WCBI News At Six - 10-24-20

WCBI News At Six - 10-24-20

Show open the nation's battle against covid-19 is moving in a dangerous direction.éé the latest surge is pushing the number of infections to more than 8.4 million and increasing the death toll past 223-thousand.éé michael george has the latest.

éé script: anthony fauci: this a precarious place to be in..

Another dire warning friday from the nation's top infectious disease doctor it came the same day 41 states reported an increase in average new cases.

15 states also showed record hospitalizations - indicating more precautions are needed -- fast,.

Msnbc fri0298 dr. anthony fauci: we're not talking about shutting down, but we're talking about doubling down on some of the fundamental public health measures we need to adhere to.

Fri0300 nat sound up/cooking on stove on friday, one tennessee county has made masks mandatory &.

Fri0290 and health officials in florida discouraged birthday parties for kids after a sweet 16 party spread the virus: sot - raul pino, md, mph / orange county health director: "we know that it was a sweet 16.

We know that about 30 kids participated from more than one high school... some sport team members... fri015 and the association of american medical colleges called for coordinated national testing program: fri0151 "with routine testing, we can find place and find individuals who are infected faster and make sure we isolate them until they are no longer contagious."

But, in wisconsin - the state with the biggest surge, politics may be getting in the way of safety: tue0215sot tony evers - it is now 188 since the legislature last met and things aren't getting any easier: the democratic governor can't convince the republican legislature to meet and help him impose stricker safety measures: fri0243 and in one indiana county where church gatherings spead the virus, the country health commission had to explain why a crackdown is important" "if our cluster analysis also showed that car dealerships..

And smoothie shops and the mall were identified as common sources of exposure..

We would also be reaching out to them with that same information."

For its part, the federal government appears to be focusing its efforts on developing covid vaccines and treatments..

The f- d-a for the first time officially approved a covid- 19 drug.

The anti- viral remdesivir thursday.

Fri0298 both astrozeneca & johnson & johnson's vaccine trials resumed friday after it was determined volunteers' illnesses were not caused by the drugs.

But, in waiting, for a cure, having to report the latest terrible facts in illinois brought the director of public health to tears: fri0211 dr. ngozi ezike/director, illinois department of public health "since yesterday we lost an additional 31 lives, for a total of 9418 deaths.

These are people who started with us in 2020, and won't be with us at the thanksgiving table: the mississippi state department of health is reporting high numbers of covid- 19 cases.

éé there are 1212 new cases in the state and 17 deaths being reported.

éé 569 people are hospitalized .éé 152 of those patients are in i.c.u.

éé in our area, lowndes and oktibbeha counties are both reporting 16 new cases each.

éé winton county has 8.

éé as one round of rain and storms exits the area, our attention turns to our next system which will bring us some rain by the middle of the week.

A tropical system forming in the gulf could bring us even more rain around the same time.

Fortunately, friday and halloween weekend look dry for now.

Saturday night: patchy light drizzle will continue tonight, but we're not expecting any significant rain twitter, and instagram.

Tupelo police are investigating a drive by shooting in haven acres.éé the shooting happened around 7:30.

éé police chief bart aguirre says at least one person was shot in the foot.éé the victim received treated at north mississippi medical center.

éé we will have more details as they are released.

éé the lowndes county narcotics task force is teaming up with the dea for the national prescription drug take back day.

éé area residents were offered a safe drop off location for old and un-needed medication.

éé the medicine cabinet is often the source of abused prescription drugs.

éé deputies educated participants about the potential of abusing medication and national surveys.

éé thanks to a lee county ministry, hundreds of hungry people are provided much needed food every month.éé our chad groening has more.éé volunteers operated like a well oiled assembly line, as cars pulled up and were loaded with food.

The event was sponsored by grace and mercy ministries at the anchor church in verona.

And volunteers from first baptist cornith made the trek to help hand out the food.

Robbie gillespie of transformation ranch runs servant's heart food pantry which he started about a year ago.

"and we've been giving food away to 300 people for the past three months.

And every friday i get food from the food pantry and give it to individuals who need it.

David ball is senior pastor of anchor church which relocated to this building in march of 2018 in what had been for many years first baptist church of verona.

"we knew that there was a huge need in verona.

And a lot of people were leaving verona, moving out of verona.

And god called us into verona."

And verona has been hit hard by the economic impact of the coronavirus.

