WCBI News at Six - Thursday, August 27th, 2020

WCBI News at Six - Thursday, August 27th, 2020

Open good evening everyone... state health officer dr. thomas dobbs meets with mississippi state leaders today to discuss planning and response efforts for covid- 19.

Dobbs says right now, we're seeing a decline in case numbers across the state but it could easily increase.

The big concern... what happens when college students are not in class.

Dobbs says it's important for students to understand the responsibility of social distancing off campus.

"i know the major universities in mississippi actually have an honor code that restricts people from having, sort- of, social engagement against the governor's executive orders, so you actually can't have a gathering of more than ten peole indoors or twenty outdoors anywhere in the state or it's an illegal event.

So, that's part of the honor code, and we're really that the colleges and universities are takings that seriously and communicating the importance of that."

Dobbs will be at ole miss tomorrow to discuss the same topics.

Hospitalizations in mississippi hold steady in today's latest numbers from the state health department.

585 new covid-19 cases and 26 deaths are being reported today.

The number of people in hospitals across the state remains steady at 878.

232 patients are in i.c.u.

Lafayette county has the most new covid-19 cases in the area with 44.

Lee county has 20, oktibbeha has 14... monroe and alcorn both report 13.

Alabama governor kay ivey extends the statewide mask order.

Ivey made the announcement this morning.

The mask order has been extended to october second.

50 percent occupancy rates in stores and limits on restaurant seating will also continue.

Monitor intro whether you're voting in person or by mail for the november election, this is a good time to start planning how your ballot will be counted.

Some go to their precinct, others are relying on absentee voting.

Our stephanie poole has a few tips about what you should know.

She joins us in the studio with more.

Absentee voting takes more than a quick checkmark on a ballot.éé there's a couple of steps you must take before you receive your envelope in the mail.éé " to vote absentee, you have to have a reason.

You can't just say i want you to mail me a ballot."

Monroe county circuit clerk dana sloan is reviewing requirements for those who aren't able to vote at their precinct on election day.

" they would call the office.

We would take all their information, the reason and everything.

It has to be either the voter or someone in their immediate family that requests the absentee."

Sloan says after receiving your ballot in mail, fill out each page and send a copy of your id.

" we have very simple instructions, just follow those instructions to vote their ballots and make sure they sign their application and everything and send that back to us.

The law has changed now absentees have to be postmark by the date of the election but we have up to 5 business days after the election to actually receive it and have the ballot and have it still be counted."

On average, there are usually thousands of absentee voter to be counted in a general election.

With the threat of covid-19, sloan believes the number of requests will grow.

" we generally have for a presidential election probably between 12 and 15- hundred vote during a presidential election.

Wouldn't surprise me if we have 2-thousand easily."

Quarantine isn't yet qualified as a reason to vote absentee.

Sloan says the election commission is waiting for more guidance.

" we're starting to get information from the state now.

But there might be some type if you're in quarantine."

Absentee voting begins on september 21st.éé first look stinger summary: the remnants of laura will continue to spiral across the region through friday night.

A low end tornado threat will continue to be present into friday evening.

Locally heavy rainfall may also occur with the highest odds of flooding across the northern tier of mississippi into tennessee.

Thursday night: mostly cloudy with a chance of a few showers and storms. the off top a lowndes county murder suspect will get a new trial.

The mississippi supreme court made the decision for eddie lee howard's case.

Howard was sentenced to death for the 1992 rape and stabbing of georgia kemp.

Justices believe dr. michael west's testimony that howard bit kemp should not have been allowed in the trial and dna found at the crime scene that did not match howard's constitutes a new trial.

No new trial date has been set.

Intro it seems like military road has been under construction forever... but the end result... a roundabout... should help with congestion.

Wcbi's scott martin hits the road to see what drivers think.

"for months now you've heard us talk about the construction here at military road and other parts of columbus where they're putting in roundabouts.

We've taken a few calls from wcbi viewers who ask us how they work.

So we want to break it down for you."

This is my daily commute.

Going back and forth.

For me i just took it slow.

That first day when the signs weren't out it was confusing for me and i think i'm a good driver, but for the bad drivers i can't imagine what it's like for them.

A sea of orange traffic cones.

That's the view at highway 82 and military road.

For several drivers.... "it's confusing.

It's terribly confusing."

The project here at military road and the highway 82 interchanges is part of a 4-point-8 million dollar project.

Traffic is already reduced to two lanes from four.

