Issuu

Friday Dec. 7,

2012

50 cents

Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 295

2012 Christmas Basket Fund “A Community Tradition”

Basket fund tops $5,000 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 at 8 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Crossroads Arena. The total stands at $5,315, meaning $14,685 still needs to be raised from the community, as there will be no corporate match this year. Recent donations include $25 from Ruth Sunday School Class at West Corinth Baptist Church in memory of Joyce Oxford; $500 from Bell Gas Co. in memory of “Gee Gee” Palmer, Lucy Smith and Peyton Houchins; $100 from Suzy Burcham in honor Please see BASKET | 2A

Arena board discusses farm, outdoor show BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

The Crossroads Arena Board heard updates on its farm and outdoor show set for Jan. 17-19 during its Wednesday meeting. “Everything is coming together,” said operations manager Greg Moss. DeWitt Auctions has been sent a contract for the Alcorn Farm Machinery Home & Outdoor Show, according to Moss. SuperTalk’s Steve Knight, whose radio network was approved by the board to promote the event for $7,500 in a November meeting, said 8-10 sponsors have already been lined up. “Everything has been real positive,” Knight told the board. Board members also discussed the idea of using direct mail to further promote the show. “I think it would a good idea to try and get as much mileage out of this as we can.” said Moss. In other matters, the board: ■ heard from Lisa Yates with Kudzu 104.9 about also promoting the show. Please see ARENA | 2A

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• Corinth, Mississippi • 20 pages • Two sections

Area already seeing flu cases BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

Seasonal influenza is getting an early start in Corinth. “We have seen an uptick in our flu in the past few days,” Magnolia Regional Health Center CEO Rick Napper reported Tuesday. “We had not seen any flu and then we saw five positive flu in one day.” The Mississippi State Department of Health also reported this week that it is monitoring an increase in flu activity

that has occurred over the past several weeks, about a month ahead of the typical beginning of the peak season. “We are going to be doing some things out in the community to prepare people for the flu season,” said Napper. State Epidemiologist Dr. Thomas Dobbs said flu is widespread throughout the state. “Seasonal flu usually peaks from January to March in Mississippi, but infections can be seen before and after peak sea-

son,” he said. “Mississippians should take the threat of flu very seriously and get vaccinated now.” The CDC also says anyone who hasn’t already should get a shot now. It takes about two weeks for the vaccine to begin to provide protection. The CDC’s weekly report noted substantial flu increases in the south central and southeast regions of the country, with widespread activity reported in Mississippi, Alaska, New York

and South Carolina. Influenza is at its most active level this early in the season since the 2003-2004 season. The flu vaccine is available at all of the state’s county health departments for $25 for adults and $10 for those 18 and under. High-dosage vaccinations for people 65 and older are available for $50. Medicare and Medicaid recipients need to bring their cards. Please see FLU | 2A

MRHC plans opening of new ER BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

County supervisors and city aldermen this week approved the hospital budget for fiscal 2013 and learned of the upcoming transition to the new emergency room facilities. The hospital building project is scheduled for completion Dec. 31, and the switch to the new ER will happen the early morning of Feb. 2. A test run on Jan. 5 and a public open house on Jan. 24 will precede the

transition. “On Feb. 1 at midnight, we will change the ER completely over,” Magnolia Regional Health Center CEO Rick Napper told the Alcorn County Board of Supervisors. “We may be asking the local police to assist us some in that, because that’s a little bit of a dangerous area when you move your emergency room.” The hospital’s fiscal 2013 budget keeps many numbers flat because of uncertainty re-

lated to health-care reform. Napper said anticipating the numbers right now is “a shot in the dark.” He told supervisors he expects total net income to hold at $1 million to $1.5 million for the next few years. The hospital had projected total net income of $5.3 million for fiscal 2012 but ended up at about $1.5 million after Medicare made a change in prior year calculations and took back $1.5 million, Napper said.

During FY 2012, the hospital had 31,090 acute patient days, down about 1,800 from the prior year. Napper believes confusion about the health care reform act, insurance products and Medicaid contributed to a decline in the number of patients coming to the hospital. The months of October and November saw a big rebound, however. Total surgical cases, includPlease see MRHC | 2A

Knights of Columbus presents check BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

