WCBI News at Ten - 11/11/2020

WCBI News at Ten - 11/11/2020

Show open show open show open vo a columbus man is a columbus man is facing several charges, including murder, for two separate shootings.

21-year-old jatavis williams is charged with murder and two counts of aggravated assault.

The aggravated assault charges come from an october 28th shooting on main street and is unrelated to this week's homicide.

He was taken into custody this morning by columbus police.

Bond has not been set for williams. the investigation started after 24- year-old tarcari walker was shot to death near the intersection of 22nd street and 7th avenue north on monday.

Shelton says walker was shot in the street and ran onto the front porch of a nearby home.

Walker died at the scene.

Shelton believes walker and williams knew each other , walker walked up to a vehicle and then got into an argument.

The police chief says people in the community played a big role in the arrest.

"one of the things i want to do is reach out and thank the citizens of columbus, because without their help we wouldn't be where we are at today.

There is a lot of people that calls in a lot of tips to crime stoppers.

There were people that gave personal information.

And again, we want to thank the media for putting the information out.

That played a big factor in it.

So this is truly a community effort, from the media sources and from the citizens calling in the tips.

We appreciate that!"

Lowndes county coroner greg merchant expects an autopsy to be done next week.

Intro in a small community where everyone knows of each other, trust is important.

That's why two years ago when former webster county sheriff tim mitchell was arrested on 12 felony charges, that trust was hanging on by a thread.

But a new head law officer has changed the climate and rebuilt relationships in the county.

Wcbi's bobby martinez explains how.

He's changed the work environment..

Sot - jc smith - chief deputy - webster county sheriff dept.

"i've worked in some good places..

But i've never worked anywhere better than here.."

He's set a standard that many look up to..

Sot - brandon chaille - deputy - webster county sheriff... "he's a man that i can hope and aim to be like one day.."

Deputies and staff in webster county have listened to years of rumors and even criminal charges at the highest level.

And, those earlier problems created a rift between the community and the people who serve them.

But deputies say that has changed since the arrival of sheriff david gore.

With what they say is his passion for the people in the county..

Sot - david gore - sheriff - webster county ---- "i've seen good law enforcement and i know what it is.

We can have that here.

There's no reason we can't.

There's no reason we can't serve the people and have the trust of the people."

Sheriff gore expects the best of his staff.

Sot - jc smith - chief deputy - webster county sheriff dept.

"he's pushed for all of us to be professional and respectful and courteous to everybody we come in contact with even if they're in our custody."

Smith joined the sheriffs department in february and was recently promoted to chief deputy.

He says the culture that gore has established - motivates everyone in the department to do their job to the best of their ability... sot - jc smith - chief deputy - webster county sheriff dept.

"the sheriff he comes in he's fired up to get the job done.

He loves the people around him.

Its a small family here we're not a big department.

We bought in guys from all different places and we all mesh together but it starts at the top top."

And when it comes to trying to gain back the trust of the community?

Sot - jc smith - chief deputy - webster county sheriff dept.

"you got to have something worth supporting though.

And if they don't have something they can't support, then they're not going to support that.

And sheriff david gore has brought something they can and want to support and we're going to continue to do that."

Deputy brandon chaille agrees.

He says working for sheriff gore is going well.

"i've never had a boss that was so supportive of their guys generally doing their job.

Sheriff gore is supportive he would back you 100%.

He's not a politician he is a sheriff that came here to get a job done and that's what he's done thus far.

And everything that he's ever said he's going to do he's done."

Reporting in webster county..

Bobby martinez wcbi news the webster the webster county sheriff's department is warming up for the holiday season.

With the help of the community, dozens of toys have been donated the sheriffs department.

In a year that has been difficult to many..

Chief deputy jc smith says being able to put a smile on kids faces this holiday season..

Means everything plus more to the sheriffs department.

"the sheriff david gore here in webster county came to me and said he like to put something together.

Especially right now the way with the economy with the pandemic and everything there's a lot of families out there that are needy.

Providing a service to the children i can't think of a higher calling in any capacity.

And this is what we can do right now to better service our community that's what we're gonna do."

And if you would like to donate toys for the holiday season..

You can reach out to the webster county sheriff's department..

First look stinger first look summary: more sun than clouds can be expected over the next week or so.

