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Thursday Feb. 4,

2016

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Daily Corinthian Vol. 120, No. 30

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• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • One section

2nd murder suspect arrested Judge orders Traylor be held in jail without bond BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com

Both suspects in the murder of Corinth store clerk Kris Ledlow are now behind bars. Brooklyn Traylor’s accomplice, Micah Allan Bostic, was arrested late Tuesday night hiding out at his girlfriend’s house in Ripley, according to Police Chief Ralph Dance. Bostic, 24, of 208 Cemetery Street, has been formally charged with capital murder, along Bostic with Traylor. The two men attempted to rob the MAPCO Express gas station on Highway 72 around 5:30 a.m. Monday morning. Surveillance video showed Ledlow reach for a panic alarm before Traylor opened fire. The 43-year-old store clerk suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and later died at the hospital. “The entire investigation went very smooth,” said Dance. “The investi-

Staff photo by Zack Steen

Corinth Police Chief Ralph Dance talks with media at the Alcorn County Justic Center following the arraignment of Brooklyin Traylor. gators did an outstanding job, but couldn’t have captured these guys without the public’s help and great surveillance video.”

Seventeen-year-old Traylor has had numerous run-ins with police.

Staff photo by Zack Steen

Please see BOSTIC | 2

Brooklyn Traylor was ordered to be held without bond in the murder charge of Kris Ledlow.

Sheriff’s office busts stolen goods ring BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com

Seven people were arrested last week in what law enforcement is calling a “large ring of drugs and stolen goods.” Alcorn County Sheriff Ben Caldwell said his department nabbed five Corinth residents after issuing three different search warrants on Jan. 29. “It was an extensive inves-

tigation where we recovered stolen items that had been taken from a number of recent home burglaries in the city and county,” said Caldwell. “Investigators found stolen firearms, jewelry, tools and more inside those three residences.” Benjamin Cane Hicks, 29, Tory Guy Hastings, 26, Haley Hastings, 27, Trevor Taylor, 27, and Dustin Loveless, 33, were

Group feeds community physically and spiritually BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

The First United Methodist Women are on a mission. Members of the group are feeding the community physically and spiritually for the 35th year with its Lenten Luncheon series. Proceeds generated from the meals will go to support local and state mission projects of First United Methodist Church. The luncheon series begins Wednesday, Feb. 10 at the Weaver Center. Lunch will be served at noon at the center which is located at 101 Linden Street. Remaining luncheon dates are slated for Feb. 17 and 24 along with March 2, 9 and 16. Each of those events will be held at the FUMC Fellowship Hall on Jackson Street. Those who attend on Feb. 10 will be treated to a meal of chicken spaghetti, salad, garlic bread and assorted homemade cakes, tea and coffee. Cost is $6. “Everyone is invited to join in this community-wide celebration of the Easter season,” said Barbara Trapp with the

all charged with burglary of a residence and possession of stolen property. Taylor was also charged with possession of methamphetamine, according to Caldwell. “Those three warrants actually led investigators to search another resident where we believe we caught a person who was in the area to distribute drugs,” said the sheriff.

Justin Lucas, 33, of Mantachie, was charged with possession of methamphetamine. Investigators found 1.5 ounces of meth on Lucas. Also in the home was Hannah Gann, 30, of Corinth, who was also charged with possession of methamphetamine. “This was a large ring and we hope with these arrests those burglaries stop happenings,”

“Fundraising contests like these put researchers one step closer to finding a cure.” — Morganna Fisher

Lifesavers team requests art entries BY KIMBERLY SHELTON

kshelton@dailycorinthian.com

women’s group. Waldron Street Christian Church Rev. Drew Foster will be the guest speaker on Feb. 10. Others committed to speaking during the series include: Feb. 17 – Rev. Jody Hill, Ripley Presbyterian Church and Director of Development at Blue Mountain College; Feb. 24 – Rev. Ann Fraser, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church; March 2 – Rev. Grover Glenn, Hopewell UMC and the retired state Mississippi National Guard chaplain; March 9 – Rev. Don Elliott, First Presbyterian Church; March 16 – Rev. Josh Hodum, Gospel Tabernacle and Alcorn County Correctional Facility chaplain. Please see LUNCHEONS | 2

said Caldwell. The sheriff was quick to thank his team of investigators Shane Crowe, Tommy Hopkins and Caleb Marolt and narcotics investigator Adam Rencher. “I can’t say enough about my investigators,” Caldwell added. “They worked really hard to get these criminals off the streets.” The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics assisted in the investigation.

Calling all high school artists! The Magnolia Regional Health Center Lifesavers Relay for Life team is currently accepting art entries for their 2016 logo. “We would love to have a student-designed logo from one of the seven counties MRHC serves,” said Morganna Fisher, CLPN at the Magnolia CVT Clinic. “Our theme this year is an ‘Old West’ style theme called ‘Wanted: A Cure for Cancer’”. In keeping with the theme, high school students grades 9–12 are asked to incorporate items such as lawmen, bandits, spurs, cowboy hats and other things that remind them of western days. The winning design will be featured on the team’s t-shirts. As an added incentive, the grand prize winner will receive a free t-shirt as well as the opportunity to help raise money for cancer research when their original artwork is featured in the MRHC Lifesavers silent auction which will be held at a later date. The top 10 entries

See art contest application form on page 2 inside today. will also be featured in the silent auction. To be eligible for the contest, all entrants must be 9th-12th grade students in one of the seven counties of Alcorn, Prentiss, Tippah or Tishomingo in Mississippi or Hardin, Hardeman or McNairy in Tennessee. Home-schooled students from the counties also qualify. Additionally, the following criteria must be met: ■ All artwork should be original. ■ On WHITE 11 “X14” paper, submitted in either 1” plastic frame or matted (1” matte) and wrapped to protect entries during judging process. ■ All entry forms must be filled out completely, placed in a sealed plain white envelope and securely attached to back of artwork’s frame or matte with clear tape. ■ All entries may use a total of six different colors. ■ All participants must release

25 years ago The Corinth Historic Preservation Commission gets its first members. Luanne Parish, Stephanie Sandy, Tod Sanders, Trudy Reid, Margaret Rogers,Gentleman Shirley Simmons, Jackie Darr, James C. Jack Harris and John D. Mercier$ II are 99 appointed to the group.

all rights to artwork to MRHC’s Lifesavers Relay for Life team. ■ All entries must be delivered to the MRHC Lifesavers team in the office of Magnolia Cardiovascular & Thoracic Clinic, located at 611 Alcorn Drive Suite 200 in Corinth from Feb. 22-26 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and by 2 p.m. Friday. “We encourage all 9th-12th graders to participate in our efforts to raise money for cancer research,” said Fisher. “Cancer has affected us all in some way or another whether it was ourselves, a loved one, an acquaintance or a co-worker who was diagnosed.” “Fundraising contests like these put researchers one step closer to finding a cure,” she added. (For more information or to request forms via email or fax contact Celeste Ross at 662293-7440 or Morganna Fisher at 662-293-7442.)