The Knights of Columbus have been a sweet partner in helping Region IV Mental Health Services. Council 8912 presented Region IV a check for $3,174.70 from its “Campaign for People with Intellectual Disabilities” or “Toostie Roll Drive” held each spring. The money goes toward the purchasing of three new vans by the mental health services. “We use every penny as a match on a van,” said Region IV Executive Director Charlie Spearman. “It’s a wonderful fundraiser that allows us to provide transportation to all our clients.” Past Grand Knights of Council 8912 Bill Geer and Ray Ball were on hand to present the check to Spearman. “Seventy-five percent of the money goes here and the other 25 percent to Special Olympics,” said Ball. “It is a good combined thing for everyone involved,” added Geer. The Knights of Columbus has no official tie to Tootsie Rolls or their manufacturer. The fundraiser is often re-

Staff photo by Steve Beavers

Region IV Executive Director Charlie Spearman (middle) receives a check from past Grand Knights of the Knights of Columbus Bill Geer and Ray Ball. ferred to as the “Tootsie Roll Drive” because each person that donates is offered a Tootsie Roll. According to Spearman, the Mississippi Department of Transportation pays 80 percent of the cost of the vans with Region IV picking up the

other 20 percent. “The donation today just about pays the match for a van,” he said. Region IV has recently added a trio of 15-passenger Ford vans. “We are the only mental health region who provides

wall-to-wall transportation for its clients,” said the executive director. Region IV serves over 10,000 clients in the five counties of Alcorn, Prentiss, Tishomingo, Tippah and DeSoto. Please see KNIGHTS | 2A

ACHS dance team has holiday fundraiser BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

AC is using an ATV to help them get to nationals. The Alcorn Central dance team is currently selling chances on a Honda Recon four wheeler with money collected going toward the squad’s trip to the national event in Orlando, Fla. “We have raised enough to cover the expense of being out there,” said dance coach Rebecca Lewis. “Now we are trying to come up with the money for transportation.” Alcorn Central’s dance team

earned a berth to Orlando behind an impressive routine at the Mississippi State Camp back in June. The trip would be the first for the two-time defending Class 3A Hip Hop State Champions. The ATV will be awarded Dec. 29 at the school’s Peggy Bain Memorial Scholarship Holiday Hoops Tournament. Tickets are $10 each and three for $20. Those interested in buying a ticket can see Lewis, Brent Smith at Lake Hill Motors, or any member of the dance team. The dance team will leave for Orlando on Feb. 1. Another

Index Stocks...... 7A Classified......4B Comics......3B Wisdom......2B

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

$6,500 is needed to cover the transportation. Since the strong showing at camp, in which they collected a superior rating along with the Super Spirit Stick and Coaches Leadership Award, the group has held numerous fundraisers to pay for the school’s first trip to a national tournament. “I promised them if they earned a trip to nationals that I would do everything I could to get them there,” said Lewis, who took over as coach in May. Cost for the hotel on the trip was $5,000 alone, according to

the coach. “People have really been great in supporting the team and our school, and we want to thank them for that,” added Lewis. Members of the 2012-13 team are seniors Erica Doran, captain; Abbey Brooks, co-captain; Anna Bowling; and Caleigh Newton; juniors Taylor Bordeleau, Lakin Little and Brooke Odle; sophomores Lindsey Miller, Alissa Ann Williams and Katie Smith; and freshmen Adrianna Ligon, Kayti Ligon, Annie Moody and Nikki Robertson.

On this day in history 150 years ago The Battle of Prairie Grove, Ark. The fight itself is inconclusive as the superior force of Confederates under Gen. Hindman fails to defeat the Union army under Gen. Steele. Each side suffers about 1,300 casualties and the badly demoralized Southerners quit the field.

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2A • Daily Corinthian

Local/Region

Buntin named student of the month

Friday, December 7, 2012

ARENA CONTINUED FROM 1A

BY TWILA BRIDGES ACHS

Alcorn Central High School is proud to recognize Chelsea Buntin, daughter of Jimmy and Pam Buntin, as Rotary Student of the Month for November. Buntin is an outstanding student, athlete and leader at Alcorn Central High School. She has a number of academic stars in her crown. She is ranked fourth in her very competitive senior class. During her high school career she has been awarded the English, Algebra, Geometry and Advanced Algebra awards. Buntin has also received the “All A’s Award” all four years of high school and has been selected for the “Golden Bear Award.” One may wonder if her course load is on the light side, but she has taken AP English her junior and senior years, AP History her junior year and is dominating physics this semester. On top of all these academic accolades she got perfect attendance her junior year. Not only is she very intelligent, but she also excels in athletics and is very involved in clubs and service groups at ACHS. If you have never seen Chelsea pitch at a fast-pitch softball game, you are truly missing something spectacular. She can deliver that ball at a speed that is ridiculous and with an air of perfect sportsmanship. While she has been on the fast-pitch team, they have been All County in 2009 and 2010

