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DC Travels Readers visit Cancun, Anaheim

Tishomingo Co. Corinth man arrested on burglary charge

Prentiss Co. New board holds first meeting

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Friday July 14,

2017

75 cents

Daily Corinthian Vol. 121, No. 167

Partly sunny Today

Tonight

92

74

60% chance of rain

• Corinth, Mississippi • 18 pages • Two sections

Lockdown after shakedown

MDOC confiscates over 100 cellphones, chargers BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com

The Alcorn County Regional Correctional Facility and its 240 inmates are on lockdown following a Wednesday morning shakedown at the prison. More than 100 cellphones and cellphone chargers, large bags of tobacco and numerous other contraband items, including shoes and shanks, were seized in what the Mississippi Department of Corrections calls the largest regional jail bust this year. “I am stunned at the amount of contraband found and the level to which it appears to have been hidden in this facility,” said MDOC Commissioner Pelicia E. Hall. Alcorn County Sheriff Ben Caldwell requested MDOC’s help with a jail search about six months ago. Now he’s praising the state department for helping discover the contraband.

Photo courtesy of Mississippi Department of Corrections

More than 100 cell phones and cell phone chargers were found by Mississippi Department of Corrections officers on Wednesday during an shakedown of the Alcorn County Regional Correctional Facility. “Like other jails across the country, we have a contraband problem,” he told the Daily

Corinthian. “It’s a problem we fight every day and is exactly why we requested help. A

surprise visit like this is what makes for a good shakedown.” Cellphones hidden in the

ceilings fell as MDOC officers searched the facility. Light fixtures were being used to charge the phones. Phones also were found on surprised inmates. One inmate tried to conceal a cellphone by lying on it, an MDOC officer noted. Contraband was also found in the back of television sets, inside garbage cans, and in the desk of an employee. Hall stressed that the issue of cellphones in the hands of inmates is a public safety concern. She noted there have been numerous cases, not only in the state but also across the country, of cellphones being used to aid in criminal activity. She cited that earlier this month, a South Carolina maximum security prisoner caught in Texas reportedly used a smuggled cellphone in his escape. “Until the Department of Please see SHAKEDOWN | 2A

District approves new handbook Sheriff: Jail has BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com

Handbooks for the upcoming school year were recently approved with changes to the cafeteria debt policy. The Alcorn School District Board of Education accepted the changes made to the K-4th grade, 5th-8th and the 9th-12th grade student handbook. The cafeteria debt handbook change reflects the new policy approved by the school board earlier this year. According to new revisions, when a student’s debt reaches $10, the food service director will call the parent to make them aware of the charge. When a student’s charges reach $15, a letter from the superintendent’s office and the food service department will be sent to the parent requesting payment of the

money owed and the parents will be encouraged to apply for free and reduced lunch. When the unpaid amount reaches $20, the parent will be sent a letter requesting they appear before the school board. The school board agenda will also list the names of the parents who are in default along with the amount owed. Also added to the handbooks are information on the Every Student Succeeds Act which give parent’s the right to know whether a teacher has met state qualifications and licensing criteria. Two more items were added to the handbooks. All graded work must be completed at school and exams must be administered by the classroom teacher. Handbooks for staff/teacher, coaches and student athletics

were also approved. In other school news: • The school district will receive a literacy grant which will pay for the hiring of a new literacy coach in the district. Risa Smith was approved for the position and will become the district’s first, full-time literacy coach on staff when the 2017-18 school year begins next month. The board also accepted a grant from Project Lead The Way. The $28,602.72 grant will be used for programs at Alcorn Central Elementary School, Alcorn Central Middle School, Biggersville Elementary School and Kossuth Elementary School. • The board recently approved a slate of new hires. Certified staff hires included Teresa Crum; Elizabeth Cunning-

overflow issues

Please see DISTRICT | 5A

Please see JAIL | 2A

Alcorn County will get some Prentiss inmates BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com

BOONEVILLE — City and county officials are looking at options to deal with a growing and overflowing number of inmates needing to be housed in the county jail. The Prentiss County Jail recently received reapproval to house state inmates after taking steps to reduce the overpopulation. A federal court order

requires the jail to maintain a maximum inmate population of no more than 70. Sheriff Randy Tolar was notified in May the jail could lose its certification to house inmates in the joint state/county work program if the overpopulation issue was not corrected. The recent reapproval reflects efforts to reduce

Festival salutes famous sandwich BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com

The ultimate Corinth delicacy will be honored and devoured by many this weekend. Main Street Corinth will present the 30th Annual Slugburger Festival on the grounds of the Historic Corinth Depot on Friday and Saturday. “The weekend is full of great fun in downtown,” said Main Street Corinth Director Angela Avent. “We have entertainment, carnival rides, a eating contest, a pageant and, of course, slugburgers will be cooked fresh and ready for festival attendees to enjoy.”

“The weekend is full of great fun in downtown. We have entertainment, carnival rides, a eating contest, a pageant and, of course, slugburgers will be cooked fresh and ready for festival attendees to enjoy.” Angela Avent Main Street Corinth director The essential summer festival kicked off Thursday night and continues through Saturday night with nonstop slate of events.

Friday’s entertainment lineup includes Cary Hudson and George McConnell at 7 p.m. and

Photo courtesy of Main Street Corinth

Please see FESTIVAL | 5A

Cooked on site slugburgers will be available for purchase during this weekend’s 30th Annual Slugburger Festival.

25 years ago

10 years ago

A ribbon cutting ceremony is held to mark the opening of fourlane U.S. Highway 45 between the Prentiss County line and Corinth.

The 89th Annual Mississippi American Legion Convention comes to Corinth, bringing up to 600 people to the area.

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