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Thursday Nov. 24, 2011 $1.50

Daily Corinthian Vol. 115, No. 280

â&#x20AC;˘ Corinth, Mississippi â&#x20AC;˘

Sunny Today

Tonight

28 pages â&#x20AC;˘ Two sections

City sets property cleanup hearings

2011 Christmas Basket Fund â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A Community Traditionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Donations begin to arrive for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basket fund

BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tis the season for giving as donations are beginning to arrive for the 16th Annual Corinth Rotary Club / Daily Corinthian Christmas Basket Fund. A $25,000 fundraising goal has been set so 1,100 food baskets can be given to local families on Saturday, Dec. 10. So far $11,725 has been received, which includes the generous $10,000 Caterpillar gift in hopes the community will

The city has scheduled a public hearing for four additional properties in December for cleanup matters. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen had a special meeting Tuesday for a few items, including setting an adjudication public hearing for 5 p.m. on Dec. 20 for the following properties: n 815 Fourth Street â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a dilapidated house and overgrown lot that has prompted complaints on the west side of Fourth Street;

Staff photo by Steve Beavers

Land, ho! Glendale Elementary School kindergarten and first-grade classes continued their traditional celebration of Thanksgiving by dressing as pilgrims and Indians. Keturah Hutsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first-grade class constructed their own Mayflower ship and took the voyage by sea. First-graders Reed Johnson (left), Tret King and Joshua Trosell look for land as they sail the Mayflower.

Please see BASKETS | 2A

Please see BOARD | 5A

Small Business Saturday promotes local support BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com

The weekend after Thanksgiving brings one of the busiest shopping periods of the year and local residents are being encouraged to keep the cash registers ringing at their local merchants and support the businesses that

support their community. One promotion designed to encourage shoppers to head to their local shops and businesses to do their holiday shopping is known as Small Business Saturday. Playing off the traditional Black Friday shopping period, Small Business Saturday encour-

ages everyone to spend Saturday exploring the unique offerings to be found at local businesses. American Express Corporation is heavily promoting the initiative and is offering its cardholders a $25 credit on their bills when they use their cards to shop at participating local businesses. Details

on the credit card offer and much more can be found at www.smallbusinesssaturday.com. Alliance Community Development Director Andrea Rose said the promotion is an excellent way for shoppers to bag an extra benefit when visiting their local shops and retailers.

Rose said local small businesses are the backbone of the local economy and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more important than ever to support these merchants whose businesses make a direct impact on the community in the form of taxes and commuPlease see SATURDAY | 2A

Square pickers find new winter home Police urge safety on Black Friday BY BOBBY J. SMITH

bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com

Corinthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier Bluegrass gathering has found a new home for the winter. During the winter months, Pickinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on the Square will hold its weekly Bluegrass sessions at the old East

Corinth School Auditorium. While the pickers gather on courthouse square during warm weather, Pickinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on the Square was formerly held at the downtown Coliseum Civic Center in the wintertime. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Coliseum is so big and the ceiling is so high itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard for us to

heat it for just that one night,â&#x20AC;? said Lanell Coln, organizer of the annual Alcorn County Bluegrass Festival and Pickinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on the Square enthusiast. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the auditorium it pulls us closer together â&#x20AC;&#x201D; I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going

Alcorn County had 95 new unemployment insurance claims during October compared to 148 a year earlier and 1,254 continued claims, compared to 1,409 a year earlier, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security.

While shoppers hunt for big bargains on Black Friday, thieves will also be on the hunt. Law enforcement warns that the holiday retail kickoff is a time to be extra cautious in order to avoid becoming a victim of a purse snatching or other crimes. The Corinth Police Department plans to do its part by stepping up patrols of retail areas during Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s consumer frenzy. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the best things people can do to protect themselves is to go shopping in a group with friends or family,â&#x20AC;? said Police Chief David Lancaster, â&#x20AC;&#x153;because a thief is less likely to approach a group of people than someone who is alone.â&#x20AC;? Those who take advantage of 4 a.m. sales or who shop later in the evening should look for well-lit parking areas.

