State/Nation
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
Across the Nation Associated Press
Man drives 38 miles wrong way, crashes SOLANA BEACH, Calif. — California Highway Patrol officers say they don’t know why a 29-year-old motorist from the San Diego area crossed the U.S.Mexico border only to turn around at a police checkpoint and speed off. After a 38-mile, 100 mph wrong-way run, his car crashed headon into another car on Interstate 5. The wreck killed the man and a couple. Sgt. Curtis Martin says it didn’t appear to involve drugs or alcohol, and there was no evidence of weapons or drug money. Martin says a lot of people were on the freeway before Sunday’s fiery early morning crash, but they managed to swerve around him. Martin didn’t have the couple’s hometown but said they were related, had luggage, were using a rental car and so were beginning or ending a trip. Â
Police probe threats that closed schools NASHUA, N.H. — Police are investigating “detailed� threats to hurt students and teachers that led to the closure of schools in the state’s second largest district Monday. The threats to the Nashua school district were made by email to an administrator Sunday and were specific enough for officials to shut all the public schools. “I regret any difficulties this creates for working parents but safety must remain our first priority,� school Superintendent Mark Conrad said in a statement posted on the district’s website. Conrad said that the threats were specific to Monday and that he expects schools will reopen Tuesday and Wednesday before closing for the Christmas break. He called the threats “detailed� in their description. Some private schools in the southern New Hampshire city also closed Monday, though police say only the two public high schools
were mentioned in the threat. Nashua serves about 11,500 students, including more than 3,500 in the high schools. The closing comes less than a week after threats of violence shuttered schools in Los Angeles, the nation’s second largest district. A rash of threats followed in several other large school districts, including New York City, Miami, Houston and Las Vegas. Most of the school districts remained open, though some added police patrols. The threats in New Hampshire also came with the country still on edge following the killing of 14 people in what authorities say was a terrorist attack Dec. 2 in San Bernardino, California. Â
New trial scheduled for Baltimore officer BALTIMORE — A Baltimore judge has scheduled a new trial date following the mistrial of one of six officers charged in connection with the death of Freddie Gray. William Porter’s first trial ended in a hung jury last week. His new trial is scheduled to begin June 13. The other five officers will be tried before that, beginning next month. Porter faces manslaughter, assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office. Gray died April 19, a week after he suffered a broken neck in the back of a police transport wagon. Prosecutors say Porter is partially responsible because he didn’t buckle Gray into a seat belt or immediately call for an ambulance when Gray indicated he needed medical attention. Â
Fan names himself after Darth Vader CANANDAIGUA, N.Y. — Darth Vader is a tattooed 43-year-old former Marine who owns a gym and is raising funds online for a bone marrow transplant. The Democrat and Chronicle of Rochester reports that a western New York man legally changed his name last year to match the villain in the “Star Wars� films.
Daily Corinthian • 7A
Across the State
The former Eric Welch, of Canandaigua, says he grew up in foster homes and didn’t have strong family ties to his name. The “Star Warsâ€? fan says he chose Darth Vader for his new name because the character carries an aura of leadership and toughness. He tests his own toughness by competing in half-marathons and endurance events. He was diagnosed with leukemia in 2002. Â
Coach found dead in jail took own life INDIANAPOLIS — A coroner says an Indianapolis gymnastics coach who had been facing child pornography and molestation charges when he was found dead in his jail cell took his own life. Chief Deputy Marion County Coroner Alfarena Ballew said Monday in a statement that 49-yearold Marvin Sharp died from asphyxia due to suffocation. His manner of death is listed as a suicide. Sharp was found dead Sept. 19 in his Marion County Jail cell. The USA Gymnastics 2010 Coach of the Year was arrested Aug. 24 on four counts of child molestation and three counts of sexual misconduct with a minor. Federal prosecutors later charged Sharp in a superseding indictment with nine counts of producing child pornography since 2002 involving six female students as young as 6 or 7 years old. Â
Associated Press
7th-grader dies when hunting rifle goes off MAGEE — The family of a seventh-grade boy says he was killed when his hunting rifle accidentally discharged when he tripped on some stairs. WAPT-TV reports that Jacob Allen was killed Saturday morning in Simpson County. The family tells the television station that Allen was leaving his grandmother’s house when he tripped on some stairs and it caused the rifle to fire. The family says he and his brother were out hunting early Saturday morning before the incident. The family called it a “freak accident.â€? Allen was a student at Magee Middle School. Â
Hitchhiker stabbed driver with syringe D’IBERVILLE — Police say they are searching for a hitchhiker accused of stabbing a driver who picked him up in the neck with a syringe Monday morning. D’Iberville Police Capt. Clay Jones says the victim noticed a man walking along the shoulder of Mississippi 67 southbound and stopped to give him a ride, according to the Sun Herald. When the suspect asked to be dropped off a short while later, police say the suspect pulled out a syringe and stabbed the victim in the neck and ran off. The victim was taken to a hospital for an evaluation. Â
Passengers stuck on SeaWorld tower
Bok Homa Casino celebrates 5 years
ORLANDO, Fla. — SeaWorld Orlando officials said rescuers were working to remove guests from the Sky Tower after it stopped working. The park announced on its official Twitter page Monday afternoon that they were working closely with Orange County Fire Rescue. Officials said they remained in constant communication with the guests and team members on the ride, and all passengers were safe. Television images showed the passengers waving to people outside.
