WCBI News at Ten - Friday, June 5th, 2020

WCBI News at Ten - Friday, June 5th, 2020

Until we begin to talk about a ricky ball, a jonathan sanders, antwan shumpert protestors meent in the capitol city protesting the attorney general's decision to dismiss a manslaughter charge against former columbus police officer canyon boykin// protesters hoped to hand deliver a letter to attorney general lynn fitch demanding answers and transparency in the case// boykin was charged in the 2015 shooting death of ricky ball.

The ag's office dismissed the case this week with prejudice, meaning it's closed for good.

"today's the day it stops and today's a new beginning of saying we won't be silent anymore.

And we demand our leaders to no longer be silent anymore."

The group is hoping to hear directly from attorney general lynn fitch.

No word if she spoke with any of the demonstrators.

Centered protests are happening across the nation demanding change.

It's a national outcry to end social injustices// dozens are expected to join the the group starkville stand up in a justice march and rally tomorrow// ahead of tomorrow rally, starkville police chief mark ballard says officers will refresh on constitutional training// meaning officers will cover how to respond to large crowds, protect the public, and knowing the rights of the people// the chief says these measures will be taken very seriously// more than two dozens officers will be out during the march// the protest was brought up at this weeks alderman but first a permit had to get approved// " well normally we have a permitting process and right now the times are a little different than usual because someone who gets a special event permitted whether it's a parade or a march or a food event downtown or something like that, normally they'll have to get insurance and let us know what the root is and how many people they expect to give us an idea of what we'll need as city.

We'll closing off downtown will be enough to get people through.

We are just allowing them the opportunity to make their way through intersections and be safe in doing."

As for city workers, mayor spruill says she is not requiring the sanitation department to pick-up after after the protest.

éé she plans to cleans sidewalks herself with the help of volunteers.éé f top father we lift up our voices and we declare that racism is wrong.

Dozens gathered this morning in starkville, praying for unity, peace and justice in their community and around the country.

People from different ethnic groups and denominations were at j.l.

King park for what organizers called a "unity prayer service."

Several pastors and community leaders offered prayers and encouraging words.

Organizers say they hope the spirit of unity will continue long after the service was over.

I believe that today we got a glimpse of what we call heaven on earth.

In heaven we won't be separated by races.

We won't be separated by denomination, but we'll all be there together.

We all preach the same gospel and you can't preach jesus unless you deal with social injustice because jesus was a lord and a savior who came to justify all people.

A starkville police officer and starkville vice mayor roy perkins also spoke to the group this morning.

New at nine as conversations about racial injustice continue---many say it's a fitting time to take down mississippi's state flag.

Mississippi is the only state flag that still includes the confederate battle emblem.

Courtney ann jackson explains the growing push for a flag change.

This moveon petition is calling for the removal of the confederate emblem from mississippi's state flag.

It's garnered thousands of signatures in the last several days&as the nation has more conversations about race relations.

But it turns out, it's not a new petition.

"i created this petition almost five years ago in the wake of the charleston massacre at mother emmanuel ame.

I actually didn't do anything to get it restarted."

Dr. jennifer gunter is a jackson native now living in south carolina.

She hopes her home state can make the change but makes this note.

"recent months have shown us that after you bring the symbol down.

You have to fight the system.

So, this is just a step.

It's not an end game."

Separately, there's growing support on social media for making a switch to the stennis flag.

The social accounts posting these action steps that people can take.

Another mississippi native duvalier malone calling on the governor to take executive action to remove the flag.

"that flag represents hate.

It represents intolerance.

And there is no place for that in this current environment.

And i think keeping the flag, all it does is it ignites another match on that fire of hate that we're trying to calm down all across america."

Malone is also calling on the governor to denounce the robert e.

Lee and confederate memorial state holidays to move towards racial healing.

As a reminder--in 2001 mississippi residents voted to keep the flag's current design.

Governor reeves has previously pointed to that vote---saying if ever a change---it should be done by a vote of the people and not unilateral action by the governor.