And the cones in place now, mimic two roundabouts that will soon be in place.

"they're currently now constructing the roundabouts and performing the necessary curb work.

Once those roundabouts are complete there's going to be new asphalt laid throughout the area and to accommodate the change, the interchange ramps will also be aligned which is something that has to take place to put these in."

But right now, drivers say it's a mess.

"this one's a little bit more confusing because there's two.

You've got two back to back.

It kind of looks like you're going to go different directions each time."

Mdot public information officer, michael flood says there are three things for drivers who are a little apprehensive about roundabouts to keep in mind.

Yield to other drivers, don't stop in a roundabout and stay in your lane."

"it is a continuous flow of traffic.

That's what a roundabout does and there's fewer conflict."

Flood also says to try and avoid oversized vehicles.

The goal of roundabouts is to make traffic flow safely.

While the construction may be inconvenient for a short time, drivers say the end result will pay off.

"once they're done, we're going to see a big change.

Traffic flow's going to be greatly improved.

This is a busy intersection and it's going to be a lot better."

Standup until all of the construction is down, mdot says just make sure you pay attention while you're driving, don't be distracted and watch out for other drivers.

Reporting in columbus, scott martin wcbi news.

The construction zone at highway 82 and military road could be complete by thanksgiving, weather permitting.

City spokesman joe dillon says the current traffic pattern now isn't final.

Off top crews say the construction in front of harvey's in downtown columbus is moving right along.

The first phase of the mini roundabout construction started last month// the first roundabout is slated to be finished around thanksgiving and the city says so far, it's on target// there will be a series of mini roundabouts put in along main street// stinger-stinger roll vo in monitor "the new magnolia flag" is one of the two final flag designs.

One designer behind the creation of this flag is rocky vaughan from ackerman.

Vaughan says he has worked on more than 100 flag designs that he thinks best represents mississippi.

Vaughan says it would mean a lot if his design was selected as the next state flag..

"something that not only i hold dear to my heart but hopefully my family my closest friends.

And my community, my home town of ackerman mississippi.

Hopefully they will take pride in it.

They may take more pride in it than i do although it'll be an honor, it'll be an honor."

The flag the flag commission will make their final flag choice on september second.

Stinger a injured monroe county deputy shares his story of survival and recovery.... that story is right after a monroe county sheriff's deputy that was hit by a car while manning a checkpoint continues to recover.

Deputy dylan pickle died in the accident and deputy zack wilbanks was seriously injured.

Wcbi's alile martin tells us how wilbanks relies on hard work, faith and support from the community to persevere.

During a visit to the sheriff's department thursday morning, deputy zack wilbanks spent some time watching as corrections officers received their oc spray certification.

They have to be pepper sprayed, and deputy wilbanks was there to encourage them as they fought through the ordeal.

Nats he also read several letters from a stack of mail received from well wishers around the world.

More than four weeks after the tragic accident july 26th, deputy wilbanks is making progress, one day at a time.

"i quit taking pain medication, i push it at physical therapy, best i can, i do exercises on my own at my house.

My leg, i believe it's ahead of schedule, my head, still a lot of unknown, with hearing loss and trauma."

Deputy wilbanks suffered a broken leg, skull fracture, along with other injuries.

He also has d hearing loss in his left ear.

Still, wilbanks managed to attend the funeral of his friend, and co worker deputy dylan pickle, six days after the accident.

Wilbanks has also attended a crossfit workout in honor of deputy pickle and himself.

He believes it's good therapy for him to get out and see friends, co workers and others who have prayed for his recovery.

"i think it helps with the healing, in dylan's case, and i mean, just to see zack back and seeing him around is encouraging in itself, part of the healing process."

Nats in fact, after his visit to the sheriff's department, monroe county sheriff kevin crook drove deputy wilbanks to a rotary club meeting in amory, where people expressed their appreciation and encouraged the young law officer.

Deputy wilbanks says his strong christian faith, memories of his friend deputy pickle, and support from the community, friends and family inspire him to persevere.

"my wife, she's done things i never imagined she could do, she's been great, a story i tell, is when i finally got crutches, she'd be at back of the house, hear my crutches start moving, she would come running, worried about me after first night home, she's like an angel, beside that i'm really impressed to see our department pulling through this."

Standup close the community is also showing its support through fundraisers.

A car show is set for saturday morning, benefitting the pickle and wilbanks families.

It takes place in the parking lot behind "the coffee pot."

