Daily Corinthian E-edition 120412 by Daily Corinthian

Tuesday Dec. 4,

2012

50 cents

Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 292

2012 Christmas Basket Fund “A Community Tradition”

Food drive tops $3,500

BY BOBBY J. SMITH Excel by 5 wants all of Corinth and Alcorn County’s children to be ready to learn to read by the time they are five years old. To promote reading the work toward this mission, volunteers from the group will read Christmas stories to children during Saturday’s Winter Wonderland — an annual community event staged by Magnolia Regional Health Center at the Crossroads Arena. The Excel by 5 Elves will read to children near the center of the arena floor throughout the event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. “Our mission is to promote literacy and reading to children at a very early age,” said Susan O’Connell, certification manager for the Corinth/Alcorn County Excel by 5 Coalition. “It will help them be better prepared for school and better prepared for life.” The Excel by 5 Elves are members of the coalition and volunteers from community groups, including the Teacher Academy students from the Alcorn Career and Technology Center. The Excel by 5 program is a community-based certification designed to improve a child’s overall well-being by age five. Founded by a grant from Chevron, the Excel by 5 is currently in 27 Mississippi communities. The program sets forth a variety of standards involving parent training, community participation, child care and health to help communities focus on supporting Please see ELVES | 2

Tonight

80% chance rain

Supervisors conditionally accept bid BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

Alcorn County supervisors on Monday conditionally accepted the low bid for a major fifth district bridge project. Prairie Construction of Tupelo was the low bidder for the County Road 600 project at $2,176,407.90. For the project to move forward, however, it will need approval of the state aid office to have a total project cost in excess of the engineering

estimate for the project, which is $2,136,400. The work will include the replacement of three dilapidated bridges, including a historic bridge, on the road. “I’m real excited about getting it done,” said 5th District Supervisor Jimmy Tate Waldon. “The bridges have been in bad shape for the last 20 years.” The project had seven other bids: WG Construction of Ripley — $2,401,744.77; Tan-

ner Construction of Ellisville — $2,410,251.57; Buddy Ayers Construction of Corinth — $2,417,462.87; TL Wallace Construction of Columbia — $2,498,487.55; Phillips Contracting of Columbus — $2,616,258.80; TLSL, Inc., of Walnut — $2,780,279.39; Hill Brothers Construction of Falkner — $3,445,202.57. In other business: ■ Residents concerned by rumors that County Road 182 in

eastern Alcorn County will not reopen addressed the board. Supervisor Dal Nelms said it is a temporary closure and a bridge is about to be installed on the road. He said the project was delayed because the plans changed from a culvert to a 19foot bridge span. In response to some other comments about the condition of County Road 200, he said Please see BID | 2

Defendants enter pleas during term BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

Please see BASKET | 2

bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com

Today

• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • One section

The spirit of giving is alive and well in the Crossroads area as donations continue to arrive daily for the 17th Annual Corinth Rotary Club/Daily Corinthian 2012 Christmas Basket Fund. The civic club and newspaper have set a $20,000 community fundraising goal this year so 1,000 food baskets can be given away to local families on Saturday, Dec. 15 at the Crossroads Arena. The total now stands at $3,580 meaning $16,420 still needs to be raised from the community as there will be no corporate match this year. Recent donations include $50 from Hopewell Baptist Church, and $100 from Lee

Excel Elves promote literacy

T-storms

Staff photo by Jebb Johnston

Christmas Sparkle

Karis (from left), Lucy and Brayden Lemonds share a festive moment on the Sparkle float before the Corinth Christmas parade on Saturday. From Hernando, the three are grandchildren of Cindy and Kevin Thomas of Corinth. With a temperature in the upper 60s, the balmy late afternoon drew a big crowd to the Corinth streets. See Page 2 and upcoming editions for more photos from the parade.

Numerous defendants recently entered guilty pleas during the November term of Alcorn County Circuit Court. Among the pleas and sentences are the following, according to court records: ■ Jessica Marie Moreno, 35, two indictments for sale of a controlled substance (marijuana) — Ten years in Mississippi Department of Corrections custody with eight years suspended and two to serve; five years of probation; $1,000 fine ■ Everett Wade McClure, possession of two or more precursors — Ten-year suspended sentence with five years of probation and a $1,000 fine ■ Joseph Windsor, 43, possession of two or more precursors — Ten-year sentence with credit for time Please see PLEAS | 2

Welcome center’s open house spreads holiday cheer BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com

The Corinth-Alcorn County Welcome Center rang in some Christmas cheer on Monday with its annual holiday Open House. Featuring entertainment by longtime “Mornin’ Show” host and Corinth native Kay Bain, door prizes and food from a range of Corinth’s most popular eateries, the Open House attracted a full house to the Welcome Center. “It’s a great crowd,” said Welcome Center supervisor Sherry Brown. “We’ve got so many people here that we ran out of parking space and had to park them in the truck parking area.” Dressed in Christmas colors and keeping up a lively exchange with her audience, Kay Bain sang a number of Christmas tunes, from classics like “Here Comes Santa Claus” and “White Christmas” to “Mississippi Christmas” — a localized Christmas carol written by

Staff photo by Bobby J. Smith

Please see CENTER | 2

The Welcome Center’s Sherry Brown and Debbie Ryan chip in to prepare the feast at the Open House on Monday.

