "as the result of enemy action," according to a short telegram received by his family. The funeral service for Cpl. Straub was the first of its kind held at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Bedford — only an empty casket was covered with an American flag. Kathryn Straub gave the flag to a relative, Tom Imgrund, in the 1960s. Recently, Imgrund and the first cousins of Cpl. Straub, Joe Straub and Susan (Straub) Shipley, who are brother and sister, chose to donate the family memento to the Fort Bedford Museum. Museum director Huston Godwin said he plans to have the military burial flag pressed, folded and placed in the World War I and II display case with other local soldiers' artifacts — all of which have been donated by family members.

District Death

TAYLOR, David Lee, 38, of Everett.