Saturday Jan. 19,
2013
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Daily Corinthian Vol. 117, No. 17
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • One section
Supervisors seek to improve intersection BY MARK BOEHLER editor@dailycorinthian.com
Alcorn County supervisors have agreed to seek state funds for what the county project engineer calls an “extensive overhaul” of the Five Points intersection. The almost $900,000 project will require $50,000 in county funds and supervisors unanimously gave county engineer Johnny Crotts of Cook Coggin Engineers the okay to proceed
with applying for the funds. The intersection just east of Farmington where Kendrick Road (CR100) intersects with CR 151 at the new KimberlyClark Road and CR 107 is dangerous due to limited sight distance and confusing configuration, noted supervisors. Crotts said the new work would cut away hills, create a new four-point intersection, install curb and gutters and provide a better tie-in with the
new K-C Road that opened last year. District 4 Supervisor Gary Ross said the county attempted to improve the Five Points intersection several years ago, but got resistance from landowners. Crotts and board president/ District 1 Supervisor Lowell Hinton assured supervisors all affected landowners favored the changes, should the project move forward.
“All property owners seem to be on board,” said Crotts. The meeting, moved to Friday due to the Monday federal and state holiday, also saw supervisors meet the new Crossroads Arena manager and give approval to a new arena board member. Supervisors went with the City of Corinth recommendation and appointed Sharon Franks to the arena board as the joint city-county appointee.
She is the wife of the late Joe Franks, who was appointed to the board in August. Joe Franks died Dec. 31 after a struggle with cancer. “It’s with sadness we have to do this,” noted Hinton, as Sharon’s appointment passed unanimously. Arena Board President Dr. Hardwick Kay told supervisors that Sharon Franks would Please see INTERSECTION | 2
Lighthouse rejects arena board offer BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
The hoop to help the ’House isn't happening. At least not at the Crossroads Arena. Lighthouse Executive Director Gary Caveness informed board members Wednesday the Lighthouse would be looking at other venues to host a two-day high school basketball event. “After talking with other tournament directors, we were told that kind of cost would be difficult to begin with,” said Caveness. Lighthouse board members voted to not accept the Arena's proposal of $8,000 for the two days. “We are pursuing places
like Northeast or the county or city,” added Caveness. “Maybe we can work out something in the future.” Arena board chairman Dr. Hardwick Kay said he feels good with the proposal made to the Lighthouse. “We looked at it pretty hard and thought it was a bargain,” he said. Plans called for the tournament to benefit the Lighthouse Foundation. The dates of Nov. 29-30 were set aside for the two days of hoop play. Around 14-15 teams from around the nation were expected to participate. The event would have been the first high school basketball Please see LIGHTHOUSE | 2
CES adopts ‘Move to Learn’ initiative Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Alcorn Central Elementary new principal Tammy Johnson talks with student Kennedy Hardin.
Johnson becomes ACES principal BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
GLEN — Tammy Johnson has a desire to make a difference in a child’s life. The Alcorn Central Elementary School principal knows it requires more than just one person to accomplish the goal. “It takes all of us to help kids become successful adults,” said the new principal. “Kids have to come first … I want them to know we care about them.”
Johnson, entering her 27th year in the education field, took over as principal at the school on Jan. 3 after principal Tonya Farris resigned. The new principal, who was the school’s assistant principal for almost three years, said she will rely on those years of experience to help make a mark at ACE. “It has helped being here for a number of years,” said the 1980 Alcorn Central High School graduate. “The teachers know
my work ethic and trust me … I believe I can help because of my experience in different areas.” Prior to becoming principal, the mother of Brent and Dalton Johnson started her career as a special education teacher. She spent eight years in specialeducation before moving to first grade for 10 years. Johnson also taught sixth grade reading prior to being named assistant Please see PRINCIPAL | 2
BY KIM JOBE Corinth School District
Corinth Elementary School students were visited by a celebrity of sorts this week. Coach Larry Calhoun, the star of the Move to Learn exercise break videos, was on campus to help introduce educators from across North Mississippi to the Move to Learn Initiative. While on campus, Calhoun visited some of the classrooms and led students in various versions of in-class exercising he instructs on the videos. A team from the Bower Foundation and the Mississippi Department of Education Office of Healthy Schools accompanied Calhoun to in-
form educators about the importance of helping students strive for healthier living. The Bower Foundation has been a major provider to Mississippi schools of financial and material resources as well as technical assistance on health related issues. CES hosted the training Monday since the school has added Move to Learn to its school day this year. “We have capacities to overcome challenges in our state,” said Anne Travis, CEO of the Bower Foundation. The foundation is partnering with the MDE OHS to improve the health of students statewide Please see CALHOUN | 2
Local ‘American Idol’ contestant makes Hollywood round BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
Before Trevor Blakney of New Site could audition for “American Idol,” he faced an even more intimidating judge : Mississippi National Guard commander Maj. Gen. Augustus Leon Collins. Blakney, a 2006 Kossuth High School graduate and a sergeant in the Mississippi National Guard, was taking part in training exercises with his guard unit at Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg when the
date came for the first round of “American Idol” auditions being held in New Orleans. He had asked permission from his commanding officer to take a break from the training to attend the auditions and the officer told him it would be up to Collins to make the final decision on the unusual request. Collins, a Booneville native, wanted him to prove he was serious about the competition. “He wanted to hear me sing. He wanted to see if I was serious or if I was just trying to get
on TV,” recalled Blakney. He performed for the general and was quickly granted permission to go chase his dream. That first audition led to two more callbacks and he eventually received what thousands of “Idol” contestants around the country dream of - his golden ticket to Hollywood and the first rounds of the competition. Blakney said he was eliminated in the Hollywood rounds, which were recorded last December, but he’s not been deterred from pursuing his dream.
Index Stocks........7 Classified......14 Comics...... 13 Wisdom...... 12
Weather........5 Obituaries........ 3 Opinion........4 Sports...... 10
“I will definitely try again for next season,” he said. The experience was a learning process for the lifelong singer, who made it to the second round of auditions for NBC’s “The Voice” last year as well. He said the Idol auditions are nothing like the way they’re portrayed on television. They begin with a giant “cattle call” audition that brings thousands of aspiring singers in front of producers for the show who decide if they are good enough to advance.
The singer said once he cleared that hurdle he filled out a huge pile of paperwork, including contracts and nondisclosure agreements, and was then given a date to perform again for an executive producer of the show. Only after surviving that audition did he get a chance to perform in front of the show’s panel of celebrity judges, an experience he termed “intimidating.” Blakney got a yes from the Please see IDOL | 5
On this day in history 150 years ago “There was a fellow Drummed out of the service yesterday that belonged to the 63rd Regt P.V. in our Brigade. He had been court martialed for deserting and the sentence was that he was to have the Letter D for deserter branded to his hip and have his head shaved and be drummed out with the tune of the Rogues March before the whole Brigade.” — Soldier’s Diary
January is GLAUCOMA Awareness Month Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness and may have no symptoms to warn you! x x x Dr. John Shipp, M.D.
Over 2.7 million Americans have glaucoma but only half of those know they have it. More than 120,000 are blind from glaucoma in the U.S (9-12% of all cases of blindness). The best way to protect your sight from glaucoma is to get tested so it can be treated if needed.
Call 662-286-6068 to schedule your glaucoma eye screening today.
Glaucoma Nerve Damage
Eye Care Specialists 3302 W. Linden St. Corinth, MS 38834 (662) 286-6068