Noon 9-16-20

Noon 9-16-20

Huber -- and we begin this hour with big news from the big 10.

Tri-state football fans of purdue--i-u-- and all the big 10 teams--will see their delay of game--come to an end.

The council of presidents and chancellors huddled up-- voting just this morning--to allow the league to play-- starting the weekend of october 23 and 24.

The move-- making the big ten teams-- eligible for the college football playoffs.

And a blitz of rapid daily covid-19 testing--for everyone stepping foot on the field-- will be required.

Turning now to the testing-- across the tri- state.

And what the latest results are showing-- as we continue the fight-- through the fall--against the virus.

But this day--is already shaping up to be another difficult one for many families across our area.

Across the hoosier state--- we have one new death to report in vanderburgh county.

As well--48 new people--now infected with covid-19.

Spencer county too--has lost one of their own.

Three new cases there as well today.

Over the ohio--in the bluegrass 2 new deaths in the green river region.

Both union county and webster county with one loss each there..

Just one new person testing positive though today in hopkins county.

And illinois.... 29 new cases - with lawrence reporting two new deaths - along with three new cases.... saline county with six new cases.... wabash county adding four.... new at noon-- we have already been wearing masks a lot this year with halloween next month -- how will that shape up?

44news reporter marisa patwa sat down with evansville mayor lloyd winnecke to find out more on the city's stance.

Halloween parades and trunk-or-treats getting canceled around the country leaving tri-state parents questioning -- will my child be able to trick or treat this year?

"it would be really sad because my little girl is six and she looks forward to halloween all year round.

She's talked about it i mean since january.

So, she will be really upset if she can't do that.

I feel like everything else has been canceled so let's not cancel this for the kids."

But evansville mayor lloyd winnecke says while he isn't sure just yet if there will be limitations to the october tradition -- as he's waiting to hear from the vanderburgh county health department -- he believes families will be able to do so safely.

"we've been following their guidance through the pandemic on everything related to public health and we'll certainly do that again for halloween.

But i think it's safe to say that we can -- people need to use common sense, masks social distancing, you know good hygiene with washing your hands, etc, and you know, it will be a safe halloween."

And regardless of trick or treating does get cancelled families will still be able to have halloween fun this year with a socially distanced boo at the zoo and at the evansville museum's second annual halloween bash, with new safety precautions in place.

"this is for ages kindergarten through sixth grade.

To come and have a self guided experienced, an enhanced museum experience this year for halloween.

So we'll be having a scavenger hunt, you can walk through the museum and find pumpkins hidden throughout the museum and check them off your list."

44news has reached out to the vanderburgh county health department to find out more on their decision regarding trick- or-treating.

Reporting in evansville marisa patwa 44news in muhlenberg county-- one school is reporting six active cases of covid-19.

Three students and three faculty workers have tested positive.

There are currently 33 students and eighteen staff members who are self- quarantining while the school is taking prevention measures to stop the spread.

In person classes will resume on september 21st.... and--in evansville.

A third student at memorial high school -- positive for coronavirus.

School officials say the student is in quarantine and anyone who had contact with the student has been notified.

Happening in hopkins county today -- breaking bread ministries and tyson -- partnering to give away chicken at multiple locations... there were several locations handing out the chicken this morning.... including the hopkins county fairgrounds.

During a difficult time-- where the county has seen ups and downs when dealing with covid-19-- those helping with the distribution say they're happy to be doing something to make a difference.

"we're giving away over 35,000 pounds of product here today, all because tyson foods contacted us, we're just being the hands and the feet to get it distributed to the right places."

The giveaway began bright and early at 9 am-- and volunteers shared--they weren't leaving until they'd given away every bit of those thousands of pounds.

New at noon-- across the nation right now-- the challenges continue past the pandemic down in the gulf.

Hurricane sally made landfall near gulf shores, alabama early this morning as a category 2 storm.

Wild winds of up to 105 miles per hour battering the coast.

The slow moving storm is drenching the region with heavy rain...and those strong winds have cut power to tens of thousands.

Hurricane sally--not on track to make a major impact here in the tri- state.

But we are seeing some effects from those wildfires out west.

We'll get to more from the left coast in a minute.

But right now-- we're joined by storm team 44 meteorologist anthony copeland.

And anthony-- what are those wildfires doing to the skies here?

We will continue to be smooth sailing through midweek with quiet conditions.

The afternoon hours will entail partly cloudy skies.

Temperatures will approach the lower-80s.

