Saturday Dec. 20,
2014
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 118, No. 296
Some sun Today
Tonight
50
32
0% chance of rain
• Corinth, Mississippi • 18 pages • 1 section
City targets drainage issues BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Basket fund donations top $8,800
Corinth is eyeing more creek cleanup with a list of projects ready for consideration by the Tombigbee River Valley Water Management District. The Board of Aldermen agreed this week to request the Alcorn County Board of Supervisors adopt a resolution to submit the five city projects. The process requires the resolution to come from the county. Street Commissioner Philip Verdung is also suggesting two
The spirit of giving this Christmas season is alive and well in the Alcorn County area. Donations continue to arrive for the 19th Annual Corinth Rotary Club/Daily Corinthian Christmas Basket Fund. A $25,000 fund raising goal was set so 1,000 food baskets could be given to local families on Saturday, Dec. 6. Baskets were given away based upon faith the goal will be reached. So far, $8,857 has been raised, meaning $16,143 still needs to be raised to make the goal. Recent donations include $200 from Dr. and Mrs. Scott Bauer in honor and thanksgiving for Evan and David Bauer. Contributions to the Christmas Basket Fund can be made “in honor of” or “in memory of” a special person or persons. The tribute will be published in the Daily Corinthian. Donations can be brought by the newspaper office 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or mailed to: Daily Corinthian, Attn.: Christmas Basket Fund, P.O. Box 1800, Corinth, MS 38835.
other projects that are outside the city limits but affect drainage in the city. All seven are areas that have a direct impact on city residences and businesses, he said. Several of them involve a drainage ditch that is a tributary of the Bridge Creek canal that passes near Crossroads Arena and the justice center. The proposed creek work includes: ■ From Mason St. Luke Road north 1000 feet; ■ At the north side of the Harper Road crossing;
■ From Norman Road south to the city limits, approximately 1,500 feet; ■ From the city limits to Bridge Creek, approximately 5,900 feet in the county; ■ Bridge Creek from County Road 402 to the Tuscumbia canal, approximately 13,500 feet in the county; ■ Phillips Creek from Shiloh Road to Oak Lane, approximately 7,000 feet; ■ Bridge Creek from the Redmont rail line north to Proper Street, approximately 5,300 feet.
Once the projects are submitted to TRVWMD, the agency’s board of directors will consider the projects and add them to the work schedule for cleanup and dredging if approved. In other business before the city board this week, aldermen approved a seven-year tax freeze for Property Solutions (Stuart Green) for the renovation work on Wick Street between Franklin and Taylor. The approval is conditioned on all of the required documentation being in hand.
State champions
Event connects Santa, special needs children BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
It’s not easy for some children to meet Santa. Those who have certain conditions may find it particularly distressing, especially in a hectic mall setting. With that in mind, the autism support group CAUSE (Corinth Autism Understanding Support & Education) is hosting a controlledenvironment event for those children on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. inside the Crossroads Museum. “This event is open to all special needs kids,” said Leonda McDowell, CAUSE president. “They’ll be able to come and won’t have to stand in a long line like when you go to the mall.” In a busy shopping center, it may take an hour or more to be able to meet Santa. “And most special needs kids can’t wait that long,” said McDowell. “There’s a lot of noise and all these different things going on, so a lot of times children get overstimulated.” This does not help if the child is inclined to be frightened of Santa. “What we’re trying to do is get a small setting for the kids so they’ll be able to come in and see Santa, and then we’ll also have some sensory activities to do, maybe one or two games,” said McDowell, whose son is autistic. There is no cost to participate, and the group is looking to make it an annual activity. “We are excited to partner Please see CAUSE | 2
The state champion Kossuth High School cheerleading squad includes (bottom row, from left) Madison Parks(Captain), Madison Switcher(Captain), Mckayla Bradley(Captain), Easton Shadburn; (second row, from left) Coach Renee Turner, Katie Beth Newcomb, Lindsey Newman, Hailey Hodum, Kasey Mckee, Carleigh Holt, Suzanne Rhodes, Kaylee Lee; (back row, from left) Baillie Lancaster, Lauren Beard, Ainsley Renfrow, Shelby Phillips, Anna Kate Gaines, Darbie Coleman, Tyler Sue Hajek, Kristen Devers (mascot) and Darren Kersting (choreographer).