Corinth/Alcorn County Excel by 5 Coalition plans next step BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian

The Corinth/Alcorn County Excel by 5 Coalition met Friday to review the process for the county’s community certification, elect officers and take care of other business. Excel by 5 was launched in Mississippi in the fall of 2004. It is an innovative process designed to encourage and assist communities to become actively involved in supporting

young children. The first of its kind, this certification program emphasizes the important roles parents and primary caregivers play during their most formative years – birth to age 5. “This is an outstanding program to better prepare our smallest citizens for kindergarten,” said Susan O’Connell, certification manager for the local Excel by 5 effort. “This is a very worthy program. We

Index Stocks........7 Classified......14 Comics...... 11 Wisdom...... 10

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

may not see results tomorrow, but we will as the years go by.” One of the objectives during the certification process is to educate community about the purpose and function of Excel by 5. The program has four basic hallmarks:

Community involvement A key asset in the life of any child is his community. By forming a coalition of com-

munity leaders, business, health care, parents and other concerned citizens, Excel by 5 works to promote parenting and children’s services through health fairs, reading extravaganzas, workshops and other events. Excel by 5 community coalition members develop a resource list of organizations to be distributed to families so parents know

On this day in history 150 years ago Gen. Joseph E. Johnston arrives in Jackson to oversee the operations of Gen. Pemberton in Grenada and Gen. Bragg’s Army of Tennessee at Nashville. The new command system only complicates an already difficult arrangement between these three dysfunctional commanders.

Please see PLANS | 2

2 • Daily Corinthian

Local/Region

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Staff photos by Jebb Johnston

Parade entries of all sizes

Walking alone, Pat Hollis (above left) was a unique entry in Saturday’s parade. Decked in Christmas colors and a gift box with Kermit the Frog, the 63-year-old Savannah resident brought much enthusiasm to the event. “This is on my bucket list to be in the Christmas parade,” she said. Hollis is a former Corinth resident. First United Methodist Church (above right) had one of the float entries in Saturday’s parade.

CENTER CONTINUED FROM 1

Submitted photo

The Corinth Air Evac Lifeteam base has been selected as the company’s 2012 Region 3 Community Service Base of the Year by the national air ambulance company.

Air Evac Lifeteam base given honor The Corinth Air Evac Lifeteam base has been selected as the company’s 2012 Region 3 Community Service Base of the Year by the national air ambulance company. Region 3 consists of Air Evac Lifeteam bases in Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. The Community Service Base of the Year Award is presented to the base in the Air Evac Lifeteam

system that has shown outstanding community service in its market area. “The crew at the Corinth base is dedicated to serving their communities, and serves these communities by participating in multiple events,” said Regional Director of Base Operations Jeff Davis. “The foundation of the Corinth base’s community service is its outreach program.”

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F. and Stacie S. Thurner in memory of Rob Cooper. Donations can be the perfect time to make a holiday tribute to a special person. Contributions can be made “In honor of” someone living or “in memory of” someone who has passed. They can be family or friends, co-workers,

young children and their families. The certification process helps to identify available resources and existing best practices to help Excel by 5 Early Childhood Communities reach the goal that our their children will be ready to learn when they start school at age five.

employees, bosses or even groups who have made an impact on a person’s life. All tributes will be published in the Daily Corinthian until Christmas Day. Donations can be brought to the newspaper office at 1607 Harper Road or mailed to Daily Corinthian, Attn: Christmas Basket Fund. P.O. Box 1800, Corinth, Miss. 38835.

Corinth and Alcorn County’s Excel by 5 Coalition is always seeking volunteers for its four outreach areas — community, health, family and early education. To learn more about helping the group call Susan O’Connell at 731-610-4222. (For more information about Excel by 5 visit www.excelby5.com.)