In amory, allie martin, wcbi news wilbanks could be cleared to return to light duty early next year.

Stinger weather open summary: the remnants of laura will continue to spiral across the region through friday night.

A low end tornado threat will continue to be present into friday evening.

Locally heavy rainfall may also occur with the highest odds of flooding across the northern tier of mississippi into tennessee.

Thursday night: mostly cloudy with a chance of a few showers and storms. the threat of an isolated tornado is low but not zero.

Lows in the mid 70s with sse winds 10-25 mph.

Some higher gusts could occur.

Friday: areas of rain and storms will develop.

Some storms may become strong to severe with damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes.

Highs in the mid to upper 80s.

Winds ssw 10-25 mph with higher gusts possible.

Friday night: lingering rain will gradually taper off.

The severe threat will come to an end.

Lows in the mid 70s.

Saturday: variably cloudy and not as active.

Some showers and storms are possible but we are lowering rain chances to 40%.

Sunday-wednesday: scattered showers and storms are possible each day.

Highs in the upper 80s and lows in the 70s.

The coronavirus strikes another northeast mississippi high school football team... more on that, when we come summary: the remnants of laura will continue to spiral across the region through friday night.

A low end tornado threat will continue to be present into friday evening.

Locally heavy rainfall may also occur with the possible each day.

Highs in the upper 80s and lows in the 70s.

The coronavirus strikes another northeast mississippi high school football team... more on for the last two days, most of the professional sports world has stood still and it wasn't because of coronavirus this time on wednesday, the n-b-a, w-n-b-a, as well as various teams and players in the m-l-b and m-l- s refused to play the players came together across the leagues to boycott competing in order to bring awareness to the shooting of jacob blake, a black-man who was shot 7x by police in kenosha wisconsin while, news of the protests came out...over in starkville, mississippi state was in the midsts of another practice after finishing up, sophomore defensive lineman naickering shared his thoughts saying that racial inequality is a problem pickering: "it's heartbreaking seeing it.

I mean, anybody that knows me knows my friends are...i hang out with a bunch of caucasian people, as you say.

I haven't really had any problems with black people.

I haven't had problems with white people.

When i see the flag, i never see ok they're racial or anything like that.

It's definitely a problem and definitely should be taken care of.

At the end of the day, we have to play football.

We have to line up on september 26th and play.

It doesn't matter what's going on in the world right now, we're going to have to line up and play september 26th.

So right now we're just keeping our mind focused on playing football."

Per multiple reports, mississippi state becomes the most recent team to join the ongoing protests the bulldogs won't practice toddy as players are boycotting training camp over in oxford, the pads have officially been put on as the rebels prepare for kick- off on september 26th after having extended time off due to canceled spring practices because of covid- 19 running back and dual sport athlete jerrion ealy, who normally wouldn't play in the spring because of baseball saying it's nice to have everyone on his schedule for a change "i was excited to be back.

For most players, they would normally have the spring.

So they would put pads on in the spring.

So everybody was kind of on my schedule now.

Me and jr 's schedule.

It was great.

It was great to be out.

I mean everybody was flying around.

Everybody was just excited to be in pads.

First time just excited to be in pads.

First time we've been in pads since the school, wherever they at-- i don't even want to talk about them no more.

I don't even want to think about that game, but that was the last time we had on pads.

It was just fun and exciting to have them on again."

As the southeastern conference continues to manage fall sports amid covid- 19 the s-e-c finalized new formats for fall sports other than football cross country, soccer, volleyball, golf and tennis have official start dates cross country will start on september 11th and run through october 23rd soccer will start on september 18th and run through november 8th for eight weeks of competition volleyball gets its start mid october on october 16th through november 27th gold and tennis both cannot start until october 1st and are allowed up to three team events in the fall for the full details, you can visit our website -- wcbi.com the mantachie mustangs will have to wait another week to get the football season started the mustangs are the latest high school to join the list of team's currently being quarantined for covid-19 after having three players test positive for the coronavirus, the team has entered into a 2-week quarantine this ultimately cancels the mustangs scrimmage against hamilton that was set for friday as well as the season opener against smithville on september 3rd mantachie will now open the season against thrasher on september 11th when we return...chief meteorologist keith gibson will have a last look at your forecast.

You are watching wcbi news so what's radar this evening we have some rain used to make and also a lot of showers are west five are west 55 and just keep watching this to the hours see a video that can spit up went up, but we may see a little bit of strong summit to be good for roddy.

Joey is beneath your we get