Our next cold front moves through sunday and it will give us another chance of scattered showers.

Cooler, more fall-like air returns for a few days early next week.

Tonight: variably cloudy and cooler.

Lows in the upper 40s to lower 50s.

Winds nw 5-10.

Thursday & friday: mostly sunny.

Highs ranging from the upper 60s to lower 70s.

Lows in the 40s.

This hurricane this hurricane season has been tough... and many places continue to recover... including the mississippi gulf coast.

Hurricane zeta brought extension damage across mississippi's coastal counties.

One of the best known historical landmarks in biloxi is still damaged.

The fenced entrance to the "beauvoir" home remains broken.

Winds gusted over 100 miles per hour, as the storm tracked through the coastal areas.

Hundreds of homes were damaged in mississippi and alabama.

Zeta made its first landfall in louisiana.

Covid-19 cases, deaths, and hospitalizations continue to climb to in mississippi... right now, we're seeing the highest numbers in months.

The mississippi state department of health is reporting 1,256 new cases today and 17 deaths.

737 people are hospitalized across the state with confirmed or suspected symptoms. 199 of those patients are in i.c.u.

In our viewing area, lee county has the highest amount of new cases with 42.

Lowndes county has 40 new cases, lafayette has 34, pontotoc has 25, and union county has 21.

12 north missisippi counties in the viewing area reported more than 11 new cases today.

More than 111 thousand people are presumed thousand people are presumed recovered in the state.

This means there are over 13 thousand presumed active covid-19 cases in the state.

Governor tate reeves is extending his "safe recovery" executive order through december 11th.

This also means the governor's mask mandate will is extended for 15 counties in the state.

Only two of those impacted counties are in the wcbi viewing area.

They are lee and yalobusha.

Chickasaw was dropped from the mask mandate.

In his statement today, reeves told mississippians that quote..

"the virus is still here.

It's still working to infect and kill."

End quote.

For the first time in more than 120 years, the state of mississippi has a new flag.

Last week voters approved the new magnolia flag that started here in northern mississippi.

Ackerman native rocky vaughan called it a sureal and proud moment for his family when it became official that his design would become the next state flag of mississippi.

Rocky says his flag design was 8 years in the making after he was first inspired to create a flag that could bring all mississippians together.

"i am friends with literally every demographic in the state.

What's the thing we have in common?

Mississippi.

So let's come together.

Let's find something that represents us all and i figured that i was the person to do it.

I don't know why but i just felt compelled and pulled to do it."

Rocky says he's not concerned with getting the attention or credit connected to this historic moment, he's just happy he could do his part for his state.

Historically black colleges and universities in mississippi receive grant money from a utility company.

Southern company charitable foundation is awarding 825 thousand dollars in technology grants to four hbcu's in the state.

Mississippi power says the money will provide students with scholarships, internships, leadership development, and career readiness access.

Jackson state, mississippi valley, rust college, and tougaloo college will receive money.

Southern company awarded similar grants to 21 historically black colleges and universities across several states.

Mississippi power is a subsidiary of southern company.

Stinger coming up coming up next, see how tupelo veterans were honored today.

Veteran's day was observed with a ceremony in tupelo honoring those who have answered the call and those who are currently serving their country .

Wcbi's allie martin was there and has more.

Under overcast skies at veteran's park, they gathered to pay tribute to those who have served in the united states armed forces.

Nats the annual veteran's day ceremony is sponsored by the city of tupelo and featured prayer nats and patriotism nats retired colonel john caldwell spoke on the importance of veterans and their service, in the past, present and the future.

"veterans have crossed the globe to stamp out imperialism.... colonel caldwell encouraged veterans to share their stories of service and sacrifice.

"so many times veterans diminish their own stories, because people expect so much and veterans have given so much, but we are all just a small piece of the bigger story, a lot of times we don't tell the small pieces, and those stories, when they're gone, they're gone forever."

Us army veteran gabriel locastro is thankful his dad has shared some of those stories.

"we're standing here at the vietnam veteran's memorial and he always reminded me of 49 east and some friends he lost at the battle of hamburger hill, it's always a lot to be proud of and it's something our children will have to carry on the tradition to defend our freedom."

Pat o'callaghan served in the marines from 1963 to 1967 and was inspired to serve because of a family member who answered the call during world war ii "i lost an uncle before i was even born, and this, to me, for all these guys who gave up their lives for us, freedom is not free by no means."

