Friday Aug. 2,
2012
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 186
Thunderstorm Today
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94
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 22 pages • 2 sections
Suspect pleads guilty to manslaughter BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
A Corinth man pleaded guilty Thursday to a reduced charge of manslaughter in the shooting death of Sylvester Fernando last September. Antonio T. Shields, 26, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the heat of passion before Judge Jim Pounds in Alcorn County Circuit Court. He was originally charged with murder
in the shooting that happened outside the Sprint Mart at the corner of Cass Street and Meigg Street. Pounds sentenced Shields to 20 years in custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections with eight years suspended, leaving 12 to serve. He was sentenced to five years of post-release supervision, fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $6,500 for funeral expenses. He is being given credit for time
served in jail since the shooting. The sentence for the charge can range from two to 20 years. Shields’ attorney, Jeremy Blaylock, noted that the defendant had no prior charges and no other pending charges. Shields, a father of six children ages 1 to 9, declined to make a statement before the court. The shooting happened on a Friday evening when Sylvester Fernando, 38, exited the Sprint Mart and ap-
proached Shields, who had just arrived at the convenience store. Police said the two spoke for a bit and Shields then exited his vehicle and hit Fernando with a semiautomatic handgun. After a struggle, Shields shot Fernando in the back of the head and twice in the chest area — all lethal wounds, according to the autopsy. Shields fled to Tennessee but turned himself in to Corinth police a short time later.
Shields
Keenum sees MSU growth, challenges Boy, 12, BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
It is a time of growth and challenges at Mississippi State University. MSU President — and Corinth High School grad — Mark Keenum spoke to a meeting of the Corinth Rotary Club on Thursday. While the university is undergoing massive expansion to its infrastructure and seeing record enrollment for the second consecutive year, it is also wrestling with a lack of sufficient funding from the state. Last year was the first time MSU’s enrollment set a record with 20,400 students. This year’s enrollment will surpass that number, Keenum said. “This year we’ll set another record,” he said. “All across the state enrollments are increasing and will continue to increase.” The school’s infrastructure continues to expand as well. Currently there are five MSU campuses throughout the
state, 12 research centers and a MSU office in every county of the state. Construction on campus includes two new residence halls and a $25 million football complex. A major renovation is underway at Lee Hall, a building over 100 years old in the center of campus. The college recently completed a new pavilion for basketball. Officials are in the final stages of negotiation with bidders to expand Davis-Wade Stadium. Keenum said this last project must be completed by August 2014, in time to host the USM Golden Eagles. He hopes the construction projects will continue indefinitely. “As long as the good Lord allows me to be the president, I don’t want people to come and not see construction at Mississippi State,” Keenum said. “Construction is a good sign for a university.” One of the school’s main struggles results from the state’s refusal to issue bonds. “2012 was the first time in
continues recovery BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Staff photo by Bobby J. Smith
Alcorn Schools Superintendent Gina Rogers Smith talks education with Mississippi State President Mark Keenum at Thursday’s meeting of the Corinth Rotary Club. memory when the legislature didn’t pass a bond bill,” he explained. “We rely on bonds for upkeep.”
The university must maintain over 700 buildings, 15 Please see KEENUM | 2A
Absentee voting on Future Fare begins BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The first votes have been cast in Corinth’s upcoming special election on Future Fare as absentee voting has begun. Officials at City Hall said the number of votes is just a few thus far. Absentee voting is available by reporting to the city clerk’s office at City Hall
during regular business hours. Extra hours will be offered on two Saturdays preceding the election — Aug. 11 and Aug. 18 — from 8 a.m. until noon. Aug. 18 will be the last day for absentee voting in person. The usual absentee voting requirements and restrictions apply for the Aug. 21 special election on a 12 mill property
tax increase for street and infrastructure work. Residents can also visit City Hall to get a copy of the Future Fare publication that was released to the public during Tuesday evening’s forum on the proposed program. The publication includes information to help people determine the effect on their tax bill, a
breakdown of the city’s revenue sources and distribution, a list of Future Fare priorities, details on the planned street paving and other items. “Our clerk has worked extra hard on this material and it’s probably more information than a person has ever had about Corinth,” said Mayor Tommy Irwin.
