Issuu

Thursday Sept. 20,

2012

50 cents

Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 227

Mostly sunny Today

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0% chance of rain

• Corinth, Mississippi • 18 pages • Two sections

Narcotics unit busts 3 on meth charges BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

The Alcorn Narcotics Unit has placed felony drug charges against three individuals in two cases this week. Charged with felony possession of methamphetamine are: ■ Plesant Airel Hopkins, 31,

of County Road 156, Corinth ■ Russell Allen Cormier, 23, of Booneville ■ Michael Brandon Johnson, 32, of Milledgeville Road, Enville, Tenn. A checkpoint conducted by deputies on Kimberly Clark Road on Wednesday resulted in

the arrest of Plesant Hopkins. Deputies found that Hopkins’ license was suspended, and a search of the vehicle uncovered a clear bag containing methamphetamine, said Narcotics Officer Darrell Hopkins. The arrest of Cormier and Johnson happened Tuesday

while narcotics officers were monitoring a residence following complaints of drug activity. Officers stopped Johnson after he left the residence and found he had a suspended license. A check of the vehicle, in which Cormier was a passenger, revealed methamphetamine, nee-

dles and a pipe used to smoke methamphetamine, said Hopkins. Cormier was on probation and will be held for the Mississippi Department of Corrections. All of the subjects were awaiting bond as of 1 p.m. Wednesday.

Caterpillar plant fire quickly contained BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

Staff photo by Steve Beavers

Beacon of Hope

Crossroads Center for Emotional Care Community Education Director Dana Jenkins and the center will be celebrating 20 years of caring for those suffering from mental and emotional disorders. The event is set for 4-6 p.m. today in the conference center at Magnolia Regional Health Center.

A Tuesday night fire at Caterpillar was quickly contained by the Corinth Fire Department. The fire was reported at Caterpillar's remanufacturing facility on Cardinal Drive around 8:18 p.m. “There wasn't much to it,” said Corinth Fire Chief Rob Price. “It looked like there was more fire than it actually was.” When firemen arrived on the scene, flames were coming out of the roof according to Price. The plant had already been evacuated when a fire unit was dispatched inside the plant while another was on top of the building. The blaze was limited to a piece of equipment, according to a plant statement released on Wednesday. “A majority of the fire was coming out of a vent,” said the chief. No one was was injured and the building suffered no damage. Employees were allowed to return to work later that shift. The city's four pumpers and ladder truck all responded to the call. The Sheriff's Department and an ambulance from Magnolia Regional Health Center were also on the scene. Price said his department left the scene at 9:09 p.m. “We appreciate all the firefighters who responded to the call at our facility last night and our first responder employees who reacted promptly to the situation,” said Mississippi Remanufacturing Operations Manager Roberto Ortega.

Aldermen approve variance for apartments near middle school BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

Corinth aldermen on Tuesday approved a variance request that will allow construction of a four-unit apartment building near Corinth Middle School. The apartments will adjoin an existing four-plex on Douglas Street facing Warrior Circle. The four-plex was originally planned in 2004, but the project did not move forward at that time. Since then, the zoning of the area has changed to exclude multi-family residences. The existing four-plex was

built with the intent of adding another and already has the needed firewall in place, said attorney Bill Odom, representing new owner Rebecca Burcham. The new construction will mirror the existing building. The request was handled as a variance rather than a zoning change because the lot size is less than 2 acres, but that led to some concern about giving adequate notice to the neighborhood. Unlike a zoning change, a variance does not require notification by signage and does not require the gathering of signatures of adjoining property

owners. In recommending approval of the variance, the board of adjustment required signage to be placed. No opposition to the plan has been stated, and aldermen approved the request. The board also approved a variance request for the replacement of a tree-damaged garage at the Colon and Nell McGee residence on Webster Street. In other business: ■ In executive session, the board approved a pay structure adjustment for the sewer de-

partment. ■ The board approved renewal of insurance with Blue Cross Blue Shield and Am First with a rate reduction of 5 percent, which will save $35,000 in the coming year. ■ In property cleanup, the board adjudicated for demolition a house at 216 Penn Street. The dilapidated structure is not secure and has an open cistern on the property, according to Code Enforcement Officer Kim Ratliff. The board gave a continuance to Oct. 2 for 815 Sixth Street, where the owner is expected to have mowing done

this week. The board set new public hearings for 5 p.m. Oct. 2 for four other properties — the Melvin McClamroch estate on Meigg Street, the Tom Collins estate at the corner of Crater and White, the Lasley estate at the corner of Dorsey and White, and the Chambers property at 1515 Meigg Street. The board voted to adjudicate the actual cost plus a $500 penalty at 1123 North Madison, 1521 Jackson and 920 Cass. ■ Milus Copeland addressed the board about an employment matter in closed session.

