Thursday Feb. 23,
2012
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 46
Thunderstorm Today
Tonight
76
42
• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • 1 section
Dad speaks about girl’s near-death experience BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
A Corinth father is grateful his daughter is still alive and encourages others to be prepared for the unthinkable by learning CPR. Robert Shappley said his daughter, Avery, “essentially dropped dead” on the tennis court of Corinth High School
earlier this month. She is now recovering after undergoing surgery at Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center in Memphis. “She had a heart condition that usually kills an infant in its crib,” he said. “It’s usually a matter of sudden infant death. The handful of people that survive generally go on with their
lives, and then something happens and they very often do not survive the cardiac arrest that they have at this older age.” It came as a total surprise. “That’s one thing very much to underscore: You never know,” he said. The response when Avery Shappley collapsed with cardiac arrest is credited with saving
Character finds more isn’t always better
her life. “Avery would not be here if she had not had excellent health care, if she had not excellent response to the situation as she lay there on the tennis court with no heartbeat,” said Shappley. “Le Bonheur would never have gotten her if they had not gotten her stabilized at Magnolia. They worked with
her and got her where she could be shipped up to Le Bonheur.” Because of weather conditions, she could not be taken by the faster means of air ambulance and was taken by ground. “They would have had no one to work with if Coach Hand and Coach Coleman had not gone to Please see SHAPPLEY | 2
Court sentences 2 in kidnapping case BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
The final two defendants involved in the 2009 kidnapping and robbery of an elderly Prentiss County man and his daughter have been sentenced to prison. Quincy Miller and Jason Young pleaded guilty in October 2010 to two counts each of kidnapping and burglary and larceny of a dwelling and one count each of armed robbery. Miller was sentenced to serve a total of 10 years and Young was sentenced to a total of 9 years. Miller was sentenced to 20 years in prison with 14 suspended and six remaining to serve on each of the two counts of kidnapping and the count of armed robbery, with all three of those sentences to run concurrently. They will run consecutive to a sentence of 20 years in prison with 16 suspended and four remain-
ing to serve on each of the two counts of burglary and larceny of a dwelling. Both burglary sentences run concurrent with each other. Miller must also pay a total of $2,000 in fines, along with court costs and restitution. Young was sentenced to 20 years in prison with 15 suspended and five remaining to serve on each of the two counts of kidnapping and the count of armed robbery, with all three of those sentences to run concurrently. They will run consecutive to a sentence of 20 years in prison with 16 suspended and four remaining to serve on each of the two counts of burglary and larceny of a dwelling. Both burglary sentences run concurrent with each other. Young must also pay a total of $2,000 in fines, along with court costs and restitution. Please see KIDNAPPING | 3
City offers tax credit for property rehab Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Johnny Mocny lands the big one in “The Fisherman and His Wife.”
CT-A presents ‘The Fisherman and His Wife’ for a one-night performance BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Be careful what you wish for. The Wife in “The Fisherman and His Wife” finds that more isn’t always better in the Corinth Theatre-Arts production. “She wants more out of life,” said Mikaela Hancock ,who plays the wife character. “The more she gets, the more she wants.” Johnny Mocny is cast in the role of the Fisherman. He portrays a good man who is content in life.
“Basically, the wife and I live a normal life,” said Mocny. That all changes when the Fisherman snags a magical fish and is granted a wish. “He doesn’t want the wish, but the wife makes him take it,” added Mocny. The greedy wife continues to send her husband back to the fish for more wishes. She bullies her husband into asking the magical fish for a cottage, a castle, and a kingship. The wife
BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
has all she ever wanted only to lose at the end and then find true contentment. “The Fisherman and His Wife” — adapted from one of the more famous fairy tales by Brothers Grimm — is by CT-A veterans Autry Davis, Milton Wallis and David Maxedon. It is set for a onenight performance at the Crossroads Playhouse on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. The 45-minute play is Please see FISHERMAN | 13
Corinth is offering a new tax incentive to promote redevelopment in the central business district area. The Board of Aldermen on Tuesday adopted an ordinance establishing the Corinth Opportunity Redevelopment District, which provides a tax break beginning at a $50,000 investment. Ward 1 Alderman Andrew Labas pushed for the new incentive, which he called an economic development tool. “I’m really excited about this ordinance,” he said. “What we’re trying to promote is private individuals throughout the city to develop and rehab existing structures along Highway 72, along Tate
Street, Wick Street, some of the downtown properties.” It applies to construction of a new privately owned structure or renovations of existing structures in the central business district. With a $50,000 investment, the investor can get a threeyear city ad valorem tax exemption. The exemption increases to five years for a $100,000 investment and seven years for a $150,000 investment. “We can’t forego school district taxes and we can’t forego county taxes, but this is the best that we can do as far as trying to promote individuals to rehab these properties,” said Labas. It is also tied to the “shop Please see BOARD | 2
Corinth theater looking for some voices to present ‘One Shiloh Hill’ BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
Corinth’s theater group needs help bringing the Civil War to life through the magic of song. Auditions for the Corinth Theatre-Arts production of “On Shiloh Hill: A Musical Resurrection of the American Civil War” will be held Saturday and Sunday beginning at 2 p.m. at
the Crossroads Playhouse. “Corinth and the surrounding area is rich with acting and musical talent,” said Myra Byrnes, the retired Corinth High School drama teacher who is directing the play. “I look forward to seeing these talented people — including some of my former students — at the auditions this weekend.”
For this production, Byrnes is looking for up to 10 male vocalists and up to six female vocalists ages 16 and up. Audition participants must have a song prepared to showcase their vocal range. Accompaniment is preferred (including a CD of backing music or a musical instrument) but not required. A piano will be available.
Index Stocks........7 Classified......14 Comics...... 12 Wisdom...... 11
Weather........5 Obituaries........ 3 Opinion........4 Sports........8
Cast members will be required to attend weeknight rehearsals beginning at 6:30 p.m. for a six-week period leading up to the performance dates. Written by Bill Schustik, “On Shiloh Hill” begins in a present-day mythical attic place. Through period music, memories and images of the past, a troubadour will lead the players
in a resurrection of the longdeparted spirits of those who fought the American Civil War. The players will make their own scenes by gathering props and costumes from the attic’s chests and rafters. “This play was done the last time back in the 1980s,” ex-
On this day in history 150 years ago Union forces are rapidly approaching Nashville, prompting an evacuation of citizens and soldiers. General A.S. Johnston begins to reassemble his scattered Army of Central Kentucky in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Feb ru a ry 24, 2012 • CROSSROADS ARENA • 8:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m. This event is provided to you at no charge by Magnolia Regional Health Center, but reservations are required. SEATING IS LIMITED. To register, call 662.293.1200, or register online at www.MRHC.org.
Please see SHILOH | 2