Local Farmington Christmas Parade photos
Region Northeast releases President’s List
Local Easom Foundation presents program
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Thursday Dec. 22,
2016
75 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 120, No. 308
Partly sunny Today
Tonight
55
31
0% chance of rain/snow
• Corinth, Mississippi • 20 pages • Two sections
Police seek motive in shooting death BY JEBB JOHNSTON
“It’s so hard to understand because Paul — he wasn’t a troublemaker.”
jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
As family members prepare to say goodbye to Paul D. Lavender, Corinth police continue to try to find the reason that two unknown men killed him in his Tate Street home last week. The 49-year-old was a relative newcomer to the city, having arrived from Chattanooga
Basket Fund tops $10,500 The 21st Annual Corinth Rotary Club / Daily Corinthian Christmas Basket Fund has topped the $10,500 mark. A $23,000 fund raising goal was set so 1,000 food baskets could be given to local families on Saturday, Dec. 17. The baskets were given away on faith the goal will be reached. The newspaper has received $10,595 in donations so far. Donations include $90 from Daily Corinthian employees in honor of publisher Reece Terry; $100 from Red Richardson in memory of J.W. Richardson, Freddie Richardson, Irene Richardson, Lena Faye Richardson, Marion Duncan, Jeff Henry and Ancle Henry; $100 from Margaret W. Dennie in honor of Bill Dennie; $200 from Peggy Gardner in memory of Jimmy Gardner; $100 from Gunn Drug Company in memory of David Kitchens; $25 from Luther and Nancy Mills in memory of Larry Goodrum and Allen Barkley; $100 Please see BASKET | 5A
Sharon Earvin Victim’s sister with a girlfriend about six months ago. Family members are stunned by the loss. “It’s so hard to understand because Paul — he wasn’t a
troublemaker,” said his sister, Sharon Earvin, of Chattanooga. “He got along with everybody. The most he did was drinking. I just really
don’t understand why anybody would want to hurt him like that.” Thus far, motive has proved elusive in the investigation. “We can’t find that he had any enemies,” said Police Chief Ralph Dance. “Everybody says he’s a good guy, and he has never been in any trouPlease see MOTIVE | 6A
Community answers plea for help BY KIMBERLY SHELTON kshelton@dailycorinthian.com
Braving the elements, Biggersville High School senior Tyler Davis thought he’d be all alone on Wednesday as he stood at the intersection of Harper and Fulton to collect money for his grandmother’s funeral. Soon joined by BHS faculty member Shiela Duncan, the 17-year-old received special permission from Chancery Clerk Greg Younger to set up a donation stop at the busy Harper Road intersection which is right across from Timber Products. Shivering in the cold air with change collection containers in hand, Davis and Duncan quickly caught the attention of the community who rallied around them with support. “Tyler has been out here since 11:45 a.m. appealing to Good Samaritans to help cover the cost of the funeral,” said Duncan, who has been a friend of the family her whole life. “His grandmother (Mary Brooks) has been sick for a while now and was recently in intensive care on life support.”
Staff photo by Mark Boehler
Volunteers Sherry Shawl and Kamme Burks ask for funeral expense donations at a Harper Road intersection on Wednesday afternoon. “They didn’t think she was going to make it then, but she was later discharged from the hospital and released. She had only been home for a few
days when she passed,” she continued. “Tyler came home and found her after school on Monday.” Sympathetic to the fam-
ily’s hardships and inability to pay Brooks’ final expenses, the Biggersville Lion’s pride Please see FUNERAL | 2A
Business hosts annual student art competition murals were completed, we took pictures and posted them on our business Facebook account.” All four county and city high schools have until Dec. 31 to promote their mural. The mural with the most likes, shares and tags at the end of the contest will win a $500 cash prize to be used as needed in that school’s art department. “We also provided each school with a sheet of plywood for a cut out,” she said. “Photos messaged to us with the cut out will earn that school 10 extra points.” McGill said each like will count as one point. The mural with the most points at the end of the contest will win. Students were required to also tie in their school and the Ford
BY ZACK STEEN zsteen@dailycorinthian.com
Local art students recently finished adding festive holiday scenes to the front windows of Corinth’s Ford dealership. The project allows school supporters to cast their vote for their favorite Christmas themed hand-painted murals in the 4th Annual Long Lewis Ford Art Competition. A photo of each school’s mural is on the Long Lewis Facebook page awaiting likes, shares and tags. “Each school was assigned four windows to use. We supplied them with a quart of seven different paint colors and other needed supplies,” said Long Lewis Internet Coordinator Amber McGill. “Once the Photo by Amber McGill
A Kossuth High School student puts the finishing touches on “A Sweet Ride.” The front windows of Long Lewis Ford features artwork from all four county and city high schools.
See more photos on page 4B
Please see COMPETITION | 5A
25 years ago
10 years ago
Leann Arnold is chosen as Most Beautiful at Biggersville High School in the annual pageant.
State Rep. Harvey Moss is selected chair of the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditures, a key watchdog over state agencies.
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