New Item! Snapshot Saturday
Prentiss County Man charged in theft of tools
McNairy County County to hire financial officer
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Saturday July 23,
2016
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Daily Corinthian Vol. 120, No. 177
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • One section
Superintendent: Transfers go both ways BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
While the Alcorn School District continues to discuss concerns about student transfers out of the district, Corinth’s
superintendent wants people to know it’s a two-way street. “What people are being led to believe is that it is a oneway street and it’s only Alcorn students coming to Corinth,”
said Corinth School District Superintendent Lee Childress. “But, in fact, the Corinth School District has been releasing students and continues to release students to the Alcorn School
District.” In a meeting of the Corinth district’s board of trustees this week, the board approved 28 transfers from the county district, and it also approved 13
transfers from Corinth schools to the county schools. Childress believes those numbers coming from Corinth Please see TRANSFERS | 2
Piano man set for concert series BY KIMBERLY SHELTON kshelton@dailycorinthian.com
Staff photo by Jebb Johnston
Emoree Skelton works on a painting during the gallery’s recent summer art camp.
Young artists featured at gallery BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Some of Corinth’s youngest artists took brushes in hand at the art gallery this summer to produce the next great painting for the refrigerator door. An opening reception with the artists, ranging in age from 5 to 13, is set for Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the gallery. The exhibit runs through Aug. 20. The annual summer art
camp, part of the artist guild’s educational efforts, expanded this year to include a grantfunded session for Boys & Girls Club youth. “I think being exposed to art early in life enhances a child’s enjoyment of the things around them,” said Guild President Sonny Boatman. “We were glad to get a grant to offer this to more children and hope to have some Saturday classes in the fu-
ture.” Megan Thompson taught a group of 10 children ages 5 to 12 from the Boys & Girls Club through a CREATE grant. They produced watercolor paintings. Retired educators Teresa Smillie and Vicki Avery again led the other sessions with students ages 7 to 13. Students produced watercolors and a Pi-
Splash pad set to open BY JEFF YORK For the Daily Corinthian
SELMER, Tenn. — The much anticipated Selmer Splash Pad will open next month and will be a great back-to-school gift for the students. The splash pad is tentatively set to open the second weekend in August and is located in Selmer’s Dixie Park. The splash pad began as an idea as a community project of the Adult Leadership Class of 2014. Their group raised $5,000 and the City of Selmer provided the other $231,000 to obtain a matching state grant of $236,000. Selmer Parks and Recreation Director Sybil Dancer is anxious to put the final touches on the splash pad to get it ready for the grand opening. “We believe it is going to be great and the kids are going to
love it,” said Dancer. “It is going to be free and will be open every day from probably April through October.” Dancer said the city had not decided about a possible charge for someone that rents the splash pad for a birthday party or event. She said the city may decide to reserve the splash pad only at night. The total project will cost $472,000 and no money is coming from McNairy County Government on the project. “There have been people that think the county is paying for this project and that is not true,” commented Dancer. “This is being done by Selmer with the help of the grant from the state.” Dancer estimated there could be room for 30 children
Please see ARTISTS | 2
First Baptist Church’s popular Summer Concert Series will continue on Sunday with performances by several artists. Affectionately known as “Mr. Piano Man”, Jeff Stice will tickle the ivories as he shares his love of gospel music. Captivated by the piano at a young age, Stice started playing the piano at age six and was often found lying under the piano while his mother played. When she finished, he would put his hands on the keys and begin to pick out the melody of some of the songs he heard her play. By the age of 15, he began playing for his father’s quartet and later in college was offered a position in “The Rex Nelson Singers”. While there he received the “Favorite Young Artist Award” from the Singing News Magazine. And the awards just kept coming. Voted as Musician of the Year in 2007 by the Southern Gospel Music Guild, Stice also received recognition as the Favorite Musician of the Year in 2009 and 2012 at the
Jeff Stice Southern Gospel Fanfare. A Grammy and Dove Award nominee, he has received the “Musician of the Year Award” for six years from The Singing News Magazine. “Jeff’s music has given him the opportunity to travel all over the United States and Canada. He has been honored to play his arrangement of ‘Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho’ at Carnegie Hall on more than one occasion,” said First Baptist Music and Youth Please see SERIES | 2
People of the Crossroads Elaine Matthews, Rienzi Staff photo by Angela Storey
A familiar face in Rienzi has officially retired. After working as Rienzi Town Clerk 15 years, Elaine Mathews retired July 15. She has worked with two mayors, Walter Williams and David Potts. She also got to know Mayor David Lee during the almost 15 years she worked at First American National Bank in Rienzi. Her family includes two sons and daughters-in-law, Michael and Meka Mathews and Kristopher and Anna Beth Mathews, and five grandchildren. She enjoys quilting, being with friends and family and attends Gaston Baptist Church. “Rienzi will always hold a special place in my heart,” she said. “Rienzi is a family community where people take care of each other … it’s a special place.”
Please see SPLASH | 2
25 years ago
10 years ago
Work begins on the foundation of the new Corinth High School Academic and Performing Arts Center, expected to be ready for the start of the 1992 school year.
Magnolia Regional Health Center begins a new medical student program offering two-year clinical rotations.
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