WCBI NEWS AT SIX - APRIL 3, 2020

WCBI NEWS AT SIX - APRIL 3, 2020

Good evening.

Thank you for joining us.

At this hour the entire state of mississippi is under a "shelter in place" order.

Governor tate reeves this week issued the order.

It will be in place from this evening until april 20th at 8am.

We have received many questions about what this means for you and your family.

To help, the mississippi emergency management agency has published a list of "do's and don'ts."

So we will share them with you.

Here are things you ácaná do under the shelter in place order: go to the grocery store, doctor's appointments or pharmacy.

It's okay to care for a sick family member of friend and go to restaurants for takeout.

You can go outside.

Just keep six feet between you and others.

Now to the things you should ánotá do: visiting family and friends for social reasons.

Gathering in groups of 10 or more.

And you should not visit loved ones in the hospital, nursing home, or other residential are facilities.

You should follow these guidelines all day- everyday until the order is lifted, which right now is schedule for april 20th.

Baldwyn police are encouraging people to take the governor's shelter in place order seriously, or face the consequences.

Police chief troy agnew says his officers will be monitoring essential businesses and public spaces to make sure no more than ten people are together at one time.

The chief says the next two weeks may be inconvenient but he encourages everyone to think about the health and safety of others..

"people are confused, and concerned, real concerned about this, like all of us, like i said we are facing something we never faced before, the unknown."

Chief agnew says those violating the executive order could face fines and possibly jail time.

Wipe to vo the mayor of columbus wants to clear up any confusion.

In a letter to residents this afternoon, mayor robert smith makes it plain that local restaurants can not offer dine in services.

The mayor refers to mississippi governor tate reeves' order 1466 dated april 1st .

That order states that "restaurants and bars may remain open but are limited to drive-thru, curbside, and or delivery service."

The city of columbus adopted a nearly identical resolution on march 21st.

In his letter, mayor smith says, "i am asking that everyone act as though they themselves have the virus and want to prevent themselves from giving it to others."

Aberdeen police chief henry randle is sending a warning to residents: if you don't abide by the curfew, you will be penalized.

Under that curfew, no one is allowed out between 10pm and 4am except essential workers like medical personnel or people going to and from work.

A first offense carries a 100- dollar fine.

A second offense comes with a 500- fine.

And randle wants parents to know they will be responsible if their children violate the curfew.

Anybody that is 17 years or less, the parent will get that ticket.

So in other words, i need for you to know where your children at at all times.

If they're spending the night with someone.

If they're out with someone and they're not watching them, you're still gonna get that ticket.

So i want to be clear about that.

A third violation carries a 90-day jail sentence.

The governor's executive order calling on mississippians to shelter in place is being felt in all walks of life and in every type of business.

Allie martin tells us how area funeral directors are serving their clients needs, while keeping everyone safe.

Funeral directors in lee county have set guidelines they will follow as the governor's executive order takes effect.

They are trying to balance compassionate care, while providing a safe environment in their funeral homes.

"grief cannot be quarantined."

As owner of holland funeral directors, steve holland has seen grief up close for nearly fifty years.

He joined area funeral directors at a news conference to announce guidelines they have all adopted to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Those guidelines include, halting all visitations, allowing no more than ten people to be at a funeral, following the six foot rule for social distancing, and cancelling public graveside services.

Jacque grayson of grayson-porter's mortuary says the past few weeks have been tough on everyone, from family members of loved ones, to funeral directors.

"i know it's hard, because it is so hard for me as a director to tell a family what they cannot do, i don't like it one bit, but it's not in our control, i love serving and to be able for the family to do what they want for that loved one."

Holland says most people understand the need for the temporary guidelines during this crisis.

"by and large most have been understanding, there have been a few that has threatened my life because i said you cannot have a funeral with 150 people there, not in my place and i won't be there wherever you have it."

Allie donut tag i asked steve holland if he had ever been through any other similar time as a funeral director.

He said the aids epidemic of the early 1980s was similar, because of the fear it caused among the public, and even among funeral directors.

In tupelo, allie martin, wcbi news funeral homes are using livestream to broadcast funerals to family and friends of loved ones who can't attend funerals in person.

Take new at 6 stinger governor ivey has also issued a stay at home order for the state of alabama.

It takes effect tomorrow at 5 p.m.

And runs through april 30th.

Under the stay at home order people in alabama can still get essential needs such as going to the grocery store, doctor appointments, or to work if you're still working.

