WCBI News at Ten - 04/29/2020

WCBI News at Ten - 04/29/2020

Up with us tonight.

Governor tate reeves was joined by mississippi's senate delegation for his daily coronavirus briefing..

There was talk not only of the resources coming from washington, but also how the state has been handling challenges in the meantime..

Courtney ann jackson has more... governor tate reeves was joined by senators roger wicker and cindy hyde smith wednesday.

"you haven't seen me sitting up here complaining about what the federal government has or has not done.

Mississippians step up.

We work with our federal delegation.

We work with our federal partners.

We work with the president and when we can't get something from them, we figure out a way to make a ventilator at the university of mississippi medical center."

They detailed some of what the federal dollars may be used for and talked about how to move forward.

"as we reopen recover we need a huge expansion of testing.

Congress appropriated $25 billion for testing last week."

"we're going to be changed forever.

I don't think we're going to go back to business as normal and we don't need to go back to business as normal because it is there.

We're still under a significant threat."

In the way of testing, the state health officer previously noted the challenges in getting rapid tests.

"we just had a call with our federal partners at hhs trying to figure out how to get more of that.

Still a bit of a struggle but we hopefully see a light at the end of the tunnel."

Reeves says he's also working with federal partners to get more rapid testing capabilities.

He also notes that the state will act quickly on distributing the federal cares act money.

"we are committed to get every single available resource to the people of mississippi in an expedited as quickly as possible and get it to them so that they can use it now&not eight months from now, not eight years from now but as soon as humanly possible because now is when people are hurting."caj wcbi news the state only has until the end of the year to get that federal money distributed.

Some of it has already been sent out directly to places like the department of health and department of education.

The covid-19 crisis has changed everything about our daily life.

It's cost thousands of mississippians their jobs and livelihood.

As the job search continues for many people, there's one military branch that's still recruiting soldiers.

Sergeant first class william bell is used to a more personal way of recruiting people for the mississippi army national guard.

The current pandemic is keeping the recruiter from going to high schools and colleges.

Instead he's using a more informal approach.

"we're having to do facebook pages, instagram, news stations, stuff like that just to try and reach more people."

Sergeant bell says it's a catch 22.

On one hand it's slowed down the process of getting people to enlist, but for those already enlisted.

"it's made that process easier.

They don't have a work schedule to work around, to the people who were working before this all started, we're actually able to process them a little bit faster."

With recruiting a little low during the coronavirus what sgt.

Bell wants you to know is the mississippi army national guard is still hiring.

And if you're concerned about being in the military and working, he says with the national guard there's balance.

"with the guard we're a part time service.

When i say part time that's literally what i mean.

It's one weekend a month and two weeks out of the summer."

The army national guard, bell says is all about serving those in your community.

Which is why he says even during the coronavirus crisis, people have stepped up wanting to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

"i've had people contact me and be like, i see what the guard is doing.

Y'all are out there.

I want that sense of purpose.

I'm getting chill bumps now.

They want that sense of purpose.

They want to feel like they're doing something for the better.

I love that.

Of course i love everyone who wants to get in, but when someone comes to me and says i want to do something for my community, that's an amazing feeling that those people are still out there and those are the people we're searching for."

Another perk with the mississippi army national guard is some universities, like mississippi state have partnered up and if you're enlisted, your college is paid for.

For more information and to get in contact with sergeant first class william bell, visit our website wcbi dot com.

First look stinger first look summary: a stretch of sunny and quiet weather is building in and it will be in place at least through sunday.

Temperatures will be more summer- like for the first weekend of may.

There won't be any weather issues until next week at the earliest.

Tonight: variably cloudy and quiet.

Lows in the upper 40s to lower 50s.

Winds nw 5-15 mph.

Thursday: mostly sunny.

Breezy nw winds 10-20 with higher gusts.

Highs in the upper 60s to lower 70s.

Intro "i really feel sorry for them.

I really do.

I think they're going to have a major problem."

Cedar cove manager betty brown says she's lucky.

Her apartment complex is made up of about 33% students-- making it a little easier to collect on rent.

"we waved the late fee until yesterday.

Yesterday i put the late fee back on, and that was just to get my tenants to go ahead and come on in and pay."

She says most of her residents have paid their rent on time despite the pandemic.

"we were waiting to make sure they had their unemployment, or they had their stimulus checks."

Other starkville property owners... aren't as lucky.

