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Sunday Dec. 23, 2012 $1.50
Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 309
2012 Christmas Basket Fund “A Community Tradition”
Basket fund tops $19,000 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 Dec. 15 at the Crossroads Arena. The event was a huge success this year with plenty of need. The total now stands at $19,271, meaning just $729 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 $150 from Gardner’s Supermarket in memory of Jimmy Gardner; $150 from Rogers’ Supermarket in memory of Jimmy Gardner; $50 from John T. and Ruth V. Sellers in memory of Lester and Esther Sellers of Glen and John C. and Grace V. Lambert of Naperville, Ill.; $50 from Hinkle Homemakers Club in memory of Irene Bynum; $100 from Taft and Janie Little; $200 from Jeanie M. Davidson in memory of John Davidson and Greg Davidson; $100 from Dimple Caldwell in memory of Bobby Caldwell and Lane Caldwell. Donations can be the perfect time to make a holiday tribute to a special perPlease see BASKET | 3A
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22 pages • Two sections
Worker faces theft charges Items recovered include copper wire, tools, computer with software valued at $100,000 BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
A Louisiana construction worker is facing felony charges for allegedly stealing from his job site at Magnolia Regional Health Center. Shreveport resident Steven Barton, 23, was arrested Friday by Corinth Police following a lengthy investigation, according Investigator Capt. Ralph Dance. At Barton’s motel room at the Crossroads Inn on U.S. 72, Corinth Police recovered thousands of dollars worth of materials and tools stolen from a work site — and one very highdollar hot computer. Items recovered include roughly $4,000 worth of copper wire (some already stripped to sell, Dance said), another $4,000 worth of tools and a computer reported stolen from Magnolia Hospital valued at $100,000 for the software it contained. Barton is an employee of one of two contractors involved in the ongoing construction at Magnolia Regional Health Center. Items recovered at Barton’s motel room were stolen from both contractors, Dance said.
Staff photo by Bobby J. Smith
Corinth Police Department Investigator Capt. Ralph Dance inspects items stolen from a construction site at Magnolia Regional Health Center that were recovered in a room at the Crossroads Inn on Friday. “Apparently they were having things come up missing for a long time,” he observed.
The accused construction worker faces three counts of grand larceny — for items tak-
en from the two contractors Please see THEFT | 12A
Event welcomes all on Christmas Day BY JEFF YORK For the Daily Corinthian
At last, local folks can get some food and fellowship on Christmas Day outside the home. “Crossroads Community Christmas” could be the theme
for Tuesday’s Christmas Day event in Corinth. Tommy and Marea Wilson have invited everyone to come share the special day with them as one big happy family. Tommy and Marea will open the Living Free Ministries
building at 11 a.m. for a free buffet lunch and an afternoon movie. They will be there until 4 p.m. to allow people to come when it is convenient for them. The traditional lunch will be home-made with turkey and ham as the main menu items.
There will be all types of homemade desserts as well. If anyone knows of someone who needs a hot meal at Christmas, there will be to-go plates available on Tuesday. Please see CROSSROADS | 3A
Churches plan Christmas Eve services BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Area churches will be celebrating the birth of the Savior with Christmas Eve services. Three local congregations have planned special services for Monday, Dec. 24. First Presbyterian Church, First Baptist Church and First United Methodist Church all
have services slated for the evening. First Presbyterian will have its Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion Service at 5:30 p.m. “The service is something we have done for many years,” said church pastor Dr. Don Elliott. “The unique part of the service is that it is led by our college
students.” Dr. Elliott said the service will include scripture reading, prayer, music and the lighting of candles. “It is a special thing for us and has an Easter-like attendance,” said Elliott. First Baptist will hold its Candlelight and Communion Service also at 5:30 p.m.
“It is a beautiful service and one of my favorite,” said church member Jackie Huskey. The reading of Luke 2 along with music by church soloists and harp soloist Cindy Mathis are part of the program. First United Methodist has a Candlelight Communion WorPlease see SERVICES | 3A
Man offers wedding proposal during Christmas parade BY MARK BOEHLER editor@dailycorinthian.com
“Jingle Bells” is always a familiar song each year during the Corinth — Alcorn County Christmas Parade as it ushers in the holiday season in the Crossroads area on the first Saturday in December. This year a more unusual bell was heard at the corner of Fillmore and Cruise streets during the holiday parade. It was the sound of wedding bells.
To the surprise of hundreds who lined the streets to watch the parade, a man on a float dropped on one knee, presented a diamond ring and surprised his girlfriend with a wedding proposal. There were tears after the initial surprise, the future bride said “yes” and the couple embraced for the ceremonial kiss. Meet Ashley Tharp Davis and J.C. Miles. This is their love story.
Some history Ashley, daughter of James and Markettia Tharp, is a 27-year-old 2004 graduate of Corinth High School. She went on to earn an Associates Degree in Paralegal Technology from Northeast Mississippi Community College. She is currently a call center representative for Avectus Healthcare Solutions in Corinth. Please see PROPOSAL | 12A
Index Stocks...... 7A Classified......7B Comics Inside Wisdom......3B
Weather......5A Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Sports......8A
Staff photo my Mark Boehler
J.C. Miles asks an emotional Ashley Tharp Davis to marry him during the Corinth-Alcorn County Christmas Parade while onboard a float at the corner of Cruise and Fillmore streets in downtown Corinth. The crowd reacts. And the future bride said yes.
On this day in history 150 years ago President Davis issues a proclamation denouncing the activities of Gen. “Beast” Butler in New Orleans. Claiming Butler is a felon, he decrees that if he is captured, the Union general is not to be given a trial but to be hung at the first opportunity. Lucky for Butler, he is never captured.
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