Correction Magnolia Regional Health Center’s Winter Wonderland will be 10

the holiday season.” The Open House featured food, door prize donations and volunteers from the Dinner Bell, Taylor’s Restaurant, Martha’s Menu, the Pittsburgh Landing Grill, the Generals Quarters, Ryan’s, the Rib Shack, Kroger, McAlister’s, Sweet Peppers, Kenny’s Barbecue, Corinth CocaCola, the White Trolley, Gardeners, Pizza Grocery, the staff of the

Corinth Area Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Crossroads Museum. “The Welcome Center is such an asset for the community,” said CACVB Director Kristy White. “We work closely with them for groups and individual visitors to give information to improve their tour of Corinth and Alcorn County.” (For more information about the Welcome Center call 286-3443.)

Early Care and Education

Excel by 5 identifies

and addresses children’s health issues in the community and assists in providing intervention services such as wellbaby care and health screenings. The program also conducts local health fairs to provide information to parents and compiles a list of health resources in the community. During the meeting the Excel by 5 Coalition also discussed upcoming community events. On Saturday the Coalition will read to children during Magnolia Regional Health Center’s Wind-

er Wonderland at the Crossroads Arena from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. An estimated 4,000 kids will attend the event. The group also elected officers. They are: Sandy Walker (Kimberly Clark) – chairperson of the steering committee; Bobby Capps (Crosswind Ministry) – co-chair of the steering committee; Andrea Rose (The Alliance) – secretary; and Mona Lisa Grady (CARE Foundation) – Treasurer. The group met at the Kimberly Clark Training Center. The next meeting is set for Feb. 22, 2013.

drive even though it apparently was improved by the county at some point in the past. He said the county’s hands are tied on the matter. ■ Supervisors approved Steve Little’s request to place an audio unit on county property at the Col. W.P. Rogers statue at court square to give information about Rogers. Little will work with

the Sons of Confederate Veterans on the content of the information. ■ The board approved Corinth’s use of 10 county voting machines for the Dec. 11 special election on liquor. ■ Buddy Ayers discussed with the board the possibility of the county receiving excess dirt that will be excavated from the site of the Corinth

School District’s planned softball complex on Proper Street. ■ Alliance President Gary Chandler reported that a marketing plan is in the works for the former Final Touch building. ■ The board reappointed Ellie Hugh Rowland as a jury commissioner. ■ Supervisors agreed to give $1,000 to Wreaths Across America.

Walmart were returned. ■ Georgana Jones, 39, uttering a forgery — Tenyear sentence with credit for time served and remainder suspended; five years of probation; $1,000 fine; $473.72 restitution to Walmart; sentence is consecutive to sentence imposed in Tennessee ■ Joann Conner, 32, two indictments for sale

of cocaine — Fifteenyear suspended sentence and $1,000 fine ■ Kerry Tyrone Pruitt, 36, burglary and larceny of a vehicle — Sevenyear sentence with six years suspended and five years of probation; $1,000 fine; restitution of $795.26 to victim ■ Timothy Lynn Sanders, 55, DUI third of-

fense — Five years house arrest, four years of probation and $2,000 fine ■ Franklin Oswalt Jr., 40, conspiracy to sell cocaine and possession of cocaine with intent, both indictments from Prentiss County — Fifteen years with credit for time served and the remainder suspended and five years of probation

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what’s available to them and their children.

Family and Parent Support The program strives to support families of children from birth to age five through family service agencies, available parenting resources, workshops and community events. Helping parents know what is available to them is one of the strongest ways to support the children of the community.

Outside of the home, early care and education centers and other caregivers can be the strongest resources for helping to grow healthy children who are ready for school success. Excel by 5 informs those centers and caregivers of opportunities for quality early childhood trainings and continuing education.

Health

BID

ELVES CONTINUED FROM 1

Bain’s late husband and co-host, Buddy Bain. The song referenced many local areas, and told of how a Mississippi Christmas “makes you feel so good.” After the performance Bain told the story behind the song. “Buddy started writing this one when we lived in Glen — a long time ago,” she said. “And he finished it when we were in

Tupelo years later. It took him a long time to finish it.” Northeast Regional Library Library Director William McMullin was one community member present for the festivities. McMullin said the event is the high point of the holiday season. “There’s music, fellowship, fun and food from all the restaurants in town,” he said. “It’s a really great way to kick off

a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Crossroads Arena in Corinth.