"you know a whole lot of people aren't working right now.

They're able to draw unemployment so we're able to feed give 60 to 90 pound boxes once a month to families in need.

You know we give away clothes out front we have clothes.

We want to help feed and change our community."

"and our church has been ministring to hurting people now for a long time.

I know god is going to grow us and do more."

Chad groening wcbi news verona.

Organizers say they are conducting these feeds once a month.

éé a shannon police officer has a goal of getting "little libraries" in cities and towns throughout lee county.

éé officer jermandy jackson helped set up a "little free library" across the street from verona elementary.

éé jackson says he wants to help young people understand the importance of literacy so he has started an effort to put the book boxes across lee county with books for elementary age students.éé "i want to push education, i want to thank the school superintendent for jumping on board with me and getting on board with our kids who can read more, in our areas, especially in rural areas, i want to see book boxes throughout the area, i'm going to make it my plan to make sure they are throughout the whole county" anyone who wants to donate books can contact jackson through facebook, or the lee county school district office.

éé the retail industry has been struggling, and the pandemic continues to cripple their bottom line.éé we'll have that story after the break.

A rising number of retailers and malls are closing across the country.

éé the retail industry has been struggling, and the pandemic continues to cripple their bottom line.éé nichelle medina reports from los angeles and shows how developers and malls are looking to change the way they do business.

éé a popular tourist attraction in the heart of hollywood is about to be transformed.

The famed hollywood and highland mall will undergo a 100- million dollar makeover.

"i think for us, we've seen that this is probably more important today than it was a year ago."

Shopping malls nationwide were struggling and closing even before the pandemic.

Now a rising number are being pushed to the brink.

25-thousand stores are expected to close in the u-s this year because of the pandemic.

Nearly 60-percent will be in a mall.

The amount surpasses the record of 98- hundred closures last year.

"not only have we seen you know the extinction at an unprecedented pace, but i do unfortunately believe it will continue."

Deborah weinswig of coresight research says high-end malls will likely survive because luxury retail tenants have higher profit margins.

Malls with lower priced stores and more vacancies face the highest risk of closure.

"they may survive as something else, but they won't be a traditional mall.

"with change comes opportunity."

Developers of the hollywood and highland project are re-designing the 5 story complex and renaming it ovation.... there will be less retail and more entertainment and events.

About a third of the complex will be transformed into offices on the upper floors... another third will be dedicated to dining.

"we have kind of this outside dining al fresco area."

It's hoped, that after the pandemic, the open and inviting model will attract locals, tourists and millenials.

"that's really on us as a developer and as an owner to set that stage for brands to figure out creative innovative ways to showcase what they do, who they are."

Re-imagining retail... an idea malls hope consumers will buy into.

Nichelle medina, cbs news, los angeles.

According to the national association of realtors of the malls that have closed permanently in the u.s, some will be turned into another retail center, others will be converted into warehouse/fulfill ment centers.éé a father-son duo are doing their best to keep a positive outlook on life despite the ongoing presence of coronavirus.

éé rob hughes has the story.

éé a five-year old boy is doing his best to keep a positive outlook on life despite the ongoing presence of coronavirus.

Wade williams wanted to find a way to help other people, but the virus forced him and his dad to get creative.

Joshua williams suggested to his son that he tell his own story.

The father and son duo hopes their book "wade: through the pandemic" will help uplift kids everywhere.

"basically, 'i'm getting through this, and you can too'," joshua williams said.

The story is told from wade's point of view.

He starts with the day his life changed for the foreseeable future.

"i asked daddy, 'why does it have to be just us'," wade wrote.

"he said, 'because of the coronavirus'."

That was just the beginning.

Shortly after he was pulled out of school, wade's grandma caught the virus.

She eventually got better, but then wade and his family welcomed his baby sister to the world.

Wade has first- hand knowledge of big life changes during an already difficult time, so he wanted to share his perspective.

"to help get kids through the pandemic," wade said.

As for being a published author at just five years old, wade thinks that's pretty cool "to help get kids through the pandemic," wade said.

As for being a published author at just five years old, wade thinks that's pretty cool too.

"it's awesome!"

Wade said.

As one round of rain and storms exits the area, our attention turns to our next system as one round of rain and storms exits the area, our attention turns to our next system which will bring us some rain by the middle of the week.

A tropical system forming in the gulf could bring us even more rain around the same time.

