Local Headlines

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – A track and field athlete at the University of Alabama is getting attention online for the kindness she showed to fellow UA students during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Camille Kohtala is a long jumper at UA and she is originally from Maine, but because her family is so far away, she wasn’t able to travel home for Thanksgiving. So, she posted on Facebook that she would host a Thanksgiving meal at her home in Tuscaloosa for any other students who couldn’t travel home for the holiday.

Kohtala says her original post on the “Alabama Student Ticket Exchange” Facebook page got more than 1.2K likes!  She says people from everywhere were offering to donate food or money to buy groceries for the meal.

About 40 students showed up for the meal on Thanksgiving Day and Kohtala says she’s thankful for the new friends she made through this experience.

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ALEXANDRIA, La. – A central Louisiana man is charged with attempted murder after his child was brought to a hospital with severe head injuries.

Kendrick Laron Williams of Pineville was arrested by Alexandria police after his infant was brought to a hospital by ambulance Tuesday.

The 22-year-old Williams is charged with attempted second-degree murder.

He’s being held in the Rapides Parish jail with bail set at $300,000. It’s unclear if Williams has a lawyer to speak for him.

Police say the baby later was flown to another medical facility that specializes in child trauma.

Copyright 2021 WLBT. All rights reserved.

PASCAGOULA, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi officials are looking for a man who escaped from a hospital bathroom while under police guard and then was recorded on video changing into pilfered clothes.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department tells local news outlets that Aceon Ja’shun Hopkins got away after telling a deputy he had to go to the restroom.

Hopkins had been a patient in Pascagoula since he was shot multiple times in Moss Point earlier in November.

Police in Meridian were seeking Hopkins to question him in two killings in the eastern Mississippi city. Hopkins hasn’t been charged in connection with the slayings.

Copyright 2021 WLBT. All rights reserved.

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) – Three people have died in a north Mississippi wreck after state troopers said a driver was going the wrong way Thursday night on a four-lane highway.

Troopers says 52-year-old Jacquette Davis of West Point was driving west in the eastbound lanes of Mississippi 6/U.S. 278 east of Oxford near the Pontotoc County line.

Investigators say Davis crashed into a car driven by 23-year-old Halie Tanner of Thaxton.

Both the drivers died before they could be taken to a hospital. Also killed was 48-year-old Komoto Davis of West Point, a passenger in Davis’ car.

Copyright 2021 WLBT. All rights reserved.

Published: Nov. 27, 2021 at 10:45 PM CST|Updated: 18 hours ago

LONG BEACH, Miss. (WLOX) – Authorities are currently responding to an officer-involved shooting at a gas station in Long Beach.

According to Long Beach Police Chief Billy Seal, the shooting happened following a traffic stop near the Circle K on Highway 90. One person was shot, but was taken to a nearby hospital in stable condition.

MBI is the lead agency investigating the shooting.

As of now, details are limited but this story will be updated once more information is available.

Copyright 2021 WLOX. All rights reserved.

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Governor Tate Reeves appeared on NBC’s Meet The Press to discuss Mississippi’s COVID-19 cases and Mississippi’s abortion case.

Host Chuck Todd mentioned that Mississippi’s COVID-19 state of emergency had recently expired, and asked Reeves would he reinstitute the state of emergency.

“We don’t have all the data that we need to make decisions at this time. Obviously, as Dr. Fauci was very clear and pointed out correctly, our cases are down significantly,” said Reeves.

Reeves went on to explain that the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations has gone down significantly, including the number of Mississippians in ICU beds, and on ventilators.

Reeves also stated that he and other state health officials believed that between 80-85% of Mississippians have some level of immunity.

Todd also asked Reeves did he believe that his stance against vaccine mandate sent the “wrong message about getting the vaccine.”

“I actually believe that the president’s decision to try to mandate vaccines, a decision that, by the way, flies in the face of what he said throughout the campaign,” explained Reeves.

“And that’s one of the reasons his poll numbers are so low, is because he ran for office saying one thing and then he’s decided to govern in a different way. But I actually think those mandates actually are hardening those individuals who were not interested in getting vaccinated.”

