WCBI NEWS AT 10 - 11/18/2020

WCBI NEWS AT 10 - 11/18/2020

Show open show open show open as the upward trend of cases continue--so do questions about risks surrounding in-person worship.

Churches are all being forced to keep a close eye on the data each week.

Some are amending their in person schedules as the cases increase.

While others--have been erring on the side of caution from the start.

Courtney ann jackson explains.

"let's just hold still for the time being."

Rev.

Cj rhodes says they have some added challenges.

"most of the people who would be our ushers and deacons and people who serve the congregation on sunday mornings are 65 and older.

Some of them said we ain't coming back until a number of folks have taken the vaccine.

So we're talking spring or summer."

He says the latest spike will likely push back any previous plans to return.

"i put out a survey to the membership about reentry possibility.

Most of the members who replied said they would like to come back in person before the end of the year but not yet."

At broadmeadow united methodist- they've had periods since march where they were virtual only.

But are currently doing both virtual and in-person.

"in a sanctuary built for around 300 people we are right now worshiping in person about 15."

Still-they aren't taking chances.

"we believe that it's our responsibility as a first look stinger first look summary: sunny and quiet conditions are set to hold for at least the next 3 days with the next chance of rain late sunday into monday.

Another system on tuesday and tuesday night could bring us a better chance of rain and storms. we'll need keep an eye on that one for the chance of strong storm activity.

It's still too early to tell if anything will come of it but the setup bears watching.

Wednesday night: clear and quiet.

Not as chilly.

Lows in the mid to upper 30s.

Light se winds.

Thursday: sunny.

Highs in the mid to upper 60s.

Winds sse 10-15 mph with gusts to 20 mph.

Fire conditions will be elevated so it's best not to do any open burning due to the gusty breezes and low humidity.

After 30 long years... a starkville cold case is finally after 30 long years... a starkville cold case is finally solved and the killer is headed to prison for the rest of his life.

Micheal devaughn pleaded guilty tuesday afternoon to killing betty jones of starkville.

As part of the plea deal, the second charge of sexual battery to kathryn crigler was dropped.

The case was closed with the help of dna evidence.... but that wouldn't have been possible without the foresight of some of starkville's finest.

Take a look.

Solving a murder case has never been easy.

And thirty years ago, before dna testing was widely used, it was even more of a challenge.

"at the time, in the early 90's i don't believe we had as sophisticated dna testing as we have today, either."

Bud maxey was the chief of police in starkville at the time of betty jone's murder.

He worked hand-in- hand with former lead investigator david lindley and former oktibbeha county sheriff dolph bryan.

"it was the culmination of a lot of years and wondering what was going to happen with this case, and i was very glad to see this time come up today and for this to be settled and solved once and for all."

Since then, bill lott has taken over the investigation.

He says, it would be an impossible case to solve, had it not been for maxey, lindley, and bryan.

All three believed in the science.

"but he told her back then, never give up.

Because the science wasn't there yet.

I mean in 1990, dna was not even online.

It was '95 before seven states go online, but he told her, never give up.

She listened to him, and she went through five chiefs, and numerous detectives, based off of what bud maxey told her, and he told her right."

And he áwasá right... the preserved dna was crucial evidence for the case.

"we managed to preserve our evidence and all that and keep at it."

As time passed, though, investigators weren't sure if the case would be solved in their lifetime.

"this was on my bucketlist.

I'd like to see this case get solved, and somebody have to answer for what they did, and he answered for it today."

Time was also on mind's of the victims families.

"we listened very closely to what the victims wanted.

A lot of them were older and they wanted to try to get it resolved quickly and they wanted justice after waiting 30 years, so we really tried to push it as fast as we could."

The case has been through multiple departments, several chiefs, and a few different investigators... but all of those involved agree on one thing... "it could not have been solved without dna."

Reporting in columbus, cash matlock, wcbi news.

Top an early morning crash kills a west alabama man.

The accident happened about 2:15 am on highway 17, near county road 35.

That's about a mile north of sulligent.

Alabama state troopers say 22- year-old jordan chance jones pope of phil campbell died at the scene.

Pope's truck collided with a tractor-trailer.

The driver of the big rig was airlifted to a hospital for treatment.

No other information is being released about the ongoing investigation.

One of the first people to announce a run for the tupelo mayoral seat is out before qualifying begins.

Tupelo chief operations officer don lewis announced his intention to run for mayor back in august.

Today, he tells wcbi his candidacy is over.

Lewis was planning to run on the republican ticket qualifying begins in january and the election will take place this june.

