WCBI News at Ten - 07/06/20

WCBI News at Ten - 07/06/20

As mississippi continues reopening, a new covid-19 hotspot has emerged - the state capitol..

Thanks for staying up with us tonight..

The state department of health is looking into an outbreak after some lawmakers have tested positive and while still others are sick and awaiting test results.

Courtney ann jackson has the latest lawmakers returned to the capitol monday...not for passing more laws but rather to see if they would pass the covid-19 test.

The most public announcement of a positive diagnosis coming from speaker philip gunn.

"this morning was informed that i too have tested positive for covid."

Although the exact number of house members that have tested positive isn't known...their colleagues hear the number's growing.

"i've been told we have over 10 house members that have tested positive."

Rep.

Tom miles was among those who went for a test monday.

"it's a scary thing for me personally because earlier in the year i lost my mom to covid.

It's a good reminder that this thing is not over with.

It's another reality check to all of us in mississippi, even legislators can catch this thing."

Rep.

Chris bell says masks were encouraged while they were there hammering out the state budget and changing the state flag but not everyone was wearing them.

"we had an opportunity to show the world that we were taking this virus seriously but wearing masks.

What happened is everyone got comfortable.

Everybody got lax."

Governor tate reeves also getting a coronavirus test.

"and so we believe that it was smart to self-isolate.

We believe it was smart to go to the doctor and get a test."

Video shows reeves and gunn shaking hands after the governor signed the bill to change the state flag last tuesday.

Some lawmakers saying they're hopeful this outbreak can serve as a reminder.

"this virus has no determination whether you're democrat or republican, black and white, purple, red or yellow.

It's affecting everyone."

Courtney ann jackson, wcbi news you will need a mask or face covering if you have to do business in oktibbeha county.

The board of supervisors approved an order this morning that requires face coverings inside all county buildings and businesses outside the starkville city limits.

The measure passed unanimously and will go into effect tuesday morning.

It will remain in effect until further notice.

Starkville aldermen are expected to discuss and vote on a mask mandate at their meeting tuesday night.

It would apply to businesses áinsideá the city limits.

While many hospitals are more equipped than others when it comes to dealing with covid-19... rural facilities, like noxubee general hospital, have had to find ways to adjust and do it quickly..

Bobby martinez tells us more about those obstacles and how the medical team is dealing with this pandemic... "we've adapted through caution."

Stand up covid-19 has placed many hospitals in uncharted territory this year alone... and here at noxubee general hospital..

Covid-19 has taught them many lessons...one being team work... sot - danny mckay - hospital administrator - noxubee general hospital "what we learn is that working together as a team is the most important thing that you communicate well with one another and your voice what your concerns are and you'll be patient and you hear them out."

Mckay says there were many challenges the hospital faced at first..

Sot - danny mckay - hospital administrator - noxubee general hospital "at first you know that was, the issue of we didn't know if we were going to get the personal protective gear that we got.

But that's worked out the states worked really well with us and a lot of the manufacturers have risen to the occasion.

The other thing is we don't have ventilators you know for the more serious covid patients that require ventilators they always have to step up to a higher level of care."

Mckay says there are barriers in the hospital to separate non covid patients... "we have temporary barriers that is similar to what you see at a convenience store that has a plexiglass nd we have barriers.

And we have our covid staff works exclusively in that area and they don't carry it to the other patients that are non-covid meg ebert who will soon lead the hospital as administrator.

Says covid-19 has forced the hospital to make many adjustments to best assist each patient... sot - meg ebert - cfo - noxubee general hospital well with covid it is something we have never experienced before so we really had to just work together as a team.

Come up with new solutions new ideas.

We are here to provide healthcare for our community and it changed the way we did that.

We have just learned to just do it.

Work together and persevere in healthcare as heroes.

Reporting on noxubee county..

Noxubee county has reported 267 positive covid-19 test results.

Eight people have died after being diagnosed with the virus.

First look stinger a stationary boundary stalled across the southeast means daily chances for rain and storms will continue for the next several days.

If you don't find yourself under a shower, temperatures will be hot and humid with some occasional peeks of sunshine.

Monday night: we'll keep the chance in for a shower or a divided lowndes county board of supervisors agrees on a ábigá move.

With one voice, supervisors voted to move the confederate monument from in front of the courthouse.

You may recall....district 5 supervisor leroy brooks made a motion last month to have the statue removed... that motion failed in a 3-2 vote..... after that vote then board president harry sanders was recorded making racist remarks to a newspaper reporter.