Gatherings of more then ten people are prohibited in the order.

You can read governor ivey's stay at home order in full at wcbi dot com.

First look stinger first look summary: a few showers are possible during the weekend but most locations will remain dry.

Better storm chances return once we get into next week.

Temperatures are going to remain above normal through the next 7 days and that means more 70s and 80s are headed our way.

You will see changes at your local walmart beginning tomorrow.

Starting saturday, walmart will limit the number of customers who can be in a store at once.

Stores will now allow no more than five customers for each 1,000 square feet at a given time, roughly 20 percent of a store's capacity.

Associates will mark a queue at a single-entry door - in most cases at the grocery entrance.

Customers will be admitted one by one and counted.

Once inside, expect one way movement through the aisles.

Floor markers will be used and associates will direct customers to avoid close contact with others.

Once a store reaches its capacity, customers will be admitted inside on a "1-out-1-in" basis.

Walmart is asking customers to bring the fewest number of people per family to shop.

After checking out, customers will exit through a separate door.

Some stores will test selling what they deem as essential items - groceries, toiletries and access to pharmacy.

Wipe to vo lowe's hardware store in columbus reopens its doors this morning.

Mayor robert smith closed the store on thursday after reports surfaced of an employee testing positive for covid- 19.

Lowe's released a statement to wcbi stating the store would be cleaned per cdc guidelines and the employee who tested positive is now in quarantine.

We spoke with customers outside of the store this morning... some of them were unaware of the situation... others were taking extra precautions.

"i wasn't even informed until just now that somebody tested positive... i kind of think it's a little natural to be a little freaked out about it, but everytime i leave a store i've been germxing and washing, so..."

"yeah, we're going to wipe down.

I'm fixing to wipe down right now... no, i ain't too much worried."

For the full statement from lowe's, visit our website at wcbi dot com.

Wipe to vo cooper tire in tupelo will continue its shutdown .

The company says it plans to remain idle for at least the next two to three weeks.

Some distribution centers will continue to operate but production is being covered by its european plants.

New numbers this week show that roughly 6 point 6 million people in the u-s have filed for unemployment during the coronavirus outbreak.

Many of those are here in our viewing area.

Many of áthemá are having a hard time filing for unemployment benefits.

Our quentin smith met a man who's currently facing this problem..

He joins us live from outside of the golden triangle win job center// so quentin... he recently called over a hundred times in one day?

That's right audrea... charlie mccarter says he called 150 times to be exact.... and there have also been instances where he's called and stayed on the phone for over an hour..and still didn't get anywhere.

Mccarter has been laid off for a week now... and he's trying to receive unemployment benefits to get through this tough time... he's called, sent emails, but hasn't gotten anywhere..

Now he's frustrated doesn't know what else to do... nat charlie mccarter spends each morning calling different numbers trying to get unemployment benefits..

But more times than not he ends up waiting.... and waiting..

And waiting... either getting nowhere or receiving messages like this... nat "it's been kind of frustrating because of the fact that they don't have anybody answering the phones.

The phones are always busy, the numbers they give you are disconnected or there's nobody answering."

This call log shows the more than 50 times mccarter spent trying to speak with a representative... mccarter went to the win job center in mayhew where flyers like these saying they're experiencing a high volume of calls are posted everywhere..

The flyers do give additional numbers to contact.... numbers mccarter says still leads to nowhere... "the number that does work, they have employees that answer the phone, but they're pretty much telling you what you already know, the contact numbers that you can call to try and see if you can get in contact with somebody, and that's pretty much it."

The starkville native says he first filed for unemployment nearly 20 years ago and needs access retrieving his account..

However, when he calls.... workers tell him they're teleworking from home and don't have their computer to access his information... "they say i would have to talk to somebody, but it's nobody answering the phone to get to the next step."

And just like that, mccarter says he's back at square one..

"i really think they should've really thought this situation out first.

I don't know how the president said we are going to do a shutdown, and to go file unemployment, but you send everybody home at unemployment, it doesn't make since.

Why would you do that and you know that's what everybody is going to and that's what everybody is depending on."

After being laid off, he just like many others are depending on unemployment to help them stay afloat... in the meantime..

Mccarter says he's going to remain hopeful that the right person will soon be on the other end of his call... leading him in the right direction..

"i really think this is something they should be getting on right away and looking into and seeing what's going on, and trying to get as many more people into the call center to help out, i'm assuming that's the issue."

