WCBI NEWS AT TEN - AUGUST 26, 2020

WCBI NEWS AT TEN - AUGUST 26, 2020

Thanks for staying up with us tonight, i'm cash matlock.

We begin tonight with the latest on hurricane laura.

The storm is on it's way to becoming a catastrophic category 5 hurricane when it barrels into land just a few hours from now... i'm going to go ahead and toss things over to chief meteorologist keith gibson.

Keith?

First look stinger first look hurricane laura: this powerful hurricane will make landfall wednesday night near lake charles, la.

The remnants will move north through la and ar on thursday and then move northeast into tn & north ms on friday.

Wind gusts between 20 and 35 mph may occur here in addition to locally heavy rain and even a few isolated tornadoes through friday evening.

Wednesday night: a few showers and storms will fade during the evening leaving behind a quiet and muggy night.

Lows in the mid 70s with ese all eyes on hurricane laura, especially along eastern texas and west louisiana- where the storm surge, winds and rains are expected to be strongest.

Meteorologist brantly keiek from our sister station wxxv was in houma, louisiana this evening in south central louisiana and shares this update as this city braces for laura.

The time to prepare is over.

In louisiana, many of the streets are empty.

This parking lot over here that is usually full of cars.

The spaces are empty as many residents are hunkering down.

Thousands from the coast are evacuating to higher ground to escape the threat of storm surge.

Tonight the gulf coast is bracing for impact from hurricane laura, which the national hurricane center says could have catastrophic devastating effects to the gulf coast and some of the storm surge in western louisiana could be unsurvivable, up to 20 feet.

Just a few days away from the 15 year anniversary of hurricane katrina, many people are feeling the same level of anxiety they did back then.

It's going to be a long night here in houma, louisiana.

The gulf coast is on edge.

I'm brantly keiek, news 25.

When a natural disaster strikes, a good neighbor is the first to help.

That's the case for mississippi and louisiana.

Columbus fire and rescue deploys three of their own today to aide in potential relief efforts for hurricane laura.

The task force is made up of swift water rescue technicians equipped with two extra boats and communication devices.

Team members are headed to baton rouge, louisiana where they will await further instructions.

Captain wes mims is on his 6th out-of- state deployment.

He says it's his duty to help those in need.

"personally, you know, you go, you do the training, you feel like you can offer some help where it's needed.

If you have the training, it's almost like you feel an obligation if you're capable.

You never know when it might be your family member that needs the help, so."

The columbus team will meet up with another task force in mccomb before heading to louisiana.

A four-vehicle accident sends at least one person to the hospital and causes a second wreck near by.

First responders were called out to the intersection of herman shirley road and highway 50 in clay county around 5 o'clock this afternoon.

Witnesses say four vehicles were involved in the accident and at least one person was transported to the hospital.

That accident caused traffic to build up along the highway, resulting in another two- vehicle accident.

At this time, it's unclear if anyone was injured in the second wreck.

The cause of the first accident is under investigation.

Top the commission that will choose the new state flag design to put on the ballot narrows its choices to two... the finalists are the great river flag and the new magnolia flag.

One of these flags will be on the november ballot.

If a majority of voters approve that design, it will be the new state flag.

If not, the commission goes back to the drawing board.

So...we decided to ask a few viewers which flag they like best.

"the magnolia one because it represents mississippi and i also like the design base of it because it has the colors on our american flag which is the blue white and red so you know it kind of gives it a good design on it."

Sot - prabhdeep singh - madison - " i chose the in god we trust flag because i believe we are also under a nation of god and i do love god.

I'm a support him no matter where i go and i also really like the flag design."

The flag commission will make their final choice on september second.

If mississippians don't agree with that choice, commissioners will start the process over, looking for a new design.

We've shown you the final two state flag designs that are up for the public poll.

Now, we're learning more about the symbolism.

Courtney ann jackson spoke with the designer of the great river flag.

Who's behind this design?

Designer micah whitson.

An alabama native who graduated from ole miss in 2003.

