WCBI News at Six - Thursday, September 24th, 2020

WCBI News at Six - Thursday, September 24th, 2020

If you plan to vote, you need to register.

There's still time to do that before the general election.

But be careful how you register.

Fraud can come in many forms from online, social media apps and even at your front door.

Wcbi's bobby martinez finds out how to register safely.

Pkg with the deadline to register to vote for the general election in less than two weeks, voters should be aware of some registration fraud that could happen.

And to help bring awareness to this issue.

I talked with calhoun county circuit clerk carlton baker on some ways to avoid this happening to you.

------------- a heads up to those who plan to register to vote..

"my advice would to be very cautious giving out any information."

Providing your personal information freely can place you in a world full of trouble.

Calhoun city clerk carlton baker wants you to be extra cautious when sharing your information.

"any voter and everything should use extra caution.

If they have unsolicited request to update their voter information.

And if they are not familiar with the website, they can either call my office, call any circuit clerks office in any county just to make sure that they are going to the correct website."

And the website voters can trust... "the safest place would be to go to the mississippi secretary state website.

They have a section to devoted strictly to elections.

It's called y'all vote.

And they can go to their website they can check if they're registered to vote in calhoun county or any county in the state."

Also be careful if someone comes to your home with an offer to help you register.... "anybody that comes to your door if they are unsolicited and everything they should have some type of identification.

Like i know right now the census bureau is going around they have the proper ids and identification that they're supposed to have to take the census."

But what is the best option?

"they can come to the circuit clerks office in the county that they reside in.

That's probably the safest but don't just trust any website especially if it's unsolicited."

And the deadline to register to vote is october 5th.

And i'll have more information for you on our website at wcbi.com tag this year mississippians will vote on a new flag design, a us senate seat and in the presidential election.

The number of covid-19 cases continue to edge up today.

But there's a dramatic decrease in the number of people who have died.

State health officials are reporting 737 new cases, along with 4 deaths.

There are fewer people in hospitals across the state.

The health department reports 631 people ople remain in hospitals with confirmed or suspected coronavirus symptoms. 149 of those patients are in i.c.u.

84 people are on a ventilator.

Lowndes county has the most new cases with 77.

Lafayette county is reporting 38, lee has 29, and monroe 14.

Oktibbeha and pontotoc counties are reporting ten cases each.

Many people are still looking for work.

Some workers lost their jobs during the early covid-19 shutdown.

Right now, there is a lot emphasis being placed on training mississippians to go to work.

Now a tishomingo county company is adding support by making a donation to northeast mississippi community college.

Mississippi silicon donated 100 thousand dollars to the community college.

The money will be used to help with workforce training and also an addition to nemcc's heating, ventilation and hvac lab at the college's corinth campus.

Nemcc president doctor ricky ford says the donation is an example of the importance of forming partnerships with communities in the region.

"when we do that, and we combine our resources and the opportunities for our students and industries come in and pitch in and put in things that will enhance the program and also give students the opportunity, so it's about forming partnerships with people in the community."

Skilled hvac training is a top need listed for workers throughout the region.

More than 1.6 million dollars is available to food panties and non profit groups in north mississippi.

The create foundation will oversee the money.

The funds are part of the cares act.

People who ask for a grant must apply as a non for a grant must apply as a non profit or as a food pantry.

Some of the expenses that can be repaid include costs to create social distancing and clean and disinfect, personal protective equipment, costs for testing or screening.

Groups can ask for funds to help with distance learning or working remotely.

And providing food to vulnerable populations is also on the list.

You can see the complete list of eligible expenses and how your group can apply for a grant at ms cares grant dot com.

Create will be responsible for reviewing grant applications for twenty-one counties.

Top a webster county teacher has an extra 500 dollars to spend in her classroom.

Sheila kirkman is the first winner in our "wcbi back to school essay contest."

She teacher 3rd grade at east webster elementary school.

Her essay about what she would like to buy for her classroom was chosen by a vote on our website.

She says her students have had to adapt to a lot of changes this year and she's excited to share her winnings with them.

They have not fussed or complained one bit about the changes we've asked them to make.

And i plan to buy headphones, earbuds for all sixty of them.

And we're gonna do a little art project with what's left over.

The love art.

4-county electric presented kirkman with the 500-dollar prize today.