Please see UNEMPLOYMENT | 2A

Please see FRIDAY | 5A

Please see PICKERS | 5A

County sees slight decline in unemployment BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

Alcorn County saw a modest unemployment decrease in October but has a higher unemployment rate than it did a year ago. Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not seasonally adjusted rate declined from 10.6 percent in September to 10.2 percent

in October, while Alcorn County experienced a decrease from 12.4 percent to 12 percent during the same period. In October 2010, the countyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jobless rate was 11.5 percent. The county had 1,790 unemployed, up slightly from 1,720 a year earlier, and 13,160 employed, down from 13,320 last October.

Index Stocks...... 7A Classified......9B Comics......3B Wisdom......2B

BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

Weather......5A Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Sports......8A

On this day in history 150 years ago In Kentucky, a little known Confederate cavalryman, Col. Nathan Bedford Forrest, sets out on the first of many raids. By Tom Parson, NPS Ranger

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Local

2A • Daily Corinthian

Thursday, November 24, 2011

UNEMPLOYMENT: State’s lowest jobless rate was in Rankin CONTINUED FROM 1A

Regular benefits paid in the county totaled $142,976, rising from $125,897 a year earlier. Among neighboring counties, Tishomingo County’s October jobless rate was 12.8 percent; Prentiss County, 11.2 percent; and Tippah County, 13.9 percent. Results from Mississippi’s non-farm employment survey, which is counted by the location of establishments, reported a not seasonally adjusted employment increase of 5,300 over the month and 10,500 from one year ago. Industry sectors registering the largest monthly employment gains were manufacturing, government, and educational & health services. The largest over the month loss was in the leisure & hospitality sector.

Mississippi’s lowest unemployment rate was in Rankin County at 6.6 percent, and the highest was in Clay County at 19.1 percent. Regional and state unemployment rates generally changed little or were slightly lower in October, the U.S. Department of Labor said on Tuesday. Thirty-six states and the District of Columbia recorded unemployment rate decreases, five states posted rate increases, and nine states had no rate change. Forty states registered unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier; eight states and the District of Columbia had increases; and two states experienced no change. The national jobless rate was nearly unchanged at 9.0 percent but was 0.7 percentage point lower than a year earlier.

Staff photo by Steve Beavers

SATURDAY: Small businesses

Two little Indians

account for 50 percent of jobs

Caden Burcham (left) and Kaylee Kiddy work on their necklaces as the Glendale Elementary School kindergarten class of Becky Winters dressed as Indians for Thanksgiving.

BASKETS: Contributions can be made ‘in honor of’ a special person CONTINUED FROM 1A

match its corporate gift dollar for dollar. Recent donations include $100 from R. Christy Morgan in memory of Frances Morgan; $25

from Jerry C. and Faye H. Smith; $500 from Mr. and Mrs. Nathan L. Hardin; $100 from Brown’s Used Parts/Arvolle and Hazel Brown; and $1,000 from the Magnolia Racking Horse Association.

Donations can be a perfect time to make a tribute to a loved one. Contributions to the Christmas Basket Fund can be made “in honor of” or “in memory of” a special person or persons. The tribute will be published in

the Daily Corinthian. Donations can be brought by the newspaper office or mailed to: Daily Corinthian, Attn.:Christmas Basket Fund, P.O. Box 1800, Corinth, MS 38835.

CONTINUED FROM 1A

nity activities. Rose said there’s also a great value to be found in doing business with people that know you and know your needs. The local area is full of unique businesses offering hard to find and one of a kind products and services and are staffed with people who truly care about their

communities and their customers. Small businesses also account for more than 50 percent of the jobs in America, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. Efforts like Small Business Saturday and other shop local programs are designed to help support the businesses that support the local economy.

