Daily Corinthian E-Edition 120211

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Friday Dec. 2,

2011

50 cents

Daily Corinthian Vol. 115, No. 287

2011 Christmas Basket Fund ‘A Community Tradition’

Today

Tonight

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• Corinth, Mississippi • 24 pages • 2 sections

Holiday spirit comes alive

Basket fund Weekend packed with celebrations tops $15,000 in donations BY BOBBY J. SMITH

A wide range of activities are planned for this weekend for area residents looking to drum up some Christmas spirit.

trimmings. Reservations are required so the church will know how much food to prepare. Tickets may be purchased by calling 662-223-4279 or 870634-6317.

Friday

Saturday

Q “Christmas at Our House: A Dinner Theatre ” — The second annual Christmas production by Jesus Name Community Church of Walnut opens today and will be presented again on Saturday, Dec. 3. Audiences can expect a fun night of comedy with lots of heart and spirit, said producer Jeremy Edwards. The show, titled “Happy Hollandaise, ” deals with a young woman ’s efforts to create the perfect Christmas — and the hijinks that ensue when everything unravels. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for children, and $12 for groups of 15 or more. The pre-show begins each night at 6:30 p.m., with dinner following at 7 p.m. and the main show at 8 p.m. Dinner will include traditional turkey and dressing with all the

Q “Baby It ’s Cold Outside ” — Campus Country ’s annual Christmas “Campus Country Showtime ” concert starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday in Seth Pounds Auditorium on the Booneville campus. Campus Country is Northeast Mississippi Community College ’s country music performing group. The show features charttopping tunes from the past and present as well as versions of holiday favorites from some of country music ’s most popular artists. Brenda Lee ’s classic hits “Rockin ’ Around the Christmas Tree ” and Jingle Bell Rock, ” “Run, Rudolph, Run ” by Chuck Berry, Kellie Pickler ’s rendition of “Santa Baby, ” a smash hit by super group Alabama, “Christmas in Dixie, ” and the Lady Antebellum version of “Baby It ’s

bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com

’Tis the season for giving as donations continue to arrive for the 16th Annual Corinth Rotary Club/Daily Corinthian Christmas Basket Fund. A $25,000 fund raising goal has been set so 1,100 food baskets can be given to local families on Saturday, Dec. 10. So far $15,525 has been raised. Donations include $1,000 Pacer Pittman Propane, LLC; $100 from Mr. and Mrs. Hull Davis; $100 from Wayne Hill in memory of Christine Hill; $50 from the Corinth Civitan Club; $100 from Ned. H. Riddell; and $50 from Barbara Taylor in memory of Leroy Hopkins. Donations are a perfect way 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 ofce or mailed to: Daily Corinthian, Attn.: Christmas Basket Fund, P.O. Box 1800, Corinth, MS 38835.

Mostly sunny

Corinth Symphony shares gift of music BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com

Cold Outside ” will all be performed. Tickets are $5 and will be available at the door at 6:30 p.m. Q Santa Claus — Jolly Old Saint Nick will be available to take pictures with children as part of a fundraiser held by the Caterpillar Reman Relay for Life team on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Belk in Corinth. Children can have their pictures made with Santa for a $5 donation. Cookies and candy will be available for additional donations. Q Corinth Christmas parade — The annual Christmas parade will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday in the area of First Baptist Church and the Corinth Library on Fillmore Street and will follow its traditional route. The theme for the 2011 Christmas parade is “1800 ’s Christmas, ” with participants choosing ways to decorate oats from a wide variety of options from the colorful 19th century including Charles Dickens ’ “A Christmas Carol, ” the founding of

This weekend a local group will give the gift of music. On Sunday, the Corinth Symphony Orchestra will present its annual Christmas concert beginning at 2:30 p.m. at the Coliseum Civic Center in downtown Corinth. “Music is a big part of the Christmas tradition. I can ’t think of anything better to set the mood for Christmas than a concert of Christmas favorites, ” said Lee Ann Story Sikora, president of the Corinth Symphony Orchestra ’s board of directors. “We Wish You a Merry Christmas ” will feature seasonal favorites and collaborations with local vocalists. Guest performers will include the children ’s choir from Pontotoc ’s B.T. Cox Elementary School, local favorite Chad Dickerson and Tenecia Guise, who will sing a jazztinged song of the holidays. The concert will feature one of the largest full orchestras ever for a Corinth Symphony Orchestra performance, with experienced student musicians playing alongside professional orchestra members. Corinth Symphony Orchestra conductor Maurice Weatherall has been working long hours to prepare the orchestra for this special yearly event that is

