Friday Nov. 4,
2011
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 115, No. 263
Pleasant Today
Tonight
63
39
• Corinth, Mississippi • 24 pages • 2 sections
Comcast cable talks digital, faster upgrades BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Comcast cable will complete its upgrade to an alldigital system with more channels and faster Internet speeds in Corinth on Nov. 15. Patricia Collins, a
spokeswoman for the cable television service, appeared before the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Tuesday to discuss the changes being made to the system. Comcast has a franchise agreement with Corinth through the end
it’s going to free up a lot of bandwidth and we’re going to be able to offer these additional products and services.” For Comcast Internet customers, those who currently receive speeds of 6 megabits per second
of 2012. “We’re going to take our analog spectrum, which is our limited basic and expanded basic tiers of service, and we’re going to convert them to digital,” said Collins. “By doing that conversion,
will see an increase to 12 megabits per second, and those who have a current top speed of 8 megabits per second will increase to 16 megabits per second, both with no additional charge. Comcast is offering one
digital set-top box and up to two digital adapters at no additional monthly charge. Those who want more than one set-top box, which includes music and on-demand offerPlease see COMCAST | 2A
Beaver Shouldering the burden bounty Alcorn man carries cross to speak for itself program begins C BY STEVE BEAVERS
sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
hris Davis doesn’t have to say a word. The cross he carries voices it all. Davis humbly carries a cross made of two old boards with a red cloth nailed to each side along with a crown of thorns at the top. He can be seen most Saturdays on Harper Road He doesn’t carry the cross along the bike route from Lonnie’s Sporting Goods on Droke Road to Fred’s in Village Square Shopping Center to draw attention to himself. The 1993 Alcorn Central High School graduate does it because he feels this is the way God is leading him to witness. “I want to point people to Christ,” said the 37-year-old while meekly looking down as he spoke. “The world needs Him now more than ever.” The act of service all started the last week of April around Easter near his home in Hatchie. “God told me to do something and I wasn’t too sure I could do it,” said Davis. “But God told me he would take care of it.” Davis, an employee with WalMart, started his walk and expanded it to Walnut and Ripley before making his way to Corinth. “It was easier in Walnut and Ripley because people there didn’t know me,” said the Wal-Mart employee. “I feel like Corinth is where God wanted me to go.” Davis carries the cross with his head bowed while some motorists drive by honking their horns in encouragement. “I have met some really nice people who have encouraged me,” he said. The Hatchie resident has also run across people who haven’t been so supportive. “I haven’t always done the right thing and I can’t worry about what other people think,” said Davis. “I want people to see what Jesus did on the cross and how much he loves them ... it’s the least I can do for Him and how can I not praise Him? He was mocked and spit on and still died for us.” Davis grew up in a Christian home. While getting ready for school every morning, he would see his mother, Suzy Burcham, with her Bible open reading her daily devotional. “She is my inspiration and a
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Alcorn County’s beavers once again have a bounty on their tails, but this year’s program has new requirements. The program is designed to reduce the property damage caused by beavers — destructive, semi-aquatic rodents that have long been the bane of landowners. “This is our most popular program offered to local landowners,” said Sandy Mitchell, district clerk for the USDA National Resource Conservation Service. “Those who participate in the beaver program see the benefits of their tax dollars.” Many landowners have suffered significant damage for years because of high beaver activity. The beavers are notorious for damming creeks, and the dams result in water covering prime cropland and valuable timberland. In the beaver control program this winter, landowners may trap the beavers themselves or use the services of trappers. To follow the program’s new requirements, landowners must wrap each beaver’s tail and right foot in clear plastic wrap or freezer bags and freeze until collection day. Landowners will receive $12.50 for each tail up to the maximum amount set. Alcorn County landowners experiencing significant beaver problems may sign up for the program from Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2011, through Friday, Dec. 2, 2011, at the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Office from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. The office will be closed on Veteran’s Day and Thanksgiving Day. Only landowners who sign up during these dates will be eligible for assistance. When the sign-up period has ended, the beaver control committee will divide the total number of eligible applicants into the amount of money the
Please see CROSS | 3A
Chris Davis carries a cross on the hiking and biking trail beside Harper Road in Corinth in an effort to point others toward Jesus.
Please see BEAVERS | 13A
BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
Blitz event includes friendly competition, free rock concert BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
The Blitz 2011, an evening of friendly extracurricular competition among local schools featuring a free Christianrock concert, is coming to Crossroads Arena on Sunday. The annual event is produced by Ignite, a Corinth-based non-profit organization dedicated
to providing wholesome youth events in North Mississippi. “This event is a labor of love for me and the many volunteers who help make it happen each year,” said Jonathan Marsh, event organizer. “Hundreds of adults’ and teenagers’ lives have been changed over the past few years and we are expecting great things to happen
again this year.” The Blitz Football, Band and Cheer Competition is a friendly competition between the schools in Alcorn County in which the Blitz organizers will find and vote on the best football play of the 2011 season — as well as the best cheer and band performances. For the football competition The Blitz 2011 Plan-
Index Stocks......9A Classified......6B Comics......5B Wisdom......4B
Weather......5A Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Sports....10A
ning Committee attends and tapes all four schools’ football games during the season then chooses the five best plays for each school. Through a series of School Tailgate Parties and Assemblies, the study body at each school votes on the best play for the season from the five options chosen by the committee. Then, during The Blitz
2011 concert at the Crossroads Arena, audience members, a judges panel and school participants will choose the winning play from the four plays representing each individual school. Students may earn extra points for their school by bringing canned food items that will be donated to The Bread of Life in Corinth.
The event’s organizers will donate $500 to each winning school program. The concert lineup features four Christian recording artists — Kerrie Roberts, Luminate, Kryste Lyke and headliner Big Daddy Weave. “This is our fourth year to hold The Blitz in Corinth, and we feel like
On this day in history 150 years ago “I have a hot fever. My throat is swollen twice its size, and I cannot speak above a whisper, having to sleep in mud and water all night.” — A soldier’s cheering letter home to his children. By Tom Parson, NPS Ranger
Please see BLITZ | 2A