Daily Corinthian E-Edition 032712 by Daily Corinthian

Tuesday March 27,

2012

50 cents

Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 74

Mostly Sunny Today

Tonight

• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • 1 Section

City seeks special election for revenues Mayor’s proposal calls for 10 mill ad valorem tax increase to fund infrastructure improvements BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

Corinth leaders believe the city needs much work to prepare for the future, and they may ask residents to vote on whether they want to help pay the way. Mayor Tommy Irwin said a resolution will come before the Board of Aldermen around June or July to set a special election on a 10 mill ad valorem tax increase that would go for specific city improvements.

The tax would be in place for a five-year period and could be renewed beyond that point by another election. Irwin believes the city needs a renewed focus on infrastructure. “We have got major work to do in this community,” he said. “I believe, without question, that if we do not start working on improving our community, our young people will not come back.” An estimated 80 percent of

the money would likely go toward street paving. “When you get out of our downtown area, there are streets that have not had any paving on them in a long, long time,” said Irwin. The mayor expects the tax revenue would also go toward improving the look of the corridors into the city, bridge improvements, other street improvements and some signage. Ten mills is the maximum the city can seek.

It is estimated that would generate about $870,000 in a year and about $4.35 million over five years. City Clerk Vickie Roach said the tax cost for the owner of a $100,000 home with homestead exemption would be an additional $100 per year. If citizens vote “no” in the election, “We’ll continue on doing the best we can with what we have,” said Irwin. With limited funding, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen faces the difficult task of balancing forward-thinking projects with immediate needs, such as cleaning up the creeks in order to prevent further flooding dev-

astation and undertaking a $20 million upgrade of the sewer treatment plant. The city operates on property tax revenue, sales tax revenue, and fines and fees. “The money that we bring into the city is basically enough to do an adequate job, and that would probably have a question mark,” the mayor said. He outlined numerous projects already in progress or in the works. The city will continue working on cleanup of the three major creeks, getting them to a point where they can be mainPlease see REVENUE | 2

Corinth motels fill up for weekend of reenactments BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com

Staff photo by Jebb Johnston

The former Los Amigos Mexican restaurant building on U.S. Highway 72 will soon open as America’s Car-Mart.

Defunct buildings make way for new business on US 72 BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com

Two defunct restaurant buildings on U.S. Highway 72 are making way for a used car lot chain. Corinth recently issued a remodeling permit for America’s Car-Mart to revamp the former Los Amigos restaurant building at 2402 Highway 72 East for use as a sales office. The small neighboring building, long vacant after serving as a Bumpers Drive-In, was demolished.

A Car-Mart employee said work is moving quickly and the business will likely open its Corinth location in April. A Tupelo location is set to open this weekend. The project also includes some paving, said Dave Huwe, director of community development and planning. Based in Bentonville, Ark., CarMart operates 112 dealerships in nine states. Most of its customers receive financing through the business, which also accepts trades of items such as electronics

and appliances. Car-Mart began in 1981 in Rogers, Ark. It focuses on small cities with locations in Tennessee, Alabama and other states in the south-central U.S. The Corinth location will be Car-Mart’s third in Mississippi. The remodeling permit is for a $145,000 project. In the 1980s, the restaurant building was home to Pizza Inn and Pancho’s Mexican restaurant. In later years, Los Amigos and other Mexican restaurants did business there.

It’s Blue versus Gray. Not only on the battlefield, but also when it comes to finding a place to stay in Corinth. Most hotels in the Crossroads area are booked for the weekend as reenactors begin descending on the area for the 150th Battle of Shiloh Reenactment. “We are totally booked through Saturday,” said Barbara Wilbanks with the Holiday Inn Express. “There are just a few rooms for Sunday when most will begin to go home following the Battle of Shiloh activities.” The Hampton Inn — normally completely booked Monday through Wednesday — has a big group coming from Indiana today that will keep the hotel at capacity through Sunday, according to an employee. The 46 rooms of the Econo Lodge are booked for FridaySunday. Angie McGaha with the Quality Inn says the hotel has five rooms available for Fri-

