Corinth Shannon
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Houlkar Biggersville
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Daily Corinthian
Saturday Oct. 26,
Kossuth Mooreville
2013
50 cents
Vol. 117, No. 256
BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
BY HEATHER SMITH
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
First United Methodist Church reverend Roger Shock sorts through a huge mound of candy to be handed out during the church’s “Tent or Treat” event on Halloween night.
Every year the entire community comes together to raise awareness about cancer research. Alcorn County Relay for Life is an annual event in which members of the community raise money for the American Cancer Society. This year will be no exception to the community’s usual support and enthusiasm about this event. At the first team captains’ meeting of the year there was a vote on the theme for this year’s Relay for Life and Sports was selected. Teams choose a theme and relate it back to cancer. “It’s sports teaming up against cancer,” said Alcorn County Relay for Life Chairman Lori Moore. Team captains met to discuss the change made in the event’s date and their camp site themes. Each team captain chose a different sport for their camp site themes. During each meeting, the captains and their team members discuss why they relay for cancer research. Their team captains talk about any upcoming events or fundraisers that they are preparing for.
Fundraising continues for magical trip BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Mickey and Minnie Mouse are waiting. The only thing needed to see the two is more green. The Corinth-Alcorn County Special Needs Group is continuing to make the trip to Disney World a reality with its latest fundraiser set for Monday at Sweet Peppers’ Deli. Thus far, the group has collected around $14,000 of the needed $60,000. “Hopefully, after Monday and a few more events next month we will be in the $25,000 range,” said organizer Havis Hurley. On Monday, the group will receive 10 percent of what is taken in and all tips during 5-8 p.m.
“We are getting started earlier than we did on the last trip,” said Hurley of the fundraising efforts. “Things are tight so we are trying to get more ideas from the people who are going.” Thirty-four special needs children along with their parents and siblings are planning on making the trek to Orlando, Fla. “I am looking forward to it,” said the organizer, who will be making his 55th trip to Disney World. “It’s a great place to go and the kids will come back changed from the experience.” Funds are also expected to come from a paint party at the Corinth Sportsplex Saturday. Please see FUNDRAISER | 2
BY BRANT SAPPINGTON A group of organizations focused on improving the lives of local children are challenging parents to make reading a part of their daily lives. The 30/30 Reading Challenge is an effort by the Lighthouse Foundation, the Corinth Boys and Girls Club, Project Attention, the homework club at Farmington Arms Apartments overseen by Crosswind Ministries and the Corinth Elementary School extended day afterschool tutoring program to address the issue of child-
hood reading by asking parents to read with their children for 30 minutes each day throughout the month of November. “We dare parents to take 30 minutes a day for 30 days and see if it makes a difference,” said Lighthouse Foundation Executive Director Gary Caveness. Statistics show 78 percent of Mississippi fourth graders living in urban areas are below the proficiency level for reading. Caveness said when students can’t read at grade level they quickly get behind in other areas. As they grow up they continue to get fur-
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This year, the Alcorn County Relay for Life has experienced a change in date. It will begin on Friday, May 2, 2014 at 6 p.m. and continue on until 6 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, 2014. It will be held in Crossroads Regional Park on the soccer field. The Survivor Dinner will be held at 5 p.m. on May 3 in the Tate Baptist Church Fellowship Hall. A change in date has been made to next year’s race. It turns out that there were schedule conflicts for several Relay for Life committee members if the relay was going to be held on its original date. There was also another relay on that same night that some of the committee members had already planned on attending. It was for these reasons the committee members felt it was necessary to reschedule the Relay for Life so everyone who had worked so hard to put it together would be able to attend and see all of their hard work had paid off, noted Moore. There will be at least 32 teams participating in the Relay for Life. This was an increase from last year, which yielded 25 teams. Please see RELAY | 2
Farmington to host yearly event for Halloween BY JEBB JOHNSTON
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Joleigh Boler plays with her stuffed animals Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The young girl is part of the Corinth-Alcorn Special Needs Group raising money for a trip to Disney World in May.
ther behind and often end up as adults struggling to function in a society where it’s more important than ever to have an education in order to succeed, he said. He said the problem is particularly difficult in urban areas where there’s often less emphasis on reading at home as parents struggle to deal with day to day pressures and the demands and challenges of life. The goal of the reading challenge is to put the importance of reading front and center in the minds of Please see READING | 3
Index Stocks........8 Classified...... 15 Comics........ 7 State........ 5
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jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Groups join forces for reading challenge bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
Tonight
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Planning begins for Relay for Life hsmith@dailycorinthian.com
Please see TENT | 2
Today
• Corinth, Mississippi • 18 pages • 1 section
Tent or Treat offers fun for Halloween First United Methodist Church has the treats ready. All the congregation is asking in return is a smile. The church is hosting “Tent or Treat” on Halloween night from 6-8 p.m. On Friday, a large mound of packaged candy filled the front of the church sanctuary. “The church has collected candy every Sunday this month,” said Rev. Roger Shock. “All we want is to make a child smile.” “Tent or Treat” will be held on the Fillmore Street Chapel lawn next to the downtown playground. Admission is free with hot dogs and drinks also being served free of charge from 6-7 p.m. A party jumper and face paintings are also slated to be available along with balloon animals. “Our goal is to be a good place to come on Halloween,” said Shock. “It’s a positive outreach and we want families to bring their kids and have a good time.”
Warmer
Weather........9 Obituaries........ 6 Opinion........4 Sports...... 12
FARMINGTON — One of the area’s biggest “trunk or treat” events is set for Halloween night. Set for 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, the event will take place behind Farmington City Hall. For about the past 11 years, the Farmington Fire and Rescue and the town of Farmington have hosted the trick or treating alternative. A crowd of about 700 participated last year. “This is a way to try to get everyone in one location and make it a little safer for the kids and easier for the parents,” said Fire Chief David Boren. “We had a big crowd last year and hope to have another one this year.” So many people came through that the F.D. ran out of candy last Halloween. People who want to add their decorated trunk to the event are invited to get involved. The event began with safety in mind, giving residents a way to take the kids out for candy without going door to door in an area with no sidewalks. Parking will be in front of City Hall and at the neighboring diner and carpet store. People who wish to set up a spot are encouraged to arrive by 4:30. For more information, contact the City Hall at 665-9647.
On this day in history 150 years ago Grant’s plans to reopen the Tennessee River are set in motion. Union reinforcements from Virginia under Gen. Joe Hooker cross the river at Bridgeport, Ala. and threaten the Confederate left flank near Chattanooga.
November is DIABETES Awareness Month Diabetes is the leading cause of new blindness among adults under 65! x x x Dr. John Shipp, M.D.
40-45% of Americans with diabetes have some stage of diabetic retinopathy People with diabetes are 25 times more likely to become blind than people without it 90% of vision loss can be avoided with yearly eye exams and control of blood sugar level
Call 662-286-6068 to schedule your diabetic eye examination.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Eye Care Specialists 3302 W. Linden St. Corinth, MS 38834 (662) 286-6068