Corinth generating tourism buzz in national and regional media BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com

Corinth is generating some media buzz near and far. Corinth’s offerings as a travel destination are being recognized by media outlets ranging from a regional magazine to a national publication with a circulation in the millions.

The upcoming Grand Illumination will be included in the calendar of the October Issue of “Southern Living” magazine. The Corinth Area Convention & Visitors Bureau staff submitted Corinth’s Grand Illumination for the “Southern Living” calendar many months ago, said Tourism Director Kristy

White. “The editors only select two or three events per state,” White said. “Obviously, Grand Illumination struck a chord with them and will hopefully pique the interest of the approximately 2,830,000 readers of the magazine.” The Grand Illumination will

Index Stocks........ 7 Classified......14 Comics...... 12 Wisdom...... 11

Weather........5 Obituaries........ 3 Opinion........ 4 Sports........8

be held Nov. 2-3. The Civil War history of the Crossroads City was recently featured on a CNN.com list of “12 fascinating Civil War sites,” and Corinth in general will soon be the focus of an article in “CLICK,” a magazine by the publishers of the Desoto Times-Tribune.

“In many cases, word of mouth is a powerful tool. With both the CNN feature and the ‘CLICK’ magazine in DeSoto County, their decision to feature Corinth and Alcorn County was unsolicited,” White said. “But as soon as the CVB staff Please see TOURISM | 2

On this day in history 150 years ago Price manages to withdraw his army and escape Grant’s trap in the Battle of Iuka. A tally of the casualties reveals 2,306 men killed, wounded and missing. Price begins a march toward Ripley for a junction with Gen. Van Dorn’s army.

2 • Daily Corinthian

Local/Region

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Day for kids offers fun for all Arena board considers BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

The Boys & Girls Club of Northeast Mississippi wants everyone to be a kid for a day. Saturday has been set aside as the club's annual “Day for Kids” at Crossroads Regional Park. “Saturday will be an opportunity to expose kids to a fun day without any worries,” said Christy Grice, unit director of the local Boys & Girls Club. “They get to see that they are our prized possession.” “Day for Kids” is set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The park will be filled with lots of games along with face painting, inflatables and

plenty of food. “Everything is free for kids of all ages,” said Grice. “We want everyone to come out and have a good time.” “Day for Kids” came about as a way to celebrate children. Started by the Boys & Girls Club of America in 2005, the day

is held a Saturday during the month of September. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America created the annual event to strengthen relationships between positive adults and kids by educating them on the importance of spending meaningful time together. Research shows that when adults spend meaningful time with kids it helps them develop a positive self-image and a sense of belonging, usefulness and purpose. The time also provides adults and kids an opportunity to take a break from their busy lives and celebrate the wonder of life and the fulfillment of spending time together.

Staff photo by Steve Beavers

Celebrating 20 years of caring

The Crossroads Center for Emotional Care staff has served 7,800 in-patient admissions and answered almost 20,000 calls for assistance or referrals since 1992.

building rental policies BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

A pair of citizens addressed the Crossroads Arena Board about rental issues. J.C. Hill, president of the Alcorn County Chapter of the NAACP, and Pauline Sorrell spoke with the board about the policy on security, beverages and weekend ad-on costs during its monthly meeting on Wednesday. “I want to make you aware of obstacles we face as renters,” said Hill. “The bottom line is not attractive to put on an event here.” Hill told the board that the local NAACP chapter had held many events at the arena. The chapter has also won the bid to host the state convention in 2013. “There will be a great deal of activities during the convention and I want the board to redefine some of the policies,” said Hill. On the beverage policy, the board rules and regulations states that no alcoholic beverages may be brought into the Crossroads Arena. Alcoholic beverages (beer) will be sold by Crossroads Arena during appropriate events. No alcoholic beverages may be consumed in the parking lot. Crossroads Arena is located inside the city limits of Corinth where beer only is legal for sale. Alcorn County is dry and

