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It's an entirely forgettable pickup game in June, a scene where big men shoot three-pointers because they can and hustle is optional.

It's shirts and skins. Not practice with coaches on the watch.

Even in this relaxed atmosphere, however, meaningful things can happen. It is the start of Wichita State blending six newcomers into its men's basketball team. Transfer Reggie Chamberlain, who played at Seward County Community College last season, knows little things matter in building a team.

Twice in one game, Chamberlain turns down open shots to give Clevin Hannah, also a transfer, the ball so he can shoot.

"We're trying to assemble a young team, so we've got to get our chemistry going on," Chamberlain said. "I'm going to be a point guard, so I figure if I can pass up an open shot to get my teammate a better look, that's always good."

Three months isn't too long to wait for the right coach.

The Wichita Thunder hockey team ended the worst season in franchise history on March 22. Thursday, the Thunder started rebuilding under new coach Brent Bilodeau.

"Brent is a guy we had our eyes on since our season ended in March," Thunder general manager Joel Lomurno said after a news conference at the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. "I want people to know the reason why we waited until June 19 to name a coach is because this is the guy we wanted all along."

Bilodeau, 35, spent the past three seasons as assistant coach and assistant general manager for the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL. He played 12 seasons of minor-league hockey after the Montreal Canadiens picked him in the first round of the 1991 NHL Draft. He spent six of those seasons as player/assistant coach with the Johnstown (Pa.) Chiefs of the ECHL.

Bilodeau called Wichita a blue-collar city with fans who will like his style of hockey. He played defenseman and Lomurno is counting on his zone coverage system to improve the Thunder's leaky defense.

Barreling into the catcher on a play at the plate when necessary is just as much an aspect of Kash Beauchamp baseball as laying down a sacrifice bunt.

Beauchamp prefers a player who is willing to do both. The Wingnuts manager preaches equal parts small ball and hardball.

He learned an aggressive style during the 1960s and '70s from his father, the late Jim Beauchamp, who played 10 seasons in the major leagues and was a longtime minor league manager.

"I liked the way the game was played back then," Beauchamp said. "So that's kind of what I look for and that's kind of the way I played. I had to play that way. I was not an A-Rod-type talent.

"I really had to work hard to get as far as I did in baseball because I wasn't blessed with a lot of physical ability."

Let's start with a disclaimer.

Yes, it was a great time to catch the St. Louis Cardinals. Their big gun, Albert Pujols, is sidelined by a strained calf. They're also missing catcher Yadier Molina. And their rotation is a mess.

The Royals took pains to point out all of this Thursday afternoon, and it still couldn't diminish the sweetness of a three-game sweep after their 4-1 victory at Busch Stadium.

"They've still got some boppers over there," second baseman Mark Grudzielanek said. "You look at how we threw. Our three guys went out there and gave us a chance to win. We held them to four runs in the series."

Four runs in three games.

Mario Little had barely finished his stretches Wednesday afternoon before he bounded up the steps of the stands at the Horejsi Center to give Cindy Self a hug.

"Just wanted to get reacquainted with my new family," Little said.

Never hurts to impress the coach's wife, either. And especially on this day since NCAA rules prevented Bill Self from watching the scrimmage.

Little was the latest arrival for a Kansas basketball team that returns only four scholarship players from its national title run. There's a lot of work to be done.

But while most of the other newcomers have been in town for at least two weeks, working out and practicing together, Little had some unfinished classroom business to finish before he could graduate from Chipola Junior College in Florida and meet NCAA eligibility requirements.

Gustavo Mata pitched eight strong innings and Stephen Pearson doubled twice to lead the Wingnuts to a 5-1 victory over the Sioux Falls Canaries on Wednesday in Sioux Falls, S.D.

Pearson's two-run double highlighted a three-run sixth inning for Wichita, which pulled within 2 ½ games of the first-place Canaries in the American Association's North Division.

Mata (3-1) surrendered an RBI double to Sioux Falls' Beau Torbert in the third inning, but also benefited from two double plays. Sioux Falls stranded nine baserunners.

