By Brant Sappington

Staff Writer

Work on Alcorn County’s new regional jail and justice center continues and officials expect upcoming dry weather to allow even more progress to be made.

County Engineer Ricky Newcomb told the board of supervisors this week the contractor expects to begin digging the first footing for the state jail building this week.

He said work on the building appears to be on schedule overall and more dry weather will help.

“It’s moving on pretty good with us having some dry weather,” he said.

The $17.1 million project is located between the National Guard Armory and the Juvenile Detention Center on South Harper Road. It is being built by Flintco Inc. of Oklahoma City.

The facility includes a 308-bed segment to house state inmates as a Mississippi Department of Corrections Regional Jail, 290 beds for city and county prisoners and offices for the Alcorn County Sheriff’s Department, Corinth Police Department, Corinth-Alcorn County E-911, Alcorn County Emergency Management, Alcorn County Justice Court and Corinth Municipal Court.

The center is being financed through a bond issue to be funded by money generated through the county’s contract with MDOC to operate the regional jail, along with funds from a purchase and lease agreement between the city and county for use of the city’s portion of the center and the housing of city inmates.