Courtney ann jackson, wcbi news first look stinger for the most part, the weekend will be dry aside from a pop-up shower or two.

We'll stay warm, humid, and partly sunny with highs in the 90s.

Tropical storm cristobal will bring us rain showers through the first half of the week before we return to a drier pattern by thursday.

Friday night: the chance for some showers and storms will continue through wcbi update there are 209 new covid-19 cases in mississippi today.

The new cases bring the state's total to 16- thousand and 700 cases.

The health department is also reporting 9 deaths today.

1 of those deaths is in webster county.

There are now 803 total coronavirus deaths in the state.

The health department estimates about 11- thousand people have recovered from the virus.

It's been a concern for state health officials... covid-19 in a daycare....even when all the guidelines are followed.

That's what happened in lowndes county.

Vibrant church says a child in the kids academy tested positive for covid-19.

A spokesperson with kids academy says this is after a teacher recently tested positive for the virus.

As soon as the teacher tested positive she says parents were immediately notified and the teacher has been in self quarantine.

Cdc protocols were quickly moved into action.

The spokesperson say it's not known how either person may have come in contact with the virus.

She says the child was experiencing only minor symptoms. top today... louisville and winston county teamed up to give out face masks to people who live there.

Hundreds came by the coliseum in town to get one.

Cars came in by the dozens driving through to get a package of 10 masks.

The mississippi department of health is asking mississippians to wear masks when out in public to help keep from spreading any germs. "we've still got cases here.

We're doing a good job to keep the cases low here in winston county and theses masks will help us even more to keep them low."

Churches have also been handing out masks.

Off top lowndes county emergency management receives 51- thousand masks for residents.éé ema director cindy lawrence says the masks will be given away in columbus, caledonia, artesia, crawford, and new hope.

éé there will be two types of masks given out---cloth and surgical.éé lawrence is hoping families utilize the supplies and stay protected.

éé " they want to kind of mask the community because they are seeing some increases around the state where we have re- opened and we are seeing some increases and one thing they say is maybe if we provide masks to people then maybe they will start wearing them and we can start slowing the spread of the virus here in mississippi."

Ema will set a time and pick-up location next week.éé stinger open for the most part, the weekend will be dry aside from a pop-up shower or two.

We'll stay warm, humid, and partly sunny with highs in the 90s.

Tropical storm cristobal will bring us rain showers through the first half of the week before we return to a drier pattern by thursday.

Friday night: the chance for some showers and storms will continue through about midnight before the rain exits the area.

We'll remain mostly cloudy with lows near 70.

Saturday-sunday: the weekend is overall looking pretty nice with a mix of sun and clouds and temperatures in the low 90s.

There is a slight chance for some afternoon showers on saturday, but most of us will stay dry.

Overnight lows will remain near 70.

Monday- wednesday: tropical storm cristobal is expected to make landfall in louisiana late sunday night before continuing northward into mississippi.

The remnants of the storm are likely to bring us heavy rain, gusty winds, and the potential for a brief weak tornado.

Rain showers will continue through at least wednesday morning with temperatures in the mid to upper 80s each afternoon.

Some spots could see 1- 2" of rain, depending on the exact track of cristobal.

Thursday-friday: a drier and sunnier weather pattern will take hold by the end of the week, leaving us with much nicer weather.

Highs will be in the upper covid-19 has been the reason why many events and festivals have shutdown this year.

But the virus would not be the final curtain call for the annual tupelo elvis festival.

Wcbi's allie martin tells us how the king of rock and roll and his fans are shaking things up... virtually.

A few months ago it became clear an in-person tupelo elvis festival wasn't going to happen this year.

That's when organizers started planning a virtual elvis fest.

Nats bill cherry the elvis tribute artists are performing in one location.

The band is in australia and the two are combined into one performance in tupelo.

Nats this is happening with fans watching around the world...on their screen.

"we've really come together as a team to do whatever it takes to make it happen."

Festival executive director debbie brangenberg says it has taken a lot of coordination with artists in different time zones, sending in video clips.