Submitted photo

Two qualify for McNairy election BY JEFF YORK Special to the Daily Corinthian

SELMER, Tenn. — The ballot is now set in McNairy County after two candidates qualified to seek the job of circuit court clerk. The candidates will fill the unexpired term of new McNairy County Mayor Ronnie Brooks. Kevin Lipford was cho-

sen by the Democrats and Byron Maxedon was nominated by the Republicans to try to win the election for McNairy County Circuit Court Clerk. The election will be held Nov. 6. The winner between Lipford and Maxedon will serve a two-year term in office. The position will be on the ballot again in

2014. McNairy County Administrator of Elections Joanie Collins said that early voting for the upcoming election will be held from Oct. 17-Nov. 1. The deadline to register to vote will be Oct. 8. Collins said anyone coming to register to vote will need a proof of residence in McNairy County.

TOURISM CONTINUED FROM 1

was contacted for information, we readily sent it.” The CNN.com list focuses on the Battle of Shiloh and features a photo of the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center. The text urges history-minded

travelers to follow the path of the Confederate retreat to Corinth and outlines Corinth’s crucial strategic importance during the war. A hyperlink in the text leads to the Crossroads Museum’s website. Along with the increase in publicity should come an upswing in the number

of visitors to Corinth’s historical attractions, motels, restaurants and shops, the tourism director said. “Working the press and media to get the word out through editorial coverage is just another facet of the tourism office’s marketing plan,” said White.

vis, wants the arena to be the first place people look when having a event and not have to go out of town. “The bottom line is can we afford to have an event in a nice arena or do we have to find an alternative,” said the chapter president. In other board business, board chairman Dr. Hardwick Kay lauded the board as well as the Alcorn County Fair Committee for their job during last week's event. “The fair was a huge success,” he said. “There was a lot of support with so many other things going on at the same time.” Kay said the days ahead for the facility are going to be a busy one. “We have more things going on than ever before,” he said. “The arena is going to be very busy from here on out.” Other business included: ■ approved paying all but one bill through September 30. ■ announced the Farm Show dates as Jan.17-19. ■ accepted the bid of $3,600 by Lawson Welding to sandblast the marquee. ■ took under advisement the data backup advice of Brad Thompson with Geek Express LLC. ■ announced the board will meet the first and third Wednesday in October. The dates are Oct. 3rd and 17th at 1:30 p.m.

Things to Do Today

TOPS Corinth wins top awards for weight loss Corinth was well represented recently at the Watermelon Fest hosted by TOPS Caledonia Chapter No. 270. Both Corinth chapters received awards for the Chapter Average Loss for the Quarter. Betty Jones, left, is leader of Corinth Chapter No. 306 and Heather Johnson is leader of Corinth Chapter No. 359. Chapter No. 359 was first place with an average of 12.30 pounds per person and Chapter No. 306 placed third with a 4.54 pounds average. Fifty-five TOPS members from 11 area chapters attended the event held in Caledonia.

the sale of liquor is illegal under the laws of the State of Mississippi. After regular business hours, room rentals require a minimum of one staff member to be present to open and secure doors and to attend to your needs. That cost is $20 per hour and $30 per hour on holidays. “If we serve beer it has to be our beer and our policy is to have someone from the staff here if there is an event,” said board vice chairman Alva Dalton. “If we allow you to do it, we would have to bend it for everyone.” Hill stressed to the board the problem of showing a profit for renters due to the current polices. “It is very difficult to make any money when you rent the arena because of all the guidelines,” he said. “We always work with everyone,” said board member Jane Clark Summers. Dalton said the arena has policies in place to stay in business. “A lot of people in Corinth and Alcorn County look at the arena as a civic center that should be open to everyone,” he said. “People don't understand we need to make money to exist.” Hill, who commended the help of Operations Manager Greg Moss and staff member Cindy Da-

Story Hour Pre-school Story Hour is held each Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Corinth Library. Year-round art exhibits are also on display and educational non-profit groups meet in the auditorium monthly. The Corinth Friends of the Library hold its ongoing book sale inside the library. Hardback, paperback and audio books, and VHS and DVD donations to the library are always appreciated. For more information, call 287-2441.

Activity center The Bishop Activity Center is having the following activities for the week of Sept. 17-21: Today -- Pet Therapy, Corinth Animal Shelter. Senior citizens, age 60 and above, are welcome and encouraged to attend. Daily activites also include jigsaw puzzles, quilting, table games (Dominoes & Rook), washer games and Rolo Golf.

