Saturday Feb. 18,
2012
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 42
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • 1 section
Developer withdraws Dollar General plans BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
A developer has withdrawn a plan to build a new Dollar General store on U.S. Highway 72 at the old Bonanza property. Ware Properties had sought and received approval for a zoning variance needed at the
corner of Highway 72 East and South Johns Street for what was planned to be a new store on the property. The developer would have demolished the old restaurant building. The city’s community development and planning department confirms the plan has been
withdrawn, and an alternate plan has not been submitted. The existing Dollar General store in Southgate shopping center on Cass Street would have relocated to the Highway 72 property, which was a Bonanza restaurant for many years and a string of other res-
taurants in later years. It has been vacant for some time. The developer had submitted plans for a new store with a corner entry. Accommodations for the nearby residential property included screening for HVAC units and a garbage bin enclosure.
The location was recently on the city’s property cleanup list when the city asked the property owner to deal with mounted lights that appeared in danger of falling in the parking lot. The problem was corrected and the possible adjudication action was dismissed.
‘Grant’ scam hits the area BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Staff photos by Steve Beavers
Marea Wilson (left) and Tammy Parker help serve soup and chili during the Jesse Clausel Soup Luncheon. The luncheon celebrated its 10th year.
Turning soup into scholarships BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
The 4-H advisory council turned soup into scholarships during the Jesse Clausel Soup Luncheon on Friday. Money raised from the luncheon will help fund scholarships for graduating high school 4-H members. “The luncheon has really grown from our one-room office at the courthouse until now,” said Alcorn County 4-H agent Tammy Parker. Three scholarships were awarded last year with each recipient receiving $250 to further their education. Named in honor of longtime advisory council president Jesse Clausel, the luncheon celebrated its 10th year with a choice of chili, vegetable or potato soup along with drink and dessert. “I think this is great,” said Ruth Clausel, the wife of the late Jesse Clausel. “The children in 4-H were his main interest.” Clausel, who started the 4-H Awards Banquet, served as advisory council president for over 20 years. “These kids contribute a lot to their community and have so many things to choose from like public speaking, modeling and working with animals,” said Mrs. Clausel. “Jesse would be very proud.”
Being a good citizen has its rewards, but free money is generally not one of them. A phone scam is being reported locally in which people are told that “grant” money is coming their way. The scam is not new but seems to be on the increase in the last few weeks. Police Chief David Lancaster received one of the calls on his cell phone on Feb. 10. He was told he had been selected to receive a $10,000 grant because he is a good citizen and pays his bills on time. “It is definitely not legitimate,” he said. “As usual, if it sounds too good to be true, it is. Nobody is giving out free money.” The caller, who had a heavy foreign accent, told him that she was with the treasury department and that he could use the money for any “legitimate” purposes. The caller eventually requests banking details and other information.
“I told them I was a police officer and they hung up on me,” said Lancaster. In another case that was reported to him, the scam artist called back after the first call ended. “They said they knew where she lived at and were going to come get her because she was rude to them,” the chief said. One person who reported receiving a similar call is Sonny Boatman. He received a call from a person who told him he had been chosen to receive a $7,000 grant from an unspecified Christian organization. The caller was again a woman with a heavy accent. “She said it was a grant that I wouldn’t have to pay back and it was through the government but they were distributing it,” said Boatman. “She said that I could spend this money on house payments or renovating my house or a wonderful vacation or a car — as long as I didn’t spend it on liquor or Please see SCAM | 3
Corinth man faces child endangerment, felony drug charges BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Sandy Mitchell helps out during Friday’s 4-H luncheon to raise money for scholarships.
The Alcorn Narcotics Unit made a marijuana bust at a Corinth address Wednesday. Tony Allen Burks, 34, of Mitchell Street, Corinth, was charged with two counts of sale of a controlled substance and felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, all within 1,500 feet of a church. He was also charged with child endangerment for selling the marijua-
na in the presence of children. Narcotics Officer Darrell Hopkins said the arrest happened when the narcotics unit went to 1104A Mitchell St. in reference to complaints of the occupants selling marijuana with children present. The occupants gave consent to search, and officers found a quarter of a pound of marijuana along with packaging material, scales and other paraphernalia, he said. Bond was set at $20,000.
Graduate shares Shiloh High School memories BY MARK BOEHLER editor@dailycorinthian.com
SHILOH, Tenn. — For many school-aged children until 1954, learning about the historic Battle of Shiloh was just a few steps away. Thanks to a federal grant, plenty of fundraisers and school children asking Tennessee River excursion boat travelers visiting Shiloh National Military Park for donations, a school was built in 1928 on park property. Located near the present day Shiloh Methodist Church, the school was initially grades 1-10 but expanded to a 12th grade, producing many proud graduates of Shiloh High School until 1953.
Classmates hold a reunion every year on a weekend in June at Pickwick Landing State Park, where they reminisce of the times gone by of a place more known for its almost 24,000 casualties on April 6-7 150 years ago during the Civil War than its small number of graduates each year. “So many people don’t know there was a school at Shiloh,” said 84-year-old Thelma (Lambert) Tucker of Corinth, Shiloh High School Class of 1945. “When we are gone, that will be it.” The effort to build the school began in 1917, according to forPlease see SHILOH | 3
Photo compliments of Arcadia Publishing
Shiloh School on the grounds of Shiloh National Military Park was located behind Shiloh Methodist Church. An Iowa monument is just a few feet from the school’s front entrance. Students attended Shiloh School from 1928 until 1954.
Index Stocks........7 Classified......14 Comics...... 13 Wisdom...... 12
Weather........5 Obituaries........ 3 Opinion........4 Sports...... 10
On this day in history 150 years ago In Richmond, Va., the First Congress of the Confederate States of America is convened. The body replaces the provisional congress established by the secession convention. It was a two-house legislature patterned after the Congress of the United States.