After discussing COVID-19 updates and vaccine mandates, Todd asked Reeves about the Supreme Court’s decision to hear arguments in the case involving a Mississippi Law that would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Reeves had previously stated that he was pro-life, and that he would like to “do everything we can to protect unborn children.”

“I also believe that Roe v. Wade was wrongly decided. I believe, in a simple reading of the United States Constitution, that when Roe was decided in 1973 there is no fundamental right in our United States Constitution to an abortion,” said Reeves.

In discussing Reeves’ stance on abortion, Todd decided to play a tape in which Reeves had made remarks on Biden’s vaccine mandate stating “,we’re seeing their strong desire to try to make decisions on behalf of individual Americans.” Todd asked Reeves why the same idea does not apply in the case of abortion.

“Freedom and individual liberty. Why should the state of Mississippi tell a woman what they should do with their body? Why shouldn’t they have that individual freedom on their body, particularly in the first 20 weeks?” asked Todd.

“Well, this is a prime example. And the far left loves to scream, ‘My body, my choice.’ And what I would submit to you, Chuck, is they absolutely ignore the fact that in getting an abortion there is an actual killing of an innocent, unborn child that is in that womb. Here’s what we know about babies that are 15 weeks,” explained Reeves.

“And so when you talk — the difference between vaccine mandates and abortions is vaccines allow you to protect yourself. Abortions actually go in and kill other American babies.”

Todd went on to argue that vaccines are not about “yourself,” and that they are focused on protecting a larger community.

“You could argue a vaccine mandate is a pro-life position,” said Todd.

“You could certainly argue that, Chuck. But even if you listen to Dr. Fauci’s interview with you earlier today, he made it very clear that the vaccine may not keep you from getting the virus. It may not keep you from spreading the virus,” said Reeves.

“Conversely, when you’re talking about the pro-life position of protecting unborn babies, let’s put it also in perspective…But since Roe was enacted, 62 million American babies have been aborted, and therefore have been killed. And that’s why I think it’s very important that people like myself and others across this country stand up for those unborn children, because they don’t have the ability to stand up for themselves.”

Copyright 2021 WLBT. All rights reserved.

Published: Nov. 28, 2021 at 1:39 PM CST|Updated: 3 hours ago

NEW YORK (AP) — Designer Virgil Abloh, a leading fashion executive hailed as the Karl Lagerfeld of his generation, has died after a private battle with cancer. He was 41.

Abloh’s death was announced Sunday by LVMH Louis Vuitton and the Off White label, the brand he founded.

A statement from Abloh’s family on the designer’s Instagram account said for the last two years, Abloh battled cardiac angiosarcoma, a rare form of cancer in which a tumor occurs in the heart.

Abloh is survived by his wife Shannon Abloh and his children, Lowe and Grey.

Copyright 2021 WLBT. All rights reserved.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The Mississippi Humanities Council has started a program to help Mississippi libraries combat racism.

The “Anti-Racism Reading Shelf” grant program was started by the humanities council in the wake of George Floyd’s killing in Minneapolis and national conversations about systematic racism.

Mississippi Humanities Council Executive Director Stuart Rockoff said more than 150 libraries in Mississippi have now received a total of 1,900 books spread out across the state.

The Mississippi Humanities Council gave each library system between $750 and $1,500 and compiled a suggested reading list of over 120 titles dealing with racism and combating white supremacy.

Librarians could choose from adult fiction, nonfiction, young adult and children’s books.

Copyright 2021 WLBT. All rights reserved.

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – After losing their oldest daughter to a killing in the Capital City, one local family is keeping her memory alive by helping families of homicide victims.

Kaylin Banyard is one of 129 people who have lost their lives to gun violence in Jackson so far this year.

Her alleged killer, Terrance Young, is a repeat offender and was also her boyfriend at the time’s brother. Young is currently being held at the Raymond Detention Center and hasn’t yet gone before the grand jury.

The Banyard family isn’t letting her murder keep themselves or others from having a happy holiday season.

“I know Kaylin is looking down and that she’s happy,” said long-time friend Savannah Kelly. “That’s all we wanted was just to make her proud.”

