Wednesday Dec. 21,
2011
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 115, No. 303
2011 Christmas Basket Fund ‘A Community Tradition’
Basket fund donations still accepted The spirit of giving this Christmas season is alive and well in the Alcorn County area. Donations continue to arrive for the 16th annual Corinth Rotary Club/Daily Corinthian Christmas Basket Fund. A $25,000 fundraising goal was set so 1,100 food baskets could be given to local families on Saturday, Dec. 10. It was a record number of baskets and the community has responded in a big way. Baskets were given away based upon the faith the goal would be reached and the faith has now turned into fact with the goal not only being reached, but surpassed. So far $26,755 has been raised. Donations include $130 from the Hillandale Womens Golf Association. Donations will continue to be accepted through Christmas Day and are 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.
Three new supervisors attend class BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
A trio of new Alcorn County officials have attended a program to learn about the roles and responsibilities of public servants. Newly-elected Alcorn County Supervisors Lowell Hinton (district 1), Dal Nelms (district 2) and Tim Mitchell (district 3), attended educational programs at the recent County Supervisor’s Orientation in the state capitol on December 13 and 14. Hinton, Nelms and Mitchell won county supervisors’ seats in the November 8 general election. “County Supervisors have a great deal of responsibility, and there is a lot of new information to absorb,” said Derrick Surrette, executive director of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors. Surrette said the program helps educate newly elected supervisors about the legal and financial responsibilities of their office. Coordinated by the Mississippi Association of Supervisors and the MSU Extension Service’s Center for Governmental Training and Technology, the orientation is held after every election cycle, with additional programs held throughout the year. The year-end session is a primer to give county superviPlease see SUPERVISORS | 5A
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NTSB issues final report on fatal Alcorn plane crash
Pilot had history of flying into adverse weather BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The pilot’s flight into known bad weather and an air traffic controller’s failure to provide precipitation information are cited in the National Transportation Safety Board’s final report on the fatal October 2010 plane crash in Alcorn County. The pilot also had a history of flying in adverse conditions, according to the report. The crash claimed the life of pilot James W. Judson Jr. and his wife, Elizabeth, both of the Atlanta area. The NTSB’s probable cause determination, made public this week, cites “the pilot’s continued flight into known adverse weather conditions. Contributing to the accident was the air traffic controller’s failure to provide precipitation information to the pilot as required.” The plane, a small Beachcraft Bonanza, broke apart about 9:54 a.m. on Oct. 26, 2010, and crashed in the southwestern edge of Alcorn County in the sparsely populated area of the Eaton farm, leaving a path of debris over about 10 miles, with some pieces found on the
Daily Corinthian file photo by Mark Boehler
A thunderstorm system moves across Alcorn County about noon on Oct. 26, 2010, two hours after a small airplane broke apart above Alcorn County. This wing was found in a field in the southwestern edge of Alcorn County in the sparsely populated area of the Eaton farm. south side of Corinth. The NTSB report states the 52-year-old pilot contacted the flight service station controller to file an instrument rules flight
plan. The briefer asked the pilot, “Do you require the latest adverse [weather] conditions?” The pilot replied, “No, that’s why we are getting out of here.”
Before ending the call, the briefer asked, “… you did say you had the adverse conditions?” The Please see CRASH | 2A
This ‘job’ involves luck
Retiree enters 175 sweepstakes a day BY BOBBY J. SMITH
Staff photo by Bobby J. Smith
bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
For a 65-year-old Prentiss County man, entering sweepstakes is more than just a hobby. “It’s a job for me,” said Ken Pugh. “I worked all my life. After I became disabled, I nearly went crazy with nothing to do — and this became my job.” In his upstairs home office in the Osborne Creek community, Pugh enters over 175 sweepstakes each day through the website sweepstakestoday. com. He has been spending between two and three hours each day playing the sweeps for more than half a decade, and his dedication has paid off. “I can’t tell you how many things I’ve won,” he said. “Over the past five years I have won in excess of $70,000.” His biggest wins include a 2007 CTS-V Cadillac with a suggested retail price of $52,000. In 2011 alone, Pugh has won over $5,800 worth of prizes, enough to fill a page in his winnings logbook. What’s the best thing about
Sweepstakes winner Ken Pugh sits in a place of pride in his home office, next to the computer he uses to enter over 175 sweepstakes each day.
the sweepstakes way of life? “The opportunity to have a dream of winning something major. But the little prizes along the way just encouraged me to enter more sweeps. I appreciate the little wins that give you en-
couragement to keep entering during the dry spells. But when you do win a major prize for a few minutes I am just thrilled to death,” he explained. His sweepstakes winnings have also given him the op-
portunity to add to his income. He often sells some of his prize items on eBay. Other times, he gives his winnings away as gifts to his family. Please see PUGH | 5A
‘Mississippians II’ showcases state’s famous folks BY MARK BOEHLER editor@dailycorinthian.com
When one thinks Mississippi, how many famous people come to mind? For those who can name quite a few or the person who would like to know more — the answer rests in the new coffee-table book just out in time for Christmas — “Mississippians II.” Updated, expanded and revised, the large, colorful, 416-page piece of second edition class features 300 photographs and profiles over 150 new famous, notable, extraordinary and little-known people from the Magnolia State.
“Mississippians II is a tribute to the extraordinary talent that has sprung up in this state,” said Editor Neil White via news release when the book was released by Nautilus Publishing Company of Taylor, Miss. in mid-November. “I challenge anyone to point to another state with so many talented entertainers, athletes, writers and entrepreneurs.” The book features an Alcorn County twist with blues guitarist Jimbo Mathus, “The Whiskey Speech” author Noah “Soggy” Sweat, opera singer Ruby Elzy and journalist/author Curtis Wilkie.
Index Stocks...... 7A Classified......5B Comics......4B Wisdom......3B
Weather......5A Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Sports......8A
Mathus grew up in Corinth and is best know as being ringleader of the Squirrel Nut Zippers. An owner of a studio in Como, his current band is The Tri-State Coalition. The late Sweat was a former attorney, judge, law professor, state representative and founder of the Mississippi Judicial College of the University of Mississippi Law Center. The Corinth native was best known for the prohibition speech he delivered in 1952 on the floor of the state legislature. Mathus is part of the Music chapter that includes the names of 3 Doors Down, Faith
Hill, Charley Pride, Jerry Lee Lewis, Leann Rimes, Bobbie Gentry, Tammy Wynette, Muddy Waters, Mickey Gilley, Jimmie Rodgers, Conway Twitty, W.C. Handy, Ace Cannon and Lance Bass of ‘N Sync — just to name a few. Sweat is the first person listed in the Colorful Characters chapter, joining the names of Elvis fan Paul McLeod, actor Boyce Holleman, coach Jackie Sherrill, bootlegger Motee Daniels and former Oxford mayor John Leslie. Elzy spent some of her ear-
On this day in history 150 years ago Southern newspapers were enthusiastically predicting war between the United States and Britain over the “Trent Affair.” Congress creates the Navy Medal of Honor, forerunner to the nation’s highest award for military valor.
Please see BOOK | 2A