Thursday August 23, 2012 50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 203
Mostly sunny Today
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • One section
Arena board names new chairman BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Dr. Hardwick Kay has been designated temporary chairman of the Crossroads Arena Board. Kay, a board member since 1996, assumes the chairman role after longtime chairman Bill Strickland was not reappointed to the board. Alva Dalton was appointed to take over as board vice chairman. “We are going to continue what we started,� said Kay who was appointed to the position by fellow board members on Aug. 15. “We have a lot of good things going on here.� Kay said the biggest obstacle the board faces is financing the $7 million multipurpose facility which opened in November of 1999.
“There is so much maintenance that goes with a building that is over 10 years old,â€? said the board chairman. “We have a light bill between $10,000$15,000 each month.â€? The Crossroads Arena receives funding from a Corinth tourism tax of two percent which is equally divided with the Corinth Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. The arena side of the funding can not be used for operations. Money is used only to retire the debt on the building or for capital improvements. “We have come a long way,â€? said Kay. “I can't praise this staff enough ‌ they work a lot of hours and don't complain.â€? At this point, the arena has three full-time employees and a part-time person on staff. The facility has been without a
general manager since the resignation of Kathryn Dilworth in December. “We will start pretty soon putting out feelers on a general manager,� said the chairman. “That's something we are going to have to do.� Until a new manager is found, Kay remains optimistic. “We have a really good staff and board who have been absorbing the extra work,� he said. A recent change for the board has been the replacement of longtime board chairman Strickland. Joe Franks was appointed to fill Strickland's position earlier this month. “Bill put in a lot of time to make the arena successful,� said Kay. “He had a heart for the arena and I respect his hard work.� Board members serve five-
year terms. The City of Corinth and Alcorn County, which jointly own the Crossroads Arena, are each allowed three appointments to the board with one of the seven spots being jointly appointed. The seven-person board consists of Thom Rogers, Jane Clark Summers, Sam Tull, Phyllis Keith-Young along with Kay, Dalton and Franks. Dalton, Keith-Young and Tull are city appointments. The county representatives are Kay, Rogers and Summers. Franks is the joint appointment. Board members receive no compensation for their service. Rogers and Summers were recently reappointed to another five-year term. “I enjoy being involved in community service and this is the best opportunity that I have
ever had,� said Kay. “The arena couldn't run without the support of the board,� said staff member Cindy Davis. “We all care about the arena and want to see it make money and stay in the county.� According to Kay, the arena is in the process of cleaning up close to 20 acres behind the building that can be used to alleviate a parking problem. “Parking is a problem,� he said. “The supervisors are furnishing the equipment and inmates have been used for labor to clean up the land.� Kay was quick to praise the supervisors for all they do. “They are a big help,� he said. “Anything they can fix for us they are ready to step in.� The arena board meets the third Wednesday of each month at 1:30 p.m.
