022415 daily corinthian e edition

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Tuesday Feb. 24,

2015

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Daily Corinthian

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Vol. 119, No. 47

• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • One section

Sentencing date set in DUI death

Memorial name for highway approved

BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com

A Tishomingo man is set to be sentenced next month in the DUI-related death of two Canadian motorcyclists on the Natchez Trace Parkway in Prentiss County. Donnie Wiliam Sartain previously pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary manslaughter in federal court in Oxford. The plea deal spared Sartain from trial on two more serious charges - two counts each of driving under the influence resulting in death and negligent homicide/manslaughter. He had been indicted on the more serious charges last August. He is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday, March 26 in U.S. District Court in Oxford. Sartain was accused of causing an Aug. 6, 2014 crash on the Natchez Trace near Pharr Mounds in Prentiss County that claimed the lives of Gerard Nassault and Pauline Demeres, both of Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada. The couple was traveling the Natchez Trace on a cross-country motorcycle trip when Sartain apparently cross the center line in his pickup and struck their motorcycle. Both were pronounced dead on the scene. Court documents show a witness reported Sartain was driving erratically prior to the crash. A Natchez Trace Parkway Ranger also gave a statement reporting Sartain tested above the legal limit in two separate blood alcohol level tests administered at the scene.

BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com

Staff photo by Steve Beavers

Anita Chappell and daughter Antanasia West play a game of bingo at the American Legion. See related photo on page 2.

Legion adds bingo to Monday morning BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

The B didn’t stand for Brrrr! at American Legion Post 6. Monday’s calling out of letters was part of the Post 6 morning bingo session. The event was the second of the 10 a.m. until noon session held every Monday by the American Legion. “The gaming commission won’t let us play bingo for free,” said legion commander Tommy Watson. “So we charge $5 for bingo and provide a free meal.” Some local restaurants in Corinth have held bingo dur-

ing the week with those who play buying a meal afterwards. “It’s not a make or break thing for us,” said Watson as Legion Auxiliary President Carlean Parker called out numbers in the background. “It gives folks something to do during the day and maybe they will come back and play again on Friday night.” The Mississippi Gaming Commission granted Post 6 a license in March of 2014 to conduct bingo games at the legion hall. Around 20 individuals were playing on Monday morning. “We are just here having

fun,” said Anita Chappell, a McNairy Countian who spent the morning playing along with daughter, Antanasia West. “You get to meet new people and if more people start coming they might open more days to play.” Winners get to choose from a large quantity of door prizes with all players treated to a meal following the day’s 12 games. The big jack pot at the end of the day is $5. Post 6 began its bingo host role on April 11 of 2014. Play initially was two days a week before those with the legion settled on a Friday date.

The bill that would rename a local highway in honor of fallen law enforcement officer is one step closer to becoming law. District 2 Rep. Nick Bain said Bill 988 has passed the House and is on way to the Senate. The bill will designate a certain segment of Mississippi Highway 2 in Alcorn County as “Agent Harold Lane Caldwell Memorial Highway.” Lane Caldwell died in September 1979 at age 25 while backing up local officers investigating a kidnapping case in Corinth. He was shot as he pulled the abducted girl to safety from the kidnapper’s car. He had been with the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics more than two years. “I am pleased this measure honoring one of Alcorn County’s fallen sons has received such positive response,” said Bain, who authored the bill. “I am very confident that the bill will pass out of the Senate, be signed by the governor and become law during this session. It is never too late to acknowledge the supreme sacrifice that our law enforcement officers are willing to make to protect our communities.” Lane Caldwell was the younger brother of Alcorn County Circuit Clerk Joe Caldwell. “This is going to be a great honor for our family,” Caldwell said. “He was my only brother, two years older than me.”

Corinth, Alcorn boards back hazardous waste disposal day BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

The Corinth Board of Aldermen and Alcorn County Board of Supervisors signed on to support another household haz-

ardous waste disposal event in light agendas for both boards last week. Keep Corinth-Alcorn Beautiful will apply to the Mississippi Department of Environmental

Quality for a grant to support the event, which provides for the safe disposal of items such as old paint, cleaners, batteries and electronics. The recycling of electronics was a popular ad-

dition to the last event, said Andrea Rose, organizer. If funded, the event will be held in the spring if funded. In other business before the county, supervisors agreed to

advertise for the lease-purchase of three new garbage trucks with a buy-back option and to advertise for the sale of existing Please see BOARDS | 2

‘Reluctant Four firefighters graduate from State Fire Academy Dragon’ hits stage tonight BY KIMBERLY SHELTON kshelton@dailycorinthian.com

Last minute details are being fine-tuned as Corinth TheatreArts prepares to raise the curtain on its newest production. Directed by CT-A Guest Director Journey McCalister, “The Reluctant Dragon” will make its public debut at 7 p.m. tonight on the historic stage of the Corinth Coliseum Civic Center. Proving that outward appearances can be deceiving, the youth production takes audiences on a journey through unfounded, pre-conceived notions and accidental friendships.

Congratulations are in order after four Corinth firefighters recently completed their training at the State Fire Academy. Phillip J. Collins, Mikeal N. Pannell, Aaron J. Pyles, and John K. Wood of the Corinth Fire Department graduated on Thursday, Feb. 19 from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1001 Firefighter I-II course held at the Mississippi State Fire Academy in Jackson. “We are very proud of our graduating firefighters. They worked hard during their seven weeks of training and are a tremendous help to our department,” said Corinth Fire Chief Lucky Briggs. “We admire and appreciate their dedication.” The intense seven-week

Please see PLAY | 2

Please see FIREMEN | 2

BY KIMBERLY SHELTON kshelton@dailycorinthian.com

Corinth firemen who graduated from the State Fire Academy include (from left) Phillip J. Collins, John K. Wood, Aaron J. Pyles and Mikeal N. Pannell.

Index Stocks........8 Classified......14 Comics........ 9 State........ 5

On this day in history 150 years ago

Weather...... 10 Obituaries........ 6 Opinion........4 Sports...... 12

Gen. Wade Hampton defends the executions of several of Sherman’s soldiers, saying, “This order shall remain in force so long as you disgrace the profession of arms by allowing your men to destroy private dwellings.” Sherman’s men are under orders to burn mills, factories and barns, but to spare private dwellings.

the

Signof

PROGRESS

Doug Jumper

Michael Ann Hardin McCreary

Rick Jones

Neil Paul

2782 S Harper Rd www.jumperrealty.com


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