First look stinger first look summary: the region will dry out a bit heading into the weekend.

A few showers are possible sunday with some more widespread rain monday with a cold front.

Seasonable 80s are slated to return by saturday afternoon and they should continue into sunday and monday.

Another cool shot of air may return by the middle to end of next week.

Thursday night: cloudy with isolated showers or sprinkles possible.

Lows in the low 60s.

Friday: extensive cloud cover to start with a few peaks of sun developing during the afternoon hours.

Highs in mainly in the mid 70s with northerly winds 3-7 mph.

Dry conditions with temperatures in the 60s can be expected for high school football in the evening.

Off top two oktibbeha county drivers escape serious injury after a scary crash.

The accident happened at the intersection of poorhouse road and old highway 25, just after 10:30 this morning.

It's believed the vehicles hit head- on.

The drivers were helped out of their vehicles by volunteer firefighters, law enforcement, and ems. oktibbeha county deputies are investigating the accident.

Vo a utility worker is killed in a firey crash in macon.

The accident happened at the highway 45 and 14 intersection.

Noxubee county coroner r.l.

Calhoun says the driver has been tentatively identified as 36- year-old darrell holt.

An autopsy will be done to make a positive identification.

Calhoun tells wcbi the large utility vehicle holt was driving crashed into the back of an 18-wheeler and caught fire on wednesday.

Holt works for r & m pole line construction in plattsburg, missouri, which is where he is from.

Holt was in a convoy of trucks returning home after restoring power on the alabama gulf coast because of hurricane sally.

Macon police are investigating the accident.

A former noxubee county deputy and his brother are accused of impersonating a police officer.

Eddie and terry franklin are both charged with impersonating an officer by the kentucky state police.

A citation report filed reports that a kentucky state trooper pulled terry franklin over for speeding, near elizabethtown.

The trooper reports that when he approached the car that terry franklin handed him a noxubee county sheriff's department badge and told the trooper that his brother gave it to him to ask for a professional courtesy.

Eddie franklin was in the passenger seat.

The trooper got in touch with noxubee county sheriff tommy roby.

Roby told the trooper that eddie franklin no longer works with the sheriff's department and that the badge was supposed to have been turned in to the agency.

Terry franklin is also charged with driving 20 miles over the speed limit.

Top an okolona teenager missing since last night has been found.

17-year-old autumn weaver was reported missing this morning by her family.

Police say she was found this afternoon and was unharmed.

Stinger small but mighty.

One local church tends their mission garden close to home.

That story ahead on wcbi news at six.

A verona church is proof that a big congregation or a big budget is not needed to make a big impact in people's lives.

Wcbi's allie martin tells us about several projects that will help feed and clothe people, and also provide a safe haven for human trafficking victims. there's not a lot of downtime for robbie gillespie.

He is making sure everything is ready at the anchor church for a food distribution outreach this weekend.

"we had been praying, i asked god, 'would you send us food" we want to help people in need and as i started praying it's like the gates of heaven opened and we had an abundance of food."

The food giveaway is part of a ministry gillespie helped start called "a servant's heart food pantry" fifty pound boxes of food will be given out, free of charge, to 300 families saturday morning at the anchor church.

New clothes will also be available during the outreach.

Gillespie is also director of client services for a non profit the church helped start.

Grace and mercy ministries runs a faith based home for men who want to break the cycle of addiction, homelessness and other issues.

The men live at "transformation ranch" and agree to maintain steady employment, attend nightly bible studies and church services.

A similar program for women is called "transformation home."

Glenn best is resident director at transformation ranch.

At one time, he was a resident.

"i came here just over two years ago, struggling to learn how to walk out my faith, and here at the ranch it's a big thing is obedience, as i've been here two years i'm still learning how to walk out my faith, and teaching others to do the same" the ministry is also planning to build and staff a "safe house" for victims of sex trafficking.

Foundation work has started on "transformation garden."

Plans call for a 69 hundred square foot building that can house up to 20 women who need hope and healing.

The anchor church does not have a big budget, but its members believe in the power of prayer, and partnership with other churches and individuals who want to share the gospel in word and deed.

"this is what we feel like, jesus is, and what the church should look like, it's about, going out, not just sitting in your church and hearing a sermon , paying tithe and going home, it's about reaching people.