Please see EVENTS | 3A

Please see SYMPHONY | 3A

Area high school drama teams compete at MSU BY BRANT SAPPINGTON

Staff photo by Steve Beavers

Juliet, portrayed by Tennison Humphreys, takes a spill in the “The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet” production by the Corinth High School drama team.

bsappington@dailycorinthian.com

Several groups of talented area high-schoolers will be hitting the road to Mississippi State University this weekend as they compete in the annual Mississippi North Half Drama Festival. Corinth High School and Alcorn Central High School, as well as Tishomingo County High School, will be traveling to MSU on Friday to present oneact plays and vie for a chance to compete in the state championship. ACHS will be performing a serious drama called “Tick-Tock ” while the CHS team will be taking a more whimsical approach with “The Seussication of Romeo and Juliet. ” While the content may be different, instructors at both schools say the challenges of competing at this level and the lessons learned in the process are about much more than just putting on a show. ACHS Drama Teacher Leeanne Williams explained the students have exactly 45 min-

utes to present their production. When they arrive at the theater, all their equipment and

props must be packed into a 10-foot by 10-foot space. When their time begins they must un-

pack and set up their production, perform the play and then have all equipment removed

from the stage before the clock runs out. Williams said her 21-member team has learned lifelong lessons about teamwork, critical thinking, problem solving and facing challenges during their preparation for the competition. CHS Drama Instructor Kelly Treadway said her 32 students are also learning important lessons about working together and taking on responsibility as they ’ve polished and practiced for their production. She said one of the hardest things for her is that once they get to the theater, the students are on their own in the production. There is no direction or outside assistance allowed so the actors and crew members must handle all aspects of setting up, performPlease see DRAMA | 2A

Marine group begins Toys for Tots campaign BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com

A local veterans organization is doing its part to provide a merry Christmas for some needy area children. Corinth Marine Corps League ’s Toys for Tots program will begin collecting toys Saturday, Dec. 2. “There are a lot of good people in this town, and the Marines need their help getting toys for Alcorn County ’s children, ” said program director Ralph Gilliam. “All the money and toys stays in Alcorn County. ”

The group will collect money and toys in boxes they ’ve placed at several locations around town. “We need your help getting toys for boys and girls ages ve and six, ” said Gilliam. Headstart caseworkers have determined which Alcorn County children are eligible for assistance. Toy collection boxes are located at Dollar General, Walgreens, Sonic, Tina ’s Treasures, Crossroads Automotive and Kroger. Money collection jugs are located at Walgreens, Burger King, Taco Bell, Pizza Inn,

Russell ’s Steak House, Martha ’s Menu and Southeast Financial. Several local businesses are prominently advertising deals on the toy collection boxes to help assist the Marine Corp League in their effort to provide toys for needy children. Walgreens is running a special on toys — buy two, get one free. On the $6.99 toys customers can get three for $13.98. The Marine Corps League will be collecting Toys for Tots until Friday, Dec. 16. They will then be distributed to qualifying children throughout the county.

Index Stocks......9A Classified......6B Comics......4B Wisdom......3B

Weather......5A Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Sports....10A

On this day in history 150 years ago Gen. Henry Halleck was authorized to suspend the writ of habeas corpus within the Department of Missouri. This allows civilian prisoners to be held indefinitely without cause. By Tom Parson, NPS Ranger

Staff photo by Bobby J. Smith

Walgreens Store Manager Brandon Voyles (left) and Toys for Tots program director Ralph Gilliam, of the Corinth Marine Corps League, prepare a donation box for Toys for Tots, an annual campaign to collect toys for needy children in the area. The collection effort officially gets under way Saturday and will continue until Dec. 16.


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