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2 • Daily Corinthian

Local/Region

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Letter from the Editor Dear Reader, The Daily Corinthian needs your help for a couple of upcoming stories. In each of these stories, it can be about you and your family. It can also be about someone you know. We speak of two upcoming events in February – Valentine’s Day and Leap Day. If you know a good local love

story, please share it with us. What is the romance in your life? How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? What is the secret to keep you with your partner? Provide details, contact information and e-mail it to editor@ dailycorinthian. Give it some thought this weekend and send before 8 a.m. on Monday morning. A rare Leap Day happens this

month on Monday, Feb. 29. The four-year return of an extra day leaves us to wonder if something has happened to you on this day. Do you have any special plans this year Feb. 29? Were you born on Feb. 29? Did you get married on Leap Day? Have any major surgery? Did you have a fender bender? Did you donate your body to science? Okay, that last one was

just to get your attention. Send me Leap Day details and I’ll jump all over it. Be sure to include contact information. Please send to editor@dailycorinthian.com and do so before 8 a.m. Monday morning. Dawnie and I will spend Valentine’s Day this year watching the movie Leap Day, one of our favorite movies. We recom-

mend it. It warms your heart and tickles your tummy. Please let me hear from you. Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Leap Day. Sincerely, Mark Boehler Editor Daily Corinthian editor@dailycorinthian.com

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BOSTIC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“We had six or seven officers who knew the shooter when we first watched the video,” said Dance. “We contacted his parents and they were able to track him down and thankfully, he turned himself in.” Bostic took police a little longer to locate because his face wasn’t clear on any video. “We had several good leads and just kept look-

Coming This Sunday

ing,” said Dance. Bostic was on probation with the Mississippi Department of Corrections when he was arrested. He was released from prison in November on an armed robbery charge. Bostic’s arraignment is set for 2 p.m. today in city court. Traylor received his arraignment on Wednesday before Judge John Ross. The judge ordered Traylor to be held without bond until his preliminary hearing in two weeks. Lawyer Clay S. Nails

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was appointed as Traylor’s court ordered attorney. “Every case is draining, especially a case like this one when we have so many factors that contribute to a tragedy,” said Nails. “We have the possibly of two lost lives here -- the lost life of the victim and a 17-yearold who is facing a very tough battle ahead.” The defense attorney said due to the heavy media coverage surrounding the crime, he plans to file for a change of venue if the case goes to a grand jury.

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OXFORD — The Thacker Mountain Radio Hour resumes live performances Thursday at 6 p.m. at Off Square Books. Guests will include novelists Elizabeth McKenzie and Ed Tarkington with musical guest, Memphis soul/ jazz band, the Jo Restivo 4. Jim Dees is host with house band, the Yalobushwhackers featuring John Paul Keith. Admission is free. The show can be heard locally Thursday on WUMS 92.1 FM or online at http://www.myrebelradio.com/. Thacker producer Kathryn McGaw York says her crew looks forward to the new year. “ ... We’ve got a great year coming up plus we’re friends with so many of our audience members, it’ll be fun just to see everybody again.” Guests for upcoming shows include bestselling mystery author Erik Larson, southern author Dennis Covington, Memphis songwriter Keith Sykes, Memphis brass band the Might Souls Brass Band, songwriter Cary Hudson, national reporter (and former Daily Mississippian editor) Jesse Holland and Austin, Tex. rockers, The Nightowls. A full schedule is available at the show’s website: http://thackermountain.com/. The show will once again kick-off the Friday night of Oxford’s Double Decker Arts and Music Festival in April and take part in this month’s Oxford Film Festival and the Oxford Conference for the Book in early March. Out of town performances are planned for Clarksdale, Tupelo, Jackson, Clinton, Cleveland, as well as Ocean Springs and the Neshoba County Fair. The show can also be heard every Saturday at 7 p.m. on Miss. Public Broadcasting, 90.3 FM in Oxford or online at: http://www.mpbonline. org/programs/radio/listen-live/.

LUNCHEONS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Lunches planned for the final five weeks are: Feb. 17 – vegetable beef soup and pimiento cheese sandwich; Feb. 24 – potato casserole and chef salad; March 2 – hot ham sandwiches and pasta salad; March 9 – mixed beans and ham, German slaw and cornbread muffins; March 16 – chicken salad and congealed fruit salad. Lent is the season of penance and prayer before Easter. Since Easter is celebrated at a different date each year, Lent also begins and ends at different times each season. Ash Wednesday kicks off the Easter tradition of spiritual renewal and fellowship. Lent is the Christian observance of the liturgical year from Ash Wednesday to Holy Thursday. It ends March 24 this year during the annual commemoration of Holy Week, marking the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Today in History

Local/Region

Daily Corinthian • 3

Across the Region

Today is Thursday, Feb. 4, the 35th day of 2016. There are 331 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History: On Feb. 4, 1945, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin began a wartime conference at Yalta.

On this date: In 1783, Britain’s King George III proclaimed a formal cessation of hostilities in the American Revolutionary War. In 1789, electors chose George Washington to be the first president of the United States. In 1861, delegates from six southern states that had recently seceded from the Union met in Montgomery, Alabama, to form the Confederate States of America. In 1962, a rare conjunction of the sun, the moon, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn occurred. In 1974, newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst, 19, was kidnapped in Berkeley, California, by the radical Symbionese Liberation Army. In 1976, more than 23,000 people died when a severe earthquake struck Guatemala with a magnitude of 7.5, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. In 1983, pop singermusician Karen Carpenter died in Downey, California, at age 32. In 1997, a civil jury in Santa Monica, California, found O.J. Simpson liable for the deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. In 2004, the Massachusetts high court declared that gay couples were entitled to nothing less than marriage, and that Vermont-style civil unions would not suffice. The social networking website Facebook had its beginnings as Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg launched “Thefacebook.” In 2010, the first National Tea Party Convention opened in Nashville.

Pair charged with burglary of an inhabited dwelling BOONEVILLE — Deputies recently responded to the report of a burglary in Progress on CR 8200. The call came in after a couple broke into the victim’s home not realizing that a 14-year-old was present. The teenager hid in the house as the pair Box began taking items and piling them up in the living room. The suspects fled when the home owners pulled into the driveway. Deputies met the susDyal pects vehicle on the road and initiated a felony traffic stop on the couple. Arrested were Shelby Gene Box, 22, of Rienzi and Tina Dyal, 20, of Booneville. The pair was charged with burglary of an inhabited dwelling. Their bonds was set at $15,000 each.

Lee County Library begins yearlong 75th anniversary TUPELO (AP) — Lee County Library begins a yearlong 75th anniversary celebration at its monthly Lunching With Books event, featuring a scholarly lecture and dedicatory remarks for two major collections and rededication of the Helen Foster Auditorium. Margaret Gratz, who coordinates Lunching With Books and is a longtime library advocate, noted, “More than 800 people come into the library every day, and it is a busy place with all sorts of activities and programs. It is, because of its computers, the jobs center of Lee County, and I believe it is the community’s intellectual center.” Gratz said she believes library supporters have the same passion for improvement and learning as when the library first started. The library, as a system, and with its landmark building at the corner of Jefferson and Madison streets in Tupelo, is emblematic of Tupelo/Lee County’s progressive spirit. Tupelo, however, had been incorporated for 71 years (1870 to 1941) before the tireless efforts of multiple generations of community leaders finally

home to library uses. By the late 1960s, the library’s programs and increasing patronage had outgrown the “Allen house,” and in the summer of 1971 it moved into a new, two-story modern building on the same site. The “new” library was built with state, local and federal funds (through the Appalachian Regional Commission). Use has continued to climb, and the library has moved into the digital age with computers augmenting to its still-growing printed book collection. “If you stand out here on the balcony overlooking the main floor, you can hear the library working — people typing on the computers, children in their activities, and people talking about research,” said Jeff Tomlins.