Photos on display The 11th Annual Crossroads Museum Photo Contest received 219 entries this year. Those photos are now on display at the museum. The museum is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and on Sunday, 1 p.m.-4 p.m. The museum is located at 221 North Fillmore Street in downtown Corinth. Admission is adults $5; over 50 $3; under 16 free. For more information call 662-287-3120 or visit www.crossroadsmuseum. com.

Welcome Center events Anyone who needs new recipe ideas for tailgating or football gatherings can go by the Mississippi Welcome Center in Alcorn County to pick up a unique recipe for MS Caviar and a free copy of the eat.

drink.MS magazine which features several tailgating recipes. The Welcome Center is also highlighting the great outdoors in Mississippi, including the many outdoor attractions in Alcorn and Tishomingo Counties. Visitors can also fill out one of the comment cards and be entered in the end of the month drawing for a Mississippi specialty gift item. The Welcome Center, 2028 South Tate St., Corinth, is also celebrating Blues Month through Sept. 30. Many Blues artists are from Mississippi, stop in the Welcome Center anytime during normal business hours to pick up an official Blues Trail Map, There will also be information in Blues venue locations and event listings. For more information, call 662-286-3443 or visit alcorn@mississippi.org.

Exhibits held ■ The Corinth Artist Guild Gallery, 504 Cruise St., is hosting an exhibit of Angela Foster’s paintings, “The Menagerie.” The subjects of most of Foster’s work is wildlife, though she also paints landscapes and the occasional portrait. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ■ Paintings by Northeast alumni Dot Courson and her daughter Susan Patton are on display in the Anderson Hall Art Gallery on the Booneville campus of Northeast Mississippi Community College. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Contact Terry Anderson for more information at 662-720-7336 or tfanderson@nemcc.edu. ■ The Crossroads Museum at the Historic Depot at 221 North Fillmore Street (across from Joe’s Shoes) in downtown Corinth has a special Civil War Archives exhibit to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Corinth, Battle of Shiloh and the Civil War. The

exhibit features authentic and some never-beforeseen rare Civil War relics and information from the vast Crossroads Museum archives. The museum is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.4 p.m. and Sunday, 1-4 p.m. Admission is adults, $5; over 50, $3; and children under 16, free. For more information, contact the museum at 662-2873120 or visit www.crossroadsmuseum.com . ■ Dogwood Plantation resident and artist Alice Prussia has 25 additional paintings added to her exhibit at Dogwood Plantation Assisted Living bring her total collection to 75 paintings. Visitors are welcomed to view the exhibit at Dogwood Plantation, 1101 Levee Rd., Corinth.

Shiloh museum A museum dedicated to the Battle of Shiloh and area veterans is now open next to Shiloh National Military Park. It is located at the intersection of state Route 22 and Route 142 in Shiloh, across from Ed Shaw’s Restaurant. The Shiloh Battlefield & World War II Museum is open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. For more information call Larry DeBerry at 731-9260360.

Trading cards Shiloh National Military Park is now offering new Civil War to Civil Rights trading cards. Both the Shiloh Battlefield and the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center are offering 10 free trading cards featuring the people and stories of the Civil War in this area, including lesser-known stories of the Civil War. Each site will offer five different cards on various subjects and personalities. To “earn” a trading card, kids may participate in a ranger-led tour or answer a question about their visit to the park.

Local

3 • Daily Corinthian

Deaths H.E. Barnes Sr.

WALNUT — Funeral services for H.E. Barnes Sr., 73, are set for 2 p.m. today at Souls Harbor Church in Walnut with burial at Community Pentecostal Cemetery in Walnut. Mr. Barnes died Monday, Sept. 17, 2012, at Magnolia Regional Health Center. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester and Willie Mae Barnes; three brothers, F.A., Junior and Vernon “Shorty” Barnes; and two granddaughters, Amanda Barnes and Hunter Hutson. Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Margie Barnes of Walnut; one son, Harold Barnes Jr. (Shelia) of Walnut; three daughters, Teresa Wilbanks (Ronald) and Cindy Prather (Tony), both of Walnut, and Vicki Hutson (Mike) of Glen; one sister, Marlene Russell (Junior) of Walnut; nine grandchildren, Joel Barnes (Lindsey), Stacie Russell (Josh), Dustin Barnes, Josh Wilbanks (Shannon), Haley Hutson, Coty Prather, Heather Hutson, Kayla Prather and Harley Hutson; and seven greatgrandchildren. Bro. Jimmy Rich and Bro. Tim Wilbanks will officiate. Visitation continues until service time at Souls Harbor Church. Cutshall Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Jan McMahan

