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Daily Corinthian Vol. 117, No. 185
• Corinth, Mississippi •
BY STEVE BEAVERS
Staff photo by Mark Boehler
Highway 25 resident Cherrie Rhodes Plunk is proud three “No Engine Brakes” signs have been placed in the Mississippi-Tennessee stateline area in Tishomingo County, but the stay-at-home mom says the loud noise problem with truckers still exists.
Resident wages battle against noise PICKWICK, Miss. — Cherrie Rhodes Plunk relaxes on her screened-in back porch on a hill overlooking Highway 25 at the Mississippi-Tennessee stateline.
Police win blood drive contest For the Daily Corinthian
The results of the Battle of the Badges contest are in and the Corinth Police Department wins again in the effort to donate muchly need blood at United Blood Services. And for each blood donation received, it equals up to three lives saved. “This year’s Battle of the Badges was a success. We want to thank everyone who came out to show their support for their local heroes by donating blood,” said Toni Gough, United Blood Services representative. The police department won again for a third year in a row this year with 31 donations. The Corinth Fire Department came in very close with 23 donations, noted Gough. Please see DRIVE | 2A
Plunk sips an iced tea. The birds are chirping on this particular hot summer weekday and a breeze is blowing through the soft green foilage. The view from this vantage point is striking, high above the highway with a view of the Yellow Creek
Tonight
90
68
20% chance T-storms
Education leader shares his message sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
BY MARK BOEHLER
Today
30 pages • Two sections
‘No engine brakes?’
editor@dailycorinthian.com
T-storm
embayment at Pickwick Lake and the sprawling Auqa Yacht Harbor below, beckoning passersby to come enjoy life on the lake. Plunk, a 38-year-old stay at Please see NOISE | 3A
Dr. William R. Daggett has the answers when it comes to education. All the renowned speaker needs is an audience who cares enough to listen. Area citizens will get their chance to learn about the upcoming changes in education when Dr. Daggett, International Center for Leadership in Education CEO, speaks at the Celebration of Excellence in Education event Monday night at the Corinth Coliseum Civic Center in downtown. “His message needs to be heard by everyone in the city and county,” said CARE Foundation Chairman Sandy Williams. “When it comes to education, he and his organization think outside the box … we are fortunate to get such an impressive speaker.” “He is an internationally recognized speaker who has a powerful message about what is right with American education,” said Corinth School District Superintendent Dr. Lee Childress. “I have heard him on numerous occasions and he is able to speak about the many types of things relevant to education today.” The Commission on the Future of Alcorn County and the
C A R E Foundation, in c o o p eration with the Pierce Foundation, are sponsoring the 6:30 p.m. event. Daggett is also set to speak Daggett to city and county district educational staffs earlier in the day at the Crossroads Arena. The first session for the two staffs is scheduled for 8:30-11 a.m. “Dr. Daggett has traveled and studied education all over the word, and he has a tremendous amount of information to back up with he says,” said Dr. O. Wayne Gann, Chairman of the Mississippi State Board of Education. “The public needs to take advantage of him being here because he quiet the message … I urge people to attend Monday.” “Our focus needs to be on the Monday night session,” added Williams. Dr. Daggett, founder of the Please see MESSAGE | 2A
City cites 36 properties for cleanup work BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Nearly three dozen properties targeted for cleanup appear on the city board agenda for Tuesday, including continued hearings and a large new batch entering the process.
The Corinth Board of Mayor and Aldermen will meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The board will consider scheduling public hearings for a new round of properties totaling 17: ■ Highway 72 — CMH Ser-
vices Inc. ■ 1805 Maple Road — A.W. Manness ■ 1217 Proper Street — Don Arnold Properties, LLC ■ 1405 East 5th Street — Henry Pollard ■ 1202 Tate Street — Stone
and Bryant ■ Highway 72 — Victory Properties, LLC ■ 1708 Pinecrest Road — Patricia Owens ■ 1908 Mississippi Street — Please see CLEANUP | 2A
Smith retires after 40 years of service to region BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
Regions Bank in downtown Corinth celebrated the long career of Branch Manager Paula Smith with a reception on Friday. Smith is retiring after 40 years of service at the downtown bank, which during her years of employment carried the names of Deposit Guaranty, First American, AmSouth and finally Regions. Regions Northeast Mississip-
pi and Corinth City President David Dixon said Smith is an institution in the Corinth banking arena. “To me, Paula has been a real key asset for Regions Bank,” said Dixon. “Reaching a 40year milestone needs to be celebrated. She’s an excellent banker. I very much appreciate her — and so does the whole team.” Beginning her bank career straight out of college, Smith has shared her workplace with two other 40-year employees,
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Reta Baswell and Caroline Pettie, who she says are just like part of her family. She said she has always enjoyed banking, especially dealing with customers and helping them with their finances. “I like the loan part. I’m into numbers, have always been a math person. When you figure a way to make a person a loan, it’s a good feeling,” said Smith. “It’s always a good feeling to figure out how to help customers, to find a product that fits their
situation.” Smith emphasized that she has always worked well with her team at the Regions branch in downtown Corinth. She credits the bank’s success to their teamwork. The bank won the 2012 Chairman’s Award and was recognized as being in the top 15 percent of banks in the nation. “We work well together,” she said. “We have a lot of knowlPlease see RETIRE | 3A
On this day in history 150 years ago “The amount of burning, stealing, and plundering done by our army makes me ashamed of it. I would quit the service if I could, because I fear we are drifting to the worst sort of vandalism.” Major General William T. Sherman in a letter to Gen. Henry Halleck.
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