WCBI NEWS at 6 - 09/11/20

WCBI NEWS at 6 - 09/11/20

Show open show open good evening everyone... it's still hot and humid outside but cooler air will make its way here soon.

And those lower temperatures often times mean one thing...flu season.

With concerns about covid-19 already in the air.... this annual sickness could add to the problem.

Our stephanie poole has tips on what you can do to protect your health.

She joins us in the studio with more.

Joey, there is a-lot of uncertainty.

Experts don't know if covid cases will rise in the fall months.éé joey, there is a-lot of uncertainty.

Experts don't know if covid cases will rise in the fall months.éé right now, the centers for disease control is reporting flu activity in mississippi and alabama as minimal.éé however, folks are encouraged to receive a flu shot from their pharmacist or doctor to help keep those numbers low.éé as covid-19 cases continue to be diagnosed, the number of flu infections may not be far behind... " anytime the flu tends to affect those with other health conditions more so much worse than those without it.

Covid is another respiratory virus."

Craig moffett is a family physician with the maben medical clinic.

He says people should consider getting an early flu shot.

" the mississippi state department of health i believe has recommended that we try to get the flu vaccines in a little earlier this year.

To have everyone with the vaccine before flu season truly gets here that way we hopefully keep people from getting both covid and flu."

Office manager christy allen says 5-10 people are getting the vaccine everyday.

They administer the shot curbside too.

" everybody is so concerned with both virus now so i want to encourage everybody to get that."

If someone is infected with both viruses, moffett says the result can be severe.

" there are bad outcomes from the flu come when people have pneumonia or something else associated with it.

We have not seen a-lot of the unknown of flu and covid cases both since they're both respiratory illnesses.

We would suspect they would somewhat of an anti-affect in each other and possibly makes the symptoms worse."

So, over the next couple of weeks, moffett and his staff are educating patients on the benefits of the vaccine.

" everyone getting the flu shot will be our prevention for flu this season and to hopefully help form people getting covid and flu which we do not want."

Butt sots " we are offering them to the patients that are coming in to the clinic everyday."

The clinic will offer the vaccine everyday from 1 to 1:30pm.éé an appointment is not required.

éé here are the latest covid-19 numbers...which sees an increase in cases.

State health officials report 853 new cases today and 15 deaths.

668 people remain hospitalized with confirmed or suspected coronavirus symptoms. 177 of those patients are in i.c.u.

And 101 people are on a ventilator.

In our viewing area, college communities lead the way with the most number of new cases.

Oktibbeha county is reporting 51.

Lafayette county has 49.

Next, itawamba, lee, and lowndes counties are all reporting 17 new cases.

For the first time since the pandemic shutdown the mississippi horse park... it is open and full... barrel racing is back at the starkville arena... the three-day race features contestants from several states, including illinois and florida.

In addition to races, there will be exhibits throughout the day and food vendors set up outside.

Horse park staff are excited to be open and hosting again.

" it's really important to stimulate the economy to drive to drive the economy to bring new money new dollars into your community .

We sold out of all the stalls and all the rvs we put up temporary stalls i sold out of all of those and then cover care arena that's between starkville in mathiston also put up stalls to help accommodate the overflow."

Barrel races begin today and will wrap up around 11p.m tonight.

Saturday and sunday competitions will be from 10a.m.

To 10p.m.

Covid is a concern for some voters but parties are working hard to get out their message.

Lee county's republican headquarters opens ahead of the november election.

Local, state and national office holders were on hand for the official opening of the gop's headquarters in lee county.

The office will provide yard signs and other materials for republican candidates on the ballot this november.

The president of the club says momentum is strong for the gop.

Geddy says it's important for people to vote either in person november 3rd, or absentee for the election and all offices on the ballot, from the president, to statewide races.

First look stinger first look summary: rain and storm chances will continue during the weekend and all of next week.

Some locations may get several inches of rain over the next 7 days.

Friday night: isolated early evening rain and storms then partly cloudy & quiet.

Lows in the lower 70s.

Light wind.

Saturday: a quiet morning with scattered rain and storms during the afternoon and evening hours.

The chance of rain is 60%.

Highs top out around 90 with se winds 5-10 mph.

An airplane an airplane reportedly with a tupelo connection goes missing in northeast alabama.

Rescue crews are searching in the air and on the ground for the small plane.

Reports say the plane disappeared from radar last night, near just south of boaz, alabama.

The pilot was the only person on board.

The search mission, which started last night, is focused on a heavily wooded area.

It's believed the plane was commuting between calhoun, georgia and tupelo.

West point police need your help finding a man they consider armed and dangerous.

Eric brooks is wanted for domestic aggravated assault, domestic violence simple assault, and possession of firearm by convicted felon.

It all started when officers were called out to tom bayne street this past tuesday.

Once on scene, police discovered it was a shots fired call.

A juvenile suspect was taken into custody, but police are still searching for brooks.

If you know where brooks is tonight... call west point police or golden triangle crime stoppers.

Clay county deputies make a burglary arrest.

Investigators say 28-year-old dewayne henley is charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling.

Sheriff eddie scott tells wcbi that henley broke into a woman's home and ransacked the house.

Henley was arrested a short time later.

He remains in the clay county jail on a five thousand dollar bond.

Three semi-traucks crash, catch on fire, and two drivers are killed in the carroll county accident.

The collision happened on interstate-55, near mile marker 195, early thursday morning.

