Friday Jan. 18,
2013
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 117, No. 16
Mostly sunny Today
Tonight
48
28
0% chance rain
• Corinth, Mississippi • 20 pages • Two sections
PSC warns of new telemarketing scam Callers warn of burglaries in area, try to sell home security system For the Daily Corinthian
Responding to calls throughout the Crossroads area, Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley is asking anyone who has purchased a home security system based on a call from a telemarketer in the past month to contact his office to help in the investigation of an illegal
telemarketing scheme plaguing the state. Law enforcement agencies in Alcorn and surrounding counties have reported getting calls from citizens related to the scam. Several people in Alcorn County have called the Daily Corinthian, hoping to spread the word and warn others of the scam.
One caller to the newspaper office Wednesday said she was getting calls daily from a so-called home security system sales person, but she didn't react because the home owner said she knew the deal was a hoax. “We know illegal telemarketers are calling Mississippians with a false recorded
message saying that homes in local neighborhoods are being burglarized and that consumers need to purchase a security system. If anyone has actually completed a purchase with this company for this product we would like to talk with them to gather evidence against the illegal telemarketers for prosecu-
tion,” Presley said. Anyone who has completed a purchase of a home security system based on a recorded message from a 767 or 425 area code can contact Commissioner Brandon Presley's office at 1-800-637-7722, 1-800-3566428 or at northern.district@ psc.state.ms.us
Sales tax revenue increases
New board holds first meeting
BY JEBB JOHNSTON
jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
BY JEBB JOHNSTON
Restlessness is what initially brought Hall to the newspaper. He retired in January 1991 after many years as an overthe-road truck driver. He spent the next 21 years delivering the Daily Corinthian. He said after years of being busy, he quickly discovered a life of quiet retirement wasn’t for him and he needed some-
Electing officers and preparing to search for a new tourism director, the newly appointed tourism board held its first meeting Thursday morning. The Corinth Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors formally accepted the resignation of Kristy White as tourism director with no conditions. Luke Doehner, who was elected board president, said the CVB will begin advertising for a director and will accept applications for about three weeks. A committee will be established to interview prospects. Doehner said four people have already submitted resumes. City and county leaders have expressed a desire for the director to be a local person who will already be familiar with the Corinth area, he said. The vacant project manager position is not being advertised at this time. Others elected as officers of the tourism board are Pauline Sorrell, vice president, and Sandy Mitchell, secretary-treasurer. The new board members received a copy of the tourism budget that was written by the Board of Aldermen and Board of Supervisors. Doehner told the new board members that line items must be strictly followed and any deviation from the budget must be submitted in writing as a budget amendment for prior approval by
Please see HALL | 2A
Please see TOURISM | 2A
jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Sales in local shops, restaurants and other establishments were enough to yield small gains for both sales tax and tourism tax proceeds in the latest reported month. The share of sales tax received by cities across the state at mid-January reflects sales during November. Corinth’s take is $455,341.20, creeping ahead about $1,600, or four-tenths of a percentage point, from the same month a year earlier. The first four months of the fiscal year have all seen results on the positive side. The year-to-date total of $1.764 million is up about 2 percent in year-to-year comparisons. The majority of cities across Mississippi had gains for the month, with collections rising 3 percent across the state at $32.3 million. Eight of 11 area municipalities posted gains. Cities and towns receive 18.5 percent of the sales tax collected within their boundaries. The 2 percent tourism tax generated $83,416.47, a 2 percent gain from a year ago. For the fiscal year, the tax has crept ahead six-tenths of a percentage point to $341,375.34. Other sales tax results from the region: ■ Booneville - $147,040.05 (+1%) ■ Burnsville - $12,092.34 (+1%) ■ Farmington - $5,795.37 (+58%) Please see TAX | 2A
Staff photo by Brant Sappington
Longtime Daily Corinthian newspaper carrier Ernest Hall recently retired after more than two decades delivering the news.
Through rain, ice, sleet and snow Daily Corinthian newspaper carrier retires with over 2 decades of service BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
From election day drama and heart-breaking tragedies to the day-to-day happenings that make up life in the Crossroads area, for more than two decades the people of Ramer, Tenn., have counted on Ernest Hall to deliver the news. The long time Daily Corinthian carrier has logged more than 1 million miles since he made his first delivery on July
1, 1991. He recently hung up his driving gloves to spend more time with his wife, Ethel, who has been suffering from health problems. Hall said he’ll miss the daily contact with the customers along his route who have become much more to him than simply addresses for delivery. “They’re not just customers to me. They’re friends, and they all consider me their friend,” he said.
Icy Crossroads area roads provide early-morning problems BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
Multiple traffic accidents were reported Thursday morning as drivers throughout the Crossroads area contended with slippery conditions brought on by another round of wintry weather. An inch or more of snow was reported in the northern portion of the area, including Alcorn, Tishomingo and portions of Prentiss counties. Authorities said the cold temperatures combined with rain and moisture from two
previous days of precipitation to make travel treacherous. Alcorn County Emergency Management Director Ricky Gibens said there was a significant crash on the bridge on U.S. Highway 72 near the Central School Road intersection. Gibens said no one was seriously injured in the multi-vehicle crash, which involved at least two cars in the eastbound lanes and approximately four more in the westbound and blocked traffic for an extended period of time early Thursday morning.
Gibens expressed his appreciation for the officers from the Alcorn County Sheriff’s Department and Mississippi Highway Patrol and the workers from the second district supervisor’s office and others who responded to the crash and helped clear the bridge. No crashes or weather-related problems were reported in Corinth. Multiple minor collisions were reported in Prentiss County. Prentiss County Emergency Management Director Ralph Lauderdale said
Index Stocks...... 7A Classified......6B Comics......5B Wisdom......4B
Weather......5A Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Sports......8A
there was significant icing of roads and bridges in the New Site and Hills Chapel areas in central and eastern Prentiss County. He said several minor crashes were reported but he was not aware of any significant injuries. Some minor tree damage was also reported throughout the area, but there were no reports of major power outages. Gibens and Lauderdale both said the area was lucky to have avoided a major blow from the storms. The same weather system
dumped as much as 4 inches of snow on areas in central and south Mississippi and caused numerous traffic accidents. One person was killed in a weather-related crash in Lowndes County near Starkville. Sunny skies were expected to return to the Crossroads area today and throughout the weekend. Today’s high was expected to reach 49 degrees, followed by 53 on Saturday and 46 on Sunday. Overnight lows over the three-day period are expected between 22 and 32 degrees.
On this day in history 150 years ago The 64th North Carolina Infantry sets out on an expedition to round up Union sympathizers near the town of Shelton Laurel, N.C., where 15 male civilians are taken from their homes, lined up and shot. The massacre is a message to anyone who was not actively supporting the Confederacy.
Now Renting 2012 Nissans!
Call Donna or Brandi for complete details and rates!
286.6006
BROSE
HWY 72 E • Corinth MS www.broseautoplex.com