WCBI NEWS AT SIX - 03/30/2020

WCBI NEWS AT SIX - 03/30/2020

Good evening..

Six people face charges in connection to a prentiss county capital murder case.

Jesse crabb, truth brown, jacob gurley and timothy holloway are all charged with capital murder.

Another suspect, trakendric young, was charged with capital murder last friday.

Young was taken into custody at a motel 6 in tupelo.

Constance hamlin is charged with accessory after the fact in the case.

Investigators allege hamlin took her son to tupelo after the deadly shooting.

Hamlin's bond is set at 100-thousand dollars.

All five suspects are being held without bond.

Friday, deputies were called to highway 364 for a disturbance with weapons.

When they arrived, they found john michael berryman's body.

Prentiss county sheriff randy tolar says the gun used in the shooting was found on a county road where the suspects had tossed it.

Tupelo police department, tupelo swat, mississippi highway patrol and the lee county sheriff's department assisted in the investigation.

Take new at 6 stinger wipe to vo a simple assault investigation is underway involving an off duty lowndes county sheriff's deputy// the incident happened this past thursday outside of hucks in downtown columbus// police chief fred shelton says a verbal argument turned physical between an off duty deputy and a restaurant employee.

Both people were treated on scene.

So far no charges have been filed.

Chief deputy brent swan says the deputy involved has been place on administrative leave, pending the outcome of an investigation.

Swan didn't name the deputy, other sources named the deputy involved as max branch.

Columbus police continue to investigate.

Wipe to vo the curfew in columbus will continue for at least another five days.

Mayor robert smith announces today that he has continued the resolution.

Smith says a civil emergency continues to exist in the city.

The curfew is in place from 10 pm until 6 am, except for essential travel by people over the age of 18.

The measure could be renewed.

If caught, you could face a three hundred dollar fine or six months in jail or both.

It's a saying that's you've probably heard many times....when the weather gets warmer, the crime rate goes up..

However, with the fear of coronavirus, things look different this year, law enforcement officers are noticing a reduced number of felonies.

Our stephanie poole joins us live with more on what's behind the numbers..

That's right joey.

Officers tell me the rate of crime for the month of march is lower than expected.

While they say it's common for criminals to execute more harmful acts during the spring, it seems like the bad guys are just as scared of the virus too.

Law enforcement typically responds to hundreds of calls per week.

However, coronavirus concerns may be behind those numbers falling drastically.

" violent crimes so far we have not.

A- lot of the smaller stuff like 4- wheelers on the road and misdemeanor stuff that we been dealing with."

Clay county sheriff eddie scott says the virus is keeping more people indoors and out of trouble with serious crimes.

" we've had issues with shoplifting.

So right now we running extra people on parole so we're trying to stay visible and trying to keep it from going on the up-tick.

I'm concerned that the more of the summer months coming ,you know , it has a potential that it can pick up."

" a combination of those things will probably open the door to more arrest being made."

Kevin crook is the monroe county sheriff.

He says his department had 160 bookings for february but march numbers will look a little low.

" probably only the last two weeks it's tapered off.

We're still answering the calls for service people are still calling and we are handling a-lot of stuff over the phone."

It's the same trend in columbus.

Chief fred shelton says stay-at-home restrictions are keeping his officers with a pretty open schedule.

" we're not seeing a spike in crimes, violent crimes.

We're still getting the occasionally domestic violence call or if there's someone suspicious in the neighborhood or something of that nature but nothing major."

That's why shelton is amping up patrol and keeping an eye out for any activity.

"we're trying to protect people and make sure they're safe.

It's easy to protect people from gun fire, from knives and physical attack but this is something very different and new to law enforcement."

" if you commit a crime don't think you're going to get a free pass cause it's not gone happen."

Another way to continue to keep crime down is enforcing that city's curfew or current regulations.

Law enforcement believes if everyone follows the guidelines it'll keep people safe and out of harm's way.

Reporting live in columbus, stephanie poole, wcbi news.

Take gfx off top a north mississippi police chief tests positive for the coronavirus.

Belmont police chief donald ray thomas tested positive for covid- 19.

Mayor buddy wiltshire posted the news this morning on the tishomingo county town's facebook page.

He reports that thomas feels fine and shows few, if any, symptoms. the chief and mayor are encouraging residents to stay home.

Wiltshire tested negative for the virus.

Thomas will quarantine for 14 days.

Once confirmed by the state health department, this could be tishomingo county's first covid-19 case.

First look stinger first look summary: a quick moving weather maker will give us wet, breezy, and cool weather on tuesday.

While a few stronger storms are possible early tuesday the odds of severe weather are much higher along and south of i-20.

Nice and quiet weather returns for the middle to end of the week.

Monday night: cloudy with areas of rain developing.

A few locally strong storms with hail can't be mississippi's covid- 19 death toll continues to rise.

As of this morning, 16 people have died from the virus.

The mississippi state department of health reports 89 new cases in the state.

This brings the total positive tests to 847.

There have been nearly two hundred new cases reported in just two days.

