Wednesday May 13,
2015
75 cents
Taste
Home & Garden
Everything goes better with butter.
Plant flowering vines now for great show later.
Page 1B
Page 12A
Daily Corinthian Vol. 119, No. 111
Sunshine Today
Tonight
80
54
0% chance of rain
• Corinth, Mississippi • 20 pages • Two sections
Authorities search Tagert carries for robbery suspect vote in Alcorn BY JEBB JOHNSTON BY ZACK STEEN
jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
BURNSVILLE — Law enforcement officials were searching woods near the Waterway Bridge in Tishomingo County late Tuesday night for a man believed to be armed and dangerous. The Tishomingo County Sheriff’s department identified the suspect as Geroge Downs, a white 28-year-old man with several face tattoos. Downs is wanted in connection with the Tuesday afternoon armed robbery and assault of an elderly woman in the Cum-
Staff photo by Reece Terry
Please see SEARCH | 2A
Law enforcement officials gather near the Waterway Bridge in Tishomingo County, where armed robbery suspect George Downs exited his vehicle and entered the woods.
In a meager voter turnout on Tuesday, Northern District Transportation Commissioner Mike Tagert carried Alcorn County as locals differed from the district in their choices for the special election for the U.S. House of Representatives. Turnout was 3,494, or just 14.8 percent of the county’s 23,623 active voters. That includes 117 absentee ballots. In a statement earlier in the day, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann described voter participation across the district as “alarmingly low.”
13-year itch: Cicadas are emerging BY KIMBERLY SHELTON
Zinn, Kelly advance to runoff
in U.S. House race.
2A
Turnout appeared to be highest in Desoto and Lee counties, according to his office, which sent 15 observers to the district. Tagert, a resident of Starkville, carried the county with 671 votes, or 19.3 percent, and carried the majority of the 17 precincts. Physician Starner Jones carried five boxes and tied with Tagert at another based on machine totals, while state Sen. Nancy Please see VOTE | 2A
Schools enter lawn accord BY ZACK STEEN
kshelton@dailycorinthian.com
It appears spring isn’t the only thing in the air. Mississippians will have a chance to see and hear one of nature’s most mysterious phenomena as the periodical cicadas reemerge this year after 13 years of dormancy. One of the rarest and most amazing natural occurrences in the insect world, the sighting of cicadas isn’t something which happens every day or in all parts of the world. In fact, periodical cicadas only appear in eastern North America. According to Mississippi State University Extension Entomologist Blake Layton, broods of 17-year cicadas occur in more northern areas of this range, while here in the South, we have 13-year cicadas. There are only three broods of 13-year cicadas in the world and Mississippi is the only state where all three broods occur. Please see CICADAS | 2A
■
zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
Submitted Photo
The decision to spend almost $10,000 on lawn and landscape maintenance at three Alcorn School District campuses was decided after some debate at Monday night’s school board meeting. In April, principals at Alcorn Central Elementary School, Alcorn Central Middle School and Alcorn Central High School asked the board to approve the hiring of a third party company to perform lawn maintenance. “I can’t support spending money on something that’s already being done,” said board member Randy Wilbanks. “I think the money can be spent wiser on something else.” Currently vocational staff, janitors and even principals cut grass, weed eat and perform other yard duties on the school campuses. An Exmark professional grade mower is shared between the three schools, and
Periodical cicadas, known for their distinctive red eyes and ear-piercing cries, emerge only every 13 years.
Please see LAWN | 2A
McGill considering next step after 3,242-mile prayer walk BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Photo courtesy of the Daily Press
Pastor Walter ‘Chick’ McGill passes through Apple Valley in April of his TransAmerican Crosswalk 2014.
Pastor Walter “Chick” McGill has finished walking. For now. McGill is staying in Southern California for a few months after completing his 3,242-mile trek to Santa Monica as part of the coast-to-coast prayer walk of the Vietnam veteran. McGill, who turned 69 during the 233 days of just walking, reached Santa Monica Pier at noon on April 29. He began the journey in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, on April 23, 2014. His plan was to arrive in California by his 69th
birthday in February. “I made it with a little bit of a limp,” said McGill via telephone Monday. “I walked every inch and feel like I accomplished what God set out for me to do.” McGill, a former family counselor at Help for You in Corinth, began the journey to promote a new birth of freedom and integrity in America. He carried a huge American flag and wore a bright orange shirt while saluting each passing motorist. During his “TransAmerican Crosswalk 2014” trek, McGill called attenPlease see MCGILL | 2A
25 years ago
10 years ago
A donation by the WD Webb family, combined with a federal grant, will create a home for homeless or battered residents. The Webb family donated the property to the city. Today the home serves as the Black History Museum of Corinth.
Siege and Battle of Corinth Commission Chair Rosemary Williams announces plans for a July opening of the Corinth Contraband Camp Historic Site. The first phase of development includes a trail, parking area and gated entrance.
RENTAL
details Call for for complete details Rent a 2014 Nissan today! Now Renting 2014 Rentals starting at $32Nissans! per day! Call and rates! rates! and
286.6006 286.6006 HWY 72 E • Corinth MS BROSE www.brosenissan.com BROSE