State troopers say 32-year-old pierre cosby of oxford was driving an 18-wheeler and lost control.

When he over- corrected the big rig overturned.

62-year-old jack pierce of jackson was driving another semi that hit the trailers of cosby's rig.

Shortly after, a semi driven by 64- year-old earnest smith of gulfport also collided with the trailers.

The trucks driven by pierce and smith burst into flames.

Both of those drivers died at the scene.

Cosby was not injured.

The mississippi highway patrol continues to investigate the accident.

Stinger food truck friday is always a favorite... but today... these restaurants on wheels are serving up a helping hand to others in need.

We will explain after the break.

You're watching wcbi news at six.

Cadets and instructors at the north mississippi law enforcement training center remember first responders who died 19 years ago today during the september 11th terrorist attack.

The cadets from class b 65 climbed stairs at robins field, equal to the stairs in one of the twin towers.

This is the second year the police academy has organized the stair climb for its fall class .

Director dean bearden says it's important for the future law enforcement officers to remember the sacrifices made by so many on 9 11.

"although some of these cadets may not ever see something as tragic as what unfolded that day in their communities, there is still domestic terrorism, other events that happen , just as important, any life lost is a tragedy, and we want them to make sure they understand the importance of what we're trying to convey out to them.

Class b-65 is halfway through its 12-week program.

Cadets live at the academy though the week, and go home on weekends.

Food pantries across north mississippi will have extra canned goods, after a fundraiser this morning in tupelo.

Wcbi's allie martin has more on the "food truck friday" fundraiser and the special guest that came with it's own catchy jingle.

Pkg every friday, the food trucks are in place at fairpark, attracting hungry crowds.

And on this friday, people were asked to bring food for those less fortunate.

"we're asking for canned goods, non perishable food items, which will be donated to the tupelo lee county hunger coalition, distributed to food pantries throughout tupelo, lee county area."

Eight year old aiden hutchison understood the importance of the food drive, and brought some canned goods.

"if you don't have food you'll probably starve and if you starve, that's bad because lots of people in this world have food, if you have food you can always donate some to help others."

Another big attraction to this food truck friday was an iconic marketing tool.

The oscar meyer weiner mobile made the trip to tupelo for the event.

The weiner mobile is operated by "hotdoggers" who travel the country promoting the famous product and helping with community events.

"tupelo is a very small homey town and one of our hotdoggers is actually from here, her family has been so much help getting us connected with the community, they reached out to us and we got the opportunity to partner with them."

The hotdoggers also had an opportunity to lead the food truck friday fundraiser crowd through a well known advertising jingle.

Nats oscar meyer weiner song.

The food truck friday fundraiser is expected to be a big help to the tupelo lee county hunger coalition, at a time when demand for their services is on the rise.

Allie martin, wcbi news.

The hunger coaltion is a special project for the tupelo - lee county community foundation, a create foundation affiliate, and the united way.

Here's another way to help our community... your friends and neighbors need a little help.

Join tara wheeler tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.

Here on wcbi for the united way of lowndes and noxubee county telethon.

We'll introduce you to people who work with the united way and local agencies that benefit from their funding.

United way of lowndes and noxubee counties provides meals and groceries to local families.

Families and children who need resources from safe haven and sally kate winters benefit from the united way.

So do volunteers at contact helpline and helping hands.

Groups that focus on students like 4- h and the boys and girls club also need help with their budgets.

And, the united way is always on the front line following natural disasters, helping with everything from housing to recovery.

It is for these reasons and so many more that we hope you join tara wheeler tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.

Here on wcbi tv.

Stinger stinger weather open summary: rain and storm chances will continue during the weekend and all of next week.

Some locations may get several inches of rain over the next 7 days.

Tropics: tropical depression nineteen has formed near the bahamas.

It is forecast to develop further into a tropical storm this weekend as it crosses the northeastern gulf of mexico.

There is a lot of uncertainly as to where it will end up but anywhere from florida to louisiana may get some very heavy rainfall out of this one.

Friday night: isolated early evening rain and storms then partly cloudy & quiet.

Lows in the lower 70s.

Light wind.

Saturday: a quiet morning with scattered rain and storms during the afternoon and evening hours.

The chance of rain is 60%.

Highs top out around 90 with se winds 5-10 mph.

Saturday night: partly to mostly cloudy with some rain and storms possible.

Lows in the lower 70s.

Sunday: partly to mostly cloudy with a 60% chance of rain and storms. highs in the mid to upper 80s.

Monday-friday: we're keeping rain chances at 40% each day but that is all dependent on what ends up happening with the tropical system in the gulf.

Highs should be in the mid to upper 80s with lows around 70.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and the wcbi news app stinger so as you carry over into the night or early sunday morning) is cpi will with working rock you by your local board to go for amazon game of the week this week on ackerman week to a full high school football season should be a good matchup tonight is choctaw's getting radios east webster born and ranked at number five more mention of these teams these wins the final 50 the final 55 to 21 thanks to quarterback chandler hodges ran sean city teen choctaw county passing the ball around 88 yards so again choctaw county expect a very good game between these two tonight in terms of these series tonight east webster has pretty much won every game the chargers against wolverines on the other hand he's webster at home last year chuck taft town county is a market home plenty more good games coming in the night very hard to get a game of the week because of so many good matchup's struggle will be a list for west point at tupelo another good game make sure you tune into us tonight for all the highlights and scores that's