Funeral services for

Thursday, September 20, 2012

A good year for big cabbages

Jan McMahan, 37, of Corinth, are set for 1 p.m. Friday at Cutshall Funeral Home Chapel in Glen with burial at Henry Cemetery. Mrs. McMahan died Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012, at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Oxford. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Jack and Florence McMahan, and Jack and Ruth Grisham. Survivors include her parents, Doug and Sylvia McMahan of Corinth; and her half-sister, Evelyn Bright (Larry) of Walnut. Bro. Jimmy Daniel will officiate. Visitation is today from 5 until 9 p.m. at Cutshall Funeral Home in Glen.

Louise Sanderson

IUKA — Funeral services for Anna Louise Sanderson, 88, are set for 2 p.m. today at Iuka Baptist Church with burial at Oak Grove Cemetery. Mrs. Sanderson died Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012, at Southern Magnolia Estates in Iuka. She was a member of the Iuka Baptist Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Sanderson; her parents, Hughie and Ludie Smith Miller; and three brothers, James Ray, Durell and Eugene Miller. Rev. Ronnie Hatfield and Bro. Gary Watkins will officiate. Visitation is today from noon until service time at the church. Cutshall Funeral Home - Iuka is in charge of arrangements.

Obituary Policy The Daily Corinthian include the following information in obituaries: The name, age, city of residence of the deceased; when, where and manner of death of the deceased; time and location of funeral service; name of officiant; time and location of visitation; time and location of memorial services; biographical information can include date of birth, education, place of employment/occupation, military service and church membership; survivors can include spouse, children, parents, grandparents, siblings (step included), and grandchildren, great-grandchildren can be listed by number only; preceded in death can include spouse, children, parents, grandparents, siblings (step included), grandchildren; great-grandchildren can be listed by number only. No other information will be included in the obituary. All obituaries (complete and incomplete) will be due no later than 4 p.m. on the day prior to its publication.

Submitted photo

This seemed to be a good year for big cabbages. Herbert Hearn of the Hinkle community grew this 19-1⁄2 pound cabbage this past spring. His two grandchildren, JayLynn, 6 and John Curtis, 5, helped him pick the huge cabbage. Hearn said all four of his cabbage plants this year were way above the average size they have been in past years.

Social Security payments are going electronic BY KERI COLLINS LEWIS MSU Ag Communications

STARKVILLE — Individuals receiving paper benefits checks from the U.S. government have only a few months to sign up to receive payments electronically under the new paper-free system. “Beginning March 1, all federal benefits will be paid electronically, either through direct deposit to a bank account or to

a Direct Express Debit MasterCard,” said Bobbie Shaffett, a family resources management specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. “Consumers receiving paper Social Security checks should make the switch before January to ensure a smooth enrollment process.” Representatives at local banks and credit unions can help their customers

set up direct deposit. New bank customers can open an account and sign up for direct deposit, too. “Switching to electronic payments is free. Be sure to have on hand your most recent federal benefits check so you have the amount and the 12-digit federal benefit check number. You will also need to know your checking or savings account number and your bank or credit

Coming Up in the Daily Corinthian ■ Hog Wild T-shirts will arrive Thursday afternoon. Watch for the debut of the new design coming Friday. ■ Herbert Taylor retires this week after over 30 years of service to the City of Corinth Street and

Sanitation Department. Watch for Steve Beavers’ story about Herbert coming Sunday. ■ Oct. 3-4 marks the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Corinth. Watch for Bobby J. Smith’s story

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Brant Sappington’s story coming Sunday. ■ Who are the Reader’s Choice winners this year? Watch for the special section coming Sunday. ■ Also coming Sunday, the annual Medical Guide.

With Your Health Insurance Plan? With Your CD RATES????? Annuities/IRA’s

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coming Sunday about plans at the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center and the arrival of an historic cannon there. ■ A local group went to Haiti on a mission trip to build houses. Watch for

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1808 E. Shiloh Rd., Corinth, MS • 662-287-3606 Find us on

union’s routing transit number. Your bank can help you with these numbers,” Shaffett said. Current check recipients who do not choose direct deposit can receive a Direct Express prepaid debit card. Learn more about the debit card at http:// www.godirect.org. Representatives at the U.S. Treasury Electronic Payment Solution Center can answer questions.

