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Daily Corinthian Vol. 115, No. 314
• Corinth, Mississippi •
Partly sunny Today
Tonight
57
28
18 pages • Two sections
The year that was: Top 10 of ’11 Salmonella outbreak tops list of year’s most significant stories BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Whether in the form of flooding, historic snowfall or tornadoes, weather was one of the defining stories of 2011 for the Corinth area. It does not top the annual list of the year’s top stories, however. Most years bring a fairly clear consensus of the year’s top event, but 2011 is a notable exception, with four different stories getting at least one vote for the top spot in the newsroom’s balloting. The list includes news of local significance and weighs factors such as lasting impact and public response. The top 10 stories of the year:
1) Salmonella outbreak Probably no other local story sparked as much rumor and speculation as the recent salmonella scare, which saw some 40 people treated at the hospital. The Mississippi Department of Health traced the outbreak of gastrointestinal illness to Mexican restaurant Don Julio at Corinth Commons, where 59 patrons and employees had positive cultures.
2) Elections Elections often make the top 10 but rarely challenge for the top spot as this election year did. The election brought numerous new officials, including a majority new Board of Supervisors, while the local legislative delegation got a major shakeup with the retirement of longtime House members Harvey Moss and Billy McCoy and another incumbent defeated.
service. Another three snows over the next four weeks added altogether about 5 more inches. And to cap off the year, November bought the city’s earliest snow accumulation in 20 years.
4) Animal shelter troubles The shelter returns to the list after a year in which closure appeared possible. A new board emerged to helm the shelter, with local governments planning to build a new structure.
5) Justice court judge Jimmy McGee, serving as justice court judge post 2, is suspended for 270 days without pay by the Mississippi Supreme Court for actions taken regarding a crime in which his relative was the victim.
6) Danny Crotts repayment The state auditor’s office issued a civil demand that former second district supervisor Danny Crotts repay $159,098.94 for “funds that were misappropriated, converted to personal benefit, work on private property and for missing equipment.”
Staff photos by Mark Boehler
On April 27, an opossum with her young tests the floodwaters on Waldron Street in downtown Corinth, above. A rare heavy snowfall Jan. 9 provides a different scenic view of the railroad tracks off Linden Street, below.
7) Tornado outbreak The April tornado outbreak slams Rienzi and, especially, Pickwick with damage. While Corinth is mostly unscathed by wind damage, the city has another flooding scare, with water rising in some unexpected areas and officials standing by to evacuate the Combs Apartments.
8) Justice center opens 3) Snow January brought Corinth’s biggest snowfall in 23 years — 9.57 inches, according to the weather
While consolidating law enforcement and corrections into Please see STORIES | 2A
Ice cream truck mixes business, family, fun for Corinth woman
Outgoing superintendent reflects on time in office BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
Most days Tonja Wren is in bigger demand than Santa Claus. Unlike the jolly red one, she delivers more than one time a year. “I make rounds every day,” said Wren with music from her ice cream truck playing in the background. “If you don’t come by, kids will call and make sure that you don’t pass them by. They will even give you specific directions to their house.” The single mother of two de-
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Please see TRUCK | 2A
Tonja Wren and her two children, Savannah and Lane, all have a part to play in the Dickey 2 Ice Cream Truck.
Index Stocks...... 7A Classified......4B Outdoors....11A Wisdom......2B
Weather......5A Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Sports...8-9A
When Stacy Suggs leaves for work Monday morning it will be some place other than Alcorn County. The former Alcorn School District Superintendent is set to begin a new job outside the district for the first time in his 22 years as an educator. Suggs, defeated in the democratic primary for superintendent in August, has been hired by the Tishomingo County School District. He heads back to the classroom as a 7th grade history teacher at Burnsville on Tuesday fol-
lowing a staff development day on Monday. “I’m excited about being a teacher right now and seeing what the Lord has planned for my family,” said Suggs. “I appreciated my time as superintendent and wish Gina (Rogers Smith) and the district all the best in the world.” The former Kossuth teacher and coach spent 13 years in the classroom before becoming assistant principal at Kossuth Elementary. He held the assistant principal position for five years before deciding
On this day in history 150 years ago President Lincoln is frustrated as his two senior generals in the west, Henry Halleck and Don Carlos Buell, resist all efforts to coordinate their activities. General in Chief George McClellan is ill with typhoid fever.
Please see SUGGS | 2A