Chelsea Buntin and All Division 1-3A in 2009 to 2012. Buntin has received the Pitching Award for three years in a row. She also received the best batting average in 2012 and the Coaches Award in 2012. She also has played slowpitch softball the past five years and received the GRITT Award in 2011, the MVP Award 2011 and the Elite 11 First Team and All Division 1-3A 2010 and 2011. She played basketball for two years and now serves as the team manager. Buntin is very involved

in school clubs and other leadership roles at ACHS. She has been on Student Government Association (SGA) for two years, a member of Beta Club for four years, a member of FCA for four years, a member of the Art Club, Junior Class Reporter and is currently serving as the Senior Class Secretary. Two of the service projects she has helped with while being involved with these clubs are helping with the Rotary Club Food Baskets and helping with the local food pantry. Not too many stu-

dents would entertain the thought of giving up part of their summer break, but for the past three summers, she has volunteered three days a week with the Middle School Basketball Camp. Another way she gives back to the community is by crocheting blankets for the elderly through a program started by ACHS physics teacher Julie Plaxico. One final activity of Buntin’s is being a mentor for children in the elementary school, which is a hugely successful program. She spends time with a child every week either helping them with homework or just visiting and playing. After graduation, Buntin plans on attending Northeast Mississippi Community College and playing softball for them for two years and then going on to obtain her bachelor of science degree at a four-year college and hopefully play softball there as well. She sees nursing in her future. She is one smart, busy and thoughtful young lady with big plans. Her smile can be seen constantly in the halls and her conscientious academic efforts in the classroom are what all teachers yearn to see. She doesn’t meet a stranger and is always kind to everyone she comes into contact with; to say she is loved by all at ACHS would be an understatement. Alcorn Central is proud to have her representing the school as Rotary Student of the Month for November.

Baker receives medical school awards Special to the Daily Corinthian

Hayes Baker of Corinth graduated from the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Medicine this past May. At the School of Medicine’s 51st Annual Honors Day, she was the recipient of the Rowland Medical Library Endowment Award, which is presented to a medical student who best demonstrates a commitment to professionalism. She also received the Regions

Bank Scholarship, which is presented to a senior medical student in recognition of outstanding academic achievement and promise in the field of medicine. Baker was the first recipient of the Helen R. Turner Academic Medicine Award. Established in 2012 by the University of Mississippi School of Medicine, this award honors Dr. Helen Turner and her remarkable service to the institution.

This award is presented to a fourth-year medical student selected on the basis of demonstrated promise in the field of academic medicine. Baker also was selected Student of the Year by the Associated Student Body in recognition of her dedication to service on campus. Baker is completing a residency in internal medicine at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

■ discussed the latest on the Alcorn County Tournament set for Jan. 3-5. “I think everything is under control,” said vice chairman Alva Dalton. Former Corinth High School assistant coach Jimmy Whitaker is coordinating the annual basketball event. ■ continued to mull over the idea of an ATM Machine at the facility. The board was advised there will be additional insurance premium should a machine be placed inside the building. “I’m for an ATM ma-

chine, but we need to take another look at things before any decision is made,” said chairman Dr. Hardwick Kay. ■ agreed to set up a conference call with Jim Green of Green Machine Promotions for Dec. 12 ■ approved buying 15 new aprons for the concession workers. ■ paid all November bills. Board members Joe Franks, Jane Clark Summers and Thom Rogers were all absent from the meeting. Franks was set to undergo a cancer treatment in Nashville, Tenn., while Summers was recovering from foot surgery.

BASKET CONTINUED FROM 1A

of Ray Burcham, Chris Davis and Jay Davis and family; $100 from Donny and Sherron Shadburn in memory of Velma Shadburn; and $50 from Sue Burgess in memory of her husband, Wayne Burgess. 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” some-

one who has passed. They can be family or friends, co-workers, 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, MS 38835.

KNIGHTS CONTINUED FROM 1A

The partnership between Region IV and the Knights of Columbus initially started in 1985. Region IV Mental Health/Mental Retardation Commission provides outpatient services to individuals in need of mental health, mental retardation, and/or alcohol and drug abuse

services. In addition to outpatient services, Region IV also operates a residential treatment facility for alcohol and drug clients. From its beginning, charity has been the first principle of the Knights of Columbus. Their charitable activities includes a variety of local, national and international projects.

MRHC CONTINUED FROM 1A

Dr. Hayes Baker

Deal of the Week Sofa and Loveseat

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ing both in-patient and out-patient, increased from 9,962 to 10,492. Gross patient revenue was $553.775 million, exceeding the budget projection of $531.140 million. Total net revenue after payments to Medicare and others was $149 million.