"i wanted to ground the foundation in something that was real and was true."

What he found was a territorial shield made in 1798.

"there was some etching in there, some vertical line work that was really kind of breathtaking to me and so i wanted to start there and kind of build off of it.

That was the formulation and foundation was the escutcheon in the middle of that territorial seal."

And he gave it further meaning..the red vertical lines appear in threes---represent ing the three nations that occupied the mississippi territory--spain, france, and great britain.

It's also intended to be a nod to the height and splendor of the piney woods.

It has been dubbed the great river flag---the river featured along the top of the shield-like design.

"that's the physical and the economic and the cultural kind of boundary of the state that stretches elsewhere so really wanted to make sure that some of that was represented in the piece, as well."

Whitson was specific in his design---down to the font chosen.

"in god we trust" is in a typeface that he says wouldn't been used when mississippi became a state in 1817.

The only change made by the commission from the original submission is the star at the top.

"good design serves the people that it's made for and to see a meeting pivot& i had a single star there to representing truth in my original idea.

But to see how the commission there and other folks got excited about the fact that the hamaya, the diamond shape, that is meaningful to choctaw, could be applied five times to represent all five regions, i think just takes it to a whole other level and it makes that star in and of itself an emblem for the state."

Tune in friday to learn more about the design now being called the "new magnolia flag".

Gfx november will bring some fresh faces to the sulligent city council.

Terry johnson wins the vote over incumbent councilman mike franklin for district five by just four votes.

Ralph northington wins the open district four race over chamblee colvin.

Danny hollis will be the new district 2 councilman.

He beat out charles metcalfe.

Councilmen of districts 1 and three ran unopposed.

Mayor scott boman also ran unopposed.

Municipal elections were also held in millport tuesday-- all candidates ran unopposed.

The oktibbeha county sheriff's department is sending out a warning about scams circulating in the area.

Sheriff steve gladney says senior citizens are the targets of the scammers.

Gladney explains one common scam that tries to make the victims believe a loved one has in danger or under arrest.

"somebody will be masquerading as an elderly person's grandchild or something and once she says their name, they takeoff with it.

Then in a few minutes they'll say look the attorney needs to speak with you.

Then they'll give the phone to him or somebody masquerading as an attorney and saying that the child is in trouble and needs some money or he's going to jail."

Sheriff gladney advises anyone who has or feels they have been scammed, to call their local law enforcement.

Stinger wx open hurricane laura: this powerful hurricane will make landfall wednesday night near lake charles, la.

The remnants will move north through la and ar on thursday and then move northeast into tn & north ms on friday.

Wind gusts between 20 and 35 mph may occur here in addition to locally heavy rain and even a few isolated tornadoes through friday evening.

Wednesday night: a few showers and storms will fade during the evening leaving behind a quiet and muggy night.

Lows in the mid 70s with ese winds 5-15 mph.

Thursday: sun & clouds during the first half of the day with the chance of a few scattered showers and storms during the afternoon and evening.

While the greatest threat of spin-up tornadoes should remain west of i-55 thursday and thursday night, any shower or storm that moves across our area will be monitored for rotation.

Highs in the upper 80s to low 90s with heat indices getting back into the low 100s in spots.

Winds se 10-25 mph.

Thursday night: mostly cloudy with a shower or storm possible.

The threat of rotating showers and storms typically will constrict closer to the low pressure center of a post landfall storm at night and that very well could be the case this time.

We'll continue to monitor.

Lows in the mid 70s.

Breezy se winds 10-20 mph with higher gusts.

Thursday night forecast friday: areas of rain and storms. some rain could become locally heavy.

A low end tornado threat will continue during the daylight hours as the remnants of laura spin to our northwest.

Breezy ssw winds develop and some gusts could still be over 30 mph.

Friday night/saturday morning: the last remnants of laura will keep the chance of rain going.

Lows in the mid 70s.

Saturday afternoon: clouds & sun with the chance of a few more showers and storms. muggy highs around 90.