God said he created us to make disciples and making disciples means going out and getting your hands dirty and saying , hey we love you, we want to help you, what do you need" transformation garden will be under construction for the next few months.

Another local ministry, eight days of hope, will be on site december first to help finish the safe house.

In verona, allie martin, wcbi news top the free food and clothes giveaway takes place saturday from ten until noon at the anchor church.

278 college avenue in verona.

Stinger open summary: the region will dry out a bit heading into the weekend.

A few showers are possible sunday with some more widespread rain monday with a cold front.

Seasonable 80s are slated to return by saturday afternoon and they should continue into sunday and monday.

Another cool shot of air may return by the middle to end of next week.

Thursday night: cloudy with isolated showers or sprinkles possible.

Lows in the low 60s.

Friday: extensive cloud cover to start with a few peaks of sun developing during the afternoon hours.

Highs in mainly in the mid 70s with northerly winds 3-7 mph.

Dry conditions with temperatures in the 60s can be expected for high school football in the evening.

Friday night: areas of low clouds and fog develop by sunrise.

Lows in the low 60s.

Light wind.

Saturday: extensive low clouds to start with partly cloudy skies developing during the day.

Highs should top out in the 80s if there is enough sunshine.

Southerly winds 5- 10 mph.

Sunday: variably cloudy with a 20% chance of showers.

Highs remain in the 80s.

Monday: increasing clouds with a 50% chance of rain developing during the afternoon and evening.

Highs in the low 80s.

Tuesday-thursday: recent data suggest highs may only top out in the 70s with overnight lows tumbling into the low 50s and upper 40s.

Rain chances appear quite low during this time.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and the wcbi news app stinger previewing a full weekend of football.

It's almost here.

Wcbi sports is next.

Spx open ole miss continues to get ready to face off against florida saturday with the team holding a walk through today.

The rebs bring back a lot of talent on offense, however head coach lane kiffin won't be the one calling the plays.

Offensive coordinator jeff lebby will handle that.

Lebby coached one of the premier offenses in the country last season at ucf.

The knights ranked 2nd nationally in total offense averaging 43.4 points a game.

Kiffin explained why he feels its best to let lebby and other coaches on his staff handle their roles.

"i decided when i took the job to hire an assistant and let them do it.

I think when you mess with them too much that cannot be good as the head coach.

I try to leave my coaches alone for the most part so i can manage the game."

In tuscaloosa, the tide continue getting ready for their date with missouri.

Plenty of pub surrounding this alabama team entering the year as the preseason favorites to win the conference's western division and the sec championship!

The tide also have 13 players making up 15 spots on the media preseason all sec teams. despite all the hype, head coach nick saban has questions about his team that game one will give answers to.

"some guys are assuming leadership roles now that they didn't have to do in the past even though they played.

How are they going to manage that?

There's a lot of questions that get answered in the first game.

I think first game's usually tell you a lot about where you are and who you are.

That will probably be the most interesting thing to find out for us overall."

Here's a look at some new gameday guidelines for fans to keep in mind saturday at ole miss.

The designated fan color for the game will be announced on ole miss football social media channels.

Refillable cups are not available.

And the student union will be closed to the public as well.

We're now entering week 4 of endzone.

Plenty of games to choose from for our game of the week but we all know whats up!

We're making the trip back to west point!

That's right!

Two of the top teams in 5a duke it out friday.

West point and lafayette.

West point comes in ranked as the top team in 5a.

The commodores ranked 5th.

The last time these two met up it went down to the wire with west point winning by a touchdown!

We'll find out friday night which team comes out on top and takes control of the division.

Here's a look at the ap poll for high school teams as we head into friday.

The top team in 6a is starkville.

Coming in at 5th are the defending state champs oxford.

In 5a, west point and lafayette holding down the 1st and 5th spots.

4a defending champs corinth at 1.

Louisville in 2nd.

3a noxubee county comes in at 3rd.

2a east webster climbing up a spot in the polls at 4th then in 1a, the warriors holding down the top spot and baldwyn is 5th.

When we return...chief meteorologist keith gibson will have a last look at your forecast.

You are watching the mercy of their so sexy so overcast and drizzle to the dismal evening out there tomorrow is somebody's eccentric pocket were probably some race for