Popular radio personality visits Corinth 4-vehicle
crash kills 1; driver arrested
BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
J.J. Jasper had them laughing. The popular morning radio personality and comedian then encouraged the room to finish strong in life. Jasper provided the weekly program at the Tuesday meeting of the Corinth Kiwanis Club at the Weaver Center. The morning deejay with American Family Radio brought a unique style of humor and encouragement to the crowd. “He has always had an interesting outlook on life,â€? said Kiwanis member DuJuana Frazier Thompson. That outlook has been used as an author of two books — “Moses Was A Basket Caseâ€? and a children’s book, “When I Grow Upâ€? — and as a stand-up comedian. A DVD has also been released following the Jasper family after the death of their son Cooper in 2009. “I encourage each of you to hug the neck of your children and grandchildren,â€? said Jasper after telling the story of how his young son was killed in a go kart accident. “I am blessed to be a family man and believe children are a gift from God ‌ they aren't too expensive and in the way as the world says.â€? In the DVD “Flame On — A True Story of Hope in the Midst of Great Personal Tragedyâ€? — the Jaspers are shown as a family of strength while going through a heart wrenching time. “It's a story of hope on the other side of personal tragedy,â€? he told the Kiwanis. Jasper said his family, wife Melanie and four daughters
BY BRANT SAPPINGTON boonevilleeditor@bellsouth.net
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Radio personality J.J. Jasper offered the weekly program of the Corinth Kiwanis Club. who live in Tupelo, were approached about telling their story. “I didn't know that 87 percent of marriages fail after the death of a child,� he said. “Our marriage stayed strong because God was there to take us by the hand.� “Flame On� illustrates the struggle between the sovereignty of God and human responsibility while examining how faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ can take you from the very bottom of despair to victory through tragedy. This film has been called a “must see� for those grieving the loss of a loved one and will leave you with a peaceful knowledge that we serve a gracious, loving God who gives us light through the dark moments of life. “I enjoy the opportunity to encourage and aspire people,� he said. “I feel like I am a cheerleader for Jesus.�
Part of the J.J. and Ron (Shank) in the Morning Show on FM-88.3 in Tupelo, Jasper said “it is a joy to be on the radio.� “I am thankful how God has used AFR,� added Jasper of the network that consists 193 stations in 36 states. Jasper closed his talk by urging members with the words of Philippians 1:6. Please see JASPER | 2
Farmington considers using Facebook to aid debt collection BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
FARMINGTON — The city leadership in Farmington is looking into public shaming as a way to recoup funds on some unpaid sewer bills. In Tuesday night’s meeting, the Board of Aldermen discussed the use of social networking website Facebook to post the names of individuals who owe money to the city. Municipal Clerk Debora Jackson said this would apply to inactive accounts, which current-
ly have debts totaling $24,905. The board decided the clerk should set it up and let them see how it will appear before proceeding. Comments on the page would likely be disabled. Farmington officials said Forrest County and Hattiesburg have taken similar action with positive results. The information is a matter of public record because it involves a debt owed to the city, said Jackson. Even if the person does not see it posted on the web, someone
the individual knows probably will, she said. In other business: â– The board received the fiscal 2013 budget request from the Corinth-Alcorn Animal Shelter. The organization is seeking an increase from $3,000 to $5,000 from Farmington, as well as a substantial increase from Alcorn County to help cover labor costs that have risen because of a decrease in the availability of inmate labor. â– The board adopted a resolu-
Index Stocks........7 Classified......14 Comics...... 12 Wisdom...... 11
Weather........5 Obituaries........ 3 Opinion........4 Sports........8
tion commending Jody Lambert, a captain with the fire department, for his inclusion in the 2013 Mississippi Burn Foundation firefighters calendar. He is one of 12 selected out of 80 nominees. â– The police department got approval to move its cellular phone service from ATT to C Spire, which holds the state contract. â– The board approved a couple of street light requests and a pay request on a Farmington Water Association project.
BOONEVILLE — One person is in custody following a four-vehicle crash that left one person dead and three injured in Booneville Wednesday afternoon. The wreck happened just after 1 p.m. Tuesday on North Second Street in Booneville near the Gaston Road intersection. Booneville Police Chief Michael Ramey confirmed one person was killed in the crash. Three others were injured with one airlifted from the scene with serious injuries and two taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital in Booneville. The police chief said late Tuesday afternoon the names of those involved were not being released pending notification of family members. One vehicle left the scene of the crash and the driver was taken into custody a short time later. Ramey said Please see CRASH | 2
1-car wreck injures driver BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
An Alcorn County man was airlifted to North Mississippi Medical Center as the result of a one-vehicle wreck on Tuesday. Bobby Brawner, 52, of County Road 402, Corinth, was traveling west on County Road 405 when his car left the south side of the road and struck a tree. The wreck happened south of Corinth near the intersection of Camp Warriner Road and Salem Road — not far from Brawner’s home. The AlPlease see WRECK | 2
On this day in history 150 years ago The town of New Ulm, Minn., is attacked by 400 Mdewkanton Santee (Sioux) warriors. The local citizens band together and though much of the town is consumed by fire, they are successful in driving away the Indians.
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