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Local

3A • Daily Corinthian

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Thanksgiving is for giving thanks BY JIMMY REED Special Columnist

The sign read, “Thanksgiving is for giving thanks.” Driving by it on the way to work, I thought ... that message is an understatement; it’s too obvious. I could have come up with something better. Waiting for a red light near the sign, I glanced across the street into a hospital parking lot and saw a family loading a child into a van. Imprisoned for life in a wheelchair, the boy’s legs had atrophied to little more than pants with nothing in them, his arms flailed aimlessly, his head weaved from side to side, and his eyes were fixed in a hopeless, upward stare. I’d finished another week’s work, but still had a few hours’ of drudgery ahead of me — completing the weekly forms

providing information that is logged into the database of the community college where I teach. The paperwork has to be accurate, it takes a good bit of time to complete, and must be reviewed carefully for errors before being submitted. Getting started is the hardest part of any job, and as I sat in an inertial state, unwilling to begin, I read a few of the sayings that I’d taped to my computer over the years. My eyes fell on a quote by American poet and educator, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: “The everyday cares and duties, which men call drudgery, are the weights and counterpoises of the clock of time, giving its pendulum a true vibration and its hands a regular motion; and when they cease to hang upon its wheels, the pendulum no longer swings, the hands

no longer move, the clock stands still.” The saying, along with the sign I’d read that day, and the sad scene in the hospital parking lot, put me in a pensive mood. I began to ponder the real nature of thankfulness. How thankful would that little boy be if he could perform the everyday cares and duties that I consider drudgery? How happy would he be if he could control his legs and arms, as I control mine? How sad is he when he sees other children playing with each other, knowing that he will never play? How thrilled would he be if he could sit in one of my college classrooms, take notes, ask questions, and be thrilled to study and learn — tasks that many of my students consider drudgery? How blessed and thankful would he be if the weights

and counterpoises of the clock of life gave his existence a regular motion? I closed my eyes, bowed my head, and made a confession to myself and to the God who made that little boy and me: I take too much for granted; I’m not thankful enough. If I were, I would view the drudgery of life as necessary — nay, vital — to the true vibration and regular motion that measures life. In a sadder and wiser frame of mind, I realized how complete, how profound, how perfect the message on the sign is: Thanksgiving is for giving thanks. (Oxford resident Jimmy Reed, jimmycecilreedjr@gmail.com. is a newspaper columnist, author and college teacher. His latest collection of short stories is available at Square Books, 662-236-2262.)

Deaths Ester Mayes Funeral services for Ester Mae Mayes, 75, of Corinth, are set for 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church with burial at the church cemetery. Ms. Mayes died Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011, at her home. Born June 1, 1936, she attended Scales Street Schools. She was a Baptist and retired. Survivors include her children, Robert Mayes (Iletta), Lisa Mayes, Sandy Mayes, Brenda Mayes and Ray Mayes (Jacqueline); two brothers, Artee Mitchell (Lela) and Leroy Gaines; grandchildren Chameka Mayes, Autumn Blackmon (Allen), Antonia Mayes, Angela Dilworth (Tony), Latissa Kimble (Alford), Terrance Mayes (Angel), Whitney Gunn (Kendrick), Monica Dupriest (Derek), Lakeshia Mayes, Amber Mayes, Veronica Mayes and Mayes Rayshad Mayes; and 17 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Joe Lee and Nealie Gaines; grandparents Fletcher and Julia Patterson; siblings Ida B. Judd, J.L. Gaines and Lester B. Gaines; and two great-grandchildren. Minister John Pams will officiate the service. Visitation is Friday from 5 until 8 p.m. at the church. Patterson Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

John King

General Little sworn into the Confederacy (This column continues events related to the establishment of Corona College in Corinth in 1857 by the Rev. L.B. Gaston, a native of Gastonia, N.C.) Corinth and Iuka have much in common. Both towns “mushroomed” in the 1850s when news spread that rail transportation would reach their campsites. The towns were incorporated within a year of each other and each had an ante-bellum female college. Both towns had a Civil