The Wingnuts, who were held scoreless for the first 13 innings of a doubleheader loss to Sioux Falls on Tuesday, got two in the first on Brenan Herrera's RBI double and Michael Thompson's sacrifice fly.

Chris Colton followed Pearson's second double with a sacrifice fly for Wichita's final run.

The Boston Celtics won their 17th NBA title in relentless fashion, trouncing the L.A. Lakers 131-92 to win the NBA Finals in six games. It's the Celtics' first title in 22 years, dating back to the Larry Bird era.

Boston's 39-point win surpassed the NBA record for the biggest margin of victory in a championship clincher. The 1965 Celtics beat the Lakers by 33 to win the title that year.

These Celtics completed the greatest one-year turnaround in NBA history. Last season they won just 24 games and missed the playoffs. This season they won 66 regular-season games and finished with a playoff-record 13 home wins.

Paul Pierce, who's spent his entire career wearing Celtic green, was named MVP of the finals. He scored 17 in the clinching win, but averaged more than 21 points in the NBA Finals.

The other two members of Boston's Big Three, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, each scored 26.

A request for additional investigation into an alleged sexual assault by Kansas basketball player Sherron Collins in May 2007 was made eight months ago and was not spurred by a recent civil lawsuit regarding the allegations, the Douglas County District Attorney said Tuesday.

District Attorney Charles Branson said a request was made "months ago" to the KU police to obtain additional lab testing from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. That request was forwarded within a few days to the KBI, according to the KU police.

Upon further checking, Cheryl Wright, assistant to Branson, said one request for a lab test was sent to the KBI in July 2007. Results of that test were completed and given to the DA, but Branson's office requested a second lab test in October 2007.

Wright said the DA's office was still awaiting results of the second lab test.

Branson said the KBI has been slow in processing lab work, noting that he recently had to request a continuance in a murder trial because he had not received lab results.

When: 7 tonight

Where: Lawrence-Dumont Stadium

Records: El Paso 16-23; Wichita 21-18

Starting pitchers: El Paso, RH David Whigham (3-3, 4.85 ERA); Wichita, LH Richard Salazar (0-2, 3.06)

Radio: KGSO, 1410-AM

Sioux Falls 8, Wingnuts 1 -- Paul Smyth had three hits and three RBIs Thursday night as division-leading Sioux Falls ended the Wingnuts' road trip with a loss.

David Gates' two-out double and Bernie Dennis' RBI single in the second produced Wichita's lone run. Sioux Falls countered with two in the third -- including an RBI single by Smyth -- and one in the fourth off Wingnuts starter Brad Davis.

Tim Hutting stretched the Canaries' lead to 6-1 with a three-run homer in the seventh. Smyth added a two-run single in the eighth.

Sioux Falls starter Lenny Bays (1-1) and two relievers combined on a five-hitter.

Wichita released left-handed pitcher Demetri White on Thursday.

Travelers Championship

At Cromwell, Conn.

Wegmans LPGA

At Rochester, N.Y.

Katy Nugent and Alex Beury jammed a lot into their 18-hole final of the Women's Golf Association of Wichita city championship Thursday at Tallgrass Country Club.

A steady start by Nugent. A thrilling comeback by Beury. And finally, an opportunistic finish by the 18-year-old Nugent, who won the last two holes to earn a 1-up victory in the championship flight.

"I figured if I could just keep going, I'd be all right," said Nugent, who claimed the city title in her first attempt.

Nugent, who graduated from Andover High last month and will play golf at the University of Arkansas, trailed for most of the back nine after surrendering a 3-up lead. But she took the match with pars on the 17th and 18th holes, capitalizing on a pair of mis-hit tee shots by Beury to win the holes.

Nugent also crafted a nifty punch shot around a tree from the right rough on the 328-yard 18th that stopped 12 feet from the hole. After Beury came up short on a 35-foot par attempt, Nugent settled her birdie putt within tap-in range for a conceded par that won the match.

Tiger Woods is done for the year, but not without one last major that he said might have been his best ever.

Woods explained why Wednesday when he revealed he will have season-ending surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left knee that he injured 10 months ago.

He also suffered a double stress fracture of his left tibia two weeks before the U.S. Open, ignoring doctors' advice to take six weeks off to let it heal. And he still won the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, going 91 holes over five days on a knee that was getting worse.