CONTINUED FROM 1

he is looking at a plan to pave from Hopewell School east to the Tishomingo County line. ■ The board heard further comments from residents of roads 273 and 274 regarding access to road 273. Supervisor Nelms said the county’s research indicates that road 273 is a private

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served and balance suspended; four years and six months of probation; $1,000 fine ■ John Howell Thrasher, 40, felony shoplifting — Five-year sentence with credit for time served and remainder suspended; $1,000 fine. All items stolen from

Local

3 • Daily Corinthian

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Deaths Peggy Harris

IUKA — Funeral services for Peggy Harris, 87, are set for 2 p.m. Wednesday at Cutshall Funeral Home Chapel in Iuka with burial at Oak Grove Cemetery. Mrs. Harris died Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, at Tishomingo Manor Nursing Home. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Maggie Moss, and C.J. Wakefield; her husband of 50 years, Clyne Harris; and a son, Greg Harris. Survivors include two daughters, Linda Murrah (Roger Byrd) of Iuka and Jane Cohick (Randy) of State College, Pa.; seven grandchildren, Chris Murrah (Sondra) of Michie, Tenn., Tyler Cohick of State College, Pa., Logan Harris of Iuka, Bethany Harris of Iuka, Jennifer Foster (Brian) and Kristin Cohick, both of State College, Pa., and Kim Reed (Charlie) of Harrisburg, Pa.; and three great-grandchildren. Lance Foster will officiate. Visitation is Wednes-

day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Cutshall Funeral Home in Iuka.

Helen Markin

BOONEVILLE — A memorial service for Helen Joyce Sipes Markin, 77, will be held Tuesday, Dec. 11, at 7 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Booneville. Mrs. Markin died Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012, at Longwood Community Living C e n ter in Booneville. H e r Markin b o d y was donated to science at Jackson State University in Jackson. She was a retired LPN in Tennessee and a Baptist. Survivors include her children, Laura Helen Luther of Dover, Tenn., Lynda Knight of Lansing, Mich., Cassi Maharrey and Patty Trantham,

Calvin Irwin Sr.

GUYS, Tenn. — A gathering to celebrate the life of Henry Calvin Irwin Sr. will be held at the Family Café in Guys, Tenn., from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. today. Mr. Irwin died Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, at Methodist Central Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. He was born on May 9, 1934, to the late Horace Mitchell Sr. and Anna Bernice Simpson Irwin in Brentwood, Tenn. He began his adult career in June 1949 by working at Western Union in Nashville. From there he went to Gist & Chairs Inc., Washington D.C. He left Gist and joined the U.S. Air Force in January of 1953 and was stationed in Savannah, Ga. In September of 1954 he was honorably discharged. He returned to work for Gist & Chairs, Inc., in 1954. He reenlisted in the Navy Reserves where he continued his service to his country for an additional 15 years. Upon leaving Gist in 1956, he dedicated 26 years of hard work and retired from Allied Aviation. He was a 32nd Degree past master Mason who enjoyed flea markets, remodeling his house and gar-

both of Booneville, Billy Dan Sipes Jr. of Tennessee, and Joseph “Joey” Sipes of Savannah, Tenn.; the father of her children, Billy Dan Sipes Sr. of Savannah, Tenn.; a sister, Joan Stevenson of Lansing, Mich.; a brother, Jimmy Reid of Michigan; and numerous grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. She was preceded in death by a son, Roger Lee Sipes of Booneville; her husband, Sam Markin; and a sister, Maria Hall of Michigan.

son, Bobby McDaniel Jr. (Jane) of Corinth; two grandchildren, Shaun Robert McDaniel and Bradley Alan McDaniel; and a number of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bobby McDaniel Sr.; a daughter, Barbara Ann McDaniel; one brother; and five sisters. Bro. Tony Pounders and Bro. Bill Wages will officiate the service. Visitation is from 11 a.m. until service time.

Alice Ann McDaniel

SELMER, Tenn. — Funeral services for Mary Bess Tidwell, 84, are set for 2 p.m. today at Shackelford Funeral Directors of Selmer with burial at Bethesda Cemetery in Selmer. Mrs. Tidwell died Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, in Selmer. She was a homemaker and a member of Friendship Baptist Church in Ramer, Tenn. She was born in McNairy County on March 13, 1928. Survivors include a son, Merle Travis Sand-

Funeral services for Alice Ann McDaniel, 88, of Corinth, are set for 2 p.m. today at Magnolia Funeral Home Chapel of Memories with military honors and burial at Henry Cemetery. Mrs. McDaniel died Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, at Southern Magnolia in Iuka. Born Feb. 10, 1924, she was a bookkeeper for Corinth Motor Machine Works and a member of Gaines Chapel United Methodist Church. Survivors include one

dening. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his first wife, Dolores Irwin, and one brother, Horace Mitchell Irwin Jr. Mr. Irwin is survived by his wife, Patricia Miller Irwin of Guys; his children, Henry C. Irwin Jr. and wife Sue of PleasanIrwin ton, Calif., Russell Irwin and wife Kari of Clarke County, Va., Anna Richards and husband Mark of Manassas, Va., Albert Irwin and wife Jane of Hopkinsville, Ky., Elizabeth Faison and husband Jim of Dumfries, Va; stepchildren, Guy Anderson of Terra Ceia, Fla., and Michelle Block of St. Petersburg, Fla.; siblings: Thelma Cole and husband Bill of Antioch, Tenn., Marie Farmer of Madison, Tenn., and Blake Irwin and wife Georgette of Gambrills, Md.; 13 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; and

several nieces, nephews and a host of friends. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association or a charity of choice. For online condolences: memorialcorinth.com.

