Friday Feb. 20,
2015
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Daily Corinthian
Icy mix Today
Tonight
39
35
90% chance of wintry mix
Vol. 119, No. 44
• Corinth, Mississippi • 18 pages • Two sections
Shooting shows need for officer training BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Mississippi averages a shooting in which a police officer is involved about every 12 days, but routine officer training does little to prepare officers for those situations. Law enforcement officers numbering about 130 converged on Corinth Thursday for an eight-hour session on officer-involved shootings hosted by the Northeast Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Center. “Most cops are trained in how to use their gun. Most cops are not trained in what’s going to happen during and after the shooting,” said Tim Rutledge, founder of the Law Enforcement Alliance for Peer Support
A large crowd of law enforcement personnel attended a session on officer-involved shootings at Northeast at Corinth on Thursday. (LEAPS). “We’re doing that training today.” The shooting less than a week
ago at Iuka’s Walmart store underscores the need for such training, he said. Officers fatally
shot a man who opened fire inside the store. The officers were not injured.
“The world is becoming more violent,” said Rutledge, “and we need to train our cops what to do.” A retired Bureau of Narcotics officer, he discussed issues such as the legalities involved, the normal human reactions to high-stress events such as a shooting, public sentiment, and returning to duty, among other aspects of a shooting situation. “A law enforcement officer is always in a combat zone,” said Training Center Director Bowen Johnson. “He doesn’t rotate in or out. Every time he walks out that door in the morning and tells his wife and children goodbye, he doesn’t know Please see TRAINING | 2A
2nd round: Wintry mix coming today BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
The week’s second round of winter weather will hit the Crossroads area today. The National Weather Service in Memphis issued a Winter Weather Advisory for today from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Snow, sleet and ice accumulation is expected with ice accumulation at less than one tenth inch. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. “We think there will be significantly more winter precipitation north of the Tennessee line,” said Meteorologist Zach Maye. “In North Mississippi, the precipitation will start out as sleet and freezing rain and turn into just rain by the afternoon hours.” A Winter Storm Watch was in
effect for the Crossroads area, but was canceled late Thursday afternoon. Maye said the watch was removed because the atmosphere is expected to warm up faster furthered south. The high is expected to reach 32 degrees today. A Winter Weather Advisory means that periods of sleet and freezing rain will cause travel difficulties. Drivers should be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibilities. “We believe North Mississippi will receive less winter precipitation then the area received during the Monday storm,” added Maye. The week started with a winter storm that brought cold Please see WEATHER | 2A
Staff photo by Mark Boehler
Heavy jackets, hoods, caps, headbands, scarfs and gloves were the fashion of the day Thursday when the overnight low hit 9 degrees in Corinth with high temperatures below freezing all day long. Staying warm on their way to class at Corinth Academy of Cosmetology in downtown Corinth are (from left) Whitney Woodberry, Elizabeth Mitchell and Raven Prather.
School district seeks sewer grant Senior plans budgeting, BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
The Alcorn School District approved a resolution recently that allows the City of Farmington to research grants to possibility connect Alcorn Central schools to Farmington sewers. The resolution states if a 100 percent grant to fund the construction and installation of the connection is not secured by the city, then the school district is not obligated to follow through with the project. “The wording of the resolution also includes the option to move forward on the project depending on the additional cost or difference between what the grant covers and what the school district would have to cover,” said district attorney Arch Bullard. “If the board decides that it is not financially fissile than the resolution does not bind the broad to anything.” Board members James Voyles and Russ Nash introduced the idea to other board members during the January meeting. The two had previously talked with Farmington Mayor Dale Fortenberry about securing a grant that could fully fund the sewer connection costs. The
meeting marks the third time in the last 12 years that the City of Farmington has attempted to enter into an agreement to connect the Alcorn Central school campus to the Farmington Water Department’s sewer. “If we can make this work financially, we would shutdown and cover up the current water treatment plant and our sewage would then go through Farmington” Nash said. “We need to make this happen.” The school also faces the expiration of their Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality license in 2016, which according to Voyles could force the school to close or move their onsite water treatment plant. “The certificate renewal is very serious from my understanding,” said Voyles. “Being able to hook up to a city sewer is a great opportunity for us at this time.” Wilbanks disagrees. “I am not against the connection if we can get it fully funded, but I want the facts to be known,” he said. “I have talked to the people who service our sewers and they tell me our MDEQ license is not in jeopardy.” Wilbanks said he feels the
board wants to connect to the sewer only because of the bad smell. The water treatment plant, which serves the three schools on the campus, is located near the Alcorn Central football field. At the January meeting Voyles discussed the sewer smell which covers most of campus on a daily basis and effects the taste of concession food during football games. “All we’re talking about is a smell — nothing hazardous. Our current system is fine and the MDEQ license is not in danger and that’s the facts,” added Wilbanks. Volyes said he still believes MDEQ would prefer the school district hook up to a city run sewer system if the opportunity was available. Voyles, Nash and board president Mary Coleman voted to approve the resolution, while Wilbanks abstained. Board member Carroll Morton was not present. The resolution was approved with a 3-2 vote. On behalf of the school and the city, Fortenberry will now begin researching and applying for grants for the project.
Index Stocks......8A Classified......3B Comics......9A State......5A
RENTAL
Weather...... 7A Obituaries......6A Opinion......4A Sports....10A
menu planning seminar BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
BIGGERSVILLE — A high school senior wants to see people eating healthy. Anna Michael is doing her part by putting together a budgeting and menu planning workshop at no cost. “Anna’s Vision — Healthy Meals on a Budget” is ready to get cooking Saturday at Biggersville First Baptist Church. The workshop gets started at 4 p.m. in the fellowship hall with Baptist Memorial Hospital-Booneville Marketing Director Sergio Warren being the guest speaker. Biggersville First Baptist Church is located at 443 County Road 514. “The workshop will teach people how to budget and plan so they can provide healthy meals for the family,” said Anna’s mother and Girl Scout leader Tina Michael. “I am hoping once we show them how to do it, they can do it for themselves,” added Anna. “I know of families who have had a rough time in the past.”
A free meal of spaghetti or meatless spaghetti along with corn on the cob, green beans, bread, fresh fruit and drink is also included in the event. Saturday’s event is the first of four scheduled to be done by Anna Michael as she works toward her Gold Award in Girl Scouts. “Anna’s Vision” is also set to be done in April, July and October of this year. “I really hope I can do it again next year,” said Anna. “If I can’t, I hope someone else steps up to do it.” “Anna is hoping it grows each time,” added Tina of her daughter and Biggersville High School senior. Tina stressed the community has been behind Anna in the effort reach people to eat healthy. “So many kids come to school hungry because they aren’t eating the right thing,” said Tina. “Just providing a meal doesn’t solve the problem that’s why a budget workshop is also being provided.” Please see WORKSHOP | 2A
On this day in history 150 years ago The Confederate House of Representatives approves the use of slaves as soldiers. Sherman’s army departs Columbia — and in a move that bypasses Charleston — strikes northeast toward Goldsborough, North Carolina.
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