day night and only four of its 97 rooms open for Saturday. “We are pretty much booked with just a few rooms available,” said McGaha. Battle activities get under way Wednesday night as a group of Confederate reenactors will set up camp on the grounds of the Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center. Camps will be open to the public from 6-8 p.m. The public can have breakfast with the soldiers the following morning at 7 a.m. as they begin their march to Shiloh. There is no charge to view the event, but the breakfast cost is $5 per person or free for children under 16 and $3 for people over 50. There are two Civil War reenactments being staged Friday through Sunday near Shiloh National Military Park to commemorate the battle’s 150th anniversary. The reenactments groups are Armies of the Tennessee and Blue Gray Alliance. Details of the reenactments and other events at Shiloh park the weekend of April 6-8 will be published inside a Daily Corinthian special section on Friday.

Eagle Scout project brings trees to Lighthouse Foundation grounds BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com

A local Boy Scout is soaring toward scouting’s highest rank by getting his hands dirty with a down to earth service project. Scout Mitch Mitchell spent a recent Saturday working with volunteers to plant fruit trees on the grounds of the Lighthouse Foundation. The planting effort is Mitchell’s Eagle Scout project, a key step along the way toward attaining the rank of Eagle Scout — the highest rank a scout can attain. Mitchell said he was inspired to focus on the Lighthouse Foundation for the project after visiting the foundation during an earlier community service project with the scouts. When the time came to plan his Eagle Scout service project, he went to Scoutmaster Keith Windham who suggested the planting project and he felt it would be a good fit for him. Obtaining the rank of Eagle Scout, a rank reached by only 2 percent of all those involved in scouting, requires the scout to earn a minimum of 21 merit badges, demonstrate character through service and leadership

embodying the scouting ideals and laws and, finally, to lead, organize and carry out a community service project. Mitchell, who has been involved in scouting since the age of six, worked with a variety of individuals and groups throughout the community to pull the project together. Woodmen of the World donated the trees for the effort while Keep Corinth Beautiful provided expertise and assistance and Alcorn County Master Gardener helped with horticulture advice to ensure the trees are planted and maintained properly. Mitchell’s mother, Rhonda Mitchell, said they’ve been so blessed by all those who have volunteered time and effort to make the project successful and want to thank everyone who has taken part. On the morning of the planting, Mitch Mitchell gathered with several volunteers and other scouts to lay out the plans for the project including a lesson on how the plants grow and how they have to be cared for. They then headed outside to

Staff photo by Brant Sappington

Please see SCOUT | 2

Boy Scout Mitch Mitchell (right) and his father, James Mitchell, unload material for his Eagle Scout community service project planting fruit trees at the Lighthouse Foundation.

Index Stocks........7 Classified......14 Comics...... 11 Wisdom...... 10

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

On this day in history 150 years ago March 27 — President Davis writes to Gen. A.S. Johnston, “My confidence in you has never wavered and I hope the public will soon give me credit for [my] judgment…it would be worse than useless to point out how much depends upon you.”

2 â&#x20AC;˘ Daily Corinthian

Local/Region

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

The chaotic games people play to escape reality The Hunger Games, PG-13, **** Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Laim Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson; Lionsgate film; Director Gary Ross; length â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 142 minutes Set in the future, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Hunger Gamesâ&#x20AC;? portrays a society filled with poverty and superfluous lifestyles. It seems there are only two elements in the society â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the rich and arrogant and the poor and hungry. North America has been left in ruins by warfare and disasters. The wealthy has taken over and created a brutal game to keep the hungry and poor entertained in a ceremony once a year. The country has 12 districts and two participants are chosen through a drawing from each district. Every time more food is requested from the government, the names go into the drawing bowl. The chosen will go on a mission with the goal of being the last one to survive the elements and competitors in a brutal spectacle of a game. Not all are happy with this mandate. In order to keep people happy, the government gives them food and amusement so they will refrain from rebellion and changing the status quo. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hunger Gamesâ&#x20AC;? will remind the audience of the coliseum during the Roman times where people were killed by animals