Becky Spivey

Funeral services for Rebecca “Becky” Spivey, 46, are set for 1 p.m. Wednesday at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel with burial in the Lowry United Methodist Church Cemetery. Becky died Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, at Magnolia Regional Health. She was a homemaker who enjoyed going to yard sales and auctions. She was preceded in death by her sons, Christopher Spivey and Ricky Dunn; her father, Donald Dunn; her stepfather, Archie Dunn; and a stepbrother, Kenneth Malone. Survivors include her husband of 29 years, Tim Spivey; a daughter, Brittney (Ben) Muse; her mother, Mary Dunn, all of Rienzi; brothers Jaison Malone of Corinth and Jimmy Dunn of Rienzi; sisters Brenda (Tom) Shelton of Booneville, Martha (Junior)

Frances Tucker

JACINTO — Frances Willard Cooksey Tucker 74, died Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, at Magnolia Regional Health Center in Corinth. She was born April 5, 1938, to Levi and Nellie Carpenter Cooksey. She was a homemaker and a member of

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George Williams

BOONEVILLE — Funeral services for George Edgar Williams, 69, are set for 1 p.m. Wednesday at Spring Hill Missionary Baptist Church in

Spencer of Rienzi, and Brenda Hancock of Texas; grandchildren Megan Spivey, Macy and Gracey Muse; nieces Jeffery Spivey and Christopher Voyles; nieces Amanda Voyles, Felicia Clark and Tiffany Bennett; a special aunt and uncle, J.D. and Vickie Hopper; a special friend, Vickie Clark; her mother-in-law, Betty Spivey; a brother-in-law, Jimmy Spivey; and a sister-in-law, Regina Jeter. Pallbearers are Tommy Bonds, Jimmy Jeter, Kevin Hopper, William Dixon, Terry Clark and Ronnie Kuykendall. Honorary pallbearers are Billy Joe Burchett, Eddie Sanders, McKenzie Clark, Richard Hopper, Michael and Timmy Blanton. Visitation is from 5 to 9 p.m. today and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to service time.

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ers Tidwell of Selmer; four grandchildren, Kristy Hathcock (Brian) of Selmer, Merle Anthony Tidwell (Andrea) of Selmer, Randall Shane Tidwell (Andrea) of Bethel Springs, Tenn., and Shana Lynn Tidwell of Bethel Springs; a sister, Dottie Dancer Hubanks (Vernon) of Adamsville, Tenn.; three great-grandchildren; and a step-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gilbert Spencer and Rosie Smallwood Plunk; her first husband, Murry Sanders; her second husband, Worley Tidwell; a daughter, Janie Doris Sanders; a son, Randall Hurley Tidwell; two sisters, Bonnie Christopher and Pansy Christopher; and two brothers, Travis Plunk and Petie Plunk. Bro. Phil Mitchell will officiate the service.

Hill Top Church of God. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. today at the McMillan Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Donald McCoy and Bro. Kenny Marcum officiating. Burial will be in Jacinto Cemetery. She is survived by two daughters, Rhonda (Jerry) Eaton of Kossuth and Donna (Larry) Wildmon of Marietta; one son, Gerald Tucker of Jacinto; one sister, Linda (Kenny) Marcum of Corinth; three brothers, L.Q. (Norma) Cooksey of Jacinto, John (Eula) Cooksey of Burton and Larry (Wanda) Cooksey of Ramer, Tenn.; eight grandchildren, Tim (Joanne) Eaton, Steven (Jessica) Eaton, Lucas (Angie) Eaton, Misty (Shane) Eaton, Michael (Brittnie) Wildmon, Jeffrey (Alison) Wildmon, Jeremy (Fonda) Tucker and Sarah Hall; and 19 greatgrandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Clarence Tucker, on July 12, 2012; her parents; five sisters; and three brothers. Pallbearers are her grandsons. Condolences may be left at mcmillanfuneralhome.com.

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Booneville with burial at Spring Hill Cemetery. Mr. Williams died Sunday, Dec. 2, 2012, at North Mississippi Medical Center. Born Aug. 4, 1943, he attended Wick Anderson High School. He was a maintenance engineer at Quebecor World. He was a member of Spring Hill Missionary Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, Johnnie and Bulah Williams, and his sisters, Vera Williams, Louise Shinault and Murt Christian. Survivors include his wife, Bonnie J. Williams of Booneville; his children, Kendra Williams of West Palm Beach, Fla., Demetria Bowdry (Lee) of Baldwyn and Rodney Williams of Memphis, Tenn.; his siblings, Artisha McDonald and Lebora McGee, both of Booneville; and his grandchildren, Chesnee and Pipe Bowdry. The Rev. Antonio McGee will officiate. Visitation is today from 6 until 7 p.m. at Grayson Funeral Services.