"Now, it is clear that the right thing to do is to listen to my doctors, follow through with this surgery and focus my attention on rehabilitating my knee," Woods said on his Web site.

He had arthroscopic surgery April 15 to clean out cartilage in his left knee, bypassing ACL surgery with hopes it could get him through the 2008 season. But the stress fracture and a ligament that could no longer sustain a powerful swing made it impossible to keep going.

City Match Play

At Tallgrass C.C.

Championship flight

Semifinals--Winners: Katy Nugent def. Jaci Henderson 6 and 5; Alex Beury def. Denise Desilet 2 and 1. Consolation: Helen Joyce def. Barbara Ford-Buell 1 up (19 holes); Judy Morris def. Sherrie Wynkoop 1 up.

Today's finals--Consolation: Joyce vs. Morris, 8:37 a.m.; Winners: Nugent vs. Beury, 8:45.

Alex Beury held off two-time champion Denise Desilet 2 and 1 Wednesday to advance to the final of the Women's Golf Association of Wichita city championship at Tallgrass Country Club.

Beury, a Wichita Country Club member, will play recent Andover High graduate Katy Nugent at 8:45 a.m. today for the title in the championship flight. Nugent eliminated Jaci Henderson 6 and 5 in the other semifinal.

Beury avenged a 20-hole semifinal loss to Desilet last year on her home course. Beury, the No. 6 seed, will face top-seeded Nugent, who won four consecutive holes from Henderson to lead 6 up at the turn.

In the first flight, Rita Smith and Deb Plopa reached the final, with Plopa outlasting Sarah Allender in 19 holes. Carol Reynolds and Beverly Parker will play for the title in the second flight, while Sarah Downey and Carla Winn will battle in the third flight.

Hilger, Lowman share KGA Junior Amateur lead -- Garden Plain's Markus Hilger shot a 2-under-par 70 on Wednesday to grab a share of the 36-hole lead in the Kansas Golf Association Junior Amateur at Manhattan's Stagg Hill Golf Club.

Thursday's results

Cruiser Driver

A Feature -- 1. Jerry Ashley, Sedgwick; 2. Bruce Spence Wichita; 3. Trevor Campbell, Wichita. B Feature -- 1. James Armstrong, Wichita; 2. Michael Santos, Wichita; 3. Sherie Gourley, Wichita. Heat 1 -- 1. Brian Russell, Wichita; 2. Jason Dickey, Wichita; 3. Nick Quiring, Wichita. Heat2 -- 1. Trevor Campbell, Wichita; 2. Jerry Ashley, Sedgwick; 3. Justin Tafoya, Wichita. Heat 3 -- 1. Bob Lowery, Wichita; 2. Bruce Spence, Wichita; 3. Harry Prewitt, Wichita.

Cruiser Gas

A Feature -- 1. Robert Santos, Haysville; 2. Corey Goodwin, Wichita; 3. Robbie Carter, Valley Center; B Feature -- 1. Henry Vaughn III, Wichita; 2. Justin White, Wichita; 3. Glen McGeoch, Wichita. Heat 1 -- 1. Derek Kreager, Park City; 2. June Dickey; Wichita; 3. Micheal Quiring, Wichita. Heat 2 -- 1. Robbie Carter, Valley Center; 2. Robert Santos, Haysville; 3. Billy Collins, Wichita. Heat 3 -- 1. Mike Lowery, Wichita; 2. Corey Goodwin, Wichita; 3. Gene Gresty, Derby.

• The Wichita Heaters U7 team took third place at the AA Oklahoma-Texas Shoot Out June 13-15 in Oklahoma City. Team members are Braden Belt, Trey Charbonneau, Hunter Hays, Evan Kruse, Andres Lara, Britte Magnuson, Aidan Noller, Dakota Oliphant, Austin Oswald, Levi Streit, Dylan Thomas, Bryce Westmoreland. Coaches are Justin Charbonneau, Kirk Westmoreland, Karl Belt, Tom Kruse.