Nats tom brown elvis festival emcee tom brown pre recorded all of the introductions for the segments throughout tupelo, forgoing his usual elvis themed jackets.

"because we were moving all over town and outside, i dipped into my lansky shirt collection, much like the one you see here, the stained glass peackcks."

Brown says festival organizers, fans, and the tribute artists are thankful technology is allowing the event to continue.

"in the last couple of months, all of us have gotten used to watching things on television that centered up to view the schedule and events, go to the facebook page for the tupelo elvis festival.

Stinger a few diamond dawg seniors prepare to return in 2021 to take care of unfinished business...more on that, next in sports spx some promising news out of starkville for mississippi state baseball fans four of the diamond dawgs five seniors and grad transfers are ready to return to dudy noble for a do- over meid first reported by joel coleman of sports illustrated's cowbell corner, according to head coach chris lemonis pitchers spencer price, riley self, carlisle koestler and jack eagan will return to play for state in 2021 this is still subject to change with the m-l-b draft on the horizon the bulldogs ended it's season on a five game win- streak..finishing 12-4 overall summertime baseball tried to make its return to northeast mississippi however, at least for tonight, mother nature has squandered those plans here's a look at the weekend line- up for games friday -- due to the weather both games for tonight have officially been canceled that being said here's hopefully the plans for the remainder of the weekend followed on saturday with games at 1, 3, 5:30 and 8 pm the tupelo 49ers, huntsville post 237 jr, north ms indians and the pontotoc red sox all competing and everything closing out on sunday with games at 1 and 3:30 pm -- these games between the 49ers and the north mississippi indians after facing backlash for even though many businesses are reopening, most of us are still spending a lot of time at home.

It's still harder to see most friends and family - at least in person.

Let's look at some tech that can help you stay in touch virtually.

I'm emily cassulo, and this is tech byte.

Tech to help you stay in touch / tech byte nathan roach / best buy roach : "...it helps to bridge that communication gap that a lot of us are dealing with right now."

Thanks to technology, staying in touch with your loved ones is easier now more than ever, especially when you can't leave your house.

Best buy's nathan roach recommends the google home hub if you want to see your friends virtually.

Roach : "at night, instead of having the face to face conversation, you can literally sit down, have a video call, chat, catch up, and things like that, and you don't miss that face to face time, which is really good."

Roach says you have plenty of options for video chatting.

If you have any apple products, like an iphone or ipad, you can always use facetime.

You can also do video calling on the amazon echo show.

Roach : "facebook even has a video calling device called the portal that a lot of people are getting to be able to not only browse through facebook, but you can video call your friends, family, whatever it may be, and you can even put it on your tv if you don't want a separate device in your house."

Most of these are stand-alone devices.

Roach : "it makes it super easy.

It actually pops up like a phone call on the screen, so you'll know if grandma or grandpa is calling, or whoever it may be, and you can answer it just like a phone call."

And yes, you do have to have wifi to use these devices, since you're streaming video.

But if you're not tech savvy, roach says it's easy to set up.

Roach : "a lot of times it's just as simple as, as long as you know your network name and password, you type in a couple quick credentials, you'll be online in no time, and making calls in less than five minutes."

If you don't want to necessarily buy a new device, there are plenty of free apps you can download to talk to people virtually.

Zoom, skype, and google hangouts are just some of many that are good to have.

You can always invest in a webcam, if you don't already have one on your computer, as well.

Emily cassulo / tech byte roach says it's good to be creative to stay connected in difficult times like these.

It makes a big difference in your mental health to still be able to see your loves ones, even if it's not in person.

I'm emily cassulo, and that's this week's tech byte we generally get pretty nice pretty hard and humid the mix of sun and clouds the real trouble is to commit monday through wednesday that's when the women of increased lord of the meats and heavy rain and gusty winds meant to do with but after that we can into a try earlier about but he begins the week with a really nice with respect into the sky that rain will her away in time for the next if we do believe fingers comfortable with the wii and to think what does