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Thursday, March 28, 2024

WCBI News at Six - Friday, September 4th, 2020

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WCBI News at Six - Friday, September 4th, 2020
WCBI News at Six - Friday, September 4th, 2020
WCBI News at Six - Friday, September 4th, 2020

Stinger good evening... we begin with a developing story tonight.

After nearly 23 years in prison, curtis flowers is tonight a free man.

All charges have been dropped.

The winona man has faced six trials, four resulting in death sentences and more than 2 decades behind bars for the tardy furniture store shootings in 1996.

It happened early one morning.

Winona police officers found the bodies of bertha tardy, derrick "bobo" stewart, robert golden, and carmen rigby shot execution style.

It didn't take long for suspicion to land on former tardy employee curtis flowers.

But over the years and throughout the trials, dozens of jurors and witnesses changed their testimony.

The case has been overturned more than once and ruled as a mistrial.

The u-s supreme court stepped in last summer - overturning flowers' conviction.

He was released on bond in december, his first time outside of a cell in years.

District attorney doug evans, who prosecuted flowers all 6 times, recused himself.

The case has been with the state ag's office until today's announcement.

The case is now dismissed with prejudice.

That means he can never be charged with this crime again.

In the motion, the attorney general states there are no key prosecution witnesses alive and available who have not had multiple, conflicting statements in the record.

Flowers has always maintained his innocence.

Two separate incidents between roommates lead to two men going to jail.

In the first investigation... 54- year-old henry chandler is accused of shooting his roommate in the arm during an alcohol induced argument about race.

Columbus police chief fred shelton says the two people were having a discussion when tempers at their 19th street south home on wednesday.

Shelton believes the two had been drinking.

Chandler is charged with aggravated assault.

In an unrelated case... 27-year-old jamie milliken is also charged with aggravated assault.

Shelton tells wcbi milliken and his roommates were arguing over money when a fight broke out.

Milliken is accused of cutting one of the roommates during the altercation.

The victim will be okay.

Top starkville police make a child sex crime arrest.

Jason murphy of starkville is charged with three counts of sexual battery.

In a municipal court affidavit spd accuses murphy of having sex with a child in july 2014.

The age of the juvenile and murphy at the time of the alleged crime were redacted in the court documents.

Starkville police declined to release any information about the case.

Murphy's bond was set at 150 thousand dollars.

Troopers with the alabama law enforcement agency will be on the lookout for drunk drivers and boaters over the holiday weekend.

The agency will have troopers from the highway and marine patrols working overtime hours to prevent crashes, injuries, and fatalities.

Alea says traffic on the roads will be heavier than usual because of the labor day holiday.

The agency is reminding drivers to buckle up, designate a driver if you're drinking, and use caution when driving through construction zones.

The holiday travel period runs through midnight monday.

Intro roll vo in monitor in mississippi, alabama and across much of the south, saturday is the beginning of dove season.

It's a last minute surge as hunters shop for supplies and gear.

But one item on their checklist has been tough to find.

Ammunition sells out quickly.

Our stephanie poole joins us in the studio with more about how a local shop is keeping their inventory stocked.

Joey, the people who sell guns and ammunition are seeing an increase this month in buyers.

And most shoppers can agree...finding the árightá ammunition has been a challenge.

Hunters are coming in by the dozens.... here at gary's pawn and gun in west point, most customers are grabbing what they can while it's there.

Some, like gary alexander, have even traveled from hours away.

" well i came from tupelo on the way to meridian and they always advertise that they always get shipments in everyday of ammo so i knew it would be a good place to stop and check and see."

Alexander says he's searched several places, but gary's has been a one-stop shop.

" i needed some shells for dove hunting season.

Anything i could get a good selection in for anything you'd want.any kinds of hunting."

Owner gary dedeaux says the phone has been ringing off the hook.

And foot traffic hasn't slowed down.

" we're seeing people come in from alabama and even in tennessee, we're not that far only 80 miles from tennessee but we're seeing them come from that way because they can't find a-lot of ammunition and a- lot of firearms. all of your college football and nfl, it's still up in the air so we are seeing more and more people resort to other things like hunting."

While most places run dry on ammo inventory, dedeaux is keeping shelves stocked.

"we get ammunition just about everyday.

We get trucks coming weekly.

There's a- lot of ammunition that most people don't have and we've been blessed to the fact that we have it and plenty of it."

Staff members are also taking call-in orders at the gary's locations in columbus and west point.

Top it's been a tough year for local business owners, but one group is dedicated to making main street successful.

During the past 5 years, the mississippi main street association has supported more than 11 hundred new businesses, almost 350 expanding businesses and 7400 new jobs statewide.

More than 1,000 residential units have also been built in mississippi downtowns.

In addition to public and private funds, these investments in people and property show $904 million dollars in economic impacts.

Additional jobs have come from the construction and design workers involved in many of these projects.

Communities involved in mississippi main street have encouraged tourism and shopping through local events.

These festivals, farmers markets and art walks have contributed up to $24 million dollars into local economies statewide from 2015 through 2019.

The msu extension center for government and community development made the assessments.

Although there isn't as much as in year's past, mississippi's cotton crop is looking good.

Farmers around the state planted about 520 thousand acres of cotton... that's down about 26 percent from last year's numbers.

The u.s. department of agriculture reports 65 percent of the state's crop is in at least good condition.

Mississippi state extension service agents say northeastern mississippi saw excessive rainfall and it is impacting the growth of cotton here.

Rain and the financial markets caused farmers to plant less cotton this year.

December futures are about 65 cents a pound... about the same as last year.

