Wednesday Jan. 15,
2014
50 cents
Taste
Home & Garden
A healthier take on spinach & artichoke dip.
Plants and flowers bring symbolism to weddings.
Page 1B
Page 12A
Daily Corinthian Vol. 118, No. 12
Much colder Today
Tonight
37
23
0% chance of rain
• Corinth, Mississippi • 18 pages • 2 sections
Vacant schools see more interest BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Mississippi Action for Progress has joined the groups seeking to use one of the three vacated elementary school
properties. In a special meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Tuesday afternoon, Regional Administrator Deborah Cooper said MAP is interested in com-
bining the Corinth and Kendrick Head Starts into one facility at the East Corinth campus. She believes it would provide “a more comfortable setting” for the students. Enrollment
is 56 at Kendrick and 57 at the Corinth center on Bell School Road, which is in a modular unit. The board is looking at selling portions of the properties that
would not be used by the interested groups, such as the south portion of the East Corinth property, where homes could Please see SCHOOLS | 3A
‘High School Musical Jr.’ School board approves hires BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The Corinth School District Board of Trustees acted on several personnel items in Monday’s meeting. The board approved hires for Corinth Elementary School including Shawnique FordRixner, currently a head start employee in Florence, Ala., as a pre-K teacher; Tammie
Staff photo
Sharpay (Sarah Grace Moore) tries to get the attention of Troy (John Wiley Works) and Zeke (Denver Turner).
ACHS Drama Club stages Disney production BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
GLEN — A whole lot of dancing and singing will be going on at Alcorn Central High School. Members of the Central Stage are ready to cut loose when it presents “Disney’s High School Musical Jr.” on Thursday and Saturday night in the school auditorium. Performances are slated to begin at 7 p.m. both nights with admission being $5. “I was hesitant at first of doing it, but the kids wanted to do it so bad that I gave in,” said drama instructor Leanne Wil-
liams. Williams said the drama club strives to do a musical every two years. “This is a really good musical,” said Williams of the school’s production. “The message is about branching out and trying new things … it’s something I want to teach my students.” Senior cast member John Wiley Works took the advice of his teacher to heart. “I have been wanting to do theatre for a while,” said Works, who plays Troy in the musical. Works, a member of the
Bears’ basketball squad, is a good fit for the part. Troy is the captain of the East High basketball team who decides to audition for the upcoming school musical. “The musical is about being friends with everyone,” said Works. “High school students do not have to be involved only with certain cliques.” In the musical, Troy (Works) finds life isn’t just about athletics. East High learns the lesson in teamwork as Troy and the beautiful and brainy Gabriella Please see MUSICAL | 2A
Renae Irons, pre-K assistant; Lesley Petty, dyslexia interventionist; and Misty Jordan, supply teacher. The board approved the hiring of LeAnn McDonald as dyslexia interventionist at Corinth Middle School. Hired as substitutes for classrooms, cafeterias and Please see HIRES | 2A
Narcotics officers make meth arrest BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
The Alcorn Narcotics Unit have arrested a 47-year-old Corinth man for felony possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell. On Monday, officers with the unit found almost three ounces of meth along with scales and pipes used to smoke the drug at the home of Tommy Joe Driskell. “Cameras were covering the house and there were baggies with meth residue along with pill bottles with numerous scheduled pills in each,” said narcotics investigator Darrell Hopkins. A .22 pistol found at the 9 County Road 174, Corinth,
address enhanced the intent to sell charge. Driskell was also charged with two counts of sell of a controlled substance and Driskell felon in possession of a firearm. Bond has yet to be set for the man who remains jailed at the Alcorn County Jail. “Officers had purchased meth from him a couple of times and were monitoring his residence,” said Hopkins. The unit stopped Driskell during a traffic stop on Monday.
Staff photo
Calendar puts focus on motorcycle safety BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
Still searching for a 2014 calendar? The newest community minded calendar, titled “Babes of Motorcycle Awareness,” features local woman and motorcycles while drawing awareness to motorcycle safety. “Our hope is to make people aware that motorcycles are out there,” said group member Lisa Lambert. “All motorists need to watch for bikers.” Lambert, who has been riding
Photographer Lisa Lambert shows off the 2014 “Babes of Motorcycle Awareness” calendar.
bikes since 2010, was also the photographer on the group’s calendar project. Proceeds from calendar sales will go the local Motorcycle Awareness group’s Riders Down Fund, which helps families of motorcycle victims make arrangements. “I’m very passionate about motorcycle awareness,” the photographer said. “I ride and I have family and friends who ride.” Please see CALENDAR | 2A
Index Stocks......8A Classified......3B Comics......2B State......5A
Weather...... 7A Obituaries......6A Opinion......4A Sports....10A
On this day in history 150 years ago Gen. Joseph E. Johnston writes to President Davis about the difficulties in supplying his army north of Atlanta. He suggests going on the offensive and moving the base of operations to Mississippi where there is food. The president says no.
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