Saturday Dec. 31,
2011
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 115, No. 313
Mostly sunny Today
Tonight
65
44
• Corinth, Mississippi • 18 pages • 2 sections
School board, presidential races highlight ballots BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
A leaner ballot awaits voters in 2012, with county school board and election commissioner races on the ballot beneath the fireworks of a presidential election year. But a lighter ballot doesn’t mean fewer voters. “We always have more people
to vote in a presidential election than in a county-wide, and it’s a different group of people,” said Circuit Clerk Joe Caldwell. March brings the presidential and congressional primary elections, while school board and election commissioners will be on the Nov. 6 general election ballot. For the Alcorn School District
Board of Education, the third and fourth district seats, currently held by Carroll Morton and Mary Kathryn Coleman, respectively, are up for election this year. With the death this week of Peggy Bain, the second district will likely be added to the list for a special election to complete her term of office. Qualifying for school board
will begin on Aug. 8 and conclude on Sept. 7. Qualifying begins next week for county election commissioner and concludes on June 4. The March 13 presidential preference primary and congressional primary is generally a low-turnout election. The secretary of state’s office recently announced that the following
presidential candidates are expected to appear on the Republican ballot in Mississippi — Michelle Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, John Huntsman, Gary Johnson, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum. The congressional elections Please see ELECTION | 2A
Staff photos by Jebb Johnston
Ready to get started Larry Ross, surrounded by many family members, recites the oath for tax collector, above. The swearing-in ceremony drew a standing-room only crowd to the courtroom of the new justice center, where Circuit Judge Paul Funderburk led the oath for the new and returning county officials. Corinth Mayor Tommy Irwin welcomed the crowd and expressed hope for a strong working relationship with the newly elected county officers. The new Board of Supervisors will have their first meeting of the term Tuesday morning. New Alcorn County Coroner Jay Jones gets some help from his son, Cooper, with the oath of office Friday morning, left.
Former attorney sentenced to federal prison for fraud BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
Former Booneville attorney Thomas Keenum has been sentenced to 22 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme to illegally obtain loans against a property he owned in Alcorn County. Keenum was sentenced by U.S. District Judge W. Allen Pepper Jr. to 22 months in prison during a brief hearing held in federal court in Green-
eville. He could have faced as much as 30 years in prison on the charge. The former attorney must report to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons on Feb. 27, 2012 to begin serving his sentence. He pleaded guilty in August 2010 to a single count of bank fraud. In his plea he admitted to falsifying title opinions on property he owned in Alcorn County in order to fraudulently obtain hundreds of thousands
of dollars of loans against the property. Keenum admitted he sought and obtained documents from other local attorneys indicating the property had no liens against it based on information he provided to the attorneys, when in fact he knew other loans were already in place against the property. The names of the attorneys who provided those title opinions have never been made public.
In June of 2011, Keenum was permanently disbarred from the practice of law by the Mississippi Supreme Court based on the recommendation of the Mississippi Bar Association after Keenum sought the permanent disbarrment. Keenum served in numerous key roles in Booneville and Prentiss County, including serving for numerous years as a member of and president of the Northeast Mississippi Commu-
nity College Board of Trustees. In August 2010, shortly before his sentencing, he requested his name be removed from the NEMCC football stadium. The college’s board granted the request and returned the facility to its original name of Tiger Stadium. Keenum announced his retirement and the closure of his Booneville law practice in January 2009, citing declining health.
Central claims state dance championship Playwright
honored by theater association
BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Alcorn Central struck gold again in the Big House. The Lady Bears strolled away with a second consecutive dance state championship in the Class 3A State Meet at the Mississippi Coliseum. AC defended its hip hop crown by edging runnerup Kossuth on Dec. 16 in the Big House. “The girls worked so hard,” said sponsor Candee Witt. “Their goal was to win because the group before them won last year.” Seven Lady Bears were taking their first steps in the dance field at the state event. “This group had to work harder because we had several that hadn’t danced before,” said Witt. “I’m really proud of them because they were willing to practice long hours to reach their goal.” Squads were allowed to compete no more than 2:20 minutes in the state event. Each team was judged on energy, difficulty, formation, technique, transition and synchronization. Central’s overall score was an 83.3. AC, competing in only its
BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
Central’s squad is made up of 14 young ladies. Emily Strickland is caption of the
The work of a local playwright has been recognized by the Mississippi Theatre Association. “The Absence of Silence” by 39-year-old Corinthian David Maxedon was named the second-place winner in the adult category of the MTA’s annual playwriting competition. Maxedon’s play focuses on a man who’s discovered himself at the stage of life where he’s not yet old, but not young anymore, either. In his late-thirties, the main character discovers a small community theatre and a passion for acting he never knew was there until he stepped onto the stage. “It’s kind of uncomfortable,” the playwright pointed out. “Had he found it earlier, maybe he would’ve been able to go
Please see DANCE | 2A
Please see MAXEDON | 2A
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
The Alcorn Central dance squad repeated as the Class 3A State Champions. Members of the squad are (front row, from left), Alicia Crum, Erica Doran, Emily Strickland, Lindee Witt, Alissa Ann Williams, Taylor Bordeleau and Anna Bowling. Standing (from left) Abbey Brooks, Katie Smith, Abby Little, Anna Wallace, Lakin Little, Caleigh Newton and Lindsey Miller. third state competition, saw it had a chance to repeat as state champs after performing a routine in the summer that earned them a trip to Disney
World. “I knew we had some very talented girls and a great routine,” said Witt as they prepared for the big dance.
Index Stocks...... 7A Classified......4B Comics....11A Wisdom....10A
Weather......5A Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Sports...1-2B
On this day in history 150 years ago A large body of soldiers and sailors from the USS Water Witch, New London and Henry Lewis depart Ship Island and attack and capture Biloxi, Miss. A Confederate battery is destroyed and the Federals withdraw without trying to occupy the city.