Tuesday July 8,
2014
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 118, No. 160
Partly sunny Today
Tonight
93
73
20% chance of storms
• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • 1 section
Judge, constable count unchanged BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Alcorn County will stay at two justice court judges and constables rather than increasing to three. With a new law that became effective last week, counties have the authority to stay at their current number, even if
they have reached higher population thresholds. The Board of Supervisors on Monday passed a resolution to maintain two districts. The 2010 census showed Alcorn County entering a new population bracket of 35,000 to 70,000, which required three justice court judge districts un-
der state law. But the new law passed this year states that the board may “by resolution duly spread upon its minutes, [find] that two is a competent number of justice court judges to adequately handle the needs of the citizens of the county.” Board Attorney Bill Davis said it is his understanding that
the constable districts automatically follow suit. He plans to have a map from the Northeast Mississippi Planning and Development District to present at the next meeting. Like the supervisor districts, the two judge districts must be equalized according to the census, so some boundary shifts
may occur, and those are expected to be minor. In other business before the board: ■ District 2 resident Billy Hutson addressed the board to express concern about the condition of roads in the district. Please see SUPERVISORS | 2
Man’s body found in Eastport Marina BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
TISHOMINGO COUNTY — A Baldwyn man was found dead and floating near a boat slip at Eastport Marina in Tishomingo County on Saturday night. The body of David Wesson, 56, was discovered around 7 p.m., in Pickwick Lake. Witnesses said Wesson was last seen on
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
The Alcorn County Fair will have plenty of cowboys and cowgirls at the Crossroads Arena during its headline event on Sept. 19-20. Ranchey Productions is slated to headline the 4th Annual Alcorn County Fair with bull riding events on both nights.
Fair taking a run with the bulls nights.” The fair – in its fourth year at the Crossroads Arena – is set to kickoff a new year on Sept. 16-20. “We are starting to gain momentum,” said fair committee member Sandy Mitchell of completing the lineup for the five days of old time fun for the family. Ranchey Productions, of Robertsdale, Alabama, has several activities planned to go along with the fair. “They do an anti-bullying campaign which is huge,” said Turner.
BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
The Alcorn County Fair is taking a run with the bulls to help children in the area. Ranchey Productions is slated to headline the 4th Annual Alcorn County Fair with bull riding events on September 19-20. “Cody Harris – a partner in the bull riding company – and his family have been involved in bull riding events for 40 years,” said fair committee member Danny Turner. “Bull riders will be coming in from all over the country for the two
In the campaign, rodeo clown Carson Citais and a bull rider from the company go into schools and perform a skit for those in third grade and below. “Every child in those grades will get a free pass to attend either the Friday or Saturday night show,” added Turner. The passes are one of the many ways organizers give back to children in the county. Last year, $15,000 was awarded to both city and county schools. “Our focus has always been Please see FAIR | 2
a pontoon boat before being discovered floating in the water. Tishomingo County Coroner Mack Wilemon said he was unsure if Wesson’s death was am accidental drowning or the result of a medical condition. The Baldwyn native lived in a cabin near the Eastport Marina. The body will be sent to Jackson for an autopsy.
Disaster drill will focus on earthquake scenario BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Alcorn County will host a multi-county emergency preparedness training session this weekend focused on an earthquake scenario. Officials want the public to know there will be some visible activity and some radio traffic may be heard on police scanners as the event takes place. EMAs and some fire personnel from Tishomingo, Tippah, Prentiss and McNairy counties are expected to join Alcorn for the training, which begins Friday evening and concludes early Sunday. “Our biggest thing we’re going to be testing is communications and transportation,” said Emergency Services Coordinator Ricky Gibens. “It’s going to test
our skills and see where we’re at.” Most of the activity will likely be in the Levee Road and Highway 145 area. “You’ll see military tents and other type vehicles set up,” said Gibens. It is one of the drills the agency is required to hold each year in order to continue receiving state and federal funds. Local counties could face big challenges if an earthquake hits the New Madrid fault. If the bridges crossing the river are disabled, Alcorn County could see an influx of people heading east on Highway 72. If a 7.0 or greater occurred quake happened on the New Madrid, “We could have moderate damage here,” said Gibens. “We possibly could lose some of our response equipment.”
Kids Artwork
Fly problem due to heavy rainfall BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
The Crossroads area has seen more rainfall than normal this year when compared to previous years. According to Weatherunderground.com, Corinth has received almost 17 inches of rainfall so far in 2014, which is five inches more than the same time period in 2013. Ag and Natural Resources Extension Agent Patrick Poindexter, with the MSU Extension Service office, attributes the added rainfall to the area’s larger than normal population of flies. “We haven’t had that many calls about flies, but the conditions are there and I can definitely understand why we might be seeing more,” Poindexter said. “It’s 100 percent weather related. We’ve had quite a bit more rain so far this year.” According to fly control experts at Spalding Laboratories, pest fly eggs and larvae normally produce faster in moist areas. When an area sees more than normal rainfall, there are more breeding areas which
will produce more flies. Flies have a staggering reproduction potential with each female fly laying up to 900 eggs. Due to natural predation, plus the need for a moist environment for development, only two to four percent of fly eggs generally make it to adults. However, a small favorable change to factors affecting their survival rate, like more rain can mean a huge increase in the numbers of flies. This is one of the reasons why there are “good” and “bad” fly years. Also, it only takes one burst of wet weather, in an otherwise dry year, to yield a larger than normal batch of flies. Poindexter said he has also received more than a dozen calls about tomato problems. “People are calling asking why their tomato plants are dying,” he said. “It’s simply a rain issue. Excess rainfall is causing a yellowing of the plants. I’ve seen it myself.” The extension agent also mentioned end rot occurring on tomato plants.
Alley Rose South drew a wise subject during the art gallery’s recent camp for children. Her oil pastel owl drawing will be exhibited along with the works of other children through July 31. The gallery at 609 Fillmore St. will host an opening reception with the children on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. Note cards featuring the children’s work can be ordered. The public is invited to come view the children’s work and artwork by other artists from the region.
Please see RAINFALL | 2
Index Stocks........8 Classified......14 Comics........ 9 State........ 5
On this day in history 150 years ago
Weather...... 10 Obituaries........ 6 Opinion........4 Sports...... 12
Tupelo Campaign. A Union diversion causes Gen. Forrest to send half of his force in the wrong direction. The Northerners burn a large portion of Ripley, supposedly in retaliation for civilians who shot at Union troops after Brice’s Crossroads.
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