WCBI NEWS AT SIX - 12/09/2020

WCBI NEWS AT SIX - 12/09/2020

Show open show open show open show open we begin with breaking news in vardaman where police say a child has been killed after being hit by an 18-wheeler and the driver has been arrested.

Vardaman police chief kenneth scott says two children were hit as they were getting off the school bus on highway 8.

The children were hit when a truck tried to avoid hitting another truck that was already stopped for bus.

When the driver swerved around, the the truck hit the two children.

One child was pronounced dead at the scene.

The other has been airlifted to le bonheur children's hospital.

The calhoun county sheriff's deputies have arrested the driver, james thomas murphy.

Murphy is charged with manslaughter and aggravated assault.

His bond has not been set.

In a press release, calhoun county school superintendent lisa langford says the two children involved in the accident were students at vardaman elementary school.

She says counselors will be available at the school tomorrow for students and staff.

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The noxubee county's sheriffs department is asking for help finding two men wanted in several shooting incidents investigators say christopher glenn and davonta farmer should be considered armed and dangerous.

The two are wanted in connection to shooting in noxubee county and the city of macon.

If you know where they are or having information, contact the noxubee county sheriff department or call 911.

Gfx off top one of the suspects wanted in robbery at a hotel in macon this past weekend has turned herself in to police.

Darriona webb turned herself in today.

She's charged with armed robbery, breaking and entering, and aggravated assault.

Investigators say the robbery happened around 4:45 sunday morning at the oak tree inn on highway 45.

The victim says the suspects kicked in the door to the room.

Police are looking for still looking for lacedric jackson junior and other suspect who has not been identified.

If you have any information or know where the suspects are, call macon police.

Aberdeen mayor maurice howard will go to trial next year.

A continuance was granted to push howard's embezzlement trial to february first.

The recently re- elected mayor was indicted in october 2019 on five counts of embezzlement.

He's accused of receiving about 35 hundred dollars in taxpayer-funded reimbursements for city related trips.

The state auditor's office accuses howard of not going on those trips.

Howard's original trial was set to begin december 14th but his attorney was disbarred.

First look stinger temperatures will continue to warm up over the next several days with highs near 70 on thursday and friday.

Rain will move in friday night and saturday, but it appears that we will be drier and cooler by early next week.

Wednesday night: another cold night tonight with temperatures falling to the low and mid 30s under a mostly clear sky.

Winds will be generally calm.

Thursday: thursday will be the best day of the next several with plenty of sunshine and highs near 70.

Winds will be light out of the southeast.

Friday-saturday: fortunately, it appears that much of the day friday will be dry, but clouds will mississippi sees another high day of new covid-19 cases.

Numbers inside hospitals across the state are also increasing.

The state department of health is reporting two thousand 746 new cases and 24 new deaths.

Hospitalization numbers are also increasing... one thousand 241 people are in hospitals across the state.

288 of those patients are in i.c.u.

In the wcbi viewing area, lowndes county has 123 new cases.

A record for the county.

Union is reporting 67, winston and pontotoc counties have 39, and monroe has 38.

On tuesday, mississippi state senator chad mcmahan told reporters that the senate health commity has held hearings discussing the possibility of relaxing some regulations to allow qualified nursing students to begin working in clinical situations with proper supervision.

As the nation-wide healthcare shortage continues...wcbi news reporter stephen pimpo sat down with a local nursing student today about her experience preparing to join the fight against covid-19.

"he'll come home from work and he'll say, 'man, we needed you today.'

And i'll say, 'put me in coach, i'm ready."

That's what mississippi university for women senior taylor dodson says her father jokingly tells her coming home from his job as an icu nurse...but the fact is...he's right.

As hospitals across the country search for solutions to the healthcare worker shortage during the covid-19 pandemic...one option being discussed in mississippi is increasing the role of qualified medical students.

"we've been working on some innovative solutions of how we can allow that skilled individual to work up to their capabilities although they might not be licensed but appropriately supervised."

Su: the nursing program at the mississippi university for women was recently ranked #1 in the state and top 10 in the country.

Dodson is one of the muw students in that program who will become a registered nurse after graduating next semester.

"i'm not exactly sure where i'm going to be working but i am just so ready to have the opportunity to serve my community since there is such a shortage right now."

Dodson has done clinical rotations at baptist memorial hospital - golden triangle and north mississippi medical center, where she has been responsible for total care for a non-covid patient, from turning their beds to administering medication...all under propper supervision.

"our goal as students was to go in and really care for those patients and do as much as we could to really relieve some of the workload from the nurses on the floor."

Just months away from entering the nursing field...dodson says the coronavirus has not dampened her resolve.

"the pandemic has really only highlighted that calling more for me, so i'm really excited."

In columbus...stephen pimpo...wcbi news.

Senator mcmahan says the policies on nursing students would be on a case by case basis and that there are ongoing discussions between various hospitals and nursing schools as to what they would be comfortable with.

Top nineteen counties in north mississippi are now under a mask mandate, signed by governor tate reeves in an executive order today.

The governor says this is a very dangerous time referencing the spread of covid19 in mississippi.