and other humans until only one survivor was left as the winTerry ner. â&#x20AC;&#x153; T h e Burns H u n g e r Movie Critic G a m e s â&#x20AC;? shows the devastation of a government with too much control. It will remind the audience of the Gestapo in Europe during World War II when so many people were under the control of the German government. The individuals in power know these games give the people hope and helps to keep them manageable. The main character in â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Hunger Gamesâ&#x20AC;? is Katiniss (Jennifer Lawrence) who lives with her mother and younger sister. She is an excellent hunter and outdoors enthusiast. She is brave and compassionate. This is demonstrated when the government draws her sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name for District 12 and Katiniss volunteers to take her place. No spoilers here. The boy chosen in District 12 is Peeta (Josh Hutcherson). He is shy and has a crush on Katinniss. She does not realize Peeta â&#x20AC;&#x153;fancyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;? her â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to use a U.K term. The two competitors take a fast train to the capitol to begin their training for entertaining people by killing or being killed.

Terry Burnsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; movie review John Carter, PG-13, *** The Artist, PG-13, ***** Wanderlust, R, ? This Means War, PG13, **1/2 Safe House, R, **** On the train Effie (Elizabeth Banks) introduces the young wouldbe-warriors to Haymitch (Woody Harrelson), a former winner of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hunger Games.â&#x20AC;? It is always a pleasure to watch Harrelson act. His humor and depth work together in order to create an interesting character. The person he usually plays is always a little flawed. Harrelsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Haymitch portrayal hits the bullâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye. The young actress Jennifer Lawrence interpretation of Katiniss is also excellent. Every scene she is in projects from the screen with realistic emotions that pull at the strings of the heart. There are a lot of bad ways for people to die in this competition of fighting to the death. The survival of the fittest, smartest, most loving and extremely creative sometimes wins the game of life. Doing the right thing is always the right thing to do. I recommend â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Hunger Games.â&#x20AC;?

Staff photo by Brant Sappington

Boy Scout Mitch Mitchell (in white shirt) works with a group of volunteers to plant fruit trees at the Lighthouse Foundation as part of his community service project for Eagle Scout.

SCOUT: About 2 percent of scouts earn Eagle status CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

plant the peach, pear, apple and apricot trees. The scout will continue to monitor the project, organizing volunteers to water and maintain the trees as they grow and make sure they are taken care of. Mitchell said heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s al-

ways wanted to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout because it represents a commitment to hard work and achievement and can open doors in the future by demonstrating his ability to work hard and to lead. Lighthouse Foundation Executive Director Gary Caveness said heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extreme-

ly grateful to Mitchell for choosing his organization as the focus of the project. Caveness said the foundation has received help through several Eagle Scout projects over the years and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always a blessing to see young people giving back to their community by helping them help others.

REVENUE: Without added tax revenue some things will have to wait CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

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tained by regular spraying. In addition to the sewer plant rehabilitation, the city must repair disintegrating pipes in the aging system. â&#x20AC;&#x153;MDEQ will not allow drainage water and sewer to mix, and we know today we have that in some instances,â&#x20AC;? said Irwin. He said the city also faces two unfunded mandates â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one regarding handicapped accessibility on sidewalks and one for retroreflective signage. The city will have extensive work to do in order to get all sidewalks into compliance and will likely have to replace all regulatory signage, such as stop and yield signs, within three years. Street name signs and other signs would be replaced later. The city also plans a major drainage project this year on South Harper to redirect some water to Phillips Creek. Irwin said it is a major project that affects the â&#x20AC;&#x153;hot spotâ&#x20AC;? for retail development. The city is also investing in a revamp of the old Wurlitzer property and a municipal wage and benefits survey to give the city some comparisons on municipal pay and procedures. Irwin said the city and county will also be looking at investing in park improvements. The mayor believes the city tax will have a good chance of getting voter approval. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The gain is so much greater than the tax,â&#x20AC;? he said.

Correction Choate Creek Bridge was misspelled in a recent story about the bridge reopening.

Local

3 • Daily Corinthian

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Deaths Sadie Mathis

Sadie Mathis, of Corinth, died Sunday, March 26, 2012, at Magnolia Regional Health Center. Arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by McPeters Funeral Directors.

