WCBI NEWS at 6- 11/02/2020

WCBI NEWS at 6- 11/02/2020

Good evening, everyone.

This is the final day to return an absentee ballot in alabama.

And alabama secretary of state john h.

Merrill says he strongly recommends turning in that ballot in person.

Merrill says the ballot must be returned to the county absentee election manager's office.

If returned by mail, the absentee ballot must be postmarked by today and received by noon tomorrow.

That's why he says it makes the most sense to drop it off yourself.

The alabama secretary of state's office is reporting the state has tripled its absentee voting record with more than 300,000 ballots successfully returned.

Polls open in mississippi and in alabama at 7:00 a.m.

If you have never voted, or if it's been a while, here are a few things you should know.

Be sure to bring a photo id.

In both states, you can use a driver's license, a non driver id, a us passport, a government employee id card, a student photo id from a state university, college or community college, a us military id or a tribal id.

If you are not sure where to go to vote, you can look online.

The secretary of state's website allows you to locate your polling place.

You can also call your county circuit clerk's office.

Polls will close at 7:00 p.m.

But if you are already in line at 7:00, you will be allowed to stay in line and cast your vote.

This year's election is not just about the white house.

Republicans are also fighting to keep control of the u-s senate.

Democrats are trying to overcome the g-o- p's 53 to 47 majority to take full control of congress.

Nearly átwice as manyá republican senators are up for re-election this year, and more than one third of them are in competitive races.

One of those races is rematch here in mississippi between senator cindy hyde smith and mike espy.

Nancy cordes reports from new york city.

On the eve of election day - it's not just the presidential race that has republicans nervous.

Senators in formerly safe states are struggling.

In georgia, senator david perdue running neck and neck with a 33 year old democrat, jon ossoff... you shouldn't do everything that your handlers in washington tell you to because you'll lose your soul along the way, senator.

After that moment went viral last week, perdue canceled their final debate...opting for a campaign rally with the president instead& in north carolina, republican senator thom tillis, a supporter of the president, has trailed his democratic challenger cal cunningham for months in what is now the most expensive senate race in áu-s history.á cunningham admitted to an extramartial affair and it still didn't change the polls.

People really need to understand what's a stake.

A senator you can trust that made promises and kept em, or a candidate who's run on a foundation of trust and honor and he's been untruthful and dishonorable.

"martha, just come up fast.

Fast.

Fast.

Come on.

Quick.

You got one minute!"

In arizona, john mccain's former senate seat could also go blue.

Republican senator martha mcsally under fire from former astronaut mark kelly over the gop's response to coronavirus.

"senator, you understand this as a pilot: you guys did step one of the emergency procedure, and then you didn't do anything else.

And that is a colossal failure."

And then there's maine's susan collins, one of the senate's most senior republicans i don't regret any of those votes& she's being hammered for siding with the president in a state he lost by 3 points.

Time and again making excuses for trump's behavior democratic voters have poured money even into "reach" races like south carolina.

They're killing us financially!

Now lindsey graham's battle with democrat jamie harrison is considered a tossup - in a state graham won six years ago by 17 points.

I wish the senator would take the urgency he has for the supreme court nomination to put that into actually doing a bill to address the needs of the folks in south carolina democrats are playing defense in a couple spots.

They're very worried about senator doug jones in alabama.

But of the 13 races we consider battlegrounds, 11 are held by republicans.

Even republican leader mitch mcconnell says his chances of keeping control are 50-50 at best.

Here's what you should know about election night here on wcbi.

Are 50-50 at best.

They're very worried about senator doug jones in alabama.

But of the 13 races we consider battlegrounds, 11 are held by republicans.

Even republican leader mitch mcconnell says his chances of keeping control are 50-50 at best.

Here's what you should know about election night here on wcbi.

For the first time, cbs news will broadcast its election night coverage from times square.

The new state-of- the-art election night studio will use the latest technology, including dozens of visual displays showcasing the latest data and mapping.

The cbs news battleground tracker has surveyed 100,000 people from all 50 states, and the decision desk will show viewers how all the contests are trending.

Anchoring from the cbs news election headquarters will be norah o'donnell; gayle king, and john dickerson.

And you can look for me here tonight with local updates throughout the evening and on wcbi news at 9 on the cw and wcbi news at 10.

Keep the masks handy.

You will be needing them in lowndes county for at least the next six weeks.

The board of supervisors this morning approved extending the county-wide mask mandate through december 15th.

The board all agreed to extend the mandate.

The board also approved a fee - in - lieu of ad valorem tax for a new solar power generating plant.

The anticipated investment from the unnamed company is around 60 million, plus construction contracts and employment.

Today marked the first day as president for supervisor trip hairston.

There are 365 new covid-19 cases in mississippi.

Today's report from the mississippi department of health is not reporting any new deaths.