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Reece Terry, publisher

Opinion

Mark Boehler, editor

4 • Thursday, September 20, 2012

Corinth, Miss.

Letters to the editor

Presidential election remains so important To the editor: This presidential election is perhaps the most important in our lifetime. There are many issues that are legitimate areas for a difference of opinion. This would include the economy, how to tackle the debt, entitlements, energy policy and many others. There are other issues that are in the area of morals where there should be no compromise. This would include the killing of the unborn, same sex marriage, laws that would force one to violate their conscience, taking God out of the public arena and diversity training in our schools. President Barak Obama, while in the Illinois Senate, voted against a bill requiring that babies born alive, in a botched abortion, must be cared for. He has recently endorsed same sex marriage. Marriage needs to be reinforced, not redefined. It is time for Christians to draw a line in the sand, and say, “I will not vote for a candidate who supports such immoral laws.” One of the most important things a president does is appoint Supreme Court Justices. Liberal judges often side with such as the ACLU “Anti-Christian Liberties Union.” Even the most careful selection sometimes leads to the judges making laws instead of interpreting them. Christians, it is time for us to vote Christian values. James Eley Fillmore, Corinth

Peace of mind comes with weapon of choice The story in the newspaper about the accidental shooting involving a snake caught my attention because it is clear proof that parents are failing in their duty to teach their children some very important life lessons. Clearly the weapon of choice for garter snakes, poodles, heel snipping chihuahua and numerous other dangerous critters you may encounter would be at least a .357 magnum. I personally prefer the .44 magnum. I go nowhere out without it. As a bonus, it is also effective in sending the message to your neighbors that you prefer they not allow their pets to invade and violate your lawn. I do hope the young man learned a valuable lesson from this experience. True peace of mind will only come to them and their parents when they get a real gun. I urge them to sell the non-effective .25 caliber and buy a more suitable piece with the firepower they so desperately need, even if they have to obtain a payday advance loan or a vehicle title loan, or maybe the parents could co-sign a note for the money. It will be well worth it. These defenseless children should not be walking around in such a dangerous world without adequate self-protection. Grover Johns Magnolia Circle, Corinth (Editor’s Note: Letter printed with hopes the sarcasm is understood.)

Prayer for today Lord, may our hearts be open to hear you and joyfully respond in faith. Amen.

A verse to share The Lord said, “My word . . . shall not return to me empty; but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” — Isaiah 55:11 (NRSV)

Letters Policy The Opinion page should be a voice of the people and reflect views from a broad range in the community. Citizens can express their opinion in letters to the editor. Only a few simple rules need to be followed. Letters should be of public interest and not of the ‘thank you’ type. Please include your full signature, home address and telephone number on the letter for verification. All letters are subject to editing before publication, especially those beyond 300 words in length. Send to: Letters to the editor, Daily Corinthian, P.O. Box 1800, Corinth, Miss. 38835. Letters may also be e-mailed to: letters@daily corinthian.com. Email is the preferred method. Personal, guest and commentary columns on the Opinion page are the views of the writer. “Other views” are editorials reprinted from other newspapers. None of these reflect the views of this newspaper.

Reece Terry publisher rterry@dailycorinthian.com

The world is a complicated place The world is a complicated place. One only has to look at that part of the world known as the Middle East and the reactions to events there. It is almost impossible to avoid consideration of the potential for conflagration in the Middle East. It seems equally as difficult to avoid oversimplification of the issues emanating from there and America’s role in bringing about their resolution. When considering recent events in the Middle East juxtaposed against the most heated American presidential campaign in recent memory, the process of sorting out the appropriate stance for America becomes complicated beyond reason. Those of us who sit in our easy chairs thousands of miles away and view the acts of violence and civil disobedience unfolding in more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries would be grossly remiss if we believed these were merely a series of “us vs. them” tussles. We would be equally incorrect if we believed these events could be solved by simply cutting off foreign aid, locking and loading our weapons and aiming a few cruise missiles. Thirty years ago I had the good fortune of being admitted to a doctoral program that, among other things, focused on rural development. At that time rural development was important in the United States, but it was an even larger issue as