Salary and benefits increased by about $5 million due primarily to a large increase in state retirement, Napper said, which will also increase another 1.5 percent in the coming year. He also noted that the hospital has instituted the “Toyota process” and anticipates $2 million in savings as a result.

FLU CONTINUED FROM 1A

In addition to getting the shot, the department of health says to remember basic measures such as covering your mouth when coughing and sneezing, washing hands frequently and staying

home when sick. The seasonal flu symptoms are fever, cough and often extreme fatigue. Sore throat, headache, muscle aches and a runny or stuffy nose also often occur. More severe symptoms and death can occur.

8th Annual

Christmas in the Park & Holiday Mart

Friday & Saturday - Dec. 14 & 15

Holiday Mart Hours: Friday / Noon-9 p.m. Saturday / 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Drive thru/Ride thru Lights: 6 p.m.-9 p.m. each night Hot Cocoa & Cookies • Santa Workshop for kids

Pickwick Landing State Park’s Festival of Lights See the spectacular luminaries and lighted displays as you enjoy a trolley ride or horse-drawn carriage ride through the park.

Casabella Clearance Center

2401 South Harper Road, Corinth, MS - Located behind Casabella Furniture 662-665-9965 • Hours: Mon - Sat 10-7; Sun 1-6

Wrap Up Your Holiday Shopping at our Holiday Mart Over 50 Local Retailers and Crafters / Unique Gift Items Located in the Conference Center SPECIAL VISIT FROM SANTA! Train Ride for the little ones / Christmas Stories read by Santa’s Elves each evening by the fireplace. “Breakfast with Santa” on Saturday in the private dining room Call 1-800-250-8615 for reservations at PICKWICK LANDING STATE PARK Sponsored by Pickwick Landing State Park and the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce

Local

3A • Daily Corinthian

Deaths Lila Prather

Lila Prather, 76, of Corinth, died Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012, at Magnolia Regional Health Center. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Patterson Memorial Chapel.

Emmalean Dilworth

IUKA — Funeral services for Emmalean Dilworth, 96, were held Wednesday at Jones

Chapel CME Church with burial at Shady Grove Cemetery. Mrs. Dilworth died Friday, Nov. 30, 2012, at Iuka Hospital of natural causes. Born May 19, 1916, she was a member of Jones Chapel CME Church. She was preceded in death by her husband, William Henry Dilworth; her parents, John and Lugenia Seay; eight brothers; and six sisters.

Lloyd D. Haynes Sr.

Funeral services with Military Honors for Lloyd Daniel “Boone” Haynes Sr., 81, of Corinth, were held Thursday at Magnolia Funeral Home Chapel of Memories with burial at Jerusalem Church of Christ Cemetery. Mr. Haynes died Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, in Oxford. Born May 25, 1931, he was a school teacher/principal at Rienzi, Farmington and Alcorn Central Elementary for over 31 years. He had a Masters degree in education. He is the vice commander of the American Legion Post #6. He truly loved God, Family and Country, and made helping chilHaynes dren his top priority. Mr. Haynes was a member of Jerusalem Church of Christ and a U.S. Army Veteran of the Korean War. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nola Anne Fisher Haynes; his father, William Howard Haynes; his mother, Lillie Mae Rhodes Haynes; a brother, Artell Haynes; and a sister, Lilly Belle Haynes Clark. Survivors include a son, Dan Haynes of Corinth; a daughter, Beth Haynes and fiance Perry Godsey of Corinth; three grandchildren, Jacob Dearman, Hunter Haynes and Josalynn Haynes; a brotherin-law, Gene Clark of Corinth; two sisters-in-law, Elvera Haynes of St. Louis, Mo., and Judy Fisher of Decatur, Ala.; other relatives and a host of friends. Minister Lennis Nowell, Minister Terry Smith and Charlie Browning officiated Pallbearers were James Larry Cornelius, Randy Swallow, Keith Hamm, Mike Floyd, Jerry Grisham and Wayne Burrow. Memorial Donations can be made to the American Legion Post #6.

Bobby Noel Hill

Funeral services with Military Honors for Bobby Noel Hill, 81, of Corinth, are set for 11 a.m. Saturday at Magnolia

Survivors include a daughter, Emma L. Wright of Michigan City, Ind.; a son, William Dilworth Jr. (Mary); two brothers, Calvin Seay and Charlie Seay (Virginia); and two grandchildren, Anthony Dilworth and Denise Dilworth. Rev. Charles McGauhy officiated the service. Grayson Funeral Services was in charge of arrangements.

