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Daily Corinthian Vol. 117, No. 66
• Corinth, Mississippi •
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67
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20 pages • Two sections
Liquor petition effort reaches signature goal BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
IUKA — The Tishomingo County petition for an election on the legalization of liquor and beer has reached the target number but is now going for a cushion of extra names. The petition needed 2,592 signatures of qualified voters, and the number has reached 2,601. The circuit clerk’s office has been checking names as they have been gathered gradually over the last few years. Charles “Tubby� Aldridge, the man behind the petition, originally planned to present the names to the Tishomingo County Board of Supervisors Monday morning, but he decided on Friday to delay presenting the petition in order to build a cushion of 100 extra names in case it is challenged. In the last few weeks, he needed less than 100 to reach
Staff photo by Brant Sappington
Corinth firefighters feed a water line into a burning home on Third Street Saturday as they work to extinguish the blaze. It caused severe damage to the house just after 1 p.m.
Fire sweeps through home BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
No one was injured Saturday when fire swept through a home on Third Street sending thick smoke through the neighborhood that could be seen
throughout the city. Fire broke out at the home around 1 p.m. Saturday and the fire was burning strongly when firefighters arrived on the scene. Corinth Fire Department Lt.
John C. Butler Jr. said heavy flames were visible from the north side of the house coming out of the windows when they first got to the home. Please see FIRE | 2A
2,592, and Aldridge said those signatures came pretty easily. “As quick as the weather got where I could get out, they flocked to me,� he said. When a valid petition is presented, the county will set a special election date between 30 and 60 days later. Brewing since April 2010, Aldridge’s petition has taken a long and winding path. He originally thought he needed 1,500 names for the countywide vote and learned only after presenting them to the circuit clerk that the number needed was actually about 1,000 more. The signatures were checked for validity at that time and have continued to be checked along the way as he has presented batches of additional signatures. Mississippi’s new state law opening up the possibility of liquor elections for numerPlease see PETITION | 2A
Bass tournament will reel in funds for St. Jude BY BRANT SAPPINGTON bsappington@dailycorinthian.com
Area anglers will have the chance to reel in some serious prize money while helping children suffering from cancer and other life-threatening illnesses during an upcoming bass tournament on Pickwick Lake. The Fifth Annual Pickwick Big Bass Classic casts off on March 30 at JP Coleman State Park with all proceeds going to
benefit the Sardis St. Jude Bass Classic which annually donates thousands of dollars to support the work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
With a total purse of $15,000 and a unique multiple weigh-in format the tournament offers fishermen numerous opportunities to bring home big bucks while using their sport to give back to St. Jude. Tournament organizer Chris Morlok’s passion for helping the children of St. Jude comes from a lifetime of seeing the good the center has done. His father, Dennis Morlok, retired
from St. Jude as its chief financial officer after almost 30 years, and he grew up witnessing firsthand his father’s love for the hospital and the difference it makes in children’s lives. “It’s just such a special place,� he said. His father has played a key role in organizing the annual Sardis tournament for St. Jude and he’s participated in every one for many years. He said he
heard from a lot of his fellow fishermen a desire to have a St. Jude supporting tournament on Pickwick Lake and five years ago he stepped out on faith and launched the Pickwick Big Bass Classic with the funds raised benefit the Sardis event’s efforts to raise funds for St. Jude. He said the Pickwick event has grown steadily over the Please see TOURNEY | 2A
Arnold proud of state’s school prayer stand BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
As a pastor, Rep. Tracy Arnold is proud of Mississippi for standing up for the religious rights of students in public schools. “It’s a good day to be a Christian and a Mississippian,� Arnold said on Friday, one day after Senate Bill 2633 was signed into law by Gov. Phil Bryant. SB 2633 is the Senate version of the House bill Arnold coauthored that allows children to express their faith in Mississippi’s public schools. “Now they can have prayer at graduations and ballgames and be able to express their religious beliefs,� said Arnold. “It’s getting prayer back in schools. It’s one of the main things I was running to do.� Also known as the Mississippi Religious Liberties Act of 2013, the bill states that volun-
tary student expression of religious viewpoints in public schools is permitted, that public school districts shall allow religious Arnold expression in class assignments and that students will have the freedom to organize religious groups and activities in public schools. “Thank God,� said Arnold, “I believe this will bring the favor of God on our great state and its leadership.� Arnold is the main author of another bill that will soon come to the floor in the Senate. House Bill 1322 will give tax credits to companies or individuals who hire veterans coming home after serving overseas. The bill
“It’s a good day to be a Christian and a Mississippian.� Rep. Tracy Arnold unanimously passed in the House and has passed the Finance Committee and will likely be signed into law early next week. “A lot of our military guys can’t find employment coming home. They’re good mannered and qualified — and it’s very distressing to them,� Arnold said. “This will help them find jobs coming home.� Arnold said he is also happy with the work he did on bills protecting the privacy of gun owners and clarifying the state’s handgun carry policy.
Index Stocks......8A Classified......5B Comics.. Inside State......5A
Submitted photo
This Bible belonged to Gov. Phil Bryant’s great-grandmother and was sitting on his desk during the signing of the state’s new law protecting religious expression for students in public schools.
On this day in history 150 years ago
Weather......5A Obituaries......3A Opinion......4A Sports....10A
The all-cavalry Battle of Kelly’s Ford, fought in Culpepper County, Va., is technically a Confederate victory, but the loss of celebrated Maj. John Pelham casts a pall over the win. Tthe Federal cavalry proves it can hold its own against Jeb Stuart’s men.
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