Orville W. McGee

IUKA — Orville W. McGee, 69, died Saturday, March 24, 2012. He enjoyed fishing and country music. He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Novel McGee; a daughter, Cynthia “Sissy” Butler; three brothers, Vernon McGee, Hoyte Lee McGee and Jimmy McGee; and a sister, Shirley McGee. Survivors include a son, Orville “Jay” McGee and wife Rhonda of Iuka;

two brothers, Johnny McGee and wife Shirley of Belmont, and William Bolton and wife Sandra of Iuka; eight grandchildren, Krista Cobb and husband Jasper, Kaila Pruitt, Tanner McGee, Brady Owen “Bo” McGee, Madison Butler, Thomas Dill, Derek Dill and Paige Dill; and two great grandchildren. All other arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Ludlam Funeral Home.

Marion Mills

Funeral services for Marion Mills, 71, of Corinth, are set for 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Church of the Crossroads with burial in Forrest Memorial Park Garden of The Good Shepherd. Mr. Mills died Monday, March 26, 2012.

Gladys Dunn

Charles Blakney

BURNSVILLE — Funeral services for Charles Denior Blakney, 66, are set for 2 p.m. today at Antioch Freewill Baptist Church in Burnsville with burial in the church cemetery. Mr. Blakney died Saturday, March 24, 2012, at his residence. He was a carpenter for 40 years and he helped in the building of Yellow Creek. He attended Antioch Freewill Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lester C. Blakney and Ruby Mae Holder Blakney; and

a sister, Betty Katherine Hutson. Survivors include six brothers, Lester C. Blakney and wife Frances of Iuka, Travis Earl Blakney and wife Elsie of Glen, James Ray Blakney and wife Donnia of Iuka, Jerry Thomas Blakney and wife Donna of Iuka, Chester Wayne Blakney and wife Brenda of Corinth, and Eddie Joe Blakney and wife Andreida of Counce, Tn.; five sisters, Lois Lavern Shults and husband James of Corinth, Laura Faye Emmons of Selmer, Tn., Linda Jean Davis and husband Wayne of Burnsville, Dorothy Marie Lambert and husband Jack of Tishomingo, and Mary Elizabeth Taylor and husband Rex of Rienzi; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Willie B. Gwyn

Gladys E. Lokey Dunn 89, died Sunday, March 25, 2012 at Magnolia Regional Health Center. Funeral services will be 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at Memorial Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Ralph Culp officiating. Burial will follow in the Henry Cemetery. She was born January 4, 1923 in Wheeler. She graduated from Kossuth High School and married Kerry L. Dunn on March 20, 1944 in Corinth. Gladys worked over the years in accounting for Dobbs House Dunn in Memphis and Sears of Memphis and Intex Plastic in Corinth. She also worked in several grocery stores where Kerry was the manager or the district Manager. Being a member of East Corinth Baptist Church where Kerry served as a deacon. She was a faithful member until her health began to fail, she loved her church family. She enjoyed people and she will be remembered as a peacemaker. She showed her kindness to everyone she came in contact with on the job, at church to her family and her friends in the community. She will be remembered for her attractiveness no matter what the occasion and the love she has for her brothers and sisters. She was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, Kerry Dunn; parents, Robert Luther Lokey and Effie Jane Lancaster Lokey; step-father Luther Follin; brothers J.Z. and J.V. Lokey; sisters, Avis Jones, Lee Etta Cross, Maggie Lee Briggs, Carrie Mae Gurley Louge; and some nieces and nephews. Survivors include her brother, B.W. (Maxine) Lokey of Comanche, Ok.; sister, Jane August of Corinth; sister-in-laws Ingrid Lokey and Inez Lokey; and several nieces and nephews who she loved dearly. She also leaves a host of friends, neighbors and church family. Visitation is today from 5-8 p.m. and Wednesday from 1:30 p.m. to service time. Memorials can be made to Gideon’s or to a charity of one’s choice. Condolences can be left a www.memorialcorinth.com

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Visitation is 5-8 p.m. tonight. All other arrangements are incomplete and will be announced by Hight Funeral Home.