We are tracking an inbound cold front that will give us another reinforcing shot of cooler air.

The front will eventually pass through the area by tomorrow with a high of 80 for thursday afternoon.

By friday morning temperatures will cool deeply into the low-50s upper-40s.

Sunset today will be at 6:54 pm.

We turn our focus now to west of the rockies-- where more than a*hundre* wildfires continue to burn.

The bobcat fire northeast of los angeles exploded again tuesday, inching closer to the historic mount wilson observatory.

In oregon, aerial video shows entire communities have been destroye*.

Across the state, at least eight people are dead and 16 missing.

The smoky air is so dangerous that one in ten e-r visits there are for asthma- like conditions.

Oregon state police captain tim fox says the fires moved through communities*s* quickly& the full scope of devastation is still not clear.

Law enforcement, medical professionals we're not immune.// but we know that we have a job to do and we're going to do that job so that we can get the families back reunited and so that they know that their loved ones who are lost are at least able to be put to rest.

A mobile morgue has been set up in order to handle the difficult task of identifying remains.

More than a thousand homes were decimated.

New at noon-- a wild chase ends in a crash-- early this morning-- the vanderburgh county sheriff's office reported that a man wrecked a stolen motorcycle while trying to flee-- the motorcycle was traveling north on green river road where a deputy tried to do a traffic stop.

The deputy shared--the operator of the bike-- christopher bradley hall-- dropped off a woman before taking off at high speed.

He later crashed on a turn on millersburg road--and after--taken to the hospital.

Law enforcement found--hall had methamphetamin e and fentanyl in his possession.

While mid-west sports fans celebrate the return of the big ten--as we told you about at the top of the hour.

Bluegrass bars and restaurants can stay open later.

Instead of 10 pm -- last call in kentucky*now at 11.

The return of sports overall played a key role in the decision.

Governor beshear says with some sports starting later games could possibly run until 11.

The extra hour at night -- is meant to help accommodate fans as well as bar and restaurant owners.

Sports tend to bring in lots of customers--and with the return of football-- one henderson bar owner shared the extra hour will be a big boost for business.

"sunday was the first day of football so we had a great day - we've actually had a great weekend altogether so sports definitely helps, but carry out has been really good, we have a lot of new customers so we're definitely taking advantage of it."

While businesses can now stay open longer -- the governor continues to urge everyone to follow covid-19 guidelines.

Finally some good news.

Today - the encompass health deaconess rehabilitation hospital - hosting their very own puppy parade in warrick county.... starting this afternoon in the hospital parking lot - patients can gather at their windows and watch the puppy parade.... leaders hope that the parade will lift the spirits of their patients during this pandemic.... president trump keeps hinting that a coronavirus vaccine could be available before the november election.

Today - his administration announced plans on how it will distribute the vaccine when it does come.

The pandemic - and healthcare - continue to be major issues in the upcoming election.

Natalie brand has more details from the white house.

(track 1)the trump administration announced a plan this morning to make a coronavirus vaccine free to all americans.

It's still unclear when a vaccine will be approved - but the president during a town hall on abc - insisted the virus will disappear with or without one.

(sot: president trump)"over a period of time.

Sure, with time.

It goes away--" (george stephanopolous)"and many deaths."

(president trump)"and you'll develop- you'll develop herd- like a herd mentality- it's going to be herd developed- and that's going to happen.

That will all happen.

But with a vaccine i think it will go away very quickly--" (track 2)joe biden will receive a briefing from public health experts this afternoon on developing and distributing a vaccine.

Tuesday - during his first campaign stop in florida as the democratic nominee - he again took aim at the trump administration's pandemic response.

(sot: joe biden/(d) presidential nominee)"which has now stolen, stolen the lives of 200 - almost 200,000 people in america."

(standup: natalie brand/cbs news/the white house)the biden campaign is also releasing new ads targeting the trump administration's attempts to strike down the affordable care act.

(sot: joe biden/(d) presidential nominee)"president trump is still, still trying to rip obamacare away from people in the middle of the worst pandemic in a century."

(track 3)during tuesday's town hall - the president promised to keep protections for pre-existing conditions with a new healthcare plan - which he has yet to unveil.

(sot: president trump)"you're going to have new healthcare and the pre-existing condition aspect of it will always be in my plan and i've said that loud and clear."

(stephanopols)"but y haven't come up with it."

(president trump)"and, we got rid of the individual mandate which essentialy ended obamacare."

