14A • Wednesday, June 26, 2013 • Daily Corinthian
‘I Am Legend’ author Matheson dies at 87 The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Richard Matheson, the prolific sci-fi and fantasy writer whose “I Am Legend” and “The Shrinking Man” were transformed into films, has died. He was 87. A spokesman for the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films said Matheson died Sunday in Los Angeles. No other details were provided. With a career spanning more than 60 years, Matheson crafted stories that deftly transitioned from the page to both the big and small screens. Several of his works were
adapted into films, including 1953’s “Hell House,” 1956’s “The Shrinking Man,” 1958’s “A Stir of Echoes” and 1978’s “What Dreams May Come.” Matheson’s 1954 sci-fi vampire novel “I Am Legend” inspired three different film adaptations: 1964’s “The Last Man on Earth” starring Vincent Price, 1971’s “Omega Man” starring Charlton Heston and 2007’s “I Am Legend” starring Will Smith. Matheson was also responsible for writing several episodes of “The Twilight Zone,” as well as editions of “The Al-
fred Hitchcock Hour,” ‘‘Rod Serling’s Night Gallery,” ‘‘The Martian Chronicles” and “Amazing Stories.” His “Twilight Zone” installments included “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” which featured William Shatner as an airplane passenger who spots a creature on a plane’s wing, as well as “Steel,” which inspired the 2011 film “Real Steel” starring Hugh Jackman. “I loved Richard Matheson’s writing, and it was a huge honor getting to adapt his story ‘Button, Button’ into a film,” posted “Donnie Darko” and
“The Box” director Richard Kelly on Twitter on Monday. Matheson influenced several generations of storytellers. Among them were Stephen King, who dedicated his 2006 novel “Cell” to Matheson, and Steven Spielberg, whose first feature-length film was the made-for-TV movie “Duel,” based on the Matheson short story of the same name. “Richard Matheson’s ironic and iconic imagination created seminal science-fiction stories and gave me my first break when he wrote the short
story and screenplay for ‘Duel,’” said Spielberg in a statement. “His ‘Twilight Zones’ were among my favorites, and he recently worked with us on ‘Real Steel.’ For me, he is in the same category as (Ray) Bradbury and (Isaac) Asimov.” Matheson was scheduled to receive the visionary award at the Academy of Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Films’ Saturn Awards on Wednesday. The organization said the award will be presented posthumously and the 39th annual ceremony would be dedicated
to Matheson. “We are heartbroken to lose a writer of towering talent, unlimited imagination and unparalleled inspiration,” said Robert Holguin, the academy’s president. “Richard was a genius whose visions helped bring legitimacy and critical acclaim to science fiction and fantasy. He was also a longtime supporter of the academy, and everyone associated with the Saturn Awards feels emptier today to learn of this enormous loss.” Matheson is survived by his wife and four children.
Republicans divided on immigration; House uncertain The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans are split over the immigration bill steaming toward approval at week’s end, a divide that renders the ultimate fate of White House-backed legislation unpredictable in the House and complicates the party’s ability to broaden its appeal among Hispanic voters. To some Republicans, the strength of Senate GOP support for the bill is all but irrelevant to its prospects in the House. Conservatives there hold a majority and generally oppose a core provision in the Senate measure, a pathway to citizenship for immigrants living in the United States illegally. Any such impact is “greatly overrated,” said Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, who previously served as chief vote counter for House Republicans. But Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., offered a different view. A Senate vote on Monday to toughen border security with thousands of new agents and billions of dollars in technology “obviously makes final legislation more likely,” the party’s 2012 vice presidential nominee said on CBS. One prominent Democrat, Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, also says
House sentiment can be changed, particularly through the addition of strong border security measures of the kind that resulted from negotiations with previously uncommitted Republicans. “I believe a large bipartisan vote will wake up our colleagues ... in the House,” Schumer said shortly before the Senate inserted a requirement for 20,000 new Border Patrol agents and a total of 700 miles of fencing along the border with Mexico. “Hopefully, as congressmen look how their senators voted, they will be influenced by it.” In the key Senate showdown so far, 15 Republicans voted to advance the legislation that toughens border security at the same time it creates a chance at citizenship for 11 million immigrants living in the United States illegally. Another 27 voted to keep the bill bottled up. Republicans who voted to block the legislation generally did so after saying it would not deliver on its promise of operational control of the border. “When you look at it, it doesn’t, and they know it,” Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said of the bill’s backers, who quickly dis-
puted the charge. A political pattern emerged, as well. Among Republicans who are seeking a new term next year and as a result face the risk of a primary challenge, only three voted with supporters of the measure. Eight did not, a group that includes the party’s two top leaders in the Senate, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and John Cornyn of Texas, as well as Sessions, who has been one of the bill’s principal opponents across three weeks of debate. While party leaders long have looked to immigration legislation as a way to broaden appeal among Hispanic voters, individual members of Congress report a different perspective. “It’s hard to argue with the polling they’ve been getting from the national level,” Texas Republican Rep. Kenny Marchant said recently, referring to polls that show support for border security along with legalization. Yet in his own district in the suburbs west of Dallas, he said, proposals along the lines of the Senate bill are “very unpopular.” The party’s potential presidential contenders also are split, likely a harbinger of a struggle in