It’s been nearly five months since Kaylin was killed off of Terry Road, but this week was one of the hardest for those closest to her as they celebrated her 22nd birthday and Thanksgiving without her.

“I just remember this time last year on her birthday and all the laughter and the joy that she was feeling,” Kelly said. “She was a very upbeat and sweet person.”

However, the one thing that helped pull them through was hosting a toy drive in Kaylin’s name, with all donations going to those who’ve also lost someone to gun violence.

Kaylin’s parents, Spurgeon and Katrina Banyard said collecting donations has been a great experience all-around.

“We want all kids to wake up on Christmas Day getting some of the things that are going to put a smile on their face,” Spurgeon said. “It’s therapeutic for us, and it’s also helping other people.”

“I did not realize the magnitude of connection or the magnitude of joy that I would receive from speaking to people who are in the same position as I am,” Katrina said.

Kaylin’s family and friends say everyone who knew her knows that she had a deep connection with children.

“Her personality fit very well with kids,” Kelly said. “They say kids are drawn to sweet-hearted people, and they were definitely drawn to her.”

Kaylin’s younger sister, Taylor, added that she had a very giving spirit.

“I’m pretty sure if she was here, she would be bringing in the most toys,” she said.

With over $2,000 in monetary donations and a variety of toys, the Banyards hope to make Christmas special for about fifty kids.

“We’ve just been overwhelmed with cash donations and with people bringing toys up here for this occasion,” Spurgeon said.

For the children they can’t help this holiday season, they hope to get to in the coming years.

“For our daughter, Kaylin, we’re going to make it an annual event,” Spurgeon said.

The Banyards will continue accepting donations through December 10th, with disbursements being made to families on December 17th. They could use the public’s help identifying those in the community who’ve lost loved ones to gun violence and would benefit from donations.

If you’d like to make donations, contact Jatonda Baggett at 601-709-6029 or Beverly Baggett at 601-850-3606.

Toys and donations may also be dropped off or mailed to Foundation First Development Center at 3878 Terry Road Jackson, MS 39212.

Cash App donations may be sent to $katrinabanyard.

Copyright 2021 WLBT. All rights reserved.

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) -The busiest shopping weekend of the year is upon on.

On Friday, a large crowd of shoppers were flooding stores trying to catch all of the hot deals on Black Friday.

Shoppers were back at it again on Saturday, this time taking part in Small Business Saturday.

It’s a day where people are encouraged to shop at local businesses.

At Time 4 Toys in Flowood, workers said they look forward to this day.

“We love Small Business Saturday,” said Bethany Mathis, owner of Time 4 Toys.

Mathis said there’s a different level of energy and excitement during Small Business Saturday this year compared to 2020.

“I think it is,” Mathis described. “We’ve definitely seen a lot more traffic. I guess because COVID is not as rampant as it was last year.”

Mathis said she ordered items months in advance in light of the nationwide supply chain crisis to gear up for this big day.

“I started ordering back in the summertime because we knew there was a shipping issue, and we were trying to have our shelves stocked,” Mathis explained.

And this weekend, many items were flying off those shelves.

The store owner said it’s extremely important to shop locally because that’s one thing the store relies on to keep the doors open.

“It has a great impact on us because they’re not only supporting us, but they’re also supporting our employees that we have working here, and we have to battle with the big box stores, and Amazon, and all that,” said Mathis.

To help with small business Saturday, the JXN Flea set up shop in the Capital City.

The monthly market allows dozens of vendors to set up shop, showcasing and selling their goods.

The Flea also gives customers a chance to come shop and interact with local businesses.

“Local business is the heart of having a business in Jackson,” said Catherine Mansell, Business Operations Manager at Coffee Bean Corral. “It’s important to support local businesses and be a part of the community you live in.”

“A lot of people say, ‘I’m trying to do all of my shopping local this year,’ which means the world to us that people want to come in and support small businesses,” Mathis expressed. “We did see that a lot last year, and we are still hearing that this year, so that does mean a lot.”

If you missed out on doing your shopping for Black Friday or Small Business Saturday, don’t’ worry; you’ll have another chance to cash in on some good deals online during Cyber Monday.

Copyright 2021 WLBT. All rights reserved.