Wednesday April 24,
2013
50 cents
Home and Garden
Taste
Use care when dividing perennials.
Take-out staple made healthy.
Page 13A
Page 1B
Daily Corinthian Vol. 117, No. 98
Showers Today
Tonight
61
41
70% chance of rain
• Corinth, Mississippi • 22 pages • Two sections
Ricin suspect released on bond BY EMILY WAGSTER-PETTUS AND JEFF AMY Associated Press
TUPELO — The Mississippi man charged with sending poisoned letters to President Barack Obama and others was released from jail Tuesday on bond, while FBI agents returned to another man's house where they'd previously searched in connection with the case.
Everett Dutschke said in a phone interview with The Associated Press that the FBI was at his Tupelo home Tuesday for a search related to the mailing of poisoned letters to Obama, U.S. Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi and a state judge. Dutschke said his house was also searched last week. In Washington, a suspicious package containing what au-
thorities say may be ricin was found Tuesday in a mail-sorting facility for the Defense Intelligence Agency. It wasn't clear if it was connected to the other letters. Dutschke has maintained his innocence and says he doesn't know anything about the ingredients for ricin. He said agents asked him about suspect Paul Kevin Curtis, whether Dutschke
would take a lie detector test and if he had ever bought castor beans, which can be used to make the potent poison. “I'm a patriotic American. I don't have any grudges against anybody. I did not send the letters,” said Dutschke, who hasn't been arrested or charged. Outside his house, numerous law enforcement officers from several agencies were seen along
with a mobile crime lab. Earlier Tuesday, Curtis was released from custody without an immediate explanation from authorities. Later, his attorney Hal Neilson said that Curtis was released on bond and that charges haven't yet been dropped against him. He said conditions of the bond are sealed by the Please see RICIN | 2A
‘Down on the Corner’ Man sentenced to 10 years for arson BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
A Tishomingo County man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison on an arson charge. The sentence for Zeaf Jared Clark, 21, was handed down April 11 in Alcorn County Circuit Court after Clark pleaded guilty to charges of arson and burglary & larceny of a dwelling, according to court records. He was one of three people arrested in the case in May 2012
stemming from the burglary and arson of a residence near Iuka. On the arson charge, he was sentenced to 25 years in custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections with 15 years suspended, leaving 10 to serve, and five years of post-release supervision. The judge imposed a 20year suspended sentence on the burglary and larceny charge. With the co-defendants in Please see ARSON | 2A
ATVs are problem on Corinth streets Submitted photo
Corinth seniors Holly and Hank Howell (front) and Madison and Morgan Wiggington (back) take a road trip during the Corinth High School production of “Down on the Corner.”
Corinth Senior Follies begin Thursday BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Corinth High School 12th graders are getting an early start on their senior trip. Seniors will hit the road as part of its annual follies that begin Thursday night at 7
Walker runs from law, faces charge BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
A pedestrian who ran from Farmington police faces a felony drug charge. James Mikeal Swindoll, 31, of County Road 271, Corinth, was arrested Friday and charged with felony possession of methamphetamine. Bond was set at $10,000. The arrest stems from a stop on the evening of April 11 when Please see ARREST | 3A
p.m. “Down on the Corner” is also slated for performances on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. “Seniors will visit Louisiana, Texas, Nevada, California, Tennessee and Florida along with a few other places along the way,”
said assistant director Taylor Coombs. The adventures begin with twins Hank Howell and Holly Howell, along with Madison Please see FOLLIES | 2A
BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Corinth officials have received some complaints in recent weeks about people riding four-wheelers and dirt bikes on city streets. Ward 2 Alderman Ben Albarracin has heard from a number of concerned constituents. “ATVs have turned into a major safety issue within some of our residential neighborhoods,” he said. “This is a problem many communities all over the U.S.
are facing. The last thing any of us want to see is a child get severely injured while riding an ATV on our city streets.” Police Chief David Lancaster said it is a widespread problem, but the recent complaints have come from the northern residential areas of the city. “It is illegal to use four-wheelers or dirt bikes that are not equipped with tags and that Please see ATVS | 2A
Mathis returns home to share talents BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Ben Mathis is pulling double duty while home from Nashville, Tenn. The singer/songwriter, in town to play guitar during the Corinth High School Follies, is the featured performer for the Corinth Music Club’s MidMorning Concert Series on Thursday. Mathis, the son of Dr. Phil and Cindy Mathis, is currently working on his first big album. The album – “Highway” – includes around 12-13 pop/ country songs written by the 25-yearold. “I will talk a little about the album,” he said of the Thursday performance set for 11 a.m. at the Fillmore Street Chapel. He plans to entertain the crowd with songs such as “Highway”, “Through the Rain” and “Rock Star” during the
30-45 minute program. “Plans are for five or six songs on guitar and I might also play some piano,” he said. Mathis stepped in to help the Music Club out after state testing postponed the performance of the Corinth High School band. “We are delighted this professional musician with local roots is stepping in to share his music with the community,” said the music club’s Bobbi Campbell. “I am looking forward to the program on Thursday.” The Corinth Music Club, a member of the Mississippi Federation of Music Clubs, sponsors the Mid-Morning Concert Series to share music with the community free of charge. “We are happy to offer the people
Index Stocks......8A Classified......5B Comics......3B State......5A
Weather......9A Obituaries......6A Opinion......4A Sports....11A
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Ben Mathis will be the featured performer at the Please see MATHIS | 2A Corinth Music Club’s Mid-Morning Concert Series.
On this day in history 150 years ago Grierson’s raiders burn the Confederate depot at Newton Station and achieve the secondary goal of destroying the rails of the Southern Railroad. Gen. Pemberton is completely taken in by the Union diversion and wastes time and men in fruitless marches and counter-marches.
Now Renting 2013 Nissans!
Call for complete details and rates!
286.6006
BROSE
HWY 72 E • Corinth MS www.broseautoplex.com