• The Yankees 12U won the Al Riffel Memorial Tournament June 14-15 in Park City. Team members are Drake Bliss, Braden Hensley, Johnny Heppler, Garrett Holmes, Dylan Jones, Cole Koster, Nick Nolting, Dalton Rupp, Scott Steinbach, Haydn Thompson, Anthony Vitale. Coaches are Matt Heppler, Dean Jones, Brad Hensley, Mike Dillon.

Soccer

• The WSO United youth boys team won the Kansas State Cup. Team members are Brandon Andrews, Jesus Castillo, Clayton Carron, Jacob Eskridge, Austin Flores, Jesus Fernandez, Jake Gramke, DeBray Hollimon, Austin Swindler, Jose Vaquera, Edtar Vaquera, Julio Vielmas, Caleb Wilcox. The coach is LeBaron Hollimon.

• Rangers FC won the U8 boys division of the Air Cap/Toyota Cup. Team members are Sam Adams, Eian Haislett, Corbyn Howard, Ethan Kingrey, Grant Sherfield, Jackson Syring, Preston Williams. Coaches are Chris Haislett and Scott Kingrey.

Horseshoes

Vern Valdois Memorial at Linwood Park

June 7

Player, Hometown, Wins-Losses, Ringer Percentage

Class A--1. Bill Whitley, Wichita, 4-1, 59.5; 2. Carl Terrell, Wichita, 4-1, 50.5; 3. Bret Vogel, Wichita, 3-2, 57.0; 4. Dave Mathewson, Iola, 3-2, 55.5. Class B --1. Bennie Lee, Derby, 5-0, 32.5; 2. Tom Small, Wichita, 3-2, 24.5. Doug McConnell, S. Hutchinson, 3-2, 38.5. Class C--1. Ernesto Diaz, Hoisington, 5-0, 27.0; 2. Kendra Jarvis, Arkansas City, 4-1, 25.5; 3. Mike Jarvis, Arkansas City, 3-2, 16.5; 4. Gilbert Davis, Wichita, 3-2, 16.0.

Calendar

Space precludes us from running all listings. To see all listings, go to Kansas.com/sports and click on "Other Sports."

Baseball

• Saturday-Sunday: Salina Downtown Lions Club tournament ages 9-12. Four-game guarantee. Fee $175. Call Sam, 785-822-7117 or visit www.tri.net/lions.

• Deadline Sunday: Kansas Strikezone Classic tournament June 27-29 in Newton, ages 9U and 10U. Call Rick Arellano, 316-283-3666 or e-mail alsport@cox.net.

Sean Ratliff homered and Cord Phelps tripled in Stanford's four-run fifth inning, and the Cardinal ousted top-seeded Miami from the College World Series with an 8-3 victory Wednesday night.

The Cardinal (41-23-2) advanced to the Bracket 1 finals against Georgia, needing to beat the Bulldogs twice to return to the best-of-three championship round for the second time since 2003.

Starter Danny Sandbrink and reliever Erik Davis held the potent offense of Miami (53-11) in check. The Hurricanes failed to join the 1999 squad as the only No. 1 national seeds to win the College World Series.

Miami, ranked No. 1 for most of the second half of the season, has been eliminated in three games in each of its four CWS appearances since 2003.

Phelps collected three of Stanford's 11 hits and drove in two runs. He had a single and double to go with his triple and missed out on hitting for the cycle when he flied out to short right in the seventh inning.

September 3 -- Ties for second at Deutsche Bank Championship in Norton, Mass.

Sept. 6 -- Takes first at BMW Championship in St. Louis, equalling $1.26 million payday.

Sept. 16 -- Wins Tour Championship in Atlanta by shooting 63 in final round for another $1.26 million check.

2008March 23 -- Geoff Ogilvy wins WGC CA Championship and Woods is fifth after shooting third round 72.

You won't have a hard time picking out Bubba when you visit Bubba's Nekked BBQ, a boastful but tasty new barbecue restaurant in the Indian Hills neighborhood.

He looks a lot like the Bubba caricature of himself painted on the front window -- goatee, ponytail, confident swagger of a guy who knows his 'cue.

Bubba is Alan "Bubba" Leffew, co-owner and cook, and it does appear he knows his 'cue.