Funeral services for Willie B. Gwyn, 81, of Corinth, are set for 11 a.m. Wednesday at Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church with burial at Corinth National Cemetery. Mr. Gwyn died Thursday, March 22, 2012, at Magnolia Regional Health Center. He attended Corinth Colored High School and Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church. He served in the U.S. Army and worked for Dana Corp. (Tyrone). He was born April 25, 1930. Survivors include children Doris Berry (Gene) of Louisville, Gwynn Ky., Annie Pollard (James) of Corinth, Willie Gwyn (Lia) of Jacksonville, Fla., Teresa Gwyn of Lexington, Ky., and Pamela Gwyn James (Rick) of Columbus, Ga.; one sibling, J.B. Gwyn; one stepbrother, James Henry Walker; eight grandchildren, Tony Gwyn, Carla Pollard, Tralana Wyke, Chris Pollard, Ron Whitlock Jr., James Pollard Jr., Ryan Whitlock and Mercedes Gwyn; and 13 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Mae Gwyn; his parents, Jake Gwyn and Gennette Walker; and siblings Eugene Gwyn, Claudia Walker, Andy Gwyn and Lillie Mae Bates. The Rev. Lamar Walker and the Rev. Dannie Walker will officiate the service. Visitation is today from 6 until 7 p.m. at Patterson Memorial Chapel.

Bro. Mike Edwards and Bro. Briggs King will officiate.

Dwayne Rogers

Funeral services for Johnny Dwayne Rogers, 59, of Corinth, are set for 2 p.m. today at Magnolia Funeral Home C h a pel of Memor i e s w i t h burial Rogers in Brigm a n Hill Cemetery. Mr. Rogers died Saturday, March 24, 2012, at Magnolia Regional Health Center. He was a boiler operator at Quebecor for 27 years and a Christian.

Things to do Today Activity center The Bishop Activity Center is having the following activities today: Exercise. Senior citizens, age 60 and above, are welcome and encourage to attend. Daily activities include crafts, jigsaw puzzles, quilting, table games (Dominoes and Rook), washer games and Rolo Golf. Volunteers sought Shiloh National Military Park is seeking volunteers to help with activities on Saturday April 7, 2012. In commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh, park staff and volunteers will be placing and lighting 23,746 luminaries around the battlefield, which will represent the total casualties of the bloody two-day fight.

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Anyone interested in volunteering at the park is asked to call ranger Heather Smedley at 731689-5696 or email her at heather_smedley@ nps.gov to sign up. More information on Shiloh Battlefield’s sesquicentennial events is available at www.nps.gov/shil.

All Stadium Seating Birthday Parties Online Tickets Tuesday, March 27 - Thursday, March 29, 2012

The Daily Corinthian include the following information in obituaries: The name, age, city of residence of the deceased; when, where and manner of death of the deceased; time and location of funeral service; name of officiant; time and location of visitation; time and location of memorial services; biographical information can include date of birth, education, place of employment/occupation, military service and church membership; survivors can include spouse, children, parents, grandparents, siblings (step included), and grandchildren, great-grandchildren can be listed by number only; preceded in death can include spouse, children, parents, grandparents, siblings (step included), grandchildren; great-grandchildren can be listed by number only. No other information will be included in the obituary.

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He was preceded in death by his parents, John Bynum Rogers and Ophelia Smith Rogers; and a sister, Betty Davis. Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Betty Sue Rogers of Corinth; a son, Kevin Dwayne Rogers of Corinth; two daughters, Michelle Carney and husband Lonnie, and Felicia McCalister all of Corinth; a brother, Bruce Rogers and wife Bobbie of Moss Point; and three sisters, Patsy Miller and husband Louie of Madison, Ala., Vickie Morse and husband Junior of San Antonio, Tex., and Camie Sargent and husband Mickey of Corinth. Bro. Richard C. Wells and Charlie Browning will officiate. Visitation is 10 a.m. until service today at the funeral home.

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Opinion

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www.dailycorinthian.com

Mark Boehler, editor

4 • Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Corinth, Miss.

