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Thursday, 28 March 2024

WCBI New at Six - 08/25/2020

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WCBI New at Six - 08/25/2020
WCBI New at Six - 08/25/2020
WCBI New at Six - 08/25/2020

2 at one point, mississippi health at one point, mississippi health officials were reporting well over a thousand new covid-19 cases a day.

But in recent weeks, the numbers have gone down.

Hospitalizations are also down, along with the number of people in i.c.u.'s.

Wcbi's bobby martinez talks with the chief medical officer at baptist golden triangle about the decline.

And he joins us live in the studio with more... that is right joey..

It was just last week numbers as low as 276 was reported by the mississippi state department of health..

And while there has been a steady decline... this doesn't mean the virus is fading away for good anytime soon... some positive news during some negative times..

Sot - james martin - chief medical officer - baptist memorial hospital "we have been seeing a pretty rapid decline statewide actually nationwide over the last several weeks."

You can see the trend on this mississippi state department of health graphic.

Just two weeks ago nearly a thousand confirmed covid-19 patiere in mississippi hospitals.

Now, that number has dropped by two hundred people.

The chart also shows fewer people in hospital i.c.u.'s across the state.

Baptist golden triangle chief medical officer dr. james martin says there are some improvements but there's still plenty of concern.

"this virus is here to stay" as we approach flu season, as more kids return to school and as more events start happening, the covid-19 numbers are expected to keep moving.

Sot - james martin - chief medical officer - baptist memorial hospital "we will continue to see little upticks here and there.

I do think it will continue to trend down.

But there will be times where you will have some positives here and there.

So we need to be cognoscente of the guidelines, continue to social distance when we can.

Wear our masks when we can not social distance."

Baptist golen triangle has 18 i.c.u.

Beds, where five covid-19 patients currently are receiving care.

The key here is there are several beds in critical care open, which hasn't been the case.

While baptist can expand its capabilities if needed, martin hopes people will do their part to keep hospital beds open.

Sot - james martin - chief medical officer - baptist memorial hospital "it is probably first nature to say hey we are better we can stop that.

We are getting past it we need to continue to do what we've been doing, stay the course let's move forward and we will have this beat in no time."

Matin is pleased with how the hospital has responded to the pandemic.

Sot - james martin - chief medical officer - baptist memorial hospital "there's a lot of things you read out there that are not accurate especially here in mississippi.

We are doing well we've had a lot of support.

Baptist is a big hospital and we've done real well as fighting this disease.

I think we will continue that our staffing those charts and numbers that i just showed you are updated every day on the mississippi state department of health website.

And here are some of the numbers to show those declines... 801 new coronavirus cases were reported today, along with 67 deaths.

Five of those fatalities occurred in lowndes county.

Health officials say there are 903 people in hospitals across the state with confirmed or suspected covid-19 symptoms. 237 patients are in i.c.u.

Msdh report 13 point six percent of people that test positive for covid-19 require hospitalization.

In our region, alcorn county is reporting the most new cases with 39.

Lafayette and prentiss counties have 24, pontotoc has 20, tishomingo 17, and oktibbeha 15.

One reason some health experts believe the statewide numbers are improving is because mississippi is under a public mask mandate.

Now, governor tate reeves is being questioned about why he did not wear one recently while out-of-state.

Today at his press conference, reeves was asked about why he did not wear a mask while campaigning for north carolina lt.

Governor dan forest over the weekend.

Forest is running for governor of his state.

At the event, reeves was photographed without a face covering.

He says, he usually doesn't wear a mask when speaking publicly.

"it was a campaign event, we believe that political speech is protected.

It is not at all unlike the protests that went on in downtown jackson, so while i was in north carolina i wore a mask about 90 percent of the time... there are literally thousands and thousands and thousands of people outside the governor's mansion protesting... just because you agree with those who are protesting, doesn't mean there's not public health risk at doing so."

An update on mississippi schools also came from today's press conference.

There were 144 new teacher cases and 292 new student cases.

Almost four thousand mississippi students have been asked to self- quarantine.

Vo those numbers include students from the tupelo public school district, where administrators believe things are going smoothly.

Students started back last week after being shut down since spring break because of covid 19.

There is a mask policy for students and teachers, thermal thermometers take everyone's temperature and social distancing guidelines in place.

As of last friday, there were 18 positive cases and 197 students quarantined.

Superintendent rob picou says the goal is to provide a safe learning environment.

