Friday June 26,
2015
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Daily Corinthian
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Vol. 119, No. 149
• Corinth, Mississippi • 20 pages • Two sections
Local numbers mirror state in unemployment BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
Alcorn County followed the statewide trend of rising unemployment in May, reversing several months of declining numbers. The county saw it’s unemployment rate rise to 6.1 percent for May, up from 4.7 percent in April according to the latest figures released by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. The number of people employed in the county fell from 14,960 in April to 14,850 in May, while the number claiming unemployment benefits rose from 750 in April to 960 in May. May’s unemployment rate remained sharply lower than a year ago when it stood at 7
percent. The rise mirrored a rise in overall statewide unemployment. Mississippi’s statewide unemployment rate rose from 5.7 percent in April to 7 percent in May. Alcorn County had the lowest unemployment rate among immediately surrounding Mississippi counties. Alcorn’s rate of 6.1 percent for May was followed by Prentiss at 6.8 percent, Tishomingo t 7 percent and Tippah at 7.8 percent. The county had the ninth lowest unemployment rate in the state. Rankin County had the state state’s lowest rate at 4.3 percent while Issaquena County ahd the highest rate at 18.3 percent.
Administrative changes made BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
The Alcorn School District Board of Education voted on a handful of administrative changes earlier this month. Former Alcorn Central Middle School Assistant Principal Travis Smith will move into the Kossuth High School principal position for the 2015-16 school year. Smith will replace Mike Kimmons, who moves into a teacher position at Kossuth Middle School. Former ACMS Principal Nellie Massengill will fill the
vacant ACHS assistant principal position, while Jeff Boren will act as an administrative intern in lieu of the assistant principal position at ACMS. The ACHS assistant principal position became vacant earlier in the school year after the transfer of Chad Lindamood to the Biggersville High School principal seat. Former Glendale Elementary School Principal Brian Phelps will become ACMS principal, while former AlPlease see SCHOOLS | 2A
Staff photo by Zack Steen
Freedom Scientific employee Mike Self teaches Alcorn County Justice Court Judge Steve Little a shortcut on his new sight service equipment.
Judge chambers has sight services tools BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
Alcorn County Judge Steve Little can now see better than ever. New equipment installed this week at Little’s Alcorn Regional Correctional Facility office will help the judge continue to get the job done while battling the genetic blindness disorder Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy — also know as LHON. Little began experiencing central vision loss in April 2014 and within a few months the Justice Court judge had lost central vision in both eyes. “Last report I got said my eyesight was 2400/2800,” said Little. “In the state of Mississip-
pi, they consider 2200 legally blind.” Little said he can no longer drive and often only sees shadows. “The disorder has really affected my work,” he said. “Up until this week, I have had to rely on someone to be with me in the courtroom to read me affidavits and other documents.” Little’s Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services counselor Kathy Yates, who helps her patients stay independent and working in the community, first turned the judge on to the possibility of placing sight service equipment in his office and courtroom. “I was open to it, as long as
it helped me get the job done,” said Little. The new equipment included a 24-inch monitor with video and zoom magnification, a 17inch laptop with document scanning camera, an oversized keyboard and several pieces of screen magnification and zoom text software. “The system’s camera can take a picture of an eight point document and enlarge it on the screen to 60 point,” said Mike Self with Freedom Scientific, who helped install the system. “The software can read a document aloud and can magnify any program on the computer Please see SIGHT | 2A
Deadline arrives for community yard sale BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Northeast orientation Ansley Burns, a Biggersville High School graduate, talks to members of Northeast Mississippi Community College’s Iota Zeta chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society about the benefits of qualifying for the organization and transfer scholarship opportunities at four-year colleges/universities. Burns was part of one of the largest orientation classes at the Booneville-based college, which held two days’ worth of orientation sessions for incoming freshmen on Monday, June 22 and Tuesday, June 23. First day of class for the college is set for Monday, Aug. 17.
Crossroads Museum hopes to clean up as the community cleans out. The museum is hoping Saturday’s Daily Corinthian/ Crossroads Museum Community Yard Sale will put a dent in money needed to build housing for the 1924 American LaFrance pumper fire truck donated to the museum. “People have brought so many things for the museum to sell and we still have things coming,” said Crossroads Museum Executive Director Brandy Steen. Proceeds from 10x10 booth spaces at the yard sale and what the museum makes from its own booth will benefit the campaign to house the 1924 Corinth fire truck. Booth space is $20. The yard sale, set for Saturday from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., will be held at the CARE Garden and Historic Depot.
Unlike the annual Green Market, the yard sale will not be governed, according to Steen. Items such as clothing, furniture, glassware, antiques, toys, electronics, handcrafted items, baked and food goods and commercial products are a sample of things which can be sold. “There will also be items marked down in the gift shop,” added Steen. As of Wednesday afternoon, 22 different individuals had registered for the community yard sale with 25 spots sold. Weather could pose a problem for the event. Rain is in the forecast for Saturday. Please see SALE | 2A
25 years ago
10 years ago
Corinth High School pitcher Michael Nash signs a scholarship to play for Southern Arkansas University. Warrior golfer Chuck Counce will also continue his playing career, signing with the University of Tennessee-Martin.
Iesha Bridges of Biggersville is elected as junior state president for FFA. Bridges becomes the first African-American elected to the state level post.
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