Guest View First speech to Miss. house has personal, historic value BY NICK BAIN State Representative

I want to start off this column with a short personal story to which I know many in the area can relate. This year I filed HB 450 which was to remove an easement the Mississippi Department of Archives and History had on the old Corinth Machinery Company Building. As most know, the building was registered as a historic landmark and as such was being preserved. However, earlier this year, straight-line winds caused a portion of the building to collapse, thus creating a safety hazard. There was no choice but to demolish the building. In order to do so and to develop the land, the Legislature had to remove the easement. The significant thing to me — and what I spoke on at the well of the House — was my personal attachment to this building. My grandfather, Thurston Bain, worked there for nearly 40 years as a welder. I can remember him telling stories of when he first got hired there and saying he was going make $50 a month and he was going to be rich! I can also remember him telling stories of how hard the people who were employed there worked. Throughout my campaign I came across many people who remembered my grandfather when he worked at Corinth Machinery. I’m certain I won countless votes because of that connection. I ran my campaign on family and hard work. As I stood presenting HB 450 to House representatives, I thought how fitting it was on my first trip to the well of the House to be able to talk about my family and a place known for hard work. My first trip to speak from the well of the House will always be memorable. I am so thankful I got to speak about two of my favorite things, family and Alcorn County. We are presently working on budget bills. We have until tomorrow to pass all Appropriation bills. Big fights over public education and Medicaid have been expected. Here’s my take on both issues. On public education, we must find ways to ensure ample funding for our public schools. The governor has a plan that would require local districts to supplement state budget cuts with their rainy day funds. The truth is local districts have been supplementing budget cuts for most of the past eight years. Some districts don’t have any rainy day funds left, and other districts will not have enough in their rainy day funds to offset the kinds of cuts being discussed. When you add on top of that the idea of taking even more money from some districts through a charter school bill, then we could be looking at some of the most devastating cuts to Mississippi’s public education system in recent history. The reality is if the state does not do it’s job in funding public education, it will be left up to the counties and the cities who operate school districts to make up the difference. In many instances, that could mean local tax increases. The only other alternative would be to fire teachers, cut programs and force even larger classroom sizes. I’ll not vote for any education bills that put our local governments in that kind of a bind. We have a responsibility in Jackson and I will do my best to uphold that responsibility. I’ll do the same for Medicaid, where under the previous administration we saw our neediest citizens — who are also often elderly — losing prescription drug coverage. Thankfully, this year we have seen increased tax collections we did not anticipate. We also have moneys from law suits that have not been expended. And, finally, our rainy day fund is flush. We have the money to provide ample funding for education and Medicaid without having to make deep cuts elsewhere and without raising taxes by using some of the cash sources I just mentioned. However, many in the House leadership have said they don’t want to use those resources. They are fixated on cutting these programs, which I don’t fully understand. There has been lively discussion on the House floor and I remain hopeful we can come to workable solutions for all of our budget needs. This is some of the most important work we will do. Finally, I encourage you to contact me any time you need assistance or if you want to make your thoughts known on a given issue. (Nick Bain is the state representative serving Corinth and Alcorn County. He may be reached at nbain@house.ms.gov or 662-287-1620.)

Prayer for today Lord, when life’s circumstances challenge us, teach us to accept your direction. Help us to remember that all things can be used for good. Amen.

A verse to share If anyone forces you to to one mile, go also the second mile. — Matthew 5:41 (NRSV)

Reece Terry publisher rterry@dailycorinthian.com

No more wink and nod at budget rule? JACKSON — Mississippi lawmakers say they intend to follow their own “98 percent rule” this session as they write a $5.6 billion state budget. That shouldn’t sound like a big deal, but given their actions of the past few years, it is. A law enacted in the early 1990s says only 98 percent of anticipated revenue should be included in any budget. Part of the remaining 2 percent is supposed to go into cash reserves, and part is supposed to carry forward into the following year’s budget — a head start on funding for the future. In plain English, anticipated revenue is the amount of money the state expects to collect in taxes and fees. During the rocky economic times the past four years, legislators have given themselves permission to waive the 98 percent rule, which led to budgets that spent 100 percent of anticipated revenues, and then some. With bipartisan support, they padded out the budgets by pulling tens of millions of dollars from the

state’s many reserve accounts, including a health care trust fund that was eslished Emily tina bthe late Wagster 1990s with Pettus w i n n i n g s Capitol Dome from a lawsuit against tobacco companies. Legislators who started the health care trust fund envisioned it growing into a massive savings account in which millions of dollars of annual payments would be deposited. Only the earnings from the account were supposed to be spent. Lawmakers waived the 98 percent rule and nearly depleted the health care trust fund in recent years with the blessing of Republican Gov. Haley Barbour, who left office when his second term expired in January. Before winning the governorship in 2003, Barbour was an A-list Washington lobbyist whose clients included tobacco companies. As such, he fought the lawsuits Mississippi and most other states filed to recover

