WCBI NEWS AT 6 - 10/21/20

WCBI NEWS AT 6 - 10/21/20

Honoring a fallen hero here in aliceville.

The story behind a special dedication ahead on wcbi.

A local dentist's office donates personal protective gear to 8 area schools.

We'll have that story coming up on wcbi news show open a 21 year old man is dead after an early morning shooting in south lee county.

Lee county sheriff jim johnson says deputies were called to the north mississippi medical center shortly after midnight.

Someone had brought in a gunshot victim to the er.

Sheriff johnson says 21 year old arlandus shack died from multiple gunshot wounds.

The sheriff says investigators found shell casings in the car that brought shack to the hospital.

Investigators interviewed people at the emergency room, and were told the shooting happened on county road 590.

Sheriff johnson says more evidence was collected from that area.

The sheriff says the shooting was an isolated incident.

"we know they were acquaintances, or well enough acquaintances they felt comfortable around each other, the reason i say that is anytime you have a situation like this or a shooting, general public begins to get on alert, wondering , if they will be next target, if there was a home burglary, what was motive, i want public to know, this was an instance where individuals were together inside or around this car, some incident took place, shooting occurred and resulted in a fatality."

Johnson says a weapon has been recovered.

The sheriff also says a person of interest has been detained.

Arlandus shack was out on bond for a 2018 homicide in verona.

He was awaiting trial on a murder charge.

Centered two different students and two different weapons are recovered today at corinth middle school.

Administrators were alerted that a student may have a gun on campus.

Once they went to confront the student, along with police, the student ran but was later detained.

The school district issued a statement on social media this afternoon.

After the first incident, the district says it was alerted about a second student that may have a weapon.

Educators did find a student with a weapon.

Both students were taken to the corinth police department, where the investigation continues.

The school district did not release the ages of the students or what type of weapon was recovered.

It was just over one year ago that atuscaloosa police investigator was shot and killed in the line of duty.

Today...his hometown of aliceville dedicated a piece of their city in his memory.

Wcbi's stephen pimpo...spoke with city leaders and a member of cousette's family about this lasting tribute.

Dornell cousette was a father, brother, friend and officer who just wanted to help people.

After paying the ultimate price...leaders in his hometown hope this monument to his life can inspire others to follow in his footsteps.

Pkg "it's important for us to realize the local heroes who lay their life down on behalf of their city and their country."

Ever since he was young...dornell cousette dreamed of one thing... "when he was in high school, he was growing up with my kids, he said 'man, i'm going to be a police man."

Dornell did just that...protecting and serving his community during a 13-year-career as an investigator with the tuscaloosa police department.

"he was a good policeman in tuscaloosa.

The kids loved him.

He would do anything for anybody."

Tragically...dornel l would give his life in the line of duty while trying to bring in a suspect in september of 2019.

"his death was a tragedy to us all.

He was from the community of aliceville and i felt that something should be done.

So aliceville mayor-elect terrence windham helped the city council pass a resolution to dedicate one of their city streets in honor of the fallen officer.

Su:the street that bares cousette's name is the same one where he spent 18 years growing up in his childhood home.

A father of two daughters, dornell's cousin thomas wilkins says he was a beloved member of the community.

"if you're going to live, live with a good name.

And his kids man, i know they would be proud of him and his family, his brother proud of him."

Last year hundreds of people lined the streets of pickens county with american flags in tribute to cousette's sacrifice.

..windham hopes people will get that same feeling of unity and dedication when they look up and see dornell's name on that street sign.

"it would give them the hope that maybe even our younger generation might aspire to be in law enforcement some day to make a difference in their community."

"he might be gone but he won't be forgotten."

Thomas wilkins also told me his cousin was so humble...he would wonder why everyone went to so much trouble.

A mississippi state freshman is missing and police are asking for your help.

19-year-old nicholas smith is a computer engineering student.

Msu police say he was last seen on october 16th.

Investigators did not say where smith was last seen but he does live in university house on campus.

An msu spokesperson says the university is consulting with smith's family but did not have any additional details to release.

If you have any information about where smith is tonight call msu police.

First look stinger first look summary: warm, late summer-like weather is on tap for the end of the work week.

Higher odds of rain and thunder exist on friday with an incoming cold front.

A stronger cold front next week could usher in more fall-like air for but it remains uncertain.