it related to Third World and developing countries. From the perspective Marty of someone Wiseman from rural Mississippi Stennis the first Institute meeting of the doctoral students in this program seemed to me to be a gathering of a sub-committee of the United Nations. While I could do no justice whatever to the spellings of the names of my new academic colleagues, I distinctly remember many of the countries that produced them. They were from Tanzania, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, The Sudan, Libya, Ghana, Japan, Iran, and a number of others. I learned a great deal from them. Not only were they genuinely good people and had lively senses of humor, they were quite studious and they had tremendous respect for the United States of America. During our three or four years together there were outbreaks in some of their home countries. One I recall involved the Libya of Mohamar Khadafy attacking The Sudan. As fate would have it, the student from The Sudan and his fellow student from Libya shared the same office space. It goes without saying the debates that took place there were quite interesting. This was my first intro-

duction to the fact things in that part of the world are never as they seem to be. Furthermore, we err badly when we view negative activity in these countries as merely affronts to the U.S. While the simple blame for the current outbreak of civil unrest is being placed on an ill-advised and poorly made video that negatively depicts the Islamic Prophet Mohammed, the reality is apparently far different from that. In fact, as we “peel back” the onion-like layers of issues in the countries of the Middle East we find issues of unemployment and downturns in the various economies, mixed with religious zeal and power vacuums resulting from the “Arab Spring,” make conditions that are too murky to see through. That results in some cases of making palatial embassies of America and European countries tempting targets for competing groups to vent their anger. The American presidential campaign entered the fray via Republican candidate Mitt Romney’s harsh criticism of the Obama administration for an early press release from the American embassy in Egypt that was intended to quell growing unrest there. Add to that the specter of Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu’s heightened warnings over Iranian nuclear developments, and blood pressure increased all around. With Romney comes the

reprisal of the neo-conservative impetus to take action, military and otherwise, anywhere in the world to enforce respect for American ideals. This can be compared to those who understand and accept the complicated nature of events and the necessity of working with those who are willing to cooperate in every country to hold the line on violence. By all accounts, the changes taking place across the Middle East will take the better part of a generation to accomplish. Relatively few experts accept the notion the flexing of American military might across the entirety of the Islamic world will bring about the peace and tranquility its proponents claim it will. Even in the early days of the “Arab Spring” we have seen fledgling democratic processes produce governments of which American proponents of democracy hardly approve. One such example can be seen in the Egyptian election of the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, President Mohammed Morsi to replace the 30 plus year dictator and American ally, Hosni Mubarak. Yes, the world is a complicated place indeed. (Daily Corinthian columnist Dr. W. Marty Wiseman is professor of political science and director of the John C. Stennis Institute of Government, Mississippi State University. His email address is marty@sig. msstate.edu.)

Cigarettes: The killer that won’t die BY WILLIAM A. COLLINS Would you believe that 45 million adult Americans still smoke? That’s about one in five of us grownups. Worldwide this killer habit ends about six million lives each year. But what’s most disturbing -- 10 percent of victims never even took a puff. They got their cancer from second-hand smoke. As a superannuated politician, I remember well the hundreds of meetings in back rooms and city council chambers where the air was so thick that I could hardly see, let alone breathe. Luck alone saved me. Others were not so fortunate. Behind our mayor’s dais hung a smoke-blackened WPA mural of the city’s founder, which depicted him cheating Native Americans out of their land. When the time came to relocate to a new city hall, taxpayers spent tens of thousands to clean the smoke off of that painting by hand with chemical-laden cotton balls. Affected lungs are even harder to restore.

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Luckily, smoking is now less socially acceptable. It’s on the decline, but the slope isn’t steep any more. The percentage of adult smokers inched down to 19.3 percent in 2010 from 20.9 percent in 2005, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Public health champions had aimed for a much greater decline and their failure is no accident. Tobacco companies continue to spend millions to protect their dishonest market. Many states aid in this quest by redirecting their annual payments on old cigarette lawsuit settlements away from smoking cessation programs and into other spending. Taxes trump cancer every time. The federal government does try to do something about our leading cause of preventable deaths, however. Last year, the Food and Drug Administration ordered that all cigarette packaging display disgustingly graphic photos of lung cancer sufferers in various stages of decay. In August,

a federal panel struck down that order on the grounds it interferes with corporate free speech. It’s likely the requirement will be reinstated on appeal, but the ruling shows why smoking is so hard to root out -- and how much power the tobacco giants wield. An enlightening contrast to our own anti-smoking system is prominently visible in some foreign countries. The warnings on their cigarette packages can be so glaring you’d think you were approaching Chernobyl. Which, in a sense, I suppose you are. With smoking rates declining in richer nations, tobacco companies are flocking to Asia and Africa, where smokes are cheaper and ads are sometimes reminiscent of the cheery tobacco propaganda Americans were fed in the 1950s. Here at home, the long war against tobacco keeps flaring in new pockets of resistance. The latest is “rollyour-own” shops. It seems loose tobacco for pipes is