War battle which was fought in 1862. These battles occurred Vicki less than Roach a month apart. The Family Branches Battle of Iuka was on Sept. 19, The Battle of Corinth was on Oct. 3 and 4. Another link in the history of the two towns occurred during the Battle of Iuka. Brig. Gen. Henry Little was killed. He had been sworn

into the service of the Confederacy at Corona College in Corinth. During the battle Gen. Little galloped to the front and joined Gen. Price in the thickest part of the fight. While they were conferring, Little was struck in the forehead by a mini ball and died instantly. Later Gen. Little’s body was brought into town and buried by torchlight in the garden of the Coman house. This ante-bellum cottage is still standing. It is across the street of the Tishomingo County

courthouse. Later Gen. Little’s wife had his remains removed to Baltimore. Before becoming a Confederate officer Henry Little had been an assistant general of the Missouri State Troops. It is said that a temporary Union hospital was set up in an Iuka hotel after the battle. This hotel, so the story goes, had a fine supply of linen as well as good mattresses and feather pillows. At that time Corinth was in Federal Please see LITTLE | 5A

Funeral services for John Homer King, 86, of Corinth, are set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Corinthian Funeral Home with burial at Valley of the Dogwood cemetery. Mr. King died Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2011, at his residence. Born April 9, 1925, he was a mechanic and a veteran of World War II. He received the Navy and Army Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal and Rifleman Medal. He was a member of Strickland Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by three sons, Randy King, Benny King and Scott King; his parents, Andrew and Elizabeth Oliver King; and two brothers, Howard Moore and Bill Qual. Survivors include his wife, Mary Morgan King of Corinth; three sons, Jerry King of Corinth, John King of Corinth, and David King of Saint Pete Beach, Fla.; four daughters, Sherry Hayes of Southaven, Tamie Smith of Trussville, Ala., Donna Bieselin of Wantagh, N.Y., and Lucille Brown of Glen; one sibling, Carol Morrow of Clarksville, Tenn.; 17 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Bro. Harold Burcham will officiate. Visitation is Friday from 5 until 8 p.m.

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Opinion

Reece Terry, publisher

Mark Boehler, editor

4A • Thursday, November 24, 2011

Corinth, Miss.

Bryant needs to avoid immigration law woes As Phil Bryant prepares to take over as Mississippi’s governor, he needs to think twice before he attempts to emulate Arizona and Alabama in their crackdown on illegal immigration. One problem with Alabama’s law is imagerelated. Republicans concede the law has made it look as if the state has reverted to its 1960s-style opposition to the civil rights movement. A second problem is that the law, as written, is a compliance nightmare. For example, pharmacists must check residency status with each transaction — a time-waster that makes any complaint about federal regulations look silly. But by far the biggest problem is that in chasing immigrants — illegal and otherwise — from the work force, Alabama has put the hammer on businesses that rely on low-wage employees. One big element of support for the law was that it would supposedly free up jobs for legal workers. Farmers whose crops literally rotted in the fields this fall because there were not enough workers predicted Americans would not flock to this work. They were correct. Perhaps if the harvesting and processing jobs paid more, native-born Americans would be more interested in pursuing them. The farmers and processors say they can’t afford to pay their workers much more than minimum wage and keep their products competitive price-wise with foreign imports. It’s a dilemma, but it’s not one the illegal immigrants created. — The Greenwood Commonwealth

Republican-led legislature faces steep budget hurdles The new Republican leadership of Mississippi had barely left the parties celebrating significant political victories from the elections when they had to face the stark budget realities faced by the state next year. When it comes to state finances, there is nothing to celebrate. Gov. Haley Barbour and the current Joint Legislative Budget Committee adopted the first estimates for the fiscal year 2013 budget. That budget, which will begin July 2012, will be based on only a 0.7 percent revenue growth. State Economist Darrin Webb said Mississippi economic recovery is more at risk than the national recovery, which makes recession in the state possible. While any growth in revenue is good, Mississippi is coming off a string of budgets that were cobbled together by cuts, a substantial use of federal stimulus money and one-time, non-recurring revenue. The federal money and the one-time money is gone. In fact, the state is faced with paying back money used from agencies, such as the Department of Transportation, to fund this year’s budget. Lawmakers, faced with elections, avoided any actions to raise new revenue that might have been a hint of raising taxes. That meant deep cuts in state government as well as pushing down pressures to local school districts, many of which had to raise taxes to maintain programs. Meanwhile, the state has consistently failed to fully fund basic educational needs for K-12, while underfunding higher education, resulting in more tuition hikes. Add in the increased needs for state health care, including mental health, and the 2013 budget will be hard to fund without new revenue. At a time when Mississippi sorely needs to be investing more in education, especially early childhood education, and making efforts to shore up higher education, the new administration begins with a struggle to stay in the black. The new GOP majorities in the House and Senate will mean new chairmen over money committees who will lack experience in the budget process. They will have to gain bipartisan support to pass major budget bills. It will be difficult to make the numbers — and the politics — work. The initial budget estimate was very conservative and it is hoped the Legislature will have more to appropriate. The state cannot continue to cut its way to balanced budgets without doing long-term damage. It is the challenge the state’s new leaders face Day 1. — The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson

Prayer for today Gracious God, I thank you most of all for your unconditional and eternal love. Amen.

Worth Quoting Cultivate a spirit of Thanksgiving in your life. Thank God for every blessing He gives you. Thank Him for Christ and what He has done for you. — Billy Graham

Reece Terry publisher rterry@dailycorinthian.com

Federal panel may have to draw district lines other federal lawsuit STARKVILLE — seeking to implement Mississippi voters their pro-Thompson, have completed their pro-Democrat plan. work in the 2011 state Congressional dislegislative elections tricts are required to and now face the be redrawn every 10 question of whether Sid years after Census there will be back to Salter results are released back state legislative to reflect population elections because of Columnist shifts. After the most the failure of state recent Census, each lawmakers to comof the four Missisplete legislative redistricting during the 2011 sippi congressional districts should have 741,824 peoregular session. But state lawmakers also ple. State law requires that face the task of congressio- lawmakers offer a new map nal redistricting and it now by Dec. 4, 30 days before appears that as in 2002, a the start of the 2012 regular three-judge federal panel legislative session. But with 2nd District U.S. will have to complete that task. In 2002, Republican Rep. Bennie Thompson, appointees U.S. 5th Circuit D-Bolton, and 3rd District Court of Appeals Judge U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper, RGrady Jolly and U.S. Dis- Pearl, at loggerheads over trict Judges Henry Wingate the makeup of their respecand David Bramlette chose tive districts after proposed the congressional district tweaks have been made to lines that formed the state’s their existing district, it apfour congressional districts. pears unlikely that the two With little progress be- congressmen or the two ing made on congressional parties they represent will reapportionment, Republi- reach an accord before the cans has asked the federal deadline passes early next courts again to intervene month. Most Republicans believe in the drawing of the state’s congressional district lines. that it’s easier to basically Democrats have filed an- keep the demographics of

each congressional district at about the same level as they were in the 2002 map, splits as few counties as possible, and fix the population deviation of each district at about the most equal numbers possible — namely, get as close to 741,824 as possible. Clearly, one expected impact on both legislative and congressional redistricting is the fact that there has been substantial population flight from the Mississippi Delta to regions with more economic opportunity. But despite those obvious shifts, congressional district demographics maintained much the same characteristics since 2002. The 1st District was 71 percent white; it is now at 70 percent white. The 2nd District was 63 percent black in 2002, but it is now up to 66 percent black. The 3rd District was 64 percent white, but is now down to 63 percent white. Finally, the 4th District was 73 percent white; it is down to 71 percent white. Yet it’s critical to note that declines in white population numbers hasn’t necessarily

been met with rising African-American populations. On the contrary, what is evident is the growth in Mississippi’s Hispanic population and to a lesser degree, the state’s Asian population. Bottom line, while both Democrats and Republicans have no aversion to lawyering up over congressional redistricting, it’s clear that Mississippi will find that process far easier to solve in 2011 than it was in 2002. State legislative redistricting is a more complex problem that faces political and legal influences both from within and without the Legislature. There’s at least an even chance that the Legislature we elected earlier this month will serve until the next state general election in 2015. While some Democratic voters want new district lines, many Democratic lawmakers who got returned to office by the voters like the current districts just fine. (Sid Salter is a syndicated columnist. Contact him at 601-507-8004 or sidsalter@sidsalter.com.)