Wednesday night: mostly clear and quiet.

Lows in the more starkville high school students and some instructors are staying home this week.

It's all part of a routine quarantine.

As wcbi sports reported this week, several people close to the starkville high football team have tested positive for covid19.

Today, another student athlete has a confirmed positive test.

That means that students who may have been in contact with someone who tested positive will quarantine from home for two weeks.

This week that may be as many as 100 students.

Class for students who are under quarantine is online.

Covid-19 cases and deaths increase across the state.

The mississippi state department of health is reporting 801 new positive tests across the state, along with 21 deaths.

25-39-year-olds continue to have the most cases of any age group in the state.

Health officials report a slight decline in the number of positive patients that require hospitalization at 11 point eight percent.

In our area, lee county has the most cases with three thousand 490.

Choctaw county has the fewest cases with 203.

Off top businesses across the country are finding ways to survive and adapt during the covid-19 pandemic.

However, food trucks are in a unique situation.

They don't have to worry about seating capacity.

Those kitchens on wheels just need a place to park.

Food truck owners in the golden triangle say their business has gone well during the pandemic.

Sot "when it started we had a lot of people.

All my family worked with me and we worked it.

We try to serve little by east columbus once a week and here on 45."

"it was crazy we tried to do a soft opening where we only invited a certain amount of people so we can control the crowd but i guess were travels so it was a lot bigger than anything we could've ever expected."

The small business administration is offering a variety of ways to help small businesses recover from the impacts of covid-19.

More information can be found on the sba's website.

A tupelo dentist office is donating thousands of dollars in personal protective equipment to eight schools in the area.

As wcbi's allie martin reports, the dentists say it's their way of helping teachers and students during a pandemic.

Tupelo smiles family and cosmetic dentistry was only open for emergency services during the government mandated lockdown this spring.

When the office opened back up for regular business, a lot of personal protective equipment had been ordered.

Now, months later, doctors john kenney and richard caron say they will have more than enough ppe and they decided to give the excess to local schools.

"this school year has been like no other in the fact that teachers, students, staff, everyone has had to do extra things so everyone could go to school and that's what we want to encourage, people being in school, but doing it safely, this was a way we could help make that happen."

The dentist office had a facebook contest, asking people to nominate schools in need of ppe.

Eight schools have been selected .

Dr kenney says it's important to help schools carry out their mission.

Milam elementary was one of eight schools getting the most votes in the contest.

All schools are on a tight budget and the donation of ppe is a big help.

"we were very excited and surprised to find out we had won ppe from tupelo smiles, this ppe was not something we initially had budgeted for because no one saw the challenges of re opening school back in the spring, we go through quite a lot of ppe with students so having this extra ppe will benefit our students even more."

Standup close doctors kenney and caron will contact each school and find out their specific needs for ppe, whether it's face shields, masks, gloves or gowns.

Then they will make the deliveries.

In tupelo, allie martin wcbi news.

Here's a list of the winners in the contest.

Stinger when we come back - before you vote, cash matlock is breaking down the ballot.

You're watching wcbi news at 6.

Have you seen a sample ballot?

Mississippians will be voting for more than the next president and us senator.

From choosing a new state flag to medical marijuana, wcbi's cash matlock begins a three part look at breaking down the ballot.

102120-pkg on november 3rd, there's a chance mississippi could become the 34th state to legalize medical marijuana.

Medical marijuana is prescribed by doctors and used to treat debilitating illness.

But the ballot may be a little confusing.

Voters will be faced with two questions as well as two different initiatives.

Both initiatives 65 and 65a will legalize medical marijuana, but the difference is in the details.

Here's a sample of the ballot.

You can see the first question will ask for your approval of either initiative or if you're against both.

If you're against both, you can stop here.

If you approve of medical marijuana being used in mississippi, you will be asked to choose between initiative 65 or initiative 65a.

Initiative 65 was put on the ballot because over 200 thousand mississippians petitioned to put it there.

According to medical marijuana 2020 dot com, initiative 65 outlines a detailed distribution plan including 22 qualifying conditions, a program start date, and regulation guidelines.

65a is an alternative option placed on the ballot by the mississippi legislature-- it prioritizes restricting medical marijuana to terminally ill patients.

It can be a little confusing, but a few minutes of research will help you come election day.