obtained funding from the Lee County Board of Supervisors and the Tupelo Board of Aldermen for a free, circulating public library. Repeated efforts to establish a library started in 1890, when U.S. Rep. John Allen, known universally as “Private John,” bought five aces adjacent his residence on Madison Street, with the land having frontage on Main Street, and offered a lot to the city for a library facing Main. Funding wasn’t available, so the offer became moot. It is ironic that almost a half-century later the Allen residence, which had passed out of the family’s ownership, would become a permanent home for the library, and it was on the site where the current library sits. After Allen’s initial offer, the library issue was mostly silent until 1915 when Emma Edmonds, identified by Elizabeth Boren Green in the master’s thesis for the University of Mississippi as an “esteemed English teacher at Tupelo High School,” took up the issue and pushed it forward. Edmonds, for whom the still-elegant Emma Edmonds Auditorium at Milam School is named, gained permission to use a room in the high school as a free library during summer vacation months. It is important in the longer story of the library that Edmonds asked “a few active club women” in Tupelo to join the effort, plus the School Improvement Association, and the library flourished for two years before rising enrollment required its room for classes. Club women from that point forward became critical to efforts for a permanent library. When the school became unavailable, the club women persuaded the city to use a room in City Hall, then to a room in the court house. The Tupelo Federated Club Council, a power to be reckoned with, approached the city about using the soon to vacated hospital on the corner of Main and Green streets when the new hospital was completed (North Mississippi Medical Center today), and the effort had editorial backing from the Tupelo Daily Journal. Editor/Publisher George A. McLean wrote, “Ladies, get that library.” The library, which had migrated from place-to-place in the city, gained a permanent home in 1948-49 when the city purchased the former Allen residence for $25,000, plus provided $5,000 for converting the spacious, once-elegant

Hancock Fabrics seeks bankruptcy protection BALDWYN (AP) — Fabric and sewing supply retailer Hancock Fabrics filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Tuesday, seeking to reorganize for the second time in nine years. Senior Vice President Dennis Lyons, in a court document, said Hancock wants to close at least 70 money-losing stores among the 250-plus stores it operates in 37 states, leaving it with “a smaller, more profitable core group of stores.” The company, based in Baldwyn, Mississippi, made the filing Tuesday in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware, saying that revenues for the holiday retail season were $8 million below expectations, that it’s burdened by high debt costs and that its borrowing limit has been cut. “We believe the restructuring is a positive step for the future of the company and we are committed to providing our customers quality fabrics and crafting essentials, both online and in stores,” CEO Steve Morgan said in a statement. Hancock says it owes about $110 million to banks and vendors. The company said in its bankruptcy petition that it has between $100 million and $500 million in assets. The company has arranged bridge financing during bankruptcy from a group of lenders led by Wells Fargo & Co. Those banks have claims on Hancock’s assets to secure nearly $80 million in pre-existing loans. The company said it’s seeking a buyer for remaining stores, with a bid deadline of March 9. Lyons said Hancock is “optimistic” that debtholders or another buyer will submit a bid. However, Lyons said the

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NEW ALBANY — The New Albany campus of Northeast Mississippi Community College will hold a “Gum Paste and Fondant” cake decorating IV class from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays beginning today through Feb. 25. The cost is $50. Pre-registration is required and is available online at www.nemcc.edu/ continuing-education/. For more information contact NEMCC Continuing Education by phone at 662-720-7296 or by email at continuinged@ nemcc.edu.

Police: Child behind Columbus bomb threat COLUMBUS (AP) — Police have found their suspect in a bomb threat that was called into the Columbus Wal-Mart. The Columbus Police Department first reported the incident through its Twitter account at about 2:45 p.m. Monday. The store, after receiving a phone call about an alleged bomb, was evacuated as emergency responders searched inside. There was no bomb. The WalMart reopened at about 3:20 p.m. Interim Columbus Police Chief Fred Shelton says an elementary-aged child called in the threat. He says calling in a bomb threat is normally a felony offense. However, a child has to be at least 15 to be charged with a felony. The offense will be handled in the juvenile court system.

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company has a backup bid from the same liquidation firm hired to close other stores if no one seeks to keep running the remaining 185 or so stores. Hancock said it sought pre-bankruptcy bids among 69 potential buyers late last year, but no one made an offer, citing the company’s poor operating results and debt. Lyons said that among other problems, the company was hit by a $4 million increase in employee retirement plan costs in 2014. The company’s revenues fell by 5 percent last year to $269 million, and Hancock said it will post a loss for the 12-month period ended Jan. 31, blaming in part a difficult retail environment. Hancock said it has about 4,500 employees. Of those, about 4,150 work in stores, while others work at the company’s headquarters and distribution warehouse in Baldwyn.

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Opinion

Mark Boehler, editor

4 • Thursday, February 4, 2016

Corinth, Miss.

Letters to the Editor

Remembering a true special friend To the editor: This past week Billy F. Kennedy, better known as “John,” went to be with the Lord. I first met John at the old YMCA some 55 years ago. We were both young kids who loved the YMCA and loved Bobby Wroten, the Y Director. It was then I learned from Bobby Wroten how special John was. Coach Wroten treated him so kindly and included him in all activities. Coach’s wife, Lynn, even taught him to print his name. John always had a list of telephone numbers in his wallet without names, but he knew exactly who in which the numbers belonged. John taught me so much about life – important things we tend to overlook. John loved to ride his bike, visit the fire station for breakfast and eat a hamburger with a friend. He never asked much of others, but he simply enjoyed his church, family and friends. John had his priorities in order. He worked at the YMCA with me and loved to sing “Amazing Grace” on the Y intercom at the beginning of the day. After the Little League games at night, he would love to bat and run the bases with the other YMCA kids. John was a special needs person who taught us to simply slow down in life, be thankful for the little things in life and to count your blessings. I could never repay John for teaching me about life, but we can all repay John by enjoying a special needs person by simply spending time with them and maybe enjoy a hamburger with these very special people. Thanks, John, for so many precious memories. You will be missed by many people in Corinth, but heaven gained a “special friend.” In Christ, Tom L. Rogers Madison, Miss.

Group supports law enforcement, open carry To the Editor: My name is Brian Pace and I’m from Baldwyn. I’m president of The European American Front. Much has changed in our society. Gone are the days of community standards, peaceful neighborhoods, safety and hard work. Why? Because culture and liberalism has destroyed our nation. We denounce the increase in crime and the innocent people caught in the middle. The attempted armed robbery and cold-blooded murder of a store clerk in Corinth is only the latest tragedy for our people. The same goes everyone across our great nation. This must stop now. We believe the solution is very simple — that liberal politicians should get out of the way. We support law enforcement and the open carry of firearms. We believe citizens and police working together will clean up our communities and make a safe environment for all citizens whether they are at home, at work and anywhere in their community. We must work together across the country for the safety for all. For the cause, Brian Pace, President The European American Front P.O. Box 43; Baldwyn, Miss. 38824 http://www.eafront.wordpress.com

Prayer for today Loving Father, command my judgment for the influences which I permit to come into my life. Grant that I may not delay my purposes for the lack of comforts which are so often made more than life. With thy strength may I be steadfast in what I would achieve. Amen.

