Prentiss County Effort aims to better fossil park
Education Northeast announces president’s list students
Local Columnist ponders meaning of the moon
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Friday June 9,
2017
75 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 121, No. 137
Plenty of sun Today
Tonight
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0% chance of rain
• Corinth, Mississippi • 18 pages • Two sections
No python on parkway
Corinth man arrested Experts: Large reptile is harmless rat snake on child porn charges Staff Reports
IUKA — A Corinth man has been charged with possessing child pornography. The Tishomingo County Sheriff’s Department officially charged Austin Michael Crum, 21, of Corinth, with sexual battery and possession of child pornography. His bond was set at $250,000. Other recent arrests, all in separate, unrelated cases, reported by the Tishomingo County Sheriff’s Department include: James Cooksey, 51, of Iuka, was officially charged with felony possession of a controlled substance — methamphetamine. His bond was set at $5,000 TCSD officially charged Austin Moore, 23, of Belmont,
BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
It’s just a rat snake. The picture making the rounds this week of a man holding up a dead snake at his South Parkway Street residence is getting a lot of attention, with many people concluding that the pictured animal is a python. Two separate experts who viewed the photo at the request of the Daily Corinthian declared that it is a harmless snake. “The snake is a gray rat snake,” professional herpetologist Terry Vandeventer said via email. “This is one of the most common snakes in Mississippi, aka your grandma’s ‘chicken snake.’ It is absolutely harmless and extremely beneficial.” Vandeventer is the former reptile supervisor for the Jackson Zoo and is currently herpetology field associate at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science. He believes the snake is an average-sized, 4-foot long rat snake. The perspective of the photo, with the snake right in front of the camera and the man standing a few feet back, makes the snake appear much larger. “There are no wild pythons north of extreme southern Florida, and it is a fact that they will never reach Mississippi,” said Vandeventer. Tom Mann, a zoologist with the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, also concluded that it is a gray rat snake, perhaps 6 feet long by his estimation. Mann said a gray rat snake will bite but is harmless. The man in the photo is Angel Rodriguez. He said he did not mind the photo being published, but he declined to speak publicly. He has told others that he killed several of the snakes and encountered one inside his home. Vandeventer, who has visited Corinth before to make educational presentations at the library, is disturbed by photos such as these and the notion that “the only good snake is a
School board considers cuts to 2017-18 budget BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
This snake, estimated to be 4 to 6 feet in length and killed in the South Parkway area, has been professionally identified as a gray rat snake.
“The snake is a gray rat snake. This is one of the most common snakes in Mississippi, aka your grandma’s ‘chicken snake.’ It is absolutely harmless and extremely beneficial.” Terry Vandeventer Professional herpetologist
Please see SNAKE | 2A
County school officials may make cuts to band and sports in order to meet a balanced budget for the upcoming 2017-18 school year. Alcorn School District Finance Director Kimberly Woodard presented board members with preliminary budget numbers recently. She said the district “won’t see a lot of changes from the current year.” However, some will likely take place. After two years of additional band program funding given to each school, Woodard said it will likely be completely cut from the upcoming budget year. The band programs at each school have received around $4,300 from the district in the past. “We just couldn’t find a way to fit the extra band money in this year,” she said. “The schools will have to budget for band expenditures through their individual school budgets.”
Rooster Run raising funds to help veterans BY L.A. STORY lastory@dailycorinthian.com
GIFT — The giant rooster will preside over more fun and fundraising and this year’s recipient will be the American Legion Auxiliary and Veterans of Alcorn County. The 2017 Rooster Run will be held Saturday, June 17, at 189 CR 753, Corinth, which is also know as Gift Bottom. Among this year’s offerings will be the 5K Run/Walk, BBQ plates, “Chicken Grillin’
with felony possession of a controlled substance — marijuana — with intent to sell. His bond was set at $5,000 and a “hold” was placed on Moore by the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Brandon Groves, 38, of Corning, Ark., was officially charged with felony possession of a controlled substance — methamphetamine. His bond was set at $2,500. TCSD officially charged Samuel Jacob Rice, 32, of Iuka, with felony possession of a controlled substance — methamphetamine. His bond was set at $5,000. Kayla Crowell, 32, of Booneville, was officially charged with burglary of a commercial building. Her bond was set at $25,000.
Contest,” 30 Gun Raffle, door prizes, inflatables/games for the kids and live entertainment as Gloria’s Line Dancers will be there. Gloria Keith of “Gloria’s Line Dancers” teaches line dancing at the American Legion Building in Corinth. The County Line Dancers will be there as well. “We have several vendors that are coming. It’s free to be a vendor. All we ask is for just a small door prize offering to be donated,” said Sandy Childs,
event organizer. Childs said John Lee Crow will be cooking some wild hogs harvested in Alcorn County. The 5K Rooster Fun Run/ Walk will begin at 8 a.m. “We accomplish a lot on a very small budget. Hopefully this event will provide the funds that will give us more free time to do more in our community and with our local veterans,” said Tina Hurst, American Legion Auxiliary. “What makes this event so
good is that every penny goes to the American Legion Auxiliary and veterans of Alcorn County, we’re very proud to do something for them because of all they do,” said Childs. Hurst said they will cooking and selling hotdogs at the Rooster Run that day, as well. American Legion Auxiliary “30 Gun Giveaway” — 1 ticket — $30 or 4 tickets — $100. Drawing for all prizes will be
But individual school budgets may also see cuts. Woodard said she recommends a $37,443 decrease in overall school budgets. The district plans to eliminate junior high assistant coaching positions for basketball, track and cross country at Alcorn Central, Biggersville and Kossuth. They also plan to cut the funding for all slow pitch softball coaches. The coaching supplement savings at all three schools should total $12,000, according to Woodard. The director said there would also be a $202,042 decrease for building repairs and a $97,000 decrease in the technology budget due to added monies this year for wireless installs. The district also plans to not fill two vacant positions where employees have retired. A certified teachers position at Biggersville Elementary School and a secretary posiPlease see BOARD | 2A
“We accomplish a lot on a very small budget. Hopefully this event will provide the funds that will give us more free time to do more in our community and with our local veterans.” Tina Hurst American Legion Auxiliary
Please see RUN | 2A
25 years ago
10 years ago
Sarah Shields is honored for 25 years of service as a nurse’s assistant at Whitfield Nursing Home.
Mary Winkler is sentenced to the minimum of 3 years with 210 days in custody and credit for time served. She was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the death of her minister husband, Matthew Winkler.
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