Alice in Liberal Land not nearly as entertaining have the government “Alice in Wonderdecree that lenders land” was written by have to lend to more a professor who also low-income people wrote a book on symand minorities who bolic logic. So it is not want mortgages, endsurprising that Alice ing finicky mortgage encountered not only Thomas standards about down strange behavior in Sowell payments, income Wonderland, but also strange and illogical Hoover and credit histories. reasoning — of a sort That sounds like a Institution too often found in the fine idea in the world real world, and which of Liberal Land. a logician would be very Unfortunately, in the ugly much aware of. world of reality, it turned If Alice could visit the out to be a financial disasworld of liberal rhetoric ter, from which the econoand assumptions today, my has still not yet recovshe might find similarly il- ered. Nor have the poor and logical and bizarre think- minorities. ing. But people suffering in Apparently you cannot the current economy might just tack on your pet nonot find it nearly as enter- tions to whatever already taining as “Alice in Won- exists, without repercusderland.” sions spreading throughout Perhaps the most re- the whole economy. That’s markable feature of the what happens in the ugly world envisioned by today’s world of reality, as distinliberals is that it is a world guished from the beautiful where other people just world of Liberal Land. passively accept whatever The strange and bizarre “change” liberals impose. In characters found in “Althe world of Liberal Land, ice in Wonderland” have you can just take for grant- counterparts in the politied all the benefits of the cal vision of Liberal Land existing society, and then today. Among the most simply tack on your new, interesting of these characwonderful ideas that will ters are those elites who are make things better. convinced that they are so For example, if the econ- much smarter than the rest omy is going along well and of us that they feel both a you happen to take a notion right and a duty to take all that there ought to be more sorts of decisions out of our home ownership, especially incompetent hands -- for among the poor and mi- our own good. norities, then you simply In San Francisco, which

Beth Cossitt

Mark Boehler

business manager bcossitt@dailycorinthian.com

editor editor@dailycorinthian.com

Willie Walker

L.W. Hodges

circulation manager circdirector@dailycorinthian.com

press foreman

is Liberal Land personified, there have been attempts to ban the circumcision of newborn baby boys. Fortunately, that was nipped in the bud. But it shows how widely the self-anointed saviors of Liberal Land feel entitled to take decisions out of the hands of mere ordinary citizens. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner says, “We’re facing a very consequential debate about some fundamental choices as a country.” People talk that way in Liberal Land. Moreover, such statements pass muster with those who simply take in the words, decide whether they sound nice to them, and then move on. But, if you take words seriously, the more fundamental question is whether individuals are to remain free to make their own choices, as distinguished from having collectivized choices, “as a country” — which is to say, having choices made by government officials and imposed on the rest of us. The history of the 20th century is a painful lesson on what happens when collective choices replace individual choices. Even leaving aside the chilling history of totalitarianism in the 20th century, the history of economic central planning shows it to have been such a widely recognized disaster

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that even communist and socialist governments were abandoning it as the century ended. Making choices “as a country” cannot be avoided in some cases, such as elections or referenda. But that is very different from saying that decisions in general should be made “as a country” — which boils down to having people like Timothy Geithner taking more and more decisions out of our own hands and imposing their will on the rest of us. That way lies madness exceeding anything done by the Mad Hatter in “Alice in Wonderland.” That way lie unfunded mandates, nanny state interventions in people’s lives, such as banning circumcision — and the ultimate nanny state monstrosity, ObamaCare. The world of reality has its problems, so it is understandable that some people want to escape to a different world, where you can talk lofty talk and forget about ugly realities like costs and repercussions. The world of reality is not nearly as lovely as the world of Liberal Land. No wonder so many people want to go there. (Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305. His website is www. tsowell.com.)

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Editorials represent the voice of the Daily Corinthian. Editorial columns, letters to the editor and other articles that appear on this page represent the opinions of the writers and the Daily Corinthian may or may not agree.