A verse to share You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. — Isaiah 26:3

Letters Policy Only a few simple rules need to be followed. Letters should be of public interest and not of the ‘thank you’ type. Please include your full signature, home address and telephone number on the letter for verification. All letters are subject to editing before publication, especially those beyond 600 words in length. Send to: Letters to the editor, Daily Corinthian, P.O. Box 1800, Corinth, Miss. 38835. Letters may also be e-mailed to: letters@daily corinthian.com. Email is the preferred method.

Debate shows where immigration is headed Donald Trump was absent from Fox News’ Republican debate Thursday night, presiding at his own event seven minutes’ drive away featuring cameo appearances by the two previous Iowa Republican caucus winners exiled now to the undercard debate, Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum. But the issue Trump raised to high-decibel level at his announcement last June was front and center at the main event: immigration. It was raised midway through the debate by the moderator Trump cited as the reason for his non-participation, Megyn Kelly. She ran videotape montages of previous comments on the issue by Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz, and asked them to explain the discrepancies between what they said then and their positions now. Marco Rubio had the toughest task, to explain why he co-sponsored the 2013 Gang of Eight bill with a path for citizenship for illegal aliens. Rubio said the bill did not provide the “blanket amnesty” he campaigned against in 2010 and which he said was part of the 2007 bill that failed in the Democratic-majority Senate. With characteristic deftness Rubio segued into his current position: complete the southern border fence,

mandatory E-Verify and visa tracking and no legalization or citizenship for illegals Michael until “we can Barone prove to the people of this Columnist country that illegal immigration is under control.” Kelly gave Jeb Bush a chance to point out that Rubio had changed his position — “cut and run” — from the Gang of Eight bill, which he said he supported at Rubio’s request. Next came Ted Cruz’s turn, with Kelly’s video showing Cruz arguing for his amendment to Gang of Eight that would provide legalization but not citizenship for illegals. Cruz argued then that this would make the bill more passable; he argues now that it was intended as a poison pill, to break up the bipartisan coalition in support. In reply Cruz called for more border guards, ending sanctuary cities and welfare for illegals. He pointed out that this amendment was supported by leading Gang of Eight opponent Sen. Jeff Sessions and western Iowa Congressman Steve King. Kelly then called on Rand Paul, now back in a prime-

time debate, who said that Cruz wanted to pass a bill with legalization. “He can’t have it both ways,” Paul said, and argued that Cruz had “an authenticity problem” by suggesting that “everybody’s for amnesty except Ted Cruz.” It’s undeniable that both Rubio and Cruz have changed their positions since 2013. For immigration restrictionists, such as best-selling author Ann Coulter and maverick Democratic blogger Mickey Kaus, that’s disqualifying. Once past the election, they argue, these guys will flip back and with the cooperation of House Speaker Paul Ryan will shove through a path to legalization that will incentivize further illegal immigration. But the effective reality, as National Review’s Ramesh Ponnuru has argued, is that immigration has become a Republican litmus test issue. Rubio’s and Cruz’s deft maneuvering off their previous positions proves that. My sense is that a President Rubio or President Cruz would be as bound by their current positions as a President Trump. The demand for legalization has diminished — polls show Hispanics not much concerned — and Democrats will balk at legalization and

insist on citizenship (for what they believe will be many new Democratic voters). Donald Trump’s candidacy, however it turns out, has changed the immigration calculus for Republican politicians. Some Republicans fear that Hispanics would make Arizona, Texas and Florida as solidly Democratic as California, but these fears are unfounded. Arizona and Texas remain safely Republican and Florida still securely marginal, and each is getting more newcomers from other states than from immigration. And California would be safely Democratic if not a single Hispanic voted. Meanwhile, the threat of terrorism strengthens the argument for effective border and internal enforcement, which if possible would tend to reduce the illegal population. The opening for “comprehensive” immigration legislation seems to have closed. (Daily Corinthian columnist Michael Barone is senior political analyst for The Washington Examiner, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a Fox News Channel contributor and a coauthor of The Almanac of American Politics.)

Is a new era upon us? Whoever wins the nominations, the most successful campaigns of 2016 provide us with a clear picture of where the center of gravity is today in both parties and, hence, where America is going. Bernie Sanders, with his mammoth crowds and mass support among the young, represents, as did George McGovern in 1972, despite his defeat, the future of the Democratic Party. That Hillary Clinton has been tacking left tells you Sanders is winning the argument. Should she avoid indictment in the email scandal, and win the nomination and the election, Clinton would be a placeholder president. Yet, should Sanders win the nomination and election — highly improbable — he would become a frustrated and a failed president. Why? Consider what he has on offer. Free college tuition and universal health care, a breakup of the big banks and a reform of the tax code to make the Fortune 500 and the millionaires and billionaires pay for it all. Soak the rich! Sound socialist economics, but this is the formula that turned Puerto Rico and Illinois into the booming showcases they are today. Moreover, unless Sanders swept both houses of

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Congress and won a 67-vote, veto-proof majority in the Senate, his agenda Pat would be Buchanan dead on arrival on CapiColumnist tol Hill. Yet there are areas where the Sanders agenda overlaps that of Donald Trump and other Republican candidates. Bernie is an anti-interventionist, anti-nation-building, anti-empire leftist of a breed common in the Labor Party after World War II, when the British Empire was liquidated, Churchill notwithstanding. Moreover, Sanders is no free-trade globalist of the Davos school. He opposed NAFTA, GATT and MFN for China. Like Trump, he backs a trade policy that puts American workers first. But while difficult to see how Sanders captures the nomination and wins in November, the rebellion in the GOP is larger, stronger and deeper. In every national or state poll, anti-establishment candidates command a majority of Republican voters. Which presents a problem for the establishment. After Richard Nixon lost to JFK in 1960, the Goldwater movement arose to capture the party. While it

went down to a legendary defeat, those who wrote off 1964 as the temporary insanity of the radical right, and walked away from the nominee, were the ones who were history. Nixon incorporated the conservative movement into his New Majority. Ronald Reagan reveled in the Goldwater title of Mr. Conservative and welcomed into the party the rising Moral Majority. But it was the dismissive stance of Bush I toward the populist revolt in his party, and his indifference to concerns about illegal immigration, border security and the export of U.S. factories and jobs that brought Ross Perot into the ’92 race, and cost Bush his second term. Today, the Republican leadership faces another insurrection. Either it will find a way to accommodate this rebellion, which is not going away after 2016, or it will find itself suffering the fate of the Rockefellers and Romneys, the establishment leaders of the 1960s. The old GOP agenda – roll back the Great Society, reduce the size of government, cut capital gains taxes, reduce marginal tax rates, balance the budget – this is not the red meat of the Trump rallies. Populism, patriotism, nationalism, defying political correctness and dissing the

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establishment and the elites that monitor PC are where it’s at. And there are reasons for such populist rage. Put bluntly, the nation seems almost everywhere on an unsustainable path. Mass immigration, legal and illegal, continues to alter the face of America. Obama doubled the debt, and the deficits are rising again. Abroad, we are apparently going to keep troops in Afghanistan for generations, send more to Iraq and Syria, bring down Assad but keep ISIS and al-Qaida out of Damascus, confront Beijing over the Spratley and Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, build up U.S. forces in the Baltic states and Poland, send weapons to Ukraine, sanction Vladimir Putin for Crimea, repudiate the Iran nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions – all to be done while our NATO, Arab and Asian allies helpfully hold our coat. The next president, be it Trump, Cruz, Clinton or Sanders, either will be the last president of an old era, or the first president of a new era. (Daily Corinthian columnist Pat Buchanan is an American conservative political commentator, author, syndicated columnist, politician and broadcaster.)

