Prentiss Co. Building named after former director
McNairy Co. Jail inmate found dead over weekend
Home & Garden Pansies highlight winter gardens
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Wednesday Nov. 8,
2017
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Daily Corinthian Vol. 121, No. 267
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 20 pages • Two sections
NE talks workforce development BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Northeast Mississippi Community College President Ricky Ford shared thoughts on workforce development and Alcorn County’s financial contributions in a talk with the Board of Supervisors on Monday. With 48,000 jobs available in the state, expanding workforce training to make people qualified to take those opportunities continues to be a focus
for the college. “We don’t have the people to fill those,� he said. Some type of training is essential to get anything better than a minimum-wage job today, he said. At minimum wage, “It’s hard to support a family of three or four people,� said Ford. “They say unemployment is going down — true — but poverty is going up simply because of the type of jobs that we have.� Establishing a campus in each of the five counties in the
region is one of the ways the college aims to help put the region’s residents into good jobs. Northeast will soon break ground for the Northeast at Ripley center, which Ford hopes will boost Tippah, Benton and Marshall counties. He would like to see the state invest more in career-tech programs to help produce qualified workers. Responding to a question about state budget cuts, Ford said the college was forced to
cut $1.5 million out of last year’s budget. Along with the other community colleges, Northeast raised tuition as a result of the state reductions. More than 60 percent of the college’s annual budget now comes from local sources. With fall enrollment of 3,492, down by 32 (0.9 percent) from fall 2016, the college has 21 percent of its students residing in Alcorn County. Northeast at Corinth enrollment is 111, up 20.7 percent from fall 2016.
Alcorn County is budgeted to contribute just over $1 million to the college in FY 2017 — $373,917 for general operating and $638,484 for enlargements and improvements. The college calculates the county’s return on investment per $1 of tax revenue as $5.71 based on economic benefits including aid to Alcorn County students totaling $3.5 million and wages to county residents totaling $2.2 million.
Providing scholarships County awards
repair contract to Buddy Ayers Discussion begins on CR 220 bridge repairs BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Staff Photos by L.A. Story
MRHC Auxiliary member Mel Goad stocks and arranges holiday items which will be part of the hospital gift shop’s annual Christmas Open House and Craft Sale.
Magnolia Regional Auxiliary hosts open house BY L.A. STORY lastory@dailycorinthian.com
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Magnolia Regional Health Center Gift Shop. The MRHC Auxiliary will host its annual Christmas Open House and Craft Sale from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. today in
the hospital’s gift shop with proceeds from the sales going to provide college scholarships. The craft sale is held in front of the gift shop and there will be refreshments available — which will provide samples of the spiced cider and dip mixes which will be available
for sale within the gift shop. Shoppers can expect everything from the homemade crafts sold in front of the shop to the commercially-made but unique items inside the gift shop itself. The handmade crafts will Please see MRHC | 2A
County supervisors awarded a contract Monday for repairs to a bridge on County Road 604 west of Corinth. Buddy Ayers Construction was the winning bidder for work on the bridge south of U.S. Highway 72 at Suitor’s Crossing. The work will involve adding two end spans to the existing three bridge spans currently in place, said Johnny Crotts of Cook Coggin Engineers. Construction could begin in about a month, and detours will be necessary. It is a 100-working-day contract. The winning bid was $297,869. Parsons Earthworks of Iuka bid $336,988, and the engineer’s estimate was $325,864. The project was first put in line for approval in July 2014.
The board also voted to program a bridge on County Road 220 (Barnstable Road) just off the Kimberly Clark Parkway for replacement through the Local System Bridge Program. It is the lowest-rated in the county at 16.1, said Crotts. It can take several years for the bridges to get approval for funding. In other business: • The board approved the upcoming holiday schedule — Nov. 23 and 24 for Thanksgiving, Dec. 25 and 26 for Christmas, and Jan. 1 for New Year’s. • Supervisors adopted a resolution recognizing Lowe’s employees for work on the courthouse grounds. • Bids are in hand for a proposed LED lighting project at the courthouse and the justice center but are on hold for further review.
Arby’s Bingo Bunch moves to the Bishop Center BY L.A. STORY lastory@dailycorinthian.com
After more than a decade of fun, the “Arby’s Bingo Bunch� has moved. Bingo Bunch founder Lanell Coln said the group of fun-loving, community-serving senior citizens group had grown too large to meet at the restaurant they all enjoyed. The group now averages about 50 participants each week. Thus, the reason for the move. Coln said the members are adjusting. “They will miss Arby’s, but they’ve been good to us at the Bishop Center and we’re fortunate that they’ve allowed us up there. Some of the group like it
“We try to come up with projects on a regular basis. It keeps our senior citizens active and vital with community involvement.� better because it’s quieter and there’s not as much distraction,� said Coln. The Bingo Bunch will now meet every Tuesday at the Bishop Center, located at 1300 Washington Street, from 2 until 4 p.m. They play Bingo for small prizes and enjoy one another’s company. They also do various community service projects such as a
recent bake sale to benefit West Clinic. Before that, they collected donation items for Mid-South Project Package — an organization that sends care packages to troops serving overseas. “We try to come up with projects on a regular basis. It Please see BINGO | 2A
25 years ago
Jennifer Pace of Corinth is elected to the campus senate at the University of Mississippi.
Staff Photos by L.A. Story
Married Bingo Bunch members Robert and Reda Plaxico both did well in the Halloween costume contest. Robert Plaxico won first place as a scarecrow, and Reda Plaxico won third place as Dracula.
Corinth aldermen approve a ban on smoking in public places.
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