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Daily Corinthian Vol. 115, No. 229
• Corinth, Mississippi •
Some sun Today
Tonight
85
61
22 pages • Two sections
Police begin murder investigation Fatal shooting suspect remains in custody; victim was shot four times BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
A Corinth man faces a possible murder charge on Monday in connection with Friday’s fatal shooting outside a convenience store. Antonio Shields, 25, of Second Street, is being held at the city jail after turning himself in Friday night for the shooting death of Sylvester Fernando, 38, who is believed to have been a Wick Street resident, according to Detective Capt. Ralph Dance. After fleeing the crime scene at the Sprint Mart at Cass and Meigg in a Monte Carlo, the suspect went to Tennessee. “His sister contacted me,” said Dance. “I dealt with this young man in 2005.” The suspect had become familiar with Dance when facing a prior charge and requested to turn himself
Detective Capt. Ralph Dance gets information from a subject at the crime scene. in to the detective. Family members brought the suspect, along with the weapon, a Luger 9-millimeter semiautomatic, to the police department. Fernando was shot a total of four times, including once Staff photos by Jebb Johnston
Please see SHOOTING | 3A
Corinth police examine evidence in the parking lot of the Sprint Mart at Cass and Meigg streets following a fatal shooting.
Grant provides equipment, curriculum Absentee voting to help Corinth students stay fit, healthy begins this week BY STEVE BEAVERS
BY JEBB JOHNSTON
sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The Corinth School District isn’t just playing when it comes to fitness. Teachers are taking an active approach in helping students get fit on district campuses. Project Fit America — a program that supplies equipment and curriculum to schools and is funded through a grant from the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi Foundation — is a new aspect the district is incorporating to get students fit. The program was officially kicked off at Corinth Elementary and Corinth Middle School on Friday. “We are serious about getting healthy and staying healthy at Corinth Elementary,” said CES Principal Denise Webb-Harrell. PFA is a national nonprofit organization that provides cardiovascular health and fitness programs to schools and creates opportunities for children to be active, fit and healthy as part of the everyday school experience.
Absentee balloting begins this week for the Nov. 8 general election. Although the clerk’s office has been awaiting final ballot approval from the state, Circuit Clerk Joe Caldwell said absentee balloting must start this week. Ballots have already been mailed out to military personnel. The ballot includes county offices, state offices and three ballot initiatives dealing with eminent domain, voter identification and the definition of “person.” Clerk’s offices across the state must open for abPlease see VOTING | 2A
Pastor reaching out to help homeless kids in Philippines BY ANGELA STOREY astorey@dailycorinthian.com Staff photos by Steve Beavers
Mollie Grace Hyneman demonstrates the horizontal bars during the Project Fit America celebration at Corinth Elementary, above. Lindsey Potts completes the parallel bars, left.
“This is so exciting. Fitness and health are important and it’s important that you start early.”
Hope is being offered to homeless children in the Philippines thanks to the vision of a Prentiss County pastor. Bro. Ray Hall, pastor of East Marietta Baptist Church, is seeking to provide an orphanage in the rural province of Southern Leyte in the Philippines. Hall began serving as East Marietta Baptist Church pastor in January 2006. He also serves as public affairs officer for the Mississippi Highway Patrol Troop F, serving all of the Crossroads area, including Alcorn County. He has done mission work in the Philippines ev-
Ann Walker
Please see PROJECT FIT | 14A
Corinth School Board President
Index Stocks....11A Classified......4B Crossroads ....2B
Weather......5A Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Sports . 8-10A
Please see PASTOR | 2A
On this day in history 150 years ago Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles issues a directive that gave “persons of color, commonly known as contrabands” in the employment of the Union Navy pay at the rate of $10 and a full day’s ration.