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Daily Corinthian â€˘ Thursday, February 4, 2016 â€˘ 5

Capitol visit Administrative staff and students from Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville, visited the Capitol on Wednesday on â€œVote For Community Collegesâ€? day and urged lawmakers to continue their support for two-year colleges. They spoke with Sens. Chuck Younger (left), Chad McMahan (third from left), Rita Parks (fourth from left), and J.P. Wilemon Jr. (right).

State plans incentives for tire plant, shipyard BY JEFF AMY Associated Press

JACKSON â€” Mississippi lawmakers will consider more than $275 million in incentives beginning Thursday for a tire plant and a shipyard that could cumulatively invest more than $1.5 billion and create 3,500 jobs. Gov. Phil Bryant called a special legislative session Wednesday, a day after a lawmaker told The Associated Press that such legislation was imminent. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Joey Fillingane, RSumrall, said the state would borrow about $275 million, with most money going to what lawmakers say is a tire plant near Bolton in western Hinds County. The Clarion-Ledger has reported the plant would be built by German firm Continental AG. The remainder of

the money would go to a shipyard in Gulfport operated by a unit of Louisiana-based Edison Chouest, the newspaper reports. State Senate President Pro Tem Terry Burton, R-Newton, said the two projects are projected to total more than $1.5 billion in capital investment and more than 3,500 jobs. The total cost of tax breaks and incentives would be significantly more than $275 million, although a total cost projection wasnâ€™t immediately available Wednesday. State Sen. John Horhn, R-Jackson, said Hinds County would also borrow money for the plant. The document issued by Bryant outlining permissible legislation for the session also includes property tax breaks, an agreement by municipalities not to annex the site, and other incentives. â€œI think it has the potential

Middle school teacher indicted in drug case Associated Press

ABERDEEN â€” A federal grand jury has indicted a teacher at a middle school in Columbus on drug charges and money laundering. U.S. Attorneyâ€™s Office spokesman Chad Lamar says Paul Marcus Jackson, aka â€œWall,â€? was arrested at the school Tuesday. Jackson is listed as an eighth-grade teacher on the Columbus Municipal School Districtâ€™s website. The Clarion-Ledger reports Jackson and seven others, according to a press release from the U.S. attorneyâ€™s office, were charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and money laundering. Jennifer Criddle of Houston, Deanta Ewing and Terry Lynn McKinney of Vardaman, Robert Bailey and Trent Montgomery of Ecru, Contessa Gates of Eupora and Christopher McKinney of Pheba were indicted on the same charges. Jackson appeared Tuesday in federal court in Aberdeen. An indictment dated Dec. 10, states Jackson did â€œknowingly, intentionally, and willfully combine, conspireâ€? to â€œdistribute and possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamineâ€? beginning in February 2014. The indictment claims Jackson and the others conspired to establish a

â€œmethamphetamine distribution networkâ€? in an effort to â€œobtain as much money as possible.â€? They allegedly â€œtransported and distributed methamphetamine to buyers in northern Mississippi and elsewhereâ€? as well as â€œcounted, transported and stored currency derived from the sale of the controlled substance.â€? As a co-conspirator, Jackson would correspond with â€œother methamphetamine traffickersâ€? in California and Mississippi to ship â€œlarge quantities of methamphetamine into the Northern District and elsewhere,â€? the indictment states. The drugs were to be purchased and packaged in California and shipped to Mississippi. Part of Jacksonâ€™s alleged role in the drug ring was to deposit money â€œinto accounts at branches of banks in exchange for cash payments,â€? the indictment claims further, citing a $5,000 deposit and a $4,800 deposit into two Bank of America accounts in Tennessee and two $5,000 deposits into Wells Fargo accounts in Alabama. A 2010 Nissan Maxima, four weapons and $12,562 were seized as a result of the investigation. Bond information and whether Jackson is represented by an attorney who could comment on the case was not immediately available. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.

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to be a great project for Hinds County,â€? Hohrn said. The state Public Service Commission voted 3-0 Tuesday to allow Energy Mississippi to offer a special electrical rate to an unnamed industry. Cecil Brown, Democratic Central District public service commissioner, said the company seeks to locate at a 915-acre site in western Hinds County that the county has been developing. The Mississippi Development Authority, the stateâ€™s lead industrial recruiting agency, has declined comment. Lawmakers must vote on industrial incentives when Mississippi borrows to pay for land, infrastructure or subsidies. State law typically requires a company to invest at least $300 million, or $150 million if the company creates 1,000 or more new jobs. In 2013, Mississippi

granted Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd. a projected $330 million of incentives, including up to $130 million in borrowing. Hinds County has assembled a site and supervisors rezoned 915 acres just north of Interstate 20 to heavy industrial use at a special Jan. 18 meeting. Of that land, 635 acres is land held in trust for public schools. Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann said he couldnâ€™t comment Tuesday when asked whether the state is working on swapping that land for other land elsewhere, as is allowed under rules governing 16th section land. The site near Bolton first rose to notice when the state sought a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to fill wetlands in July 2014. The documents showed a plan for construction of a 5.2 million square

Tornado damages womenâ€™s prison Associated Press

JACKSON â€” A damaged womenâ€™s prison was running partly on backup power, schools and a major highway were closed for a second day, and an apartment building was evacuated on Wednesday, a day after storms unleashed tornadoes and flooding in the South and dumped heavy snow in the Midwest. The administration building at the Federal Correctional Institution Aliceville, near the town of Aliceville in western Alabama, was running on a generator, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement. No employees or inmates were hurt by the tornado that struck late Tuesday afternoon at the lowsecurity lockup, which houses about 1,850 inmates, the statement said. In the same region, more than a dozen homes were destroyed by a tornado that touched down in the town of McMullen on Tuesday evening, the National Weather Service said. The weather service said its survey crews on

Agency. Wednesday were work- snowplows pushed aside Management ing to determine how ice, slush and snow from The storm damaged many tornadoes struck the massive storm that homes, toppled trees and moved across the state knocked out power, said and where they hit. Lauderdale County SherIn Georgia, the apart- Tuesday. In south-central Ne- iff Billy Sollie. ments being evacuated In Alabama, the Nadue to flooding before braska, more than 18 dawn Wednesday were inches of snow were re- tional Weather Service in near the town of Fort corded in Grand Island Birmingham reported a Oglethorpe, just south of and nearly 16 inches in â€œconfirmed large and deChattanooga, Tennessee, nearby Hastings, ac- structive tornadoâ€? on the the weather service said, cording to the National ground in the same genciting a report from an Weather Service. The eral area as the womenâ€™s emergency manager in northeastern Nebraska prison, about 45 miles Catoosa County, Geor- communities of Verdigre west of Tuscaloosa. Minor gia. No serious injuries and Wayne had 16 inches injuries were reported. Later, in west Tennesof snow, while 14 inches were reported. On Tuesday, tornadoes was reported in Norfolk. see, high winds damaged touched down in Mis- Utilities reported that several homes and sevsissippi and Alabama as electricity has been re- eral buildings at Crockett thunderstorms swept stored to almost all of the County High School, the through the region, while more than 20,000 cus- National Weather Sera powerful snowstorm tomers whoâ€™d lost power. vice said. Public schools In Mississippi, a con- were closed Wednesday buried parts of Colorado and Nebraska in more firmed tornado was re- to survey damage from than a foot of snow be- ported just before 3:30 the weather. In Cheatham County, fore crawling into the p.m. Tuesday in eastern Newton and Lauderdale near Nashville, officials Upper Midwest. Several Nebraska counties, largely rural ar- said a driver had to be Wednesday schools and businesses eas in the eastern part of rescued remained closed a sec- the state, said Greg Fly- when his sport utility ond day Wednesday as nn, spokesman for the vehicle was swept into a workers tried to reopen Mississippi Emergency flooded creek. snow-covered roads. Interstate 80 was reopened after a 275-mile GOD IN GENESIS ONE stretch was closed from If my count is correct, the name of God appears thirty â€“ two Ogallala east to Lincoln, times in the ďŹ rst chapter of Genesis. (King James Version) though other highways Scholars have long suggested that the Bible does not â€œargueâ€? remained closed as