The mask mandate now includes the following counties in our area: calhoun, chickasaw, choctaw, clay, itawamba, lafayette, lee, lowndes,, monroe, montgomery, noxubee, oktibbeha, pontotoc, prentiss, tishomingo, union, webster, winston, and yalobusha.

Sixty six counties are now under a state mask mandate.

The executive order also limits social gatherings indoors to groups of 10..

For outdoor social gatherings, no more than 50 people should be in close proximity.

Face coverings in schools are also required statewide whenever social distancing is not possible.

The governor called on mississippi to follow the order and health guidelines.

The governor also addressed limiting the number of people at indoor sports events for elementary through high school and indoor arena capacity.

Local leaders as well as state leaders have expressed concern over the lack of icu beds as covid-19 case numbers continue to rise.

There have been talks for the state to step in and provide additional resources for rural healthcare facilities.

Our cash matlock has more story.

"it's everywhere.

It's not just jackson.

It's everywhere."

State health officer dr. thomas dobbs addressing questions about hospital overflow in tuesday's zoom press conference.

He says the state has been in talks to provide additional resources to healthcare facilities-- especially those in rural communities.

"healthcare is an exhaustable resource, and people are going to die because they didn't have access to that resource.

It's inevitable."

Winston county ema director buddy king says his county is doing well in some areas..

But is strained in others.

"supplies are not the issue now.

Initially they were.

Just because there were not warehouses full of personal protective equipment but the need was there."

King says at the begging of the pandemic, it was hard to find an extra mask or even a pair of gloves.

"we have no shortages right now.

No palpable shortages.

We can handle the increase and keep our healthcare workers protected as well as the general community protected."

He says the main issue is falling on hospitals without icu units..

Like winston medical center-- a facility that typically transfers its icu patients.

"that hospital, which was never designed or staffed or equipped to be be a critical care unit, takes on that role."

There have been rumors that the state could set up additional, make- shift, icu units to ease the burden, but king says that's easier said than done.

"i do believe that those factors are hard to replicate.

Especially to find critical care trained healthcare providers.

To find the critical care necessary support equipment to treat the patient as well as medication.

There are so many... it's such a different level of healthcare, that it's difficult to replicate or stand up."

He says right now, our best hope is to continue to wear masks in public and social distance.

"the way to control the spread of this virus is for people to limit their transportation, to limit their movement, to go back to that homebase involvment."

King says winston king says winston county has a reserve of medical supplies, and so far, they haven't had to dip into any of the reserve.

Vo off top thousands of residents in long- term care facilities can now stay connected to family and loved ones through technology.

A partnership between the mississippi department of human services and planning and development districts is providing chromebooks to nursing homes and assisted living facilities in 41 counties.

The two groups presented 400 computers during a special event this morning in pontotoc.

Long-term care facilities have not allowed visitors since the beginning of the pandemic.

The computers will allow them to have virtual visits with loved ones.

Sot residents can be in touch with their family members and family members can be in touch with those residents by zoom call or skype or whatever other means that they haven't been able to be in touch while they're in the nursing facilities.

The personal communication is so important to the emotional status of somebody that has been disconnected from family or friends as all of these residents have for this time.

167 nursing homes and assisted living facilities will get the chromebooks.

S.

100-thousand dollar grant through the "cares act" paid for the computers.

Stinger millions of dollars will help bring internet access to people in living in rural areas.

We'll hear from the public service commissioner when we come back.

Intro the state of mississippi will get nearly half a billion dollars from the fcc to expand high speed broadband internet access in rural areas.

Wcbi's allie martin talked with public service commissioner brandon presley about the impact the award could have on the state.

Mississippi's award of 495 million dollars is the highest amount awarded to any state, except california.

The money is made available to internet service providers in mississippi through the rural digital opportunity fund phase one auction.

"it's a total game changer, we will look back, children will look back on the event that we were able to secure this much funding and will look at it the same way as when tva turned electricity on."

Norther district public service commissioner brandon presley has been a vocal advocate for rural broadband expansion.

Presley was instrumental in getting a state law changed that allows electric co operatives to offer high speed internet service to their customers.

Grants were awarded through a reverse auction.

Providers competed for funding based on costs of infrastructure expansion and their ability to provide services.

"coupled with what we are already doing in the state, i think this really, to use a county term, puts the pedal to the medal on broadband expansion."

Standup bridge presley says getting the rdof funds has been a team effort, by thousands of mississippi residents who took part in internet speed tests for the fcc, along with regional,state and federal lawmakers, on both sides of the political aisle.

"i want to thank lieutenant governor, delbert hosemann, speaker gunn, members of house and senate for working with us to get this done, want to thank senator roger wicker who is chairman of commerce committee, and congressman bennie thompson, from the delta, both of whom, totally different political parties, but on the same team, and that team is to get mississippi across the finish line."

Providers will now file paperwork with the fcc and will eventually go before the public service commission, which will have oversight of the projects.

Presley also says the psc will make sure dollars for the broadband expansion projects are spent correctly.

In tupelo, allie martin, wcbi news funding supports broadband infrastructure construction over a ten year period.

