Tuesday Jan. 6,
2015
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 119, No. 5
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Tonight
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • 1 section
1st day of qualifying Bank in brings in 30 entries Selmer BY JEBB JOHNSTON
Basket fund tops $17,800 The spirit of giving this Christmas season is alive and well in the Alcorn County area. Donations are still needed this year for the 19th Annual Corinth Rotary Club/Daily Corinthian Christmas Basket Fund. A $25,000 fund raising goal was set so 1,000 food baskets could be given to local families on Saturday, Dec. 6. Baskets were given away based upon faith the goal will be reached. So far, $17,814 has been raised, meaning $7,186 still needs to be raised to make the goal. Donations will be accepted through Jan. 9. Recent donations include $50 from American Legion Post 6 Auxiliary in honor of James Aaron Null and Joretta Null; $100 from anonymous; and $50 from American Legion Post 6 Auxiliary in honor of Mrs. Pearl Gurley. Contributions to the Christmas Basket Fund can be made “in honor of” or “in memory of” a special person or persons. The tribute will be published in the Daily Corinthian. Donations can be brought by the newspaper office 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or mailed to: Daily Corinthian, Attn.: Christmas Basket Fund, P.O. Box 1800, Corinth, MS 38835.
Jail warden seat unfilled BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The hiring of a new correctional facility warden is on hold. Sheriff Charles Rinehart told the Alcorn County Board of Supervisors on Monday that Roger Settlemires, who was recently made acting warden following the resignation of Irb Benjamin, will continue handling day-to-day operations for now. “He is approved by MDOC to continue,” said Rinehart. Please see WARDEN | 2
jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The first day of qualifying in a big county election year drew about 30 candidates. Drawing the most candidates with four each were the open sheriff’s race and justice court judge post 1. Both constable posts and supervisor for District 2 and District 4
were others drawing multiple candidates. Despite facing indictment on numerous criminal charges, Dal Nelms added his name to the list for 2nd District supervisor, seeking a second term. The busy day for the circuit clerk’s office kicked off a qualifying period that continues
through Feb. 27. Those who tossed their names in the hat on Monday include (“inc.” denotes incumbents): n Chancery clerk: Greg Younger (D) n Circuit clerk: Joe Caldwell (D, inc.) Please see QUALIFYING | 2
robbed BY JEFF YORK For the Daily Corinthian
SELMER, Tenn. — Home Banking Company was the victim of a robbery Monday afternoon and lost an undetermined amount of money. Selmer Police Department Assistant Police Chief Kim Holley said the break-in happened around 2:40 p.m. Monday. The Selmer Police Department was still investigating the robbery as of press time Monday. The McNairy County Regional Hospital, Selmer Elementary School and Selmer Middle School were placed on temporary lockdown after the crime as a safety precaution. The three places were on lockdown for around 50 minutes. Home Banking Company is located in Selmer, Finger and Corinth. The Selmer branch was opened in early 1979 and moved the headquarters from Finger to Selmer in 1983. The company operates branches in Savannah and Michie. The Corinth location was opened in 2011.
Wood stove causes Glen Early Learners program flourishes house fire Submitted Photo
Early Learners show their excitement about education. The program has flourished by helping local moms begin educating the very young in their communities. See related photo on page 2.
BY KIMBERLY SHELTON kshelton@dailycorinthian.com
Charities can be of great support, but it takes the dedication of moms for children to truly be successful. “Excel by 5 got the community’s eyes on early childhood education,” said Crosswind Executive Director Bobby Capps. “We realized there was a culture shift that needed to take place in order to make an impact. If we are going to close the learning gap, parents can’t wait until professional educators get their children.” The Early Learners program has flourished by helping local moms to begin educating the very young in their communities. “It started back in June with just four moms (Kelli Jacobs, LaShunley Sheffield, Astrion Walker and Alexis Jacobs), two or three of their own children and a couple of other
kids from the neighborhood, but now boasts a total of 22 kids,” said Capps. “These moms have really taken ownership of the program and are doing a phenomenal job. We supply the paper, pencils and other school supplies, but the rest they raise money for themselves.” “Our job is to go out into high-risk or marginalized neighborhoods to see what we can do to support them,” he added. “In order to make a real difference, those moms really have to take ownership of their own community and have done just that.” Held in an apartment complex comprised primarily of single moms, the new outreach ministry is geared toward children age zero to four. “We were approached by the moms in August and asked if we would continue the pro-
gram through the year,” said the director. Meant to be only a summer program, the teaching initiative has blossomed into so much more. “It’s amazing to know know you are making a difference in other peoples lives and to see it come full-circle,” said Crosswind Outreach Director Sara Ekiss. “The majority of the students couldn’t write their letters or even hold a pencil, but are now excelling thanks to the dedicated mothers/teachers who volunteer their time from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.” In addition to the new Early Learners Outreach Ministry, Crosswind has also developed their own version of Homework Club which allows students to get tutoring while remaining in their own neighborhood.
BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
GLEN — A wood stove is believed to be the cause of a morning fire which destroyed a manufactured home in Alcorn County. Firemen arrived shortly after the 10:34 a.m. call was dispatched to find the home at 38 County Road 326 ablaze. No one was at home at the time of the fire, according to Alcorn County Emergency Management Director Ricky Gibens. “We are thinking maybe a wood burning stove was the culprit,” said Gibens. “These types of fires seem to pick up when the temperature gets colder.” Gibens said the home was gutted with the four walls and roof still standing. The volunteer fire departments at Glen, Jacinto, Farmington and Biggersville were all dispatched Please see FIRE | 3
Special election scheduled for open election commissioner post BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
A special election is set and a temporary appointee in place for the open Fourth District election commissioner post. The Alcorn County Board of Supervisors on Monday entered a board order calling for a special election to be held at the
same time as this year’s general election on Nov. 3. The board also appointed Anthia FollinKing to serve as commissioner until the special election is held and the winner takes office. Her letter to the board says she will not seek a full term. Follin-King took the oath of office, administered by Circuit
Clerk Joe Caldwell, Monday afternoon. The board’s action follows Keith Settlemires’ resignation from the commissioner post as he begins a campaign for sheriff. The next regular election time for the five election commissioners is during the presidential election year of 2016, and the
Index Stocks........ 8 Classified......14 Comics........ 9 State........ 5
Weather...... 10 Obituaries........ 6 Opinion........ 4 Sports...... 12
special election will be to fill the final year of the four-year term. King has served on the Democratic Executive Committee for the past 15 years, including eight years as chair and three years as secretary. She will resign from the committee in order to serve as an election commissioner. “I have worked closely with
the election commissioners and am familiar with the election process,” her letter states. “I have worked in all areas from selecting poll workers to unloading voting machines.” Candidates for the special election will have a long qualifying window lasting from now until Sept. 3.
On this day in history 150 years ago Gen. John Bell Hood has departed Corinth by rail and has established his headquarters in Tupelo. His soldiers remaining in town are working to remove all of the supplies that had been stockpiled in Corinth prior to the Nashville campaign. EXECUTIVE RENTALS CORINTH, COR CORINT INTH, H,, MISSISSIPPI MISSIS MIS SISSIP SIPPI PI
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