Tuesday March 4,
2014
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 118, No. 54
Partly sunny Today
Tonight
42
24
0% chance of rain
• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • 1 section
Park expansion plan put in motion BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The Alcorn County Board of Supervisors agreed on Monday to set in motion a plan for expansion of Crossroads Regional Park. It involves refinancing the Crossroads Arena construction
bond to obtain additional funding for the park project, which is expected to cost about $5.3 million. Repayment would be over 20 years. Board Attorney Bill Davis said the proposal includes approaching the city, tourism board and park board to look at
an interlocal agreement among the entities to continue the current arrangement for how the 2 percent tourism tax on prepared food and lodging is divided as well as refinancing the bond. The arena debt is about four years from being retired. If it is
paid off entirely, the legislation for the tourism tax calls for half of the tourism tax to go to advertising and promotion, Davis said, and the proposed interlocal agreement would prevent that from happening. This approach was recommended by bond counsel.
BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
In a split decision, the Alcorn County Board of Supervisors voted to take bids for the sale of the Wenasoga property once targeted for a new rubbish site. The board on Monday voted 3-2 to sell approximately 129 acres on Forrest School Road that the county previously purchased for a new rubbish site as the Proper Street site neared capacity. Third District Supervisor Tim Mitchell said it’s a good time to make the sale and apply the proceeds to county debt incurred since construction of the justice center. He seconded Lowell Hinton’s motion to de-
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Former Alcorn County teacher Casey Wegmann Dunn is promoting reading and writing through her book “My Get Ready Song.”
Former teacher publishes children’s book sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Reading and writing can be fun. A former Alcorn County coach and teacher is getting the message across through the publishing of a children’s book. “My Get Ready Song” is the path Casey Wegmann Dunn has decided to use in promoting two things she loves. “I don’t want kids to get away from sitting down and reading books,” she Dunn after reading her book to 23 kindergarten students at Rienzi Elementary School. “I want them to understand those things are fun.” A 1997 Kossuth High School graduate, Dunn spent 10 years in the classroom in the county at both Kossuth Middle and
Rienzi Elementary schools. “When I started teaching, I thought I could write a book like this,” said the mother of one son. Dunn wrote the book eight years ago while at Kossuth. “I wanted to find the right art student to illustrate it,” she said. Tiffany Blackard, now a freshman at Northeast Mississippi Community College, caught Dunn’s eye while a sophomore at KHS. “Tiffany came up with some really good stuff,” said the author. “She is the type of person who strives for success in all that she does … her work is amazing.” In the book, a young boy sings a rhyming song every morning to help him get ready
Please see PARK | 2
Proposed waste site for sale after 3-2 vote
‘My Get Ready Song’
BY STEVE BEAVERS
The bond payment is currently about $440,000 per year, and Board President Lowell Hinton said it will go to about $535,000. Bricks and mortar funding will continue to be available for
for school. Each word which rhymes is printed in color and easily recognizable in the publication. The author has some ideas for future books. “I would for the next ones to be school related,” she said. A trio of book signings for the recent release have been planned. The first is set for Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at KC’s Expresso. Signings have also been scheduled for Ginger’s (April 12) and at the Green Market spring edition. Dunn is also donating a copy to each elementary school in the county and some daycare facilities in the area. The book can be ordered online at xlibris.com, amazon. com, barnesandnoble.com or at local bookstores.
clare the property as surplus and sell it by sealed bid. With the Proper Street site now closed to the public, rubbish is handled under contract by Waste Connections at the transfer station. Fifth District Supervisor Jimmy Tate Waldon said the deal with Waste Connections is a good one for the county, “but, at the same time, I don’t think as a supervisor I can vote to sell the land ... Not having a backup plan for this county, I just don’t see how we would benefit if something came up that Waste Connections said, ‘We’re out of business.’ It could be any scenario there that could put us Please see WASTE | 2
Con artists going after ACE business customers BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
At least five Alcorn County businesses were the target of con artists Monday. Alcorn County Electric Power Association (ACE) was notified by the companies of calls requesting payment of bills or their power would be cut off. “The caller told the businesses they need to pay the bill or ACE would send a truck out there to cut off their power in one or two hours,” said ACE Office Manager Eddie Howard. “ACE does not do any collection on the phone ... if someone is behind on a bill we will pay a visit in person.” According to Howard, the calls he was made aware of were all businesses and not residential. Some of those being contacted are being told to pay
the bill with a Green Dot credit card. Howard called the number 601-272-2544 - passing on the false information. “When I called the number, I got the message saying the Magic Jack customer representative you are trying to reach is unavailable.” he said. “It looks like they will only pick up if they have a record of calling that number.” Alcorn County Sheriff’s Department investigator Reggie Anderson said this is not the first time the department has received calls pertaining to a Green Dot card scam. “Any time someone calls wanting money over the phone, 99 percent of the time it’s a scam,” said the investigator. “Our goal is to warn the public to not fall for any kind of scam.”
Civitan Club honors FCA BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
The Corinth Civitan Club made just a minor change in its annual Clergy Appreciation Week. The civic organization recognized Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the role it plays in spreading the word for 60 years. “I was a big part of FCA growing up and I know the impact it makes,” said Civitan President Dr. Mike Weeden during the club’s meeting at Ryan’s. “At a time when we need people standing in the gap, FCA is a gap filler.” FCA District 1 Director Mark Boren was the guest speaker Wednesday during the recognition luncheon. Boren is over 65 possible middle and high school FCA huddles in Northeast Mississippi. “FCA has grown this year and is better than ever,” said the director. “Through our huddles in District 1 we are reaching 3,200 students a weak … FCA is so
powerful in Mississippi and the South.” Boren told the group FCA chapters in both Alabama and Mississippi make sure every new coach who comes in receives a FCA Coaches Bible. “FCA is number 2 in the world in free Bible distribution,” he added. Although just two months into the new year, Boren passed on that 2014 “has been a year of harvest.” “Every meeting it seems we see someone get saved and get hungry for God,” said Boren. FCA sponsors Bo Sandlin, Booneville High School; Rob Scarbrough, Corinth High School; and longtime FCA supporter and CHS coach Dennis Shirley were recognized during the program. “Coach Shirley was my mentor in faith and FCA,” said Weeden of the former coach who suffered a stroke last year.
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Please see FCA | 2
FCA District 1 Director Mark Boren (right) shares news about the chapter with Civitan President Dr. Mike Weeden.
Index Stocks........8 Classified......14 Comics........ 9 State........ 5
Weather...... 10 Obituaries........ 6 Opinion........4 Sports...... 12
On this day in history 150 years ago General Sherman returns to Vicksburg after the campaign to Meridian and back. 5,000 slaves are liberated and Sherman learns the effectiveness of a “scorched earth” policy. Georgia and the Carolinas will suffer for what he learned in Mississippi.