WCBI NEWS at SIX 11/17/2020

2 medical needs to transfer a patient, they'll call up larger facilities within 100 mile radius to see if they have any beds available.

If that does not work, they contact med com in jackson to find an open critical care bed somewhere.

"but that could be anywhere from the coast, to new orleans to birmingham to anyhwere just trying to get someone to a bed that they need to be into."

Tuesday, in the state of mississippi, the department of health reports only 144 icu beds are available out of the 880 total.

"ours is about 10 or 11 as the 7 day average but that's where it was in the latter part of july and the first part of august.

It hasn't quite reached that top level yet but it's headed that way."

If space becomes an issue, black says the hospital has a plan to move any non-covid patients to their 10-bed general psych unit so they can use their 14- beds for covid patients.

"we'll put non- covid patients in there to help protect them, because that's kind of an inclosed unit and then the covid patients will be in our regular acute care side.

We just feel like that's the best way to handle it right now."

Black also told me one of their most significant issues the rise in case numbers is creating is the amount of strain it is putting on the winston medical staff members.

As covid-19 cases increase in the state, one area hospital is making changes to reduce covid-19 exposure.

Choctaw regional medical center is now closed to all visitors.

The hospital announced today's policy change on its social media page.

Anyone visiting patients, staff, or outside representatives cannot go inside the facility.

People being treated in the emergency room must go in alone.

The only exception is for a minor.

Hospitalization numbers top 800, once again, in mississippi.

The state department of health is reporting 905 new covid-19 cases and 36 deaths, today.

807 people are hospitalized with confirmed or suspected coronavirus symptoms. 180 of those patients are in i.c.u.

Beds across the state.

Msdh's website is reporting there are only 152 i.c.u.

Beds available in mississippi.

As state medical leaders have said many times during the pandemic, capacity is not limited entirely because of covid patients.

Lee county has the highest number of new cases with 52.

Pontotoc has 36, union has 34, monroe is reporting 29, and winston has 19 new cases.

First look stinger first look summary: dry and sunny weather continues for the rest of the work week and perhaps most of the coming weekend.

Some rain is possible late sunday and monday with a cold front.

Tuesday night: clear and cold.

Lows in the low 30s.

A frost or freeze is likely.

Wednesday & thursday: sunny.

Highs in the mid 60s.

Lows in the 30s.

Top lowndes county educators take time to thank lawmakers for their help in improving technology for students.

More than four point four million dollars in cares act money was approved for the county school district, with the help of the legislature.

Superintendent sam allison says administrators bought apple products for students.

He believes the new equipment will drastically help students with virtual learning.

"well we were very fortunate that we were one to one district - but we were in dire need of new devices and the financial situation was you know, we were going to have to move towards that.

So it just came at a perfect time.

The need for devices was really shown during the virtual time at the end of last year."

Students from students from kindergarten to fourth grade will receive new ipads..

And students from 5th to 12th will receive macbooks.

Top a former northeast mississippi community college employee is accused of taking more than 57 thousand dollars.

Amy haynie was recently indicted for embezzlement by a prentiss county grand jury.

She was issued a demand letter for over 68 thousand dollars, which includes interest and investigative costs.

Investigators accuse haynie of taking money from a petty cash fund and from students as they paid various fees.

State auditor shad white believes the alleged scheme started in may 2016 and continued until this past february.

Bond for haynie was set at ten thousand dollars.

Rdr the attorney general's office confirms an educator in amory has been arrested.

However, a spokesperson declined to release what charges toshemie wilson is facing.

Wilson was teaching in the amory school district.

Calls to school administrators have not been returned to wcbi.

Stinger fast cars and trucks and lights and sirens surround aberdeen elementary this morning.

There was no emergency but instead... an opportunity... for kids to see and hear from those who protect and serve their community.

Wcbi's allie martin has more.

First responders awareness day gave students at aberdeen elementary a chance to talk with firefighters, police officers, sheriffs deputies, 9 1 1 operators and paramedics.

Students were also able to see some really cool vehicles up close.

As students moved from one emergency vehicle nats to the next nats they were able to hear from first responders about their jobs and the tools of their trade nats deputy talking about mrap monroe county sheriff's deputy tyrone heard had the idea for first responders awareness day.

"the importance of this event, is to show the kids , building relationships with our kids, which is our future, and maybe someday some of them will want to be first responders .

" principal kristen fondren says the event lets young people see the important roles first responders play in their community.

"i hope our students take away that the first responders in aberdeen are very important to the livelihood and safety of everyone in the community," "i hope all the kids who came out today realize it takes every piece of this puzzle to make a whole, and realizing that every call that comes in, whether it goes to fire, law anything, starts with 9 1 1 and dispatchers determine who to send the call to."

Students say they learned a lot and enjoyed seeing all the emergency vehicles, especially the mrap, used by the sheriff's department for a variety of situations such as water rescues to hostage extractions.

Would you like to drive this vehicle behind you?

Yes.

How fast do you think it can go?