As another veteran said, america is the home of the free, because of the brave.

Nats music in tupelo, allie martin, wcbi news music out veteran's day was originally known as armistice day, which marked the end of world war one.

Stinger veteran's day was originally known as armistice day, which marked the end of world war one.

Stinger weather open summary: more sun than clouds can be expected over the next week or so.

Our next cold front moves through sunday and it will give us another chance of scattered showers.

Cooler, more fall-like air returns for a few days early next week.

Tonight: variably cloudy and cooler.

Lows in the upper 40s to lower 50s.

Winds nw 5-10.

Thursday & friday: mostly sunny.

Highs ranging from the upper 60s to lower 70s.

Lows in the 40s.

Weekend: highs in the 70s both days.

Pretty nice saturday with more clouds and scattered showers on sunday.

Lows in the 50s.

Early next week: bright sunshine and much cooler.

Highs in the 50s and 60s with overnight lows in the 40s and 30s.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and the wcbi news app stinger high school players all around the area signing to continue their athletic careers at the next level...more on that next in sports spx open coming coming off of a bye week, ole miss football will be one of only six s-e- c teams competing this weekend the rebels are getting ready to play one of it's two remaining home games against south carolina following a 48-3 loss against texas a&m, south carolina head coach will muschamp saying that the gamecocks quarterback position is once again wide open although senior qb collin hill has started the last six games, the rebels have to prepare for the possibility of sophomore rylan hilinski using multiple q-b's is something ole miss head coach lane kiffin knows something about kiffin: "well that's always difficult.

It's why i like when we play both of ours.

So people have to prepare for them because they're so different.

That's always the case with quarterbacks when you don't know.

Especially if the players are different style of players."

A big day at starkville high school... the yellowjackets officially sending two of the school's baseball stars off to the next level starkville high's riley dawkings signs with southern miss and jackson owen signs with n-e-m-cc to continue their baseball careers although the 2020 season was cut short with only 11 games, owen managing a .370 batting avg with 14 rbi's and 2 homeruns in dawkins, 6 innings pitching he picked up 14 strikeouts and a 2.0 e-r-a both dawkins and owen saying each school really stood out to be the place each jacket wanted to continue playing ball dawkins: "southern mississippi, it's always been a winning tradition there.

The championships and the coaches.

I fell in love when i went my first time.

I went back for another visit for another little camp so they could see me throw and i just fell in love with the atmosphere and everything about southern miss."

Owen: "i love the coaches.

Coach brown and coach harrelson they were on me hard.

The facilities are amazing and brand new.

It's nice."

Adkins: "it's very rewarding to know that you kind of had a role and helping mold their future and help them get an education.

Also i get to become a fan at this point and being able to follow them that's really neat to know that you're a part of that."

The signing excitement continues over in mantachie after verbally committing to northeast community college five years ago, mustang's softball senior lynsey barber finally makes it official the signing excitement continues over in mantachie after verbally committing to northeast community college five years ago, mustang's softball senior lynsey barber finally makes it official barber putting ink to paper to officially continue her career with the tigers barber currently holds the most pitching wins in program history, has a .500 batting average and holds division mvp honors one hilltopper softball standout was all smiles this afternoon houston's paige kilgore officially signs to continue her softball career with southern miss kilgore joins the golden eagles after securing the 2020 missisisppi gatorade player of the year honors in kilgore's career as a hilltopper, she's tallied 606 strikeouts, a 1.48 e- r-a, a .405 batting average, 105 rbis, 6 hrs and a total of 89 wins with high school football playoffs underway, it means even more when big time players step up and have a huge game.

And this week's wcbi player of the week did just that.... east union senior running back colton plunk had another great performance in the urchin's first round playoff win against o'bannon.

Plunk rushed for 131 yards and added 4 touchdowns en route to a 57-6 blowout win the urchins star tailback saying he can't take all the credit for the big game and was quick to give the big fellas up front their due..... "i really thought the blocking was there for me that night.

It really comes down to the linemen and we have so many hard working linemen that allow me to do this.

It's the playoffs.

You really can't leave nothing on the field.

You have to put everything on the field so you can come up with the win and move onto the next round."

When we return...chief meteorologist keith gibson will have a last look at your forecast.

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