102713 daily corinthian e edition

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Daily Corinthian Vol. 117, No. 257

• Corinth, Mississippi •

Partly sunny Today

Tonight

65

47

0% chance of rain

26 pages • Two sections

Officials arrest cemetery thieves 5 face drug charges BY STEVE BEAVERS

sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

A trio of individuals are out of the florist business before it ever started following their arrests. Investigators with the Alcorn County Sheriff’s Department have charged the individuals with a felony count of destroying public property after getting a tip from a pair of concerned citizens about cemetery theft. Those charged were Kevin Eugene Gunn, 51, of Wenasoga Road, Corinth; Angela Renee Gunn, 35, of Wenasoga Road, Corinth; and Theresa Gail Robertson, 57, of Princess Ann Drive, Corinth. The Gunns were previously married. Investigators Reggie Anderson and Health Thomas found thousands dollars worth of items after receiving a search warrant earlier in the week. Items such as wreaths, bows, ceramic angels, crosses along with wrought iron crosses and other items were confiscated. “Their goal in this was to open their own flower shop,� said Anderson. “They had ob-

BY JOSEPH MILLER jmiller@dailycorinthian.com

the items were found at the business. Some of the recovered items were also found at the Gunn’s residence. All three remained jailed at

Five Crossroads area residents were arrested Friday on charges related to selling controlled substances and illegal drugs. Brandon Wilbanks, 25 and Lacey Wilbanks, 21, both of 3200 Country Lane Apartments in Corinth, were charged with selling a controlled substance. Lacey was charged with one count while Brandon was charged with two. Alcorn County Narcotics Unit Officers Darrell Hopkins and Jason Willis made the arrests and said they expect more people to be arrested in relation to the Wilbanks arrest. “There are more arrests forthcoming due to the influx of prescription pills being sold in the Alcorn County area,� Hopkins said.

Please see THEFTS | 2A

Please see CHARGES | 2A

Staff photo by Steve Beavers

Investigators Heath Thomas (left) and Reggie Anderson recovered thousands of dollars worth of stolen cemetery items. tained a business license in May and had a shop located in the Village Shopping Center.� The shop already had a sign up with “Angie’s Flowers and Gifts� on it, according to Anderson. The business was

listed in the Gunn’s names with Robertson listed as partowner. “I have never seen this many items taken from a cemetery,� said Thomas. “It is amazing.� Anderson said a majority of

Woman overcomes breast cancer Pickwick Landing Dam BY JOSEPH MILLER jmiller@dailycorinthian.com

A 20-year Corinth resident has overcome her diagnosis with breast cancer and she is determined to tell her story in hopes of encouraging others. With this being National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), Valerie Stafford wanted to make sure her testimony of will power, determination and prayer was relayed to others who are fighting this type of cancer. “I want everyone to be aware of this disease and to make sure they are getting their examinations on a regular basis,� Stafford explained.

celebrating 75th year

“It is very critical they do this because any changes in their body they may feel are minor, could be something more.� Stafford was a stickler when it came to her yearly mammograms. When she found out she had breast cancer, she immediately felt overwhelmed. “In May of 2012, I noticed a lump on my breast, so I went to Dr. (Erica) Noyes to have it checked out,� Stafford said. “She told me since I was having so many problems with the cyst, to go see Dr. William Johnson, a surgeon, and he diagnosed me with breast canPlease see STAFFORD | 2A

BY MARK BOEHLER editor@dailycorinthian.com

Valerie Stafford

Whitehurst loves giving back to community BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

Perhaps few more than Betsy Whitehurst can appreciate the virtue of a giving nature. As executive director of the United Way of Corinth and Alcorn County, it is a trait she admires in the community and demands of herself, as well. “I love working with volunteers, but I don’t feel like it’s fair for me to ask others to volunteer if I’m not willing to volunteer myself,� she said.

Whether teaching first aid for the Red Cross, leading a Girl Scout troop or working with Habitat for Humanity, she has striven to see the needs of such organizations from inside and out. Her role in the community grew from her own family’s involvement through the years, dating back to the era when she walked to school every day. “I can’t remember either my mother or my daddy or both not being involved in some-

thing all the time, whether it was Christmas baskets or the Chamber of Commerce. It ran the gamut,� said Whitehurst. “Anything that was going on in the community, they were involved.� The Corinth native originally embarked on a career in education after getting a bachelor of science degree in math and a master’s degree in education. She taught school for Please see WHITEHURST | 3A

Index Stocks......8A Classified....10B Comics.. Inside State......5A

PICKWICK, Tenn. — Two years after the completion of Pickwick Landing Dam in June of 1940, dignitaries gathered before a crowd of 30,000 people to declare the importance of what was called then “The Great Experiment.� Pickwick Dam and Reservoir promised to transform the rural, poor area into opportunities of hydroelectric power, economic development, conservation, recreation and flood control for a better way of life, state and regional officials declared. Turns out, they were right. The TVA Act “experiment� signed into law in 1933 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to build a series of dams in the Tennessee Valley remains a success story today, state and local leaders agreed on Thursday as Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) celebrates the 75th anniversary of Pickwick Dam. “Much of what public officials said then (in 1940) holds true today,� said Patricia Bernard Ezzell, TVA Tribal Liaison and Corporate Historian. “Pickwick Dam changed the quality of life ... TVA continues to be vital to

Weather......9A Obituaries......6A Opinion......4A Sports....10A

Please see PICKWICK | 12A

A Union pontoon bridge is placed across the Tennessee River at Brown’s Ferry, which reopens the supply route into Chattanooga. Grant orders Sherman to move toward Chattanooga. Gen. Bragg’s position outside Chattanooga is getting shaky. BRAND NEW

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the region. It’s mission remains relevant today.� Ezzell’s history lesson and slide show was a part of an invitation-only, hour-long program at the dam to recognize TVA’s dedicated employees,

On this day in history 150 years ago

BRAND NEW 63(&,$/

Staff photo by Mark Boehler

These turbines inside Pickwick Landing Dam have been producing hydropower for the area since 1938. See more photos on page 12A.

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