Tuesday Feb. 4,
2014
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Daily Corinthian Vol. 118, No. 30
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • 1 section
Thieves hit Prentiss Co. Courthouse BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
Thieves made off with a substantial amount of money after breaking into the Prentiss County Tax Collector’s office in the county courthouse last Thursday night at the height of tax season. The money was taken from a safe in the office sometime between Thursday night and Friday morning when the theft
was discovered, said Booneville Police Chief Michael Ramey. Police declined to give an exact figure for the amount taken, but county officials said approximately $38,000 in cash and checks were taken. Friday was the deadline to pay county property taxes, making last week the busiest in the year at the collector’s office. The chief said investigators have collected evidence at the
scene and are continuing to interview potential witnesses. The Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation are also assisting with the case. Ramey encouraged anyone with information on the case to call Crime Stoppers of Northeast Mississippi at 1-800-773TIPS (8477) or the Booneville Police Department at 662-7285611.
County supervisors are taking steps to shore up security at the courthouse following the theft. Board members voted Monday to add additional security cameras to the exterior of the courthouse and the interior of the tax collector’s office as well as to change the combination on the safe and re-key all keyed locks in the building. Supervisors also agreed to
Glen man dies from injuries after crash
pay the stop-payment fees for any customer whose check was taken in the burglary. Chancery Clerk Bubba Pounds told the board they need to consider establishing a new policy for how daily deposits will be handled for county offices to reduce the amount of funds on hand in the offices in the future. Board members agreed to consider drafting a new policy.
Friends remember Price for his faith
BY ZACK STEEN
BY STEVE BEAVERS
zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
GLEN — Michael Chambers is being remembered as a man who loved his family. “He was very family oriented,” said Tammy Lindsey as she remembered her brother, Michael. “He loved his kids and would do anything for them.” Funeral services for the Glen resident are set for 3 p.m. Wednesday at Corinthi- Chambers an Funeral Home with Bro. Warren Jones and Bro. James Rich officiating. Visitation is today from 5-8 p.m. and Wednesday from 2 p.m. until service time at Corinthian Funeral Home. Chambers suffered a massive stroke around 2:15 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 30. “He was going to work like he did every morning,” Lindsey said. “This is so unreal.” Chambers, who worked in logistics at the Caterpillar warehouse in Corinth, was traveling west bound on U.S. Highway 72 at the Strickland bridge when he lost control of his 1996 Buick Regal. The vehicle overturned under the bridge. “When Michael’s son, Tyler, couldn’t reach his dad Thursday afternoon, we knew something was wrong,” Lindsey said. “We had to get a court order from Verizon for them to ping Michael’s phone.” The family discovered Chambers around 5:15 p.m. Chambers was airlifted from the scene of the wreck to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. “They were able to bring his body temperature up and we were able to see him,” Lindsey
James Emory “Jimmy” Price, Jr. is being remembered as a man of faith who loved to serve. The Alcorn School District attorney died Feb. 1 at Magnolia Regional Health Center. Funeral services for the wellknown Corinth attorney are set for 3 p.m. today at First Baptist Church with Bro. Dennis Smith officiating. “I am going to miss Jimmy Price,” said Plaza Lanes owner David Curry. “He was the smartest man I have ever known when it came to the Bible.” Price mentored Curry when the bowling alley owner became saved. “Jimmy came to me and said ‘the Lord has put you on my heart,’” said Curry. “He took me under his wings and met with me every Sunday night for six months … it didn’t matter what question I asked him, he would say ‘let’s see what the Bible says’ every time.” Born in Corinth on March 10, 1926, the Rhodes Scholar graduated from Corinth High School in 1943. Following graduation, he attended Tulane University, North Carolina State College, University of Mississippi, Tulane University Law School, University of Mississippi Law School, and Saint John’s College at the University of Oxford. “He was a master teacher,” said Dennis Smith. “I wish I had his ability to communicate the Bible … he was a fine man and when he told you something, you could take it to the bank.” “He had a servant’s heart when it came to the children and the community,” added Alcorn School District Superintendent Gina Rogers Smith. “Mr. Price exhibited his Christian character in every aspect of his life ... the district has been blessed to be guided by his wisdom of educational law and his compassionate heart for his fellowman for the last six years.” The 87-year-old Price was a member of First Baptist Church where he served as Chairman of the Deacons and taught both Sunday School and Training Union. “He was just an awesome man,” added Curry. “He was a mentor, father figure and brother to me.” The CHS graduate received numerous awards and honors over the years. The father of four was the first Corinth High School Distinguished Alumni of the Year recipient. He received the honor during halftime of a Warrior football contest in 2008.