Men’s Night event features Bowden, fellowship BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
WENASOGA — Some men from Holly Baptist Church have created a monster. What began as four to five guys meeting in a shop has turned into the Monster Garage Men’s Night at the church gymnasium on Aug. 11 with former Clemson football coach Tommy Bowden speaking.’ “It all started as a place to just hang out,” said church deacon and event co-organizer Pat Barnes of the night out. “We meet once a month, grill and have Bible study.” As of Sunday, 450 men are set to hang out and hear the Word of God in His house. “We want to reach those who are unchurched,” said Barnes. “We all have one thing in common and we all have a testimony to tell.”
“About nine months ago we started praying about having a big men’s event,” said Holly pastor Bro. John Boler. “The Lord Bowden has opened a door and provided the things we need to have a night for men.” Bowden, the son of legendary college football coach Bobby Bowden, led the Clemson program from 1999-2008 before resigning at midseason of ’08. Prior to coming to Clemson, the former West Virginia player led Tulane to a 12-0 campaign and Top 10 ranking. Tickets to the hamburger steak meal are $5. Doors open
at 5:30 p.m. with the meal set for a 6 p.m. start. Door prizes will also be awarded throughout the night. “We have another 300 tickets printed with a seating capacity of 700,” said Barnes. Bowden, who will also preach both services Sunday morning at Holly as well as speak to the church’s College & Career class, has been involved in faith-based speaking for at least 20 years and part of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for over 30 years. “There is a comfort in having a relationship with other Christians,” added Barnes, who is co-chair of the event along with Scott Messer. “This is what we want this night to be about.” Since leaving the sideline, the former coach has been working with LifeWay on a
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book. His first book, “Winning Character,” is set for release on Sept. 1. “My aspiration is to share my faith around the country and encourage people to live lives that are marked with character, accountability, responsibility, discipline and sacrifice,” he stated on his website. “I am thankful for how these principles helped me in all areas of my life and I am excited to share them in the book.” “The night is going to be geared toward men, but more importantly, it’s going to be about hearing the Word of God and a challenge from Coach Bowden,” added Boler. For more information about the Monster Garage Men’s Night contact the church office at 662-286-3474 or go to the church’s website at www.hollybaptist.org
Life is getting back to normal for a young Corinth resident who was struck by a vehicle while riding his bicycle earlier this year. Gabriel Williamson, a 12-year-old student at Corinth Middle School, was in critical condition on March 20 after being hit by a Jeep Cherokee on Bunch Street. A tense week Williamson followed at Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center in Memphis. “I can’t thank everybody enough that prayed for him,” said Cherri Williamson, Gabriel’s mother. “He has a little difficulty from the concussion, but he is pretty much back to normal. People that see him and know he was in the accident are amazed.” The late-afternoon wreck happened as the youngster, who was 11 at the time, was crossing the street on his bicycle. Some other children had already crossed the street, and he was heading towards a friend’s house. Williamson said she would like to see the city put up a sign in the area to encourage motorists to slow down. At the time, police said a large tree could have played a factor in visibility for both the driver and the bicyclist. Williamson’s mother recalled the scene of the crash. “When we arrived, he was on the ground and they were trying to restrain him,” she said. “It was difficult. He had a closed head injury and we didn’t know it was a concussion at the time. He was real combative.” Gabriel was taken by helicopter to Le Bonheur, where doctors found that in addition to a head injury he had two collapsed lungs and a broken femur. Doctors performed two surgeries and installed a rod in his leg before he was released from the hospital on March 27. He wore a cast on his leg for nine weeks. Williamson said her son doesn’t remember much from the accident. “Every so often, he says he has memories of flying up in the air,” she said. “He told us he saw Jesus, and Jesus told him that it wasn’t his time to go. Apparently he was right there at the line where he was here and not here.”
On this day in history 150 years ago General-in-Chief Henry Halleck orders McClellan’s Army of the Potomac to move from camps on the James River to the vicinity of Fredericksburg. The move is an admission of McClellan’s failure to capture Richmond.
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