Sot "when we find a case we do contact tracing, quarantine everyone who could have possibly been exposed and i think that process, if we continue to enforce and reinforce, it will produce benefits where we can keep our schools open all year."

"they're more social distanced at school than they are at home, and i know most of these cases are coming from things they are doing outside of school because the schools are doing such a great job."

Tpsd has in person and distance learning options.

And at the high school level, students can mix both options.

Picou says the district is reviewing and modifying policies as the school year continues.

Top entertainment venues are also reopening... the silver star hotel and casino in neshoba county will reopen friday at noon.

The mississippi band of choctaw indians operates the casino.

The resort installed non- invasive thermal cameras that will read the temperature of all guests before entering.

Special uv technology will be used to disinfect handrails, escalators, and walkways.

All guest must wear a facemask and follow social distancing guidelines.

Restaurants are also scheduled to reopen at the casino on friday.

Top while one form of entertainment starts back another struggles to get going.

A fall tradition in north mississippi will not be spinning this year.

Houston's bi- annual "flywheel festival" is cancelled.

It was slated for next month.

The reason... you guessed it... covid- 19.

The "flywheel festival" is one of the town's largest attractions and draws people from around the region.

Organizers hope everything will be on track to have the festival next spring.

First look stinger first look summary: hurricane laura may still give our area some issues thursday into friday in the form of some locally heavy rain and perhaps a small risk for an isolated tornado.

Outside of laura the next week will be warm and humid with daily chances of rain and storms. tuesday night: scattered evening showers with more in the way of isolated activity overnight.

Lows in the mid 70s.

Winds ese 5-10 mph.

Wednesday: mostly cloudy to start with an isolated shower possible.

Look for more sun to develop as the day wears on but that could spark a few more spotty showers and storms. highs in the lower 90s with heat indices in the low 100s.

Winds se 5-15 mph.

A former mississippi department of human service employee in lowndes county is indicted for food stamp fraud.

Deidra norris is facing four counts of food stamp fraud.

Investigators accuse norris of stealing and activating snap ebt cards from people who were in a drug rehab facility.

In a press release, dhs says norris confessed to buying and selling multiple ebt cards.

If convicted, norris faces up to 12 years in jail and ten thousand dollars.

Top a caledonia man is accused of a child sex crime.

31-year-old bryant shinn is charged with sexual battery.

Lowndes county deputies were first notified about the alleged crime on august third.

Investigators say the victim is under the age of 12.

After issuing a warrant for shinn's arrest, deputies got a tip that he was staying in columbus.

Shinn is now in the lowndes county jail awaiting bond.

It happened just before noon today in winston county.

A 25 year old noxapater woman was killed when she apparently lost control of the car she was driving.

Maiya mcdonald was driving on elijah graham road, headed towards highway 15.

The car apparently hit a culvert.

Mcdonald was not wearing a seat belt.

Winston county coroner scott gregory pronounced her dead at the scene of the accident stinger part two of our story tonight about a north mississippi infant and his fight for life...during a pandemic.

Our scott martin has the story ..

Coming up after the break.

For first time parents having a child can be scary enough.

But try having one in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic as states begin to shut down and take measures to combat the spread of the virus.

We introduced you to the williamson family yesterday.

They share with wcbi's scott martin the challenges they faced and how they overcame// blake and charlee williamson knew their baby was going to be born in houston, texas.

They knew he would have to fight for his life.

But what they didn't know is that the coronavirus would force the lone star state to shut down.

"we came for a preliminary visit in march.

That's when the governor here shut down texas.

By the time we got out here in april, we had to have papers to get here."

A letter from the doctor was their ticket into the state of texas.

"we're like officer we have a letter we're going to the hospital and he's just like, go, go, go."

Wilder was born with a mass on one his lungs.

His parents say his best chance of survival was in this texas hospital.

Due to covid-19 restrictions, wilder's parents have to alternate days to visit him.

And no one else is allowed in.

"we can't send grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, cousins, whatever.

That part is tough because we have to facetime them and show them what's going on."

Even during pregnancy, charlee was the only one allowed to her appointments.

2020 has thrown a lot of curve balls at the williamson's.

But the love and support from their hometown of starkville has kept them strong.

"they've been kind of enough to check on our house, taking care of the yard, checking our mail.

Every couple of weeks they'll flush all the toilets and turn all the faucets..ááálaughin gááá stuff like that."

From miles away, home has been the backbone for the williamson's.

Another thing that amazed them is the kindness from strangers.

"it's amazing.

