Tuesday Nov. 22,
2011
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 115, No. 278
Thunderstorm Today
Tonight
76
51
• Corinth, Mississippi • 18 pages • 1 section
Ward 4 Challenge BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
After hearing a series of voters answer questions about where they live, a judge ruled in favor of J.C. Hill in the Corinth ward 4 election challenge Monday afternoon in Alcorn County Circuit Court. Steve Hill challenged the outcome of the Sept. 28, 2010, Democratic primary runoff, which he lost by a margin of two votes to J.C. Hill. He contended that a number of votes in the
Judge rules in favor of J.C. Hill election were illegal because the voters did not live in ward 4, but, in the judge’s decision, the question of voter intent appeared to outweigh the issue of where each individual actually lived at the time of voting. Special Circuit Judge Vernon Cotten ruled on the case as a matter of law in favor of
J.C. Hill after determining that three of the witnesses were legal voters and two others were illegal voters who voted for Steve Hill, increasing J.C. Hill’s lead to 4 votes. Attorney Danny Lowrey, representing Steve Hill, unsuccessfully sought to present two rebuttal witnesses. He said one
of those, Gary Hill, would testify that he had a conversation Sunday with one of the witnesses that indicated the man had been told what to say in court — that he voted for Steve Hill. The judge didn’t allow it. “By clear and convincing evidence,” said Cotten, “I believe [J.C. Hill] has made his case so
Faces at the Green Market
“Next election, I’m running.” Steve Hill Election challenger that I’m not obliged to hear any rebuttal testimony. I believe it would be superfluous.” J.C. Hill declined comment on the judge’s decision. Please see CHALLENGE | 2
Classic coming to Arena BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
Staff photos by Mark Boehler
A record 77 vendors and a crowd estimated of more than 1,000 took part in the RED Green Market on Saturday. The final market of the year was deemed a huge success. Lesley and John Petty (above) promote the upcoming CT-A production “A Christmas Carol: Scrooge & Marley.” The Pettys — as Mr. and Mrs. Bob Cratchit — are part of the Dec. 9-11 production. Sonny “Santa” Boatman (below left) was on hand getting early requests from children. Eight-year-old Maecie Marsh (below right) had her face painted in the form of a butterfly at the market.
A classic Christmas play is coming to Crossroads Arena. The dramatic rendering of C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” will come to the stage of the arena’s conference center on Thursday, Dec. 15. The performance is part of the Germantown Community Theatre’s annual traveling Christmas show. “We are excited to bring this performance to Corinth and are looking forward to welcoming the Germantown Community Theatre to our city,” said Kathryn Dilworth, generPlease see CLASSIC | 2
Relative inspires war book BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
Jerry “Killer” Key flew 264 missions as a fighter pilot during the year he spent in Vietnam. On Saturday, the Savannah, Tenn., resident will sign copies of “War Stories & Other Lies” — his memoir of life, war and travels — at KC’s Espresso in downtown Corinth. For the 67-year-old retired Air Force and commercial pilot, the act of committing his wartime memories to paper was partly inspired by his uncle, a World War II veteran whose war stories left an indelible mark on Key as a young man. It was Please see BOOK | 2
McNairy County forms partnership to help children BY JEFF YORK For the Daily Corinthian
A desire to improve the response to emergency call regarding missing or sexually exploited children led McNairy County to form a partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Four representatives from the county recently completed training at the Jimmy Ryce Law Enforcement Training Cen-
ter in Alexandria, Va. Dana Swims, director of the McNairy County E-911 and dispatch supervisor Kirby Redmon along with McNairy County Sheriff Guy Buck and chief deputy Allen Strickland attended the Chief Executive Officer Seminar. “We formally adopted the ANSI-approved standard for Public Safety Telecommunicators when responding to calls
of missing, abducted and sexually exploited children,” said Swims. The national notoriety associated with the alleged sexual abuse of children by former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky has brought more awareness to the need for responding to the sexual exploitation of children. “An emergency call to 911 could be the first step towards saving a child in
Index Stocks........7 Classified...... 16 Comics...... 12 Wisdom...... 11
Weather........5 Obituaries........ 3 Opinion........4 Sports........8
our community,” Swims said. “McNairy’s 911 is committed to making the safety of our children a priority.” The McNairy County Emergency Communications Center has completed approximately 100 hours of enhanced specialized training and is now better prepared to take these types of calls. McNairy’s 911 has recently become a NCMEC 9-1-1 Call Center Partner.
“As a communications center, we are the actual first responders when a child goes missing,” Swims said. “It’s our duty to react quickly and efficiently to aid law enforcement in bringing that child home. We feel that we are better prepared to handle calls of this nature, although it is our wish that we never have to get one of those calls.” There are more than 800,000 children that go
missing every year in the United States or an average of more than 2,000 children per day. Calls about missing and sexually exploited children can become high profile events that have a devastating impact on the victim’s family, community and call center. Swims pointed out that every 911 call must be handled according to best Please see CHILDREN | 2
On this day in history 150 years ago The U.S.S. Niagara and U.S.S. Richmond, along with the guns of Fort Pickens, begin a two-day bombardment of Fort McRee, Fort Barancas and the Pensacola Naval Yard at Pensacola Bay, Fla. By Tom Parson, NPS Ranger