Wednesday Jan. 23,
2013
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 117, No. 20
Partly cloudy Today
Tonight
47
35
0% chance rain
• Corinth, Mississippi • 20 pages • Two sections
Farmington forms GOP executive committee BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
FARMINGTON — Republicans in Farmington have formed an executive committee to conduct Republican primary elections in the town if they are needed. The city’s mayor and aldermen recently declared their allegiance to the Republican Party and said they will run for office as Republicans. Candi-
dates had previously all run as independents in Farmington elections, and party executive committees will now be required to conduct the primaries. In a meeting Monday night, interested Republicans elected John Lewis, Jim Burnett, Joann Wilbanks, Stacy Holloway, Shirley Fortenberry and Nathan Farr to the executive committee. Mayor Dale
Fortenberry said the committee plans to meet this week and elect a chairman and secretary. If anyone chooses to run for office as a Democrat, a Democratic Executive Committee will be needed, as well. At this point, Fortenberry said he hasn’t heard of any plans for one to be formed. The winners of the primaries held by the parties advance to
the municipal general election. If the election is uncontested as it was four years ago, the city is not required to hold the election, and that is a big cost savings to the town, the mayor said. Fortenberry said he is seeking a third term as mayor of Farmington. Elected mayor in 2005, he also served one term as an alderman, having been elected in Farmington’s first
general election. In addition to Fortenberry, Municipal Clerk Debora Jackson said two other incumbent officeholders have submitted a statement of intent to run on the Republican ticket as of Tuesday — Bill Hebert and Johnny Potts, both of whom will seek a second term as aldermen. The qualifying period is open through March 8.
City board hires new fire chief BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
The Corinth Board of Aldermen on Tuesday promoted a Corinth fireman to fire chief. Billy Briggs, a captain with the department, will fill the post previously held by Rob Price for nine years. Price has retired. The field of applicants had been narrowed to four, and each of those had interviews with the board in executive session during Tuesday's special meeting. Applications were accepted until Jan. 15. Applicants were required to have 10 years of work experience in a career fire department and one year in a supervisory position in a career fire department.
The job requires a high school diploma or equivalent and meeting standards of the National Fire Protection Association, National Incident Management System, and the Mississippi Fire Personnel Minimum Standards and Certification Board. Assistant Chief John Wood, who did not seek the chief's job, has served as acting chief in the interim. In other business, the board accepted a bid of $77,007 from EnviroRem, Inc., of Memphis, Tenn., for removal and disposal of asbestos from the former Wurlitzer property. Other bids were Specialty Please see CHIEF | 2A
Corinth Theatre-Arts host Cabaret Sunday Staff photo by Steve Beavers
United Methodist Women members Glenda Andrews (left) and Diane Mathis look through the UMW cookbook, “Welcome To Our Table,” that will be available to purchase during the annual Lenten Luncheons which start Feb. 13.
Lenten Luncheon continues BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
A season tradition is slated for its 33rd anniversary the second Wednesday of February. The annual Lenten Luncheons at First United Methodist Church will begin Feb. 13 in the church fellowship hall on Jackson Street. Lunches will be served each Wednesday at 11:45 a.m. during the seven weeks of Lent. Ash Wednesday kicks off the
Easter tradition of spiritual renewal and fellowship which runs through March 27. Cost of lunch is $6 with proceeds going to support local and state missions. Area inspirational ministers and speakers will deliver seasonal messages along with music and singing for the crowds. The luncheons are made possible by the United Methodist Women of the church. “The women of the church
volunteer their time and culinary skills to provide meals for this annual event,” said Brenda Childs. “The UMW ladies look forward to the lunches because they enjoy cooking, preparing and fellowshipping as they prepare each week.” Weekly speakers and menus will be listed in future editions of the Daily Corinthian. “Luncheons are planned around noon each week so evPlease see LUNCHEON | 2A
BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
Corinth’s community theater group is looking for local performers to sign up for this weekend’s Cabaret Sunday, a new event taking the stage Sunday night at the Crossroads Playhouse. “By all means, sign up!” said Corinth Theatre-Arts Technical Director David Maxedon. “This is a wonderfully free format — it’s a celebration of all talents, not just acting or singing. Poetry, stand-up comedy, dance numbers... all varieties of entertainment and expression can be showcased.” Cabaret Sunday is part of the new initiatives introduced by Artistic Director Cristina Skinner. With sev-
eral new members on the theatre board, 2013 is the year of innovations and change for CT-A. The theme for the first Cabaret Sunday is “Titanic!” — anything related to the great ship that went down on April 15, 1912. “Most of the audience will be asked to join in a Titanicthemed improvisation game — or two,” said Skinner. “I have local favorite Dan Marsh working on a piece and Jennifer Strachen is working on a monologue.” Other suggestions for performers: a scene from the play “Shipwrecked!”; a scene from Christopher Durang’s “Titanic”; a comedic-interpretive Please see CT-A | 2A
Advocacy group seeks amendments to charter school bill BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
With a bill for charter schools going to a vote in the Mississippi House within the next couple of days, a Jackson-based advocacy group is calling for amendments to the bill that will call for more accountability. “Only about three sentences are required to make this a charter bill that is good for kids, but both the House and Senate appear to be going around the world to benefit the for-profits and allow mom-and-pop char-
ter schools with no track of success,” said Nancy Loome, executive director of The Parents’ Campaign. The group is asking citizens of Mississippi to contact their representatives ask for amendments that require charter schools and their management organizations to be non-profit and require that charters be granted only to those who have demonstrated significant academic suceess. The Parents’ Campaign also wants amendments to expressly prohibit virtual charter schools
and remove the conflict of interest exemption regarding textbook companies. Loome’s group maintains that charter schools can be beneficial for the state’s education system, but the bill as it now stands has been corrupted by lobbyist dollars. “If there were any questions about whether for-profit lobbyists were influencing these charter schools bills, the House bill should answer them,” said Loome. Loome points out that the
Index Stocks...... 7A Classified......5B Comics......3B Wisdom......2B
Weather......5A Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Sports......8A
House bill not only allows charter schools to be managed by forprofit corporations, it rewrites the conflict of interest statute that prevents school employees and school board members from representing textbook publishing companies. “It keeps that needed restriction in place for traditional public schools but, unbelievably, specifically exempts charter schools’ employees and board members,” she said. On Tuesday the Mississippi House Education Committee
voted 16-14 to approve House Bill 369, which would expand charter schools in the state. Voting yes were 14 Republicans, including District 3 Rep. Tracy Arnold. District 2 Rep. Nick Bain was among the 10 Democrats who voted against the bill in the committee. A full vote in the House is expected before the end of the week. (For more information about The Parents’ Campaign visit www.msparentscampaign. org.)
On this day in history 150 years ago The morale in the muddy Army of the Potomac is at an all-time low. The “Mud March” failed and Burnside blamed his senior officers and tried to fire them all. The soggy and dispirited soldiers were given extra rations of liquor and began fighting among themselves.
Now Renting 2012 Nissans!
Call Donna or Brandi for complete details and rates!
286.6006
BROSE
HWY 72 E • Corinth MS www.broseautoplex.com