Funeral Home Chapel of Memories with burial at Vanderford Cemetery. Mr. Hill died Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2012, at The Villages, Fla. Born March 18, 1931, he was retired from the U.S. Air Force with 26 years of service. He also worked in security at ITT for a number of years after his retirement from the Air Force. He was a member of Farmington Baptist Church. He was a U.S. Air Force Veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars, who retired as a SM Sgt. (E-8) with 26 years of service throughout the United States and overseas in Southeast Asia, Africa, Canada and the Caribbean. Bobby Noel Hill devoted his life to serving God, Family and Country and after his retirement to helping his community be a better place to live. He was preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Bobbie Sue Vanderford Hill; his father, Herbert Chester Hill; his mother, Thelma Faust Hill Griffin; a brother, Herbert Dean Hill; a brotherin-law, Rev. Jimmy Ray Vanderford; a sister-in-law, Audry Hill; and a nephew, Wayne Hill. Survivors include his sons, Michael K. Hill and wife Jenny of The Villages. Fla., and Steven L. Hill and wife Vonda Linn of Wetumpka, Ala.; his grandchildren, James Steven Hamilton, Jennifer Lois Hamilton, and Joshua Scott Hill and wife, Anna; his great grandchildren, Chase Tucker Hamilton and James Steven Hamilton II; a brother, Jerry Wayne Hill of Coloma, Mich.; a sisterin-law, Marilyn Vanderford of Corinth; his nieces, Charlotte Vanderford King and husband, Phil, of Corinth, Patty Hill Jamison and Sharon Hill; a great niece, Lanie King; other relatives and a host of friends. Charlie Browning will officiate. The Veterans and Family Honor Corp. will serve as pallbearers. Visitation is today from 5 until 8 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. until service time at Magnolia Funeral Home. Memorial may be made to a charity of your choice or the Air Force Enlisted Village, 92 Sunset Lane, Shalimar, FL 32579.

Absentee Voting Corinth City Hall will be open from 8 a.m. until noon Saturday for absentee voting for the Dec.

11 special election on liquor sales in Corinth. It will be the last day to cast an absentee balGift Certifi ca Available tes

Giftss fo for or Every E er Woman

Friday, December 7, 2012

Pickwick Electric plans to build new facility BY JEFF YORK For the Daily Corinthian

The Pickwick Electric Cooperative board of directors voted recently at a special meeting to move forward with the construction of a new headquarters facility. The new facility will not be built until next year and would move the facility to Hwy. 142 in Selmer near Graham Lumber Company, just off U.S. Hwy. 45. The company believes the new headquarters will improve the quality of service to their members, and enhance the cooperative’s efficiency and effectiveness. PEC said the new campus will provide the PEC employees with a safer and more secure work environment. PEC has been in their present facility since 1954 and company officials feel they have outgrown that building with no room to expand. “Our building and grounds have reached

their capacity with no room to expand,” said PEC President Karl Dudley. “Highway access is also a safety concern for our employees that haul long poles and drive heavy equipment. With one office location to service our electric plant that is spread across parts of six counties, we have simply outgrown our current facility that has served us well for almost 60 years.” Dudley said the new construction will not impact member rates any more than their regular system-improvement work plans. “The cost of the building is not an ‘expense’ that hits the bottom line in a single year. It’s an investment in our infrastructure, paid-for and depreciated over 50 years,” said Dudley. “There will be no rate increase associated with the construction.” The company said it does not have a cost es-

timate on the new facility because it is in the early planning stages and have engaged an architectural firm to assist with the project’s design and costs. Pickwick Electric purchased the 57.5acre building site for $325,000 in June 2008. The property is onequarter mile off Hwy. 45, close to the Selmer Wal-Mart. PEC services six counties, four in Tennessee and two in Mississippi. The Tennessee counties are McNairy, Chester, Hardin and Hardeman counties and the Mississippi counties are Alcorn and Tishomingo. The company has 67 employees and serves more than 20,600 members. Pickwick Electric officials have said the cooperative members will be kept informed about the project through local newspaper articles and the Tennessee Magazine.

American Legion offering breakfast with Santa Claus BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

Santa has been making some early appearances throughout the area. Saint Nick is scheduled to be at American Legion Post 6 building Saturday for breakfast and photos. The Jolly Red One is appearing on behalf of the Sons of American Legion, Ladies Auxiliary and Legion Riders. Money collected during the 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. event will go to fund the many activities of Post 6. Cost of the breakfast, which includes pancakes and sausage, is $5. Photos will also be

lot in person. Mailed absentee ballots must be received by Monday.

