071814 daily corinthian e edition

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Friday July 18,

2014

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Daily Corinthian Vol. 118, No. 169

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• Corinth, Mississippi • 20 pages • 2 sections

Supervisor $candal

Purchase clerk arrested; investigation continues BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

A complaint of embezzlement against District 2 Supervisor Dal Nelms led to the execution of search warrants this week and the subsequent arrest on Thursday morning of County Purchase Clerk Paul Rhodes. The clerk was arrested on a warrant signed by Special Agent Bo Howard of the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office for hindering prosecution in the first degree. Rhodes, 54, was arraigned in Lee County Circuit Court with bond set at $10,000. He was present at a meeting at the supervisors’ office Thursday afternoon with State Auditor Stacey Pickering. According to the warrant, the

complaint received last December alleged that Nelms “was purchasing items through the county and converting them to per- Rhodes sonal use, taking gas and other county supplies and converting them to personal use, and using county funds to clear fictitious garbage dump sites. While investigating the initial complaint, I have discovered that Nelms and William Please see ARREST | 2A

This chart presented by the state auditor shows District 2’s spending on cleanup of dump sites far exceeding that of other districts.

Shelter offering summer savings

Tourism requests approved BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

Organizations seeking funding from the Corinth Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Board got what they needed. A trio applicants were granted funding to be used for advertising in upcoming events on Wednesday. First-time applicant, Rosie McGee had $1,000 approved for a September play at the Corinth Coliseum. “I want to bring a play to Corinth that inspires people,” said McGee. “The play will make you laugh and cry … it will touch of the emotions.” “Oh, My Child and Gospel Music” is scheduled for Sept. 27. The play is expected to draw 980 people, according to the playwright. “It can’t get here soon enough for me,” said J.C. Hill, who attended the meeting with McGee. “I think it’s an award-winning play which will bring in some local people.” Tickets are $15 for the show. “Back 2 School Summer Jam” was granted $1,000 for its Sept. 6 date at E.S. Bishop Memorial Park. Former Corinthian DeWayne Please see TOURISM | 2A

BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com

outs,” said Waycaster. “One is more softball based, while the second is more soccer based.” The softball based layout proposes the constructing of four new softball fields on the newly purchased land off Droke Road. The area would also include seven soccer fields. “We purpose the main entrance to the park be moved from it’s current location on

The Corinth-Alcorn Animal Shelter is combating several slow adoption months with a special Summer Savings event set for Saturday at the shelter on Proper Street. The event, scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., will include special adoption pricing on dogs and cats, along with a barbecue lunch and car wash. “It has been very slow this summer for adoptions, so we decided to do a discount event and offer some other fundraising opportunities,” said Volunteer Director Charlotte Doehner. “We hope this might speed up the decision making for those folks who have recently considered adopting an animal.” The shelter will offer special adoption fees of $20 for some dogs and $10 for cats from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., while all remaining dogs and cats will be half price from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Please see PARK | 2A

Please see SAVINGS | 2A

Staff photo by Zack Steen

Crossroads Regional Park Director Ray Holloway discusses park expansion ideas with Corinth-Alcorn County Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman Butch Carmichiel and Corinth Area Convention & Visitor’s Bureau President Russell Smith.

Survey ideas presented to park BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com

Crossroads Regional Park board members are one step closer to determining how to spend the $5.3 million set aside for Corinth’s park expansion project. Representatives from Mississippi State University’s Carl Small Town Center met Thursday afternoon with representatives from the park and Corinth Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau to

discuss ideas determined by surveys collected during the last several weeks. “This is not our plans,” said park commission chairman Butch Carmichiel. “We will, however, definitely try to combine some of the ideas presented by the Small Town Center folks.” According to architecture intern Hannah Waycaster, surveys were collected both in person at the park and online. “We have two proposed lay-

Defendants enter guilty pleas in Alcorn County Circuit Court BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

A judge handed down numerous sentences in Alcorn County Circuit Court during plea days on Tuesday and Wednesday. Among them was a woman accused of helping to stage a robbery at a store where she was employed. Jessica Paige Smith, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an armed

robbery. Judge Jim Pounds imposed a suspended five-year sentence with five years probation and a $500 fine. She must also pay restitution jointly with codefendants to Dollar General in the amount of $3,253 and testify against another defendant. Smith was employed at the Dollar General on Shiloh Road last December when police said

the Ramer resident worked with others to set up a robbery that took place on a late evening while Smith was kneeling in front of the open store safe. A man wearing a ski mask and carrying a handgun came into the store, approached the clerk and left with cash from the safe. Two others were charged with armed robbery at the time. Other sentences:

Index Stocks......8A Classified......3B Comics......9A State......5A

n Denard Dorsey, 28, possession of marijuana — Suspended three-year sentence, two years probation and $1,000 fine n Twana Dyson, 32, sale of buprenorphine — Suspended eight-year sentence, five years probation and $1,000 fine n Danny Brown, 37, grand larceny — Suspended five-year sentence, three years probation and $1,000 fine

n T.C. Poplar, 57, possession of marijuana with intent — Suspended five-year sentence, three years probation and $1,000 fine n Billy Keith Tennyson Jr., 36, theft of motor vehicle — Suspended five-year sentence; three years probation; $1,000 fine; pay restitution of $1,059

On this day in history 150 years ago

Weather....10A Obituaries......6A Opinion......4A Sports....12A

Atlanta Campaign: John Bell Hood, newly appointed commander of the Army of Tennessee, is promoted to lieutenant general. He makes plans to take the offensive and drive away Sherman’s army, which is now within three miles of the city.

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