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Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 236
• Corinth, Mississippi •
MC w/t-storm Today
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74
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30 pages • Two sections
International Development Alliance president builds relationships on trip to Japan BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
Staff photo by Bobby J. Smith
The captured Corinth cannon is welcomed back by Park Rangers Jim Minor and Ashley Berry, Shiloh Superintendent John Bundy, and a visitor to the Corinth Interpretive Center.
Captured Corinth cannon returns home Artillery piece was used during Battle of Corinth BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
A cannon captured by Union forces at Battery Robinett during the Battle of Corinth has found
its way back to the Crossroads City — just in time for the battle’s 150th anniversary. “Man, I’m excited like Christmas morning to see this thing,”
said Park Ranger Tom Parson, who worked for years to have the cannon moved from Shiloh NaPlease see CANNON | 2A
A recent trip to Japan by the Alliance’s top official offered a unique opportunity to plant seeds and forge relationships that could lead to future economic development in the region. Alliance President and Chief Operating Officer Gary Chandler recently returned from a week-long trip to Japan as part of a small delegation of Northeast Mississippi economic development and government officials traveling with Governor Phil Bryant and officials from the Mississippi Development Authority and the Tennessee Valley Authority to the annual Japan-U.S. Southeast Association (SEUSJapan) meeting in Tokyo and a series of meetings with executives from Toyota and its automotive parts suppliers. “The point is to plant seeds and build relationships,” said Chandler. “We’re in the business of creating jobs.” Chandler said the visit provided the chance to meet face to face with a variety of Japanese industrial leaders during the conference as well as at the meetings in Toyota City. The SEUS-Japan conference was the 35th annual conference for the organization. The conference alternates annually between Japan and the United States and helps promote
trade and investment between Japan and the southeast region of the United States. In a global economy filled with high-tech methods of communication including email, social media and others, Chandler said at the end of the day personal relationships and personal contact still matters. “You just can’t beat the impact of meeting with someone face to face,” he said. The opportunity to meet with Toyota officials and executives from the auto manufacturer’s suppliers was one any economic developer would be thrilled by, said Chandler. “That is a golden opportunity,” he said. Chandler said the Alliance has been hard at work positioning the county for success including recent improvements to the industrial site at Highway 45 and Camp Warriner Road. They are continuing to aggressively market the area and reach out to automotive suppliers and others. The Japan trip provided a unique opportunity to share the benefits the area can provide to potential employers directly with those influencing the decisions being made by these large Japanese corporations. The economic developer said in the past economic development deals were often Please see JAPAN | 14A
Drug Court graduation celebrates new beginnings BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
BOONEVILLE — The courtroom at the Prentiss County Courthouse was filled Friday with laughter, smiles and a few tears from this year’s graduating class of the First District Drug Court and their families as the graduates marked the completion of the program and the start of a new chapter in their lives. U.S. Senator Roger Wicker was the keynote speaker for the drug court’s third annual graduation ceremony. The ceremony celebrates the graduate’s completion of the intensive three-year-program designed to give non-violent drug offenders an opportunity to avoid prison and instead undergo intensive supervision and
rehabilitation to help them take control of their addictions and build better lives. “We are in America, a land of second chances and that’s what this is today,” Wicker told the graduates. “We are a land that believes in redemption.” The senator praised the work of the program and the participants for their commitment to rebuilding their lives. “It helps. It’s good for the people involved, it’s good for the community and it’s good for America when we can bring somebody back,” said the senator. The First District Drug Court was established by Circuit Court Judge Jim Pounds and serves Alcorn, Prentiss, Tishomingo, Please see GRADUATION | 3A
Staff photo by Brant Sappington
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (left) chats with Circuit Judge and First District Drug Court founder Jim Pounds following Friday’s drug court graduation ceremony.
Hog Wild BBQ Festival kicks off Thursday Drought impacts corn yields BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Things are about to get wild in Corinth. The 22nd Annual Hog Wild BBQ Festival gets under way Thursday in downtown. Three days of carnival-like fun, entertainment and plenty
of good barbecue will be available for the whole family. “At this point we have 34 teams registered and two of those have never been here before,” said Susan Joiner with Main Street Corinth. Joiner said teams will be taken up to Wednesday night
for the Kansas City Barbecue Society sanctioned event. Things get going on Thursday with the Happee Days Carnival around court square from 6-11 p.m. Armbands for the carnival can be purchased
Index Stocks...... 7A Classified....13B Comics Inside Wisdom......3B
Weather......5A Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Sports......8A
Please see BBQ | 2A
BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
The summer’s drought and hot weather have wreaked havoc with local corn yields. “The drought and heat had a significant impact on the yields this year,” said Patrick Poindexter, county director of the
MSU Extension Service. The unfavorable conditions hit during the corn’s pollination process and resulted in lots of corn not completely filled out and “skippy” kernels, Poindexter explained. Please see DROUGHT | 2A
On this day in history 150 years ago Sterling Price’s two divisions march from Ripley and follow the troops who had set out the day before. Van Dorn sends the troops north rather than directly to Corinth in a bid to confuse the Federals about his intentions. The ploy has limited success.
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