the campaign for the 2016 nomination. Two of them, Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas, oppose the legislation. For his part, Cruz took a verbal poke at fellow Republicans in remarks on the Senate floor on Monday, saying that some senators in each parties “very much want a fig leaf” on border security to justify a vote for the measure. Yet one Republican presidential hopeful, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, is a member of the so-called Gang of Eight, a bipartisan group that helped draft the bill. Among its provisions are several that impose conditions on immigrants seeking legal status, including payment of fines, pay outstanding taxes and undergo a background check. In recent months, Rubio has sought to reorder the political circumstances rhetorically, asserting that the status quo amounts to “de facto amnesty” for those in the country illegally since it is unlikely they will be forced to leave. The phrasing marks an attempt to neutralize longtime claims that legalization confers amnesty. Increasing numbers of Republicans now employ
similar rhetoric. Among the unknowns is how much impact Rubio and the other Republicans in the Gang of Eight — Sens. Jeff Flake and John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina — will have on House Republicans whose votes will determine the fate of legislation to overhaul the immigration system. Rubio has met with members of the House Republican leadership as well as with Ryan and members of the conservative Republican Study Group. Among House Republicans, supporters of legalization in any form, citizenship or otherwise, is scarce, although Blunt predicted there would be “an incredible amount of reasonableness” on that subject once lawmakers thought the border had truly been secured. The House Judiciary Committee has approved two immigration bills recently, one of which echoes Mitt Romney’s suggestion in the 2012 presidential campaign that immigrants “selfdeport” if they are in the country illegally. It encourages immigrants living in the United States to “depart voluntarily” at
their own expense. Neither of the bills cleared by the committee offers the prospect of legalization for immigrants in the country illegally, either citizenship or a step short of it. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, has pledged not to bring legislation to the floor for a vote that does not have the support of at least half the GOP lawmakers in the chamber, a commitment made under pressure from restive conservatives that virtually rules out any measure envisioning legalization. Some GOP lawmakers are hoping no immigration bill passes, to avoid the possibility of a final compromise with the Senate that goes further than they want. Boehner also has said the entire House will “work its will” on the issue. It’s a comment that takes into account the potential impact of House Democrats, some of whom are already clamoring for a chance to vote on the bill that clears the Senate this week. Republicans command a 234-201 majority, meaning that as few as 17 GOP defections could change the outcome of any vote.
Bryant: Medicaid special session starts Thursday Mississippi taxpayers must bear the expense of a special session because some lawmakers chose to make a political point during the regular session instead of acting responsibly to conduct state business at the appropriate time,” Bryant said in a news release Monday. “I urge the Legislature to act immediately upon convening to authorize and fund the
Division of Medicaid. Taxpayers should not have to pay for days of political showmanship, and Medicaid beneficiaries deserve to be freed from the uncertainty that has been thrust upon them.” Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves said in his own statement that he had spoken with Bryant and House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, and all
agreed the House would be the first to consider Medicaid reauthorization. “I support extending the agency for one year to study ways to reform the program, improve care and find efficiencies to save money,” Reeves said. Earlier this year, the Senate reauthorized and funded Medicaid without expansion in a bipartisan vote.”
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The Associated Press
JACKSON — Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said Monday that he’s calling lawmakers into special session at 10 a.m. Thursday to keep the state’s Medicaid program alive and funded once the new state fiscal year begins July 1. The Republican is not asking lawmakers to expand Medicaid, which is an option under the federal health care law that President Barack Obama signed in 2010. Many Democrats have been pushing to expand Medicaid or to allow lowincome working people to use federal subsidies to buy insurance on the private market. However, Republican leaders say the state can’t afford to add another 300,000 people to Medicaid, and they don’t want to increase people’s dependence on government programs. Medicaid is a federalstate health insurance program for the needy, aged, blind or disabled and for low-income families with children. Mississippi is one of the poorest states in the nation, and its population is just short of 3 million. More than 644,000 Mississippians are already enrolled in Medicaid, and expansion could add an estimated 300,000. Medicaid is one of several state programs that come up for legislative review and reauthorization every few years. Because of a partisan dispute over expansion, lawmakers ended their three-month regular session without reauthorizing or funding the program. “It is unfortunate that
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FROM THE GLEN VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT The Glen Volunteer Fire Department would like to thank everyone who came out to our annual Heritage day on Saturday May 18th, 2013 to support our Fire Department. Our Heritage day was a success thanks to all of you. We would also like to thank the following people for helping or donating to us. The Supporters in our Community The Singers: Dayron Sharp & Band Joe Rickman & Band David Price & Band Campus Country Corinth Coca Cola Joy Jumpers Town of Glen Mayor & Board of Aldermen Members of Glen Fire Department Jerry Grisham Second District Supervisor Dal Nelms & crew Corinth Lowe's Area funeral homes for tents Air Evac Tri-State Antique Tractor Club Glendale Baptist Church
Thank you all so very much for your support.