Sunday-tuesday: highs in the upper 80s and lows in the 70s with plenty of humidity.

Showers and storms are possible each day.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and the wcbi news app stinger part two of our hospice care talk is up next.

Stay with us.

Today on health talk with baptist, it's part two of our look into hospice care.

According to recent studies, hospice is something more than half of american's utilize during their final days.

Take a look.

No script billboard attached no script billboard attached stinger as high school what will you will rock, is just go andlthough some of these diagnoses are common in active people, several indi cators distinguish if the sports, coaches are having to navigate through unprecedented times... // one coach talks his team's coronavirus struggles next in sports spx open football season kicks-off in the southeastern conference a month from today msu continues with preparations for the season entering week two of fall camp one of the biggest adjustments this season is adopting head coach mike leach's air raid offense in past seaons, the bulldogs have leaned towards a run heavy offense the new adjustments might be entirely different than what the bulldogs are used to, but exciting nonetheless payton: "this is my first time being in an offense like this and i'm excited.

I feel like this is the best fit for me especially since i moved to slot this year.

It's a lot of one on one with linebackers and safeties and you couldn't ask for nothing better than that.

I'm just really excited to show everybody what i can do this year and how our offense is going to take the top off.

This offense is not just one guy that can be open it's literally everybody on the field has a chance to get open.

This offense right here is really something special.

With the return of high school football in mississippi, much talk has been about how do we keep the players safe that raises the question of.....how do coaches feel about coaching during a pandemic?

Wcbi sports chris bolton went out to find the answer.

"i know some people say it's not real.

It's all this and that.

Well, it's real when you've been around somebody that's had it."

The coronavirus pandemic has been a cause for concern not only for high school athletes but for high school coaches as well.

Booneville head football coach mike mattox says his program has been direclty impacted by covid- 19 after one of his assistant coaches tested positive for the virus.

"he's still not 100 percent, and it's been two months since he tested positive.

Of course, he's over the contagious part, but he is very, very weak right now.

It affects everybody."

Mattox says he believes the players and himself have a heightened awareness for how important it is to be safe after seeing for themselves what it's capable of.

"i'll be honest.

I was nervous at first, but as we've gone along the kids have been wonderful about doing what we ask them to do.

Our coaches have been wonderful.

They remind the kids.

Plus, they've gotten to see one of our coaches and what it's done to him.

Like i said, when you see somebody with it or been around somebody who's had it, it changes your outlook at it.

Mattox himself has medical conditions that make him more at risk.

In 2019, mattox had a six inch absess in his right lung that would have killed him if it ruptured.

Fast forward to now, mattox says he and his team are taking all the necessary precautions as they prepare for the start of football season.

"i've had to be really careful this year because i'm missing a quarter of my right lung.

I have to take this stuff very serious.

I'm very respectful of this.

We haven't crawled in a corner, laid down and played dead.

We can't do that, but you better respect this thing."

Through it all, he's determined to be there for the blue devils as his team and many others learn how to navigate playing during a pandemic.

"i've made some obligations to some parents.

To some kids.

We have a wonderful senior class.

Made a commitment to my daughter who wants me to coach.

She's a student here so when you make obligations, you figure out what you got to do and do it."

Even though mattox has his own health concerns, he stresses the importance of everyone else's safety above all.

"yes.

I'm going to wear a mask because i'm not being selfish.

I hate it more than anybody, but if it's the slightest little chance that it will help me not giving to someone i'm going to wear one.

I'm not going to go i won't wear one or this and that.

It's not about me.

It's about other people."

Booneville begins its season against ripley on september 4th.

Reporting in booneville, chris bolton wcbi sports.

Just a couple of weeks ago, jackson public schools announced that the school district is canceling fall sports that directly impacted columbus high school the falcons were supposed to play lanier on september 11th obviously, that game was effectively canceled good news is that the falcons have a replacement now on sept 11th, columbus will hit the road to play holmes county still to come..

Chief meteorologist keith gibson returns with tonights last look.

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