As quentin smith tells us - today - sanders was one of the three supervisors to change his vote on the matter.....making the monument's move from the courthouse lawn a unanimous vote..

For more than 100 years this confederate monument has been standing tall outside the lowndes county courthouse... that's about to change.

The board of supervisors have unanimously agreed to relocate it to friendship cemetery.

"the winds of changes are blowing in mississippi."

" one small step for man makes it an even giant step for mankind, i'm happy it's gone.

"we look forward to the monument being in a more suitable place."

District 2 representative trip hairston was the first to address relocating the monument during monday's meeting....... a decision he's now in favor of.

However, that wasn't the case last month when the issue was first brought up.

" i voted as you all know, i voted against moving the monument.

Since that time i've heard from a lot of my constituents in district 2, a vast majority of them said they think it is appropriate that we move the monument to a more suitable location in friendship cemetery."

Monday's vote is just the first step in the process.

The county has to get clearance from the state department of archives and history to have the statue relocated.....then they city must deed the county a piece of property at friendship cemetery for the statue, and lastly the county has to get bids to have the monument moved.

Columbus city leaders have already agreed to help the county with the relocation... .

"it's the city's land, and thank you to whoever you are, the generous donor, for donating their land at friendship cemetery, but from the city's perspective we're going to split the bill with the county as well as help them get it moved down to friendship cemetery."

" i wouldn't be surprised if it takes as long as 60 to 90 days, hopefully not that long but you certainly want to give yourself time."

District 5 supervisor leroy brooks has been pleading to have the monument removed for weeks now.

While he's happy with the board's decision, he says the monument isn't the only thing that needs to go.

"the issue at hand is that harry sanders needs to resign for the good of this community."

Sanders only spoke once during the meeting, that was to second a motion that was made by a fellow board member.

Sanders declined to give any comments after today's meeting.

The columbus city council is expected to discuss deeding the county land and helping with relocation costs at their meeting tomorrow meeting..

A group of concerned parents in caledonia want to see some changes at the school there..

A facebook group known as "unify caledonia" is circulating a petition to drop the name confederates from the school's sports teams. they say the message behind the mascot is hurtful and insensitive to students.

Caledonia schools have been using the name "feds" in recent years, but families want a new identity..

Members of the group are hoping the school board will make the decision to change it.

" i think it's going to help unify all students who attend there, not just certain students who can associate with that mascot.

I think it's a devise technique that was put into play and it hate that it's still in play now because i feel like a-lot of the students feel that it's insensitive to others and it's not really along a racial divide.

All students who are there should all be represented as a whole."

Lowndes county school district superintendent, sam allison says the board will continue to discuss a name change this month or in august.

It's ágame oná for southern lowndes county residents// the new gym and playground are open in crawford.

Lowndes county leaders had a ribbon cutting ceremony today for the new facility.

Those who helped make the project a reality hope people from all over take advantage of the new digs// "hopefully the facility will benefit kids from here to noxubee county line, oktibbeha county line and of course lowndes county.

The areas are all condensed and close in distance so for those areas that lack a facility, this facility is a reward for all of them."

"we think the community is going to be happy with it.

We think they'll be really proud to have this facility here.

We know we're excited because the kids are going to have something else to do here, something to be proud of."

The project cost 375-thousand dollars.

350 of that was from a bond bill.

The county paid the extra 25 grand to add a new pavilion and playground.

A northeast mississippi town is now designated an official "mississippi main street community."

The mississippi main street association made the designation official during a ceremony on the front steps of the nettleton town hall this evening.

Nettleton applied for the designation and will get advice from mississippi main street on ways to preserve and revitalize the downtown area.

Sot "it definitely makes the city look better , and it's going to naturally attract more people to the city, it's a great city with a great school system we just want to keep it going for our kids."

Since 1993, mississippi main street association has provided more than five billion dollars in public and private re investment back into main street communities.

Stinger wx open summary: unsettled weather will remain in place through tuesday night with scattered rain and storm chances.

A cold front will sweep out the rain and humidity by mid morning wednesday leaving us with sunny and warm weather for the rest of the week and upcoming weekend.

Monday night: areas of showers will continue but gradually diminish in size and scope.

The threat of an isolated tornado should gradually end during the evening hours but we'll just have to monitor radar trends.

Look for a mild night with lows in the mid 70s.

Breezy se winds between 10 and 25 mph.

Tuesday: mostly cloudy with showers lingering first thing in the day.

A mix of sun and clouds is expected to develop as time goes on but that could lead to a few more showers or storms. highs are going to push 90?

With higher heat indices at times.

Winds ssw 10-20 mph.

