Wednesday March 26,
Taste
Home & Garden
Lettuce wraps make for a simple appetizer.
Nasturtium is beautiful, tasty addition to gardens.
Page 1B
Page 7A
Daily Corinthian
Mostly sunny
2014
50 cents
Vol. 118, No. 66
Tonight
55
39
20% chance of rain
• Corinth, Mississippi • 20 pages • 2 sections
Fitch addresses civic clubs BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Lynn Fitch is excited to be Mississippi’s number-cruncher. “I believe in saving dollars wherever we can,” said the state treasurer as she addressed members of Kiwanis, Rotary and Civitans during a Corinth visit on Tuesday. The treasurer’s office runs the state bank, conducting more than $26 billion in transactions in a year’s time. “Your bank is doing very well,” said Fitch, a Republican who took office in January 2012. One of her first initiatives was a review of the state’s bonding authority. The office refinanced about $4 billion in bonds right away. “When we did that, we saved about $33 million for the taxpayers,” said Fitch. “We moved a lot of variable rates into fixed rates because it’s a good time to do that.” The office renegotiated fees, trimming another $600,000 annually. Last year, the office invited the bond rating agencies to Mississippi as it sought to retain a favorable rating. Mississippi has had the “AA” rating for some time.
Today
McNairy reports 6 EIA cases BY JEFF YORK For the Daily Corinthian
The office also determined each Mississippian’s share of the state’s debt to be $1,790, a number that Fitch hopes to reduce. Fitch also touted the return of the college savings plan known
Horse owners in McNairy County have been warned about an outbreak equine infectious anemia by the state Veterinarian’s Office after six cases of the EIA virus were found in two places in the county. The state declined to name the locations of the horses other than to say they were in McNairy County at different places. The six horses are now quarantined and are being monitored by the state. Tennessee’s Vet’s Office has a rule that all horses must be tested every year to see if they have the EIA. The horses that go to rodeos, saddle shoes or are comingled with other horses are more subject to getting the disease, said Dr. Charlie Hatcher, of the state office. Dr. Hatcher said that if the horses show later that they have EIA the horse owner will
Please see FITCH | 6A
Please see EIA | 6A
Staff photo by Jebb Johnston
Sam Kemp chats with State Auditor Lynn Fitch at Shiloh Ridge Tuesday following her talk before a joint meeting of Rotary, Kiwanis and Civitans. “They had not been in Mississippi in quite a while,” she said. “It’s important to get them here to see all of us, see what we have going on in the state of Mississippi, to talk about jobs and see the community involvement.” Out of that also came a debt affordability study, which was
released in January. “It’s strictly statistics and numbers — how much could we do, what are the needs of the three largest agencies and the universities and the community colleges and so forth — what do they need for the next five years,” said Fitch.
School district still Telecommunicators to be honored debating free lunches BY STEVE BEAVERS
sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
Alcorn School District board member Carroll Morton wants all students at the districts 11 schools to have free lunch every day. Discussion began this week on how the district can make that happen with or without federal assistance. Bill Urban, food service supervisor with the Mississippi Department of Education, met with board members about the options offered from the state. “The program most districts have been hearing about is brand new. It is called the Community Eligibility Program,” said Urban. “The
Morton
Urban
USDA governs the program that can provide free lunch to any school district in the nation that meets certain criteria.” A monthly report is generPlease see LUNCHES | 6A
There aren’t many thanks for those calm voices at the other end of the phone. The job of a dispatcher often goes unnoticed until an emergency. “We are the hidden heroes,” said Alcorn County E911 Director Kim McCreless. “A dispatcher has to be very caring and make a lot of sacrifices.” A week in April has been set aside to honor individuals who have the role of being the initial first responders during an emergency situation. National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week is set for April 13-19 around the country to honor those in the Emergency Communications field. “Over the last few years we
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Alcorn County E911 dispatcher Murry Bragg fields a call. have been contacting local businesses to do something as a thank you for our dispatchers,” said the 911 director. “Their response has been amazing.”
Close to 70 businesses have stepped up to make the week a special one for the 11 full-time Please see DISPATCHERS | 2A
CMS choir performing at music club BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
The Corinth Middle School 7th/8th girl’s ensemble will perform at the Corinth Music Music Club’s Mid-Morning Concert Series on Thursday. Members of the ensemble are Dedria Beene, Jade Storment, Brittany Cummings, Justine Hurd, McKinley EllisonJones, Adeline Suitor, Zaquariya Patterson, Akaya Campbell, Katera Bridges and Hannah Cox.
The red and black of Corinth Middle School will pay tribute to the red, white and blue during a Corinth Music Club choral event. The 7th/8th grade choir and ensemble is set to perform a patriotic program Thursday as part of the Mid-Morning Concert Series of the Club. Held at First United Methodist, the musical event is scheduled for 11 a.m. “The club tries to do a little bit
Index Stocks......8A Classified......4B Comics......2B State......5A
OVER
165 PRE-OWNED
IN STOCK!
Weather....10A Obituaries......6A Opinion......4A Sports....12A
of education outreach by having the younger generation perform at the concert series,” said club reporter Bobbi Campbell. “One of our main goals is to support music in schools.” Corinth’s choir and ensemble will perform such songs as The Star-Spangled Banner, The Battle Hymn of the Republic, Dream of Martin Luther King, We Shall Overcome, America, Goober Peas, Lorena, What Shall We Do With the Drunken Sailor, Hush My Babe, The Turtle Dove and Sing Praise,
Alleluia. “Some of the songs will tie in with Black History Month and the Civil War period,” said Campbell. Selections from the Dr. Martin Luther King protest era along with gospel pieces will also be included in the short program which is free and open to the public. The Corinth Music Club is a member of the Mississippi Federation of Music Clubs. Organized in 1922, the club is celebrating its 92nd season.
On this day in history 150 years ago Union reinforcements arrive in Paducah, Ky., prompting Forrest to withdraw his troops. U. S. Grant sets up his headquarters at Culpeper Courthouse, Vir. He ignores the growing voices to replace Gen. Meade as head of the Army of the Potomac.
Going On Now!
BROSE
286.6006 HWY 72 E • Corinth MS www.brosenissan.com www.broseautoplex.com