It is estimated 435 thousand rural mississippians will get access to high speed broadband internet through the auction.

Senator roger wicker introduced legislation earlier this year that provides additional incentives to those providers who complete their buildouts earlier.

Stinger weather open temperatures will continue to warm up over the next several days with highs near 70 on thursday and friday.

Rain will move in friday night and saturday, but it appears that we will be drier and cooler by early next week.

Wednesday night: another cold night tonight with temperatures falling to the low and mid 30s under a mostly clear sky.

Winds will be generally calm.

Thursday: thursday will be the best day of the next several with plenty of sunshine and highs near 70.

Winds will be light out of the southeast.

Friday-saturday: fortunately, it appears that much of the day friday will be dry, but clouds will increase by the evening.

Rain will move in after sunset and continue through the early morning hours of saturday.

Showers will be possible throughout the day on saturday, but it appears the bulk of the rain will be gone by lunchtime.

We aren't expecting any severe weather with this system, but rainfall amounts could approach a half an inch in some locations.

Highs will be in the mid to upper 60s with morning lows in the 40s and 50s.

Sunday-wednesday: forecast models have come into a bit better agreement, and it appears sunday and the first part of next week will be mostly dry.

However, temperatures will be cooler with highs in the low 50s and lows in the 20s and 30s.

A shower or two is possible on sunday, but most of the rain will be gone by then.

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.

Temperatures will continue to warm up over the next several days with highs near 70 on thursday and friday.

Rain will move in friday night and saturday, but it appears that we will be drier and cooler by early next week.

Wednesday night: another cold night tonight with temperatures falling to the low and mid 30s under a mostly clear sky.

Winds will be generally calm.

Thursday: thursday will be the best day of the next several with plenty of sunshine and highs near 70.

Winds will be light out of the southeast.

Friday-saturday: fortunately, it appears that much of the day friday will be dry, but clouds will increase by the evening.

Rain will move in after sunset and continue through the early morning hours of saturday.

Showers will be possible throughout the day on saturday, but it appears the bulk of the rain will be gone by lunchtime.

We aren't expecting any severe weather with this system, but rainfall amounts could approach a half an inch in some locations.

Highs will be in the mid to upper 60s with morning lows in the 40s and 50s.

Sunday-wednesday: forecast models have come into a bit better agreement, and it appears sunday and the first part of next week will be mostly dry.

However, temperatures will be cooler with highs in the low 50s and lows in the 20s and 30s.

A shower or two is possible on sunday, but most of the rain will be gone by then.

To get the latest forecast anytime, download the wcbi news app or visit ole miss men's basketball will finally get the chance to open up a long awaited season on thursday against jackson state like many college basketball teams across the country, the rebels hit hard early with positive covid-19 cases in case you missed it, ole miss head coach kermit davis tested positive for the coronavirus before the team was forced to pause activities until december 7th and cancel the team's first four games now seemingly the rebels have made it to the other side and are ready to knock the rust off davis: "i told our team i said guys not one person in college basketball is going to feel sorry for anybody.

We're not going to be in any kind of excuse making mode.

We know exactly where we're at.

Covid just attacks people in a lot of different ways whether it's the virus--i had a mild case there's someone who struggles with a tough case.

It's just so many different scenarios.

We're going to go out and play.

Control what we can control and look forward to playing a really good jackson state team."

It might be december, however there's still a few weeks of college football left to play for mississippi state normally at this point in the year, we're talking bowl games...which if it was a normal year, even if mississippi state were to win its last two games wouldn't be eligible for postseason play luckily for m-s- u...the ncaa waived bowl eligibility requirements head coach mike leach saying that if the bulldogs receive a bid...he'd welcome the challenge leach: "i certaintly would be in favor of it.

I want to play as many games as we can.

I mean we've got a young team.

The more practice and the more work we the better the way i look at it.

I think the most important thing for us to do is to be the best team we can be.

I mean that's what we have control over and we have to be the best team we can be.

We've got kind of a thing squad but we have to put people into positions that i think can help move the team the best."

A few weeks ago following the postponement of the ole miss-texas a&m game, ole miss head coach lane kiffin saying he didn't think the game would be made up while it looked likely the two would get the chance to square off this weekend..the chances of the aggies and the rebels meeting became even more bleak this week ole miss shutdown practice on december second due to positive cases of covid-19 and have extended a suspension of team activties while the rebels hope to resume practice by friday of this week..

The aggies and the rebels will not play on saturday the game can still be rescheduled for dec.19th should there be other game cancellations...ho wever if not the game will be declared a no contest ole miss is still scheduled to play lsu on the road on dec.

19th as the remainder of the s-e-c continues to be a fluid situation here is the updated schedule for the remaining two weeks of s-e-c for m-s-u and ole miss mississippi state will host the auburn tigers this weekend on the 12th with kick-off at 6:30 pm, watch on the s-e-c network on december 19th, ole miss heads to lsu and mississippi state will host missouri...times to be announced the sec title game last look stinger last look last look stinger last look last look stinger last look last look stinger last look last look stinger last look