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foot industrial building and operations center, a 23-acre parking lot, detention ponds and nearly 2 miles of railroad spur. James Peden, a lawyer representing nearby residents, said the Hinds County Economic Development Authority has an option to buy an additional 280 acres north of the school land. Peden said talks have been going on concerning the site for at least 18 months. He said that as part of the January rezoning, county supervisors agreed to require a 150-foot buffer zone on the north and east sides of the property to protect nearby homes from intrusion. Records show the Hinds County Economic Development Authority has spent something more than $30,000 in the last year recruiting whatâ€™s called Project Potter. Smith said thatâ€™s the code name for effort.

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that God exists, it simply presents it as fact. If there are those reading this who do not accept that God is, please consider thoughtfully and carefully what is revealed about Him. The Bible opens by speaking of the eternal nature of God; â€œIn the beginning God ... .â€? (Genesis 1:1) My ďŹ nite mind can scarcely understand the idea of one who has always been and will always be. He was there at the beginning. This is the reason Peter would say of Him in 2 Peter 3:8, that â€œone day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.â€? We measure time in human, ďŹ nite terms. God has no such limitation. He is eternal. The ďŹ rst verse of the Bible also says â€œGod created the heaven and the earth.â€? The meaning is that he made them from nothing. He simply spoke the words, â€œLet there be light: and there was light.â€? (1:3) As far as man has come in science and technology, he has yet to discover the far reaches of our solar system, or uncover all the secrets that lie buried in the dark waters of the ocean deep. â€œThe heavens declare the glory of God, and the ďŹ rmament showeth His handiwork.â€? (Psalm 19:1) The human body itself is a testament to the creative power of the Almighty. Again, it the Psalmist that afďŹ rmed, â€œI will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works â€Śâ€? (Psalm 139:12) The order and design in the universe, as set forth in Genesis one, argues irresistibly for a Designer. Look at the terminology in the text: â€œlet there be â€Śâ€?, â€œAnd God divided . . .,â€? â€œLet the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place â€Śâ€?, â€˜the herb yielding seed after his kind,â€? â€œAnd God made â€Śâ€? â€œAnd God set â€Śâ€?. Over and over and over the language of the text cries out in terms of design. â€œHow great thou art. How great thou art .â€? (More next week) We cordially invite you to study and worship with us at the Danville church of Christ.

DanvilleTimChurch of Christ Carothers â€“ Minister 481 cr 409 Corinth MS â€˘ c/o 471 cr 513, Rienzi MS â€˘ 662-287-0312

6 • Thursday, February 4, 2016 • Daily Corinthian

Kidnapped cab driver recalls ordeal with inmates Associated Press

WESTMINSTER, Calif. — A 74-year-old California taxi driver expected to die when an escaped jail inmate put a gun to his stomach and kidnapped him. But on Wednesday, the driver instead thanked the man for saving his life. Cab driver Long Hoang Ma detailed the harrowing week he spent with the three violent fugitives who escaped on Jan. 22 from the Orange County jail and the unexpected kindness from one of them, Bac Duong, a fellow Vietnamese immigrant. Ma said his ordeal began after he unknowingly picked them up just hours after their jailbreak and Duong pulled the gun. In the days that followed, however, Duong began calling him “uncle” and eventually whisked him to freedom from a motel in San Jose where the fugitives had holed up during a manhunt. “From the bottom of my heart, I can say Bac Duong saved my life and I’m so grateful and thankful to him. I thought I was dying,” Ma said in Vietnamese through a translator at Ngoi Viet, a newspaper in Westminster. Ma said he speaks limited English and did not know from minute to minute if he would live or die as he was forced to

“From the bottom of my heart, I can say Bac Duong saved my life and I’m so grateful and thankful to him. I thought I was dying.” Long Hoang Ma travel 400 miles with his captors and they fought over his fate. They used Ma’s identification to check into two motels and to pick up $3,000 from Western Union that he was told had been wired to fugitive Hossein Nayeri by his mother. Duong, 43, told him as they drove to safety on Jan. 28 that Nayeri and the other fugitive, Jonathan Tieu, had been planning to tie him up with rope bought at Home Depot that morning and kill him. Ma said. Duong was worried about his own life, too, after a fist fight with Nayeri over what to do with Ma that left Duong bloody. “I don’t know English very well but I heard Nayeri saying ‘Bang, old man! Bang, old man!’ and they were fighting back forth with each other,” Ma said. “Bac was afraid of him.” A day earlier, the fugitives had driven Ma to Santa Cruz and marched him to the end of a pier, where Nayeri took cellphone pictures of Ma with him-

self and Tieu but left Duong out of the photos. “On the way back, they took a different road and they went around and around,” Ma said. “When we got back to the (motel) room, I knew I was alive for one more day.” Nayeri, 37, Tieu, 20, and Duong broke out of the jail by cutting through a metal grate that led to a plumbing tunnel. The trio then crawled through piping to the jail’s roof, where they rappeled four stories to freedom using a rope made of bed linens. An accomplice picked them up and drove them to safety. Duong surrendered Friday in Santa Ana after fleeing San Jose with Ma. Nayeri and Tieu were arrested Saturday in San Francisco after a homeless man reported seeing a white van matching the description of a vehicle that authorities said had been stolen by the fugitives. The man, Matthew HayChapman, told the San Francisco Chronicle that he sleeps

Flint blame game hits Capitol Hill Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Government officials tangled on Wednesday over who was to blame for the crisis in Flint, Michigan, that allowed lead-contaminated water to flow to thousands of residents at a combative congressional hearing that devolved into a partisan fight over witnesses and no-shows. “A failure of epic proportions,” said Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee at the first Capitol Hill hearing since the crisis in Flint emerged last year. Joel Beauvais, acting water chief for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, said Michigan officials ignored federal advice to treat Flint water for corrosion-causing elements last year and delayed for months before telling the public about the

health risks. “What happened in Flint was avoidable and never should have happened,” Beauvais told the House panel. Countering the federal official, Keith Creagh, director of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, acknowledged that the state should have required Flint to treat its water, but said the EPA “did not display the sense of urgency that the situation demanded,” allowing the problem to fester for months. Creagh apologized for the state’s role in the water crisis, but said, “in retrospect, government at all levels should have done more.” Flint is under a public health emergency after its drinking water became tainted when the city switched from the Detroit system and began drawing from the Flint River in April 2014

to save money. The city was under state management at the time. Water was not properly treated to keep lead from pipes from leaching into the supply. Some children’s blood has tested positive for lead, a potent neurotoxin linked to learning disabilities, lower IQ and behavioral problems. In the Senate, Democrats are pressing for money for Flint and threatened to block a bipartisan energy bill if the city doesn’t get some relief. “We are serious, and if they want a bill we want to help the people of Flint,” said Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., sponsor of a package of aid that Democrats hope to add to the energy bill. Democrats had proposed a $600 million package, but Stabenow said they had a agreed to less than half of what they had originally asked for.