You may remember..

Last week we reported on others who are also having similar difficulties while trying to file for unemployment benefits..

We reached out to the governor's office to see what's the issue and if anything is being done... we're still waiting to hear back from them... reporting live in mayhew..

Quentin smith... wcbi news... stinger an area musician is showing us that social distancing doesn't have to mean social isolation..

We have his story when we come back..

Take we're seeing many creative ideas when it comes to keeping entertained while we stay at home during this outbreak.

But one man is taking it to knew heights with his voice.

Scott martin joins us live in the studio with more.

Music is food for the soul..and what you're about to hear is definitely filling us up.

Take a listen.

Nats a gift.

Raw talent.

Whatever you want to call it..tyson cunningham has it and we can't get enough.

Nats of him singning..... "it's tough for a lot of people.

I know a lot of people are anxious.

People losing jobs, people getting sick.

It's just a lot of chaos."

Using an app called acapella, cunningham is brining people online sounds from the heart that has every ear tuning in.

"it's never about me.

I never want people "oh he's awesome."

Yeah that's cool but in the grand scheme of things i want people to see life as worship."

Cunningham is a worship leader at crosspoint church.

He's using the gift of his voice that he hopes reaches deeper than just noise.

"it's such an amazing thing.

If we can use our gifts to, use our talents, use our ability, to shed light, shed hope and just try to make the most of what god has put in front of us."

From the melody to the harmony..cunningh am hopes every note helps soothe our souls.

"i hope that people will get just a glimpse of a reminder that there is hope at the end of the tunnel."

End with nats... take vo in monitor cunningham says even after the pandemic is over he plans to continue sharing his gift for us all to wx open summary: a few showers are possible during the weekend but most locations will remain dry.

Better storm chances return once we get into next week.

Temperatures are going to remain above normal through the next 7 days and that means more 70s and 80s are headed our way.

Friday night: clouds and stars.

Lows in the low 50s.

Light wind.

Saturday: partly to mostly cloudy with a 20% chance of a few showers.

Most locations are going to stay dry.

Highs top out mainly in the mid to upper 70s.

Saturday night: variably cloudy and quiet.

Lows in the mid 50s.

Sunday: partly cloudy.

Warm.

Highs near 80.

Just a slight chance of a shower or two.

Monday - thursday: scattered showers and storms possible each day.

Highs top out mainly in the low to mid 80s with overnight lows warming back into the 60s.

Follow @wcbiweather on facebook, twitter, instagram, and on the wcbi news app spx open "now that you're the head coach of your alma mater, what is what's the feeling like around that?

How, what does that mean to you?

You know it means a lot.

Really, you know, i'm just blessed to have instagram, and on the wcbi news app spx open "now that you're the head coach of your alma mater, what is what's the feeling like around that?

How, what does that mean to you?

You know it means a lot.

Really, you know, i'm just blessed to have this opportunity, you know, to come home and take over a program.

That means a lot to me.

You know, it's a lot of tradition.

A lot of pride, you know, comes along with calhoun city football.

You were an assistant coach with calhoun city for the past two years coaching under perry lyles and chad white, what are some of the things that you learn from them that you hope to emulate as a head coach and continue the tradition of calhoun city?

You know, i learned a lot from both of those guys.

One thing is hard work you know, nothing beats hard work.

Yeah, be willing to roll up the sleeves and no show up every day and just go to work.

And you know that right there you know, it takes care of yourself.

Our mindset is reload know, the expectations, you know, never changed around here and we always take pride in complaining, you know, after thanksgiving so, you know, we just got to be ready won't get that opportunity to step on the field, you know and be ready to go to work.

You spent the past two years at calhoun city, but this wasn't your first stop.

As a assistant coach, you've been able to be a part of some pretty successful staffs.

I was wondering if you could talk about maybe your experience in some of the other places you've been to get to this point?

Yes.

Oh, my first two years was in south panola.

I worked a year on the coach lance pogue that second year i was on the coach ricky wodds.

I was able to learn a lot from the both of those guys both you know, very successful coaches.

So you know, it was it was a great experience.

I'm having the pleasure to work under those guys.

Just as someone who's been around football your entire life.

Are you is it almost like a chomping at the bit feeling to get back out there and get on a prac get on the field and practice and get to get hands on with the guys that you what's maybe what's being even the toughest part for you through this.

I guess you'd call it a lockout.