In our area, lowndes county has the most new cases with 16 lee county is reporting 9 cases.

673 people are hospitalized with confirmed or suspected cases of covid-19.

171 patients are in icu.

76 are on a ventilator.

Health officials presume 101,385 people have recovered from coronavirus.

First look stinger summary: sunny to mostly sunny skies can be expected for the rest of the work week.

Some frost may occur tonight but milder air returns starting tuesday.

Mid to upper 70s are likely by the end of the week and weekend.

Monday night: clear, calm, and chilly.

Lows in the mid to low 30s.

Areas of frost are possible once again so cover your tender plants just to be safe.

Election day: sunny.

Highs in the mid 60s.

Winds sw 4- 8 mph.

Two people are confirmed as dying on the coast during hurricane zeta.

Damage assessments continue this week as the mississippi emergency management agency works with county ema directors.

Both deaths happened in harrison county.

In all 77 people were injured during the storm.

More than 9,000 homes received damage.

Businesses and farms are also reporting damage.

And mema says numerous public roads were affected.

These are preliminary numbers, and mema says they expect the damage estimates could change.

Damaged floors and mold are just two of the challenges realtors in amory have seen with rental properties in recent months..

Wcbi's bobby martinez talked with two realtors in the area who want to make sure affordable and safe housing is available for everyone.

Local realtors have seen an on going issue here in amory.

The lack of mid- range housing available where even in some instances..

Properties being rented have not been kept up-to- date.

And after meeting with the board of alderman last month.

The city of amory is on board in helping these realtors fix this issue.

--------- here's the problem: sot - tracy randle - leech realty - amory "some of the houses are not up to code."

Which can make the job of a realtor ten times harder..

Sot - jennifer bost - white oak realtor - smithville "a lot of times our homeowners either don't have the money to fix them and that will of course be an issue for us selling it or renting it."

So realtors like tracy randle of leech realty in amory..

And jennifer bost of white oak realtor in smithville took this concern to a board of aldermen meeting last month..

And the outcome?

Sot - tracy randle - leech realty - amory "the realtors have come together and we are going to form a committee and we are going to see what we can do to assist the city in fixing these homes."

Randle has seen the damage first hand.

And she worries about potential dangers for residents.

Sot - tracy randle - leech realty - amory "they are private properties so sometimes we can't get into see them.

But we have noticed some safety issues so we just want to make sure every home is safe for every individual.

And one major take away from their meeting with the board?

Sot - jennifer bost - white oak realtor - smithville "it was brought up that there is a rental ordinance in amory.

And when you have a rental property you need to register your rental property with the city so that they know your property is a rental property.

That way they are able to come in and inspect your property.

It signs you up for inspections every two years so that you can keep your place up to code."

Reporting in amory..

Bobby martinez wcbi news the realtor group and the aldermen will meet again next week.

Stinger a local furniture manufacturer is expanding its business and that means more jobs for the region.

As wcbi's allie martin reports, "behold home" furniture is expanding because of its quality products, strong economy and a top notch workforce.

Corey bishop is a line supervisor with behold home.

He was hired when the company opened its smithville plant in 2014 and says the work environment is unique.

"i've worked at a lot of furniture factories and so far, this has been, home, this is home, all i can say" one hundred and fifty employees work at the smithville plant, turning out 5000 pieces of furniture each week.

In 2018, behold home opened its pontotoc plant, and with an economy on the rebound, demand for residential furniture never dropped.

In fact, business is so strong, behold home is opening a third plant, in amory.

"we have a very great team at behold home and we wanted to expand, not only to help our customers, but help our community, monroe county has been a very good workforce for us, corporately, so expanding here was a natural move."

Behold home has bought this 100 thousand square foot building on glenn drive.

Plans call for four production lines matching the smithville plant's output of 5 thousand pieces weekly at full capacity.

There is also ample warehouse space with the property.

Beard says the company is looking for skilled workers, and will also train those who are eager for unlimited opportunities.

"we want to be able to train and cultivate new talent, one of the things we tried to do since the pandemic was bring in people outside of the industry, train them and have them ready to manufacture furniture, this is a field you can take and work, it's a skill that won't leave you."

"make good money, right in amory, get treated very well, not like a lot of other furniture factories around here" standup close the contractor has some work to do inside the building.

Behold home plans to have production lines up and running as soon as possible, bringing even more jobs to monroe county.

In amory, allie martin, wcbi news applications are being taken at win job centers, and at behold home furniture locations in smithville and pontotoc.

Stinger pontotoc.

Stinger summary: sunny to mostly sunny skies can be expected for the rest of the work week.

Some frost may occur tonight but milder air returns starting tuesday.

Mid to upper 70s are likely by the end of the week and weekend.

Monday night: clear, calm, and chilly.

Lows in the mid to low 30s.