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in the park but follows current events and recognized the car. He could wind up collecting $140,000 in reward money, the paper reported. Ma’s ordeal began late Jan. 22, when Duong called his cellphone to order a cab. The grandfather of eight, who is from Ca Mau Province and was a captain in the South Vietnamese army during the Vietnam War, advertises his independent cab business in Vietnamese-language newspapers. He took Duong and the other men several places, including a Target and a coin-operated laundry. Later in the evening, Duong pressed the gun into Ma’s stomach, took his cellphone and said, “’We need you. You have to help us for a few days,’” Ma recalled. Nayeri took the wheel and drove to a motel in Rosemead. The next morning, Duong turned on the TV and the trio gloated as they saw their mug shots splashed across the screen. Later that day, Duong stole license plates and the white GMC van, Ma said. The four men then drove to the San Francisco Bay Area after spending three more nights in a motel. Duong was with Ma in the taxi; Nayeri and Tieu were in the van.

Top U.S. commander insists Afghanistan is not lost cause Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The top American commander in Afghanistan told lawmakers on Tuesday that the war is not a lost cause and underscored his optimism with a personal story about his son, an Army sergeant preparing for his third deployment to the war-torn country. In sobering testimony before the House Armed Services Committee, Army Gen. John F. Campbell said the last time he saw John Jr. was in August 2014 in Jalalabad, a city near the Pakistan border. He spoke to him a few days ago. “If I thought it wasn’t worth it, I’d tell my own son, ‘You need to do something different,’” Campbell said. Afghanistan is at turning point and the coming year may be no better, and possibly worse, than the last unless the fragile government in Kabul holds firm and the nation’s security forces improve, Campbell said. He urged skeptical lawmakers to keep backing the U.S. mission in Afghanistan, now entering its 15th year. “We need to provide the Afghans the time and space for them to continue to build their resiliency,” Campbell said. “Through their spirit and fortitude, they have proven worthy of our continued support.” Campbell’s testimony comes as lawmakers are growing skeptical amid concerns that worsening security conditions demand a greater number of U.S. forces. But there is also ample frustration that the finish line still is not visible for a war that began in 2001. “How many $4.1 billion times are we going to do this before we can figure out that we can get out?” asked Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., referring to the amount the U.S. com-

“If I thought it wasn’t worth it, I’d tell my own son, ‘You need to do something different.’” Army Gen. John F. Campbell mitted in 2015 to support the Afghan security forces. Since 2002, the U.S. has allotted nearly $64 billion to build up the country’s army and police. Rep. Walter Jones, RN.C., seconded Sanchez’s frustration. The American people are “sick and tired,” Jones said, of being perpetually told that progress is being made in Afghanistan. Yet the war continues. “This has just got to come to an end,” Jones said. Campbell estimated it will be 2024 before the Afghan economy generates enough revenue to make the country selfsufficient. President Barack Obama plans to cut American troops numbers from the current 9,800 to 5,500 before he leaves office. Obama backtracked from his initial plan to reduce the force to 1,000 by the end of 2016. Campbell called Obama’s decision to maintain the current U.S. force level “welcome and important.” “Ultimately, Afghanistan has not achieved an enduring level of security and stability that justifies a reduction in our support in 2016,” Campbell said. Most of the problems facing the Afghan security forces stem from poor leadership, Campbell said. The Afghan army has replaced 92 general officers, including a highlevel commander in volatile Helmand province. More needs to be done to make sure the Afghan forces are helmed by capable officers, according to Campbell. “This kind of change takes time,” he said. Campbell is expected

to retire soon and Obama has nominated Army Lt. Gen. John Nicholson, Jr., to replace him. Republicans have long assailed Obama’s exit strategy, arguing that conditions on the ground in Afghanistan, not a calendar, should determine the pace of the withdrawal. With the Taliban staging new offensives and the Islamic State extremist group seeking a presence in Afghanistan, congressional Democrats also are confronting the prospect of an extended stay. Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, the committee’s chairman, noted that the reductions in U.S. force levels have reduced the ability to collect intelligence on looming threats. “It is harder to keep up with the enemy and prevent another attack on our homeland,” Thornberry said. He said he is concerned Campbell does not have the resources and authority he needs. Campbell said Islamic State militants continue to “conduct brutal attacks against civilians, and directly compete with the Taliban for resources to establish a foothold in the country.” But he said U.S. forces have had considerable success in “degrading their capabilities” and blunting their growth. While campaigning for his second term, Obama promised the war in Afghanistan would end on his watch. At the end of 2014, the White House declared an end to combat operations there. Yet American forces and money remain committed as Afghan troops and police slowly take over the fighting.

Police arrest suspect in bank robbery Associated Press

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They ate pizza, fried rice and pasta. And each night, the three inmates drank two cases of Heineken beer and a bottle of Jack Daniel’s. The fight that ultimately broke up the group — and saved Ma — came on one of those alcohol-fueled evenings. The next morning, Nayeri left the gun with Duong and Ma when he went with Tieu to buy the rope. Duong took the gun and the next day, when he and Ma were alone again, he ordered Ma into the taxi. Ma thought Duong was going to kill him but instead they headed south — and a visibly upset Duong talked about Nayeri. “Bac Duong said, ‘escaping the prison was not easy ... but now Nayeri is behaving like this,’” Ma recalled. “’How can he do business?’” On Wednesday, a relieved and smiling Ma was again behind the wheel of his Honda Civic taxi. Bright yellow evidence stickers placed by sheriff’s investigators were still affixed to the trunk and a back door. As he slipped behind the wheel, Ma nodded to a small statue of Buddha propped on the dashboard and grinned. “I had this on my car the whole time,” he said. “I think his statue brought luck to me.”

GULFPORT — Gulfport police have arrested the man suspected in Friday’s armed robbery of a Hancock Bank branch in Lyman. Sgt. Damon McDaniel tells local news outlets an anonymous tip received

Tuesday led to the arrest of Daniel Lee Murphy of Saucier on a charge of armed robbery. McDaniel says the robber approached a teller window, demanded money and implied he had a gun. Police released surveillance pictures of the sus-

pect to the media early Friday night. Murphy was booked at the Harrison County jail late Tuesday afternoon. He is being held on a $100,000 bond set by Harrison County Justice Court Judge Brandon Ladner.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

State/Nation

Across the Nation Associated Press

U.S. stocks stage a late turnaround NEW YORK â€” Stocks closed mostly higher after a surge in the price of crude oil gave a respite to the beatendown energy sector. U.S. crude jumped 8 percent Wednesday, continuing a wild ride that sent prices plunging over the previous two days. Many of the top gainers in the market were energy companies. Murphy Oil surged 10 percent and Hess jumped 9 percent. Yahoo plunged 5 percent a day after announcing cutbacks and plans to sell businesses. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 183 points, or 1.1 percent, to 16,336. The Standard & Poorâ€™s 500 index gained nine points, or 0.5 percent, to 1,912. The Nasdaq composite dropped 12 points, or 0.3 percent, to 4,504. Â

