Inside today: Special graduation section
Taste
Home & Garden
Wednesday May 21,
2014
50 cents
Queen Anne’s Lace thrives in landscapes.
Ice cream landscape expands with variety.
Page 16A
Page 1B
Daily Corinthian Vol. 118, No. 119
Warm Today
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 24 pages • 2 sections
Museum plans railroad viewing area BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The Crossroads Museum hopes to raise its profile with railroad fans. The museum board is working on plans for a new structure featuring a railroad viewing
platform and a display room for an antique Corinth fire truck. Museum Director Brandy Steen and board member Lee Thurner presented the concept to the Alcorn County Board of Supervisors on Monday and the Corinth Board of Mayor and Al-
dermen on Tuesday. The structure would be located in the area where the cannon is currently located, and the cannon would move near the flagpole in front of the depot. A viewing platform overlooking the railroad next to the de-
pot would be on the upper level of the structure. “Our location astride one of the busiest railroads in the United States makes us a destination for rail fans,” Thurner told the Board of Supervisors. “There’s a website with archived
pictures of railroads, trains and artifacts, depots and so forth, that lists more than 14,500 pictures rail fans have taken in Mississippi. Several hundred of those were taken in Corinth. Please see MUSEUM | 6A
Tourism board funds 3 requests BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
A Biggersville Diamond Biggersville High School senior Diamond Warren is all smiles as she gets ready to graduate with her 2014 class on Monday night. Thirty-six seniors earned their diplomas as BHS kicked off commencement week in Alcorn County. For more photos from the Biggersville graduations and other local high school graduations, see the Sunday newspaper.
Corinth PTO hosts reading challenge BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
For students, reading counts ... especially during the summer months. The Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge is a free global reading program aimed to keep kids reading all summer long and the Corinth Elementary School PTO hopes students will do exactly that with the encouragement of the “Read Around the World” competition. “I am super excited about offering this new program for our students,” said Laura Kate Carmichael, event chairperson. “I really want kids to love to read and I think this program nurPlease see READING | 6A
A trio of funding requests were approved during the monthly meeting of the Corinth Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Board on Tuesday. Main Street Corinth picked up $10,250 to be used for the 27th Annual Slugburger Festival set for July 10-12. Main Street Director Taylor Coombs requested $15,000 from the seven-person board with $10,000 going to the Major League Eating portion of the festival. “The eating contest is a huge expense, but it has put Corinth on the map,” said Coombs. “It gives us the potential to take the festival not only to a regional but a statewide event.” Coombs told the board she is looking at making the final day of the festival an all-day event. Normally, things don’t get rolling until the eating contest at 4 p.m. The Main
Street director has plans to have a “smaller scale” Green Market event during that Saturday. “This could be huge,” said tourism director Christy Burns. “Tourism needs to step up and help take the festival to the next level … the all-day thing on Saturday will bring in more people from out of town.” Tourism’s funding for the festival doubled the amount contributed last year. The Lighthouse Foundation netted all of its $8,000 request for its Lighthouse Thanksgiving Classic scheduled for Nov. 28-29. “It was amazing what the community did to pull together,” said Lighthouse Foundation board member Orma Smith. “The tournament was very successful last year and looks to be more successful this year.” Jackson schools Provine Please see TOURISM | 6A
Musical comedy ‘Big River’ hits CT-A stage BY KIMBERLY SHELTON kshelton@dailycorinthian.com
Spectators are in for a treat as Corinth Theatre-Arts rounds out the season with “Big River.” Based on Mark Twain’s classic 1884 novel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the outlandish comedy written by William Hauptman with music and lyrics by Roger Miller follows the progress of vagabond Huck Finn as he flees his drunken father. Seeking refuge on Jackson Island, he finds he is not alone in his search for freedom. Miss Watson’s slave Jim is also on the run to avoid being sold down the river to New Orleans. Setting out on a raft down the mighty Mississippi River, the two friends share hilarious moments, encounter misadventures, and pull shenanigans on fugitives attempting to
Staff photo by Kimberly Shelton
Huck Finn (Sean Jackson) and runaway slave Jim (Ira Hampton) use a lantern to illuminate their path as they set out together on their journey of freedom. commander their raft. “Huck is very much influenced by those around him,” said Sean Jackson as he re-
Index Stocks......8A Classified......4B Comics......3B State......5A
flected on his character. “He’s trying to change. In fact he even says ‘I’ve been feeling the need to change. I’ve tried to
pray, but I can’t pray a lie.’” The Walnut Junior High seventh-grader wished to thank the Director Cris Skinner, his fellow cast members, the musicians and the music directors. “It’s been amazing,” said Jackson. “I want everyone to come. It’s gonna be good. I have a good feeling about it.” When it comes to the portrayal of Jim, Mississippi State University student Ira Hampton said his most challenging obstacle was dialect. “My character is hilarious. I’ve had a blast playing him, but it has been difficult to get a grasp on the way he talks,” said Hampton. “Working with this production has been a lot of fun. Ms. Cris is very dedicated and we have a lot of good singers as well.” Actor John Petty will assume the role of the King. Please see CT-A | 3A
On this day in history 150 years ago
Weather....10A Obituaries......6A Opinion......4A Sports....12A
A dress parade, on foot, is ordered in Tupelo for Forrest’s Cavalry. The inspection is a ruse to arrest deserters who have unlawfully enlisted in Forrest’s ranks. There are 653 names, a hefty percentage of his 7,600 men at the dress parade.
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