WCBI NEWS AT 6 - 10/07/20

Good evening everyone... an arrest is made in the arson of two church vans.

Tarmarcus thomas is charged with arson.

He was arrested late yesterday and remains in the lowndes county jail.

The fire happened at 10th avenue church of christ, which is across the street from the old hunt high school, over the weekend.

Fire chief martin andrews tells wcbi that investigators believe this fire is unrelated to the one in east columbus.

Firefighters and law enforcement are using evidence found at the scene, along with video surveillance in the investigation.

The vans were destroyed in the blaze.

Stinger more people are in mississippi hospitals with covid-19 symptoms. the state department of health is reporting 588 new cases today, along with 24 deaths.

588 people are hospitalized with confirmed or suspected coronavirus.

125 of those patients are in i.c.u.

And 58 are on a ventilator.

The 25 - 39-year-old age group continues to have the most cases.

Right now, only 12 point three percent of cases require hospitalization.

Off top it was the spring break that never ended.

Last school year, when students left, most of them didn't return to class for the remainder of the semester.

Now, colleges across the country, are trying to stop that from happening again.

Ole miss, mississippi state, and the w have all opted to cancel their spring breaks entirely.

All three facilities took a similar stance.

Roll vo in monitor the good ole saying - take it day by day.

Has been the motto for both oktibbeha/starkvil both roll vo in monitor first look hurricane delta: this strong storm is expected to make landfall in louisiana late friday and then move into north mississippi late friday night and into saturday.

Our area is still in line for isolated tornadoes, gusty winds, and heavy rainfall.

Wednesday night: mostly clear to partly cloudy and quiet.

Lows in the 50s with calm wind.

Thursday: a mix of clouds and sunshine.

Warm highs in the 80s.

Light ene winds 2-6 mph.

Thursday night: clouds thicken with areas of rain possible.

Lows in the mid 60s.

Friday: mostly first look stinger record numbers are expected as... more than 60 thousand absentee ballots have been sent out across the state... all in anticipation of the november third presidential election.

Locally several circuit clerks say they've been very busy.

Wcbi's stephen pimpo gets a feel local absentee requests and joins us live from the lowndes county courthouse.

In was inside the lowndes county courthouse today and there was a steady stream of folks coming in to vote absentee or make a request.

That's been the case for days... but just down the road in macon it's a different story.

The high demand for absentee ballots has just begun in lowndes county.

"been very heavy.

We started absentee voting last week and we're already up to around 1600 right now."

Lowdnes county circuit clerk teresa barksdale says her staff is processing nearly 75 absentee ballot requests and mailouts each day.

"had to hire some extra help in the office because the traffic flow has increased already within the first week."

Barksdale says the reasons for the spike in absentee voting is two-fold.

First, the high- profile presidential election at the top of the ballot.

"i think it's just because of the candidates.

I think a lot of people are advertising and just the two candidates we have running, it's created a lot of interest on both sides."

But with that interest likely creating long all the conditions formally and away from the lord spoke to dr. test is absentee ballot for that that experience and just had opportunity to be a the keys every xp county circuit court reader this process to $500, 000 worth to due to the lack of english is will see and staff during their best those ballots is still standardized past the november election we need this interest to continuing our local races we have all countywide election saw the in the interviews the deadline for absentee voting in mississippi's art over 30 over 31st places like the lowndes county courthouse will be open those last two saturdays are watching very november november 3 for more information on absentee voting the website wcb i report in columbus to vote wcb ideas schools are also facing some challenges throughout this entire school year as virtual and in person morning exchange and continues to fall to bobby martinez takes a walk and how administrators are handling all of these changes as you will be able to adjust and the challenges presented to them as the key to keeping this school year up and running this summarizing the words continues to age for residents throwing all the focus has been safety for both students and teachers something to reason from inside with the blessed with the thought had a major quarantines of the before was academy.

This was the traditional way of learning virtual hybrid headmaster polio said the plans have not changed with the mental state with a traditional one for which you could do virtual distance learning will we do that for little while but with cisco though this is the to come back and head of penitents and students is for us the choice of the traditional way of learning: high risk of spreading virus estimates are coming from different parts of the county the medical community.

From an old woman things the question of performance is to start the students could 3 ounces of learning traditional verse one hybrid hybrid model has now been written and exhausted several students are going towards the traditional way instead of a families or bombing will words and what doesn't work because of you know when you the phone was not working was the work and for some of them have decided to go the traditional setting might be a better option for the processing of faculty and students is making this transition to one of them so we tried to install schedule and some were schools they have brought in groups of students from virtual to traditional weekly glioma will monday and soyou know something good is happening when traffic is backed up for about a mile.

Baptist golden triangle hosted its annual flu shot giveaway.

This year, everyone drove up for their shot and didn't even have to get out of their car.

Traffic was backed up all the way from the hospital to 18th avenue north.

In fact, 650 vaccinations were done within the first hour and a half.

If you got a shot, you also had to wear a facemask.

The vaccine was available for anyone aged 18 and up.

More than 13 hundred shots were available.

The good ole saying - take it day by day.

Has been the motto for both hundred shots were available.

Students at an itawamba county school are learning first hand about the farm to table process.

They grow it and cook it and serve it up.

Wcbi's allie martin tells us about the interactive classroom kitchen.

These dorsey attendance center fifth and sixth graders are measuring and mixing ingredients for banana bread.

Nats the culinary classroom features two mobile kitchen carts, along with aprons, utensils, and a curriculum.

Counselor noell vanasselberg applied for the 51 thousand dollar grant through the blue cross blue shield foundation of mississippi.

She says students are learning about nutrition, along with science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

"we talk about measurements, one of the main things you have to have in a recipe, measurements, ingredients we use, following instructions, as well as we try and incorporate lots of creativity in our items, they will have caramel apples, they will decorate those anyway they prefer, we try and include a lot of art."