Intro although triple-a is expecting a ten percent drop in holiday travel this year... one group that will hit the highway... and that's college students returning home.

For those people... mississippi state is trying to make sure students don't take the virus home...or bring it back.

Our stephen pimpo has more.

Pkg "i'm definitley glad i'm getting tested before i go home just to make absolutely sure i'm not endangering any family members."

This thanksgiving...the turkey and mashed potatoes are not the only things that could get passed around the dinner table.

As triple a predicts the steepest drop in holiday travel in more than 10 years...the covid-19 pandemic has made the annual holiday gathering into a potential minefield.

"are you going home for thanksgiving?

Yes.

Where are you going?

Birmingham, alabama."

"you going home for thanksgiving?

Yes sir.

Where are you going?

I'm going back to murpheysburough, tennessee."

That's why mississippi state is working to make sure their students are well equipped to stay safe and healthy while they are off campus.

"we've been getting emails about social distancing before we go home, quarantining if we've been exposed and then obviously, they're doing free testing right now."

Su: school staff estimate 100-200 students showed up on just the first day of free testing.

The four days of covid tests to clear students for healthy travel are just part of the equation.

Msu's chief communications officer sid salter says the school is in the midst of sending out a series of posts on health and safety through cowbell well and social media that will extend into the holiday break.

"they're just trying to make sure every body's safe and trying to limit gathering sizes and just encouraging you to be really careful around that."

Freshman tanner jones says he will absolutely be taking the safety habits he's developed at msu home with him.

"back home in tennessee, they haven't been great about enforcing mask mandates and stuff.

But here they've been really hammering down on it."

The students we talked to both agreed they feel safer thanks to msu's dedication to their students' wellbeing.

Tag the free drive through testing is open to students only.

It's open thursday, friday and monday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm in the lot behind the student health center.

Mississippi has one of its highest covid-19 case counts since the pandemic began.

Today, the state department of health is reporting one thousand 593 new cases and 20 deaths.

868 people are in hospitals across the state with confirmed or suspected coronavirus symptoms. 201 of those patients are in i.c.u.

Beds.

These are numbers that have not been seen in the state since august.

In our viewing area, lee county has the most new cases with 88.

Lafayette has 34, prentiss has 24, monroe has 23, lowndes has 22, and winston county has 18.

Stinger wx open summary: sunny and quiet conditions are set to hold for at least the next 3 days with the next chance of rain late sunday into monday.

Another system on tuesday and tuesday night could bring us a better chance of rain and storms. we'll need keep an eye on that one for the chance of strong storm activity.

It's still too early to tell if anything will come of it but the setup bears watching.

Wednesday night: clear and quiet.

Not as chilly.

Lows in the mid to upper 30s.

Light se winds.

Thursday: sunny.

Highs in the mid to upper 60s.

Winds sse 10-15 mph with gusts to 20 mph.

Fire conditions will be elevated so it's best not to do any open burning due to the gusty breezes and low humidity.

Thursday night: clear.

Lows in the low to mid 40s.

Friday: sunny.

Highs around 70.

Evening temperatures in the 50s and 40s.

Friday night: mainly clear.

Lows in the 40s.

Saturday: mostly sunny.

Highs in the low 70s.

Saturday night: mostly clear.

Lows in the low 50s.

Sunday: variably cloudy.

Highs in the 70s.

A chance of late day and evening showers.

Monday: sun & clouds with some showers possible.

Highs in the 60s.

Tuesday: partly cloudy with rain and thunder likely during the afternoon and evening.

Highs around 70.

Wednesday & thanksgiving day: partly cloudy.

Highs in the 60s.

Follow summary: sunny and quiet conditions are set to hold for at least the next 3 days with the next chance of rain late sunday into monday.

Another system on tuesday and tuesday night could bring us a better chance of rain and storms. we'll need keep an eye on that one for the chance of strong storm activity.

It's still too early to tell if anything will come of it but the setup bears watching.

Wednesday night: clear and quiet.

Not as chilly.

Lows in the mid to upper 30s.

Light se winds.

Thursday: sunny.

Highs in the mid to upper 60s.

Winds sse 10-15 mph with gusts to 20 mph.

Fire conditions will be elevated so it's best not to do any open burning stinger after the break, we talk about nicotine and how it can be bad for your health.

Health talk with baptist is after the break, stay with us.

Cash 3 lottery gfx goes here intro tonight on health talk with baptist, dr. guarav dutta joins us for part two of our conversation on nicotine and the health risks associated with it.

Take a look.

No script billboard attached stinger coming up next, jon sokoloff has live updates from the nba draft.

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