WCBI NEWS at TEN - 07/22/2020
WCBI NEWS at TEN - 07/22/2020
Mississippi is one small step closer to a new state flag..
Thanks for staying up with us tonight..
The mississippi flag commission meets for the firs time today.
The group has until mid- september to select a new design.
But as courtney ann jackson reports, they're working to have their pick ready by september 2nd.
Speaker philip gunn welcomed the commission members to the meeting and set the tone for the work they're embarking on.
"i want you to understand the weight of what you're about to do.
The last flag that we had existed for 126 years or so.
What we are about to set a course on is going to last beyond the lifetimes of any of us."
The legislation also specifies that the commission will elect its chair.
They unanimously chose former mississippi supreme court justice reuben anderson.
"i spent 53 years of my career as a lawyer and judge in courtrooms. and every courtroom i walked into, that flag told me i wasn't welcome.
I and thousands of mississippians have been stiff-armed by that flag."
The call first went out on july 13th and the public is responding.
A criteria list was attached but the two specifications of the bill are: it must include "in god we trust" and cannot include the confederate battle emblem.
"we've had roughly 600 so far."
The commission has its work cut out for them with a quick timeline now made even shorter.
"i had a conversation with the secretary of state's staff yesterday and learned that september 14th is a pretty tight deadline for them to work with all the circuit clerks."
There were some discussions about whether a smaller committee would review and weed through the hundreds of submissions.
But the members agreed they'd all like to view them before narrowing it down.
"i'm excited.
That's what we signed up for."
Caj wcbi news only six members were part of today's meeting.
According to the law---governor tate reeves is to appoint three members.
He hasn't done that yet.
Across mississippi and across the country people are remembering the life of a civil rights warrior and african american political pioneer// charles evers passed away today// kayla thompson from cbs affiliate w-j-t-v in jackson has a look back at his storied career.
"life it's self is hard so you can't expect everything to be all good, but it's been good to me."
Today we celebrate the life of charles evers...a civil rights pioneer who will be remembered for his courage...and working alongside to make mississippi a better place for all people... "they went together to the polls in 1946 to try to vote in their hometown , decatur only to be turned away by white men with guns.
They were very involved in the civil rights movement before the modern civil rights movement.
Usually most people began in 1954 but they were involved in campaigning trying to get african americans to vote, and medgar was out selling insurance to sharecroppers and trying to get them to vote."
And when medgar was assassinated in 1963...charles evers returned to mississippi immediately jumping into action... "he told me he packed his suitcase with guns and basically all these weapons and took his brother's place."
Evers went on to make history as the first african american mayor in mississippi since reconstruction... "he was elected in 69', if it hadn't been for the voting right's act he would have never been elected and so it was the change beginning to come to mississippi and the rest of the country because of the civil rights act and especially the voting rights act in 1965."
Charles evers ran for governor...and although he may have lost...he opened the door to possibilities for african american candidates in the future... and his legacy will never be forgotten... first look stinger summary: standard late july weather is here and that means heat, humidity, and scattered storms mainly during the heating of the day.
This will be the general weather pattern into next week.
Topical storm gonzalo in the atlantic ocean and a disturbance in the gulf of mexico are being monitored but they are not expected to have any impact on our area at this time.
Tonight: isolated evening storms then turning stly clear to partly cloudy.
Lows in the mid to low 70s.
Some patchy fog is possible.
Summary: standard late july weather is here and that means heat, humidity, and scattered storms mainly during the heating of the day.
This will be the general weather pattern into next week.
Topical storm gonzalo in the atlantic ocean for the second day in a row the state of mississippi sees more than 15- hundred new covid-19 cases// governor tate reeves and state health officer doctor thomas dobbs are pleading for mississippians to do their part by wearing masks, social distancing, and not having any type of gathering -- indoors or outdoors.
The mississippi state department of health reports 1-thousand-547 new cases along with 34 deaths// more than 14- hundred mississippians have died from coronavirus.