Please see CHAMBERS | 2A
Staff photos by Zack Steen
Arionna Prather, Kaitlin Moreland and Josh Gahagan review different types of bullying.
GES students film anti-bullying video BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
GLEN — Bullying is no kidding matter. Several Glendale Elementary School students have recently taken a stand against bullying. “We want to help stop kids from bullying others,” said sixth grader Arionna Prather. “Because we’ve all been bullied before.” Prather is part of the school’s annual anti-bullying program started three years ago when two sixth graders approached counselor Angela Griffen. “A student saw bullying happening on the playground and came to me wanting to know if something could be done,” said Griffen, who works for Region IV Mental Health to provide counseling at GES. “They wanted to do something that would have a lasting effect on the school.” With help from Griffen, each year select students are asked to create a special anti-bullying presentation to be shown to the entire school. “The kids have done really well this year producing posters to hang around school and working on the PowerPoint presentation,” Griffen said. “It was a lot of fun this year. The
The Gendale Elementary School students who participated in the anti-bullying campaign included Arionna Prather, Megan Brooks, Charia Carpenter, Anna Cummings, Josh Gahagan, Maisy Jarman and Kaitlin Moreland. kids had a blast.” The seven students, all sixth graders, who participated in the anti-bullying campaign this year at GES were Prather, Megan Brooks, Charia Carpenter, Anna Cummings, Josh Gahagan, Maisy Jarman and Kaitlin Moreland. “The presentation touched on why bullies bully and detailed the different types of bullying,” Griffen added. “Students were encouraged to listen carefully, because we had an activity after the presentation to identify the different types of bullying.”
Types of bullying highlighted in the presentation included physical, verbal, convert and cyber bullying. The presentation ended with a slide asking the students to adopt a new creed. “The creed asked students to not bully others, to try to help students who are bullied and to make a point to include students who are left out,” added Griffen. The group took the effort one step further by writing and starring in a video. The entire school - more than 150 stuPlease see BULLYING | 2A
Board of Supervisors agrees to security camera request BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The Alcorn County Tax Collector’s Office is preparing to step up security measures. The Board of Supervisors on Monday agreed to Tax Collector Larry Ross’ request to fund the purchase of a security camera system for the office at a cost of $3,790. Ross hopes to see that expenditure fully reimbursed by a Homeland Security grant for which the county has applied. In light of the recent theft of money from the Prentiss Coun-
ty Tax Collector’s Office during the busy tax payment season, Ross said now is the time to move forward. Sheriff Charles Rinehart said the Homeland Security grant, if approved, would improve security in the courthouse beyond just that one office. In other business Monday: ■ Among jail personnel matters approved by the board, Keith Latch, who has served as security chief, is promoted to chief operating officer. ■ The board voted to move forward with publication of a
minor revision in the county’s redistricting plan affecting districts 3 and 4. The maximum population deviation among the districts remains 5.24 percent. ■ The board passed a resolution requesting the Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District to consider a project to clean out a portion of Seven Mile Creek west of County Road 177. ■ The board approved the hiring of Marie Burns as an employee in the tax collector’s office. ■ The board voted to declare
Index Stocks........8 Classified......14 Comics........ 9 State........ 5
Weather...... 10 Obituaries........ 6 Opinion........4 Sports...... 12
the doctor’s office at 2008 Robertson Street as surplus property. Magnolia Regional Health Center wants to sell the property. ■ Attorney Bill Davis reported Johnson Controls agreed to the HVAC maintenance contract changes as proposed by the county. The cost begins at $6,977 the first year and increases gradually to $7,552 in the fifth year. ■ Because the county will observe the President’s Day holiday on Feb. 17, the next meeting of the board is set for 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18.
Please see PRICE | 2A
On this day in history 150 years ago There is continuous if not heavy fighting as Sherman’s men move out from Vicksburg headed east for Meridian. The fighting takes place across the old battlefields of last July: Champion’s Hill, Edward’s Ferry and Liverpool Heights.