Kossuth High School girls cheer their way to title BY KIMBERLY SHELTON kshelton@dailycorinthian.com
Proving hard work and diligence are the keys to success, the Kossuth High School Cheer Squad tumbled its way to victory during the 2014 Mississippi High School Activities Association Cheer and Dance Competition. Held in Jackson on Saturday, Dec. 13 at the Mississippi Coliseum, the KHS Cheer
Squad competed against seven other squads, achieving first place honors in the 1-3A Tumbling Division for Cheer. During the MHSAA competition, each cheer squad was judged on the following criteria: the cleanliness of their routine, difficulty and execution (stunts, dance, pyramid and tumbling) and how well and loud they performed their cheers. “We were also graded on how
easy the cheers were to follow,” said Cheer Squad Coach and Sponsor Renee Turner. “The cheers were very important because they made up a third of the score.” Well represented by Choreographer Darren Kersting, Superintendent Gina Rogers Smith, and Aggie Mascot Kristen Devers, the team of cheerleaders secured their fourth win at state competition.
Past wins were in 2006, 2007 and 2008. “We are blessed to have a wonderful support system,” said Turner who has now sponsored the squad for three and a half consecutive years. ”The girls were awarded a first-place trophy, individual medals, a banner and patches for their jackets.” Please see CHEER | 2
Tickets on sale for Father-Daughter Ball BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
Kiwanians will again fulfill the dreams of little girls in the Crossroads when the civic club hosts their annual FatherDaughter Ball in February. Tickets for the fourth annual event went on sale this week just in time for Christmas. “We were thinking a surprise ticket to the ball under the tree would make a great Christmas gift for a young girl,” said event chair Ken Weeden. “They should be pretty excited about getting a ticket to the biggest party in town.” Set for Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the
Crossroads Arena, the ball will provide a fairy tale setting for fathers, grandfathers and father figures to carry their daughter or granddaughter to the ball. “We help dreams come true for little girls by providing a great event where fathers and father figures can spend focused quality time with their daughters,” he said. The event includes a variety of food and a professional dance floor with family friendly music by a live deejay. A special Beauty Makeover Station and the popular Make a Cupcake for Dad station will return at February’s event.
Index Stocks........8 Classified......14 Comics........ 7 State........ 5
Weather........9 Obituaries........ 6 Opinion........4 Sports...... 12
“It’s pretty neat to be able to hold the ball on Valentine’s Day this year,” he added. A fundraiser for the Kiwanis Club of Corinth, the first fatherdaughter couple ticket is $40, with each additional daughter costing only $10 each. The fee includes food, dancing, Meet the Princesses, Beauty Makeover Station and Make a Cupcake for Dad Station. “Meet the Princesses was a big hit last year,” said Weeden. “Girls will see all their favorite Princesses back this year.” Add-ons available include a special event t-shirt for $15, a ride in a stretch limo for $20, Ball Memories photo printed
on site for $15 and a reserved sponsor table for eight people for $200. Weeden said unlike previous years, event registration is available online only at corinthkiwanis.org. Payment for all tickets will be required through the site via PayPal with a credit or debit card. No paper applications will be accepted. Early deadline for ticket sales is February 2, with a $20 late fee added to tickets purchased from February 3-13. (For more information, visit corinthkiwanis.org or contact 662-286-3317. Messages will be returned.)
On this day in history 150 years ago Union reports indicate there are 7,000 Confederate troops in Corinth, many of them the sick and wounded from Gen. Hood’s army. The able-bodied men are put to work strengthening the city’s earthwork defenses.