(track 4)the biden campaign says it will spend 65- million dollars on new ads in key battleground states this week - including two focusing on healthcare.

Natalie brand, cbs news, the white house.

The healthcare ads will run in michigan, minnesota, north carolina, pennsylvania, wisconsin, arizona, florida and nevada.

In posey county-- the sheriff's office announced that there has been an increase in political signs being stolen or damaged.

As the election time nears-- the county wants to remind residents that no matter someone's political beliefs--the signs still belong to them.

And--if you take the sign- it is still a crime.

Stealing political signs and trespassing are both misdemeanors under indiana law.

Fall is only a week away and temperatures are feeling a bit chilly storm team 44 meteorologist-- anthony copeland-- is tracking the cold front that is currently over the tri- state.

We will continue to be smooth sailing through midweek with quiet conditions.

The afternoon hours will entail partly cloudy skies.

Temperatures will approach the lower-80s.

We are tracking an inbound cold front that will give us another reinforcing shot of cooler air.

The front will eventually pass through the area by tomorrow with a high of 80 for thursday afternoon.

By friday morning temperatures will cool deeply into the low-50s upper-40s.

Sunset today will be at 6:54 pm.

Your consumer news is next at noon -- reasons.

So it may surprise you that more than a million people found it the perfect time to quit smoking.

Cbs's ian lee reports from london, where folks are rapidly kicking the habit.

(track one)joanne hart never wanted anyone to see her smoking..

So she hid her habit.now in the middle of the pandemic she decided it was finally time to quit.

(sot joanne hart - former smoker)ian: "this is a stressful time; people would think you'd be smoking more..."

Hazel: "i found that it's been easier for me because everything has changed, my whole routine has changed."

(track two)hart isn't alone, a new survey from the group action on smoking and health of more than 10-thousand people finds more than 40 percent have stopped smoking because of the pandemic& citing the cost, their health and changes in routine.

(hazel cheeseman - policy director at ash) "certainly, a number of people i've talk to you have quit smoking have said you know what lockdown was a complete change in my circumstance actually made this easier not harder.

I wasn't going to work and smoking on my commute on the way in i wasn't going to the pub and having a cigarette there."

(ian lee on cam bridge ) the survey shows more than one million people in britain have kicked the habit since the pandemic hit.

Because the coronavirus puts smokers at increased risk for severe complications & experts hope more people do the same.

(hazel cheeseman - policy director at ash)"something that surprised us a bit was that younger smokers were about twice as likely to successfully quit during lockdown compared to older smokers."

(sot joanne hart - former smoker)"i was turning 40 and i didn't want to be an older smoker// so lockdown and the coronavirus were the push for me to actually, successfully give up."

Joanne has since ran a marathon and isn't looking back.

(20:29:00 sot joanne hart - former smoker)"i feel great.

It's the best thing i've ever done.

I'm proud that i've done it."

(track 5)achieving goals that will help her live a healthier life.

Ian lee cbs news london for anyone interested in giving up smoking, the cdc's website offers some healthful tips and tools.

Pope francis too--weighing in on wednesday-- talking about health and the environment during the covid-19 pandemic.

The pope shared his thoughts on the connectedness of people and the planet--and called for solidarity and care for creation.

In italian--he shared: "to emerge from a pandemic, we need to look after and care for each other.

To look after and care for each other.

And we must support those who care for the weakest, the sick and the elderly.

There is the tendency to cast the elderly aside, to abandon them.

And this is bad."

I'm amy mcgrath and i approved this message.

It was 9-11.

The white house was deciding whether to shoot down a hijacked airliner.

I was in an f-18 waiting at the end of a runway in case that horrific order came.

I'm amy mcgrath...now mitch mcconnell is attacking me over 9-11?

I swore an oath to protect our country.

Mitch mcconnell got out of military service.

And he's done nothing but sell us out ever since.

Downtown evansville -- anthony copeland gives us a final check of your forecast..

We will continue to be smooth sailing through midweek with quiet conditions.

The afternoon hours will entail partly cloudy skies.

Temperatures will approach the lower-80s.

We are tracking an inbound cold front that will give us another reinforcing shot of cooler air.

The front will eventually pass through the area by tomorrow with a high of 80 for thursday afternoon.

By friday morning temperatures will cool deeply into the low-50s upper-40s.

Sunset today will be at 6:54 pm.

Thanks for making us your choice in news i'll be back tonight at five and six with jessica hartman and the rest of the 44 news team enjoy your