Tuesday night: a cold front may spark a line of showers and storms after midnight.

While we can't rule out a few isolated strong storms most spots will not experience anything too rough.

Lows will be in the low to mid 70s.

Wednesday: any rain chance should move east by mid morning allowing sunnier and less humid conditions to build in on the heels of westerly winds.

Highs top out in the mid 80s.

Wednesday night: clear and refreshing.

Lows in the low 60s.

Thursday-monday: mostly sunny to partly cloudy, stinger we look back on a hall of fame career coming up a little later in the news... take scott's reentry it's always important to drink plenty of water, especially in the heat// tonight we talk about dehydration in our health talk with baptist// hi.

I'm lee richardson, a physician in the emergency room at baptist memorial hospital golden triangle.

Tonight we will discuss dehydration.dehyd ration occurs when you lose more fluid than you take in and your body doesn't have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions.

If you don't replace lost fluids, you may get dehydrated.

We lose water every day in the form of water vapor in the breath we exhale and as water in our sweat, urine and stool.

Along with the water, small amounts of salts are also lost.when we lose too much water, our bodies may become out of balance or dehydrated.

Severe dehydration can lead to death.symptoms of dehydration include:?

A dry, sticky mouth?

Sleepiness or tiredness - children are likely to be less active than usual?

Extreme fussiness or sleepiness in infants and children; irritability and confusion in adults?

Thirst?

Decreased urine output - no wet diapers for three hours for infants and eight hours or more without urination for older children and teens.?

Few or no tears when stinger calhoun city has their eyes on the prize this year...the high school football tour checks in with the wildcats, next take sports full the high school football tour continues it's stops in 2a with calhoun city former assistant m.d.

Jennings is the new man in charge of the wildcats following former head coach chad white's departure jennings looks to add some more gold to city's trophy case calhoun city is stop number 15 on the high school football tour áááintro bb it might be the first year as head coach for m.d.

Jennings, however, that doesn't mean the expectation changes for calhoun city.

"here in calhoun city one of our main goals is always to win the region and then try to make a deep run in the playoffs," jennings said.

"the main goal for everyone every year is to win a state championship so try to bring another one home."

The last time the wildcats saw a state championship was back in 2016.

Just last season, calhoun city wasn't too far off finishing with a 9-4 overall record and securing a spot in the third round of the playoffs.

Jennings looks to build off of former head coach chad white's success by stressing the importance of hard work to his players.

"one thing i tell the kids is don't take hard work for granted.

If you're willing to work hard and put a little bit extra into it then the hard work will pay off in the end.

I always tell people the little things make a big difference," jennings said.

Luckily for jennings, this season's roster doesn't need much of a push to put in the necessary work.

"this group is a dedicated group of young guys.

They're willing to do anything the coaches ask of them.

If they continue to stay on that path right there it should be a pretty special season for them," jennings said.

'every day we come out here and work on plays and the line so we're getting it down pack," senior ol/dl jace armstrong said.

"you just got to dedicate yourself and dedicate everybody else," senior quarterback jackson lee said.

"to inspire you have to set an example by being here every day and work and work and grind."

The wildcats current focus is putting in most of that hard work up- front.

"i'm very excited about the o-line and the d-line.

If you can win the battles in the trenches, you know, everything else will take care of itself."

"we just have to learn what to do first.

Then we have to put in the work ethic and learn how to do it.

If they expect the run we can just switch it up," armstrong said.

"we have most of the seniors on the line, d-end and offense," lee said.

Calhoun city will begin the road to the state championship against ashland on august 21st.

"being able to bring that championship home it means a lot.

The thing about calhoun city is we've been fortunate over the years to be able to win state championships.

That's something we take pride in around here," jennings said.

Reporting in calhoun city on the high school football tour, courtney robb wcbi sports.

áááoutro bbááá for any stops that you may have missed along the way you can for any stops that you may have missed along the way you can always check out our website, wcbi.com take vo off top in venues that usually cater to violins - he brought a áfiddleá// and he played it like few others could combining country and rock to reach audiences on both ends of the spectrum.

Country music hall of famer charlie daniels has died.

Daniels, a singer, guitarist and fiddler, started out as a session musician, even playing on bob dylan's "nashville skyline" sessions.

Beginning in the early 1970s, his five-piece band toured endlessly, sometimes doing 250 shows a year.

He even took a turn on the big screen in 1980's urban cowboy..

He was probably best known for "the devil went down to georgia" which hit number 1 on the country charts and number 3 on the pop charts in 1979 and still has a place in our producer's record collection.

Charlie daniels was 83 years old..// last look stinger