Clay county saw an increase and now stands at four.

271 patients are hospitalized in mississippi due to the virus.

Wipe to vo the number of covid-19 cases in alabama soars to 847.

The alabama department of public heath also reports six coronavirus related deaths.

Locally, lamar county is still reporting just one case of the virus.

Pickens county now has two.

Birmingham still has the most in the state with more than 250 positive tests.

Tuscaloosa county has 23.

In recent weeks, hundreds of thousands of cases of the corona virus have been reported world wide and in the u-s the numbers continue to climb.

But what about those who have recovered from the virus.

Our bobby martinez is live in columbus where he spoke to a doctor about those who have recovered from covid-19.

Joey.... the number of positive cases of covid-19 continues to go up.

But at the same time..

People are also getting better bringing some light to a dark situation.

'keep doing what we are doing and be patient."

It's a time of unfamiliarity for millions across the world... positive cases of covid 19 continue to rise..

Leaving millions of people on edge.

And while those positive cases continue to go up so do the numbers of those who are getting over the virus.

Tracking those recovery numbers from thursday..

Roughly 117,000 people have recovered, according to john hopkins corona virus resource center.

And as of monday afternoon, that number has soared to 160,000.

James woodard, a doctor at allegro family clinic in columbus, says here in mississippi, there are people recovering from the virus.

"the cases that we've had that were positive here in our clinic didn't require hospitalization that i'm aware of and i think those folks are on the road to recovery so not everyone who contracts the virus is going to wind up in the hospital."

People recovering from this pandemic, does give people hope that this will soon go away..

Woodard says in order to keep those recovery cases increasing, we must continue to follow all guidelines provided by state and federal leaders.

"the main thing is to continue to use common sense i mean keep doing what we're doing social isolating don't get out in crowds try to stay home a little more make sure that you wash your hands a lot it's ok to wear a mask and gloves to the grocery store."

According to mississippi department of health, there is a total of 847 positive cases of covd-19 as of monday afternoon.

And as more test results continue to come in, the number may increase..

And if you're wondering how to avoid contracting the disease..

Woodard suggests... "it's not going to blow into the window you're only gonna catch this from someone else you touch something that they have cough or sneeze on or they have coughed or sneezed in close proximity to you and then you inhale the drops that's how you gonna get it."

And for the latest information on covid 19 here in mississippi, visit mississippi department of health website.

I'll have that link posted for you on our website.

Stinger "the coordinator for amory's pandemic response team has some unique qualifications and experience, and he's willing to share that with other cities.

We'll have that story coming up on wcbi news" the director of a museum in one northeast mississippi town is s leading efforts to respond to the community's needs during the coronavirus pandemic.

Allie martin has more from amory, where an expert is coordinating that city's pandemic response planning center.

Before becoming director of the amory regional museum, wayne knox served his country in the us navy, where he helped develop a pandemic threat assessment.

That training is being put to use right now.

"when all this started happening i went and found my big five inch binder full of data, dusted it off and went to mayor and said, 'look, i've been thinking about this stuff for fifteen years, let's not reinvent the wheel here."

Knox got to work , helping coordinate the city's pandemic response plan.

The museum was closed to the public, and now serves as the city's pandemic response planning center.

The museum's archivist is now making masks for healthcare workers and donations are being collected on site for first responders , doctors and nurses.

"a lot of people bought up lysol and clorox a few weeks back, let me tell you, if you have five bottles of lysol at home, you don't need it but our first responders absolutely do, so we urge the public, if you have extra, donate it."

Standup bridge as knox is helping amory carry out and coordinate its pandemic response plan, he is more than willing to help other cities and towns do the same.

"one of the key things about the plan i put together, it's zero cost to local government, we're not hiring additional personnel, not buying additional equipment, take what we have got and people we got and make it work."

Volunteers are also checking in with senior citizens , and helping pick up and deliver groceries to locals as part of the pandemic response planning strategy.

In amory, allie martin, wcbi news if you would like to help volunteer, or donate to the pandemic response center, there is an instagram site, or you can send an email to p r p at city of amory dot com.

Stinger wx open summary: a quick moving weather maker will give us wet, breezy, and cool weather on tuesday.

While a few stronger storms are possible early tuesday the odds of severe weather are much higher along and south of i-20.

Nice and quiet weather returns for the middle to end of the week.

Monday night: cloudy with areas of rain developing.

A few locally strong storms with hail can't be totally ruled out across our southern counties late tonight.

Lows in the 50s with ne winds 5-15 mph.

Tuesday: areas of rain and thunder in the morning followed by scattered showers in the afternoon.

Mostly cloudy and breezy.

Winds nnw 10-20 mph with some higher gusts.

Highs in the low 60s.

Total rainfall may range from 1/4" to over 2".

Tuesday night: mainly clear and cool.

Lows in the lower 40s.

Some upper 30s are also possible.

Wednesday: bright sunshine.

Highs in the mid 60s.

Light wind.

Wednesday night: mainly clear and cool.

Lows in the low 40s.

Thursday: partly cloudy and pleasant.

