Wednesday Oct. 19,
2011
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 115, No. 249
Partly sunny Today
Tonight
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 22 pages • 2 sections
Ward 4 dispute gets day in court BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Corinth’s ward 4 election dispute is headed back to the courtroom. A trial for the case is set to begin Nov. 21 in Alcorn County Circuit Court, according to the clerk’s office. Special Circuit Judge Vernon Cotten is hearing the dispute.
J.C. Hill, who has been serving almost a year as ward 4 alderman, was certified the winner of the September 2010 Democratic primary runoff by two votes over Steve Hill, who was the incumbent. Steve Hill challenged the election result, alleging that a number of voters were not residents of ward 4 and thus cast illegal ballots. His
challenge seeks a new election for ward 4. Steve Hill recently sought summary judgment in the case, but the motion was denied. “… the court finds that an issue of material fact exists as to whether or not each of the challenged voters were illegal voters in the ward four alderman race and for whom they voted,
which precludes the court from granting judgment as a matter of law in this case,” the judge wrote in denying the motion. Court documents identify 16 people by name who allegedly cast illegal votes in the election. Steve Hill’s attorney, Danny Lowrey, will seek to show that at least two of the votes were not legal and were cast for J.C.
Amendment 26: When does life begin? BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Voters are faced with tough decisions when they head to the polls on November 8. None more difficult than the choice of life. Voters will vote either Yes or No on Mississippi Personhood Amendment 26 on the second Tuesday of next month. By voting YES on the amendment, voters are saying that life begins when a human egg is fertilized. “This is something I believe in and feel an obligation to take a position on,” said Oakland Pastor Dr. Randy Bostick. “It is pretty plain ... it’s about when life begins and I believe it begins at conception.” It took advocates a year to collect over 100,000 certified signatures from registered voters to get the amendment placed on the ballot in November. Mississippi is the only state to have this type of amendment on the ballot this fall. “We are getting the information out,” said Bostick of the church’s role. “We don’t tell people who to vote for, we inform them on the issues.” The amendment will appear on the ballot as: Be it Enacted by the People of the State of Mississippi: SECTION 1. Article III of the constitution of the state of Missis-
BY JEBB JOHNSTON County supervisors on Monday gave the nod for a computer system upgrade and set the upcoming holiday schedule. The Board of Supervisors accepted Premise, Inc.’s bid of $118,692 for an upgrade of the county computer system, including the replacement of 18
Tourism funds car show, fence BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Oakland Pastor Dr. Randy Bostick stands outside a sign in support of Amendment 26. Mississippi voters will go to the polls on Nov. 8 to vote whether they believe life begins at conception. sippi is hereby amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION TO READ: Section 33. Person defined. As used in this Article III of the state constitution, “The term ‘person’ or ‘persons’ shall include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof.” This initiative shall not require any additional revenue for implementation. “I feel like this is not a political issue but a moral issue,” said the Oakland pastor. “It’s a vote about
my hands,” added Bostick. “I have a responsibility to defend that position.” Supporters are hoping that the cause will one day overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that established a legal right to abortion. There is a 5-4 majority on the U.S. Supreme Court now to uphold Roe v. Wade. That and other Supreme Court rulings have required states to allow abortions up to the point that a fetus could survive
life and if you believe like most Christians do that life begins at conception vote YES.” If passed, Mississippi will place an amendment to its Constitution that states that life begins at conception. Should the proposition pass at the state level more than likely the victory would be temporary since a life-at-fertilization amendment would conflict with the U.S. Constitution. “That would be out of my hands, but voting YES on Amendment 26 is in
Please see VOTE | 3A
Supervisors OK computer upgrade jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Hill. Attorney Richard Bowen, representing J.C. Hill, has argued that the issue in the case is “voting domicile” — the place where the voter is registered rather than their current address. He gave examples of people who live elsewhere but continue to vote at the place they consider to be “home.”
outdated computers. For an additional $400 per quarter, the business will collect data backups to be stored off-site. The deal includes tradein credit of $8,523 on the county’s existing computer equipment. The county will pursue financing for the purchase. In other business:
The Corinth Area Convention and Visitors Bureau approved a pair of funding requests for upcoming events at its regular meeting on Tuesday. The first event to receive sponsorship was for Team Deja Vu’s Crossroads 2011, an automotive show with cars, trucks, motorcycles, live music and children’s activities coming up on Saturday. The event will also feature food vendors, door prizes, custom built awards — and the “much anticipated ‘club wars.’” All proceeds from Crossroads 2011 will go to benefit Relay for Life. “This event has a proven record of drawing people from the mid-south to Corinth,” Event Coordinator Casey Cambron wrote in the funding request. “Last year’s event, being our first, brought out 80 car show entries and is expected to double this year.” The committee approved a $1,000 to allow the club to expand
their advertising and promotional efforts, including radio and newspaper advertising. “Chris has done a tremendous job organizing this,” said Tourism Director Kristy White. Crossroads 2011 will be held Saturday, Oct. 22, from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the old Patrick Home Center on U.S. 72 East between Little Caesars and Tractor Supply Company. Admission is free and cost of entry is $25 per vehicle. The second approved funding request was for Corinth/Alcorn County Parks & Recreation’s fencing project at the playground/pavillion area of the city park. The new fence is being built around the Fun Station playground at the park entrance. It is of the ornamental wrought-iron type that also surrounds the park’s Jesse Bynum Field. Built in 2002, the park had a chain link fence in place to keep children from the roadway. The tourism board approved $6,200 in funding for the cost of materials for the new fence.
To-ga! To-ga! To-ga! To-ga!
■ County offices will close Friday, Nov. 11, for Veterans Day. The county will take two days off for each of the other upcoming holidays. Offices will close Thursday and Friday, Nov. 24 and 25, for Thanksgiving; Friday and Monday, Dec. 23 and 26, for Christmas;
Please see BOARD | 2A
Hospital, Alliance offer flu shots BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
The Alliance and Magnolia Regional Health Center are teaming up to offer flu shots today. “It’s a way to offer another service to our members,” said Kelly Rinehart, marketing and membership coordinator.
The flu shots will be administered at the Alliance office from 2 until 4 p.m. The cost is $20 per shot. No appointment is necessary and insurance will not be filed for the service. “The shots cover most known strains of the flu going around this year,” said Rinehart.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone six months of age and older be immunized. The American Lung Association recommends everyone should take a flu shot every influenza season. Please see SHOTS | 3A
Index Stocks....11A Classified......3B Comics....12A Crossroads ....2B
Weather......5A Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Sports......8A
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Tishomingo County seniors Ben Williams (left) and Preston Rushing (not pictured) brought out the pink togas for the school’s Pink Out Night in support of Breast Cancer Awareness during the football game vs. Corinth. The TC seniors used the Toga scene — made famous by comedian John Belushi in the 1978 comedy Animal House — as inspiration and even toted a sign with Belushi’s character of Bluto on it.
On this day in history 150 years ago The USS Massachusetts and the CSS Florida are engaged in fighting off of Ship Island, Mississippi. Neither side gains an advantage in the encounter. By Tom Parsons, National Park Service Ranger