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Editorials represent the voice of the Daily Corinthian. Editorial columns, letters to the editor and other articles that appear on this page represent the opinions of the writers and the Daily Corinthian may or may not agree.

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Opinion

Mark Boehler, editor

4 • Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Corinth, Miss.

Column

Sen. Bennie Turner earned respect across party lines JACKSON (AP) — Current and former Mississippi lawmakers, across party lines, are mourning the death of longtime Democratic Sen. Bennie Turner of West Point, who died Nov. 27. He was 64. Turner, an attorney, was first elected to the Senate in 1992 and took office in January 1993. The most recent configuration of his district included all of Clay County and parts of Lowndes, Noxubee and Oktibbeha counties. He was known for his sharp, analytical mind and for his even-keel demeanor, even when committee rooms were packed and emotions were running high. “Bennie Turner had the Emily ability to calm troubled waters Wagster better than anyone I served Pettus with in the Legislature,” ReCapitol Dome publican Alan Nunnelee told The Associated Press. Nunnelee, of Tupelo, was elected to the state Senate in 1995 and served there until late 2010, when he won a seat in the U.S. House. He said Turner had a deep, soothing voice and was so highly regarded that even people with sharply divergent political opinions would stop and listen to what Turner was saying. “Where ever I stood politically, I always respected his position,” Nunnelee said. Turner led the Senate Judiciary Committee for eight years. He was first appointed to the chairmanship in early 1996 by Democrat Ronnie Musgrove, who was lieutenant governor at the time. During the election year of 1999, when Turner was unopposed in seeking his third Senate term, he was hospitalized for about a month with meningitis, an illness that causes inflammation of tissues covering the brain and spinal cord. He lost a good bit of his hearing, but his mind remained sharp and fellow senators welcomed him with a standing ovation in January 2000. “I don't have the words to tell you how happy I am to be able to stand before you right now,” Turner said. He was re-appointed as Judiciary Committee chairman that month by Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck, who started her career as a Democrat. As chairman, Turner was one of the lead negotiators during special session that Gov. Musgrove called in the fall of 2002 to deal with limiting awards in civil lawsuits. The session dragged on for three months amid political pressure from business people and doctors (and most Republicans) who wanted the limits and attorneys and consumer advocates (and many Democrats) who opposed them. After the special session ended, Tuck switched to the Republican Party. She won a second term as lieutenant governor in 2003 — and when the term started in early 2004, she split the Judiciary Committee into two parts, Judiciary A and Judiciary B. She didn't give Turner the chairmanship of either committee. Musgrove said in a statement this past week that he will miss Turner. “Bennie Turner took every aspect of his duty as state senator seriously. He was respected and admired by everyone because of his professionalism — even those who disagreed with him,” Musgrove said. “I consider it a privilege to have served with him. Many people in Mississippi are better off today because of his work and effort.” Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker of Tupelo served in the Mississippi Senate from early 1988 until late 1994. He said in a statement that he and Turner were close friends for three decades. “In addition to our years together in the state Senate, I served with him on the board of directors of North Mississippi Rural Legal Services in the 1980s when he served as chairman,” Wicker said. “Bennie Turner was a true public servant who exhibited integrity and bipartisanship. He led a successful law practice and was a smart small business owner. His passing is a great loss.”

Prayer for today Lord, help us see that in giving up the fool’s gold of the world, we open ourselves to heavenly treasure that lasts forever. Amen.

A verse to share Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. — Matthew 1:18

Tyranny of good intentions at U.S. colleges BY MICHAEL BARONE In 1902, journalist Lincoln Steffens wrote a book called “The Shame of the Cities.” At the time, Americans took pride in big cities, with their towering skyscrapers, productive factories and prominent cultural institutions. Steffens showed there were some rotten things underneath the gleaming veneers -- corrupt local governments and political machines, aided and abetted by business leaders. In recent weeks, two books have appeared about another of America's gleaming institutions, our colleges and universities, either of which could be subtitled “The Shame of the Universities.” In “Mismatch,” law professor Richard Sander and journalist Stuart Taylor expose, in the words of their subtitle, “How Affirmative Action Hurts Students It's Intended to Help, and Why Universities Won't Admit It.” In “Unlearning Liberty,” Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, describes how university speech codes create, as his subtitle puts it, “Campus Censorship and the End of American Debate.” “Mismatch” is a story of good intentions gone terribly awry. Sander and Taylor document beyond disagreement how university admissions offices' racial quotas and preferences systematically put black and Hispanic students in schools where they are far

