Christmas Edition Dec. 24-25, 2013 50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 117, No. 304
2013 Christmas Basket Fund “A Community Tradition�
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 18 pages • Teo sections
Tupelo officer dies following robbery The shooting was believed to have occurred in the South Gloster – Carnation Street area near the Atlanta Bread Company parking lot, as the officers were in or near their car, pursuing a suspect in connection in a bank robbery of the BancorpSouth branch in Gloster Creek Village. According to eyewitnesses, a male approached the two officers and shot them at pointblank range. At least one of the officers was shot in the head, according to an eyewitness.
Courtesy Daily Journal
TUPELO — One Tupelo police officer is dead and another in critical condition after a mid-afternoon shooting in the Crosstown area. The casualty’s name was not yet released. Law enforcement officers pursued fast-moving vehicles north and east of Tupelo as they seek suspects in the shootings of the two Tupelo Police officers. The two Tupelo Police officers apparently were shot by a suspect described as “heavily armed.�
Authorities also said multiple suspects were believed to have left the Carnation Street scene in a white Yukon SUV. Other scanner reports say officers are pursuing other fast-moving vehicles in the city. A Daily Journal reporter at the shooting scene observed a “heavy pool of blood� and said numerous law enforcement officers are part of the forces combing the immediate neighborhood. Authorities also are pursuing leads out East Main Street near the Skyline commu-
nity. Police have closed all crossstreets on South Gloster from Crosstown to President. Police are searching for a 6-foot, black male wearing a brown jacket and a blue ski cap. He is believed to be heavily armed, according to the scanner. Authorities are looking for a gray Isuzu SUV. Meanwhile, city police and sheriff’s deputies are getting help from state game wardens across 10 counties with a be-onthe-lookout alert went out.
Basket fund tops Storm destroys shed, K-9 “Bullet� survives $17,500 BY JOSEPH MILLER
jmiller@dailycorinthian.com
The spirit of giving is alive and well in the Crossroads area as generous donations are arriving daily for the 18th Annual Corinth Rotary Club / Daily Corinthian 2013 Christmas Basket Fund. The civic club and newspaper have set a $25,000 community fundraising goal this year so 1,000 food baskets could be given away to local families on Saturday, Dec. 7 at the Crossroads Arena. Baskets were given on faith and hope the goal will be reached. The total increased to $17,586 after the most recent donations arrived. They are $50 from The Starling Family in memory of Coy M. and Marie Malone and L.Q. and Kathleen Starling; $100 from Mr. and Mrs. Everett Parvin in memory of family members; $100 from Dan and Sandra Storey; $100 from Alva and Sherri Dalton Jr. in memory of Sherman Wilson; $100 from Jimmy Fowler; $100 from Jerry and Doris Brewer in memory of Ben Brewer; $20 from Phillip and Deborah Rutherford in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Dalton Choate. Please see FUND | 3A
Severe thunderstorms and tornado watches were plentiful on Saturday evening for the Crossroads area. Many residents reported severe weather and damage from the storms. One resident, Corinth police officer Freddie Gooch, said he had some damage to his house and barn, and almost lost one of his best friends -- his dog. “During the storm we had a big tree fall on my fence, trashed my shed the dog was in, and put a hole in the roof on my house,� Gooch explained. “It was a powerful storm.� The dog, who is considered one of his best friends, is the Alcorn County K-9 they call “Bullet.� He was stuck in between a ladder and a wheel barrel, according to Gooch. “Bullet was in the shed when the high winds from the storm came and caused a big tree to fall on it,� Gooch said. “When I saw the shed, I thought the worst, but, somehow he had a ladder laying across the wheel barrel and the ladder stopped the shed from crushing him.� Gooch gives all the credit for his dog being rescued to the Corinth Fire Department and the Alcorn County Power Asso-
K-9 “Bullet� stands in front of the shed that once sheltered his dog house on Stanley Street at CPD Officer Freddie Gooch’s house. Fortunately for Bullet, the shed collapsing from the weekend storms didn’t cause him any harm. ciation (ACE). “The fire department cut the tree off and peeled back the shed and saved him through the hole they made after ACE had the shut power shut off,� added Gooch. “They made just enough room to get him out . . . if he would have been anywhere else in the shed, he would have been dead. I give praise to the fire department and the power company for their quick re-
sponse and efforts.� Bullet has been with Gooch since August of 2008 and he is 81⠄2 years old. “He has done so many great things in his role as a K-9 for us. It was good to see him still alive, and to have him still working with us.� Although no other distressed animal reports were reported, other places did recieve damage from the storms, according
to the Emergency Management Director (EMA) Ricky Gibens. “Most of the damage was inside the city, two homes had lines on them, others had some power outages,� said Gibens. “It was mostly on the Southwest part of the county. Some trees were down in the districts, primarily the third and fifth.� According to weather rePlease see STORM | 3A Staff photo by Mark Boehler
Churches holding Christmas Eve services for all
Santa Claus and his helper Santa Claus and 8-year-old helper Taylor West prepare for the amount of work to be completed Christmas Eve and into the early morning hours of Christmas Day. Reports indicate Santa has plans to leave the North Pole on schedule with plenty of stops planned for the Crossroads area. Santa’s visit was compliments of Jay Anthony and the Alcorn County Patriots during a recent event at the General’s Quarters. Assisting Santa and Taylor were Mrs. Claus (Julie Reece) and a second elf, 11-year-old Kasey West.
BY KIMBERLY SHELTON kshelton@dailycorinthian.com
Looking for a place to worship on Christmas Eve? Look no further. The following churches will be offering services for Christmas Eve and all are invited to attend. Come worship and share in this joyous season as the community celebrates the birth of Christ, our Lord. • First Baptist Church in Please see SERVICES | 3A
Index Stocks......8A Classified......4B Comics......3B State......5A
On this day in history 150 years ago
Weather......9A Obituaries......6A Opinion......4A Sports....10A
The cavalry column sent out from Corinth is in the neighborhood of Bolivar, Tenn. They get into a skirmish with Forrest’s troops near Estanaula on the Hatchie River. Casualties are light. Later in the night Forrest successfully crosses the river and continues his march to Mississippi. ;7(55$ ;
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