Thursday April 12,
2012
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 89
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• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • 1 section
Area frost advisory BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
An unusually warm winter and early spring were expected to give way to potentially damaging frost during the early morning hours on Thursday. Alcorn and Tishomingo counties in Mississippi and McNairy, Hardin and surrounding counties across the state line in Tennessee were under a frost advisory beginning at 4 a.m. Thursday morning and continuing until 8 a.m. The National Weather Service forecast temperatures falling to between 33 and 37 degrees. The weather service advisory stated record setting warmth early in the growing season led to an early start for growth of many plants. The potential frost could cause serious damage to new growth and blooms. Residents in the areas under the advisory are urged to bring sensitive outdoor plants inside if possible and cover those that cannot be brought in to protect them from potential damage.
Staff photo by Reece Terry
The wreckage of a crashed plan sits in the yard of Cindy and Bob Nelson just off of Highway 25 in Tishomingo County late Tuesday where it came to rest near trees about 20 feet from the couple’s home.
Couple recollects shock of plane crash in front yard BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
TISHOMINGO COUNTY — A resident of the Midway community was welcomed home Tuesday by the deafening noise of a plane crashing into his backyard. Bob Nelson, 64, had just returned to his home about a mile east of Mississippi Highway 25 when the plane smashed through the trees in his backyard about 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Nelson said he had “just
drove up” and stopped at his shop located roughly 200 feet from his home when he heard the din of metal crashing into wood and earth. “I heard something that sounded like a truckload of metal fall from the sky,” Nelson said. “I couldn’t imagine what it was.” As Nelson turned the corner around the backside of his home he saw the pilot emerging from the wreckage of a small aircraft. The single-engine 1974 Piper PA-28 Cherokee had lost
a wing crashing through the backyard trees and landed on its side against a large oak about 20 feet from Nelson’s home. “The pilot didn’t appear to be hurt, just sort of dazed and shook up,” said Nelson. “He said to call 911 and I already was. I could see the passenger and some blood.” The pilot, 61-year old Greg Huett, exited the plane through its windshield and began pulling out the passenger, 33-yearold Seth Rainwater.
Both men were transported via ambulance to North Mississippi Medical Center in Iuka. Huett was released after being treated for minor injuries, but Rainwater was taken to NMMCTupelo. He remained in the hospital on Wednesday in good condition following surgery. Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration visited the crash site Wednesday morning. Please see PLANE | 2
Play brings back memories for original cast BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The new production of “On Shiloh Hill” is prompting some nostalgic feelings for one of the biggest successes in Corinth Theatre-Arts’ history. “There are a lot of memories there at the coliseum,” said Marilyn Ruth Norcom, who portrayed Jesse in the April 1987 staging of Bill Schustik’s musical play about Shiloh. Norcom, who moved from Corinth in 1996, recalled the novelty of having the New York play writer come to the Cross City for the small-town production of his play, which had made its debut at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C. “I remember it being a lot of fun, and Bill Shustick was great to work with,” she said. “I had never done a show quite like that where you never left the stage and there were no scenery changes.” Corinth Theatre-Arts is bringing it back with performances at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, all at the coli-
Schools adopts dress code changes BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
The Alcorn School District Board of Directors voted to adopt a number of changes to the Alcorn School District Student Handbook Dress Code during the board’s regular monthly meeting on Monday. The changes in dress code policy were developed in a collaborative effort by the district’s students, parents and principals, said Superintendent Gina Rogers Smith. The new policy will go into effect at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year. Copies of the new dress code policy will be sent home with students at the end of the current school year so that parents and students will be prepared for the beginning of the new school year. Please see DRESS | 2
seum at 404 Taylor Street. Norcom recalled posing for a newspaper photo in her elaborate period costuming at Battery Robinett. She got an early start with CTA, appearing in “Julie Joins the Circus” at eight or nine years old. She is looking forward to seeing the new production of “On Shiloh Hill” and is excited that her daughter, Skyler Ruth Norcom, will have a part in the event. The 12-year-old violinist will play music in the coliseum lobby prior to each show. Jan Grady, who chaired the CTA board at the time, remembers an uncommon energy and buzz surrounded the production. “I have never been involved with anything quite like it,” she said. “We filled the coliseum three times. A lot of the reenactors came to town in their attire. With Bill Shustick here, that lent some glamour and authenticity to the piece.” The weather also added a little drama.
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
The Easom Outreach Foundation is closer to an agreement with the Corinth School District that would see it begin its first community program at the former South Corinth Elementary campus in June. The foundation proposes a light start with a community feeding program as the first phase of development. The district will be working with the group to hammer out the details of a sale and transfer of the property. Superintendent Lee Childress and Board of Trustees President Ann Walker recently
Please see PLAY | 2
Ben Strickland is part of the 25th anniversary cast of On Shiloh Hill.
Please see OUTREACH | 2
Agreement nears on former school property BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Index Stocks........7 Classified......14 Comics...... 12 Wisdom...... 11
Weather........5 Obituaries........ 3 Opinion........4 Sports........8
On this day in history 150 years ago April 12 “The Great Locomotive Chase” — Major James Anderson and 22 Union volunteers steal the locomotive “General” and set out on a raid to destroy trestles and tunnels. Closely pursued by Confederates, the mission fails.
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