One million ."

Would you like to drive it?

Why not?

Because it's big."

What's your favorite thing so far?

Fire department.

Why?

Because they get to chop down doors and stuff" standup close deputy heard wants to expand first responders awareness day to include doctors and nurses in the futre.

In aberdeen, allie martin, wcbi news heard, who came up with the idea for the first responders awareness day, previously worked as the school resource officer at aberdeen elementary stinger open summary: dry and sunny weather continues for the rest of the work week and perhaps most of the coming weekend.

Some rain is possible late sunday and monday with a cold front.

Tuesday night: clear and cold.

Lows in the low 30s.

A frost or freeze is likely.

Wednesday & thursday: sunny.

Highs in the mid 60s.

Lows in the 30s.

Friday & saturday: sunny to mostly sunny.

Highs from the upper 60s to lower 70s.

Lows in the 40s.

Sunday: variably cloudy.

Highs in the 70s.

Some rain could occur late in the day and into the evening.

Thanksgiving week: the pattern will be more active overall with several chances of rain and perhaps some storms too.

Rain is possible monday with a weak front in the area.

Additional rain could fall on tuesday & wednesday as an upper disturbance crosses the deep south.

Some rain could also linger into thanksgiving day and black friday but it remains uncertain.

Odds appear to favor a relatively mild holiday this year.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and the wcbi news app summary: dry and sunny weather continues for the rest of the work week and perhaps most of the coming weekend.

Some rain is possible late sunday and monday with a cold front.

Tuesday night: clear and cold.

Lows in the low 30s.

A frost or freeze is likely.

Wednesday & thursday: sunny.

Highs in the mid 60s.

Lows in the 30s.

Friday & saturday: sunny to mostly sunny.

Highs from the upper 60s to lower 70s.

Lows in the 40s.

Sunday: variably cloudy.

Highs in the 70s.

Some rain could occur late in the day and into the evening.

Thanksgiving week: the pattern will be more active overall with several chances of rain and perhaps some storms too.

Rain is possible monday with a weak front in the area.

Additional rain could fall on tuesday & wednesday as an upper disturbance crosses the deep south.

Some rain stinger the nba draft is one day away... next in sports when a few bulldogs are expecting to hear their names called on the biggest stage the nba draft is one day away... multiple mississippi state bulldogs... robert woodard and reggie perry... are expecting to hear their names called... it's just a matter of when... both players aren't going very far for their special night... robert will be with family and friends watching and waiting anxiously in columbus..

While reggie will be in starkville... multiple nba mock drafts are projecting robert to be selected anywhere in the late first to early second round range... while reggie is projected to hear his name called some time in the early to mid second round... both guys have been waiting years for this opportunity and are ready to contribute to an nba club right away 00-05 :16-:31 woodward says: this whole process has taken so much self discipline.

It has taken me to a level i never thought i could reach mentally as well as physically.

It's been very long but fun as well.

It's had its obstacles but i have enjoyed it the whole way perry says: just my body and i have been going against grown men and that's a big thing.

Also how high my skill level is which perry says: just my body and i have been going against grown men and that's a big thing.

Also how high my skill level is which is another thing.

You can watch the draft on espn it begins at seven o'clock ááátake mon gfxááá ole miss announced head basketball coach kermit davis tested positive for covid-19... he re- tested tuesday and while those confirmation results are still pending... if they come back positive..

He will remain in isolation and miss the first two games of the season... before davis tested positive... rebels athletics director keith carter voiced concerns he has about the basketball season carter says: in basketball when your 15 guys and coaches it's a lot harder.

I worry that a lot of two positives triggers the whole team being in quarantine for 14 days.

I think it's difficult to go through the whole season without disruption.

We will do what we need to doa nd the issue with 14 days in basketball is that;s 14 days.

There's not enough built in time at the end of the schedule to make those days up.

The rebels season begins next wednesday at home against central arkansas ááátake mon gfxááá mississippi state football will be returning to the gridiron this saturday... taking on 13th ranked georgia in athens... state hasn't played in a football game since november 7th's 24-17 win over vanderbilt... last week's matchup with auburn was postponed due to covid-19... and state was one positive test away from not being able to play against the commodores that week... mike leach's team has been undermanned at practice for a few weeks now and it's been tough for mike leach's bunch leach says: it's impossible to get the same amount of work in.

There's a big difference between practicing with a full load compared to a handful.

You try to get reps and limit it.

If you're short a few positions it limits what others can do in regards to a team setting.

You try to do what you can ááátake gfxááá let's check out this week's lineman of the week... it's going to the columbus falcons... they took down saltillo 21-7 in their final matchup of the season... not only did their defensive line dominate in that game but their defense played very well down the stretch... only allowing 13 points per game in their final three... wins for columbus this year came against new hope and saltillo and they were in a lot of the games they played this year... losing by only one possession in four contests... columbus takes home lineman of the week for week 11... when we return...chief meteorologist keith gibson will have a last look at your forecast.

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