Fortunately, friday and halloween weekend look dry for now.

Saturday night: patchy light drizzle will continue tonight, but we're not expecting any significant rain activity or thunder.

Skies will remain mostly cloudy with temperatures generally staying in the mid 50s overnight.

Sunday: aside from some light morning drizzle, sunday will be dry and mostly cloudy.

Temperatures won't be able to warm up much and highs will only be in the upper 60s.

Monday-tuesday: temperatures will warm up a bit as we go into the week as highs return to near 80 for monday and tuesday.

We'll remain dry for monday and much of tuesday, but some showers are possible late on tuesday as our next system approaches.

Morning lows will be in the upper 50s to near 60.

Wednesday- thursday: our best chance for rain this week will be on wednesday and thursday as a cold front approaches from the west.

Some thunder is also possible, especially on wednesday.

We'll also be watching a tropical system in the gulf that, depending on the exact path, could bring us even more rain and possibly some gusty winds in this time frame.

Either way, rain is likely on both wednesday and thursday with highs in the 70s.

Friday-saturday: any rain and storm activity will move out of the area late thursday, leaving us dry for friday and likely into the weekend as well.

Temperatures will be cooler behind this system, with highs in the mid 60s and overnight lows in the 40s.

As of now, halloween looks to be dry and cool.

To get the latest forecast anytime, download the wcbi news app or visit our website at wcbi.com/weather.

You can also get the latest weather updates on facebook, twitter, and instagram.

As one round of rain and storms exits the area, our attention turns to our next system which will bring us some rain by the middle of the week.

On facebook, twitter, and instagram.

Ole miss back at home to host the auburn tigers...courtney has your full game recap, when we come back following two consecutive losses, the ole miss rebels finding the team during week five of s-e-c play in desparate need of a win against auburn although, ole miss was able to bridge the gap on some mistakes to force a close game...the rebels once again we're unable to close it off in crunch time let's get to oxford....the rebels still looking for the team's second win of the season august auburn and q-b bo nix 2nd quarter, 11 and change and tied at 7 -- auburn qb bo nix connects with wr seth williams -- hurdles a defensive player to get down to the 20 yard line for the first down next possession for the tigers -- nix with the q-b keeper for the 4 yard score...auburn takes the 14-7 lead under 4 to go before the break -- ole miss q-b matt corral takes it himself into the endzone...5 yard touchdown for ole miss and it's all knotted up at 14 second half, 7:13 to go, rebs on offense -- corral fakes the handoff....keeps it...leaps into the endzone for the 10 yard score...it's 21- 14 ole miss tigers not going anywhere -- 3 to go in the 3rd -- rb shaun shivers takes it in for the easy 1 yard touchdown...tied up again...this time it's 21 all 4th quarter....10 and change remaining -- rb tank bigsby on the run...stiff arms a man to dive into the endzone...18 yard touchdown...aubur n up 27-21 after the botched snap...xp no good under 6 remaining..ole miss needing an answer -- rebels get it...rb jerrion ealy takes it in 5 yards for the touchdown and ole miss has the 28-27 lead with under a minute and a half to go...auburn gets the ball back -- nix to williams...down the sideline for the 42 yard touchdown....tiger s go for two and get it...auburn up 35-28 seconds remaining...last chance for ole miss -- corral throws....picked off to end the game... auburn wins it 35-28 corral finishing with 242 yds, 3 touchdowns and 2 picks on the afternoon ole miss falls to 1- 4 on the year..wcbi sports' jon sokoloff was there...he reports from oxford with more lane kiffin: "very dissapointing loss.

Very different than the other ones just having the lead late.

Tough one to swallow.

Probably tougher than the other ones cause it was right there."

Corral: "we worked hard all week.

We did what we were supposed to do.

We excuted what we needed to execute.

We just need to finish.

That's really all it is.

Kiffin: "i talked to him about it.

There's no magic point.

There's no pixi dust.

You have to make more plays than they do and execute in situations.

That's what winning teams do.

I don't know.

I'd like to think they think we're gonna win.

Winning teams have that feeling.

We have the ball were going to go win.

They got the ball were up were going to stop them to win.

So it's a mentality and i try to talk it."

Jon: reporting they got the ball were up were going to stop them to win.

So it's a mentality and i try to talk it."

Jon: reporting from oxford, jon sokoloff wcbi sports."