His gimmick is that his meat is so expertly prepared that diners won't even want the sauce and might just prefer to leave their food "nekked."

But nekked is optional, and sauce is available, too.

Apparently there are two actors named Steve Carell. One appears in sharp-witted, humanistic "small" movies like "Little Miss Sunshine" and "Dan in Real Life" and the occasional smart comedy blockbuster like "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" -- not to mention starring in "The Office," one of TV's edgiest comedies.

The other Steve Carell makes overinflated summer gobblers in which more attention is paid to the special effects than to the script -- turkeys like "Evan Almighty" and now "Get Smart."

Carell would seem the perfect choice to reprise the role of '60s TV's Maxwell Smart, bumbling secret agent for a shadowy government agency known as CONTROL. Few actors so embody endearing ineptitude.

And every now and then you get a flash of what "Get Smart" might have been if Carell had cut loose -- or if writers Tom J. Astle and Matt Ember (working with the characters created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry) or director Peter Segal (a veteran of Adam Sandler films) had gotten off their duffs and actually broken a sweat at being clever.

In fact, "Get Smart's" general lack of imagination is insulting.

They seem to be only half joking when members of a dodgeball team called Project Plaid describe the rigorous training process they adopted when they first decided to play.

1. Rent the 2004 movie "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story."

2. Watch it three times in a row.

3. Aim low.

But the guys -- six buddies who were athletes in the South High class of 2006 -- have used the three-step process to win three consecutive Wichita River Festival dodgeball tournaments.

Jason Bailey may have moved to New York, but his latest film is firmly rooted in Kansas.

The former Wichitan's 11th feature-length film as writer and director -- made with his Films on Consignment production team --"Gracie Rose" follows the story of the titular character, Gracie (Rebekah Dryden), a young woman living a dead-end life in a small Kansas town. She's the only caretaker to her rapidly deteriorating grandparents, and she still mourns the death of her husband.

But things change when a mysterious man (Jason Miller) walks into the bar where she works. They slowly start a romantic relationship, and Gracie finally starts to be happy again -- until the man's past catches up with both of them. The film screens Saturday night at the Orpheum.

Bailey, 32, says that "Gracie Rose" fully embraces its setting, unlike his earlier films, which tried to make Wichita "a general urban setting."

"We had never really taken advantage of being in Kansas," Bailey said.

Cajun singer-guitarist Tab Benoit will visit Sam's Place on Thursday sporting two new items: the crown as Contemporary Blues Male Artist of the Year from the Blues Foundation's 2008 Blues Music Awards, and a new album, the live "Night Train to Nashville."

It's the second straight year that Benoit has won the Blues Foundation award, which should come as no surprise to those who have heard his CDs or have seen him perform in Wichita.

Benoit's affinity for the music of his native Louisiana comes through in every note, and in many actions away from the microphone. Benoit is president of Voice of the Wetlands, an environmental organization that he founded in 2003.

His new album, which as usual sports his talented backing band LeRoux, includes a series of guest musicians: harpist-singer Jimmy Hall, guitarist-singer Jim Lauderdale, harpist-accordionist Johnny Sansone, fiddler-washboard player Waylon Thibodeaux and harpist-singer Kim Wilson, leader of the Fabulous Thunderbirds.

Tickets for the show at Sam's Place, 5521 W. Kellogg, are $10 in advance, $12 at the door. The music will start at 8 p.m. For more information, call 316-942-2224.

Jennifer Lopez, whose twins Emme Maribel Muniz and Maximilian "Max" David Muniz were born on Feb. 22, delighted a group of 10- and 11-year-old students at an elementary-school graduation for autistic children in Staten Island, N.Y., on Tuesday with a performance of "Let's Get Loud."

It all started when teacher Kathy Amati showed her class the video for the Lopez song. The kids loved it so much they wanted to watch it every day. Eventually, they learned the lyrics and the dance moves from the video. Encouraged by their teacher, the kids wrote to J.Lo, asking for autographs. Instead, the singer asked if she could attend their graduation.

Wednesday, J.Lo was back in business mode, jetting off with husband Marc Anthony and the twins to Antwerp, Belgium.

