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Friday Aug. 28,
2015
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Daily Corinthian Vol. 119, No. 206
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 22 pages • Two sections
Student charged in MSU threats BY JEFF AMY Associated Press
JACKSON — A student who Mississippi State University officials say threatened to kill himself and others will face misdemeanor disorderly conduct charges and has been referred for a mental and psycho-
Freshman referred for mental, psychological evaluation logical evaluation. MSU police arrested Phu-Qui Cong “Bill” Nguyen, a freshman from Madison, after a campus alert warning of an “active shooter” prompted a lock-
down. MSU Police Chief Vance Rice said Nguyen did not have a gun when they arrested him, that no shots were fired on the 20,000-student campus in Starkville, and no one was hurt.
MSU spokesman Sid Salter said he didn’t know if Nguyen, a computer engineering major, had a lawyer who could speak for him. The Associated Press could not locate his family
members Thursday. Warren Strain, a spokesman for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, said Nguyen was on the phone with an Army recruiter in the Jackson area when the recruiter became Please see MSU | 6A
Small school, big honor Local students express horror BY KIMBERLY SHELTON kshelton@dailycorinthian.com
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Biggersville High School yearbook composer Deborah Jackson learned this week that the Lions’ yearbook was recognized by Balfour.
BHS yearbook earns national award BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
BIGGERSVILLE — “We are … Biggersville Lions” is among the best. The Biggersville High School
2014 yearbook received Honorable Mention recognition this week from Balfour Yearbooks. BHS was listed in the 312-page “Yearbook Yearbook” done by Balfour each year and present-
ed a certificate for Outstanding Contribution to Scholastic Journalism. “I was excited to say the Please see YEARBOOK | 2A
What should have been a normal school day morphed into a nightmare as students on the campus of Mississippi State University were alerted that an active shooter was combing the halls. Brian Stovall of Corinth vividly recalled the moment when he learned of the danger. As an Interdisciplinary Studies major, Stovall was sitting in trigonometry class in Carpenter Hall when a classmate alerted everyone she had just received a maroon alert warning that an active shooter was in the very building. “Everyone started to panic. Most people ran to the windows while a few guys guarded and barricaded the door. The windows were painted shut, but we were able to pry one open a little later. Some students ran out the door as soon as the news came while some of us chose to stay put. “Within 10 minutes, we saw a cop patrolling the halls and asking us to stay sheltered. Before then, it was an uneasy, tense, scary situation,” said the 2004 graduate of Biggersville High School. “State is a big school, but when you hear something like that is going on, in of all places, your class building at the very time you have class there, it’s unsettling.” “At about 11 a.m., the po-
Corinth needs Preservation Commission members BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The City of Corinth wants to hear from residents interested in serving on the Corinth Preservation Commission. Resumes are being accepted through Sept. 18. The nine-member commission currently has a vacancy that resulted from the death of Stephanie Sandy, and another three seats are up for appointment with terms ending Nov. 1. Those three commission mem-
bers — Anne Thompson, Brian McCullen and Joe Carroll — are eligible to be reappointed by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. The terms are three years for the unpaid positions. The city ordinance calls for the commission, to the extent possible, to consist of professionals in the areas of architecture, history, architectural history or archaeology, or from secondary historic preservation-related disciplines such as urban planning, American studies, Ameri-
can civilization, cultural geography, cultural anthropology, interior design and law. But it can be tough to meet those requirements in a small city. “If there are not enough qualified people, we do have the option of scaling back the number of people on our commission,” said Dave Huwe, director of community planning and development. State law calls for at least five commission members but no
more than nine. The commission’s main role is reviewing proposed changes to buildings in the historic district of the city’s downtown. “When someone is planning to modify the exterior of a building, their plans go to the preservation commission for a certificate of appropriateness,” said Huwe. “They make decisions only on the exterior of the building.”
“... It was an uneasy, tense, scary situation.” Brian Stovall MSU student from Corinth lice told us it was all clear and we should go home or to our dorms, but not back to class for the time being,” he continued. “As most students got the news, the drill field started to fill. Still with a slightly less uneasy, tense feeling, but you could tell it was there. “Then, all the students started yelling and running in a northeast direction like something else had happened. I’m talking upward of 1,000 people yelling and running at once. I’m not sure what caused the second wave of panic, but no one stuck around to question or discover why.” While the experience is a memory he and his fellow students won’t soon forget, Stovall believes it will bring everyone closer togther. “We will probably connect over it,” he said. “School is all about learning and connecting. We did both today.” According to MSU spokesman Sid Salter, the university issued the maroon alert of an active shooter after they rePlease see REACTION | 2A
“If there are not enough qualified people, we do have the option of scaling back the number of people on our commission.” Dave Huwe Corinth Director of Community Planning and Development
Please see PRESERVATION | 2A
25 years ago
10 years ago
Corinth Housing Authority receives a $2.7 million federal grant to update 110 rental units at Combs Court and 50 units at Robbins Apartments. Executive Director Bobby R. Wood says the work is a long-awaited complete modernization of the units.
Officials predict a bumper year for corn crops in the county. Mississippi State University Extension Service County Director Patrick Poindexter says good growing conditions have created a scenario for a highly successful year.
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