The outpouring of support from family, friends, strangers, that we know are struggling themselves during this time during the uncertainties with covid and the financial effects for everyone right now.

It was very rewarding and humbling to know that that many care about wilder and care about us."

Wilder is expected wilder is expected to be in a houston hospital for several more months.

We'll more on how you can help the family and wilder's recovery on our website at wcbi dot com// stinger weather open summary: hurricane laura may still give our area some issues thursday into friday in the form of some locally heavy rain and perhaps a small risk for an isolated tornado.

Outside of laura the next week will be warm and humid with daily chances of rain and storms. tuesday night: scattered evening showers with more in the way of isolated activity overnight.

Lows in the mid 70s.

Winds ese 5-10 mph.

Wednesday: mostly cloudy to start with an isolated shower possible.

Look for more sun to develop as the day wears on but that could spark a few more spotty showers and storms. highs in the lower 90s with heat indices in the low 100s.

Winds se 5-15 mph.

Wednesday night: variably cloudy, warm, and muggy.

Lows in the mid 70s.

Thursday: sun & clouds with a 40% chance of passing showers and storms. highs around 90 with heat indices near 100?.

Winds se 10-20 mph.

The highest odds of severe storms look to stay west of i-55 but any shower will have to be watched since there will be some extra wind in the atmosphere due to laura.

Friday: areas of rain and storms. some locally heavy rainfall and strong storms are possible depending on how the atmosphere sets up.

Highs in the mid to upper 80s.

Weekend: scattered rain and storms are possible both saturday and sunday.

Look for highs in the mid to upper 80s with overnight lows in the 70s.

Stinger from tuscaloosa to oxford...fall summary: hurricane laura may still give our area some issues thursday into friday in the form of some locally heavy rain and perhaps a small risk for an isolated tornado.

Outside of laura the next week will be warm and humid with daily chances of rain and storms. tuesday night: scattered evening showers with more in the way of isolated activity overnight.

Lows in the mid 70s.

Winds ese 5-10 mph.

Wednesday: mostly cloudy to start with an isolated shower possible.

Stinger from tuscaloosa to oxford...fall camp continues...update s across the s-e-c, open are sports more important than public health?

No.

That's what alabama head coach nick saban says as the southeastern conference fights for football this fall however, saban went on to say in his press conference on monday that if sports can be done safely...then football can happen and lot's of changes have been made to how teams conduct practices and meetings in order to have a safe football season in terms of if those changes have actually changed practices at alabama, saban says no saban: " everybody is focused on what do i have to do to be a good football player.

The wearing of the mask, the staying apart when you're not in there, but when you're playing, when you're in there playing and it's your turn and it's your rep we expect you to be one hundred percent focused on doing your job and do it the right way.

So i don't see any difference.

There's no difference for me except this thing around my neck that i wear when i put up here i can't seem to get the same emphasis that i'd like sometimes."

In 2019, ole miss split quarterback between sophomore's matt corral and john rhys plumlee however, it's a new season with a brand new head coach as lane kiffin enters into his first season that means the quarterback competition is back according to kiffin, both plumlee and corral have been getting reps at the q-b position during camp both also playing at quarterback as the rebels scrimmaged inside vaught-hemingway stadium this past weekend right now it seems, corral might be slightly ahead in the race but that doesn't mean the rebels will switch plumlee's position anytime soon "kiffin: "i thought matt played extremly well, hit some big plays..was really accurate.

John had a little bit more up and down.

Did some really good things.

Fumbled once for a big turnover but both of them did some things to excite us.

Now, that's the last thing we want to do right now.

He's in a quarterback competition and if you do that that'll take away from his development and the fact that he's still really young.

He's just playing quarterback."

The southeastern conference kicks- off the 2020 season a month from wednesday that means the clock has started to countdown the days for s-e-c teams to be ready to go mississippi state and head coach mike leach have one week of fall camp in the books as the team prepares not only for the season opener, but a tough competition against l-s-u as the reigning national champs were ranked no.

Six in the country in the ap's preseason poll, the bulldogs are prepping to start the 2020 slate in a top ten battle leach talked about some encouraging things he's seemed as well as things to improve on this weekend...take a listen leach: "they really like football.

They really embrace football and the challenges of football and like playing football so i really like that.

I think we got to be more polished.

Right now, we're not as polished as we could be.

We're explosive but we're not polished we've got to...execution you know.

Not just where to be when but also the technique that we need to do it...all sides of the ball."

Sides of last look last look last look last look

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