For more information on medical marijuana and initiatives 65 and 65a, visit our website, wcbi dot com.

Stinger weather open summary: warm, late summer-like weather is on tap for the end of the work week.

Higher odds of rain and thunder exist on friday with an incoming cold front.

A stronger cold front next week could usher in more fall-like air for but it remains uncertain.

Wednesday night: mostly clear and quiet.

Lows in the 60s.

Winds ese 0-4 mph.

Thursday: mostly sunny to partly cloudy.

Just a slight chance of a shower.

Highs in the mid 80s.

Thursday night: variably cloudy.

Lows in the 60s.

Friday: increasing clouds with a 40% chance of showers and t- showers.

Highs in the low 80s.

Friday night: partly to mostly cloudy.

Some showers are possible.

Lows in the 60s.

Saturday: clouds and sun.

A few lingering showers are possible but the rain chance is just 20%.

Highs in the 70s.

Sunday: partly cloudy and warm.

Highs in the 80s.

Monday- wednesday: confidence is low due to data being all over the place with a possible pattern shift .

We're going to keep mild air in the forecast along with the chance of some rain.

Temperatures could trend colder but it's too early to tell.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and the wcbi news app stinger preparations continue for the mississippi state men's basketball team with the season just about a month away...more on m-s- u men's hoops, next in sports mississippi state men's basketball still remains unknown, however, the s-e- c/big 12 challenge match-ups have been released and now we know how the bulldogs will round out non- conference play m-s-u men's hoops will host it's first sec/big 12 challenge as iowa state will come to starkville for the meeting the cyclones and the bulldogs will match-up inside the humphrey coliseum on january 30th the bulldogs going through a decent amount of turnover this season losing players such as guards robert woodard, tyson carter and nick weatherspoon along with forward reggie perry howland talked earlier this week about filling those holes, take a listen howland: "we lost a lot.

There's no question we lost a heck of a lot in those four guys.

I feel good.

Getting jd, javian davis late was a big boost because we have an experienced guy who has played in the sec, who has put up some pretty good numbers in sec games.

Picking him up late was a big boost.

Between him, quinten, abdul and tolu we have four guys there who are big and have size."

While ole miss football's week four match-up to arkansas featured a more tame performance from the rebels offense, the game also featured a better performance from the landshark defense right now, the rebels defense is allowing 579 yards per game and 7.7 yards per play ranking 76 out of 77 teams overall for total defense against the hogs, ole miss' defense allowed 394 yards of total offense and about 4.8 yards per play coach kiffin says he hopes to see that defensive improvement hosting auburn this weekend kiffin: "i think these guys are a little bigger up front, more physical in the run game which is a challenge for us.

I think our players practiced with a little more confidence after doing some things last week.

So hopefully we build on that, but we're struggling with numbers over there for whatever reason that's where the injuries and covid have hit us."

The missisisppi state football team in need of a much needed reset the bulldogs bye couldn't come at a better time following three straight losses and before the team has to head to 2nd ranked alabama halloween weekend face-off right now, the bulldogs issues on offense are evident the bulldogs rank 52 out of 77 team's in the country in total offense, averaging 5.08 yards per play and 386 yards per game with 12 total interceptions in the first four games played mississippi state head coach mike leach saying improvement boils down to personal responsibility "it's really about as simple as that.

If we all do that then we'll keep improving.

If we continue to improve we'll get better from one practice to the next, one play to the next, one year to the next, so it goes.

That's all we really have control over is just worrying about ourselves and being the best.

If you want to improve the team as a coach or a player, you know, improve yourself."

High school atheltics continues to be impacted by covid- 19 -- aberdeen football is shutdown through november 2nd due to one positive case -- starkville fb shutdown wednesday for two weeks due and today the girls basketball team also shutdown for two weeks due to positive covid-19 cases starkville academy game friday against jackson academy and east unions game against potts camp have also been canceled due to positive covid-19 cases on both opposing teams when we return...chief meteorologist keith gibson will have a last look at your students and faculty were seeing pink today on the mississippi state drill field.

This is the pink dawg walk to raise awareness for breast cancer.

Msu health education specialist juleigh baker says students and staff could get their steps in, grab some health snacks and learn about early detection.

She says detection is key in the fight against breast cancer.

Students and staff could walk a lap and win prizes.

October is breast cancer awareness month.

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