$5 with each person who has one made receiving a 5-by-7 print. “They can do one, other or both,” said local photographer and Legion Rider Lisa Wilbanks of the breakfast and photo. This time of the year

has been a busy one for the American Legion. Post 6 started a mid-week prayer breakfast on Wednesday. Members are slated to take part in the annual Wreaths Across America on Dec. 15 at the National Cemetery. J7NÂ<H;;Ã?DL;IJ?D= tqxÃ;:K97J?EDÃI7L?D=IÃFB7D <?N;:Ã?D9EC; I H;J?H;C;DJÃFB7DD?D=

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662-287-7676 Monday~Saturday 10:00-5:30 Extended hours during the holidays Mark Boehler

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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.

www.dailycorinthian.com

Opinion

Reece Terry, publisher

Mark Boehler, editor

4A • Friday, December 7, 2012

Corinth, Miss.

Letter to the editor

The bad will always outweigh the good when it comes to liquor To the editor: Once again the liquor vote has made it to the ballot, all in the name of money, and hoping to win by not including the county vote. We may not have a chance to vote, but there is 12 in my family who would definitely vote “No” if it were possible. We don’t patronize restaurants that sell liquor, either. I challenge 12 people who read this letter to vote “No” in our place. See if God doesn’t bless you for standing for what’s right. When you put the sale of liquor on a scale, the bad will definitely outweigh what they’re saying the good will be — which is no good. If the taxes from the liquor were to go toward better roads — the roads were not any better when liquor was in — what would the value of that be? What would the value be against deaths caused by drunk drivers, homes broken up, marriages destroyed, children abused, neglected and hungry, watching someone dying from the damage liquor did to their liver or watching teenagers standing outside the store waiting for some adult to come along who will go in and buy it for them? It’s happened with beer and the liquor will be no different. We live in a day the Bible talks about when they will call good, evil and evil, good. You can get a ballot for liquor, abortion, gay marriages, legalizing marijuana and every other sin under the sun. But to try to get a ballot for prayer in schools and public meetings, it takes an act of congress to even get anyone to consider it. Roman 14:11 states, “For it is written as I live saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” What are your confessions going to be before God one day? Diana Jones CR 325, Corinth (Editor’s Note: The deadline for views or letters on the city liquor referendum has passed. This letter was submitted before the deadline.)

Prayer for today Lord, let us prepare our hearts, minds and bodies to receive the seed of the Holy Spirit and to nurture God’s Word this season. Amen.

A verse to share And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shall call his name Jesus; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. — Matthew 1:21

Worth quoting Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher. — William Wordsworth

Republicans ‘stabbed in the back’ by minorities BY ROGER SIMON The Republicans have found their stab in the back. It was the minorities what done them in. In just four years, U.S. presidential politics has gone from “the black guy can’t win” to “only the black guy can win.” Their version of recent history is simple: Mitt Romney did not lose because of any lack of personal attributes or campaign skills. He did not lose because of any of his protect-the-rich, sneerat-the-middle-class policies. He did not lose because his campaign failed miserably at its most basic function, turning out the vote. No, none of that mattered. Romney lost, according to Romney, because a secret was kept from him. A trap was sprung on him at the last moment: Black people can vote! Hispanic people can vote! Young people can vote! Hoards of these people have been living among us for decades, their numbers ever increasing. Strictly speaking, the increased voting power of minorities has been tracked and written about for years and brought to the attention of the Republican Party by Republican strategists at least a dozen years ago. Still, it was a shock. And vastly unfair. As Ashley Parker of The New York Times reported, Romney summed up the reason for

Sound Off Policy Effective immediately, the Daily Corinthian Sound Off policy will be the same as its Letter to the Editor Policy. Sounds Offs need to be submitted with a name, address, contact phone number and if possible, e-mail address, for author verification. The author’s name and city of residence will be published with the Sound Off. Sound Offs will only accepted from those who wish to have their names published with their opinion. All other Letter to the Editor rules apply for Sound Offs.

