Friday Feb. 7,
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Daily Corinthian
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Vol. 118, No. 33
• Corinth, Mississippi • 20 pages • 2 sections
Rampage simulation Law enforcement officers, other agencies take part in three-day training program BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Law enforcement officers from Corinth and other agencies spent several days this week learning some of the latest strategies for dealing with one of the worst scenarios an officer can face — a shooting rampage. Representatives of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) came to Corinth to conduct the training in cooperation with the Northeast Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Center. The agencies used the
former South Corinth Elementary School campus to stage the Active Shooter Threat Training Program, which included simulations throughout the halls of the vacant school. The FLETC, which trains the majority of federal officers and agents in the U.S., has revised its approach to shootings to focus more on a speedy response after examining some of the more recent public shootings in settings such as shopping malls and movie theaters. In the past, “We waited until
we had a full SWAT team on board,” said Bowen Johnson, training center director. “That can take a long time to get assembled. And we thought in terms of negotiators and really a great number of people before we staged any type of what we would have called ‘assault.’ But we’ve found that if we don’t stop that shooter quickly with the first one or two officers there, he’s going to continue to shoot and shoot.” Please see TRAINING | 2A
Staff photo by Jebb Johnston
In a training exercise simulating a shooting scenario on Wednesday, an officer works his way down a hallway of the South Corinth school campus, checking rooms along the way.
Teacher pay raise passed by House BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Rachel Winters (left) and Cameran Newcomb conduct an experiment in Polymer Science class.
Students learn while exploring BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Explore and learn. Students who attend Alcorn Career and Technology Center do it everyday. The spotlight is on the ACTC in February as it celebrates national Career and Technical Education Month. “The activities planned over the month will illustrate the rigor and relevance CTE courses offer our students,” said ACTC Director Richard Turner.
Alcorn County Board of Supervisors got the celebration started by proclaiming February as Career and Technical Education Month in Alcorn County. Board president Lowell Hinton and Chancery Clerk Bobby Marolt visited the center and signed the proclamation before a group of students representing the 12 CTE programs offered at the school. “By partnering with the business community, CTE programs are investing in stu-
dents’ lives with the latest technology and skills which will prepare them to become successful employees as well as future leaders,” said Turner. Courses such as Agriculture and Natural Resources, Agriculture Power & Machinery, Automotive Service Technology, Business Fundamentals Marketing, Career Pathway Experience, Construction, Digital Media Technology, Health Please see ACTC | 2A
The Republican-led Mississippi House of Representatives passed House Bill 504 this week which could lead to more than a $4,000 pay raise over a four-year period for teachers. “This bill will reward our hardworking teachers,” said District 1 Rep. Lester “Bubba” Carpenter (R-Alcorn, Tishomingo). “It will give them a well deserved pay raise.” The bill would put Mississippi’s average teacher pay in line with surrounding states. “It is long overdue,” added Carpenter. “The economy has improved enough this year and we are finally able to dedicate some funding towards our teachers.” Under the Republican plan, teachers would get a $1,500 raise over the next two years, and a projected raise of $2,750 over the following two years, assuming state revenues continue growing at three percent a year. Teachers in their first five years would get raises automatically. Those with more than five years’ experience would have to meet three of 22 criteria, ranging from certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
Arnold
Bain
to sponsoring a school club. Those criteria or “benchmarks” were a key focus of the debate on the house floor. District 2 Rep. Nick Carpenter Bain (DAlcorn) said requiring teachers to meet the specified criteria to get a pay raise is unfair. “Our teachers want and deserve a pay raise no matter what, but to require those who have been teaching the longest to meet certain criteria is wrong,” Bain said via phone from Jackson. The house argued for over three hours before finally reachPlease see RAISE | 2A
Future of vacated school Conference to foster God-given talents inspires more discussion BY STEVE BEAVERS
sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Discussion of the fate of the South Corinth school property continued in a closed session of the Corinth Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Thursday. Citing contract negotiations, the board took the 45-minute discussion into executive session. Afterward, board attorney Wendell Trapp had little to report as the lease details are not being disclosed. The board “authorized continued negotiation with the Easom Outreach Foundation, which they hope will result in a final agreement,” he said.
The board is primarily focused on the South Corinth property now, he said. The foundation is already using part of the former Easom High property for a feeding program. No action was taken on the West Corinth property. Regarding that campus, “Basically, the board is going to move forward and probably solicit bids for West,” said Trapp. The Siege and Battle of Corinth Commission and National Park Service want the property. The board members “are very sensitive to the historical value of that property,” said Trapp.
A pair of local Christian writers will be part of a speaking lineup urging other writers to use their God-given talents. Corinth’s Patricia Bradley and Jeris Hamm of Ramer, Tenn., are scheduled to speak during the one-day writing seminar of the Mid-South Christians Writers Conference on March 8. “Our goal is to provide information and support for Christian writers,” said Hamm of the event sponsored by Byhalia Christian Writers. “Writers will have a chance to network and learn from each other.” The one-day conference will be held at Collierville First Baptist Church in Collierville, Tenn.
Index Stocks......8A Classified......4B Comics...... 7A State......5A
Weather......9A Obituaries......6A Opinion......4A Sports....10A
Author Roland Mann will be the keynote speaker. “We want writers to share their creativity from a Christian perspective,” added Hamm. According to Hamm, the conference is open to anyone who wants to develop their writing and learn how to submit to Christian markets. “I think older teens and adults will really enjoy the conference,” she said. Hamm, who lives in Ramer with husband Kenny, has been published in several national magazines including Clubhouse, Kids’ Ark, Southern Writers and Christian Communicator. Her novel manuscript for children, “The Secret of the
Bradley
Hamm
Seven Rubies,” is an awardwinning project. Her blog, Southern Grace, is also an award winner. The marketing director for the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference, Hamm has also taught creative writing classes Please see CONFERENCE | 2A
On this day in history 150 years ago General Leonidas Polk, the Confederate commander opposing Sherman’s advance, abandons Brandon, Miss., and continues a slow movement eastward. He does not have the troops to match his opponent.
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