Prentiss County Popular cafe hit by armed robber
Education NEMCC names vice president’s list
Snapshot Saturday Family enjoys days spent at Pickwick
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Saturday June 10,
2017
75 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 121, No. 138
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • One section
Board members question coaches’ pay differences BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
Staff photo by Zack Steen
The owner of a former cycle shop at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Tate Street has been given another 30-day extension for cleanup by city officials.
Owner of cycle shop continues site cleanup BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Cycle shop owner Larry Meeks told city leaders he is working toward sale or rental of the corner property at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Tate Street. He gained another 30-day extension as cleanup continues along with orders to stay in touch with the city building inspector. “It’s going to take me a few months to get everything out of that building. I’ve been there 37 years,� Meeks told the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. Some on the board would like
to see the dormant property sold for the benefit of downtown revitalization. “There’s a lot of investment going there, and, therefore, the city is reaping the fruit from that,â€? said Mayor Tommy Irwin. Meeks said he hasn’t “had a reasonable oer yetâ€? to sell the building. “If I don’t find a buyer, I’m going to rent it,â€? he said. “I’ve got a couple of people interested in renting it when I get my stu out.â€? Ward 3 Alderman Chip Wood said the board needs to be clear about its expectations.
“I’m satisfied personally as long as it meets the code requirements and the safety requirements,� he said. “If that’s not the board’s intentions, I think it’s our obligation to let him know that.� Meeks said he is going to do all the repairs and cleanup that need to be done and is working on moving his things out. “Thank you for not leaving it on the city to do,� said Ward 2 Alderman Ben Albarracin. The building inspector reported that the interior of the building is not damaged. Please see CLEANUP | 2
The Alcorn School District’s employee supplement schedule recently passed by one vote after some conversation from board members. After looking at the county school system’s supplement schedule for the upcoming 2017-18 school year, newly elected board member Daniel Cooper asked why football coaches make more the other coaches? “Logically it doesn’t make sense,� he told the board. “A football coach is coaching 10 or 11 games a year while a baseball or basketball coach is coaching three or four times more games.� Cooper said a supplement for football coaches working for the district is $9,000 versus $4,400 for baseball and basketball coaches. Board member Anne Little had a similar comment about the district wide move to eliminate assistant coaching positions for basketball, a sport with far more games than other sports. “I don’t see how we can pick one out of the entire list,� she said. Finance Director Kimberly Woodard said such a move is consistent with other school districts in the area. “We picked basketball assistant coaches because they are supervising less kids and it’s the direction other school
districts are moving,â€? said the director. She said coaching supplements are also based on what other school districts are paying their coaches. Superintendent Larry B. Mitchell added, “We have to compete with other schools for coaches. I had nothing to do with setting up this salary schedule, but I’ve looked at it and I think it’s a good schedule.â€? Cooper and Little both voted against the passing of the schedule as is, but it was approved with three votes casted by fellow board members Ricky Fields and Mary Coleman and board President Randy Wilbanks. In other news: • The board accepted two donations from KimberlyClark. Kossuth Middle School will receive $1,000 to purchase extra-curricular supplies for the upcoming 2017-18 school year, while Kossuth High School will receive $2,500 for their band program. The board approved the certified retirements of Speech Pathologist Sherri Bain, Alcorn Central Elementary School teacher Pam Burcham and Alcorn Career-Technology Center teacher Diane Daughtry. • Two certified resignations were also approved includPlease see BOARD | 2
Producer wants to open reunion with laughs School district hosting summer feeding program BY L.A. STORY
lastory@dailycorinthian.com
BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The Corinth School District will keep the lunch lady working this summer. Corinth’s elementary and middle schools, along with several other sites, are participating in the Summer Food Service Program, keeping youngsters fed through the summer months with the likes of ham and cheese sandwiches. It begins June 19 at most sites and runs through July 21. There are no income requirements — the meals are free to anyone 18 and younger. Participants do not have to be students of the city schools, and no registration is required. Each site will oer a lunch consisting of a hot or cold sandwich, fruit or vegetable, juice and milk. Breakfast is also
served at CES, CMS and Project Attention. It’s a good opportunity for children to get well fed during the summer and to participate in some fun, supervised activities, said Margaret Simpson, the food service director for Corinth schools. The summer feeding program “was created to help ensure that children can continue to receive nutritious meals during summer vacation when they do not have access to school lunch and breakfast,� she said. In addition to the school campuses, other feeding sites are Farmington Arms Apt. 76, Project Attention, The Lighthouse (July 10 to July 21 only), Easom Community Center and the Boys & Girls Club. Lunch Please see FEEDING | 2
Those coming into town early for the biennial Reunion/ Homecoming may want to kick it o with a few good laughs. DeWayne Sorrell, the show’s executive producer, said he would like for the show to be a kicko event the night before the biennial Reunion/Homecoming (also known as the Easom Reunion). The Funny and Fabulous Comedy Jam is set to begin at 8 p.m. Thursday, June 29, at the Franklin Courtyard in Corinth. The show features comedienne Crystal Powell who was chosen from hundreds as the only female comedian to represent the best comics in Texas for Kevin Hart’s nationally syndicated TV show “Hart of the City,â€? which debuted on Comedy Central. She has
Temple, Miss Black Mississippi US Ambassador for 2017. “I’m ecstatic about the show. It’s like a kick-o to the Homecoming Reunion. I started trying to find a great venue and what I wanted to do was bring in the best talent — the best bang for the buck — the best talent, but still aordable,â€? said Sorrell, who is also a Corinth native and a 1994 graduate of Corinth High School. Part of the show is a sneak preview of his upcoming comedy tour, Laugh Your Heart Out, with Crystal Powell. They will tour Los Angeles, San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Denver, as well as Aruba and Cape Town, South Africa. He said felt the show would help enhance the reunion. He said he did a similar type of show in 2015 and it was “jam Please see COMEDY | 2
25 years ago
10 years ago
Work continues on construction of the new Shiloh Falls golf course at Pickwick. The course is set to open in the fall.
Corinth native JE “Jimmy� Pitts publishes his first book of poetry, titled “The Weather of Dreams.�
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appeared alongside comedic powerhouses such as Mike Epps, Rodney Perry, Damon Williams and Rudy Rush. Powell won the 2015 i10 Media “Influential Entertainer’s Award,� the Houston Improv comedy “Producer’s Award� and was named one of “Houston’s All-Stars of Comedy.� “We are encouraging all guests to arrive in Corinth a day early to be sure to catch the Comedy Jam, which stars, one of Kevin Hart’s ‘handpicked’ comedians, Crystal Powell,� said Sorrell. For the Corinth show, Powell will bring along two more talented comedians — actor/ comedian Brandon Scanavich, and “crowd favorite� Piper the Comedian who performed at the Crossroads Arena last December 2016 with R&B Star Lyfe Jennings. The show will be co-hosted by Corinth native TaNechi
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