Wednesday Dec. 19,
2012
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 305
2012 Christmas Basket Fund “A Community Tradition”
Basket fund tops $14,000 The spirit of giving is alive and well in the Crossroads area as donations continue to arrive daily for the 17th Annual Corinth Rotary Club/Daily Corinthian 2012 Christmas Basket Fund. The civic club and newspaper have set a $20,000 community fundraising goal this year so 1,000 food baskets could be given away to local families last Saturday at the Crossroads Arena. The event was a huge success this year with plenty of need. The total now stands at $14,305, meaning just $5,695 needs to be raised from the community as there will be no corporate match this year. Food was distributed on faith the goal will be reached by Christmas Day. Recent donations include $25 from Jerry and Barbara Yarber in memory of Pauline Carpenter and Jean Yarber; $200 from Glennan and Jan Grady; $200 from Buchanan Enterprises, Inc./ Bill’s Pawn Shop in memory of Bro. Pete Wooley; $25 from W.D. and Johanna Smith in memory of Lynette Smith Meeks; $100 from Dwight and Rita Massengill in memory of his parents, Raymond and Juanita Massengill; $200 from Hardwick and Company P.A. in memory of Peggy Bain and Kathy Robbins; $100 from Doris Brewer in memory of Bob Stickland; $30 from Evelyn L. Lancaster; $100 from Gene and Virginia McFall in honor of their children and grandchildren; $20 from Lucy Duffy; $100 from Mr. and Mrs. John U. Potts in memory of Leon Please see BASKET | 2A
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 22 pages • Two sections
Children question school massacre Professional counselor offers advice to adults in search for answers BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
In the aftermath of an event like the elementary school massacre in Newtown, Conn., everyone is affected in one way or another. In this particular instance, with small children gunned down in cold blood along with the school employees tasked with caring for them, many have questions about how to talk to their children about the recent tragedy — and, just as importantly, how to listen. “The first safety need children have after becoming aware of a tragedy is a safe place and safe adults with whom to express what it’s like for them,” said licensed professional counselor Jaylene Whitehurst of Corinth. “They need home and parents
and caring adults to provide an accepting, non-judgmental environment where they can question freely.” Whitehurst also emphasized the importance of acknowledging that there are things that event adults don’t understand. There is bad in the world, but there is also much good, she said. “We don’t deny the bad,” she said. “But we don’t want to add to it. We need to add to the good. Kids are good in understanding that.” Adults must pay attention to their own feelings and talk to someone about their response to the events in order to manage them. “We don’t have to totally come to grips with the event. We do need to be able to moni-
tor our feelings and express them appropriately,” said Whitehurst. “It’s okay to be sad, angry, shocked. It’s how we regulate and display it that matters.” The following are Whitehurst’s thoughts on listening to children after tragic events: ■ Meet each child where they are. Some children will be extremely aware of the news; some less so. Responses will vary from child to child and from age to age. Young children are naturally self-focused and may not react as strongly as adults expect they will. Or their attention to it may bounce around, from very disturbed one minute to playing happily the next. This is natural. ■ If you feel a need to bring up the event first so that you are the source of information, rather than rumor or media, be sure it’s to give the child an opportunity to process what’s happened and not your own
need to release your anxiety by talking. Focus on your child’s needs. You can begin by asking what they have heard about it. ■ Reassure your child you do all you can to keep them safe and that many people work to keep them safe. Let your child know there are many kind people in the world and that we heard about it, but it didn’t happen here. For some children, this will be reassuring. Others will have more questions. ■ When children have questions, keep answers honest and short. Be mindful of overloading them with too much information. Keep it brief and address what your child asks. ■ Be prepared for your child to keep asking the same questions over and over. This is a way of processing what’s happening and looking for comfort. Know this may happen Please see COUNSELING | 2A
City board delays zoning action BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Corinth aldermen on Tuesday delayed action on a requested Sawyer Road zoning change for apartments that a number of neighbors oppose. The board voted to table the request to rezone an area described as the Bonds property from an I-2 industrial zone to an R-3 multifamily residential zone after hearing comments from a couple of residents during a public hearing on the matter. Officials said the owner plans to put apartment units on the property. “We would like the area to stay just like it is,” said Thomas Holland, a resident of the area since 1965. “We feel like there is enough housing units in that area.” Pauline Sorrell also told the board she opposes the change along with several of her neighbors. Alderman J.C. Hill said he was also contacted by another neigh-
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Salvation Army Director Michelle Miles (left) and assistant director Cindy Burcham need the community’s help in adopting 48 children for Christmas.
48 angels still seek adoption BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
An agency always the first to help needs a quick response from the community. The Salvation Army has 48 names remaining to be adopted from its Angel Tree. The children need someone to assist in making Christmas brighter at the close of the business day today, according to director Mi-
chelle Miles. “We need to get them adopted as quickly as we can,” said Miles. Over 200 names appeared on the tree placed at the entrance of Walmart. The tree has been taken down with the names now at the Salvation Army. The agency is located at 1209 U.S. Highway 72 West. “They can come by the Salvation Army and we will make ar-
rangements,” added Miles. The director said a good figure to spend on each child is $50$60 with donations gladly accepted to help with the annual project. “A lot of children in Alcorn County would not be able to celebrate Christmas without this support,” said the director. “I hope and pray we can get this done.”
Please see ZONING | 2A
Corinth school trustees hear construction updates BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Corinth School District trustees recently heard updates on construction projects and a preview of upcoming legislative issues. For the softball complex on Proper Street, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality have given clearance for the project, and dirt work is expected to begin soon. The district is looking into how to handle a tie bid for the Corinth Middle School gymnasium project, which includes remodeling of the dressing areas.
TL&C Construction submitted a bid of $358,000, while Worsham Bros. submitted a bid of $359,000. But TL&C bid exactly $1,000 higher than Worsham Bros. on the alternate portion of the project, making it a tie. The window and door replacement is in progress at Corinth High School, and the roofing project at Corinth Middle School is complete. Superintendent Lee Childress last week attended a joint Senate-House Education Committee meeting for updates on a variety of education issues. The legislative budget office
is recommending level school funding for the coming year. With the district seeing an enrollment increase of about 80 students, that would yield a funding increase similar to what the district saw this year. On charter schools, the Senate proposal would allow local school boards in “A” and “B” districts to say whether or not charter schools can open in their territory. “The governor has a proposal that would allow for school choice,” said Childress. “As you know, presently in terms of transfers from one district to
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another, the local boards have to approve a transfer and the receiving board has to accept it. This basically would take away that provision, and it would allow anyone to attend any school that they chose to attend if the receiving district was willing to accept them and if they had space for them.” The governor is also proposing gateway exams in grades three and seven. Students scoring minimal or basic in literacy and mathematics on the MCT 2 would fail. “The research is very clean that if someone cannot read or
does not have a strong understanding of reading at the end of the third grade that it is going to negatively impact them in terms of graduation, in terms of earning capabilities, in terms of possibly being incarcerated,” said Childress. The Corinth superintendent has also been involved in working on the new accountability model that is likely to become effective for 2013-2014. He said it will deal with a more comprehensive look at schools and focus attention on how the bottom 25 percent of students are progressing.
On this day in history 150 years ago Grant is notified of Van Dorn’s column moving closer to Holly Springs. He informs the garrison commanders to prepare for an attack by the Confederates — all except for Col. Robert Murphy at Holly Springs — who ignores the warning and goes to sleep without informing his troops of the danger.
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