Areas of frost are possible once again so cover your tender plants just to be safe.

Election day: sunny.

Highs in the mid 60s.

Winds sw 4- 8 mph.

Tuesday night: clear and chilly.

Lows in the upper 30s to around 40.

Wednesday: sunny.

Highs near 70.

Wednesday night: clear.

Lows in the 40s.

Thursday & friday: mostly sunny.

Highs in the low to mid 70s.

Lows in the 40s and 50s.

Saturday & sunday: variably cloudy and mild.

Just a slight chance of a shower or two.

Highs in the mid 70s.

Lows in the 50s.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and the wcbi news app stinger mississippi state's offensive summary: sunny to mostly sunny skies can be expected for the rest of the work week.

Some frost may occur tonight but milder air returns starting tuesday.

Mid to upper 70s are likely by the end of the week and weekend.

Monday night: clear, calm, and chilly.

Lows in the mid to low 30s.

Areas of frost are possible once again so cover your tender plants just to be safe.

Election day: sunny.

Highs in the mid 60s.

Winds sw 4- 8 mph.

Tuesday night: clear and chilly.

Lows in the upper 30s to around 40.

Wednesday: sunny.

Highs near 70.

Wednesday night: clear.

Lows in the 40s.

Thursday & friday: mostly sunny.

Highs in the low to mid 70s.

Lows in the 40s and 50s.

Saturday & sunday: variably cloudy and mild.

Just a slight chance of a shower or two.

Highs in the mid 70s.

Lows in the 50s.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and the wcbi news app stinger mississippi state's offensive struggles continue... next in sports mike leach's silver lining during this current four game skid..

Spx open saturday's loss to alabama was the first time a mike leach led team has ever been shut out in his 20 years of being a head coach... state extended it's current skid to four games... state has only scored 30 points during this current four game losing streak..

The lowest amount over a four game span for a mike leach team ever... his second lowest was 46 points in his first year at washington state in 2012... despite the struggles leach says there have been silver linings "we do have some enthusiasm behind these young guys that get to go out there and play early that are excited to be out there.

That's where people take the biggest strides when they're freshmen and sophomores.

We need to do everything we can so they can take the biggest strides they can.

People work on 40% and have 60% potential remaining.

We got to get as deep into that extra 60% as we can.

That's what we're working on."

ááátake monitor gfxááá after being unable to close out it's previous three... the ole miss rebels were finally able to not just close things out... but do it in style in nashville against vanderbilt the rebels got it done 54-21 thanks to monster performances from matt corral who threw for six touchdowns... and elijah moore who not only caught three of them but also added 238 yards to that... kiffin has been proud of his team's ability to fix mistakes of prior weeks... and was happy about the opportunity last week brought... kiffin says: really thought we screwed those games up having the ball with the chance to win both games.

Last one of this one these guys hang around and we're in a one scored game in the fourth and we wanted to take are of business.

It was good to play guysay guys because we havent had any non conference games where we were up and able to play guys.

ááácont voááá ole miss freshman tight end damarcus thomas had to be airlifted to the hospital after sustaining a serious injury during practice monday that initially left him without any feeling in his body.

He was just released from the hospital even though baseball season hasn't started yet...it's never too early to announce what your next move is.

Oak hill academy senior manning huffman shared his news this afternoon the raiders senior catcher signed to continue his baseball career with east central community college.

Coming off a shortened season, huffman is extremely excited to hit the diamond again and showcase the kind of player the warriors are getting!

"when i went up there, i loved everything about the place.

He really helped me and understood what i wanted to do.

It fit best."

"they're getting a complete package.

He's smart.

He's the best baserunner i've ever had.

Defensively, he's the best catcher that i've seen.

He's got a great arm and can hit.

They're getting a complete package with him."

Huffman will huffman will continue playing catcher for the warriors in college.

ááátake mon gfxááá it was another exciting week of end zone... which means more great plays... let's take a look at the top 5 number five... pickens county and gordo... tornados driving... jacorris barnes gets lit up over the middle by jt billips... the drive would stall... huge defensive stop and barnes would stay in the game number four.... okolona at tupelo christian... khi holliday showing off his arm strength... he finds john paul yates for the monstrous gain... it set up a score and tcps won 51-20 number three... kosciusko against louisville... ethan wood back to pass and it is picked off at the one yard line by kaliyah colburn... great job tracking that ball... wildcats got the win 29-9 number two... booneville at nettleton... this is a third and 17 for the blue devils... john deaton extends the play and finds logan harr who gets into the end zone for the touchdown... booneville got the job done on the road number one... houston and eupora..

First play from scrimmage red parker drops back.... finds a wide open jalen washington who absolutely turns on the jets..

Look at that speed... eupora got the win 21-20... when we return...chief meteorologist keith gibson will have a last look at your forecast.

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