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his loss to his fundraisers and donors shortly after Election Day. Obama had followed what Romney called the “old playbook” of seeking votes from specific interest groups, “especially the African-American community, the Hispanic community and young people.” And, in each case, Romney said, the Obama people “were very generous in what they gave to those groups.” It was bribery, pure and simple. Mitt, on the other hand, felt compelled by his strict upbringing to stick to the high road “talking about big issues for the whole country: military strategy, foreign policy, a strong economy, creating jobs and so forth.” Obama was a minority, he promised stuff to minorities, and so he won. Simple as that. Unfortunately, this is more than sour grapes. It is another attempt to delegitimize Obama. The first attempt was the “birther” movement, which tried to make his 2008 victory illegitimate by claiming Obama had not been born in the United States. But birtherism failed to catch on. Now it has been replaced with the theory of “racial destiny”: Obama was born a minority and so minorities (and anyone else who can be easily bribed) will vote for him. Simple as that. This was the message of

Romney’s infamous “47 percent” remarks. They are worth repeating for what they reveal about how the Republican Party currently looks at America: “There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what,” Romney said. “All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it —that that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what.” The key phrases, used twice in four sentences, is “no matter what.” Destiny itself is against the Republicans. Some might say that the job of the Republican Party in the next four years would be to develop a message that attracted minorities, the young and the 47 percent. This is far from impossible. As Obama’s chief strategist, David Axelrod said: “The Republican Party has some soul-searching to do. They have to deal with America as it is.” Wrong! says Romney chief strategist Stuart Stevens. The Republicans don’t have to change because there will not be a Minority

Messiah on the Democratic ticket in 2016. Obama “was a charismatic African-American president with a billion dollars, no primary and media that often felt morally conflicted about being critical. How easy is that to replicate?” Steven recently wrote in The Washington Post. Under this theory, the Republicans do not have to do anything differently. Instead of meeting the challenge of demographic changes in America, instead of persuading minorities that conservative values should be their values, instead of demonstrating that the Republican Party has something to offer all Americans and not just well-off, white Americans, the party can just sit on its butt and wait for victory to fall into its lap. I have a feeling this will not work, however. I have a feeling that unless it wants to become a regional party, winning only a shrinking number of Western and Southern states, the Republicans will have to react dynamically to a new America. This is not bribery. This is coalition-building. This is democracy. And maybe the Republicans should give it a whirl. (Daily Corinthian columnist Roger Simon is chief political columnist of politico.com, an award-winning journalist and a New York Times best selling author.)

Threat to football more NFL than NRA There’s a reason that halftime of NFL broadcasts is usually reserved for game analysis and highlights, rather than social science. NBC announcer Bob Costas showed why with a little sermonette during the Philadelphia Eagles-Dallas Cowboys game Sunday night. Just a day earlier, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher shot and killed his girlfriend before driving to the Chiefs’ practice facility and shooting and killing himself in front of his head coach and general manager. During halftime of “Football Night in America,” which is not to be confused with “Monday Night Football” or “Thursday Night Football,” Costas referred to Belcher’s shocking murdersuicide as “nearly unfathomable.” He then proceeded to fathom it in terms of a cliched gun-control fable. Costas quoted approvingly sportswriter Jason Whitlock’s argument that “our current gun culture simply ensures that more and more domestic disputes will end in the ultimate tragedy.” Costas apparently hasn’t

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spared a moment’s reflection to the argument over guns in our society. If he had, he Rich wouldn’t have Lowery treated such tripe as priceNational less words of Review wisdom. A Gallup survey last year found that 47 percent of adults have a gun in their home or on their property, the highest figure since 1993. Yet, as of 2005, the number of intimate homicides had steadily declined since 1993, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. That is not to deny that the presence of a gun makes a violent relationship much more dangerous. But what set of laws could possibly deny a gun to Jovan Belcher, who had no criminal record and was touted as a model NFL player, without denying them to the vast majority of gun owners who will never do harm to anyone? Costas left out the most powerful part of Whitlock’s

commentary, which was an excoriating attack on the NFL for letting the Chiefs’ regularly scheduled game be played the very next day after the killings. The Belcher story will tell us more about the NFL than the NRA. According to a friend’s account reported by the website Deadspin, Belcher “was dazed and was suffering from short-term memory loss” after his last start. The source described him as suffering from a “combination of alcohol, concussions and prescription drugs.” Nearly simultaneously with Belcher’s murder-suicide, Boston University researchers published a study that found, in the words of a Reuters report, “years of hits to the head in football or other contact sports lead to a distinct pattern of brain damage that begins with an athlete having trouble focusing and can eventually progress to aggression and dementia.” It is apparently not big hits to the head that bring on the condition, called chronic traumatic encephalopathy, but a diet of

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small blows. This phenomenon may have absolutely nothing to do with Belcher’s crime. But the question will be asked, and yet more attention will focus on the issue of brain injuries. The league is already getting sued by thousands of former players and their relatives for not taking brain injuries seriously enough. If Costas really wanted to issue a jeremiad in the aftermath of the Belcher killings, perhaps it should have been directed at the vastly profitable football-industrial complex of which he is a small part. In keeping with his view expressed in the past that the NFL is “unacceptably brutal,” he could have said: “As I stand here, I, too, profit from a game that depends on men doing violence to one another with effects we still don’t fully understand.” But that would have hit too close to home, and the third quarter beckoned. (Daily Corinthian columnist Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review. He can be reached via e-mail: comments.lowry@nationalreview.com.)

