Thursday June 12,
2014
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Daily Corinthian
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Vol. 118, No. 138
• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • 1 section
Former worker wins verdict against district was terminated “in good faith for legitimate business reasons which did not violate the Family Medical Leave Act,” according to court records. Newcomb, who performed vehicle maintenance and some general maintenance and also drove a bus, was assisting a coworker on a personal building project on Aug. 2, 2010, when the two fell backwards from 17 feet of scaffolding. Newcomb had surgery the following month and received a termination letter upon returning home. The letter stated that Newcomb’s position was being eliminated as part of a re-
BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Photo compliments of Lorie Clayton
Caterpillar Chairman and CEO Douglas Oberhelman (right) speaks with Vic Mills, a skilled technician and tour guide, at the Cardinal Drive remanufacturing facility, during Wednesday’s annual meeting of shareholders at Crossroads Arena.
A jury awarded a former maintenance worker and bus driver $100,000 in damages in a dispute over his termination by the Corinth School District. The verdict went in favor of Alfred L. Newcomb during a two-day trial that began Monday in U.S. District Court in Aberdeen. The lawsuit, filed in September 2012, alleged that the school district violated the Family and Medical Leave Act by terminating his employment after he suffered a shoulder injury that required him to miss work. The school district argued that Newcomb
Caterpillar stockholders cast votes in Corinth Board approves BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Caterpillar stockholders voted on several proposals and heard comments from Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Douglas Oberhelman in Wednesday’s annual meeting held in Corinth. Gov. Phil Bryant attended the session at Crossroads Arena along with Caterpillar executives and the board of directors, which includes well-known names such as John Huntsman Jr., a former ambassador to Singapore and China who ran for president in 2012. Oberhelman welcomed stockholders to “one of the most fascinating cities with one of the most fascinating Caterpillar facilities in the world.” He said the Corinth remanufacturing plant is the largest facility of its type in any industry in the world. “We’re proud of that, and it’s one of the reasons we chose to hold our annual stockhold-
sold to the government of Sudan or entities controlled by it. The board argues that an appropriate code of conduct and appropriate policies on business in Sudan are in place. Financially, Oberhelman said the company has weathered some tough periods in 2009 and 2013 and currently enjoys its strongest balance sheet in 25 years. The company saw record operating cash flow for the machinery and power systems businesses of $9 billion in 2013. He spoke about the company’s commitment to sustainability and the role of remanufacturing, which has put 500,000 tons of materials back into use rather than on the scrap heap during the past 10 years. “How much is 500,000 tons? Our largest bulldozer, the D-11, weighs 151 tons — so it’s equivalent to about 4,300 D-11s,” said Oberhelman. “Or think about
ers meeting here,” said Oberhelman. Rachel Potts, a CAT spokeswoman, said the company likes to bring the stockholder meetings to the local companies to give stockholders a chance to see the operations. It is the first time the stockholder meeting has convened in Corinth. Following the meeting, those in attendance were offered a tour of the Corinth facilities. Stockholder votes included advisory approval of executive compensation and approval of the short-term and long-term incentive plans. Voting shareholders rejected three stockholder proposals, two of which dealt with human rights concerns. One proposal requested that the board of directors review and amend policies as they relate to franchisees, licensees and agents that deal with Caterpillar products, while another urged the company to take additional steps to ensure that its products not be
Please see VOTES | 2
student transfers The Alcorn School District Board of Education met Monday for the first of two regularly scheduled meetings during the month of June. Seven students were approved for transfer from Alcorn School District to Corinth School District. One student was tabled until the next meeting. The student’s leave request hinges on the hiring of Cliff Little for Biggersville High School girls basketball coach. Three other students were approved to transfer to two other school districts outside the area. One student will transfer to North Tippah School District, while one pair of sibling students will transfer to South Tippah School
BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
Please see TOUR | 2
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Board approves staff changes BY ZACK STEEN
Staff photo by Zack Steen
Mississippi Sons of Confederate Veteran members Marc and Diana Thompson from Southaven and Billie Hitt from Calhoun City tour the Crossroads Museum with Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center Park Ranger Tom Parson. The three SCV members were in Corinth for the 119th Annual Mississippi Division Meeting held June 6-8.
Stocks........8 Classified......14 Comics........ 9 State........ 5
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Please see BOARD | 2
zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
Index
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District. The two sibling students are transferring due to the district’s lack of offering students a Dyslexia program. Eight teachers from the district recently attended a twoday Dyslexia training event. Schools in the district will soon be able to offer Dyslexia programs on campus. In other board news: ■ Two students were approved for in-district transfers. A current Biggersville High School student will be transferred to Kossuth Middle School, while a second student will be transferred from Alcorn Central Middle School to Kossuth Middle School. One student was approved
BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
SCV group tours Corinth during division meeting More than 150 Mississippi Sons of Confederate Veteran members were in Corinth June 6-8 as the local W.P. Rogers Camp hosted the 119th Annual Mississippi Division Meeting. “It was a real honor for our camp to host such a great group of folks,” said Larry Mangus, camp commander. “It was quite a job for everyone in the camp to host that many people, though.” The Corinth Area Convention and Visitors Bureau hosted a reception at the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center the night the group arrived in town. The next day Tom Par-
Please see VERDICT | 2
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The Alcorn School District Board of Directors recently acted on numerous staff changes. The board accepted the retirement of Lisa Wigginton, who has acted as the federal programs director and secondary curriculum coordinator in the district office for several years. The board also accepted the retirement of Helen Isbell, the district’s technology coordinator. Isbell’s last day on the job is slated for June 30. The board approved resignations from Gary Johnson, Chris Parman and Candace Brown. Johnson, the long time Biggersville High School principal, is set to leave his post on June 30, 2015. He will serve as principal during the 2014-15 school year set to begin Please see STAFF | 2
On this day in history 150 years ago
Weather...... 10 Obituaries........ 6 Opinion........4 Sports...... 12
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In one of the engineering triumphs of the war, Grant’s army constructs a 2,100 foot floating pontoon bridge across the James River. Grant steals a march on Gen. Robert E. Lee and crosses his army over the river and threatens Petersburg.
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