An Indian connection for Spielberg?

Will India soon own a piece of American film icon Steven Spielberg? The New York Times reports that Reliance Entertainment, one of India's biggest entertainment companies, is flirting with the idea of investing $500 million in DreamWorks SKG, the film studio Spielberg co-founded with David Geffen. Reliance's payment, in exchange for an undisclosed equity stake in DreamWorks, would allow the studio to leave its parent company, Paramount.

Making its Kansas premiere this week at Crown Uptown Professional Dinner Theatre is "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do," a new off-Broadway musical based on the songs of 1960s-70s icon Neil Sedaka.

Here's what you need to know about it:

1) The musical has been described as "Dirty Dancing" meets "Forever Plaid" with a story told through 19 of Sedaka's greatest hits, such as "Where the Boys Are," "Laughter in the Rain," "Sweet Sixteen," "Calendar Girl," "Love Will Keep Us Together" and, of course, the title tune.

2) The story takes a nostalgic look at the 1960s as a pair of young women -- one recently jilted at the altar -- go to a Catskills resort to use up a prepaid honeymoon trip in hopes of finding a new lease on life (and maybe love).

3) Starring are Crown newcomer Andrea Marie Roth, a Wisconsin native most recently with the Christian music group New Dawn Singers, as heartbroken bride Marge, and Tara Tucker, recently in Crown's "Ring of Fire," as Marge's best friend Lois, who is determined to break her out of her depression.

The guys in Skrap Yard don't want to sound like anybody else -- quite a change from a time when they were forced to sound like somebody else every night.

Three of the four members hooked up while playing in a touring Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band headed by Jimmy Van Zandt, cousin of the founder of the quintessential Southern rock band.

"Which was not our style," guitarist Miles Pehde said of that gig. "We've been original (music) players. But it was fun. We played all over."

Now they're out to conquer the Wichita area with their own blend of rock, metal, country, punk and anything else that strikes their collective fancy. They've got two shows this weekend -- today at Kirby's and Saturday at Barleycorn's. A gig at the Brickyard in Old Town follows later this month.

"We're just trying to mix it up," said keyboardist Chuck Withers, who shares vocal duties with Pehde. "Take everything in a new direction and not put any guidelines on ourselves."

Rex Harrison will always own the role of Professor Henry Higgins in Lerner & Loewe's "My Fair Lady," for his legendary 1956 Broadway performance later immortalized in the 1964 movie.

But Damon Kirsche proves in Music Theatre of Wichita's newest revival of the beloved musical that a younger, sexier Higgins adds a whole new dimension that is more romantically satisfying.

And Wayne Bryan, MTW's producing artistic director, who stepped up to personally direct this version -- the fourth in 37 seasons -- oversees an exquisite ending that, without adding a word to the show, adds a perfect comic touch that leaves no doubt where Higgins and Eliza are heading. To be sure, there's nothing so brash as a kiss or even an embrace. Instead, it's eye contact and subtle body English that say it all.

For a show that's become so tried-and-true familiar, that's a pleasant surprise and added delight.

Kirsche, last seen here as the dashing "Scarlet Pimpernel" in 2003, has a more resonant singing voice than Harrison, and he used it to great advantage for many lines that Harrison originally spoke. But Kirsche often seemed a little too animated for an unflappable, upper-class know-it-all. Higgins' self-important superiority didn't need so much windmilling.

In "The Love Guru," Mike Myers must come to love himself before he can love others. From the credits of this scattershot comedy sketch stretched and strained to movie length, Myers clearly loved himself to the point of narcissism going in.

Besides starring, Myers is a producer and co-writer. He's in the cast list four times -- three times for the same character (Guru Pitka, Young Pitka and Teenage Pitka) and for a two-second cameo as himself.

And Myers mercilessly inflicts some of his favorite things on the audience -- his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs and Verne Troyer, the tiny actor who played Mini-Me in two of the "Austin Powers" flicks.

Self-love does not seem to be an issue for Myers, unlike Pitka, the world's second-best guru, who carries a chip on his shoulder from growing up in the shadow of top-seeded rival Deepak Chopra (who makes a brief appearance in "The Love Guru").