A number doctor dobbs calls staggering// seven of mississippi's hospitals have no icu beds available// the virus is also affecting children// dobbs says 356 children under the age of one have been diagnosed with covid-19 and there are at least two pediatric patients in intensive care// the governor is even playing up president trump's mask usage in hopes of getting mississippians to follow suit// "the president said that he believes it's patriotic to wear a mask.
So what i ask my constituents is this.
If you love the president join him, be patriotic and wear a mask.
If you don't like the president wear a mask to spite him."
"at some point people are going to start freaking out again.
Back in march there was panic, it was unrealistic panic.
People wanted to basically lock up in their houses and then everybody wanted to go party at the beach.
I don't know what the mass psychology is going to be like when everyone wants to panic again, but let's just behave sensibly and we don't have to panic."
The governor and doctor dobbs also spoke with hospital administrators to issue surge plans.
There are 942 mississippians hospitalized with the virus currently// there could be hope on the horizon for covid patients// and it could come from those who have already recovered from the disease.
Allie martin tells us about a partnership between nmmc and vitalant that is helping fda research.
The investigational treatment allows those who have fully recovered from covid 19 to donate blood plasma, which could be used to treat critically ill coronavirus patients.
Nats machine those who have recovered from covid 19 may have immune boosting antibodies in their plasma, also known as "convalescent plasma."
The plasma is collected from donors and transfused to severely ill coronavirus patients at nmmc.
The antibodies can help patients recover from the virus.
"this is research, investigational, we hope it will work, we're very fortunate to have the opportunity to offer it to people but in order to do that it takes community awareness and community involvement."
And that means teamwork and collaboration from nmmc's hematology and oncology research clinic.
Jeff michelletti is clinical research coordinator and helps make sure all protocols and regulations are being followed and all data with the investigational treatment is collected.
"we capture the information that the investigators capture in medical record and enter it into a data management system, that's how the sponsor goes back and and analyzes all of the data for the study."
But nothing happens without donors, who have recovered from covid 19.
Once they consent, and with their doctor's guidance, they can donate plasma at vitalant.
"the plasma donation takes about 30 to 40 minutes and we can help the patient who needs it, it is a positive mark in the fight against covid 19 for the patients in the hospital."
Doctors say early results are promising, but more donors are needed, especially as local covid 19 cases continue to rise.
In tupelo, allie martin, wcbi news if you have recovered from covid 19 and would like more information, go to vy - talent dot org slash covid free august is just around the corner, and so is if you have recovered from covid 19 and would like more information, go to vy - talent dot org slash covid free august is just around the corner, and so is the start of a new school year..
Caution fueled by the continuing covid-19 surge is causing a change in áhowá school is done.
Now at least one district is changing áwhená school will start.
Savannah gaido has more on what could be an extended summer break..
"i think most of them are going to enjoy a late start, that means a little more time at home."
Earlier this week, the aberdeen school leaders made the tough call to push the first day of school back almost 3 weeks.
"the reason behind us pushing back the start date is to ensure that our administrator, our staff members, and the entire learning community in the aberdeen school district is prepared.
With the covid cases increasing, we just want to take the extra precautions to ensure safety and health of all of our students."
Temeka shannon, the aberdeen chief academic officer says the move underlines the district's top priority.
"aberdeen school district is committed to the safety, health and well being of all of our students and all of our staff members.
As the cdc and as the mississippi department of health, as they release new guidelines, we are going to follow every guideline humanly possible to ensure the safety and well being of our entire learning community."
The mde requires schools to have 180 calendar days for students and 187 days for teacher -- so school could stretch deeper into spring..
"but nothing supercedes the importance of health and safety for our students.
So if that means we go a little longer, then that means we go a little longer because we want all of our students and staff members safe."
"that says that the school district is looking out for our children as well as the bus drivers and the parents and grandparents.
They've got us in mind."
Aberdeen has decided to offer a aberdeen has decided to offer a hybrid model and distance learning model for students.
With the hybrid model students are on an a schedule or b schedule and will come to school on mondays and wednesday's or tuesday's and thursday's friday's will be used as a parent teacher contact day and for sanitation.
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, warm, and dry.
Highs in the upper 80s to around 90 with overnight lows mainly in the low to mid 60s.
Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and the wcbi news app summary: standard late july weather is here and that means heat, humidity, and scattered storms mainly during the heating of the day.
This will be the general weather pattern into next week.
Topical storm gonzalo in the atlantic ocean and a disturbance in the gulf of mexico are being monitored but they are not expected to have stinger the high school football tour makes a stop in houston to meet a determined team ready to climb to the átopá of division 3 - a// baptist golden triangle says it's very short on blood supply// we're talking about blood donation in our health talk with baptist// hi, i'm sandy kilburn, medical technologist and blood bank supervisor at baptist memorial hospital golden triangle.
I want to talk to you some more about blood donation.
Here at baptist golden triangle, we transfuse an average of 215 units of red blood cells every month to an average of 92 patients.
Recipients include cancer patients, sickle cell anemia patients, patients with other types of anemia, surgery and trauma patients and premature or sick newborns.
As you can see, the need is great and a reduction in donor turnout can put the blood supply of our nation, our state and our hospital at a critically low level.
Donating blood is a safe process.
A sterile needle is used only once and then discarded.
Blood donation is a simple four-step process: registration, medical history/mini physical, donation and refreshments.
Every donor is given a mini physical checking the donor's temperature, blood pressure, pulse and hemoglobin to ensure it is safe for the donor to give blood.
The actual blood donation typically takes less than ten to twelve minutes.
The average adult has about ten pints of blood in his body.
Roughly one pint of blood is given during the donation.
A healthy donor may donate red blood cells every didty- six days or double red cells every one hundred twelve days.
All donated blood is tested for hiv, hepatitis b and c, syphilis and other infectious diseases before it can be released to hospitals.
Join us next time for health talk with baptist, where we'll talk more about donating blood.
Mail your topic suggestions to health talk at wcbi dot com.
Health talk has been brought to you by baptist memorial hospital golden triangle.
Baptist will be having a blood drive this friday at the outpatient pavilion conference center from noon until 5// donors will be tested for covid-19 antibodies// stinger it may be a new coach and a new playbook..
But it's the same átopperá pride..
The high school football tour takes a swing through chickasaw county when we come back... spx open a new era is underway for the hilltoppers as they enter the 2020 season.
With ty hardin now at tupelo enters head coach baylor dampeer.
Dampeer has spent the last 3 seasons as offensive coordinator at itawamba ahs and is ready to bring his style of play to houston.
"it's been exciting going to a new place and i grew up that way a little bit.
I've been to a few different places and just getting to know the kids which has been tough during this time but now that we finally got started that's been as good as anything."
"they come out here and work harder than we do.
They know their stuff."
"he came in here and changed the whole program up.
Doing new things, and we're looking forward to getting better this season and getting past these games.
Get a state championship."
New faces will be on the field making plays this season as well.
Despite graduating a big senior class that includes msu bulldog calvin mcmillan, the toppers expectations haven't changed.
"we're young in spots, but we have a good senior group that i think will help lift those kids up.
They'll rise up with that senior group.
The kids expect to win.
We expect to win.
That's the plan."
"calvin was a good player.
We just have to try to fill his shoes the best way we can.
You can't find talent like that everyday."
"just come out here and win and play as hard as we can.
No matter who we play though.
Don't be scared.
We gone get after you.
We got some young players that are good.
They're going to come out here and make sure you got it!"
Despite the changes surrounding the team, the players wouldn't ask for it to be any other way!
"i feel like they're sleep on us, but that's what we want them to do.
We got something for them this year."
"we're a scrappy bunch.
We have a lot to prove.
We had a bunch of people with injuries last year.
We lost a lot of seniors last year, but we're ready to work."
The young bucks will be put to the test as houston competes in tough division that features perrinial powers choctaw county and last year's 3a north half champs, noxubee county.
"noxubee county, choctaw, hatley, aberdeen.
It's a tough league, so if you can come out of the division, you're as prepared for the playoffs as you can be."
Houston hosts new hope to open the season september 4th.
With the hilltoppers on the high school football tour, chris bolton wcbi sports.
Last look stinger last look last look last look last look last