costs of treating sick smokers. It was no small irony, then, Mississippi’s winnings helped Barbour mitigate budget cuts when he was governor. Barbour frequently criticized the fiscal practices of the Democratic governor he unseated, Ronnie Musgrove. Barbour claimed he had inherited roughly a $700 million budget hole, partly because Musgrove approved legislators’ use of revenue that would be available only a single year at a time rather than on a continuing basis. The practice didn’t disappear under Barbour. Legislators said last week that the current year’s budget, the last one Barbour signed, includes nearly $432.5 million in “one-time money.” Budget writing isn’t a precise science, but Mississippi has several experts who analyze economic trends and make their best guess about how much money the state might collect. “The committee is always going to be wrong because it’s impossible to predict revenue 18 months out,” said Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, who served

on the revenue estimating committee the past eight years as state treasurer. “That’s why it’s so important to have the 2 percent set-aside, to protect us against any unknown economic downturns that we’re not aware of.” Mississippi’s fiscal 2013 year begins July 1. The House and Senate have drafted separate budget proposals, and they face a late-April deadline to negotiate spending for everything from K-12 schools (the biggest single part of the budget) to a beaver control program ($700,000 in the current year and the same amount proposed for the coming year). Members of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, including Democratic Rep. George Flaggs of Vicksburg, are seeking the trust of rank-and-file lawmakers as the budget process enters its final weeks. During a House debate last week, Flaggs told colleagues they could take his word that he’d seek more education funding. Flaggs said: “If I tell you the cheese is on the mountain, bring the crackers.”

Presidential campaign all about free money Filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi’s daughter, has unleashed a firestorm of social controversy by interviewing some welfare recipients who told her on camera that they believe they’re entitled to “Obama money.” That is, welfare checks. Some of those Pelosi spotlighted are young men who are not even looking for work. They have plenty of excuses for that. But the bottom line: They want money handed to them, and “stuff you” if you don’t like it. Also, some of these men have multiple children by multiple “baby mamas.” Again, their posture is “blank you” if you don’t approve. That attitude appalls many hardworking folks, but truthfully, there always have been layabouts, and there always will be. But now, in some circles, it’s almost stylish to be a parasite. Recently, Mitt Romney was confronted by

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a heckler in Illinois who said: “What about pursuit of happiness? You what Bill know would make O’Reilly me happy? birth The O’Reilly Free Factor control!” Whereupon Romney shot back: “If you’re looking for free stuff ... vote for the other guy. That’s what he’s all about, OK. That’s not what I’m about.” And therein lies the theme of the 2012 presidential campaign. This has not been a good week for President Obama. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has projected that Obamacare will cost about $50 billion more than last year’s projection. In addition, the president’s budget for 2013 will add another $9.6 trillion in debt over a 10-year period. This is not exactly

the austere spending the nation desperately needs. But Obama is unswayed. He is running as a “provider” and believes there are enough Americans who want free stuff to catapult him to victory in November. Of course, the president is not going to openly endorse the nanny state. Instead, he will demand that the rich pay “their fair share” and hope voters buy into the insinuation that they are getting screwed by the economic system and, therefore, it is perfectly permissible to want payback in the form of government entitlements. That’s just making things “right.” The labor unions are pounding that drum very hard. Speaking on public broadcasting, SEIU board member Stephen Lerner said: “I think there’s never been a more exciting time ... (to) really talk about redistributing wealth and

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power.” Again, the theme being that America is an unjust society that needs a socialistic overhaul, and now is the time to make that happen. And Lerner may be on to something. Presently, we are a nation adrift. We are deeply divided on the fundamentals: capitalism, the power of the federal government, the rights of the have-nots. These are the things the upcoming election will address. It really is all about “Obama money,” which is really our money. How much should be spent, and where should it go? The battle lines are drawn. At stake: the future of the USA. (Veteran TV news anchor Bill O’Reilly is host of the Fox News show “The O’Reilly Factor” and author of the book “Pinheads and Patriots: Where You Stand in the Age of Obama.”)

