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Daily Corinthian Vol. 115, No. 247
• Corinth, Mississippi •
Sunny Today
Tonight
85
58
22 pages • Two sections
‘SALUTE TO VETERANS’
Photo exhibit honors those who have served BY BOBBY J. SMITH
“If the program is successful in the pilot schools, ...the system embodied in the program will be used throughout the United States.”
bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
A pair of local photographers are using their art to honor the men and women who devoted their lives to serving America. Bill Avery and Lisa Wilbanks are assembling a photographic “Salute to Veterans” — just in time for Veterans Day in November. Avery and Wilbanks are the photographers responsible for the recent “Faces and Places of Alcorn County” and “Me and My Mom” exhibits at the Corinth Library. “After the first exhibits, I really wanted to do something for the veterans around Alcorn County,” said Avery. “That’s something very close to me.” The upcoming “Salute to Veterans” exhibit will open at the Corinth American Legion Post Number Six on Veterans Day and then move to the Corinth Library until the end of November. The project began in earnest after Avery spoke at the American Legion during a monthly meeting. People began signing up and the news spread by word-ofmouth. The photographers visited many of Alcorn County’s
Marc Tucker President, National Center on Education and the Economy
CHS to take part in national pilot program For the Daily Corinthian
Photo by Bill Avery
Husband and Wife — and U.S. Navy veterans — Gerald R. and Ngaio Wesenberg have almost a half-century of combined service to the U.S. Navy. The photo is part of an upcoming exhibit by Bill Avery and Lisa Wilbanks featuring phots of the area’s men and women who served in the armed forces. “This is what I call heavy family devotion to serving our country,” Avery said of the Wesenberg couple. nursing homes and spoke with the veterans there and set up photo shoots in homes and in nursing homes. In one of the nursing homes, they discovered Roy Robinson, an original member of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American military aviators in the United States armed forces. The
Resource center reaches out BY JEFF YORK For the Daily Corinthian
A dedicated staff working hard to help others in the Crossroads area has enabled the Resource Center for Women to continue to grow over the past 17 years. The humble beginnings of the center began with the name Sav-A-Life in November, 1994. Martha Jobe has been the leader from the first day, serving as the executive director. All of the staff who works at the center believes it is a calling from God for them to be there, said Jobe. There is a constant need for funding at the center. The Resource Center for Women receives no government grants or money from local governments. “The Lord brings in the money we need, and that reminds us to be thankful for everything He provides for us,” said Jobe. Dr. Erica Noyes is the medical director of the center as a volunteer. The center has two RN’s, Kristen Lothenore and Bonnie Mitchell. The center now does testing for sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy testing and verification, limited OB Ultrasound, parenting classes, accurate information on pregnancy options, adoption referrals and after abortion recovery help. “We provide confidential medical services for both men and women,” said Jobe. “We are just not here for women.”
Because of the expansion of the scope of services in recent years, the center will have a name change Jan. 1, 2012. The new name, which will be announced at the ministry’s fundraising banquet on Oct. 25, will reflect both the nature and the atmosphere of the center. Trika Smith, client services director, said she gets to help people in the office and visits students in the public schools to teach them to proactive and not reactive when it comes to their sexual health. “It is refreshing and rewarding to see the students respond in an interactive way,” said Smith. “At the center, we get to see a variety of clients and most are gracious. We just had a husband send us flowers as a way of thanks for helping his wife.” Darlene Durbin, administrative assistant, said the staff at the center wants to make sure that any client realizes there is still hope when they come in with a problem. “We want to show the clients compassion and mercy,” said Durbin. “We show them the love of God and there is a positive light at the end of the tunnel.” Jobe said it is a true privilege to see how the Lord works through the many people who visit the center. The center has through September had over 1,200 visits and appointments this year.
Please see NAVY | 5A
high school students’ performance is far below that in the top ten countries. Dropout rates from American high school approach 30 percent, while those in the top performing countries are all below 10 percent. The two participating schools in Mississippi are Corinth High School and Clarksdale High School. According to Marc Tucker, NCEE’s president, “Excellence for All is designed to incorporate the features of the high school systems used by the top-performing countries that appear to account for their suPlease see NCEE | 5A
K-C hosts family picnic day to give back BY MARK BOEHLER editor@dailycorinthian.com
Inside the walls of the Kimberly-Clark Corinth Professional Products Mill, every workday is about productivity and delivering a quality product. Outside the K-C walls Saturday under the beautiful backdrop of a cloudless blue sky, it was about saying thanks and giving back. Crews 2 and 4, some day employees, and retirees gathered for several hours to take part in the second of two K-C family picnic days for food, games, kids activities and fellowship. On Oct. 8, Crews 1 and 3, some day employees, and retirees took part in the first company picnic as the two days give all employees a chance to take part, said K-C Human Resources Manager Willie Gates. “We started this day to invite retirees to come back,” said Gates, who greeted families under a welcome tent. “It’s grown from there.” Mill Manager Grover Hardin acknowledged the return of retirees promotes a sense of family at K-C, but the now annual event “gives us an opportunity to say thanks to the entire team. It’s about taking care of our families, giving back and saying thank you.” Gates looked around and pointed out the many service organizations taking part in the picnic, including the Farmington Volunteer Fire Department, Corinth
Index Stocks....11A Classified.. 4-8B Comics......3B Crossroads ....2B
— for the area’s veterans. When Avery visited one of their practice sessions, the Honor Guard agreed to participate in a photo shoot at the Corinth National Cemetery, with the white military grave markers providing a somber backdrop.
resulting photo shows the airman next to an accurate model of a P-51 Mustang fighter plane. During the process of searching for veterans they discovered the Veterans and Families Honor Guard, a team of volunteers who conduct military funerals — an average of three each week
Washington, D.C. — High schools in Arizona, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Mississippi are participating in a national pilot program that could result in basic changes in high school structure, curriculum and testing throughout the country. The new program, Excellence for All (formerly the Board Examination Systems Program), is based on more than 20 years of research by the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE) on those countries that routinely outperform the United States on international assessments of student performance. American
Weather......5A Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Sports...8-9A
Staff photo by Mark Boehler
The family of Tim and June Stebbins pose for a family photo as they arrive for the Kimberly-Clark family picnic day on Saturday. Fire Department, Magnolia EMS and Air Evac, which landed a helicopter at noon on the softball field. Girl Scouts took part last week, while the FCCLA Child Care I class at Alcorn Central was helping out Saturday. “We really, really appreciate the volunteers,” said Gates. The Boys and Girls Club of Corinth brought youth to both family days to assist in the kids activities and help with food. “It’s about giving back, that’s what we teach,” said Boys and Girls Club Direc-
Staff photo by Mark Boehler
Please see K-C | 13A
K-C employee Terry Crum of Walnut enjoys a candy apple at the family picnic event.
On this day in history 150 years ago Oct. 16, 1861 — Confederate troops were volunteers from the different Southern states and the men had stronger ties to the state than the nation. President Davis angered Kentucky troops when he refused their request to be sent to fight in their home state.