Saturday Dec. 1,
2012
50 cents
Daily Corinthian Vol. 116, No. 290
2012 Christmas Basket Fund “A Community Tradition”
Basket drive exceeds $2,000 The spirit of giving is alive and well in the Crossroads area as donations continue to arrive daily for the 17th annual Corinth Rotary Club/Daily Corinthian 2012 Christmas Basket Fund. The civic club and newspaper have set a $20,000 community fundraising goal this year so 1,000 food baskets can be given away to local families on Saturday, Dec. 15, at the Crossroads Arena. The total now stands at $2,230, meaning $17,770 still needs to be raised from the community as there will be no corporate match this year. Recent donations include $50 from Don L. and Marica Glisson in honor of Women in Prayer at First United Methodist Church; $25 from Ruth Lovell in memory of her husband, Henry Please see BASKET | 2
KC’s hosts cultural offerings BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
A variety of cultural offerings are slated for December at KC’s Espresso in downtown Corinth. A collection of Corinth’s musical talent will step to the stage on Saturday, Dec. 8, for KC’s monthly Open Mic night beginning at 6:30 p.m. Performers at the Open Mic nights come from all walks of life and represent all genres of music, said KC’s owner Melinda Billingsley. Usually around 10 performers share the night’s stage time, each playing a 15- to 20-minute set. Billingsley said she hopes her business’ monthly Open Mic events will offer a safe alternative for area young people, where they can come together and enjoy music and friendship in an environment free of drugs and alcohol. And it’s not just for kids, Billingsley pointed out. “It’s for kids and adults — but mostly it’s the kids who take advantage,” she said. She also emphasized that the event is open to everyone, not just the musically inclined. A person doesn’t have to be a musician or a singer, she said, just to come hang out. The annual KC’s Espresso Christmas show will be held Thursday, Dec. 20, at 6:30 p.m. The Christmas show will feaPlease see KC’S | 3
Partly sunny Today
Tonight
68
52
0% chance of rain
• Corinth, Mississippi • 16 pages • 1 section
Fire damages Baptist church BY MARK BOEHLER editor@dailycorinthian.com
Quick actions of volunteer firefighters were a factor in saving a rural Alcorn County Baptist church late Friday afternoon after a fire broke out in the attic above the fellowship hall. A unit from Pisgah Community Volunteer Fire Department was the first to arrive about 3:40 p.m. Friday at Danville Baptist Church, located at 220 Alcorn County Road 409 southeast of Biggersville about four miles east of U.S. 72. Pisgah Fire Chief Gary Yancy said flames and smoke were coming from the attic in the red brick fellowship hall in a separate structure from the church sanctuary. Seven Pisgah firemen and additional units from Rienzi and Biggersville had the fire under control by 4:10 p.m. Firemen remained on the scene a couple of hours. “It was a good response,” said Yancy at the scene, whipping sweat from his brow. “We managed to knock it down pretty quick.” Although dozens of onlook-
Staff photo by Mark Boehler
Please see FIRE | 2
Pisgah Community Volunteer Fire Department firefighters knock down hot spots in an attic fire Friday afternoon at Danville Baptist Church.
Angel Tree seeks special adoptions BY STEVE BEAVERS sbeavers@dailycorinthian.com
The Salvation Army is reaching out to the community for help. The agency is looking for individuals to adopt a child from its annual Angel Tree. More than 200 names are on the tree at the entrance of Walmart in Corinth. “Adopting an angel will provide a child in need a wonderful Christmas,” said Michelle Miles, Salvation Army director. “I encourage everyone to help us with these children.” Those interested in adopting should simply take a name off the tree. The child’s name along with clothing sizes and particular toy desired are placed on the tree in the form of a Christmas-type ornament. “All of the angel’s information is on the tag,” said Miles. Once people are finished shopping for the child, they should place the gifts in a black garbage bag and tape the angel Please see ANGEL | 5
Staff photo by Steve Beavers
Salvation Army employees Cindy Burcham (left) and Michelle Miles put the names of children on the agency’s annual Angel Tree. The tree will be at Walmart today for the public to adopt children.
Parade features more than 100 entries BY BOBBY J. SMITH bjsmith@dailycorinthian.com
Corinth can expect another day of nice weather for the annual Corinth-Alcorn County Christmas Parade tonight in downtown Corinth. The National Weather Ser-
vice is giving no chances of rain for Saturday. Skies will be partly cloudy with a high of 69 degrees and a low of 52. Sponsored by Main Street Corinth, the parade begins at 5 p.m. The theme for this year’s parade is “Candy Canes and
Christmas Carols,” and the parade will follow the annual route from First Baptist Church and the Corinth Library down Fillmore Street. Grand marshals will be the Corinth Lady Warriors softball team. The Lady Warriors
claimed the school’s first softball championship in October by besting Newton County for the Class 4A Slow-Pitch title. More than 100 entrants, including 17 floats, have regisPlease see PARADE | 5
Officer training center continues growth BY JEBB JOHNSTON jjohnston@dailycorinthian.com
Since its inception in 2009, the Northeast Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Academy has given no-cost training in advanced topics to more than 3,600 law enforcement officers. Based at Northeast at Corinth, the center recently added Blue Mountain College to its partner agencies along with Corinth, Al-
corn County, Farmington and Northeast Mississippi Community College. Director Bowen Johnson, a retired special agent for the FBI, believes it has improved the skills of law officers while serving as an economic boost to the community by drawing officers from six states to participate in training. A recent session on pursuit policies drew about 60 to Corinth for
Index Stocks........7 Classified......14 Comics...... 13 Wisdom........ 7
Weather........5 Obituaries........ 3 Opinion........4 Sports...... 10
the largest class to date. “These are people who will eat here,” said Johnson. “They will shop here. Some will go visit the historic sites.” The center has aimed to cover topics such as computer crime and sexual assault investigations that are relevant but not usually readily available. “I knew that there was no Please see CENTER | 2
On this day in history 150 years ago Lt. Gen. John Pemberton, commander of the Department of Mississippi and East Louisiana, is forced to abandon his headquarters at Oxford and create a new defensive line south of the Yalabusha River at Grenada.