Highs in the low 70s.

Upper 40s for lows thursday night.

Friday: sun & clouds.

Just a slight chance of a shower.

Highs in the lower 70s.

Lows in the 50s friday night.

Saturday: variably cloudy and mild.

Highs in the mid to upper 70s.

Some showers are possible but the chance of rain is just 20%.

Sunday: variably cloudy.

A few more showers are possible with the rain chance at 30%.

Highs in the upper 70s to around 80.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and on the wcbi news spx open take spx full coach davis, thanks for joining us on the boxed out podcast.

Well, good to be with you guys.

As an sec coach who's been living, sleeping eating boards for so long, we're going into week three of no sports at all.

Just what have you been up to?

Yeah, you know, it's all of our lives have changed so differently.

You know, we're all working from home that started about 10 days ago.

So i'm here with my wife and my daughter, allie.

And then my, my daughter and her husband from tupelo came over going to spend about a week with us before they move into a house there.

So, you know, everybody who's working from home, we're all trying to figure it out.

I know everybody would discourage this.

Everybody's just i guess timelines.

You know, kind of when is everything going to start back to normal and, but right now, you know, we're in a dead period.

We usually be right now.

Recruiting going all the time.

So both my wife and my daughter ready for me to get out recruiting get out of this house.

I promise you that.

Kermit you just talked about about your wife and your daughter, allie, i know we talked last week you're hoping to get up there, but your daughter started up a library in your garage.

And you had a tweet that went semi viral last, please.

Well, allie has been so involved even we were in murfreesboro.

Allie was so involved.

She was an assistant librarian for probably 12 or 13 years.

In some of the local elementary schools there she has great affection for for books.

She's in probably three or four of the school systems here as as a teacher's aide.

So she knows all the kids and this was really kind of before you know, everything got really you know, shut down, is it was my wife reading her idea.

Take all the old books that they had to library was was closed and just have them come by the house and you could check books out and now he was acting like the librarian.

And then ali was was getting to the point.

He loves math, so she was making like math worksheets.

You got to be able to do math worksheets and all that he was going to hopefully the kids are going to bring them back to him and she was going to get to graham's and all those kind of things.

So yeah, it was really good and then when i tweeted it we started to have some you know some people from across towns to come over and see allie trust me alleys to star in our in our household i promise you i'm a way way distant second in this place.

And but then like i said, in the social distancing and everything got a little more serious analysis is what it is today.

And hopefully we'll crank that thing back up maybe in may sometime with everything's going on now.

And we go back a few years ago when you first got the job.

What do you think is the more challenging offseason dealing with all this or trying to implement your system when you first got hired?

Yeah, you know, it's not even a close second.

This you know, this is a this is the hardest thing we've all ever been through in coaching.

I can't imagine what a new staff would go through right now.

I mean, i talked to andy kennedy the other day you know brian burger i have another form assistant just got a division two job out of new mexico.

That least i got a chance then i can have industry meetings i got to know my guys, i could go have lunch with him in the cafeteria, stat, you know all the things.

So now you think about it.

You're doing press conferences when nobody there.

And you're now you're getting to know a person just like we are right now.

And so that would be really, really tough to try to get yourself acclimated to your job.

And think about it.

You can't meet any boosters either.

So, no doubt, this is a lot more difficult, but i can only imagine for brand new staff.

We're all missing march madness a little bit.

So i was hoping obviously you're a part of one of the bigger upsets in the ncaa tournament of the past decade with middle your middle middle tennessee team taken down michigan state laws a story about that team, or something that maybe a lot of people didn't know that game to maybe get heard march madness, madness fixing a little bit.

I had two guys from mississippi.

This is true story.

One of them was my starting point guard jacob riis.

We're playing oklahoma state.

He's from aurora high school.

He got hit a hard tough fall.

Had some reoccurring concussions.

And then we in his career was done at another starting guard from the coast at simpson, a junior, the day before our tournament in birmingham, the conference usa tournament and broke his foot and one of the most gruesome injuries i've ever seen.

We stopped practice ambulance came and got him.

And so both of those guys so then we start the tournament the next day.

And in our team just we played great in the tournament, when i want a great game against old dominion.

By two points.

Reggie upshaw made a made a two shot foul to win it.

And then i said okay, the week before michigan state i said guys, we're not going to do one thing contact.

We went hard.

There's nobody no contact.

I was really worried about i was i was just paranoid about guys getting hurt.

I wanted to enjoy the experience.

And we just had this great air.

And one thing we hung on to us and guys, just just think about it shirts and skins, is just if you're at the park and all of a sudden rolled in and you rolled in.

Nobody thinks you're gonna lose pickup game, you know.

And so if you didn't nobody had their colors on and their names and this week i was kind of our mantra all week and we got off to this great start and all of a sudden 17,000 fans in st.

Louis were blue raider fans.

It turned into a home game.

And it was just unbelievable.

We just played it at such a high level and yeah, that game was is obviously that the greatest moment probably in the history of middle tennessee athletics.

Last look stinger