One reason...most cotton products are discretionary... such as clothing... and consumers started spending less during the covid-19 pandemic.

Covid is also having an impact in north mississippi college towns... that's where our region is seeing the most new coronavirus cases.

The mississippi state department of health is reporting 823 new positive tests today, along with 23 deaths.

Lafayette county, home of ole miss, has 74 of today's new cases.

Oktibbeha county, home of mississippi state, has 53.

Lee has 23, monroe 19, and itawamba 17.

Today's numbers come as the 18-29- year-old age group surpasses 19 thousand cases in the state.

Hospital numbers do continue to improve though... 789 patients are in mississippi hospitals with confirmed or suspected symptoms. 178 people are in i.c.u.

First look stinger while a cold front is moving through the area overnight, we won't notice a huge temperature drop.

What we will notice is a big drop in humidity that will make things feel much more comfortable this weekend.

We'll remain dry at least until tuesday when chances for pop- up storms return.

Friday night: skies will remain partly cloudy to mostly clear overnight with a light northerly breeze.

Temperatures will top they provide power to thousands of homes in the area.

So why not drive around in an electric car?

4-county electric power association unveiled a new addition to its fleet today- a fully electric 2020 chevrolet bolt.

Fully electric 2020 chevrolet bolt.

When fully charged, the 4- county ev can travel nearly 300 miles.

4-county leaders say electric cars could be the technological wave of the future.

" it's kind of strange because even as an electric distribution cooperative we were a little leery of electric vehicles.

We didn't really understand them but working with seven states power corporation and doing some research on our own we really come to embrace what good and electric vehicle can do.

It's better for the environment is actually cheaper to run."

4-county is working to add more electrical vehicles to its fleet.

Wcbi new at six stinger folks in eupora collect donations to help people who lost everything during hurricane laura.

Volunteers are asking for a variety of donations.

They say they'll take anything you'd use on a daily basis, like hygiene products, water, or dog food.

The work will continue this weekend... supplies will be taken to lake charles, louisiana on monday.

Jason burney put today's fundraiser together and says this is his third year doing so.

"we've received supplies from eupora high school, east webster high school, numerous churches, and numerous individuals that have came out so far today."

"whenever you see picture of the people, the businesses, the families that have been affected down there, you really just, as a community, have to pull together and help your neighbors.

That's all you can do."

Clothing will not be accepted at the drop off.

Supplies can be dropped off tomorrow from 9 am to 5 pm at plymouth tube company in eupora.

Stinger police are sworn to serve and protect... it's the serve part of that oath that's often overlooked... but not in tupelo... we tell you about a man's new ride after the break... a tupelo police officer makes a big difference in the life of a lee county man who had his only means of transportation stolen.

Wcbi's allie martin has the story of how the officer heard about a need, put the word out, and saw others step up to help.

Tupelo police school resource officer tremain frison is a frequent visitor to this dollar general on auburn road.

Several weeks ago, he found out that one of the employees had a bicycle stolen.

"i felt bad for him, i actually got upset because i have watched this young man work very hard."

For stephen mills the bike was not just for recreation, it was his only source of transportation.

He depended on it to get to and from work everyday.

Officer frison took action.

"the lord put on my heart to reach out to people in our community, see if anybody would pitch in and maybe donate a used mountain bike, what i got instead was generous donations from anonymous people in our community, i got up enough money to where i was able to go to a local sporting goods store and purchase him a brand new mountain bike."

Officer frison surprised stephen one day at work, with his new bike.

Nats from fb video at first, stephen says he was surprised and a little confused.

"it took me an hour and 45 minutes to wrap my head around it, to figure out what was going on.

" officer frison says he got into law enforcement to help others, and live out his christian faith.

"i feel god called me to do this and we serve and protect, but the key word is we serve first then protect, this was an act of service that we do everyday on the job."

Stephen says the unexpected gift reinforces what he learned as a child.

"my momma always told me, the smallest thing can help in a big way."

In lee county, allie martin, wcbi news the bike was purchased from academy sports, while wal mart on west main donated the helmet, anti theft lock and light accessory.

Stinger while a cold front is moving through the area overnight, we won't notice a huge temperature drop.

What we will notice is a big drop in humidity that will make things feel much more comfortable this weekend.

We'll remain dry at least until tuesday when chances for pop- up storms return.

Friday night: skies will remain partly cloudy to mostly clear overnight with a light northerly breeze.

Temperatures will fall to the mid 60s by the morning.

Saturday-sunday: mostly sunny weather will continue this weekend with highs in the upper 80s to near 90.

However, much lower humidity will make things a lot less muggy and more comfortable.

Rain chances will remain at 0%.

Monday: labor day will be a little warmer and more humid, but nothing out of the ordinary for september.

The good news is skies will remain mostly sunny with no chance for rain.

Tuesday-friday: pop-up storms will return to the forecast for the middle and end of the week as a second cold front approaches the area.

This front will be moving slowly and won't clear through the area until late friday if it makes it at all.

Because of this, temperatures will remain in the upper 80s to near 90 through the end of the week.

Indications are next weekend could be our first real "cool-down" of the season, but it's too early to say for sure.

To get the latest forecast anytime, download the wcbi news app or visit our website at wcbi.com/weather.

Are you in the near you you needing to meet the needs in the near future regional in the home to you in writing and shall be: learn from the non- labor day weekend lower humidity for saturday to the high clouds passing through labor day also looking pretty nice little warmer but still dry at most signing of as got to the middle portion of the week that's when we bump up regions just a little bit still not everybody can see green and white you are falling at my continued.

Fingers crossed in the cold

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