"i've had a few people that have asked to get out of leases because they think that they needed to change their situation, maybe move home with parents, or try to go somewhere else to find work.

Richard linley has been in the apartment business for a number of years... he says newer, student-based complexes will struggle the most if college classes remain online in the fall.

"it is a benefit of being more of a longstanding property owner, that you can weather this, but for a lot of people, this is a really tough time."

"i think it's going to hurt the student housing tremendously."

Industry insiders say it's hard to gauge how much damage the rental business will take on right now-- only time will tell.

"i hope that it all turns around quick enough that they can still stay in business, and the stimulus money, hopefully, you know some of them will be able to come out of this."

"i hope things return to normal as soon as they can, or something more similar to normal anyway."

Those in the rental business warn if colleges decided to move to an online format for classes..

Apartment complexes will see a significant drop in leasing agreements and renewals.

Take vo in monitor a starkville manufacturer is shutting down..closing its doors.

Iowa- based flexsteel announces today that it is stopping operations in starkville and dubuque iowa.

Flexsteel reports a financial loss of more than $5 million dollars since january.

And has suffered a on-two punch of falling demand and the coronavirus pandemic.

At full staff the plant employed 170 people in oktibbeha county.

Now they're looking for new jobs in an uncertain market.

Quentin smith has more..

When workers at flexsteel in starkville received a phone call from the hr department, they thought it was a call telling them they could come back to work.

Instead, they were notified that the company is shutting down, leaving hundreds of people without a job and not knowing what to do next..

Nat as tasha beckum reads a disheartening letter.

Nat she can't fathom being told she's losing her job.

" i hate to say i was depending on it, but that was my source of income.

I was waiting to go back to work.

I don't have a second job, that was my main job."

The company closed temporarily in late march, but beckom says never thought things would become permanent.

" this is something we've never experienced before, this is different, and to have family and friends that have actually died from the virus, and now not having a job, it's a lot all at one time."

" it hurt.

I don't know how i'm going to take care of my family after this unemployment stops.

It's hard, it's real hard."

For charlie douglas, he's yet to receive a phone call about the closing.... he heard of the news through a co- worker.

He's not only disappointed to lose his job, but also the way flexsteel is handling the entire situation... " i still have vacation hours i want to know what i need to do to get those, i've got a 401 , i need to know.

I need a call."

Douglas has worked at flexsteel for more than a decade, and says his worst fear is not being able to find another job due to the global pandemic.

"i made bills for myself because i thought we were going to be a company that was going to last.

I thought flexsteel, was going to be here when my son turned turn 44, but this was a surprise."

Both beckum and douglas say they don't know what's next.... but they are going to lean on their faith to get them through these uncertain times.

"i've got to travel now to make that kind of money, that's the hardest part of all of this, having to travel."

" i'm going to take this time to go back to school.

I know a lot of people are not hiring right now, so i'm not sure about work, and i don't qualify for regular unemployment so.

I'm just making do with what i have."

The company says it knows this is devastating news, that's why they're going to be in contact to help workers receive financial benefits through the cares act to help get them through this tough time.

Reporting in starkville, quentin smith.

Wcbi news.

Take vo in monitor flexsteel has been in starkville community for nearly 50 years.

The company says its facilities in dubuque and starkville could close as early as june.

Stinger wx open summary: a stretch of sunny and quiet weather is building in and it will be in place at least through sunday.

Temperatures will be more summer- like for the first weekend of may.

There won't be any weather issues until next week at the earliest.

Tonight: variably cloudy and quiet.

Lows in the upper 40s to lower 50s.

Winds nw 5-15 mph.

Thursday: mostly sunny.

Breezy nw winds 10-20 with higher gusts.

Highs in the upper 60s to lower 70s.

Thursday night: mainly clear, quiet, and cool.

Lows in the mid 40s to upper 40s.

Friday: sunny skies.

Highs in mid to upper 70s.

Lows in the 50s friday night.

Saturday: sunny and warm.

Highs in the lower 80s.

Upper 50s for lows saturday night.

Sunday: mostly sunny and warm.

Highs in the mid 80s.

Next week: temperatures stay in the 80s to start the week.

There will be a chance for a few showers and storms again by late tuesday into tuesday night.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and the wcbi news app this week in health talk with baptist we're looking at three things that affect our older friends and family// summary: a stretch of sunny and quiet weather is building in and it will be in place at least through sunday.