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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 • Tuesday, March 27, 2012 • 5

Local Suspect found in fatal shooting BY HOLBROOK MOHR Associated Press

STARKVILLE — Authorities said a man arrested in Tennessee on an outstanding robbery warrant is a person of interest in the shooting death of a Mississippi State University student in a campus dorm. University spokeswoman Maridith Geuder says Mason Perry Jones is a person of interest in Saturday’s slaying of 21-yearold John Sanderson of Madison, Miss. Jones was detained on an unrelated warrant and hasn’t been charged in the shooting. Geuder said she had no

other details. Two other men are considered persons of interest in the case. Richard Griffin, supervisory agent for the U.S. Marshals Service in Jackson, Miss., said Jones was arrested Sunday on a robbery warrant from Jackson. Griffin said Jones was traveling north on a bus from Jackson under an assumed named. Marshals were acting on a tip when they arrested Jones on the robbery warrant when the bus stopped in Memphis, Tenn. Griffin said he wasn’t sure if Jones had planned to travel beyond

Memphis. Sanderson was one of two college students in Mississippi gunned down over the weekend. Nolan Ryan Henderson III, a 19-year-old Jackson State University freshman from Atlanta, died early Sunday from being shot in the face at an offcampus apartment pool party in Jackson. At Mississippi State, university president Mark Keenum said in a statement on the school’s website Sunday that the killing of Sanderson was the first time a student had been shot on the campus. Geuder has said police

received a call about the shooting at Evans Hall around 10 p.m. Saturday and police were on the scene within a minute. Sanderson was taken to Oktibbeha County Hospital, where he died. Three male suspects fled the building in a blue Crown Victoria, officials said. The four-story Evans Hall holds about 300 male students and is located on the north side of campus. The campus of about 20,000 students is located in a rural area in the northeastern part of the state, about 125 miles northeast of Jackson.

Edmonds’ ‘09 lawsuit dismissal upheld Associated Press

JACKSON — A federal court panel has upheld a ruling by a Mississippi federal judge that law enforcement officers did nothing unconstitutional in the handling of Tyler Edmonds’ confession in 2003. Edmonds and his mother, Sharon Clay, sued Oktibbeha County in 2009, saying Edmonds was

wrongfully convicted of murder “based on an alleged coerced confession taken by law enforcement officers.” Judge Jerry E. Smith, writing Monday for a threejudge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, said Edmonds’ confession was voluntary. Smith said Edmonds’ “separation from his

Due to repairs at the treatment plant at the Kossuth water ofﬁce, customers from the Kossuth and Wenasoga area may experience some discolored water for the next two weeks. This excludes our customers from the Pine Mountain area and the Bethlehem area. We are sorry if this causes any inconvenience to our customers.

mother, his desire to please adults, and his inexperience with the criminal justice system all weigh against voluntariness, his express desire to help his sister decides the issue.”

Edmonds, who was 14 at the time, was arrested May 12, 2003, and accused in the death of Joey Fulgham, who was married to Edmonds’ half-sister, Kristi Fulgham.

Lott testifies as Scruggs fights conviction Associated Press

OXFORD — Former U.S. Sen. Trent Lott has testified that he never promised to recommend a Hinds County judge for a federal post and never consulted with his brother-in-law — imprisoned former attorney Richard “Dickie” Scruggs — when he reviewed candidate’s resumes for those jobs. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports that Lott was the first witness Monday in federal court in Oxford. His testimony matched what he has said before about his interaction with the judge. Scruggs is serving a seven-year sentence. He pleaded guilty in 2008 to one count of depriving

the citizens of Mississippi of honest services from DeLaughter. Scruggs has argued that the limits imposed by the U.S. Supreme Court on socalled honest services fraud mean no juror would today convict him of the crime to which he pleaded guilty. Prosecutors insist Scruggs broke the law when he promised to recommend DeLaughter for a federal judgeship. Scruggs said it was protected political speech. Lott testified for about an hour. He told the court he did in fact call DeLaughter after Scruggs had contacted him and asked Lott to call DeLaughter to explain the process of how a federal court judgeship is appointed.

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6 • Tuesday, March 27, 2012 • Daily Corinthian

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