5-year-old calls 911 after parents shot CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. â€” A 5-year-old boy called 911 after witnessing his mother and father being shot and killed inside their Chattanooga home. Media outlets report that the boy called 911 Sunday evening to report that his parents had been shot. During the seven-minute, 28-second call, the boy describes what happened and says he started crying after the incident. Once police arrived, they found the boy safe and unharmed. Chattanooga Police Chief Fred Fletcher says those killed were 25-year-old Latika Hicks and 24-year-old George Dillard. The boy is the only eyewitness that police have so far. Fletcher says police have dual concerns in this case: finding who is responsible for the killings, and helping the boy. Â

NWS: Tornado hits Crockett County ALAMO, Tenn. â€” The National Weather Service says a tornado touched down in Crockett County during a storm that barreled

through Tennessee. The weather service said on Twitter that the tornado touched down Tuesday, creating a track 3 to 3? miles long and 75 yards wide. Several buildings at Crockett County High School were damaged. Officials said four or five homes also were damaged, but no deaths were reported. Tuesdayâ€™s storm also caused problems in other parts of Tennessee. In Chattanooga, heavy rains led officials to close flooded roads and left some vehicles stranded in high water. Officials on Wednesday were monitoring the water level of South Chickamauga Creek. Officials said a driver had to be rescued Wednesday when SUV was swept into a flooded creek in Cheatham County. Â

Coal state leaders seeking $1 billion LOUISVILLE, Ky. â€” Lawmakers from Appalachian states hit hard by a downturn in the coal industry are proposing to set aside $1 billion from a federal fund to use for economic development. The House bill announced Wednesday mirrors a plan laid out last year in President Barack Obamaâ€™s budget proposal that diverts money from a fund devoted to redeveloping abandoned mining sites. Kentucky Rep. Hal Rogers is one of the billâ€™s co-sponsors. Rogers says the measure has bipartisan support and was crafted with help from the White House. The $1 billion taken from the Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund would be used for economic development â€” tourism, infrastructure, new business â€” on or near sites that have been deemed abandoned mines. Â

Cost of reactor rises to $4.7 billion CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. â€” Americaâ€™s first new power plant to be built in the 21st century may end up costing $200 million more than what it was budgeted last year. The Times Free Press reports Tennessee Valley Authority directors

Daily Corinthian â€˘ 7

Across the State

voted in January to add $200 million more to the budget to the Unit 2 reactor at the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, raising the completion budget to $4.7 billion since work was revived on the Westinghouse pressurized rector in 2007. Watts Bar spokesman Mike Skaggs says the cost rose in part because of delays in completion and extra flood controls and emergency equipment required to prevent an accident like what happened at Fukushima, Japan. The price for the new TVA plant is still below the projected expense of reactors being built at Plant Vogtle in Georgia, which are projected to top $10 billion Â

Video shows only known U.S. jaguar TUCSON, Ariz. â€” The only known wild jaguar in the United States is seen roaming around a creek and other parts of a mountain range just south of Tucson in the first publicly released video of the giant cat. â€œEl Jefeâ€? â€” Spanish for â€œthe bossâ€? â€” has been living in the Santa Rita Mountains 25 miles south of downtown Tucson for over three years, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. El Jefe is about 7 years old and is the only documented wild jaguar in the country. He is one of only four or five jaguars that have been spotted in the U.S. in the last 20 years. â€œA lot of people have no idea that we have jaguars in the United States or that they belong here,â€? said Randy Serraglio of the Tucsonbased Center for Biological Diversity. â€œIn bringing this video, we hope to inspire people to care about these animals and support protection for their homes.â€? Conservationists say El Jefeâ€™s habitat is threatened by a proposed open-pit copper mine in the Santa Ritas. The proposed Rosemont Mine has been in the works for several years but is tied up in the permitting phase. A spokeswoman for the company that owns the mine, Hudbay Minerals, said she was working on a statement.

Associated Press

Sentence reduced for former mayor BRANDON â€” A judge has reduced the prison sentence of a former mayor convicted of embezzlement. The Clarion-Ledger reports Rankin County Circuit Judge William Chapman III re-sentenced former Terry Mayor Rod Nicholson to 10 years with nine suspended and one year of house arrest on Monday. Chapman reasoned that it was a mistake to consider allegations in Hinds County for which Nicholson hadnâ€™t been charged when Nicholson was sentenced in December. Nicolson admitted to using the townâ€™s credit card to pay for repairs on two personal vehicles. Assistant State Attorney General Stanley Alexander says the new deal is what the state had originally recommended as part of a plea deal, which was rejected because it was filed late.

Former police officer gets prison for heist GULFPORT â€” Two Harrison County men have been sentenced to prison for the theft of 52 weapons from a licensed firearms dealer in Saucier. The Sun Herald reports 51-year-old Kevin Gerard Edwards and 34-year-old Willie Carter are two of five men prosecuted in U.S. District Court for guns stolen in a break-in at Saucier Friendly Auto and Pawn the weekend of June 6. Edwards, a felon, received a 10-year prison term and a $5,000 fine, a judgment filed in court records Monday said. Edwards received the maximum prison term and the largest fine in the case so far. Carter, identified in a document as a former officer with the Columbia Police Department, received a 37-month prison term and was fined $2,500 fine. U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden gave each of them three years of probation. A co-defendant had identified Edwards as one of the burglars, and said Carter drove Edwards and another man to the pawn shop in his white dually pickup truck, a federal firearms

agentâ€™s sworn statement said. Another co-defendant said Carter helped arrange sales of some of the stolen weapons. Several people, including Carter, wrote Ozerden letters asking for leniency. The letters, filed in court records, show Carter said he is ashamed of his poor judgment. Other letters were written by current and retired law enforcement officers, friends from churches and nonprofit groups, the Marion County tax collector and the head football coach of West Marion High in Foxworth. A grand jury had indicted Carter and Edwards along with Tyson Lee Gaines Sr., 34; Octavia Jermaine Winters, 32; Andre Lattour Young, 54. George Sullivan, 43, also was indicted but he died in custody July 4. Stone County officials said he died of natural causes. Gaines and Winters have pleaded guilty to the same charge as Edwards and Carter. Gaines received a 10year prison term Jan. 26 and a restitution order but no fine. Winters will be sentenced April 22. Young has accepted a plea to a lesser charge of misprision of felony â€” knowing a crime was committed but failing to report it. He will be sentenced today.

Hattiesburg approves traffic impact study HATTIESBURG â€” The city of Hattiesburg is hoping a new traffic study will lead to improved parking and traffic flow downtown. Media outlets report that the Hattiesburg City Council on Tuesday authorized the mayor to

execute an agreement with Neel-Shaffer, Inc. The company will look at options for re-directing traffic, creating angle parking and doing away with one-way streets. Costs are expected not to exceed $36,250. Council President Kim Bradley says the city conducted another traffic study about two years ago, but implementing its recommendations would have been too expensive. The project would have cost more than $1 million, mainly because of the need to build roundabouts and new infrastructure. Bradley says he is unsure how long the study will take.

County approves corrections to rolls VICKSBURG â€” The Warren County Board of Supervisors has approved a number of requests from County Tax Assessor Ben Luckett to correct the countyâ€™s tax rolls. The requests were approved Monday. Luckett says many of the errors occurred in 2014 and caused incorrect tax bills to go out for 2015. Correcting these errors led to an increase in the assessed value of real property in the amount of $954,674. The majority of that amount comes from an error in the valuation of property belonging to the company, Ergon in the amount of $936,180. Luckett says Ergon was granted a tax exemption on a project that is not yet complete. The county also approved other reductions. Luckett says most of the errors could be attributed to data entry mistakes.

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