less well prepared than others. As a result, they tend to get low grades, withdraw from science and math courses, and drop out without graduating. The effect is particularly notable in law schools, where large numbers of blacks and Hispanics either drop out or fail to pass the bar exam. This happens, Sander and Taylor argue, not because these students lack ability but because they've been thrown in with students of exceptional ability -- the mismatch of the authors' title. At schools where everyone has similar levels of test scores and preparation, these students do much better. And they don't suffer the heartache of failure. That was shown when California's state universities temporarily obeyed a 1996 referendum banning racial quotas and preferences. UCLA law school had fewer black students but just as many black graduates. The university system as a whole produced more black and Hispanic graduates. Similarly, black students interested in math and science tend to get degrees in those subjects in historically black colleges, while those in schools with a mismatch switch to easier majors because math instruction is pitched to classmates with better preparation. University admissions officers nevertheless maintain what Taylor calls “an enormous, pervasive and carefully concealed system of racial preferences,” even while

claiming they aren't actually doing so. The willingness to lie systematically seems to be a requirement for such jobs. The willingness to lie systematically is also a requirement for administrators who profess a love of free speech while imposing speech codes and penalizing students for violations. All of which provides plenty of business for Lukianoff's FIRE, which opposes speech codes and brings lawsuits on behalf of students -- usually, but not always, conservatives -- who are penalized. Those who graduated from college before the late 1980s may not realize that speech codes have become, in Lukianoff's words, “the rule rather than the exception” on American campuses. They are typically vague and all-encompassing. One school prohibits “actions or attitudes that threaten the welfare” of others. Another bans emails that “harass, annoy or otherwise inconvenience others.” Others ban “insensitive” communication, “inappropriate jokes” and “patronizing remarks.” “Speech codes can only survive,” Lukianoff writes, “through selective enforcement.” Conservatives and religious students are typically targeted. But so are critics of administrators, like the student expelled for a Facebook posting critical of a proposed $30 million parking garage. Students get the message: Keep your mouth shut. An

Association of American Colleges and Universities survey of 24,000 students found that only 40 percent of freshmen thought it was “safe to hold unpopular views on campus.” An even lower 30 percent of seniors agreed. So institutions that once prided themselves as arenas for free exchange of ideas -and still advertise themselves as such -- have become the least free part of our society. How? One answer is that university personnel almost all share the same liberal-left beliefs. Many feel that contrary views and criticism are evil and should be stamped out. It also helps to follow the money. Government student loan programs have pumped huge sums into colleges and universities that have been raising tuition and fees far faster than inflation. The result is administrative bloat. Since 2005, universities have employed more administrators than teachers. There are signs that what instapundit.com's Glenn Reynolds calls the higher education bubble is about to burst. And perhaps people are waking up to the rottenness beneath the universities' gleaming veneer. (Daily Corinthian columnist Michael Barone is senior political analyst for The Washington Examiner, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a Fox News Channel contributor and a co-author of The Almanac of American Politics.)

‘Fiscal cliff’ melodrama part of big charade Amid all the political and media hoopla about the “fiscal cliff” crisis, there are a few facts that are worth noting. First of all, despite all the melodrama about raising taxes on “the rich,” even if that is done it will scarcely make a dent in the government's financial problems. Raising the tax rates on everybody in the top two percent will not get enough additional tax revenue to run the governThomas ment for 10 Sowell days. And what Columnist will the government do to pay for the other 355 days in the year? All the political angst and moral melodrama about getting “the rich” to pay “their fair share” is part of a big charade. This is not about economics, it is about politics. Taxing “the rich” will produce a drop in the bucket when compared to the staggering and unprecedented deficits of the Obama administration. No previous administration in the entire history of the nation ever finished the year with a trillion dollar defi-

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cit. The Obama administration has done so every single year. Yet political and media discussions of the financial crisis have been focussed overwhelmingly on how to get more tax revenue to pay for past and future spending. The very catchwords and phrases used by the Obama administration betray how phony this all is. For example, “We are just asking the rich to pay a little more.” This is an insult to our intelligence. The government doesn't “ask” anybody to pay anything. It orders you to pay the taxes they impose and you can go to prison if you don't. Then there are all the fancy substitute words for plain old spending -- words like “stimulus” or “investing in the industries of the future.” The theory about “stimulus” is that government spending will stimulate private businesses and financial institutions to put more of their money into the economy, speeding up the recovery. But the fact that you call something a “stimulus” does not make it a stimulus. Stimulus spending began during the Bush administration and has continued full blast during the Obama administration. But the end re-