Daily Corinthian • Thursday, November 24, 2011 • 5A

FRIDAY: Common way to attract thieves is to leave

BOARD: Resolution passed to execute contract

purchases, purses, other items within view in vehicle

documents for Proper Street milling, paving project

CONTINUED FROM 1A

“People need to be alert when they’re going into the building and coming back to their vehicle,” the chief said. A common way to attract thieves is to leave purchases, purses and other personal items within view inside the vehicle. Items should be locked in

a trunk or otherwise out of sight to reduce temptation for would-be thieves. While inside the store, Lancaster said women should be careful not to leave a purse unattended in a buggy. “Turning away for just a couple of seconds can be long enough for someone to grab the purse and walk away with it,” he said. “You

should keep a close eye on your possessions both inside and outside the store.” Officials recommend not carrying large amounts of cash and keeping any cash in a front rather than a back pocket. Lancaster said anyone who feels threatened should not hesitate to call the police department or 911 for help.

LITTLE: Wounded made comfortable by mattresses CONTINUED FROM 3A

hands. Wounded soldiers sent from Corinth to Iuka in box cars are said to have been made comfortable by piles of mattress-

es and nests of pillows. Vicki Burress Roach is a professional genealogist and special columnist for the Daily Corinthian. Send queries to: Alcorn County

Genealogical Society, Attention: Vicki B. Roach, P.O. Box 1808, Corinth, Miss. 38835-1808. The Alcorn County Genealogical Society’s website is www.avsia.com/acgs.

PICKERS: Pickin’ on the Square held every Thursday CONTINUED FROM 1A

to work out good for us.” Pickin’ on the Square is held every Thursday at 7 p.m. Bobby Franks and the Courthouse Pickers are a weekly favorite, and the event features special guest groups every week. The traditional music event will not be held on Thanksgiving Day but will return on Thursday, Dec. 2, with guest artists Wayne Jerrolds and Savannah Grass playing at 7 p.m., followed by Savannah Grass at 8 p.m. Local favorites the Hatchie Bottom Boys will

Offices closed All Alcorn County government offices at the courthouse will be closed today and Friday for the Thanksgiving holiday. Offices will reopen Monday with normal operating hours.

join Pickin’ on the Square on Thursday, Dec. 22. Anyone who plays or sings traditional Bluegrassstyle music is welcome to join in the fun and jam with other like-minded pickers during the weekly events. Musicians regularly get together to play in informal groups around the side of the stage when Pickin’ on the Square is held at the courthouse, and as the event moves inside for the winter, this tradition will continue in the hallway of the old East Corinth Auditorium.

CONTINUED FROM 1A ■ 1212 Cruise Street — a lot with a home that has been partially repaired; ■ 1223 Wick Street — a lot with debris and a junk car; ■ Cooper Street (car wash) — Cooper Brothers Rentals / car wash property between Shiloh Road and Sixth Street with some drainage concerns. Continued public hearings have already been set for Dec. 6 on 2223 Liddon Lake Road and 310 Tate Street. The hearings will give the property owners and

neighbors an opportunity to address the board before aldermen consider moving forward with cleanup of the properties. In other business: ■ The board passed a resolution to execute contract documents with Cook Coggin Engineers on the Proper Street milling and paving project between Cruise and Young Street. The city is still awaiting word on whether it will be approved for another Local Surface Transportation Program project — the proposed upgrade of South Park-

CORRECTION In the Town & Country ad on page 2C the Regular price on the Bassett Complete Queen Bedroom Suite is incorrect. It should read as it does below:

For many of the area’s Bluegrass fans, Pickin’ on the Square is more than just a night of music. “We have become a big Bluegrass family,” Coln pointed out. “We love each other, see each other regularly and we check up on each other when somebody is sick.” After Thanksgiving Day, the pickin’ will begin every Thursday night at 7 p.m. Admission is free. During the winter months a basket is passed around to collect donations to cover the cost of heating.

Primary Care Treatment of illness & chronic disease Wellness exams

way at the intersection with U.S. Highway 72. Jim Epps of Cook Coggin told the board a transportation bill is still yet to be finalized, leaving approval of that project undetermined. The federal dollars are distributed through the Mississippi Department of Transportation. ■ Aldermen approved the purchase of a backhoe for the street department at a cost of $10,000 from Mississippi Surplus Property. The backhoe was previously used by the military in Iraq or Afghanistan.

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6A • Thursday, November 24, 2011 • Daily Corinthian

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