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taxed at a mere fraction of that for cigarettes. Not deterred by the niceties of law, some companies have simply been mislabeling their product and selling it as pipe tobacco. The merchants cheerfully sell the fake product and thoughtfully “rent” the use of rolling machines to customers. Lest you assume the overall effect is trivial, know that it amounts to about 20 million pounds per year and $500 million in lost taxes. As long as corporate greed continues to infect us, smoking will undoubtedly keep killing hundreds of thousands of Americans every year. But you’d think the 50 states might show a little more interest in doing something to protect their people from our nation’s top killer. (Daily Corinthian columnist and OtherWords columnist William A. Collins is a former state representative and a former mayor of Norwalk, Conn. otherwords.org)

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Daily Corinthian â€˘ Thursday, September 20, 2012â€˘ 5

State Briefs Associated Press

Greenville mayor resigns amid illness GREENVILLE â€” Greenville Mayor Chuck Jordan announced his resignation Wednesday. He said he made the decision after learning he has pancreatic cancer. The Delta Democrat Times reports that Jordanâ€™s resignation will take effect at midnight Monday. Jordan, a retired banker, was elected mayor in December after defeating Democrat Carl McGee. He was inaugurated on Jan. 3. Jordan says Vice Mayor Carolyn Weathers will be acting mayor until a special election on Oct. 22. City Attorney Andy Alexander says the deadline for mayoral candidates to qualify for the special election is 5 p.m. Oct. 2.

whether it needs to be overhauled or scrapped. â€œWeâ€™re just talking a pause to determine the strength of the program ... where do we strengthen the program and where do we go from here,â€? Fitch told members of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee on Tuesday. Flitch said the audit could show the program needs to be overhauled. Until the audit is completed, Fitch says the Mississippi Prepaid Affordable College Tuition program will not enroll any new participants. Fitch said the nearly 22,293 people enrolled in the program are protected but that new enrollment in the program is being halted. Fitch said MPACT is

only 76.8 percent funded, leaving a $94 million shortfall. She said investment earnings last year were only 0.6 percent. Actuaries said it must earn 7.8 percent a year to stay in the black, with college tuition increasing about 7 percent a year. The program was created in 1996 to allow families to purchase the cost of tuition for a future student at todayâ€™s prices. Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, who previously served eight years as treasurer and oversaw the program, said after the meeting that he was surprised by the decision to halt new enrollment. He said such defined benefit plans must be viewed in the long term and not by earnings for any one year. He said those fac-

tors should be weighed against the importance of producing more college graduates in the state. The plan has the backing of the state, meaning if it does not produce the revenue to pay college tuition for enrollees, it is the stateâ€™s responsibility to make up the difference.

Man wants new trial in child porn case ABERDEEN â€” A man convicted in a child pornography case wants a new trial based on his claims the court made numerous errors. James William Smith was convicted last week in U.S. District Court in Aberdeen on one count of possessing child pornography. His attorney

filed a motion Monday asking for a new trial. Smith claims the court made numerous mistakes, like allowing prosecutors to remove two blacks from the jury pool and allegedly allowing improper jury instructions. The indictment in the case says Smith had movies of child porn on his computer in Tupelo in 2011.

Woman accused of stealing from bank GULFPORT â€” A former bank employee has been charged with stealing more than $80,000 from

a Hancock Bank branch in Biloxi to support her drug habit. A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Gulfport on Monday charges Ashley Keel with taking the money from the bankâ€™s vault from April to August. The complaint says that Keel was the vault teller and admitted to FBI agents that she took the money to support an addition to Oxycodone. Sheâ€™s charged with embezzlement. Court records did not list an attorney. A phone number for Keel was not immediately available.

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Fitch eyes possible overhaul of MPACT JACKSON â€” State Treasurer Lynn Fitch has told lawmakers that she suspended the stateâ€™s prepaid college tuition program because it is struggling financially and an audit will show

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