Principal carson cook says grants are vital for schools that want to provide unique learning opportunities for students.

"we are a title i school and without the grant, mrs. noell wrote, we would not have had the funds to purchase this and give the students the opportunity to see and be involved with culinary arts ."

The grant also paid for an outdoor pavilion, and a greenhouse, where students are growing vegetables, fruit, flowers, and herbs, which will eventually be used in the cooking class.

Students enjoy the hands-on lessons.

"it's fun, you get to learn a lot of new stuff about what you can and cannot eat and all cool stuff you can probably do at home."

"i like it cause all the kids get to cook and we get to grow our own plants."

The greenhouse and culinary arts classroom will be around for students at dorsey attendance center for years to come.

Educators hope it will teach a few lessons and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Allie martin, wcbi news to help those grant dollars go as far as possible, the principal and school's custodian built the greenhouse and outdoor pavilion themselves this summer.

It was an opportunity for residents in amory to visit with those who protect and serve everyday.

The amory main street association organized "coffee with a cop."

Officers from the amory police department and monroe county sheriff's office were at the event.

Coffee with a cop is held on a national level the first wednesday in october.

It is meant to encourage positive communication and positive interactions between police and the public.

"i work in aberdeen, at offices in aberdeen, and i'm there a whole lot more, i'm from this area, there's a lot of people i hadn't seen in awhile, gives me a chance to catch up."

"an environment where it's a meet and greet basically, it's not a problem where they have an issue with something, it's just interaction with people we work for" "the coffee pot" provided coffee for the two hour event, while "brown eyes bakery" provided treats for coffee with a cop.

Stinger stinger weather open hurricane delta: this strong storm is expected to make landfall in louisiana late friday and then move into north mississippi late friday night and into saturday.

Our area is still in line for isolated tornadoes, gusty winds, and heavy rainfall.

Wednesday night: mostly clear to partly cloudy and quiet.

Lows in the 50s with calm wind.

Thursday: a mix of clouds and sunshine.

Warm highs in the 80s.

Light ene winds 2-6 mph.

Thursday night: clouds thicken with areas of rain possible.

Lows in the mid 60s.

Friday: mostly cloudy with areas of rain or showers.

The chance of rain is 50%.

Highs in the upper 70s.

Winds ne 5-15 mph.

Friday night & saturday: the remnants of hurricane delta will swirl through the region.

Impacts include isolated tornadoes, wind gusts 30-40 mph , and 1-4" of rain .

The heaviest rain now looks to be along and northwest of the natchez trace.

Humid highs the 70s are favored with the storm bringing in tropical air from the gulf of mexico.

Sunday: some rain and clouds could linger but it depends on how soon the remnants of delta exit the region.

Highs in the upper 70s to around 80 are possible.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and the wcbi news app stinger northeast mississippi is no stranger to talented atheltes on the gridiron...we highlights one of them as wcbi's player of the week, next in sports spx open the last time ole miss football was able to serve the alabama crimson tide with an upset was five years ago in 2015 at the time, ole miss head coach lane kiffin served as alabama's offensive coordinator the tables now turn on coach kiffin, because now it's kiffin's turn to lead the rebels torwards a hopeful upset over the 2nd ranked crimson tide however since the 2015 win, alabama has won the last four contests averaging 58 points per game while only allowing 84 points total from the rebels coach kiffin isn't anticipating this season's test to be any easier kiffin: "great opponent.

Probably coach's best team that he's had you know as far as no holes.

So big challenge for us.

You know the outcomes the last three years and so it's our goal to not to let that happen again."

Saban: "ole miss has been a team that's caused lots of problems for us in the past.

Ruined a couple of seasons for us.

So we certainly need to have the proper respect for this team and if we don't with the number of points that they've scored...42 and 35...in the first two weeks in one of the top offensive teams in the country we need to have the proper respect for what we're going to do go on the road and play well to have success."

Two weeks in the s- e-c season and mississippi state football is already riding a roller coaster following a week one upset over l- s-u and a tough fall against unranked arkansas in week two...the bulldogs head to kentucky looking to make offensive adjustments and pick up the team's second conference win head coach mike leach says his sights are set on improvement leach: "you just have to get better.

I've never really had expecations you just try to be as good as you possibly can every day and you get your best.

Which that's a challenge but you get your best and see where it takes you."

Quarterbacks have dominated this season in receiving our player of the week honor however, this week...we're switching it up and sharing the love with one running back in particular nettleton tigers running back roderick patterson was clawing his way down the field friday night for a grand total of 208 yards and 3 touchdowns against belmont.

After missing time due to quarantine, patterson put on a performance that he credits to the hardwork he and this team put in during the week to be ready for the friday night lights!

"really it all starts at practic.

We always say get all our work in at practice and have fun on fridays.

Put all the work in on the field.

It felt good because i went two weeks without touching a football to now have probably the best game of my season.

" "he's a kid that worked very very hard all summer.

You hate it when kids lose opportunities but he's made up for it.

He's earned all of this because of how hard he works so i hope we keep having opportunities to be successful moving forward."

The tigers next opportunity to shine comes tomorrow against kossuth.

Week six of high school football will be featured under the thursday night lights and so will our wcbi endzone game of the week get ready for another fierce battle in 4a ball as the itawamba ahs indians and the shannon red raiders get ready to go head to head the x-x indians will head into shannon's house to face a red raider team that is on a two-game winning streak averaging 33 points a game we'll be live from shannon thursday night before getting you ready for this week's special thursday edition of thursday night endzone when we return...chief meteorologist keith gibson will have a last look at your forecast.

You are watching wcbi news at six.