Prentiss Co. Unemployment rate goes up
McNairy Co. State cuts sales tax on groceries
Tishomingo Co. Officials arrest Rienzi woman
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Tuesday July 11,
2017
75 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 121, No. 164
Mostly sunny Today
Tonight
95
71
0% chance of rain
• Corinth, Mississippi • 14 pages • One section
Corinth police launch arson probe BY MARK BOEHLER editor@dailycorinthian.com
The Corinth Fire Department is investigating an early Monday morning fire as arson. The Corinth Fire Department responded to a 3:15 a.m. Monday blaze at a mobile home in Crum Trailer Park off Miller Road. The front porch of the mobile
“We are treating it as an arson. It is under investigation.” Det. Capt. Dell Green Corinth Police Department home was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived, CFD Training Officer Jerry Whirley
told the Daily Corinthian. The fire destroyed the porch and damaged the mobile home,
but the person renting the mobile home managed to escape without injury. “We are treating it as an arson,” Corinth Police Department Det. Capt. Dell Green told the Daily Corinthian. “It is under investigation.” A state fire marshal has been summoned to the crime seen to determine the cause of the fire,
The next great artist?
Cops arrest man trying to capture lewd photo
BY JEBB JOHNSTON The Alcorn County Sheriff’s Department is investigating a Friday crash that resulted in a fatality. The crash victim was Jessica Cheri Wilson, 30, of Burnsville. The single-vehicle crash happened on a county road in the Farmington area around 3 a.m., said Chief Deputy Dusty Essary. The release of additional details is pending as the sheriff’s department is still finalizing its report on the crash. Wilson died Friday at Regional One Health in Memphis, Tenn. Funeral services for Wilson are set for 1 p.m. Wednesday at Cutshall Funeral Home in Glen.
BY JEBB JOHNSTON
Please see PHOTO | 5
Woman dies in accident jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
A man who attempted to take a phone photo up a woman’s skirt in a Corinth store got caught in the act. Donnie Rorie, 61, of Rienzi, was arrested on Friday and charged with secretly photographing for lewd purposes, a felony. Capt. Dell Green of the Corinth Police Department said the woman realized what was happening and used her own mobile phone to take a photo of the man, which she gave to police when she reported what happened on June 26. The police department was able to identify the suspect. Green said Rorie admitted to taking the picture, and a search of his phone after obtaining a warrant revealed photos of additional victims. The alleged crime happened at Walmart. Rorie was released after posting bond. In a separate case, the police department has charged a Corinth man who allegedly fired a gun into several residences on Independence Day. Marcell Walls, 25, of 308 Fulton Street, was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
said Green. “The victim was inside asleep and awoke to a noise,” said the detective. “He then noticed a fire at his front door. He managed to escape.” Whirley said all four CFD units responsed with 14 firefighters on the scene. They were on the scene for about two hours, he said.
Staff photo by Jebb Johnston
Defendants Gallery hosts show for art camp kids plead guilty Working on a piece during the last session of camp on June 29 are, clockwise from bottom left, Allyn Tucker, Savanna Csapo, Ella Grace Kinney and Hattie Alexander.
BY JEBB JOHNSTON
“We like to give lessons for adults and for children. But each year I am inspired again by the special creativity of these children and the art they produce.”
jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
A group of eager youth gathered at the art gallery in recent weeks to produce the next great painting for mom’s refrigerator door. Two dozen children participated in the annual summer art camp, and they now get to reap the rewards with their own gallery exhibit, an opening reception and an opportunity to make a sale. The opening reception is Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Corinth Artist Guild Gallery at 609 North Fillmore, and the exhibit runs
“We like to give lessons for adults and for children,” said Guild President Sonny Boat-
Numerous defendants were sentenced following guilty pleas during the June term of Alcorn County Circuit Court. Sentences handed down, according to court records, include the following: • Timothy Rashad Davis, 37, possession of methamphetamine — Suspended eight-year sentence and five years of probation • Gary Henry, 65, sale of hydrocodone — Suspended eight-
Please see ART | 5
Please see DEFENDANTS | 2
Sonny Boatman Guild president through Aug. 11. The artist guild views the summer art camp as one of its most important educational efforts.
BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Daily Corinthian wins nine state, regional press awards Staff Reports
The Daily Corinthian has won nine awards from two different state and regional newspaper organizations, including five first places. Five awards were received from the Mississippi Press Association (MPA) on Saturday and four others came from the Louisiana/Mississippi Associated Press Managing Editors
(APME) organization earlier in the year. The awards were for work in 2016. “We are proud of the recognition the Daily Corinthian and our writers received from the APME,” said Daily Corinthian Publisher Reece Terry. “We are equally proud of the recognition our design team and writers received from the Mississippi Press
Association. It’s always gratifying to be recognized by our peers in the newspaper industry.”
APME Awards ■ First place, headlines ■ First place, general news story; staff writer Zack Steen for his “Two schools final chapter” for the story about the last day of school at Glendale and Rienzi elementary schools.
25 years ago
Doug Jumper
Michael McCreary
Rick Jones
Neil Paul
Marea Wilson
Alexis Rudd
■ First place, design ■ Second and third place, headlines ■ Second place, general interest column; editor Mark Boehler for his Sidetracks columns ■ Third place, editorials; Boehler for his “Our View” editorials which publish on Sundays.
“Crowns” wins the annual Maggie Award for Outstanding Production of the 2006-7 season at Corinth Theatre-Arts.
2007-2017
John & Brenda Hayes
MPA Awards
10 years ago
Ground is broken for a new boat ramp at Burnsville.
10 Year Anniversary!
■ First place, feature story; former staff writer Bobby J. Smith for his “Day at the fair” story about a day at the Alcorn County Fair; Smith is now a freelance writer for the newspaper and its magazines. ■ First place, business story, former staff writer Kimberly Shelton for her story about the unique Old Fashioned Soda Shop in downtown Corinth.
Roger Clark
Audrey McNair
Carl Jones
2782 S Harper Rd
www.jumperrealty.com