HEIDELBERG — On Dec. 20, 2010, the slots were spinning for the first time at Bok Homa Casino — and it was an occasion to remember, with parachuting Santas and an appearance by “Mr. Las Vegas� himself, Wayne Newton. This year marks the fifth anniversary for the casino on Choctaw tribal lands and the slots are still spinning and table games have been added. Officials have even more plans for Bok Homa, according to the Hattiesburg American. When it opened, the 27,000-square-foot casino run by the Mississippi
Band of Choctaw Indians had had to weather countless efforts by local and state officials — including then-Gov. Haley Barbour — to stop construction of the casino. Officials cited legal, health and safety concerns. Today, the casino is expanding. In October, Bok Homa added table games to its lineup and it plans to add more table games in the next few months. Sonny Johnson, interim president and CEO at Bok Homa, says bringing in table games has provided a boost in attendance at Bok Homa. The casino did not release information such as the number of annual visitors and the geographic area from which the casino is pulling. Casinos owned and operated by Choctaws also do not report winnings to the state. In addition to table games, Bok Homa built an events center in trailers right outside the casino building within the past year. “This events center allows us to hold a lot more of events on site here, such as rewards events for our players, and it is even where we trained our new dealers when we were bringing in table games earlier this year,â€? Johnson said. Â
Mayor’s race leader: No Lumberton runoff LUMBERTON — The top finisher in Lumberton’s mayoral race says there won’t be a runoff because all three candidates ran as independents. A spokeswoman for the Mississippi Secretary Of State’s Office tells
The Hattiesburg American that Alderman Kent Crider is wrong. Spokeswoman Anna Moak said in an email that municipal special elections go to a runoff two weeks later if nobody gets a majority, so Griffith and Crider will be in a runoff Dec. 29. Crider says the rule applies only to candidates who are in a political party. He got 146 votes to 126 for Jonathan Griffith and 30 for Jerry Walters, with 10 affidavit votes not yet counted. Crider says Lumberton’s 2009 election had similar results among three independents, and the attorney general said the one with most votes should be declared winner. Â
Troubled Head Start fires teachers, staff GULFPORT — The new operator for the troubled Head Start program in Harrison County has fired the teachers and staff that had worked for Gulf Coast Community Action Agency. Last week the Gulf Coast Community Action Agency lost its federal Head Start designation and $9 million in federal money after there were recurring allegations of child abuse or corporal punishment and that the agency had failed to report those incidents to state authorities. WLOX-TV reports that the announcement about the firings was made Friday. The agency now overseeing the head start program, Community Development Institute, says the Head Start employees can re-apply for their jobs on Monday.
Legal Scene Your Crossroads Area Guide to Law Professionals ) ($Contact ) * Skylar Mincey ) - - ( ' / )
$ at 662-287-6111 "
/ to
advertise # )( !* * *
your () *& ! / #
Law Firm on this / (
* ( +++ - ( ' +.) ( page. * % ($ *& ) ($ ) * ( (* * - )* . * ( () , )* *& )
Odom and Allred, P.A.
Contact Skylar ( Mincey ! & % Serving Northeast at Mississippi’s
legal needs... 662-287-6111 " ! $ $ ! # v (Payment Plans available) ! " ! to advertise % ! " $ "! ! " ! your v # " ( # " ! $ v Law Firm " "! $ " ! on this # ' $ "# page. ' $ & %
Attorneys at Law 404 Waldron Street • Corinth, MS _________________________________________ ' 3
- 1 / 2 1 * ' 0 / 1 . 2 & & 2
662-286-9311 William W. Odom, Jr. Rhonda N. Allred Attorney at Law Attorney at Law bodom43@bellsouth.net rallred@bellsouth.net ___________________________________________ &'& # $ ) #(& , ! "' #" & # $ ' # & "#' " ' ", ' ' #" # +$ ' & ' "
* ' " , * $ $ #$ # (" ' " ($' , # #(" " # ! ' #" ) ($#" %( &'