Looking like a cross between Beatles guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Charles Manson, Pitka seems to have it all: A popular self-help regimen, a lush L.A. ashram with celebrity fawners, even his own spiritual greeting, "Mariska Hargitay." It's cute at first but wears thin by the 20th or 30th time.

This weekend's Common Threads Quilt Show will feature more than 850 quilts. The three-day show occurs every other year.

Here's what you need to know to get the most out of it:

1) The show is a destination for people from other states as well as for local quilt fans. In addition to the exhibit of quilts, it also features more than 55 vendors and educational demonstrations every 20 to 30 minutes.

2) An auction of miniature quilts will be at noon Saturday, with proceeds going to teacher grants for quilt education in schools.

3) Linda McCuean, of New Galilee, Pa., is a professional longarm quilter and teacher. She'll be at the show leading classes. Registration form and information for classes offered during this weekend's show can be found at www.pqgks.com. Go to "Quilt Shows" on the left side of the page and then click on "Common Threads 2008."

Attendance at this year's Wichita River Festival was down about 20 percent from last year -- a drop organizers blame on factors ranging from the economy to weather to their increased hard line on button wearing.

Attendance for the nine-day festival May 9 to 17 was estimated at between 305,000 and 310,000. Attendance in 2007 was 385,000.

Button sales also were down slightly. The festival sold 124,200 this year, compared to 126,000 in 2007.

River Festival president Janet Wright said she couldn't pinpoint what caused the attendance drop, but she had a few theories.

First, she said, 2007's attendance got a big boost from the Daughtry concert, which drew 40,000 people on opening night. This year's opening-night concert by pop singer Colbie Caillat drew about 6,000.

Every weekday evening, Katie Couric is the picture of sobriety on the "CBS Evening News": buttoned-down and earnest.

Viewers who miss the impish humor the anchor exhibited on "Today" probably don't know that it's still possible to catch glimpses of Couric, unplugged -- and in a medium that's light-years away from the staid environs of broadcast news.

Since February, Couric quietly has been uploading videos to her own channel on YouTube. The clips -- so far, 33 -- display the mischievous and often hammy personality that the newscaster doesn't get to show in her current post.

Along with extended material from her CBS interviews, much of the footage consists of behind-the-scenes moments with a lighthearted Couric. During a visit to CNN for an interview in March, she snapped the back of Larry King's suspenders as he escorted her into a studio. On a flight to Washington, D.C., to interview Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in February, she held a mascara stick and joked that, "It takes a village to make this face presentable on television."

The outtakes delight many YouTube users who have come across the channel.

Hollywood is living up to the adage that when the going gets tough, the tough go to the movies.

Even though the industry set a record pace with its first $4 billion summer last year, the results are showing signs that 2008 could beat that record.

Figures from box-office tracker Media By Numbers through June 15 show that the business raked in $1.46 billion in U.S. receipts for the first six weeks of what is considered the summer season, nearly 5 percent ahead of last year's $1.4 billion. Hollywood's summer season begins the first weekend in May and runs through Labor Day.

While a broader mix of films is in the offing for viewers, the sentiment also is that it's yet another sign that the recession is here. To some, high gas prices are making a trip to the local cineplex more inviting than a long-distance driving vacation.

Going to the movies is "the least expensive way to get that entertainment fix," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Media By Numbers.

"My Fair Lady," the second show in Music Theatre of Wichita's season, features a stronger love story than some people may be familiar with from the movie version of the Lerner & Loewe musical.

Los Angeles-based Damon Kirsche plays the role of Professor Henry Higgins in the show that opened this week and runs through Sunday. He's younger than Rex Harrison, who starred in the 1956 movie, which makes the romance between him and the female lead, Eliza Doolittle, more believable to audiences.

Music Theatre of Wichita has presented the award-winning musical three previous times.

Playing Eliza, the cockney flower girl transformed into a well-spoken princess suitable for high society, is Kim Huber, also from Los Angeles, who is back for her 12th Music Theatre show.

Shows are at 8 p.m. today and Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday in Century II Concert Hall. Tickets range from $16 to $52. To make reservations, call 316-265-3107.