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Daily Corinthian • Friday, December 7, 2012 • 5A

State Briefs Associated Press

Driver dies in wreck with school bus VANCLEAVE — Authorities said a school bus collided with a car in south Mississippi, killing the driver of the smaller vehicle. Cherie Ward, a spokeswoman with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, says the driver of the car died in the wreck Thursday afternoon. She says seven children on the bus reported minor injuries. Jackson County Coroner Vicki Broadus says the driver of the car had no identification, so she’s trying to determine his identity. Ward says the bus was from Vancleave Upper Elementary.

Meridian library wants food for fines MERIDIAN — The Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library has ramped up its Food for Fines program. Library director Steve McCartney told The Meridian Star that each canned good or nonperishable item such as rice or pasta

brought in will count as $1 off a library fine for the donor. He says the program will continue through Dec. 21. McCartney says the food will be donated to South Harbor Shelter for the homeless and families.

Gloster signs lease for biofuels site GLOSTER — The city of Gloster has signed a lease to provide space at the local industrial park to an unidentified company. Officials told the Enterprise-Journal that the business is a biofuels company that would bring in about 45 jobs. They declined to release other details because the company has not signed the lease. The board of aldermen also passed a resolution Tuesday to apply for a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Mississippi Development Authority. City officials say the certificate will authorize a long-term lease of town property. Aldermen also authorized the placement of water, gas and sewer lines to

the site.

State senator dies JACKSON — State Sen. Alice Varnado Harden, a Democrat from Jackson who was a passionate voice for education and domestic violence victims during her 24 years in the Legislature, died. She was 64. Her death was announced Thursday by Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves. She died at a Jackson hospital after a lengthy illness, friends said. Other details of her death were not been released. Funeral arrangements are pending. She is survived by her husband, Dennis, and a daughter. “She was a great person, a great legislator and a good community leader, and a good friend,” said Rep. Credell Calhoun, D-Jackson. Harden had served in the Senate since 1988 from Hinds County. She had served as chairman of both the education, universities and colleges and elections committees. She was re-elected in 2011 and was serving

on the appropriations and education committees. Her death opens a second vacancy in the 52-member state Senate. Bennie Turner, a West Point Democrat, died Nov. 27. Harden was a former teacher and former president of the Mississippi Association of Educators. She was native of Pike County. She got her bachelor’s and masters’ degrees in education from Jackson State University. She taught physical education and science before being elected to the Senate. She was education chairman during some lean fiscal years in Mississippi. In a 2000 interview with the Associated Press, Harden said the challenge of budgetary shortfalls was getting state agencies together to determine what education dollars are already out there. “We are going to have to do things that don’t impact the appropriations process,” she said. “That means maximizing the funds throughout state government that impact education. But it

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takes some collaboration among state agencies. There are policies that we can implement and we can even put off the funding for many of them.” Former Lt. Gov. Amy Tuck, who appointed Harden as education chairwoman in 2000, said in a statement that Harden “always looked out for the best interest of her constituents. Being a former teacher, Senator Harden had a special interest in education issues that affected the children of our state.”

Bryant sets date for Senate seat JACKSON — Gov. Phil Bryant scheduled a special election for Jan. 15 to fill a vacancy in the state Senate. The qualifying deadline for candidates for the Senate District 16 election is Dec. 17. If no candidate receives a ma-

jority of the votes, runoff is Feb. 5. The winner will complete the expired term of Sen. Bennie Turner, a Democrat from West Point, who died Nov. 27. Senate District 16 is comprised of Clay County and parts of Lowndes, Oktibbeha and Noxubee counties.

DeSoto getting ‘safe rooms’ under grant HERNANDO — DeSoto County school officials plan to build safe rooms at six schools that would serve as safe locations during a tornado. The Commercial Appeal reports school board members this week approved advertising for bids after being briefed on a $48,000 increase in funding for the project, which will add reinforced free-standing structures under a grant program that is funding 95 percent of the cost.

Little Zion M.B. Church

Fishes & Loaves Clothing Drive Saturday, December 8th 9 A.M. - 12 NOON Location: Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church 3395 North Polk Street Corinth, MS 38834

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