sult is that both businesses and financial institutions have had record amounts of their own money sitting idle. The rate of circulation of money slowed down. All this is the opposite of stimulus. What about “investing in the industries of the future”? Does the White House come equipped with a crystal ball? Calling government spending “investment” does not make it investment any more than calling spending “stimulus” makes it stimulate anything. What in the world would lead anyone to think that politicians have some magic way of knowing what the industries of the future are? Thus far the Obama administration has repeatedly “invested” in the bankruptcies of the present, such as Solyndra. Using lofty words to obscure tawdry realities extends beyond the White House. Referring to the Federal Reserve System's creation of hundreds of billions of new dollars out of thin air as “quantitative easing” makes it seem as if this is some soothing and esoteric process, rather than amounting essentially to nothing more than printing more money. Debasing the value of money by creating more of it is nothing new or esoteric.

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Irresponsible governments have done this, not just for centuries, but for thousands of years. It is a way to take people's wealth from them without having to openly raise taxes. Inflation is the most universal tax of all. All the pretty talk about how tax rates will be raised only on “the rich” hides the ugly fact that the poorest people in the country will see the value of their money decline, just like everybody else, and at the same rate as everybody else, when the government creates more money and spends it. If you have $100 and, after inflation follows from “quantitative easing,” that $100 dollars will only buy what $80 bought before, then that is the same economically as if the government had taxed away one-fifth of your money and spent it. But it is not the same politically, so long as gullible people don't look beyond words to the reality that inflation taxes everybody, the poorest as well as the richest. (Daily Corinthian columnist Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305. His Web site is www.tsowell.com.)

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State Briefs Memphis woman dies in accident BALDWYN — A Memphis woman was killed and two others injured in a single vehicle crash in Baldwyn, Miss. The accident happened late Saturday night on Baldwyn-Ripley Road. Prentiss County Coroner Greg Sparks tells the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal 23-year-old Ashley Gaston of Memphis, was killed in the crash. Two others in the car were transported to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. Investigator say Gaston was a passenger in the vehicle. The vehicle drove past a parked police car at a high rate of speed and when the officer reached the vehicle, the driver already had lost control and crashed.

Study: Job rate low for 20-24 year-olds JACKSON — Young adults in Mississippi were less likely to be employed in 2011 than their peers in other states. A new Kids Count study by the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows 51 percent of 20- to 24-year-olds in Mississippi had jobs in 2011. That’s the lowest employment rate in the U.S. The national average for the age group was 61 percent. The study discusses “disconnected youth,” or people aged 16 and 24 who were neither employed nor in school. Mississippi’s employment rate for 16- to 19-year-olds was 23 percent — lower than the 26 percent national average

but not the lowest in the nation. Kids Count Mississippi director Linda Southward says children who grow up in poverty are less likely to have connections or mentoring that could help them find jobs.

5 women say gasoline fumes harmed children JACKSON — Attorneys for Texaco Inc. asked the Mississippi Supreme Court on Monday to overturn a $17 million verdict. They say no evidence showed the oil company was responsible for ailments of children born to five women who claimed exposure to leaded gaso-

line fumes. A Hinds County jury ruled for the women in 2010; Texaco, now part of Chevron, appealed. The women claimed they were pregnant when they worked in an old Jefferson County office building in Fayette, which previously was a gasoline station affiliated with Texaco. The women sued, saying they were exposed to leaded gasoline fumes from tanks left in the ground when the former station was renovated. Texaco attorneys say the company didn’t own or operate the station and leaks in the underground storage tanks were not its fault.

Arrests made in Party City slaying RIDGELAND — Two arrests have been made in the capital murder of a Ridgeland store manager. Police Lt. John Neal says 21-year-old Joshua Leon Archie turned himself in Monday. Neal says 22-year-old Undra Ward was arrested Sunday. Both were wanted in the Oct. 26 shooting death of Party City manager Bobby Adams of Madison. Neal says Ward was a store employee, and Archie worked there as seasonal help in 2011. The 68-year-old Adams was found dead in

the back doorway of the store. Police said the motive appears to be robbery of the store, which is generally busy during the Halloween season. Both were being held in the Madison County jail pending initial court appearances.

Supervisors give metal facility an ultimatum COLUMBUS — Silicor Materials has received an extension of its start date but it is a deadline with a price tag. The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors agreed Monday to extend

the start date to June 30, 2013. The Commercial Dispatch reports that supervisors also voted to require Silicor to put $150,000 in escrow to ensure its performance. “They need to commit $150,000 in escrow to ensure performance or this deal is null and void,” said Joe Max Higgins with ColumbusLowndes Development Link, a local economic development agency. “They either meet the June 30 deadline or it’s over. If they commit the $150,000 and don’t meet the startup deadline, they lose the escrow money.”

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6 • Tuesday, December 4, 2012 • Daily Corinthian

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