Temperatures will be more summer- like for the first weekend of may.

There won't be any weather issues until next week at the earliest.

Tonight: variably cloudy and quiet.

Lows in the upper 40s to lower 50s.

Winds nw 5-15 mph.

Thursday: mostly sunny.

Breezy nw winds 10-20 with higher gusts.

Highs in the upper 60s to lower 70s.

Thursday night: mainly clear, quiet, and cool.

Lows in the mid 40s to upper 40s.

Friday: sunny skies.

Highs in mid to upper 70s.

Lows in the 50s friday night.

Saturday: sunny and warm.

Highs in the lower 80s.

Upper 50s for lows saturday night.

Sunday: mostly sunny and warm.

Highs in the mid 80s.

Next week: temperatures stay in the 80s to start the week.

There will be a chance for a few showers and storms again by late tuesday into tuesday night.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and the wcbi news app this week in health talk with baptist we're looking at three things that affect our older friends and family// tonight dr. harris is talking about falls// every 19 minutes and older dog dies false also put a heavy toll on quality of life are going number of older adults for your folly and as a result limited activities and social engagement this can result in further physical decline in social isolation fortunately falcon would be prevented and there are some simple things that you can do to reduce reduce the risk as your healthcare provider to evaluate your individual wrist fall specifically asked if any of your medications might make you feel dizzy sleep you are more likely to fall before be certain to include over-the- counter medicine as a provider if vitamin d supplements could be helpful for you exercises such as tai chi make your list stronger and improve your balance while reducing the risk of falls removed things from your home that you could possibly trip over such as roads and grab bars inside outside your bathtub or shower may see your home has plenty a light particularly in areas where you may walk at night join us next time for have taught with baptists familiar topics to help thought and wci.come-c media dak differently?

More information on that, next in sports take spx full three weeks ago, ole miss announced that all in-person athletics have been suspended until august first however, there's still hope that student-athletes will be welcomed back to campus sooner according to ole miss athletic director keith carter, the goal is to start bringing back student- atheletes by july first right now, ole miss has no plans to move the season opener for football, which is scheduled to be played in houston against baylor on september fifth and carter says the best way to ensure that football season starts on time is aiming to get players back on campus in the summer we have got to get our students back and get them back in shape.

That july 1st date is kind of standing out if we get too far past that it's going to be hard maybe to start on time.

We're looking at some things there, but this thing is so everchanging and evolving, it changes every single day.

We're just trying to think about all scenarios and trying to get students back.

We're going to get them back eventually.

We just have to make sure we're doing it the right way.

I know our students are ready to get back and our coaches are ready to get their hands on them for sure."

The southeastern conference has not released any updated information on when schools can hope to begin practicing specifically on whether or not student-athletes will be allowed back in july or if there will be any changes to the format of s-e-c media days the mountain west conference announcing that its 2020 media days scheduled for july 16th and 17th would be held virtually however, again, nothing official has been announced by the conference on any format changes sec media days is set to take place in atlanta from july 13th through july 16th as people continue to practice social distancing amid the coronavirus outbreak, itawamba community college invented a new way to be active i-c-c created the "in this together virtual 5-k," listen to how simple this is // interested participants joined on social media with the hashtag "in this together 5k" or by joining the events facebook page participants completed a 5-k by either walking or running whether that was on a treadmill or outdoors and then sent in their results finishers were awarded a t-shirt and medal the event started on march 28th and ran through april 24th "it started with two instructors, jesse stevenson and edana nail..they reached out and brought an idea about doing a virtual 5k.

I had never heard of a virtual 5k.

It was an opportunity for our students, faculty and staff to participate in something virtually since we werent going to be on campus and be able to be together.

We just put it out there hoping we'd get fifty maybe seventy-five participants to participate in the 5k.

We had over 235 participants."

"i think we all expected about maybe 50 runners to come out and get involved.

I think it shows how excited our campus is when there is something offered to the students.

I think you could see instructors getting involved.

You could see faculty and staff really encouraging people to get off the couch and find a way to channel all the energy into something really positive.

Here's your good sports new of the day nascar driver ryan newman has been cleared to race again back in february, he was involved in a fiery crash in the final lap of the daytona five hundred.

He was hospitalized for two days with non- life threatening injuries.

Newman says he plans to return to racing once nascar once again resumes last look stinger last look last look last look last look last look